Top 5 compared
The best espresso machines
Lattes, cappuccinos and a strong morning shot made at home, without the trip to the coffee shop.
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The top 5 at a glance
An espresso machine pushes hot water through a tightly packed basket of finely ground coffee to make a short, strong shot, the base of a latte, cappuccino or Americano. Every machine here is semi-automatic: you fill the portafilter, lock it in and start the shot, and a steam wand froths the milk. Some grind the beans themselves; the rest take ground coffee.
There’s a knack to it: grind size, the amount of coffee and how firmly it’s tamped all change the shot, so change one thing at a time until it tastes right. Without a grinder, buy coffee ground for espresso. Frothing milk with the steam wand takes a little practice too.
What matters
- A built-in grinder, or room in the budget for a separate one.
- A pressure gauge, to show when the grind needs changing.
- Width, if counter space is tight.
- Tank size, so refilling isn’t part of every morning.
#1Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine (BES870XL)
Over $300
A conical burr grinder with 16 settings fills the portafilter with fresh grounds, the water is held at a steady temperature through the shot, and the steam wand makes milk smooth enough for latte art. The higher-scoring AMZCHEF below has no grinder and takes ground coffee only, so the built-in grinder puts this one first.
What owners say: Owners like the flavour of the coffee and find it easy enough to use day to day. Durability and how steady the temperature stays get mixed reports.
A closer look: Change the grind one step at a time and taste as you go: a sour shot wants a finer grind, a bitter one a coarser grind. The Razor tool in the box levels the dose before you tamp, the tamper lives on the machine so it never goes missing, and a separate spout pours hot water for an Americano.
- Grinds straight into the portafilter
- Tamper built into the machine
- Dose-trimming tool included
- Hot water for Americanos
Best for: Fresh-ground espresso at home
- Built-in grinder
- 16 settings
- Pressure gauge
- Yes
- Water tank
- 2 L (67 oz)
- Width
- 31.6 cm (12.4 in)
#2AMZCHEF Compact Espresso Machine, 20 Bar (EM3131, white)
$100–$150
A small, simple way into real espresso: it heats up in about 30 seconds, keeps the water temperature steady, and has one-touch buttons for a single or double shot, with a steam wand that swings round for lattes. It scores highest of the five, but there’s no grinder.
What owners say: Owners say it turns out lattes like a professional machine’s, goes together easily and takes up very little room.
A closer look: Run cold water through it two or three times before the first shot, as AMZCHEF’s manual asks, and wipe the steam wand straight after frothing. AMZCHEF suggests cold whole milk rather than plant-based milk for the best foam.
- Ready in about 30 seconds
- One-touch single or double shot
- Steam wand turns 360°
Best for: Small kitchens and ground coffee
- Built-in grinder
- No
- Pressure gauge
- No
- Water tank
- 1.5 L (50 oz)
- Width
- 12 cm (4.7 in)
#3Breville Barista Express Impress Espresso Machine (BES876, black stainless steel)
Over $300
The Barista Express with less mess and less guesswork: it works out the dose from the last grind, tamps with a steady 10 kg (22 lb) press and a barista’s twist, then corrects the next dose by itself.
What owners say: Owners find it simple to set up and use, beginners included, and say the assisted tamper works well and the shots come out right time after time. The grinder is where opinions differ.
A closer look: With the tamping done by the machine, the taste comes down to the grind setting, which runs across 25 steps. A milk pitcher, a cleaning disc and descale powder come in the box, and Breville covers it for two years.
- Tamps the coffee for you
- Corrects the next dose itself
- Less mess on the counter
- 2-year warranty
Best for: Consistent shots with less fuss
- Built-in grinder
- 25 settings
- Pressure gauge
- Yes
- Water tank
- 2 L (67 oz)
- Width
- 31 cm (12.2 in)
#4AMZCHEF Espresso Machine with Grinder (CM1626, silver)
$200–$300
A built-in grinder at a much lower price than the Barista Express: 44 grind settings, a touchscreen that shows grind time, brew time and temperature, and four brewing temperatures from 88 to 94°C (190 to 201°F) to suit light or dark roasts. A button switches it to cold brew.
What owners say: Owners call it quick to set up and easy to use, with a steam wand that works well, and say the temperature settings and grind range help them get a good cup.
A closer look: Medium-dark roasts give the fullest crema, AMZCHEF says, while its coarser settings grind light roasts for pour-over. The 1.8 L (60 oz) tank lifts out for filling at the sink, and the one-button descale cycle, run now and then, keeps it working well.
- Touchscreen shows brew time
- Four brewing temperatures
- One-touch cold brew
- One-button descaling
Best for: Light roasts, dark roasts and cold brew
- Built-in grinder
- 44 settings
- Pressure gauge
- No
- Water tank
- 1.8 L (60 oz)
- Width
- 27.5 cm (10.8 in)
#5CASABREWS CM5418 Espresso Machine with Pressure Gauge
$150–$200
A slim stainless machine with a pressure gauge on the front, so you can see what the shot is doing and adjust the grind and tamp to suit, and a steam wand strong enough for latte art: a way to learn the craft.
What owners say: Owners like the look of it, get going with it quickly and are happy with the espresso. How hot it runs and how reliable it is vary from one machine to the next.
Heads up: Let it cool before brewing right after steaming milk, or it goes into overheat protection; CASABREWS says to run the hot water for about 20 seconds to bring it back.
A closer look: Watch the gauge as the shot runs. If the needle sits low, CASABREWS suggests grinding finer, adding a little more coffee or tamping harder. The hot water setting on the side knob is handy for an Americano or for warming the cup first.
- Steam wand for latte art
- Stainless steel body
Best for: Learning to read a shot
- Built-in grinder
- No
- Pressure gauge
- Yes
- Water tank
- 1 L (34 oz)
- Width
- 13.9 cm (5.5 in)
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Breville Barista Express | #2AMZCHEF EM3131 | #3Breville Barista Express Impress | #4AMZCHEF CM1626 | #5CASABREWS CM5418 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best budget | ||||
| Picked Rating | 8.7 | 9.1 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 8.4 |
| Price | Over $300 | $100–$150 | Over $300 | $200–$300 | $150–$200 |
| Built-in grinder | 16 settings | No | 25 settings | 44 settings | No |
| Pressure gauge | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Water tank | 2 L (67 oz) | 1.5 L (50 oz) | 2 L (67 oz) | 1.8 L (60 oz) | 1 L (34 oz) |
| Width | 31.6 cm (12.4 in) | 12 cm (4.7 in) | 31 cm (12.2 in) | 27.5 cm (10.8 in) | 13.9 cm (5.5 in) |
| Best for | Fresh-ground espresso at home | Small kitchens and ground coffee | Consistent shots with less fuss | Light roasts, dark roasts and cold brew | Learning to read a shot |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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