The 7 best Espresso Machines for home

The best espresso makers can make your coffee at home taste better. When you make espresso at home, regular coffee can taste like it came from a coffee shop. You’ll impress your guests if you can pull off a perfectly created shot with good “crema,” the creamy, light-coloured foam that forms on top of freshly made espresso. To go even further, you can foam the milk and make a strong cappuccino or perfect your latte art.

Over the last few decades, we’ve looked at more than 40 espresso machines in our never-ending quest to find the best home espresso makers. We tried more than 20 espresso machines and made more than 60 cups of espresso during our most recent test. Let’s know The 7 best espresso machines for home.

What are the best home espresso makers?

So that you can buy an espresso machine of the best quality for your home, we have done an in-depth analysis of the market. In this way we have found and published in this post, only the best models that will completely adapt to what you are looking for, so that you have a coffee as if made by a professional, but made directly in your home.

7 Best Espresso Machines Analysis After Our Picks

1. Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine

For those who want to feel like a barista but don’t want a big machine, the Breville Bambino Plus is great. It’s small and won’t take up much counter space. A member of our team had this for years and loved how the small machine could still make a great shot of espresso. Two dual-wall filter baskets hold already-ground coffee beans. It also comes with a trimming tool, a tamper, and a milk jug that can be used with the steam wand that is connected to make your own foamed milk.

You can choose between a single espresso or a double espresso with hot, frothy, or very frothy milk as well. A strong espresso with a light foam came out of this machine during our tests. We found that this machine heated up quickly, wasn’t too loud, took up little space, and was easy to clean.

Read More: Breville Bambino Plus Coffee Machine Review

2. De’Longhi Stilosa Manual Espresso Machine

The price of this espresso machine is very low, but you won’t even notice when you taste the coffee. As with most homemakers, there is a learning curve and you need to play around with the amount of espresso and how fine the grinds are. We were still very pleased with the espresso it made on the fourth try; our tester said it was “robust in taste and aromatics.” Both the body and the cream were also very good. In fact, shots still tasted great even though the pressure and water flow weren’t always the same.

The built-in frother was a bit unpredictable. It had strong steam and high pressure, which made more foam than hot milk. Most likely, users will have to try water first to see how strong it is before going on to milk.

Some parts of this machine, like the outside, are made of thinner plastic, which will remind the user that it’s a cheap choice. And the shot pour can be noticeably uneven, even if it doesn’t change the taste. Overall, though, it’s a good choice for beginners that would also work well for more picky fans.

3. De’Longhi Nespresso Vertuo Plus Coffee Maker

To begin, we love how simple it is to use the Nespresso VertuoPlus. A small press of the lever opens and closes the lid, and a push of a button starts the brewing process. The capsule machine has a special system that reads the barcode on the capsule and then makes the drink exactly the way it’s meant to be made. You can pick from five different drinks: espresso, double espresso, gran lungo, mug, and alto (great for travel mugs).

In our tests, each cup of coffee and espresso was hot, well-balanced, and had a thick, rich foam. The fact that the water tank can be moved around to fit your counter room is also a plus. Another great thing about Nespresso is that they recycle used pods if you send them back to the company. The Vertuo machine, which is their newest model, is made with 54% recovered plastic. Lastly, the price is great, and it doesn’t need much cleaning up.

4. Mr. Coffee Espresso and Cappuccino Machine

People have known for a long time that Mr. Coffee has great deals on cheap drip coffee makers, but they also make great espresso. This well-reviewed espresso machine comes with a milk frother so you can make cappuccino or latte whenever you want at home.

You can use any kind of coffee beans, whether you buy them in a shop or grind them yourself. It’s easy to fill up and clean the water and milk reservoirs because they are both removable. A touch screen makes it simple to choose the drink you want. You can also change the way your drink tastes or use the manual setting for even more control. After 15 minutes of not being used, the machine turns off by itself, saving you power.

When we tested the Café Barista, we gave it good marks for how easy it was to use and how well it was put together overall. The machine looks sleek and modern, and it goes well with the other tools in her kitchen. It’s easy to clean and replace because all of its parts are clearly labelled and can be taken off.

Our only complaint was that the espresso didn’t taste as strong as it did with other machines. This was especially clear when it was used in a milk-based drink, which makes the espresso taste even weaker. This might be because the maker added too much water (which can be changed by hand, but we didn’t see a big difference) or because the plastic tamper didn’t let us press down hard enough on the ground. Still, it’s really simple to use and tastes pretty good for how much work it takes. The machine does most of the work, which is great for people who are just starting to make espresso drinks.

Read More Review: Mr. Coffee Cafe Barista Review: Still A Good Choice?

5. Nespresso BEC430TTN Pixie Espresso Machine

You don’t need to look any further for the best espresso machine that uses pods. You can make an espresso-like drink in less than a minute if you turn on the Nespresso Pixie, put it in a pod, and press a button. The crema will foam up. One setting on the Pixie makes espresso, and the other makes a lungo, which is just a long pour of espresso that is less strong.

But our TDS readings stayed between 5% and 7%, which is just below espresso, even though Nespresso says this machine has 19 bars of pressure. This machine won’t make “true” espresso, but it will make a strong, foamy drink. That is quite an accomplishment. We were ready to make an exception because the machine was so convenient and cheap.

After that, the machine is charged in 25 seconds or less. To save power, it turns off by itself after nine minutes. Breville makes these espresso machines and offers a restricted warranty for one year. However, I’ve had two of them for more than five years and haven’t had a single problem.

6. Ninja CM401 Specialty Coffee Maker

Ninja has made many food-related tools, such as coffee makers, blenders, and air fryers. We tried the brand’s Specialty Coffee Maker and think it’s a great choice for people who want a device that can do a lot of different things. From 4 ounces of coffee concentrate to a full carafe of drip coffee, it can make six different sizes of coffee. To find the right size cup or other container, just look at the icons. The panel will light up to let you know which one you picked.

For your information, this is not a real espresso machine; it makes coffee extract. The concentrate, on the other hand, is a good alternative. It tastes and feels like espresso because it’s very rich and thick. You can make your favourite coffee shop drinks and more with a fold-away milk frother. It’s as easy as pressing a button to get iced coffee.

You can buy this machine with either a glass or a heated stainless steel carafe. Either one can hold up to 50 ounces, which is about 10 cups. The SCA Golden Cup Standard has also approved the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker. The SCA Golden Cup Standard is a detailed set of rules for making sure the best coffee at home.

7. Bialetti Moka Express coffee Maker

Choosing a coffee maker might be difficult, but the Bialetti Moka Express has been trusted for years. This small, basic equipment has been popular for almost a century because it makes espresso-like coffee at home. Technically, the Moka Express does not brew “real espresso,” because it cannot produce as much pressure. However, moka pots are still considered stovetop espresso makers in the coffee industry.
High heat on a coil burner and medium-ground coffee brew lighter coffee in three minutes. On medium heat with a fine grind, it takes almost 10 minutes to make thick, espresso-like coffee for latte or cappuccino.

This polished metal octagonal moka pot looks great on your stovetop or table, but it’s tiny enough to store in a cupboard. It also diffuses heat. Its innovative safety valve and quick disassembly make it easy to clean, but handwashing it after each use is tedious.

I’ve owned the Bialetti Moka Express for four years, and the handle can get hot, so wear an oven mitt or towel while removing it from the burner.

What are the different types of espresso machines?

The machines we tried here and most of the machines you can buy at big stores can be put into one of two groups: semi-automatic espresso makers and super-automatic espresso makers. Each one is an electric machine with a motor-driven pump that makes espresso. But most of the time, the big changes happen before the coffee is brewed. Some semi-automatic machines have built-in grinders, some have built-in pressure gauges, and some let you carefully adjust the temperature. However, all of them need you to fill a portafilter with coffee grounds and tamp them into a puck. People who use a semi-auto also have to put the portafilter into the group head, which is where the water comes out of the machine.

All of those steps are taken care of by super-automatic espresso machines. You only have to press a button, and the machine will grind, tamp, brew, and sometimes even foam milk without any further help from you. In order to get the exact taste you want from an espresso shot, super-autos usually don’t let you make the same changes that semi-autos do, even though they are easier to use.

We tried a couple of the machines that you have to do by hand. They don’t have electronic pumps, so people have to use their arms to make the right amount of pressure, which is about nine bars.

What to take into account when buying an espresso machine

So that you can buy a high-quality espresso machine, you must make sure to follow some basic tips that will allow you to make a completely correct decision:

Budget

The first thing you have to do is determine the budget you are going to spend on your coffee machine, it is something basic. Especially since you have different options on the market, some cheaper and others that are a little more expensive.

However, everything will depend on the quality of the coffee you want to obtain, because the machine will greatly influence your decision. You should always evaluate the quality-price ratio very well to choose the ones that best suit your needs.

Size and available space

Luckily for you, if you have a small space you can have a high-quality espresso machine without having to spend a lot of money. In any case, you can choose a model that completely adapts to your spaces and that you can store and take out easily.

However, you should keep in mind that if you are looking for a high-power coffee maker, it may not have a very compact size.

Type of coffee

You must keep in mind that not all models are the same, especially because you must take into account the coffee you are going to prepare. In any case, you should make sure you buy a coffee that is of quality, and as far as possible that is not traditional ground coffee.

The most advisable thing is to choose to buy fresh or roasted coffee, since this way you will have the best flavour. Some machines come with their own built-in grinder, but in most cases you will have to buy it separately, being a very cheap accessory that cannot be missing in your kitchen. To help you in this task, we recommend that you visit our post on coffee grinders: The 7 Best Electric Coffee Grinders for Home.

Easy to use

It is important that you have a model that is as intuitive as possible, and that allows you to control it in an easy way. This way, you won’t have to spend a lot of time making the coffee, since the machine will be able to do most of the work on its own.

Other crucial aspects are also usually the cleaning and maintenance that you must do to it. This is because some coffee makers will require more effort than others to clean and maintain correctly.

Boiler type

You should keep in mind that most espresso machines have a pump mechanism that allows you to buy a machine with a tube for vaporizing liquids. This is because they need a simple system to heat water and generate steam.

At this point, you must keep in mind that the water temperature must be different for coffee than for steam. For this reason, the best options will be those with heat exchange and double boilers, rather than those with a thermoblock.

What is an espresso machine?

When talking about an espresso machine, we are talking about a machine that makes coffee by releasing water under pressure close to its boiling point. These are very versatile machines, especially because they can also use a steam tube that allows you to vaporize and also foam your liquids.

These machines use ground coffee that when placed in a filter can produce thick, concentrated coffee. But you should keep in mind that not all of them are the same and that not all of them will offer you the same characteristics. Some have many features to prepare different types of coffee, depending on your tastes.

Espresso machines are specially designed for coffee lovers since they are the ones who will have a more demanding palate. In any case, they are very good quality machines that will allow you always to have great quality in your coffee.

How do espresso machines work?

Espresso machines stand out for preparing coffee in just a few seconds more quickly than traditional coffee machines. The operation of these coffee makers is very simple since they work through a built-in filter.

Once the coffee is poured into the filter you must press it, but you must keep in mind that if it is very pressed the coffee will come out very thick. On the other hand, if the coffee is too loose it will come out very watery, which is why you must press it appropriately depending on the quality of the grind.

The filter holder has an arm that sticks out and may have a system to rotate it from left to right or to snap it into place. Regardless of the system, you should make sure it is tight so that your coffee is brewed in just a few seconds.

Once you have finished brewing your coffee, you can use the frother wand to heat the milk to create a layer of foam on top of your coffee. As you can see, the operation of this type of machine is quite simple and does not require any effort to have an ideal coffee.

What are the benefits of an espresso machine?

When comparing them with other types of coffee makers, the advantages that express coffee makers provide are many, among which the main ones are:

• Control: with these machines you can have total control over your coffee, choosing the parameters you need in a really simple way.
• Performance: it is another interesting advantage, especially because these machines are quite powerful, generally being above 15 bars of power. Therefore, the coffee you prepare with these machines will be very similar to a coffee made by a professional.
• Easy to use: they are machines that generally have a simple control system. In addition, some have automatic operations that will make the entire process of preparing your coffee even easier.
• They are cheap: generally, these are machines that have a fairly reasonable price, and that are much cheaper to use than capsule machines. For this reason, they are machines that have great versatility and are not limited by compatibility with capsules. However, you also find some with a very high cost, but it will all depend on what you are looking for.

As you can see, there are many advantages that espresso machines have, but if we add to this the fact that reusable filters are used instead of capsules. We will also be able to have an environmentally friendly machine that will not generate a large amount of waste.

What is the ideal coffee to use in an espresso machine?

You should keep in mind that the coffee used in your espresso machine can determine the flavour you will have in the end. For this reason, you should pay attention to the following tips so that you can choose very well:

• You should always buy fresh coffee, avoiding those that have been packaged for months because these have already largely lost their properties.
• Coffee should be bought as beans, and roasted yourself, to ensure that you will always have a good performance.
• You have to use a good grinder always to get the coffee perfect.
• For a good espresso coffee, you must make sure that it is always of good quality because this way you will avoid any inconvenience.

It will always be important to avoid the ground coffee that you find in any supermarket because it can be packaged for months and will lose its flavour and aroma. For this reason, it is always recommended to use fresh coffee to avoid this type of inconvenience.

Read More: How to clean the coffee maker with vinegar and other natural products

Where to buy espresso machines?

In the market, you will find many options to buy espresso machines, such as Carrefour or any specialized commercial establishment. However, if what you want is to save money and have very fast shipping you should opt for Amazon.

By buying on Amazon, you will not only be able to find the best models on the market, but you will also be able to take advantage of receiving them at the door of your house. This will give you great advantages because you will simply have to make your purchase online and you will receive your coffee maker directly in the comfort of your home. This has extensive advantages when purchasing your coffee maker because you will not have to worry at all about the quality of the service.

Read More: How much caffeine is in a cup of coffee?