The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There is no single-size-fits all coffee maker. We've rounded-up our top picks, starting with a superautomatic machine that grinds your beans and packs them to semiautomatics that give you the most control over your espresso.

The Breville Oracle Touch is the perfect blend between automation and having to know the ropes of espresso-making. It's our top pick for a bean-to-cup machine.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento is a top option for those who wish to make espresso at home without making huge sacrifices in terms quality. This prosumer espresso machine is designed with the smallest counter space in mind. It is built to last with a high-end build quality and tiny footprint. It comes with a 1.8 milliliter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 Group Heads so that you can steam your milk and brew coffee at same at the same time.

The machine also looks great and has a round panel on the side with engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is a fresh update on the classic look of Rocket that is already impressive for a machine that is so small. It also has an black pressure gauge that indicates when the boiler is ready for use.

One downside to this small machine is that the drip tray and reservoir for water are smaller than the majority of machines. This means you'll have to be vigilant about emptying and refilling the machine, particularly when using it frequently. This is a sacrifice that is a result of having less footprint. This isn't an issue that is specific to this model.

This machine can easily handle your coffee demands. We suggest buying a good grinder, like the Baratza Sette Giante to increase consistency and flavor. You can also use the machine in conjunction with an Rocket Portafilter to improve the tamping.

Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, can create delicious drinks and it is simple to make Latte Arts. However, it's important to remember that the machine was not designed for beginners and has a bit of a learning curve for those upgrading from appliance-grade coffeee machines. The heat exchanger is difficult to operate and you'll need to master the art 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 filter-filtered water. The latter comes with smaller 2.25-liter tank that can be difficult to refill.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

This machine is built to Lavazza's high standards. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, allowing you to prepare your first cup of coffee in just 35 minutes. The water tank is quick and easy to fill, with the lid detaching completely to make a wide opening. You can fill it with tap water if that's what you prefer.

This is the smallest machine of the Lavazza A Modo Mio range, but it still is a powerful machine. It costs less than PS100 at retail which is less than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. This makes the Jolie a great option for those without the budget or space for a traditional espresso maker, but who want to get their fix of real Italian espresso.

The Jolie is extremely easy to operate and takes up just a little counter space. By pressing a single button, you can start the machine. After pressing it again, it will start dispense the pod you've selected. There's a backlight that's on the button, so you can easily see how much has been dispensed and you can choose to manually stop the process if you prefer to drink your pod in smaller doses.

This model doesn't come with a steam wand however, you can add creamy froth to your milk using an optional milk frother. It's also quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen workspace.

The pods aren't cheap, but they come in a variety of blends that are suitable for anyone from the mildest espresso drinker to the most demanding. They are available in most supermarkets, along with regular coffee beans and ground coffee and you can also buy coffee machine Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods online.

The Jolie and milk is a sleek capsule machine that comes with an integrated milk warmer. It comes with a 75cm power cable and plug, a quick-guide and warranty card, as well as a test box that contains nine Lavazza pods: six roasts (two Qualita Rossa, two Lungo Dolce and two Delizioso) and two decaffeinated (Dek Cremoso). The machine itself is small enough to be kept on a flat surface or slipped under the cupboard.

3. Breville BES870XL

The Breville Barista Express appears to be an expensive espresso machine. If you're willing take the time to master its use this is a great do-it-all home espresso maker that performs better than many of the more expensive models on the market. It's a good value for the money and is particularly helpful for those who aren't experienced enough to have an espresso maker, which can cost up to $100.

The model is priced lower than the top-of-the-line Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199) However, it's an excellent option for baristas on a tight budget. It comes with plenty of adjustable features, and has a built-in burr grinder, making the entire experience less expensive. It's also a single boiler machine, which means it can only do one thing at the same time.

Despite being a relatively newcomer to the market for espresso machines, Breville has quickly made a name for themselves by offering top-quality equipment. This machine isn't an exception and offers enough adjustable control to let aspiring baristas improve their abilities without spending more than they need to.

It's not without its flaws, though. For instance, the hopper in this model is located on the side of the unit, instead of on top. This isn't a huge deal however it can be difficult to give multiple shots at once. The rear placement of the tank makes it difficult to see the amount of liquid left.

If you're willing to learn how to master the Breville Barista Express, it's a great, do-it-all appliance for anyone who loves espresso at home. The only issue is the price, which can be a turnoff for some buyers. If you're looking for a budget option, we recommend the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both machines are similar in capability and offer a little more control than the Barista Express. However, they cost a fraction of the price.

4. OXO Brew 9-Cup

A high-tech, smart coffee maker that makes excellent coffee using a simple interface. Its sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED display add an elegant look to your kitchen. It comes with a single dial that allows you to set the amount of cups. There are two settings: 5-9 cups and 2-4 cups. Its brewing process is similar to pour over the grounds, which many coffee lovers believe is the best small coffee machine tasting coffee. The water is heated up to the perfect temperature and then evenly poured over the coffee grounds using shower heads. The coffee brewed is then stored in the double-walled, thermal carafe for up to 60 minutes. The pause and pour function allows you to remove the carafe during brewing to fill your cup to the brim. The machine stops brewing and shows a red light for the carafe on its LED interface until you return it. It then resumes and finishes brewing.

The OXO Brew 9-Cup is a SCAA-certified coffee maker, which means it meets the strict standards of SCAA's technical standards. The brew cycles 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 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. This is a bit longer than the 6 minutes or less the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require but well within the range coffee experts recommend for a good cup of drip.

You should also grind your beans before brewing. You can opt for a manual grinder or a more automated model such as the Baratza Encore. It has multiple grind settings, and a hopper for whole beans.

The only drawback is that the carafe as well as the water reservoirs aren't dishwasher safe and could cause issue for some users. The stainless steel is still easy to clean by hand, though. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek style and user-friendly interface make it a top contender among the top drip coffee makers.