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 forces hot water through a tightly packed basket of finely ground coffee to make a short, strong shot, and most have a steam wand for frothing milk for lattes and cappuccinos. Machines with a built-in grinder grind beans straight into the basket; others take ground coffee and can be paired with a separate grinder later.
A steam wand you work yourself takes some practice, and so does getting the grind right: change one thing at a time until the shots taste right. For anyone who’d rather skip that, Ninja’s Luxe Café guides the grind, weighs the dose and froths the milk.
What matters
- A pressure gauge or screen that shows what the shot is doing.
- Heat-up time, if the latte follows straight after the shot.
- Width, if the counter is small.
- Tank size, so you’re not refilling every morning.
#1Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine (BES870XL)
Over $300
A conical burr grinder grinds beans on demand straight into the portafilter, with a dial for grind size, while PID temperature control keeps the water steady through the shot and the steam wand makes milk smooth enough for latte art. Breville started out making radios in Australia in 1932.
What owners say: Owners pull café-worthy shots and lattes with it and rave about the taste. Longevity is the split: some machines are still going strong after years, while others had the grinder stop or the machine fail around year three.
Heads up: There’s a learning curve: expect a week or so of trial and error with grind size before the shots taste right.
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 trims the dose level before you tamp, and the tamper is built into the machine, so it never goes missing.
- Keeps water temperature steady
- Tamper built into the machine
- Dose-trimming tool included
- 1/2 lb bean hopper
Best for: Fresh-ground espresso, learning the craft
- Pressure
- 15 bar
- Built-in grinder
- Yes
- Milk
- Manual steam wand
- Water tank
- 67 oz
- Width
- 12.5 in
#2Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine (BES878BSS)
Over $300
The Barista Express’s quicker sibling: a ThermoJet heater reaches brewing temperature in 3 seconds and switches straight from espresso to steam, so a latte doesn’t mean waiting between shot and milk. An LCD screen shows the grind and the shot as they happen, which helps while you’re learning.
What owners say: Owners like how quickly a drink comes together, often in under three minutes, and how well the steam wand froths, with some preferring its espresso to their local coffee chain’s. Reliability and value divide opinion, with a few machines failing within months.
A closer look: The 1 and 2 cup buttons measure the shot once the grind is set, so the dial is the main thing to learn. Fit the water filter from the box before the first fill to cut down on scale, and use the 16 fl oz steel milk pitcher that comes with it to practice latte art.
- Heats up in 3 seconds
- LCD shows grind and shot
- Switches straight to steam
- Milk pitcher, water filter included
- 2-year warranty
Best for: Lattes without the wait
- Pressure
- 15 bar
- Built-in grinder
- Yes
- Milk
- Manual steam wand
- Water tank
- 67 oz
- Width
- 13.9 in
#3CASABREWS CM5418 Espresso Machine with Pressure Gauge
$100–$150
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: room to learn the craft.
What owners say: Owners like the sleek steel look and how little counter it takes up, and they get tasty coffee with a good crema from it with little fuss. Reliability is mixed, with some machines stopping working.
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, one change at a time. The hot water setting on the side knob is handy for an Americano or for warming the cup first.
- Pressure gauge on the front
- Hot water for Americanos
- 1350 W
- Overheat protection
Best for: Learning to read a shot
- Pressure
- 20 bar
- Built-in grinder
- No
- Milk
- Manual steam wand
- Water tank
- 34 oz
- Width
- 5.5 in
#4Ninja Luxe Café Premier 3-in-1 Espresso Machine (ES601)
Over $300
Espresso, drip coffee and cold brew from one machine, with a lot of the barista work done for you: it guides the grind, weighs the dose, presses the puck with its assisted tamper and adjusts temperature and pressure for the drink chosen. The milk side froths hands-free.
What owners say: Owners like the coffee, the froth and the look, and find it easy to clean; some doubt it’s worth the money, and several report the grinder failing within a year.
A closer look: Run the water hardness test from the box and set the level before the first drink, as Ninja’s guide asks. After frothing, wipe the steam wand with a damp cloth before pushing it back down, which starts an automatic purge and keeps milk from drying on the tip.
- Espresso, drip and cold brew
- 25 grind settings
- Weighs the dose
- Assisted tamper
- 4 frothing presets
Best for: Homes with mixed coffee tastes
- Pressure
- –
- Built-in grinder
- Yes
- Milk
- Hands-free frother
- Water tank
- 70 oz
- Width
- 13.4 in
#5CASABREWS 3700 Essential Espresso Machine with Steam Wand
$75–$100
Real espresso at a lower price than the CM5418 above: a slim 20 bar machine with a steam wand for lattes and a 43.9 oz tank that lifts off for filling. Its brushed-steel, slightly retro look suits a small kitchen.
What owners say: Owners like the rich taste and the vintage look. Noise divides them, and several had theirs give out after about a year.
A closer look: Pull the rubber plug from the bottom of the water tank and run the first-use cycle in the guide before making a coffee. For foam, CASABREWS recommends cold whole milk, and wiping the steam wand after every use keeps it frothing well.
- Tank lifts off to fill
- Single and double shot filters
- Tamper and spoon included
- 1350 W
Best for: A first espresso machine
- Pressure
- 20 bar
- Built-in grinder
- No
- Milk
- Manual steam wand
- Water tank
- 43.9 oz
- Width
- 5.7 in
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Breville Barista Express | #2Breville Barista Pro | #3CASABREWS CM5418 | #4Ninja Luxe Café Premier | #5CASABREWS 3700 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best premium | Best budget | |||
| Picked Rating | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.5 | 8.2 | 8.2 |
| Price | Over $300 | Over $300 | $100–$150 | Over $300 | $75–$100 |
| Pressure | 15 bar | 15 bar | 20 bar | – | 20 bar |
| Built-in grinder | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Milk | Manual steam wand | Manual steam wand | Manual steam wand | Hands-free frother | Manual steam wand |
| Water tank | 67 oz | 67 oz | 34 oz | 70 oz | 43.9 oz |
| Width | 12.5 in | 13.9 in | 5.5 in | 13.4 in | 5.7 in |
| Best for | Fresh-ground espresso, learning the craft | Lattes without the wait | Learning to read a shot | Homes with mixed coffee tastes | A first espresso machine |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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