The Unspoken Secrets Of Best Coffee Machine
The Best Coffee Machines For Home
There's no universally-fit-all coffee maker that is perfect for every. That's why we've rounded up our top picks for your home, ranging from a super-automatic that grinds and packs your beans, to semi-automatic machines that give you the best control over your espresso.
The Breville Oracle Touch strikes the perfect balance between automating the process and needing you to be familiar with the art of espresso-making. It's our top pick for a bean-to-cup machine.
1. Rocket Appartamento
Rocket Appartamento is a great option for those who are looking to make espresso at home without losing quality. This prosumer espresso machine is designed with the smallest counter space in mind and combines outstanding build quality with the smallest footprint. It is equipped with a 1.8 liter copper heat-exchange boiler and commercial E61 Group Head so you can steam your milk and brew coffee at same time.
The machine looks great too, and comes with an elongated side panel with engravings of steam and hot water spouts. This is an update to Rocket's original design, which is already impressive for a compact appliance. It also has the black gauge of pressure in the boiler to show when the boiler is ready to use.
The drip tray and the water reservoir tray are smaller on this machine than other models. You'll need be extra cautious when emptying and re-filling the machine. This is especially true if you use it frequently. This is a natural tradeoff to have less footprint, however, and not an issue that is unique to this model.
You can still brew a lot of coffee using this machine, and it will easily meet the demands. We suggest purchasing a high-quality grinder, like the Baratza Sette Giante, to improve consistency and flavor. You can also pair the machine with an Rocket Portafilter to improve tamping.
Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, can create delicious drinks and it is easy to make latte arts. However, it's worth noting that the machine was not designed for beginners and there's some learning curve for those who are upgrading from appliances. The heat exchange boiler can be a bit tricky to control and you'll need to learn the ins and outs of cooling flushes.
Both the Lelit Bianca and the Rocket Appartamento provide the option of connecting to a water source, that means you will always have cold, fresh water that has been filtered for your drinks. The latter model has a smaller 2.25-liter tank that can be harder to refill.
2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
As you would expect from the Lavazza machine this one has been designed with quality in mind. It is quick to reach the brewing temperature, which allows you to prepare your first cup of coffee in just 35 minutes. The water tank can be easily refilled by removing the lid. be removed to make a large hole. You can fill it up with tap water if you want.
This is the smallest machine in the Lavazza A Modo Mio range however, it still is a powerful machine. It's priced at less than PS100 at retail - that's 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 to buy a traditional espresso maker, but are looking to enjoy the benefits of real Italian espresso.
The Jolie is easy to use and occupies very little counter space. By pressing a single button, you can activate the machine. Pressing it again will start dispensing the specific pod you've chosen. There's a backlight on the button, so you are able to see clearly the amount of dispensed and you can also manually stop the process if you prefer to drink your pod in smaller doses.
There's no steam wand on this model, but you can make use of an optional milk frother (available separately) to add some creamy froth, if you'd like. The machine is quite quiet as well and can be used in a small space or in a kitchen with flatshare without causing any disturbance to anyone else.
Pods aren't cheap coffee machine, but there is a variety of blends available to satisfy everyone from mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are sold in most supermarkets, along with regular coffee beans and ground coffee and you can also buy Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods on the internet.
The Jolie and Milk is a stylish capsule machine that includes a milk warmer and a frother. It comes with a 75cm power cord and plug as well as a quick-guide and warranty sheet and a tester 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 compact enough to fit under a cupboard or on the floor.
3. Breville BES870XL
The Breville Barista Express appears to be an expensive espresso machine. But if you're willing to put in the work to master its use this is a great espresso maker for your home that performs better than many of the more expensive models on the market. It's the best value in its class, and it's especially good for novices who do not have an espresso maker yet--which can easily cost them $100 or more.
This model is priced less than the most expensive Breville Oracle (the most expensive at $2199), but is still a good choice for baristas working on a tight budget. It's loaded with customizable features and even an integrated burr mill, which makes it more affordable. It's also a one-boiler machine, which means it can only handle one thing at a time.
Although it is a relatively newcomer to the market of espresso machines, Breville has quickly made their mark through their top-quality machines. This machine is no exception and it comes with enough control to let new baristas hone their skills without spending hundreds more than they need to.
There are some quirks, though. The hopper is located on the side, not on the top, of this model. It's not a big problem, but it could be a hassle if you need to give multiple shots at once. It's also difficult to see the amount of water left in the tank due to its rear placement.
If you're willing time learning to make use of the Breville Barista Express then it's an excellent choice for any coffee lover at home. The only downside to the Breville Barista Express is the price, which may be a stumbling block for some buyers. If you're looking for a less expensive alternative, read our review of the Gaggia Classic or 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 does.
4. OXO Brew 9 Cup
A high-tech smart coffee machine with a simple user interface that produces great coffee. The sleek stainless steel design and backlit LED display creates a chic kitchen design. It has a single dial to program the amount of cups you want it to make and includes two cup settings as well as a 5-9 cup setting. The brewing process is similar to pour-over brewing, which coffee enthusiasts believe makes the most flavorful coffee. The water is heated up to the perfect temperature and then poured evenly over the coffee grounds using a shower head. The coffee machines professional is then brewed in the thermal, double-walled carafe for up to 60 minutes. Its pause and pour feature lets you remove the carafe during brewing to fill your own cup. The machine stops brewing and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it, then it resumes and completes brewing.
The OXO Brew 9-Cup coffee maker is certified by SCAA, which means it meets the rigorous standards of SCAA's technology. Its brew cycle is about the same length as the Bodum BISTRO and Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, however, it has more control over temperature, brewing duration and also quality.
In our tests we found that the OXO Brew 9-Cup brewed excellent drip coffee machine brands that was served in a full-carafe 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 experts in the field suggest for a decent cup of drip.
It also requires that you grind your own beans prior to making. You can make use of a manual coffee grinder, or go for a more automated model, such as the Baratza Encore, which has various grind settings as well as the hopper can hold entire beans.
The only issue is that the carafe as well as the water reservoir aren't dishwasher-safe this could be a hassle for certain users. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO Brew 9-Cup's sleek style and easy-to-use interface make it an undisputed contender among the best drip coffee makers.