A creamy shot of espresso is the caviar of the coffee world. Fortunately, the best at-home espresso machines can help you replicate café-quality cappuccinos, cortados, and lattes without the guesswork.
To find the top options you can buy right now, we consulted coffee roasters, home baristas, and two SCA-accredited experts, pulled dozens of shots for taste tests, and inspected every inch of 20 different machines. Don't let decoding the lingo or the sometimes daunting price tags deter you: we found models for every budget and experience level.
Our top picks for the best espresso machines
Best overall: Gaggia Classic Evo Pro – See at Amazon
Best for beginners: Breville Barista Express Impress – See at Amazon
Best budget semi-automatic: Casabrews Espresso Machine - See at Amazon
Best budget automatic: Cafe Affetto – See at Sur La Table
Best splurge automatic: Jura Z10 – See at Sur La Table
Best overall
For its price, it doesn't get much better than the Gaggia Classic Evo Pro. This compact machine is a straightforward way to learn the ins and outs of espresso.
What we like
What we don't like
It's a no-frills machine built for people who are serious about espresso. Don't let its straightforward interface and simple design fool you: the Gaggia Classic Evo Pro is one of the best at-home espresso machines for pulling full-bodied, flavorful shots. During testing, however, we found it has a steep learning curve, especially for beginners, when it comes to dialing in the right parameters and pulling consistent shots.
The machine offers plenty of control to fine-tune your brew. Beyond adjusting the grind size and tamping the grounds, you also control the Gaggia's extraction time. Brewing is started and stopped using the middle button on the interface. When we tested this machine, we used a stopwatch from the moment brewing began; with the right grind and tamp, a proper shot should take between 20 and 30 seconds. Because this semi-automatic machine does not stop brewing on its own, you'll need to time each shot and manually stop extraction once the espresso stops flowing from the group head.
Coffee hobbyists will enjoy the hands-on process. Once you get the hang of it, the Classic Evo Pro consistently produces stellar espresso.
The updated EVO Pro includes several meaningful design upgrades. The group head is now entirely brass, and the included portafilter is stainless steel. The boiler features a non-stick interior coating designed to help reduce scaling and minimize mineral leaching from the aluminum.
While it delivers excellent espresso, it does require a few additional accessories. We firmly believe that a dedicated espresso grinder and a quality tamper are essential for the best results. The Classic Evo Pro comes packaged with a flimsy plastic tamper that is slightly undersized for the portafilter, so we recommend an upgrade.
Read our full Gaggia Classic Pro review, including detailed specs.
Best for beginners
The Barista Express Impress is an all-in-one machine that offers consistency with mess-free assisted tamping, and everything you need to easily make quality espresso drinks at home.
What we like
What we don't like
A full-package espresso machine for beginners who are willing to learn. Making espresso is an inherently hands-on process, from dialing in a burr grinder to keeping track of multiple accessories and tools. The Barista Express Impress is not be the fastest or most feature-packed machine we tested, but it stood out as the only model we could efficiently operate from start to finish with one hand and minimal mess.
Its assisted tamping and dosing system is what truly makes it ideal for beginners. The portafilter sits beneath the grinder, which dispenses grinds at the press of the dosing button through a chute. The grinder offers 25 adjustable grind sizes and can be programmed for either single or double shots, helping to reduce the guesswork during the brewing process.
The proprietary "Impress" puck system sets this machine apart from the original Breville Barista Express. The built-in tamper operates via a lever on the left-hand side and is precalibrated to rotate exactly seven degrees, creating a clean, even surface and a consistently well-formed puck with very little effort from the user.
It comes with the full suite of features and accessories typically found on Breville machine. We're talking 15 bars of pump pressure, a 67-ounce removable water tank that can easily last a week in most households, a sealed half-pound bean hopper, and a steam wand and stainless steel pitcher for frothing milk. You also get four portafilter baskets, including two double-walled and two pressurized options in both single- and double-shot sizes, along with Breville's Razor leveling tool. Maintenance accessories include a cleaning brush with a clog-clearing pin and descaling tablets.
There is no other machine we tested that is as easy to operate one-handed or consistently mess-free. It's difficult to find this combination of features thoughtful design, and beginner-friendly automation. If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Breville Bambino Plus offers the brand's core brewing technology in a more petite, less expensive machine, though you won't get the built-in grinder.
Read our full Breville Barista Pro review, where we compare it with the Express Impress.
Best budget semi-automatic
The Casabrews Espresso Machine delivered incredible shot quality and timing that rivaled those of household names. In our testing, there were no issues with bitter or watery shots, and every pull delivered nice body, robust flavor, and a beautiful crema. It's already a great value, but this limited-time discount during Prime Day is one of the lowest prices we'll see all year on this budget machine.
What we like
What we don't like
It our favorite budget espresso machine under $250. The compact Casabrews Espresso Machine became our clear favorite budget semi-automatic model during testing because it consistently brewed robust espresso with a lush layer of crema — we never pulled any bitter or watery shots.
The machine doesn't take up much space on your counter. It even has a built-in milk frother wand, which seems pretty rare at the $150 price point. It also includes a stainless steel portafilter, filters for single and double shots, and a plastic two-in-one scoop and tamper. (There's no built-in grinder, so you'll need to either use fine coffee grounds or invest in a standalone coffee grinder.) There are just four buttons on the front panel: power, single or double shot, and steam, as well as the pressure indicator dial.
It's no-frills, but has a lot going for it. We liked that the machine only took about a minute to heat up and the removable 34-ounce water tank can brew about 17 double shots before needing a refill. The only performance drawback is the plastic scoop and tamper. If that bothers you, upgrade to one of our picks for the best tamper.
Read our full Casabrews Espresso Machine review.
Best budget automatic
This small but all-encompassing automatic espresso machine pumps out brew that's twice the quality of similar machines' while taking up half the counter space.
What we like
What we don't like
Fool-proof espresso, every time. An automatic espresso machine lies somewhere between a pod machine and a semi-automatic one; you can control the grind size and the extraction time, but the process isn't fully hands-on. The Café Affetto is the best automatic espresso machine because it is cheaper, smaller, and better at making espresso than most of the other budget automatic brewers we've tried.
It merges value with quality. Two standout features impressed us: the options for an Americano (or long black) and a custom "my cup" setting. You're not going to get the best grind with the Café's built-in grinder, but you can still use freshly roasted beans and get a decent shot of espresso at the push of a button.
Whip up frothy lattes with ease. We frothed both whole milk and almond milk, noting that the frother worked every bit as well as those on pricier semi-automatic machines. The removable wand scored high marks for ease of use and cleaning.
Read our Cafe Affetto review and find out why we recommend it for beginners.
Best splurge automatic
Jura's Z10 is as close as you're going to get to cafe-quality espresso drinks and even cold brew with just a touch of a button.
What we like
What we don't like
It's the best automatic espresso machine we've tested out of well over a dozen. The Jura Z10 has a "product-recognizing grinder" (PRG), that automatically monitors grind size and adjusts in real time. It is a luxury espresso machine, coming in at a little over $4,000, but you'll get barista-level espresso at home.
The machine is fully customizable. It offers 24 pre-programmed espresso-based drinks and eight cold-brew-based beverages. Still, we think calling it "cold brew" is a bit of a stretch. Instead of steeping the grounds overnight, the machine produces coarse grounds, steeps them briefly in cold water, and then brews using pressure, creating something like nitro brew.
The Z10 is also compatible with an app. Download J.O.E. so that you don't even have to set foot in your kitchen to brew — just make sure there's a cup in place ahead of time. You can even set specialty preferences from your Apple Watch.
Apart from the price, the only real drawback is the size. Coming in at over a foot wide and just as tall, it will require ample space on your kitchen counter or a separate coffee station. The Cool Control and Stainless Steel milk pipe are sold separately and take up even more surface area, but if you're looking for a fully automatic espresso machine you're probably ready to make room.
Read our full Jura Z10 review and see why it's the only automatic machine to win us over.
Our top picks compared
| Our pick | The winner | Type | Standout feature | Built-in grinder | Milk frothing | Price range |
| Best overall | Gaggia Classic Evo Pro — See at Amazon | Semi-automatic | Commercial-style 58mm portafilter | No | Manual steam wand | $$ |
| Best for beginners | Breville Barista Express Impress — See at Amazon | Semi-automatic | Assisted tamping | Yes | Manual steam wand | $$ |
| Best budget semi-automatic | Casabrews Espresso Machine - See at Amazon | Semi-automatic | Affordable setup | No | Basic steam wand | $ |
| Best budget automatic | Cafe Affetto — See at Sur La Table | Automatic | One-touch brewing | Yes | Adjustable frother | $$ |
| Best splurge automatic | Jura Z10 — See at Sur La Table | Super-automatic | Hot and cold-brew drinks, touchscreen | Yes | Integrated | $$$ |
What else do you need to make espresso?
Most of the espresso machines we recommend come with everything you need to start brewing, but a few accessories will take your café experience to the next level.
Perfect for home espresso brewers, the Baratza Sette 270 handles grinding and dosing as meticulously as a commercial grinder, but on a consumer scale.
The Decent Tamper's calibrated pressure and precision manufacturing ensure you get the same tamp on your coffee every time and the big, round, burnished handle feels and looks great.
Double-walled glass espresso cups like these from DeLonghi allow you to inspect a beautiful pull of espresso, while also keeping your coffee steaming hot.
Nespresso's Aeroccino 4 is basic and a little bulky, but it's the easiest to use with cold, hot, cappuccino, and latte settings and nothing more.
What to look for in an espresso machine
Price and value: Asking yourself how much you want to spend will eliminate a lot of models. For a quality machine that can build and maintain pressure and is designed to be both upgraded and repaired, you want to budget somewhere in the $500 range. If you want something significantly less expensive, we recommend a fully manual device, a pod machine, or a Moka pot.
Size: A home espresso bar can quickly take over your kitchen counter. Consider the footprint of the machine you're looking to buy relative to the countertop space you have. If you're short on space, consider a pod machine or manual model.
Pressure: A good espresso machine must be able to not only reach the minimum required eight bars of pressure to make espresso but also maintain it. Beware machines that boast pressure levels. The cheapest machines can reach 15 bars of pressure, but how well they maintain it is the key to a great cup of coffee.
What are the types of espresso machines?
Most at-home espresso machines fall into one of five broad categories: manual, semi-automatic, automatic, super-automatic, and pod. Some experts group machines into fewer categories, but for at-home baristas, these differences help clarify differences in skill level, control, automation, and price.
| Type | How it works | Skill level | Typical price range | Pros | Key tradeoffs |
| Manual | Fully hand-operated; user controls pressure, timing, and often temperature | Advanced | $300-$1,500+ | Maximum control, café-quality potential | Time-consuming, steep learning curve |
| Semi-automatic | Machine controls pressure and temperature; user starts and stops extraction | Intermediate | $400-$1,200 | Balance of control and convenience, wide range of models and prices | Requires a good grinder and some practice to perfect technique |
| Automatic | Controls pressure, temperature, and shot timing automatically | Beginner-Intermediate | $500-$1,500 | Consistent shots with less guesswork, often programmable | Less control over fine flavor adjustments |
| Super-automatic | Grinds, tamps, brews and often froths milk automatically | Beginner | $800-$2,500 | True one-touch drinks, very easy to use | Expensive, harder to repair, limited customization |
| Pod | Uses pre-filled espresso pods of capsules | Beginner | $100-$600 | Fast, mess-free, consistent results | Ongoing cost of pods, less authentic espresso |
How we test espresso machines
To gauge a machine's performance, we spent dozens of hours grinding and pulling shots from more than 10 pounds of fresh coffee beans. We also factored in pricing to determine each machine's overall value.
- Consistency: We wanted to make sure we were getting true espresso, which is generally agreed to be at least 7% to 12% total dissolved solids (TDS). To measure TDS, we used a device called the Atago Pocket Barista, which gave us concrete proof that some machines are better able to churn out richer brews without over-extracting than others. We pulled four shots in a row to confirm our findings.
- Taste tests: We held several side-by-side blind taste tests and used the freshest roasts we could get our hands on from Atlas Coffee Club, Stone Street Coffee Company, and Counter Culture Coffee. These taste tests involved dialing a grinder to prepare grounds for 30-second extraction times, then having five participants taste shots from the machines that became our final contenders.
Meet the expert behind this guide
Owen Burke, former food tester and writer: A coffee-obsessed home barista, Owen has spent the last several years testing espresso machines, grinders, and accessories in search of the perfect shot. For this buying guide, he consulted coffee roasters and SCA-accredited experts, and pulled dozens of espresso shots for side-by-side tests on 20 home espresso makers.
Espresso experts we consulted
- Lance Hedrick, Head of Sales at Arkansas' Onyx Coffee Lab, runner-up at the 2020 United States Brewers Cup Championship, and a professional coffee trainer
- Dan Kehn, a former SCA Barista judge and founder of Home-Barista.com
- Peter Giuliano, co-owner of Counter Culture Coffee and director of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and Coffee Science Foundation
- Chi Sum Ngai and Kaleena Teoh of Coffee Project NY
- Jordan Rosenacker, co-founder of Atlas Coffee Club
Espresso machine FAQs
Do I need an espresso machine?
Of course not, but there are few things as rewarding in the world of home coffee as achieving an immaculate shot of velvety espresso all on your own. On the flip side, if you need something quick and easy on your way out the door in the morning, consider the Nespresso system.
How do you clean an espresso machine?
Because all espresso machines are made differently, you'll want to defer to the owner's manual in order to properly clean your specific machine. The most essential tasks are regularly flushing and descaling with something like Urnex Cafiza powder, purging the steam wand, and back flushing.
A few basic tips and tricks, though: Running the machine without the portafilter in place helps flush the group head and keep it grit-free; Cleaning the drip tray regularly will keep mold, bacteria, and even fruit flies at bay; purging the steam wand after each use will keep dairy and non-dairy milk alternatives from getting stuck and developing bacteria; cleaning the water basin (if it's not built-in) will keep your coffee tasting its best and the machine running smoothest.
Can you make regular coffee with an espresso machine?
The closest thing you can get to drip coffee with an espresso machine is an Americano, or a long black. Simply pull a shot of espresso and then add hot water to fill your cup. If you prefer to drink drip most days, you'll save time and money if you opt for one of the best coffee machines.
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