The Best Espresso Machines for Elevated Mornings, According to Our Tests

Best Overall

Breville The Barista Express Espresso Machine

$700 at Amazon $700 at Target $700 at Williams-Sonoma

The Breville Barista Express is our top choice for an espresso machine because it offers automatic and manual operation and features customizable settings. It has an integrated frother, grinder, and tamper and comes with a stainless steel milk frothing jug and filter baskets, so it'll just be a matter of learning how to perfect your skills. We love its classic, stainless steel design and were impressed during our testing by its quick setup and quality performance.

Patterson notes that barista-quality beverages begin with well-made espresso, telling us that what matters most is learning to perfect the espresso shot(s) first. He says, "Once you have learned to consistently 'pull' the perfect shot, then you can create great coffee shop drinks," a machine like this Breville one has all the fine-tuning needed to get you there. 

The machine's grinder is a conical burr with integrated precision. That means that the built-in grinder produces the right amount of fresh grounds of your desired consistency for each shot of espresso. In addition to letting you choose your grind setting, this machine alters its water pressure as you use it, which results in evenly extracted espresso that tastes smooth and balanced. Plus, the grinder can hold up to half a pound of espresso beans out of the box. 

“A Breville is a great place to start,” says Alameda, who is a fan of the brand. “The Barista Express tends to be a machine that I could see lasting somebody three to five years if they maintain it. $700 at the three-year mark, you've got your money's worth if you're using it daily for the equivalent of a $5 to $7 beverage that you'll pay at any store.”

Dimensions: 12.5 x 12.6 x 13.1 inches | Water Tank Capacity: 67 ounces | Frother: Yes | Pressure: 9-15 bars

Best Value

De'Longhi Stilosa Espresso Machine

$87 at Amazon $87 at Target $100 at Wayfair

If you're looking for a budget option that gets the job done right, the De'Longhi Stilosa Espresso Machine is the one for you. It only costs around $100, yet it has a built-in frother, filters for single and double shots, and a tamper. All you need to get is a coffee grinder (unless you plan on buying your beans pre-ground) and a frothing pitcher to use with the wand.

If you're worried about the low cost, even professionals think inexpensive machines are good options. "Do not automatically think the more expensive, the better," Patterson says. This machine allows you to make any drink that expensive models do and is likely more straightforward to get the hang of. The only tricky part is that when making an espresso shot, you must shut off the machine manually, or it will keep running.

While it may not have the most high-end construction, during our tests, we found that this machine is capable of making excellent espresso. We had to navigate a few performance inconsistencies before we succeeded at dialing in the machine. But overall, we learned that it does best when you use a smaller quantity of grounds at a finer grind size. You really can't beat its performance at such a fair price, although we do wish it had a higher-quality steam wand.

Dimensions: 8.07 x 13.5 x 11.22 inches | Water Tank Capacity: 33.8 ounces | Frother: Yes | Pressure: 15 bars

Best Automatic

Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine

$1,000 at Amazon $1,000 at Target $1,000 at Williams-Sonoma

Look no further than the Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine if you want all the bells and whistles. It features a touchscreen that offers automatic milk texturing and customizable settings to craft lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites, and more just the way you like. There's no heat-up time, so your drink will be ready in a flash, and it has a conical burr grinder and bean hopper inside, just like our best overall pick from Breville.

When you select the beverage you want from the touchscreen menu, the machine grinds the precise amount of espresso you need. The touchscreen even has tutorials that walk you through every step and provide images for visual learners. Its stainless steel portafilter can pull a single or double shot of espresso, and the milk frother customizes the milk texture for the drink you've selected. That means the days of scalding and burning milk as you attempt to froth it perfectly won't ever be part of your learning curve for making espresso drinks.

This machine is more expensive than our favorite Breville model because it does much of the work for you. That's perfect for anyone who wants coffee shop drinks at home without investing many hours in the trial and error of learning a new skill. During testing, we found its touch display especially helpful as it automatically helped us troubleshoot any issues so we could get a better espresso shot with each pull. We also found its automatic milk frother to be incredibly effective since its built-in sensor automatically shut it off once our diary hit the correct temperature.

Dimensions: 12.5 x 12 x 16 inches | Water Tank Capacity: 68 ounces | Frother: Yes | Pressure: 9 bars

Best for Beginners

Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine

$500 at Amazon $500 at Williams-Sonoma $500 at Sur La Table

The Bambino is for you if you're the type that just wants to pull a nice shot of espresso or make yourself an iced Americano,” says Alameda. This user-friendly machine features an intuitive control panel with just five buttons. Its compact design seamlessly blends into your kitchen, while its lightweight construction allows for easy storage. Craft barista-style milk foam with the Bambino Plus's intuitive light gauges and steam wand, ensuring optimal results every time. Whether a novice or a seasoned espresso enthusiast, this is the perfect companion for brewing exceptional espresso at home. You can tailor your espresso experience with the machine's wide range of grind size variables, allowing for personalized preferences. The machine's self-learning capabilities also help it adapt to usage patterns, which optimizes performance over time. (You may have been considering this model and others; check out what we have to say about the Breville vs. the De'Longhi Dedica Maestro).

In addition to its easy setup, we love the Bambino for its minimal footprint and the power that it packs in such a small package. We did have to experiment a bit to find the best grind texture and ratio for pulling a perfect espresso shot with this machine. But once we figured it out, it only got better from there. The machine managed to keep a consistent time and flow of extraction despite the variations in the grounds, too. Plus, the sturdy lever-controlled tamper effectively flattens the puck, ensuring optimal espresso extraction. Overall, we think the Bambino can deliver exceptional coffee experiences for everyday home and office use or for hosting gatherings.

Dimensions: 7.6 x 12.5 x 12.2 inches | Water Tank Capacity: 64 ounces | Frother: Yes | Pressure: 9 bars

Best Automatic Splurge

Breville Barista Touch Impress

$1,500 at Amazon $1,500 at Williams-Sonoma $1,500 at Sur La Table

The Breville Barista Touch Impress Espresso Machine is a versatile and user-friendly machine crafted for discerning coffee enthusiasts that will elevate your espresso game. The built-in grinder adjusts to your desired grind size, ensuring optimal espresso extraction and flavor. The machine has intelligent learning capabilities as well, which enable you to deliver exceptional espresso shots. We think the steam wand could benefit from faster activation and steaming, but the machine's fail-safe features and auto grind and tamping lever enhance its reliability and ease of use.

The intuitive touchscreen interface simplifies operation, guiding users through the setup process and providing comprehensive instructions, while minimizing the risk of user error. During testing, we loved the amount of fail-safes on this machine. For instance, if we didn't add the correct amount of grinds before tamping, the machine would automatically detect it and let us know. Everything about this machine speaks to its quality, and its consistent performance was another selling point for us.

Whether brewing for a family of coffee lovers or seeking to elevate your office coffee experience, the Breville Barista Touch Impress Espresso Machine delivers exceptional performance and effortless operation. It's ideal if you're looking for a high-end coffee maker.

Dimensions: 12.9 x 13 x 16.4 inches | Water Tank Capacity: 67 ounces | Frother: Yes | Pressure: 15 bars

Best Super Automatic

SMEG Medium Fully-Automatic Coffee Machine

$1,000 at Amazon $1,000 at Williams-Sonoma $1,000 at Nordstrom

The Smeg Medium Fully-Automatic Coffee Machine is a sleek and user-friendly machine designed for effortless espresso perfection. We loved the convenience of a fully automated brewing process, where the machine takes care of everything from grinding to tamping to steaming. We found this machine consistently delivers well-rounded shots with each pull. While the milk wand could benefit from an extended length, its overall ease of use and moderate performance make it an excellent choice for those seeking hassle-free espresso brewing.

Maintain your machine easily by cleaning its removable parts with warm, soapy water and allowing them to air dry thoroughly. Experience the creamy, textured milk froth that elevates your coffee creations, ensuring a delightful cappuccino or latte every time. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned espresso enthusiast, this Smeg machine simplifies espresso making and delivers exceptional results.

Dimensions: 8.07 x 13.5 x 11.22 inches | Water Tank Capacity: 47 ounces | Frother: Yes | Pressure: 19 bars

Best with Dual Boiler

Breville Dual Boiler Espresso Machine

$1,600 at Amazon $1,600 at Williams-Sonoma $1,600 at Sur La Table

The Breville Dual Boiler Espresso Machine is a high-performance machine for discerning coffee connoisseurs. You can navigate the intuitive control panel easily, adjusting temperatures, shots, and times to create your perfect espresso. During testing, we liked the precision and simplicity of the six-grind setting grinder. It ensures consistent grinds for optimal extraction. Embrace the hands-off approach with the automatic tamping feature, effortlessly tamping grinds for maximum flavor.

We found that it was necessary to follow the comprehensive instruction manual to master the machine's intricate setup and purge processes, ensuring optimal performance. Then you can enjoy the consistently balanced and hazelnut-colored espresso streams, producing a rich and flavorful double shot every time. We love that cleaning is a breeze with its easily removable parts, dishwasher-safe drip tray, and simple steam wand cleaning. This machine is ideal for serious coffee enthusiasts who demand complete control over every aspect of their espresso experience. 

Dimensions: 16 x 14 x 16 inches | Water Tank Capacity: 84 ounces | Frother: Yes | Pressure: 15 bars