Ten Best Coffee Machines That Really Help You Live Better

The Best Coffee Machines For Home

There's no one-size-fits-all coffee maker. This is why we've compiled our top picks for the home, from a super-automatic that grinds and packs your beans, to a semiautomatic that gives you the best control over your espresso.

The Breville Oracle Touch is the perfect blend between automation and having to know the ropes of espresso-making. This is our top choice for a coffee-to-cup machine.

1. Rocket Appartamento

Rocket Appartamento is a top pick for those who wish to make espresso at home, without making huge sacrifices in terms quality. This espresso machine with a small footprint was created for those who have limited counter space. It combines excellent build quality and a small 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 simultaneously.

The machine looks stunning too, and comes with an elongated side panel with the engraved steam and hot water spouts. This is a new take on Rocket's classic aesthetic and is already impressive for a small machine. It also includes an black gauge for boiler pressure to let you know when the boiler is ready to use.

One downside to this small machine is that the drip tray and water reservoir are smaller than those of other machines. You'll need to be careful when emptying and re-filling the machine. This is particularly true in the event that you frequently use it. This is a sacrifice that results in less footprint. It's not something that is unique to this model.

This machine is able to handle your coffee needs. We would suggest investing in a quality grinder, like the Baratza Sette Gigante, for greater consistency and flavor. You can also use this machine in conjunction with the Rocket portafilter to improve the process of tamping.

Rocket Appartamento, as a prosumer machine, can create some great drinks and it is easy to create Latte arts. It is important to remember that this machine was not designed for novices. There is a slight learning curve for those who upgrade from appliances-grade espresso machines. The heat exchanger is tricky to handle and you'll need to learn how to perform cooling flushes.

Both the Lelit Bianca and the Rocket Appartamento provide the option of connecting to a water source, which allows you to always have clean, cold water that has been filtered for your drinks. The latter, however, comes with a 2.25-liter water tank, which is more difficult to refill than its competitors.

2. Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie

This machine is built to Lavazza's high standards. The machine can reach the temperature of brewing quickly, so you can make your first cup in less than 35 second. The tank is able to be filled with ease, since the lid can be removed to create the large hole. It can be filled using tap water, should you wish.

This is the smallest machine of the Lavazza A Modo Mio range however, it still has a lot of punch. It costs less than PS100 at full price - that's less than the Nespresso Essenza or similar machines from SMEG or Desea. The Jolie is a great option for those who do not have the space or budget for traditional espresso machines, but still want to enjoy the authentic Italian espresso.

The Jolie is extremely easy to use and takes up very little counter space. You only need to press one button to start the machine, and then press it again to start dispensing your chosen pod. There's a backlight that's on the button to ensure that you are able to see clearly how much has been dispensed and you can also manually stop the process should you prefer to drink your drink in smaller portions.

This model does not come with a steam wand but you can add some creamy froth to your milk using an optional milk frother. The machine is also quiet and can be used to make coffee in a small kitchen work space.

They aren't inexpensive, but there's a wide variety of blends available to satisfy everyone from mildest to the most demanding espresso drinkers. They are available in most supermarkets alongside regular coffee beans and ground coffee and you can also buy Lavazza A Modo Mio compatible pods online.

The Jolie and Milk is a sleek capsule machine with an integrated milk warmer and a frother. It comes with a 75cm plug and power cable, a warranty card, a quick guide, and a tester pack of nine Lavazza pods. Six are roasted (two Qualita Rossa and two Lungo Dolce) and two are decaffeinated. The machine itself is small enough to be able to be stowed on an even surface or placed under your cupboard.

3. Breville BES870XL

The Breville Barista Express appears to be an expensive espresso machine. If you're willing and able to learn how to use it, then this is a fantastic home espresso maker. It performs better than most of the more expensive models. It's among the best priced in its class, and is especially good for novices who don't have an espresso grinder yet. This could easily set them back another $100 or more.

This model sits right below the top of the range for Breville (their Oracle is the most expensive, costing $2,199) However, it's a solid choice for home baristas on a tight budget. It delivers plenty of tweakable features, and comes with a built-in burr grinder to make the whole experience much cheaper. It's also a one-boiler machine, which means that it can only perform one task at one time.

Despite being a relatively newcomer to the espresso machine market, Breville has quickly made an impact by offering top-quality equipment. This machine is no different and has enough control to let new baristas hone their skills without spending hundreds more than necessary.

The unit has its flaws. One example is that the hopper on this model is placed on the side of the unit instead of on top--which isn't an issue however it can be a little annoying if you're trying disperse multiple shots at a time. The rear placement of the tank makes it difficult to see how much liquid is left.

If you're willing to invest time learning to use 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 its price, which may be a stumbling block for some buyers. If you're seeking a cheaper alternative, read our review of the Gaggia Classic or the La Pavoni Impresso. Both are equally powerful and offer a little more control than the Barista Express, but they'll cost you only a fraction of the price. Breville model does.

4. OXO Brew 9-Cup

A high-tech smart coffee machine that makes great coffee using a simple interface. The sleek stainless steel design with backlit LED screens creates a chic kitchen design. It has one dial to set how many cups you want it to make. It also comes with the 2-4 cup setting as well as a 5-9 cup setting. Its brewing method is similar to pour-over, which many coffee pot machine enthusiasts believe makes the most delicious coffee machine for office. The water is heated to a perfect temperature and then poured over grounds using a showerhead to ensure uniform saturation. The brewed coffee is then stored in a double-walled carafe and 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 brewing and displays a red carafe light on its LED interface until you return it. then resumes and finishes brewing.

The OXO Brew 9-Cup is a SCAA-certified coffee maker, that means it is in compliance with the rigorous standards of SCAA's technology. The brew cycle is as long as those of the Bodum BISTRO and Technivorm Moccamaster KBT 741, but it provides greater control over temperature, brewing time and also quality.

In our tests we found that the OXO Brew 9-Cup made an excellent drip coffee that was served in a full-carafe of coffee in just 7 minutes and 41 seconds. That's a little longer than the 6 minutes or less the Bonavita Connoisseur and the Moccamaster require, but still within the range that experts in the field recommend for a great cup of drip.

You must also grind your own beans prior to making. You can use an old-fashioned coffee machines makes grinder or go for a more automated model like the Baratza Encore, which has multiple grind settings and an hopper that can hold whole beans.

The only drawback is that the carafe as well as the water reservoir aren't dishwasher-safe, which could be a problem for certain users. The stainless steel can be cleaned by hand. The OXO 9-Cup is a leading contender for the best coffee machine drip coffee maker because of its sleek design and simple to use interface.