Brewing espresso and making espresso drinks at home can feel very daunting. With so many options, features, price points, and brands on the market, it can be hard to know how to choose an espresso machine. We are here to help! This espresso machine buyer’s guide will help simplify your decision making process, explain what to look for, and highlight a few of our favorite machines.
- Understanding Your Needs
- Types of Espresso Machines
- Features to Look For
- Top 5 Best Espresso Machines
- Maintenance Care & Tips
Understanding Your Needs
There are a few key factors to consider when choosing an espresso machine for your home.
- Skill Level: If you’re newer to making espresso drinks at home and want to start building your barista skills, you may want to purchase an espresso machine that’s more simplified so that you can familiarize yourself with the basics of brewing espresso and steaming milk. If you’re interested in making home espresso drinks, but don’t really want to get into the finer points of how to pull an espresso shot, or how to steam milk for a latte or cappuccino, you might choose a super-automatic espresso machine that will grind, tamp, pull your espresso shot, and steam milk on its own. If you’re an experienced home barista, you may be looking to upgrade a machine that you already own. Learning about the brewing variables that you can control will be a great place to start when picking out your new espresso machine.
- Budget: There’s a wide range of options for how much you can spend on an espresso machine — how much you spend depends on what features are important to you. Some of the more affordable semi-automatic options have more simplified features, whereas some of the super-automatic options will handle most of the process of making your morning cappuccino with the touch of a button. There are great machine in every price range.
- Space: Depending on the size of your kitchen space, you may decide to prioritize getting a smaller size espresso machine, or you might decide that certain other features are worth taking up a bit more space. Grinders and espresso machines can be taller than you think, so be sure to measure cabinet clearance as well as length. We’ll get into what features to look for in an espresso machine below, but if you already think you’ll want to prioritize having your machine connected to a water line, you should take that connection and space into consideration from the start. Most machines don’t pull too much power when in use and can simply be plugged in to your wall, as you look for semi-professional espresso machines you might have to have a dedicated circuit.
Types of Espresso Machines
There are a few different types of espresso machines, varying from those that give you complete control over every brewing variable to those that will handle every step of brewing without much input at all. So what are the differences between each type of espresso machine?
- Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines: If you’re ready to build your home barista skills and dial in espresso shots with full control over brewing variables like water temperature, grind profile, and more. There is, of course, a learning curve and it does require more time spent brewing - if that sounds exciting rather than daunting, a semi-automatic machine, like the LELIT Bianca, might be for you.
- Automatic Espresso Machines: Great for people looking for convenience with minimal input. These machines have a lot in common with Semi. Do you want some control over your espresso without having to be super focused every morning? An automatic machine—like the Breville Bambino Plus and Breville Barista Pro—is a good middle-ground.
- Super-Automatic Espresso Machines: These are fully automated and handle every step of the process for you. Because of that, there are limited adjustments that you can make if you want to change the duration or grind setting of your espresso shot. That said, for consistent, no fuss daily espresso and espresso drinks, a super-automatic might be right for you, like the Breville Barista Touch Impress and Breville Oracle Jet Espresso Machine. Bonus, if there are several espresso drinkers in your house, a super-automatic espresso machine is easy for anyone to pick up on without much practice.
- Pod-Based Espresso Machines: Simple and fast, for users who value convenience over customization. If you’re not ready to commit to an espresso machine, or you don’t have the time or interest in dialing in your home espresso set-up, you might choose to go the capsule route. Equator offers compostable espresso capsules that are compatible with the Nespresso Original Line.
Features to Look For
There are a few important features to consider when choosing your espresso machine:
Boiler Style
Single boiler machines have one boiler that powers both the steam wand and the grouphead (where the water comes out and into contact with the coffee grounds in the portafilter). Dual boiler machines have a boiler for the steam wand and the grouphead separately, which means you could pull your shot and steam your milk one right after the other, or even simultaneously, without having to wait for the machine to warm up again. Some home espresso machines don’t have a boiler at all, but instead a system that heats up water in-line. The benefit is that these machines are ready to brew very quickly, however they can take a bit longer to get up to the optimal temperature for quality espresso extraction. If you are making a couple of drinks in the morning you’ll be very happy with a single boiler machine. If you are in a household with lots of heavy coffee drinkers or regularly host large groups you will appreciate the speed of a double boiler machine.
Water Line or Reservoir?
If your espresso set up will need to handle quite a few daily users, or if you host a lot of people frequently, having the ability to connect your espresso machine to a water line can be much more convenient. Alternatively, if you anticipate a lower volume of users - likely to be the case for most home baristas - an espresso machine with a water reservoir will likely be just fine. Be sure to use filtered water and pay attention to specific instructions from the manufacturer. Some machines have filters to change semi regularly and all coffee brewers benefit from regular descaling.
Built-in Grinder or Stand Alone Grinder?
Like all coffee, great espresso shots start with fresh ground coffee beans. Some espresso machines come with built-in grinders that can give you a degree of control over grind size. These are super convenient, but sometimes don’t have the same consistency and variable control as a stand alone grinder like the Fellow Opus or the Baratza Vario+.
Top 5 Best Espresso Machines
Best for Small Spaces: Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine
- A compact espresso machine for smaller spaces. A more price and size conscious option for people who want a straightforward way to make espresso, cappuccinos, lattes, and more at home.
- Innovative ThermoJet® heating system, ready to brew in 3 seconds.
- Does not include an integrated coffee grinder.
- 47 fl.oz water reservoir, does not connect via water line.
Best Value: Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine
- About twice as wide as the Bambino Plus, but offers more precision control and an intuitive screen interface.
- Innovative ThermoJet® heating system, ready to brew in 3 seconds.
- Integrated conical burr grinder with 1/2lb coffee bean hopper capacity.
- Easy to dial in a range of coffee doses and grind size. 67 fl.oz water reservoir, does not connect via water line.
Best for Beginners: Breville Barista Touch Impress Espresso Machine
- A great option for folks who want to make espresso and espresso drinks with a bit of integrated guidance.
- At about the same size as the Barista Pro, the Barista Touch Impress offers an easy to use touch screen display and a pre-programmed coffee menu, automatic milk texturing, and an integrated grinder that delivers the right amount of ground coffee on demand.
- Innovative ThermoJet® heating system, ready to brew in 3 seconds.
- Integrated conical burr grinder with 1/5lb coffee bean hopper capacity.
- 67 fl.oz water reservoir, does not connect via water line.
Best for Busy People: Breville Oracle Jet Espresso Machine
- The ultimate “make it for me” espresso machine. Auto grind, dose & tamp into the professional-style 58 mm portafilter and use the touch screen’s pre-programmed Barista Guidance to help you create specialty coffee and café favorites (latte, cappuccino, cold brew, etc.) at home.
- Innovative ThermoJet® heating system, ready to brew in 3 seconds.
- Auto MilQ™ delivers silky microfoam hands-free, with settings optimized for dairy, soy, almond and oat.
- Integrated conical burr grinder with 12oz coffee bean hopper capacity.
- 77 fl.oz water reservoir, does not connect via water line.
Best for Enthusiasts: LELIT Bianca Espresso Machine
- An elegant and powerful dual boiler espresso machine that gives you an expert-level of brewing control with features like precise extraction pressure measurement and control, and adjustable steam and coffee temperature, adjustable Low Flow and pre-infusion time, customizable Brew Temperature offset.
- Does not include an integrated coffee grinder.
- The Bianca comes with a 2.5L water tank that can be positioned on the back, right, or left of the machine. Alternatively, if you’re able to connect the machine directly to a water line, you can remove the water tank entirely and never worry about refilling the reservoir.
Maintenance and Care Tips
Once you’ve invested in your espresso machine at home and you’ve dialed in your daily routine, one of the most important things you can do is keep your machine clean and maintained. Not only will a regular cleaning routine help extend the life of your espresso machine, but your espresso will pull more consistently, your milk will steam better, and your espresso drinks will be much better tasting.
Our friends at Breville have a general rule of thumb. “As a rule, if 2-5 cups of coffee are made per day, some parts should be cleaned every week, whereas the grinder and water tank only need to be cleaned every two to three weeks.” Cleaning your machine might include flushing the grouphead and steam wand, descaling, or changing the water filter regularly.
Find the Perfect Home Espresso Machine
With all of this information in mind, the best home espresso machine is the one that you’ll use the most! There’s a machine for every coffee lover, but if you run into any questions feel free to reach out and we’ll do your best to answer your questions. Remember, any coffee brewer is only as good as the coffee you use. Buying fresh coffee and grinding right before brewing are the key to better coffee.
You can browse our brewing machines here. And if you’re ready to learn more about how to pull an espresso shot, how to steam milk, or how to pour latte art, start here with our espresso brew guide.