Top Best Espresso Machine
How to choose the best espresso machine
While there are many types on the market, we’d advise any espresso lover to buy a traditional pump-action machine, which combines mechanisms for both maintaining water temperature and applying pressure.
The best coffee pod machines require you to buy pods, which can be less cost-effective while also posing a greater sustainability issue as they’re difficult to recycle or biodegrade. In contrast, espresso machines just require ground coffee, and there are a couple of types to choose from.
Automatic espresso machines
These will heat the water, brew, and extract espresso into your coffee cup. You’ll likely need to do the dosing and tamping of the grinds, then load and unload the portafilter. Certain elements will be adjustable to help you personalize your coffee, such as the brew time, quantity, and water temperature.
Manual espresso machines
This type of machine doesn’t plug into the mains, so are generally more portable and sustainable espresso makers compared to plug-in automatic types. The water does need to be pre-heated, but they do offer a very hands-on process of making the coffee that’s incredibly gratifying.
If speed and convenience are the biggest decision drivers for you, a bean-to-cup coffee machine may be an interesting alternative. Some espresso machines – including most of the ones reviewed in this guide – have extra features in addition to coffee extraction.
- Milk steamer wands: These are a popular add-on, used to heat and froth milk for lattes, cappuccinos, and other creamy concoctions. If you like your coffee with milk, we recommend you either buy a machine with a steamer or get a standalone steaming/frothing appliance to go with a machine that doesn’t have the feature.
- Single and double cup capabilities: Some espresso machines will be able to make two cups of coffee at the same time.
- ESE pod compatibility: Biodegradable pouches containing ground coffee that can be placed into the portafilter and minimize the mess of wayward grinds.
- Coffee dosing spoon and tamper: Filling your portafilter with coffee and compressing them down into an even layer is an essential part of the espresso-making process, particularly if splitting espresso between two cups.
In the interest of meeting lots of different needs, we’ve featured a variety of espresso machines, with styles ranging from retro to contemporary, for different budgets.
Before you choose one and place an order, think carefully about the types of coffee you’d like to make and the characteristics you’d like your coffee machine to have.
KitchenAid Artisan espresso machine
KitchenAid products have a brand legacy to live up to, so when new models are released, expectations are high. The Artisan edition of the espresso machine has a low, slimline footprint but a hefty metal body that gives it good stability on its grippy base. It’s a classy, pricey unit that fully delivers in terms of coffee quality, steam wand efficiency, and the accessories included (which is where many machines fall). There’s a weighty stainless steel tamper and an accurate coffee scoop that decants 12g of coffee into a single-shot filter basket (just the right amount). After brewing, the used coffee puck was almost dry, making it mess-free to tap out. All we missed was a second cup tray for lifting espresso cups higher to the stream to stop splashing.
Salter 3-in-1 Barista Deluxe espresso machine
For the price, this espresso machine is a bargain. It’s small so suitable for less roomy kitchens. The water tank pulls out at the side, which means you don’t have to remove it from the back for filling. Its 19-bar pressure pump is packed with power for pulling espresso.
But what really makes it stand out is the ability to accommodate two types of a coffee pod in addition to ground coffee; versatility you don’t often see. Of course, not everyone will need this, and it does mean you have to store an extra portafilter. If this is you, don’t worry – this machine does the basics really well. We’d recommend brewing the espresso into short cups and then pouring it into your favorite mug after.
De’Longhi Dedica EC685.M manual espresso make
De’Longhi’s Dedica espresso machine is uber sleek, with a stainless steel exterior that gives it a true, modern-classic feel. At 1.1 liter capacity, its water tank is smaller than others but it packs in 15-bars of pressure to create deliciously smooth and crema-topped espresso with no hint of bitterness.
It’s also a practical size for fitting on smaller countertops, only 14.0cm in width and 33cm in depth. For an espresso machine that won’t break the bank and looks great on your countertop, the De’Longhi Dedica EC685.M manual model should be at the top of your list.
Pre-Brew Accessories
Bean Storage, Tamps, and More
There’s always room to up your game, and there are quite a few additional tools that can help you make the best espresso possible. These are all tools you’d employ before the brew, setting the stage for the perfect extraction.
Fellow Atmos Canister for Coffee Beans ($79)
A vacuum canister is a great way to store your coffee beans. By vacating the chamber of all air every time you close it, the Fellow Vacuum Canister slows down the degradation of all those flavorful oils and chemical compounds inside your (hopefully locally roasted) favorite coffee beans.
OXO Conical Burr Grinder ($99)
This is one of our top picks in our Best Coffee Grinders guide, and it’s a good choice for espresso. Espresso requires a fine and consistent grind, the likes of which you can easily get out of a burr grinder. Just be sure to get in there and give your burrs a sweep now and then—maintenance that the OXO makes easy, with a bean bin that snaps apart without any fuss.
Bezzera Bottomless Portafilter ($80)
Nothing will improve your espresso brewing like a bottomless portafilter. Not because it will make your coffee better; it’ll make you better by making you more aware of your mistakes and inconsistencies. Bottomless portafilters are finicky, and when your grind is off or you’ve over-tamped your grounds, the bottomless portafilter lets you see that in how the espresso coats the bottom of the filter and pours down into the cup. Be sure to double-check the circumference on your espresso machine’s group head though (the place the filter attaches). There are a number of standard sizes, so you need to make sure you order the right one. The most common are 53 mm and 58 mm, and almost every bottomless portafilter comes in each of these sizes.
WPM Tamping Mat ($24)
Tamping mats are just a thick, soft piece of rubber or silicone, but they make it much easier to maintain a consistent tamping pressure (and a clean tamping space so you won’t stain your kitchen table with coffee or scratch it with the bottom of your tamp). You can also use a folded kitchen towel, but these mats are easy to rinse off.
Crema Distributor & Tamp ($44)
Once you put your grounds into your portafilter, the next step is giving them a good, even tamping. You want to use about 30-40 pounds of pressure, and while you can use a scale to determine exactly what that feels like, I find it’s better to just press with your upper body, then extract a shot and see how it went. If it’s too bitter, you tamped too hard; if it’s too watery you didn’t tamp hard enough. A distributor (also called a leveler) makes it easy to get an even surface for you to tamp, and this one has a tampon one side and a distributor on the other so you can level off your beans, then flip this tool over and give ’em a good tamp. Just make sure you get one that fits the circumference of your machine’s portafilter!
Duralex Picardie Shot Glasses, Set of Six ($17)
These are my favorite shot glasses in general, but they’re also great espresso shot glasses—tall and narrow enough to allow a wonderfully aerated crema to form on top, and made of tempered glass so they can stand up to the heat. They’re also great for serving up smaller drinks like macchiatos—a shot of espresso with a dollop of froth on top.
