Top 10 Best Home Espresso Machine Buying Guide

If you are a coffee lover and want that authentic brewed coffee made fresh from an espresso maker, here is the Top 10 Best Home Espresso Machine Buying Guide for your review.

True coffee lovers cannot get enough of it and crave it anytime of day – whether at work  or while hanging out at home watching TV!  Running out to the nearest coffee shop is a bummer, and you wish you had your very own espresso machine don’t you? The rich taste of latte and cappuccino or the strong flavor of black coffee made from your favorite beans is exactly what you’re looking for.  With a good quality espresso maker, you get the richest coffee flavor you crave.

Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Espresso Machine

Before buying an espresso machine, here are some factors you need to consider.

1. MECHANISM – Espresso machines vary in types of mechanism. They can be steam-driven, pump-driven or air-pump-driven. They are commonly operated manually but the best ones in the market these days are the automatic ones. They brew coffee with just one press and in a matter of seconds.
2. STEAM WAND/ FROTHING SYSTEM– An espresso machine is usually equipped with a steam wand or frothing system to steam milk and create foam. Lattes and cappuccinos need this function to create that perfect cup of coffee. Hence, you can look for a machine that can do both things – to make espresso and steam milk at the same time. It is also a much better offer if the machine includes a frothing cup.
3. SINGLE OR DOUBLE SHOT OPTIONS – Coffee drinkers have their own preferences when it comes to the amount of coffee. If you prefer the standard serving size, the double shot, you can measure it with the number of grams you have to put but, you can measure the shots correctly with a holder. Some espresso machines include this holder which allows you to measure single or double shots. It makes the process easier, quicker and more accurate.
4. DESIGN – Espresso machines come in different sizes and designs. There are actually a lot of espresso machines in the market to choose from. You can consider the size and how sleek the design is to make sure it fits on your kitchen countertop perfectly and beautifully.
5. BUDGET – Having your own espresso machine at home needs a bit adjustment in the budget. Actually, they can be costly but the ones that are below $200 can be just fine. But if you can spend more than that, there are espresso machines that are costly but provide quality and multifunctional programs. There are a lot of espresso machines available on the market but look out for the one that gives out the best offer.

 
     How to Use an Espresso Machine? Jump to user guide below

See also Top 10 Best Coffee Brands

 

Top 10 Best Selling Espresso Machines

You guessed it, Amazon has some of the best selection and great prices, so here are the current trending top 10 best sellers as of Today. This list is updated daily based on actual sales data from Amazon. Based on this top 10 list, you can see what other customers are buying, so you can safely choose one of these for yourself.

[amazon bestseller=”espresso machines”]

 

Coffee lovers out there cannot just get enough of coffee anytime of the day – at work during break time or while hanging out with some friends or at home watching TV! But you cannot always have that luscious taste of coffee in your hand and so you wish you had your very own espresso machine at home. The rich taste of latte and cappuccino or the strong flavor of black coffee can be some of what you’re looking for and with an espresso maker, you get to taste every bit of it whenever you want to.

Top 10 Best Home Espresso Machine Buying Guide

Here are some of the best available home espresso machines on the market for you to consider.

#10. Jura Giga 5 Automatic Coffee Machine

You may need to spend more than your usual budget with this Jura Giga automatic espresso machine. But if you really want to experience that professional and quality coffee serving, its costly price might be just right. The sleek and elegant design is just a starter but its multifunctional programs will leave you in awe. It features a brewing option for latte, espresso and cappuccino with only one touch. It has a variable brewing chamber for two brewing operation, equipped with Intelligent Pre-Brew Aroma System, additional pre-ground coffee powder, adjustable coffee spout for ultimate crema, 2 professional ceramic disc grinders, filter cartridge, 15-bar high performance pump, thermoblock heating system, rinsing, cleaning and descaling program and adjustable water hardness and power switch. Program settings are also available for brewing levels, aroma levels and coffee strength. Aren’t these features worth the price?

#9. Mr. Coffee ECMP1106 Cafe Barista Premium Espresso/Cappuccino System

Mr. Coffee espresso machine is ergonomically designed to brew espresso and froth or steam milk at the same time. It is easily operated with a one-touch control panel. With its design, you can brew and serve coffee quickly and easily. The cleaning is less hassle as well. The milk and water reservoirs are removable for easy cleaning and refill. If you prefer different sizes of cups, the adjustable cup tray can be set up in a different height to go according to the size of your cup.

#8. DeLonghi BCO320T Combination Espresso and Drip Coffee- Black

Espresso machines are sensitive with the type of water to use. Wrong type of water can damage the machine but the Delonghi espresso machine features an advance water filtration system that eliminates odd flavor which keeps the water clean and filtered. LED lights illuminate every 15 minutes to indicate how long the coffee has been standing. If you want to schedule your coffee drinking session in the morning or anytime of the day, you can program it with the digital timer. The water level indicator is also visible to let you know when it needs to be refilled. A frothing wand is also available whenever you need to steam or froth your milk for your cappuccino, latte or macchiato.

#7. The Keurig Rivo Cappuccino and Latte System

Do you need an espresso machine that brews coffee just within a minute? The Keurig Rivo Cacppuccino and Latte espresso machine is the one for you! With its 15 bars of pressure, you don’t have to wait that long for a freshly brewed coffee. With its ergonomic design, you can brew espresso and froth milk at the same time. It includes three frothing modes – cappuccino, latte and cold froth. For coffee and espresso, two sizes are available. If you also forgot to turn it off, need to worry. With its automatic shut off function, it turns off automatically that can save energy.

#6. Gaggia 14101 Classic Espresso Machine, Brushed Stainless Steel

If you can spend a bit over the budget, the Gaggia classic espresso machine is sure worth it. Take that classic flavor of brewed coffee and espresso with this machine. It stabilizes the temperature for that perfectly brewed coffee with its stainless-steel housing and brass portafilter baskets. It also features a Pannarello steam wand which is perfect for steaming and creating foam. A coffee tamper and a 7-gram measuring scoop are also included. Its 3-way Solenoid valve is for the purpose of drip-free operation keeping it clean and without any mess.

#5. Nespresso GCC1-US-RE-NE VertuoLine Evoluo Coffee and Espresso Maker

As what Nespresso machines are commonly known for, this espresso machine is also equipped with a centrifusion technology for gently brewing. With its capsule system, you can try some its unique coffee flavors with its capsules. Each capsule is easy to insert and eject every after brewing. The capsules come in two sizes – large one for coffee and small size for espresso. You don’t have to wait for long for the machine to heat up. It only takes 15 seconds to heat the water up for your much awaited cup of freshly brewed coffee. The water tank is removable which makes it easier to clean and refill. It also has an automatic shut off mode which turns off after 9 minutes of inactivity.

#4. De'Longhi ECP3420 15

If you opt for a fast brewing after every cup, the De’Longhi espresso machine might be the best choice. With its Rapid Cappuccino System, it maintains the optimal temperature so you can have that freshly brewed coffee after each serving. You can enjoy your favorite blends like double espresso, cappuccino or latte or whatever you prefer with this espresso machine. Holders for single and double shots are available to satisfy the flavor of your choice. The frothing system also steams and froths the milk that keeps the texture much richer and tastier. You can also adjust the serving according to the cup size – either small or larger beverage. The water reservoir is easy to remove, refill and reattach which makes it much easier to use and clean.

#3. BELLA Personal Espresso Maker with Built-in Steam Wand and 5 Bar Pressure

Now on its bargain price, you can have this Bella Personal Espresso Maker in your very own home. In just a matter of seconds, you can have that freshly brewed espresso with its 5-bar pressure operation. The built-in steam wand also allows you to froth and steam milk to make your cappuccinos, lattes and macchiatos much richer and tastier. For the double or single shot options, an espresso scoop is included. It can brew up to 4 cups of espresso including a glass decanter for easy and quick serving. To tidy the machine variables, the filter, tray and wand cover are all removable.

#2. Nespresso A+GCC1-US-BK-NE VertuoLine Evoluo Deluxe Coffee & Espresso Maker with Aeroccino Plus Milk Frother

The Nespresso espresso machine offers a modern technology known as the Centrifusion with the combination of the Nespresso Vertuoline capsule system which brews the coffee at its finest and richest taste. The capsule system is coordinated with capsules (or ground coffee) wherein each contains a different kind of aroma, gourmet blend and unique flavor. You can try some of these amazing flavors as this espresso machine comes with a set of dozen capsules. The machine is also easily operated with a one-touch control panel. However, for the frothing system, the Aeroccino Plus Milk Frother is available but sold separately. This machine automatically shuts off after 9 minutes of inactivity which helps conserve energy.

#1. Mr. Coffee ECMP1000 Café Barista Premium Espresso/Cappuccino System

You’ll definitely be your own barista with the Mr. Coffee Espresso machine. Prepare your favorite coffee selection – latte, espresso, cappuccino– quick and easy with the one-touch control panel. The holders for double and single shot options are also available for more accurate measurement. Make your coffee even richer with its automatic frothing system for frothing milk effortlessly. The milk and water reservoirs are removable for easy cleaning and easy-fill. With this 3-in-1 semi-automatic espresso machine, you can have the rich taste of an espresso coffee anytime of the day.

---

What is a Home Espresso Machine?

An espresso machine freshly brews coffee at its richest and finest taste. Coffee grounds are processed through a highly pressurized hot water and are then filtered to become espresso, a thicker and much concentrated coffee. Because of its richer taste, espresso is the base for some of the favorite coffee flavors today such as caffè latte, cappuccino, caffè Americano, macchiato, flat white and a lot more.

You might be wondering how espresso machines differ from coffee makers. Well, of course, they both make good coffee but espresso machines are more preferred by most coffee drinkers as they brew more authentic taste of coffee. A home espresso machine’s mechanism is quite different from a coffee maker. The extraction method of a home espresso machine is by a manual piston or pump while a coffee maker is by the natural process of gravity.

Since espresso machines are more of a manual process, it produces more amount of coffee in seconds. It usually takes 20 to 30 seconds to make an espresso which actually consumes shorter time than a coffee maker. Every drop of espresso sure is at its finest taste.

---

How to Use an Espresso Machine

An espresso machine is commonly controlled by a pump method in a manual process. But, nowadays, some of these machines acquire automatic mechanism. They can also be steam-driven, air-pump-driven or piston driven.  If you’re planning to have your very first home espresso machine, here’s how you do it.  You can try and learn these basics and be your very own barista.

1. Fill the espresso machine’s reservoir with water. The water should be cold, fetched and not too hard nor soft. Do not use a distilled water, hard water or unfiltered water. Turn the machine on and let it heat up from 15 to 45 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the machine feels warm.
2. To make a shot of espresso, fill the filter with the choice of your coffee ground. Use your pinky finger to make a level and even surface. A type of coffee used for an espresso machine is an espresso roast and is commonly extremely dark and are ground very fine. However, it still depends on how your beans are roasted but many prefer darker roast.
3. Use the tamper and press the coffee down and turn slightly. Shake some of the excess coffee off and apply pressure one more time.
4. Go to your espresso machine and put the filter in place. Turn it on. Wait until the espresso comes out. It usually takes a lot of pressure water to push the espresso. When it comes out, you’ll notice a lighter pour and in a dark color. As the espresso goes on, it’ll get lighter in color but don’t let it go for too long or you’ll get a bitter taste of espresso.
5. To steam the milk, prep your steam wand and clean it out. Make sure that there’s no other water inside. Once you have the steam coming out of it, then it’s ready for steaming the milk. At this moment, the steam wand would be extremely hot so you have to be extra careful. Use a cold milk.
6. Immerse the milk onto the steam wand and scratch it on the surface to create a foam. If you don’t want to create a lot of foam, don’t do a lot of scratching. You’ll know the milk is done when it looks too hot to touch and the scratching sound or noise stops. This is commonly called as the quiet zone.
7. Once you’re done, turn it off. Pour it on your espresso.
8. Enjoy your espresso!

As a coffee lover, you always crave for that authentic brewed coffee fresh from an espresso maker and looking for the Top 10 Best Home Espresso Machine, this Buying Guide is just the right idea!