Luxury Machines

High-end espresso machines

If you spend more on an espresso machine, you get nicer design, more metal components and durability for heavier use. Many of these also hold a lot more water, so you can pull many shots in a row without pausing to refill.

The FrancisFrancis! X1 (*Est. $800) is probably the most iconic espresso machine on the market. It's available in a wide range of colors, including orange and neon green. This company's PR department has done a great job placing this espresso maker in movies and TV shows -- it was even the subject of an entire episode of HBO's "Sex and the City." Owners say the FrancisFrancis! X1 espresso machine looks great, but a few complain about its small boiler and drip tray. The X1 incorporates a circular metal cup corral and an adjustable temperature gauge. The manufacturer also designed the X1 to use preformed coffee pods as well as ground coffee.

The Illy FrancisFrancis! X3 (*Est. $600) is sleeker and less expensive than the older X1, and has a color palette ranging from light blue to fuchsia. Mark Prince of CoffeeGeek.com calls it a "good starter machine" whose performance belies its compact size. Owners say that if size and aesthetics are among your chief concerns, the X3 merits consideration. It has an unusually large warming tray, a 48-ounce reservoir and a brass boiler. We found only a few owner-written reviews of the pod-only FrancisFrancis! X6 (*Est. $420) at Amazon.com. The X6 closely resembles the X1, but it has chrome trim. Two owners who received defective machines complain that FrancisFrancis! did not resolve problems to their satisfaction. FrancisFrancis!'s latest model, the X7 (*Est. $420) can use either pods or ground coffee, but there aren't many reviews available for it yet.

The stainless-steel Pasquini Livia 90 Semi-Automatic (*Est. $1,900) has been popular in reviews for years. The fully programmable Livia can be left on all day, and its copper boiler can hold 1.5 liters of water, enabling you to pull shot after shot. The boiler heats brewing water and steam separately, so you can brew shots and froth milk at the same time. If you need a machine for the office or plan to entertain frequently, owners say that the Livia is a good choice. Owners say the drip tray is shallow, however, and they recommend switching out the included plastic tamper for a metal version. Several report that the Livia delivers significantly better espresso than the Rancilio Silvia (of course, it's also much more expensive). Pasquini also manufactures a fully automated version of the Livia (*Est. $2,000), which features one-touch controls.

The Nuova Simonelli Oscar espresso machine (*Est. $1,150) has a larger boiler capacity (2 liters) and drip tray than the Livia, but its housing is plastic. Professional reviewers wonder why it lacks a hot-water tap, which allows you to make americanos and is considered standard equipment among machines in this class. These quibbles aside, however, owners say that the Oscar is a well-built machine that consistently delivers great espresso. The Oscar earns a very respectable rating from several owners posting to CoffeeGeek.com.

If you're dedicated to the art of coffee, you may want to consider a piston-lever espresso machine. These models originally inspired the phrase "pulling a shot," and they're easily identified by their domed tops and long levers. With a piston-lever espresso machine, you use the lever to control the brewing pressure -- a technique that takes practice to master. Piston espresso machines aren't for everyone because they're both pricey and difficult to use. On the other hand, they are often beautifully designed and they can deliver superb espresso. Reviewers favor the La Pavoni models, including the Europiccola (*Est. $900), although Choice magazine gives Europiccola its lowest rating for espresso quality. The price of piston machines varies widely depending on finish, brewing capacity and components.