The best espresso machines
Café flat whites without the café queue: the espresso machines worth a space on the worktop.
A home espresso machine pays for itself surprisingly quickly for anyone who buys a coffee a day. Manual machines with a steam wand give the best results with a little practice; one-touch machines do it all for you.
Don't be swayed by big pressure numbers: a good espresso is brewed at around 9 bar, so the 15 or 20 bar on a pump is its maximum, not the point. Fresh beans matter far more.
What matters
- Built-in grinder, or budget for a separate one.
- Steam wand (manual) or automatic milk.
- Width, if the worktop is small.
- Tank size, so you're not refilling daily.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Sage Barista Express Bean-to-Cup Espresso Machine (BES875UK)
£629.95 RRP
A built-in conical burr grinder with 16 settings drops fresh coffee straight into the portafilter, and a proper steam wand makes silky milk for latte art. Sage is Breville's name in the UK: the Australian company, founded in Sydney in 1932, can't use 'Breville' here because a separate British firm owns that name.
What owners say: Owners find it makes coffee-shop espresso and milk, easy to use and maintain, though a few had grinder trouble after a month.
Heads up: There's a learning curve: expect a week of trial and error with grind size before the shots taste right.
A closer look: Start the grinder a few settings finer than the middle and adjust one step at a time until a double shot takes about 25–30 seconds. Use fresh beans with a roast date on the bag.
- Integrated conical burr grinder, 16 settings
- Low-pressure pre-infusion, 93°C water
- Manual steam wand for microfoam
- 2-litre tank, 250g bean hopper
- Brushed stainless steel
Best for: Coffee lovers who want to learn
- Pressure
- 15 bar pump, 9 bar extraction
- Built-in grinder
- Yes
- Milk
- Manual steam wand
- Water tank
- 2 litres
- Width
- About 32cm
#2 of 5
Best compact
De'Longhi Dedica Style Manual Espresso Machine (EC685.M)
£229.99 RRP
Just 15cm wide, so it fits on the busiest worktop, with a thermoblock that heats fast and an adjustable wand for steamed milk or foam. A proper espresso machine in a tiny footprint.
What owners say: Owners find it easy to use and worth the price, and love how compact and smart it looks, though reliability gets mixed reports.
Heads up: It has no grinder, so pair it with ready-ground espresso coffee or a separate grinder.
A closer look: Pull the drip tray out and it takes taller cups (about 12cm). Descale every couple of months in hard-water areas and it'll keep pulling good shots.
- 15cm wide
- 15 bar pump, thermoblock heating
- Adjustable cappuccino wand
- 1.1-litre tank
- Metal finish
Best for: Small kitchens
- Pressure
- 15 bar
- Built-in grinder
- No
- Milk
- Manual steam wand
- Water tank
- 1.1 litres
- Width
- 15cm
#3 of 5
Easiest
Breville One-Touch CoffeeHouse (VCF107)
£100–£150 Price range
Press one button for an espresso, cappuccino or latte: it froths milk automatically from a 600ml jug that goes back in the fridge. Takes ground coffee or ESE pods.
What owners say: Owners love how simple it is and like the taste, though some report the frother failing within months.
Heads up: Owners' reports on the milk frother's lifespan are mixed, so keep it clean after every milky drink.
A closer look: Rinse the milk jug and frother parts after each use: dried-on milk is what clogs these. The jug goes straight in the fridge between uses.
- One-touch espresso, cappuccino, latte
- Automatic milk frother, 600ml jug
- 19 bar pump
- Ground coffee or ESE pods
- 1.4-litre tank
Best for: Lattes at the touch of a button
- Pressure
- 19 bar
- Built-in grinder
- No
- Milk
- Automatic, 600ml jug
- Water tank
- 1.4 litres
- Width
- –
#4 of 5
CASABREWS CM5418 Espresso Machine with Pressure Gauge
£100–£150 Price range
A slim stainless machine with a pressure gauge on the front, so you can see what the shot is doing and adjust grind and tamp to suit: a good one for learning the craft.
What owners say: Owners find it makes delicious espresso with plenty of crema and good cappuccinos, and superb value, though the milk isn't always very hot.
Heads up: Some owners find steamed milk not quite hot enough; warming the jug first helps.
A closer look: Watch the gauge: aim for the needle in the middle of the espresso zone. If it's low, grind finer or tamp harder.
- 20 bar pump
- Built-in pressure gauge
- Steam wand
- About 1-litre removable tank
- About 14cm wide, stainless steel
Best for: Learning the craft
- Pressure
- 20 bar
- Built-in grinder
- No
- Milk
- Manual steam wand
- Water tank
- About 1 litre
- Width
- About 14cm
#5 of 5
Best budget
AMZCHEF 20 Bar Compact Espresso Machine
£75–£100 Price range
Heats in about 30 seconds with PID temperature control (to within 2°C), warms the cups on top and has a steam wand that swings right round: a lot of machine for under £100.
What owners say: Owners find it makes rich, creamy espresso, heats quickly and is easy to use, and think it looks dearer than it is.
A closer look: Purge the steam wand for a second before frothing to clear the water, as owners suggest. At 12cm wide it's the one for a tiny flat kitchen.
- 20 bar pump
- PID temperature control, heats in about 30s
- 360° steam wand
- 1.5-litre tank
- 12cm wide
Best for: A first espresso machine
- Pressure
- 20 bar
- Built-in grinder
- No
- Milk
- Manual steam wand
- Water tank
- 1.5 litres
- Width
- 12cm
How they compare
| Feature | #1Sage Barista Express | #2De'Longhi Dedica | #3Breville CoffeeHouse | #4CASABREWS CM5418 | #5AMZCHEF 20 bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best compact | Easiest | Best budget | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.8 |
| Price | £629.95 RRP | £229.99 RRP | £100–£150 Price range | £100–£150 Price range | £75–£100 Price range |
| Pressure | 15 bar pump, 9 bar extraction | 15 bar | 19 bar | 20 bar | 20 bar |
| Built-in grinder | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Milk | Manual steam wand | Manual steam wand | Automatic, 600ml jug | Manual steam wand | Manual steam wand |
| Water tank | 2 litres | 1.1 litres | 1.4 litres | About 1 litre | 1.5 litres |
| Width | About 32cm | 15cm | – | About 14cm | 12cm |
| Best for | Coffee lovers who want to learn | Small kitchens | Lattes at the touch of a button | Learning the craft | A first espresso machine |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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