The 6 Best Espresso Machines We Tested for Great-Tasting Lattes at Home

Other Espresso Machines We Tried

• Café Affetto Automatic Espresso Machine & Frother: This machine was design-forward and compact, but it was also incredibly heavy at 18 pounds. Its main technical issue, however, was that it needed to connect to Wi-Fi to properly adjust its settings, so those who don’t want to do that will lose some of the machine’s functionalities.
• Mr. Coffee One-Touch CoffeeHouse+ Espresso, Cappuccino, and Latte Maker: The frother on this machine produces thick, creamy foam that also ended up tasting slightly burnt, but it was automatic and easy to use. The tester also found the design to be quite flimsy, which was likely one of the reasons that shots were consistently bitter, sour, and burnt.
• De’Longhi La Specialista Arte: This machine was high-quality and performed fairly well, but the steam wand produced a cappuccino with too thin a body, and the espresso was slightly sour. It did, however, feature an internal burr coffee grinder.

What to Know About Espresso Machines

Types of Espresso Machines

Espresso machines fall into three categories: automatic, semi-automatic, and super-automatic. With an automatic machine, you start the shot (by grinding the beans and tamping them down, for example) and the machine finishes it. With a semi-automatic machine, you start and stop the shot when it’s brewed to your liking. And with super-automatic machines, you simply push a button, and the machine does all the work for you.

Semi-automatics, according to Serious Eats writer Jesse Raub, are the most popular. With these machines, you’re in control of how much water is pumped through the ground beans, so you can make each shot stronger or weaker, depending on your preference.

While super-automatic machines take the least amount of user effort, Raub also notes that it’s “really hard to change a lot of the espresso variables with those machines.” So, if you’re looking for a bespoke cup of coffee, semi-automatics or automatics might be the best fit. If you’re looking for the easiest option, go for a super-automatic.

Ease of Use

If you’re not a professional barista, you’ll want a machine that’s easy to set up and operate. Consider helpful features like a built-in coffee grinder, milk frother, tamper, and the ability to self-clean. Check if the machine requires special filters and if you can pre-program your coffee preferences, or if it’s more of a manual operation. You should expect to take a few tries before you find the ideal espresso shot, but once you’ve found the right grind and water-to-bean ratio, the right machine will remember these preferences and go forth without much effort on your part.

Espresso Quality and Speed

It’s essential that you love the flavor of your espresso shots and that they come forth quickly. Of course, the beans you use will make a difference. It can also be helpful to read reviews for a sense of the drink's characteristics, such as the firmness of the crema, flavor notes, and (if there’s a frother attached) the texture and temperature of the foam it produces. 

Raub says the ratio of coffee to water might affect taste, noting that espresso shots with too little water turn out super strong, while shots with too much water turn out watery and bitter. If you’re experiencing either of those issues, adjusting the water should give you a better shot. Finally, Raub says it should take 25 to 30 seconds to pull a shot.

Ease of Cleaning

Espresso machines need to be carefully taken care of to stay running smoothly. Especially if you’re steaming milk, it’s essential to wipe down the steam nozzle after every use to avoid sticky buildup. Machines that let you know when they need to be emptied (either the drip tray or puck reservoir) are handy, as are dishwasher-safe parts. We found the Capresso Café TS Touchscreen Espresso Machine especially easy to clean — it took just five minutes with a damp sponge and mild soap. You’ll also need to descale the machines occasionally, and you may need to purchase a descaling agent to do this, so consider the price of maintenance as well as the cost of the machine itself.

Price Range

Espresso machines range significantly in price. On the high end, you can easily spend over $1,000 on a professional-level machine. However, the most expensive machine that scored well in our tests, the Breville Barista Express Impress, regularly costs $900 and is worth the splurge if you put a premium on sipping the smoothest espresso possible.

If you’re more budget-conscious, the De’Longhi Stilosa Manual Espresso Machine is also high-quality, if more minimalist. In the middle of the road, the Cuisinart Espresso Maker is under $300.

Behind the Scenes

We tested 20 espresso machines in our industrial kitchen and then took them home for additional long-term, real-world testing in our own kitchens. To ensure accurate and comparable tasting notes, we used the same brand and type of coffee beans for all of the machines, as well as the same brand of milk for steaming and building lattes or cappuccinos.

• Setup: To assess ease of assembly, testers timed and recorded how long it took to set up each machine, as well as a full cleaning or flushing cycle. 
• Shot Test: To test the ease, quality, and efficiency of producing espresso, our testers pulled five shots from each machine. We graded each shot’s flavor, consistency, looks, and how easy or difficult it was to produce. We also measured the amount of beans and the volume of each shot to test for consistency. Finally, we tasted every shot for under- or over-extraction, crema, and body.
• Frother Evaluation: To test integrated milk frothers, we followed each machine’s instructions to foam the same amount of whole milk. We considered how comfortable the frothing attachments were to operate and how quickly they heated and produced foam. We then poured the milk over an espresso shot and considered stability, texture, and flavor.
• Ease of Cleaning: Finally, we cleaned the machines thoroughly and took note of how long and involved that process was.

Taking all of these factors into consideration, the Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine topped our list as the best espresso machine overall.

Why Trust PEOPLE?

Alida Nugent is a shopping writer with an extensive writing, editing, and strategy background in the home, kitchen, and outdoor spaces. She also writes for Food Network, HGTV, and Better Homes & Gardens. Alida updated this article with fresh insights from our PEOPLE Tested lab, focusing solely on the best home espresso machines. Shopping writer Lizzy Briskin recently updated this article to feature the most affordable and user-friendly espresso machines we tested, including top picks from Breville, De'Longhi, KitchenAid, and Cuisinart. Staff shopping writer Alyssa Brascia is the original author of this article.

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