The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There's no universally-fit-all coffee maker that is perfect for every. This is why we've compiled our favorite picks for your home, ranging 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 the perfect balance between automatizing the process and requiring you to be familiar with the art of espresso-making. It's the most efficient bean-to-cup machine we've seen.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento is a top choice for those who wish to make espresso at home, without making significant sacrifices in terms of quality. This espresso machine with a small footprint was designed for those who have small counter space. It is built to last and has excellent quality and a compact footprint. It is equipped with a 1.8-liter copper heat exchange boiler as well as a commercial E61 group heads so that you can steam milk and make espresso at the same time.

The machine also looks great and has a circular insert on the side panel with engravings of steam and hot water spouts. This is a fresh update on the classic design of Rocket that is already impressive for a machine that is so small. It also includes the black gauge of pressure in the boiler to indicate when the boiler is ready for use.

One disadvantage of this tiny machine is that the drip tray and reservoir for water are smaller than most other machines. You'll need to be careful when emptying and re-filling the machine. This is particularly true in the event that you frequently use it. This is a normal trade-off for having a smaller footprint, though this is not a problem particular to this model.

This machine is capable of handling your coffee demands. We suggest purchasing a high-quality grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Gante, to improve consistency and flavor. You can also pair the machine with a Rocket Portafilter to enhance the tamping.

Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, can make delicious drinks and it is easy to make Latte Arts. It is important to remember that this machine is not designed for beginners. There is a little learning curve for people who are upgrading from appliance-grade espresso machines. The heat exchange boiler may be a bit difficult to operate and you'll need to learn the basics of cooling flushes.

Both the Lelit Bianca as well as the Rocket Appartamento have the option to connect to an water source, allowing you to always be able to drink cold and filtered water. The latter comes with a 2.25-liter water tank, which can be more difficult to refill than some of its competitors.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

This machine is built to Lavazza's highest standards. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, allowing you to make your first cup of coffee in less than 35 seconds. The water tank is quick and easy to fill by removing the lid completely to create a large opening. You can fill it with tap water if you like.

This is the smallest machine within the Lavazza A Modo Mio range and yet it packs a punch. It's priced at less than PS100 at the full price which is less than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. The Jolie is a great alternative for those who do not have the space or budget for an espresso machine of the traditional type however, they nevertheless want to drink an authentic Italian espresso.

The Jolie is simple to use and takes up little counter space. It's as easy as pressing one button to start the machine, then again to begin dispensing your chosen brew. There's a backlight on the button so that you are able to see clearly how much has been dispensed, and you can manually stop the process should you prefer to drink your pod in smaller doses.

There's no steam wand available on this model, however you can make use of an optional milk frother (available separately) to add some creamy froth, if you'd like. The machine is also quite quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen or workspace.

The pods aren't inexpensive, but they come in a variety of blends that can be used by all - from the lightest espresso drinker to the most demanding. You can find them in the majority of supermarkets, along with regular coffee beans and grounds coffee. You can also buy Lavazza A Modo Mio Compatible pods online.

The Jolie and Milk is a sleek capsule machine with an integrated milk warmer and a frother. It comes with an 75cm power cable, plug along with a quick-guide as well as a warranty sheet, and a test box of nine Lavazza pods which include six roasted (two Qualita Rossa, two Lungo Dolce and two Delizioso) and two decaffeinated (Dek Cremoso). The machine is small enough to fit under a cupboard or flat surfaces.

3. Breville BES870XL

The Breville Barista Express appears to be a high-priced espresso machine. If you're willing and able learn how to use it this is a fantastic home espresso maker. It performs better than many of the more expensive models. It's a good value for the money and is particularly helpful for beginners who don't yet have an espresso machine, which can cost up to $100.

The model is just below the top of the line for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive, costing $2,199) however, it's a solid choice for baristas at home who are on a tight budget. It comes with a variety of customizable features, and even an integrated burr mill to make it more affordable. It's also a single boiler machine, which means it can only do steaming or brewing at the same time.

Despite being a relative newcomer to the market for espresso machines, Breville has quickly made a name for themselves through their top-quality machines. This machine is no exception and it comes with enough control to let aspiring baristas improve their abilities without spending a lot more than they need to.

The unit does not come without its flaws. For instance, the hopper on this model is placed on the side of the unit, instead of being on top. This isn't really a huge deal however it can be frustrating if you're trying to give multiple shots at once. The rear position of the tank makes it difficult to see how much liquid is left.

But if you're prepared to invest some time learning how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's an ideal, all-purpose machine for anyone who loves espresso at home. The only issue is the cost, which can be a deterrent for some buyers. If you're looking for a budget alternative, we suggest the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are equally capable and offer a bit more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost you less than the Breville model can do.

4. OXO Brew 9 Cup

A high-tech smart coffee maker that produces great coffee with a simple interface. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED display add a stylish appearance to your kitchen. It features a single dial to program how many cups you want it to make. It also comes with the 2-4 cup setting and a 5-9 cup setting. Its brewing technique is similar to pour-over, which most coffee lovers believe makes the most flavorful cheap coffee machine. The water is heated to the right temperature, then poured evenly over the coffee grounds using shower heads. The brewed coffee then collects inside the double-walled thermal carafe for upto 60 minutes. Its pause and pour feature allows you to remove the carafe while brewing to fill your own cup. The machine pauses brewing and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it, after which it resumes brewing and is finished.

The OXO 9-Cup ground coffee machines maker is SCAA certified, meaning it complies with the strict standards for technical quality. The brew cycle is longer than the Bodum BISTRO and Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, but it provides greater control over temperature, brewing duration and quality.

In our tests we found that the OXO Brew 9-Cup made a pot of excellent drip coffee and a full-carafe of coffee in just 7 minutes and 41 seconds. It's slightly longer than the 6 minutes or less the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require, but still within the range of time that experts in the field suggest for a decent cup of drip.

It is also necessary to grind your own beans prior to making. You can use a manual coffee machines office grinder or go for a more automated model like the Baratza Encore, which has various grind settings as well as an hopper that can hold whole beans.

The only issue is that the carafe as well as the water reservoirs aren't dishwasher safe, which could be a issue for certain users. The stainless steel is easy to clean by hand, but. The OXO 9-Cup is an excellent contender for the best drip coffee maker because of its sleek design and easy to use interface.