Ten Best Coffee Machines That Really Help You Live Better
The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There is no single-size-fits all coffee maker. This is why we've compiled our top picks for your home, from a super-automatic that grinds and packs your beans, to a semiautomatic that gives you the best control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch strikes a perfect balance between automatizing the process and requiring you to be familiar with the art of making espresso. This is our top choice for a machine that makes coffee.
1. Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento is a fantastic choice for those who are looking to make espresso at home without having to compromise on quality. This small-footprint espresso machine was created for those who have limited counter space. It combines excellent build quality and a small footprint. It comes equipped with a 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 group heads so that you can steam milk and make espresso at the same time.
The machine looks fantastic and features a round design on the side panel with the steam engraved and hot water spouts. This is a refreshing update on Rocket's classic aesthetic, which is already pretty impressive for a small machine. It also has the black gauge of pressure in the boiler to indicate when the boiler is ready for use.
The drip tray and the water reservoir tray are smaller on this machine than most others. You'll need to be careful when emptying and refilling the machine. This is especially the case if you use it frequently. This is a trade-off that comes with having less footprint. This is not a problem specific to this model.
This machine can easily handle your coffee demands. We recommend investing in a quality grinder, like the Baratza Sette Giante, to increase consistency and flavor. You can also use this machine in conjunction with the Rocket portafilter to enhance the process of tamping.
Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, can create delicious drinks and it is easy to create Latte Arts. It is important to remember that this machine was not designed for novices. There is a little learning curve for those upgrading from appliances-grade espresso machines. The heat exchanger is difficult to work with and you'll have to learn how to do cooling flushes.
Both the Lelit Bianca as well as the Rocket Appartamento have the option to connect to a water source, allowing you to always be in a position to drink cold and filtered water. The latter has a 2.25-liter water tank that is more difficult to fill than its competitors.
2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
As you would expect from a Lavazza machine, this one is designed with quality in mind. It is quick to reach brewing temperature, which allows you to prepare your first cup of coffee in less than 35 minutes. The water tank is quick and simple to refill, with the lid detaching completely to reveal a large opening. You can fill it up with tap water, if you like.
This is the smallest machine of the Lavazza A Modo Mio range and yet it has a lot of punch. At its full cost, it's less than PS100 - which is less than the Nespresso Essenza and similar machines from SMEG and Desea. This makes the Jolie an excellent choice for those who don't have the money or space for a traditional espresso maker, but want to get their fix of real Italian espresso.
The Jolie is simple to use and requires little counter space. Pressing one button will activate the machine. Pressing it again will start dispensing the pod you've selected. The button has a backlight to let you know the amount you've consumed. You can also manually stop the process should you prefer to consume the pod in smaller portions.
There's no steam wand available on this model, but you can make use of an optional milk frother (available separately) to add some creamy froth if you like. The machine is quite quiet also, and can be used in a small workspace or in a flatshare kitchen without disturbing others.
The pods aren't expensive, but they are available in a variety of blends that will suit everyone - from the mildest espresso drinker to the most demanding. They are sold in most supermarkets, along with regular ground coffee and coffee beans and you can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods on the internet.
The Jolie and Milk is a sleek capsule machine that includes a milk warmer and a frother. It comes with a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty card, a quick guide, and a tester pack comprising nine Lavazza pods. Six are roasts (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine is small enough to fit under a cabinet or on the floor.
3. Breville BES870XL
The Breville Barista Express appears to be a high-priced espresso machine. If you're willing to put in the work to master its use this is a fantastic espresso maker for home use that performs better than some of the more expensive models on the market. It's among the best priced in its class, best coffee Machines and is especially suitable for those who don't have an espresso grinder yet. This could easily set them back another $100 or more.
This model sits right in the middle of the range for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive at $2,199) however, it's an excellent option for home baristas on a budget. It has plenty of customizable features, and includes an integrated burr grinder, making the entire experience less expensive. It's also a one-boiler machine, which means that it can only handle one thing at the same time.
Although it is a relatively newcomer to the market of espresso machines, Breville has quickly made a name for themselves through their top-quality machines. This machine is no exception, and it has just enough control to let aspiring baristas improve their abilities without spending more than they need to.
It's not without its quirks however. The hopper is situated on the side, not on the top of the model. It's not a huge issue, but it can be a problem if you wish to give multiple shots at once. The rear placement of the tank makes it difficult to determine how much liquid is left.
If you're willing to learn how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's an ideal, all-purpose machine for any home espresso lover. The only downside is the price, which could be a deterrent for some buyers. If you're seeking a cheaper option, check out our review of the Gaggia Classic or the La Pavoni Impresso. Both machines are comparable in their capabilities and provide a bit more control than the Barista Express. However, they cost less than the price.
4. OXO Brew 9-Cup
A high-tech smart coffee machine with a user-friendly interface that makes great coffee. The sleek stainless steel design with backlit LED screen provides your kitchen with a stylish appearance. It has one dial that allows you to program the number of cups. There are two settings available: 2-4 cups and 5-9 cups. Its brewing technique is similar to pour-over the grounds, which many coffee lovers believe produces the best tasting coffee. The water is heated up to the perfect temperature and then evenly poured over the coffee grounds with shower heads. The brewed coffee then collects in the double-walled, thermal carafe for upto 60 minutes. The pause-and pour feature lets you to remove the carafe during brewing and then fill your cup. The machine pauses the brewing process and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it, after which it resumes brewing and is finished.
The OXO Brew 9-Cup is a SCAA-certified coffee maker, which means it meets the strict standards of SCAA's technical standards. Its brew cycles are about the same as the Bodum Bistro and Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it gives you more control over temperature and brewing times.
In our tests we found that the OXO Brew 9 Cup produced an excellent pot of drip coffee, with a carafe full in just 7 minutes 41 seconds. That's a little longer than the 6 minutes or less the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require, but still within the range of time that coffee experts recommend for a great cup of drip.
It also requires that you grind your own beans before making. You can select an manual grinder or a more automated model like the Baratza Encore. It has various grind settings, as well as it has a hopper that can be used for whole beans.
The only drawback to this product is that it's not dishwasher safe. This could be a concern for some customers. The stainless steel is easy to clean by hand, however. The OXO 9-Cup is a leading contender for the top drip WiFi-enabled coffee machines maker due to its sleek design and easy to use interface.