The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There's no universally-fit-all coffee machine. That's why we've rounded up our favorite 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 achieves the perfect balance between automation and having to know the ropes of espresso-making. It's the most efficient bean-to-cup machine we've found.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento makes a great choice for those looking to make espresso at home without having to compromise on quality. This espresso machine for prosumers is designed with a limited counter space in mind and combines outstanding build quality with tiny footprint. It is equipped with an 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 group head so you can steam milk and make espresso at the same time.

The machine also looks great and features a round panel on the side with engravings of steam and hot water spouts. This is an upgrade to Rocket's traditional design that is already impressive for a compact appliance. It also has a black pressure gauge that indicates when the boiler is ready to use.

The water reservoir and drip tray are smaller on this machine than most other models. You'll need be extra cautious when emptying and re-filling the machine. This is especially the case in the event that you frequently use it. This is a normal trade-off for less footprint, however it is not a problem that is unique to this model.

You can still brew plenty of coffee using this machine, and it can easily keep up with your demands. We would recommend investing in a good grinder, WiFi coffee Machines such as the Baratza Sette Gigante, for increased consistency and flavor. You can also pair the machine with a Rocket Portafilter to increase the tamping.

Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, makes delicious drinks and it is easy to create Latte Arts. It's important to note that the machine isn't designed for beginners, and there is some learning curve for those upgrading from appliance-grade machines. The heat exchanger is difficult to work with and you'll have to master the art of cooling flushes.

Both the Lelit Bianca and the Rocket Appartamento offer the option of connecting to a water source, that means you will always have cold, fresh filtered water on hand for your drinks. The latter comes with a smaller 2.25-liter tank that is harder to refill.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

As you might expect from the Lavazza machine this one was designed with quality in mind. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, which allows you to prepare your first cup of coffee in just 35 seconds. The water tank is quick and simple to refill, with the lid detaching completely to reveal a large opening. You can also fill it with tap water if you prefer.

This is the smallest machine in the Lavazza A Modo Mio range however, it still packs a punch. It's priced less than PS100 at retail which is less than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. This makes the Jolie an excellent choice for those who don't have the money or space to buy a traditional espresso maker, but want to get their fix of real Italian espresso.

The Jolie is incredibly simple to use and occupies just a little counter space. You only need to press one button to start the machine, then again to start dispensing the chosen pod. The button is illuminated so that you can see the amount you've consumed. You can also manually stop the process, should you prefer to consume the pod in smaller quantities.

There's no steam wand available on this model, however you can add a milk frother (available separately) to add some creamy froth if you want. The machine is quiet also, and can be used in a small workspace or in a kitchen with flatshare without causing any disturbance to anyone else.

The pods aren't cheap, but they come in a range of blends that can be used by everyone - from the mildest espresso drinker to the most demanding. They are available in many supermarkets, as well as regular grounds coffee and WiFi coffee Machines beans. You can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio Compatible pods on the internet.

The Jolie and Milk is a stylish capsule machine with an integrated milk warmer and a frother. It includes a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty card along with 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 cupboard 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 learn how to use it, this is an excellent espresso maker for your home that is more efficient than some of the more expensive models on the market. It's the best value in its class, and it's particularly suitable for beginners who do not have an espresso maker yet--which can easily cost them $100 or more.

This model is a bit in the middle of the line for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive at $2,199) However, it's an excellent choice for baristas at home who are on a tight budget. It's loaded with options to customize and features, including an integrated burr mill to make it more affordable. It's also a single boiler machine, which means it can only be used for steaming or brewing at one time.

Breville, an incredibly newcomer to the market for espresso machines, has quickly gained a reputation as a top-quality appliances. This machine is no different and has enough control to let aspiring baristas develop their abilities without spending more than necessary.

The unit has its quirks. One example is that the hopper on this model is placed on the side of the unit instead of on top--which isn't an issue, but it can be frustrating if you're trying to dispense multiple shots at once. It's also not very easy to know how much water is left in the tank, because of its position at the rear.

If you're willing to invest some time to learn how to make use of the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent option for any espresso lover at home. The only issue is the price, which could be a deterrent for some buyers. If you're looking for a low-cost alternative, we recommend the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are similarly capable and provide a bit more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost only a fraction of the price. Breville model can do.

4. OXO Brew 9-Cup

A high-tech, intelligent modern coffee machines maker that makes excellent coffee using a simple interface. The sleek stainless steel design with backlit LED display creates a chic kitchen look. It comes with one dial to set the amount of cups you want it to make. It also comes with two cup settings and a 5-9 cup setting. The brewing method is similar to pour-over that many coffee enthusiasts believe is the most delicious coffee. The water is heated to the ideal temperature, and then evenly poured over the coffee grounds with a shower head. The coffee that is brewed is stored in the double-walled thermal carafe that can be kept for up to 60 minutes. The pause-and-pour function lets you remove the carafe while making your coffee and filling it with the right amount. The machine stops the brewing process and displays an red light on its LED interface, until you return the carafe. Then, it resumes brewing.

The OXO 9-Cup coffee maker comes SCAA certified, which means it meets the strict standards in terms of technology. The brew cycles it uses are the same as those of the Bodum Bistro and Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it gives you more control over temperature and brewing time.

In our tests in our testing, the OXO Brew 9-Cup produced excellent drip coffee that was served in a full-carafe in just 7 minutes and 41 seconds. This is a bit more than the 6 minutes that the Bonavita Connoisseur or the Moccamaster requires, but still within the range that coffee experts suggest for making a quality cup.

It also requires that you grind your own beans before making coffee. You can make use of a manual coffee grinder, or opt for a more automatic model, such as the Baratza Encore, which has multiple grind settings and an hopper that can hold whole beans.

The only drawback to this product is that it's not dishwasher safe. This could be a concern for some users. The stainless steel is easily cleaned by hand, though. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek design and easy-to-use interface make it an undisputed contender among the top drip coffee makers.