The 5 Best Espresso Machines, According to Our Testers

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Reviewed by Dietitian Brierley Horton, M.S., RD

As a coffee drinker, espresso represents the final frontier in perfecting your morning cup. This concentrated form of coffee is created by forcing hot water through finely ground coffee under at least nine and 10 atmospheres of pressure (also called “bars”). The result is a small, strong shot of coffee with a rich, bold flavor that you can either drink alone or use to make some of your favorite café-style drinks (or even an espresso martini).

That shot (or two) of espresso is good for your health, too. Research has found that regularly drinking coffee can boost your mood and is good for your brain, heart and thyroid health—in part due to the caffeine, but also the polyphenol compounds in coffee. In fact, coffee is the biggest source of antioxidants in the American diet.

This is good news, especially since home espresso machines are making good espresso more accessible than ever. Some machines let you fine-tune every step of the process, and others do everything but drive out to get the coffee for you. But if you still feel a bit intimidated making your own espresso, you’re not alone.

“Even for the pros, espresso is finicky,” says Tony Dreyfuss, co-founder and co-president of Metropolis Coffee Company. “It’s like a moody cat.” But Dreyfuss doesn’t believe that should discourage you from attempting espresso at home. “Don’t worry if you don’t get it right every time. It’ll still be delicious, and when you do make the perfect shot, it will be all the more rewarding.”

So, are you ready to ditch your coffee shop habit and experience the satisfaction of making smooth, rich espresso shots at home? Get ready to prove your coffee bonafides! See which home espresso machines will let you hone your skills and make you forget all about your daily drive-through.

Our Espresso Machine Recommendations

• Best Overall Espresso Machine: De’Longhi Magnifica Evo with Milk Frother

• Best Budget Espresso Machine : De’Longhi Stilosa Manual Espresso Machine 

• Best Espresso Machine for Beginners: Breville Bambino Plus
  

• Best Super-Automatic Espresso Machine: Breville Barista Express Impress

• Best Espresso Machine Design: SMEG Espresso Automatic Coffee Machine with Milk Frothing

Best Overall Espresso Machine: De’Longhi Magnifica Evo with Milk Frother

$900 at Amazon

$800 at Crate & Barrel

​​What we like: This machine was easy to use, and the quality of its espresso shots was consistently excellent.

What to know: For those who enjoy the process of tamping their own grounds and frothing their own milk, this machine may be too automated.

The De’Longhi Magnifica helps to demystify the process of making a great espresso shot or drink by making the process as simple as possible. As a super-automatic model, this machine comes with a built-in burr grinder that takes the guesswork out of achieving the perfect grounds-to-water ratio. The large reservoir ensures a steady water supply, and the control panel has seven one-touch recipes that make everything from espresso to iced coffee. If you’re using milk, you simply fill the small pitcher, and the steam wand will heat and foam it according to one of the recipe presets.

Despite the complexity of its functions, we found the De’Longhi’s setup was quite painless, and we were impressed with the machine’s ability to create a well-made cup of coffee with zero effort. The machine does all the tamping for you, and it produced firm, uniform coffee pucks during our testing. We enjoyed making a cappuccino or a latte with the push of a button; this machine is so automated that the proper amount of milk or foam dispenses automatically, making the frothing process entirely hands-off. We also liked the MyLatte feature, which let us save our favorite coffee combos for future use.

The Magnifico is easy to clean, with most parts being removable for a quick hand wash. This machine does require some counter space, however, and weighs in at a hefty 21 pounds. Still, if you’d otherwise be ceding kitchen real estate to a burr grinder or a milk frother, having all of these items in one machine may prove convenient. We think this machine is an excellent choice if you want high-quality espresso as quickly and seamlessly as possible.

Dimensions: 9.45”W x 17.32”D x 14.17”H | Weight: 21.16 lbs. | Beans Container Capacity: 8.8 oz. | Accessories: Stainless steel milk jug, steam wand cleaning tool, cleaning disc and brush

Best Budget Espresso Machine: De’Longhi Stilosa Manual Espresso Machine

$156 at Amazon

$83 at Target

​​What we like: If you’re just starting your at-home espresso journey, this model is a great way to get a feel for the process without spending hundreds.

What to know: The settings aren’t as intuitive as those in other models, so this machine may take some practice.

Clocking in at under $100, the De’Longhi Stilosa is a manual machine that puts you in complete control of your espresso-making experience. There are no presets on this model; a dial on the front of the machine controls the group head (the part of the machine that distributes the water through the portafilter basket, which holds your coffee grounds), and a switch on the side controls the steam wand. Because of this machine’s minimalistic design, it’s very easy to clean, and the steam wand has a water stream purge setting to help you remove any milk residue.

It took a bit of practice for us to get this one right, however. The steam wand is a bit finicky, and our first couple of attempts resulted in over-aerated milk. It also took us a few tries to pull an espresso shot we could be proud of. But once we found that sweet spot, the Stilosa produced a robust shot with a layer of crema that would make any barista proud. If you’re willing to practice, this machine can teach you a lot about espresso without investing serious cash.

Dimensions: 13.5”D x 8.07”W x 11.22”H | Weight: 9.48 lbs. | Beans Container Capacity: n/a | Accessories: Measuring scoop and tamper, single and double pod filter

Best Espresso Machine for Beginners: Breville Bambino Plus

$500 at Amazon

$500 at Williams-Sonoma

​​What we like: This machine comes in a more compact (and affordable) package and produces a milk froth that is second to none.

What to know: The Breville doesn’t have a built-in grinder, so you’ll have to supply your own if you want the freshest grind.

The Breville Bambino Plus has a lot going for it, starting with its relatively light weight (it tips the scales at barely over 3 pounds) and an interface that we found very easy to use. The presets let you choose between a single and a double espresso, as well as your milk microfoam level and temperature. While the Breville was easy to set up and disassemble for cleaning, the steaming wand required a bit of finesse to ensure that dried milk wouldn’t clog the unit (which is why the manufacturer recommends cleaning immediately after use).

While this machine does not have a built-in grinder or tamper, folks who want a more hands-on experience will enjoy the added control over their espresso shots. It also produced the best milk froth and foam of any machine we tested.

We were delighted with how easy this machine was to use. While the manual is very detailed, the extra information proved informative rather than excessive, showing us how to use the machine and including valuable pointers on items like frothing milk and descaling. Overall, we think the Breville is a great choice for beginners who want to practice the finer points of pulling the perfect espresso shot.

Dimensions: 7.7”W x 12.6”D x 12.2”H | Weight: 3.1 lbs. | Beans Container Capacity: n/a | Accessories: Tamper, precision dosing tool, cleaning tool and disc

Best Super-Automatic Espresso Machine: Breville Barista Express Impress

$900 at Amazon

$886 at Walmart

​​What we like: This machine is built to learn; once you find that perfect ratio, it can recreate it repeatedly.

What to know: The built-in tamper is good, but to make great espresso, we found tamping by hand worked best.

If you want a machine that does it all, the Breville Barista Express Impress is the complete package. This machine grinds, tamps, extracts and steams, with an internal heating system that delivers your water at a precise 200°F for optimal flavor. The bean hopper holds 8 ounces of whole coffee beans, and the 67.6-oz. reservoir ensures you have plenty of water at the ready. The machine's grinder also features 25 different settings, allowing you to adjust to your heart's content.

One aspect of this machine we really enjoyed during testing was its ability to “learn” from your previous dosage and tamp settings. If we found we used too much coffee, the machine would adjust accordingly (and the display lets you know if you’ve, say, overfilled the tamper). We found both setup and cleanup very easy, and the milk frother produced an excellent microfoam. We’ll note that it took us a while to find our rhythm with this machine; the automatic tamper works very well, but we had phenomenal results by taking the time to tamp our grounds by hand.

Dimensions: 12.9”D x 14.9”W x 16.1”H | Weight: 14.3 lbs. | Beans Container Capacity: 8.8 oz. | Accessories: Built-in grinder, stainless steel milk jug, cleaning disc and brush, cleaning tablets, descale powder

Best Espresso MachineDesign: Smeg Espresso Automatic Coffee Machine with Milk Frothing

$1000 at Amazon

$1000 at Crate & Barrel

​​What we like: This machine lets you make six different types of coffee from start to finish with the touch of a button.

What to know: This machine only produces single shots of espresso, so double-shot fans will need to look elsewhere.

For a hands-off experience rivaled only by, well, having someone else make it, the Smeg Automatic was a favorite of ours for its sheer ease of use. This machine grinds and tamps your coffee according to the drink you select. You can choose two different strengths of espresso or ristretto (a smaller, more concentrated version of espresso), coffee, or hot water. A wand just to the side of the group head steams your milk or milk substitute. Everything is entirely self-contained, giving this machine a very clean, minimal profile, and it takes up no more space than your average coffee maker.

During testing, we produced creamy, nicely balanced shots with little practice. This machine was very consistent and would be easy for even a novice home barista to use. When we used the steam wand for a test cappuccino, it produced a creamy foam with a tight bubble structure, which did not deflate in our cup. The only potential drawback is just how automated this machine is; if you’re used to tamping your own shots or experimenting with various grinds, you’ll find yourself with quite a bit of free time on your hands. Also, there’s no option for a double-shot of espresso, so single shots are all you’ll be able to pull from this machine.

Dimensions: 13.25”D x 7”W x 17”H | Weight: 11 lbs. | Beans Container Capacity: 5.3 oz. | Accessories: Cleaning brush, water hardness test strip, steam wand cleaning needle

The Bottom Line: The Best Espresso Machine

During our testing, we were most impressed by the De’Longhi Magnifica Evo with Milk Frother (view at Amazon); it’s easy to use, and has everything you need in one machine to make a great-tasting espresso. However, the Breville Bambino Plus (view at Amazon) is a strong contender, offering an excellent espresso-making experience at a lower price point.

Choosing an Espresso Machine

Do You Want the Machine to Do All the Work?

Espresso machines come in three levels of automation: manual, semi-automatic and super-automatic. Your choice depends on how involved you want to be in the espresso-making process.

Manual espresso machines give you complete control over the brewing process: In fact, you even pump the water into the brewing chamber yourself using a lever. While there is a definite learning curve, the hands-on attention really lets you learn the nuances of the machine and the espresso itself. It enables you to experiment with, for example, how you grind your coffee beans. Your reward is the knowledge of how to fine-tune the different elements to create a shot of espresso that fits your tastes.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are super-automatic machines, which streamline your espresso experience down to the touch of a button. These machines are ideal if your priority is convenience, since they handle the grinding, tamping and brewing automatically. However, you sacrifice the ability to tinker with elements like your water-to-grind ratio.

Semi-automatic espresso machines strike a balance between these two options, granting you control over some aspects of the machine while automating others. For example, you'll have to grind and tamp your own coffee beans, but these machines generally don’t require the same level of expertise needed to operate manual espresso machines.

Consistent Performance Matters

How consistently an espresso machine produces shots is another factor to consider. The grind size, tamping pressure and water temperature must consistently align to extract the flavors locked into those coffee grounds. Depending on its level of automation, an espresso machine should be able to produce reliably consistent water temperatures and extraction pressures so you can reproduce quality shots of espresso.

Is Your Espresso Machine Hard to Clean?

This element is as essential as it is practical; over time, oils from the coffee itself, not to mention leftover gunk from your milk, can build up in your machine. Many machines have some sort of purging mechanism to help prevent this buildup, but it’s always best to do a deep clean as often as the manufacturer recommends.

While many machines come with descalers and brushes, Dreyfuss strongly recommends investing in a good cleaning kit if your machine does not have this. After all, your skills as a barista and the quality of your coffee mean nothing if your machine cannot work properly. “Even with home users who only use it a few times a week, it really does build up. [The buildup] can turn rancid, or it can just make the way the water flows out not effective or consistent,” Dreyfuss says.

Is Space a Factor?

Finally, form and function are also important when purchasing an espresso machine. Do you value intuitive controls or have a kitchen with limited counter space? Is it essential to have a built-in grinder to save space, or do you have a dedicated coffee station where your espresso machine will be prominently displayed? All of these factors should play into your decision before making a purchase.

Our Espresso Machine Tests

We tested 20 different home espresso machines to determine which deserved a spot on our list. We rated each machine based on how easy it was to set up and clean and evaluated each based on its performance. For machines with built-in grinding or tamping systems, we observed how effectively they performed these tasks. If a machine included a built-in milk frother, we gauged how well it heated the milk and the final texture of the milk and microfoam.

We carefully observed each extraction to gauge the quality of the espresso produced by each machine. We produced five shots on each machine to better judge the quality of the espresso produced by each model (as well as how consistently the machine could recreate a high-quality espresso shot). Finally, every shot was evaluated based on the crema, body and taste to help us determine which models made noteworthy espresso.

We Also Considered

KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine ($230 at Amazon): This model produced excellent espresso shots and was generally well-built, but we found the steam wand tricky to use, and the fixed position of the wand made it challenging to maneuver the milk pitcher.

Cuisinart Espresso Maker Machine ($200 at Amazon): We felt this machine’s performance well exceeded its modest price tag. However, the uneven water flow created inconsistent results during testing, and the Breville Bambino Plus (view at Amazon) edged it out of the running.

Miele CM 5310 Silence Coffee Maker & Espresso Machine ($1,746 at Amazon): This super-automatic model does the grinding and tamping for you, and we were happy with the results. However, our best overall (the De’Longhi Magnifica, view at Amazon) performed very comparably for about half the price.

Common Questions

Can I make espresso without a machine?

Technically, espresso is a concentrated coffee created using high pressure to force hot water through finely-ground coffee beans. The force needed is between nine and 10 atmospheres of pressure (also called bars), and this can’t be attained without a machine. However, just because your coffee isn’t true espresso doesn’t mean you can’t make a good-tasting substitution. An Aeropress can mimic the concentrated taste of an espresso, and a milk frother will help you with milk-based creations like lattes.

How do I make a good shot of espresso?

In a word? Practice! Dreyfuss recommends getting to know your espresso machine before you even pull your first shot. “It’s like when you learn to drive,” Dreyfuss explains. “You learn in the mall parking lot. You should do the same with your espresso machine.” He also recommends watching a few videos to help acclimate yourself to the process. But once you’re ready, Dreyfuss has a few tips for how to brew espresso on a manual machine like a true barista:

1. Make sure your portafilter (the device with a handle that your espresso machine pumps water into) is in the machine and hot before you start.

2. Take it out and wipe the inside of the basket (the part that holds the coffee grounds) with a dry towel.

3. Put 14 to 18 grams of extremely finely ground coffee in your basket. Spread it around the basket so it's level and all the sides are filled in evenly.

4. Using your tamper, tamp straight down with 30 pounds of pressure. It's pretty hard, but not as hard as you can push.

5. Wipe the rim of the portafilter basket with your hand to remove any stray particles.

6. Dispense a couple of ounces of hot water from the machine, then put the portafilter into the machine. Put your preheated espresso cup underneath the spouts, then start the shot right away.

7. You're looking for 1.5 to 2.5 ounces of espresso in 20 to 30 seconds. If 1/3 to 1/4 of the shot is rich silky crema, you've done quite well!

8. If it flows a lot faster than 1.5 to 2.5 ounces in 20 seconds, use a finer grind. If it takes longer than 30 seconds, then use a coarser grind.

How do I clean an espresso machine?

Regular cleaning is vital to preventing the buildup of coffee oils and residue that can affect the taste of your espresso. Begin by purging the steam wand to clear any milk residue, then remove and clean the drip tray and water reservoir. Detachable parts, like portafilters and baskets, should be rinsed immediately after use to prevent your coffee grounds from sticking.

You’ll also want to perform a periodic deep clean on your machine to keep it in top shape. This will typically involve descaling your machine to remove mineral deposits left by hard water. Use a descaling solution recommended by the machine’s manufacturer and follow the instructions. Backflushing into an empty basket using a dedicated cleaning agent also helps eliminate coffee oils that can accumulate in the group head. Lastly, wiping the exterior with a damp cloth (paying particular attention to any nooks or crannies where grinds or dampness can accumulate) will help ensure your espresso machine continues producing high-quality coffee.

How much caffeine is in a shot of espresso?

A standard shot of espresso is typically around 1 fluid ounce and contains approximately 63 milligrams of caffeine. However, the exact caffeine content can vary based on factors such as the coffee bean type, grind size and brewing time. Despite being a concentrated form of coffee, a shot of espresso often has less caffeine than a regular cup of drip coffee.

How many shots of espresso is too much?

Besides being a pleasurable way for most of us to start our day, coffee has a handful of health benefits (and add-ins like cinnamon or even collagen powder can give your coffee a boost). Of course, too much of anything can have adverse effects. Everyone is different, but if you experience symptoms like nervousness, nausea, headaches or an irregular heartbeat, you may want to decrease your caffeine intake. After all, coffee is meant to be an enjoyable experience, not a detrimental one!

Our Trusted Expertise

For this article, we enlisted a team of testers to put 20 different home espresso machines through their paces. Our team’s expertise ranged from experienced baristas to espresso novices. Our writer, Katie Tuttle, is a food editor and has contributed to publications such as Food & Wine and The Spruce Eats. She participated in the espresso machine testing and used this firsthand knowledge to collect and interpret our results. For additional expertise, she also consulted Tony Dreyfuss, co-founder and co-president of Metropolis Coffee Company, for his valuable insights into the world of coffee in general and espresso in particular.

This article was edited by Kayleigh Drake, a former full-time baker and current EatingWell commerce editor and contributor to publications such as Food & Wine, The Spruce Eats and Simply Recipes.

Read the original article on Eating Well.