The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There's no one-size-fits-all coffee maker. We've put together our top choices, ranging from an automatic that grinds your beans and packs them into semi-automatic machines that give you the most control over your espresso.

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

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento makes a great choice for those who want to make espresso at home without sacrificing quality. This espresso machine for the prosumer is designed with limited counter space in mind and is built to last with a high-end build quality and a very small footprint. It comes with a 1.8 milliliter copper heat exchange boiler and commercial E61 Group Head, so you can steam your milk and brew coffee at same simultaneously.

The machine also looks great and features a round insert on the side panel with the steam engraved and hot water spouts. This is a modernization of Rocket's original design which is already impressive for a small appliance. It also comes with an black pressure gauge that will let you know when the boiler is ready for use.

One disadvantage of this tiny machine is that the drip tray and the water reservoir are smaller than the majority of machines. This means that you'll be more cautious about emptying and refilling the machine, particularly when using it frequently. This is a trade-off that is a result of having smaller footprint. It's not something that is unique to this model.

You can still brew plenty of coffee with this machine, and it is able to easily keep up with your demands. We recommend buying a good grinder, such as the Baratza Sette Giante to improve consistency and flavor. You can also pair this machine with the Rocket portafilter to enhance the tamping process.

As a professional espresso machine, the Rocket Appartamento is capable of making delicious drinks, and it's simple to make Latte art. It is important to remember that this machine isn't intended for novices. There is a small learning curve for those who upgrade from appliance-grade espresso machines. The heat exchanger can be difficult to work with, 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 a water source, allowing you to be able to drink cold pure, filter-filtered water. The latter has a smaller 2.25-liter tank that is harder to refill.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

This machine is built to Lavazza's top standards. The machine reaches the temperature for brewing quickly, so you can make your first cup in just 35 seconds. The water tank is also quick and easy to fill and the lid can be removed completely to reveal a large opening. You can fill it with tap water if that's what you prefer.

The Lavazza A Modo Mio is the smallest model in the series, yet it packs a punch. At its full price, it's priced at PS100 - which is less than the Nespresso Essenza and similar machines from SMEG and Desea. The Jolie is a great alternative for those who don't have the space or money for traditional espresso machines however still want to experience a real Italian espresso.

The Jolie is extremely easy to operate and takes up very little counter space. By pressing a single button, you can begin the process. After pressing it again, it will start dispensing the pod you have selected. The button has a backlight to let you know how much you have consumed. You can also manually stop the process in case you wish to drink the pod in smaller amounts.

The model isn't equipped with a steam wand, however, you can add creamy foam to your milk with an optional milk frother. The machine is also quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen workspace.

The pods aren't cheap, but they come in a range of blends that will suit anyone from the mildest espresso drinker to the most demanding. You can find them in many supermarkets, as well as regular coffee beans and grounds coffee. You can also purchase Lavazza A Modo Mio Compatible pods online.

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

3. Breville BES870XL

At first glance at first glance, the Breville Barista Express looks like an espresso machine that is out of the budget of a majority of consumers. If you're willing and able learn how to use it, then this is a great home espresso maker. It's far superior to most of the more expensive models. It's a great value for the money and is particularly useful for those who aren't experienced enough to have an espresso maker that can cost up to $100.

The model is just below the top of the line for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive at $2,199), but it's still an excellent choice for home baristas 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, meaning it can only do one thing at one time.

Breville is a relative newcomer on the market for espresso machines, has quickly gained a reputation as a top-quality appliances. This machine is no different, and it offers just enough adjustable control to allow aspiring baristas to improve their abilities without spending more than they have to.

There are some quirks however. The hopper is located on the side, not the top of the model. It's not a major issue, but it can be frustrating if you want to dispense multiple shots at once. The rear-facing position of the tank makes it difficult to see the amount of liquid left.

If you're willing to put in time learning to use the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent appliance for any coffee lover at home. The only drawback is the cost, which can be a turnoff for certain buyers. If you're looking for a budget alternative, we recommend the Gaggia Classic and the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are similarly capable and offer a little more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost a fraction of what this Breville model does.

4. OXO Brew 9-Cup

A high-tech smart machine for coffee with a simple user interface that makes great coffee. The sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED display gives your kitchen a sophisticated appearance. It comes with one dial that lets you to set the number of cups. There are two settings: 2-4 cups and 5-9 cups. The brewing process is similar to pour-over brewing, which coffee lovers believe makes the most delicious coffee. The water is heated up to the right temperature, then evenly distributed over the coffee grounds using a shower head. The coffee is stored in a double-walled carafe, which can be stored for up to 60 min. The pause-and-pour function lets you to remove the carafe during brewing and fill your cup. The machine pauses the brewing process and displays a red light on its LED interface until you return the carafe. Then, it resumes the brewing process.

The OXO Brew 9-Cup is an SCAA-certified coffee maker which means it meets the strict standards of SCAA's technical standards. The brew cycles are the same as the Bodum Bistro and the Technivorm Moccamaster 741 but it gives you more control over temperature and brewing time.

In our testing in our testing, the OXO Brew 9-Cup produced a pot of excellent drip coffee with a full cup in just 7 minutes and 41 seconds. It's slightly longer than the 6 minutes or less that the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require but well within the range of time that experts in the field recommend for a good cup of drip.

It also requires that you grind your own beans before making. You can use a manual coffee grinder, or choose a more automated model like the Baratza Encore, which has different grind settings and the hopper can hold entire beans.

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