Espresso Machines

Best espresso machines

Although you can spend a lot more, most experts say that an espresso machine in the $300 to $600 price range is the best value for home users. Not surprisingly, this is where there's the most competition, and we found the largest number of reviews for espresso machines in this price range.

The Rancilio Silvia (*est. $550) is a legendary machine with legions of fans who say this espresso machine will serve owners for years to come. Coffee guru Mark Prince says the Silvia is "built like a tank." In almost 200 owner-written reviews posted to CoffeeGeek.com, owners give the Silvia the highest cumulative ratings, and many say that the Silvia delivers shots that are nearly on par with commercial espresso machines. Many owners note that the Silvia's resale value is excellent, and repair parts are readily available -- important for a machine that can be expected to last for ten or fifteen years. There's a learning curve to every espresso maker, and the Silvia is slightly finicky with regard to temperature, tamping pressure and grind. Several owners suggest buying a higher-quality tamper than the one included. Overall, reviews agree the Silvia is a workhorse that's built to last.

Gaggia's Espresso and Carezza (*est. $200) are considered entry-level espresso machines, but experts say their build quality compares well with more expensive espresso makers. The Gaggia Espresso receives an average of 7.8 stars (out of a possible 10) in 26 Coffeegeek.com reviews, while the Carezza garners an average of 7.4 stars in 20 reviews. Reviews say that the machines perform similarly. Both have chrome and brass components, heavyweight portafilters and commercial-gauge filter baskets. We've included the Espresso in Fast Answers because it has a cup warmer and a larger reservoir (64 ounces to the Carezza's 44 ounces). With their plastic casings, neither machine is flashy. Owners say that the drip trays are awkwardly designed and the steam pumps somewhat noisy. Those posting to WholeLatteLove.com say that the Gaggia Espresso is a bit quieter than the Carezza. These quibbles aside, owners indicate that both the Gaggia and Carezza are standouts in their price range.

We also read good reviews for the pricier Gaggia Classic (*est. $500) , which has a 72-ounce water reservoir and stainless steel housing instead of plastic. We still found better reviews overall in this price range for the Rancilio Silvia, but most experts say the Gaggia Classic is also a high-quality machine.

In Consumer magazine's 2006 tests, the Breville Cafe Roma (*est. $250) was not only the best overall performer, but also the lowest-priced machine. In 2007, it did nearly as well, earning second place overall in tests. Unlike some espresso machines in its price category, the Café Roma has a stainless-steel housing rather than a plastic exterior. Consumer's editors say that the Café Roma takes its time building up steam, but once it does, it excels at frothing milk. Editors at Food and Wine give the Café Roma espresso machine high marks for its sturdy construction and simple controls. Owners posting to CoffeeGeek.com give the Café Roma 7.8 stars (out of a possible 10), averaged from 12 reviews. They say that the machine is easy to use and makes very good espresso. A few say that it's hard to see the water line in the reservoir and that the frothing wand is too short.

We also found good reviews for the Breville 800ESXL (*est. $400) . This espresso machine looks terrific with a die-cast stainless-steel housing. Some reviewers, however, suggest that Breville put more into this model's appearance than its functionality. Some wish that it had a stainless steel portafilter and head rather than aluminum. Some also complain about a "wimpy" steaming wand and say that the spent grounds don't come out of the portafilter in a dry puck, as they do with other espresso machines. Rather, the grounds come out in a wet pile that's harder to clean out.

We read a dozen positive reviews of the Saeco Magic Cappuccino (*est. $300) at Wholelattelove.com and CoffeeGeek.com. Owners like the 1.5-liter water reservoir, nine-cup warming tray and short warm-up time. A few complain about its silver plastic housing, which they say looks cheap, and about the frothing wand, which they say is too short. Two owners say that their Magic machines have lasted more than five years. Overall, this looks like a good machine for the price.

We also found good reviews for the Saeco Classico (*est. $300), which has a metal housing instead of plastic. It earns a rating of 8.5 stars (out of 10) in 31 owner-written reviews posted to CoffeeGeek.com. Like the Magic, the Classico has a large water tank and heats up quickly. Several owners say that you’ll get better crema if you replace the pressurized portafilter with a non-pressurized version. We read a few complaints about leaky steam wands. This espresso machine is now discontinued, replaced with the similar looking Saeco Aroma ( *est. $300 with plastic housing , $350 with stainless steel housing ). The new Aroma has gotten a PR boost from its appearance on Alton Brown’s Good Eats television show on The Food Network. Although we haven’t yet seen the Saeco Aroma reviewed professionally, it has received about a dozen positive write-ups at Amazon.com.

Pod espresso makers

Experts agree that making espresso at home is a complicated business. You have to buy fresh coffee beans and store them properly. Then, each time you pull a shot, you have to grind the beans to the proper fineness, decide how much coffee to use and tamp the grounds down with the right amount of pressure. You can avoid a lot trial-and-error by buying a machine that accepts pods -- prepackaged filter pods that come in several varieties. Purists disdain these types of espresso makers because although it makes the process vastly easier, it also takes away a lot of the creativity and skill from making espresso.

Clean-up with a pod coffee maker couldn't be easier. You can only make one shot at a time (regular espresso makers generally let you make two shots), and the pods cost more (about 50¢ each) in the long run than buying coffee and grinding it yourself. The pods are available online, but also in some stores. Owners say that the pods stay fresh for months, so you can keep a supply on hand. The downside is that you're limited to prepackaged pods; Nespresso, for example, has a line of 12 pods available year-round and a few seasonal pod varieties. Espresso enthusiasts say that pods cannot compete with freshly ground coffee beans for flavor, but on the other side of the coin, many owners say espresso from pods tastes just as good as or better than coffee-shop espresso.

Editors at Food and Wine deemed the Nespresso D290 (*est. $500) the best pod machine they tested. After six months of testing, Slate's Alex Abramovich also chose the Nespresso D290 as his favorite: "The machine is so reliable and easy to use that I found myself overlooking the inconvenience of Nespresso's online ordering system." He writes that inexperienced baristas could "spend all day trying to make a better cup than this one produces at the touch of a button." We found only a dozen or so owner-written reviews posted to Amazon.com and Epinions, but most are positive. Owners rave about the Nespresso D290's convenience and efficiency. Several praise the unusual design, which features a carafe-shaped water tank. The Nespresso D290 ejects spent pods in a container that you empty after eight cups. It has a removable wand for steaming milk. Otherwise, the Nespresso D290 works like any other top-quality espresso machine, using pump action that generates 15 bars of pressure.

If you don't care about frothing milk to make cappuccino, but still like the idea of a pod espresso maker, the Nespresso Le Cube C180 (*est. $325) and the Nespresso Essenza (*est. $230) earn high marks for their espresso. Neither has a milk frothing wand, so if you plan to make cappuccino, you'll need to look elsewhere. Reviewers say that the Le Cube is a good overall performer, but it has a relatively small water reservoir, and its brewing temperature varies from cup to cup. We read a handful of reviews of the 11-pound Le Cube at Amazon.com. Owners praise its sleek, Deco design, and they say that it's a great machine if you want espresso only.

High-end espresso machines

If you spend more on an espresso machine, you get nicer looks, 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 getting this espresso maker on television shows and movies -- even the subject of an entire episode of Sex in the City. Owners say that the FrancisFrancis! X1 espresso machine looks great, although a few complain about the small boiler and drip tray. The X1 has a circular metal cup corral and an adjustable temperature gauge. It can also use preformed coffee pods as well as ground coffee.

The FrancisFrancis! X3 (*est. $500) is sleeker, less expensive than the older X1, and comes in colors 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 is worth considering. It has an unusually large warming tray, a 48-ounce reservoir and a brass boiler. The FrancisFrancis! X5 (*est. $650) model is boxier than the X1 or X3. Owners say that the X5 is well constructed, with brass groupheads and portafilter. It has just two buttons and an almost cartoonishly large clock, which allows you to time brewing. Owners say that the X5 is easy to use. We read a handful of complaints at Amazon, however, about the manufacturer's customer service.

We found a single owner-written review of FrancisFrancis!'s latest model, the pod-only X6 (*est. $500) , at Amazon.com. The X6 closely resembles the X1, but it has chrome trim. The owner, who received a defective machine, complained that FrancisFrancis! did not resolve the problem to his satisfaction.

Editors at Food and Wine spent a combined 410 hours testing 67 coffee makers. The Ala de Vittoria La Valentina (*est. $1,200) was one of the best, they report. Owners posting to CoffeeGeek.com give the Valentina high scores as well. The housing combines brushed and polished stainless steel, which owners say not only draws your attention, but also serves a practical purpose -- the brushed portion doesn't show fingerprints. The Valentina has commercial-grade circuitry and a professional-quality boiler. Owners say that the machine takes much less time to heat up than less expensive espresso machines. The Valentina is an automatic machine -- that is, it turns itself off when it's finished brewing. Most other home machines are semi-automatics, meaning that you need to turn off the machine after you finish pulling a shot.

Experts at CoffeeGeek.com say that the great-looking, heavy-duty Isomac Zaffiro (*est. $900) is a good value. Although the Zaffiro takes a long time to generate steam, its frothing ability is second to none. CoffeeGeek.com founder Mark Price says that it brews near-perfect shots with ease, but he warns that Isomac has a history of failing thermostats, so it's critical to buy from a dealer who stands behind the machine. While the Zaffiro has a single boiler, the Valentina (included in Fast Answers) has two, which enables you to brew espresso and foam milk at the same time.

The stainless-steel Pasquini Livia 90 Semi-Automatic (*est. $1,400) has been popular in reviews for many 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 simultaneously. If you need a machine for the office or plan to entertain frequently, owners say that the Livia is a good choice. Owners do comment that the drip tray is shallow, and they recommend switching out the included plastic tamper for a metal version. Several say that the Livia delivers significantly better espresso than the Rancilio Silvia (of course, it's also much more expensive). Pasquini manufactures a fully-automated version of the Livia (*est. $1,500) , which has one-touch controls.

The Nuova Simonelli Oscar espresso machine (*est. $1,170) has a larger boiler capacity (two 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 Café Americano and is considered standard equipment among machines of 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 8.9 (out of 10) in 23 owner-written reviews posted to CoffeeGeek.com.

Steam-driven espresso machines

Some reviews recommend cheaper, steam-powered machines. Experts counter that these machines are incapable of brewing true espresso because water is forced through grinds at only 1 to 3 bars of pressure, far less than the recommended 9 bars. These machines lack both a pump and a boiler, shortcomings that can result in bitter, watery shots. Unlike most pump-driven espresso machines, however, steam-powered machines are compact and relatively portable. Several owners say that they keep them on hand as a backup or take them along when traveling.

The compact, steam-powered Krups Allegro FND111 (*est. $50) earns middling scores among almost 100 owners posting reviews to Amazon.com. Most owners say that it's easy to use and makes good strong coffee, but not really espresso. The Krups Allegro has a 32-ounce glass carafe, removable dip tray and oversized dial. We read a number of complaints about this model, focusing mainly on durability and build quality. Most owners who like the Allegro take their coffee with frothed milk, which can mask flaws in espresso quality.

Krups manufactures a combination automatic drip coffee maker and steam-powered espresso machine, the Krups XP1500 (*est. $100) . We could not find any professional reviews of this machine, and reviews at Amazon.com are mixed. Some owners say the Krups XP1500 espresso machine works fine, while others complain about breakage and poor espresso quality.

Important Features: Espresso machines

Reviews say to look for the following when buying a home espresso machine:

The best espresso machines meet industry guidelines for espresso preparation: 1.5 ounces of water heated to 195 degrees Fahrenheit, forced through seven grams of finely ground espresso at no less than nine atmospheres of pressure (130 PSI) within 20 to 25 seconds. This results in a shot topped with about one-quarter inch of crema, the golden foam that's a hallmark of good espresso.

Look for a pump-driven machine. Steam-driven models can't maintain the correct water temperature or generate adequate pressure.

Generally speaking, heavier, bulkier espresso machines can withstand more abuse.

Budget for a top-quality bean grinder. Mark Prince of CoffeeGeek.com says that if your budget is $500, you should spend half on an espresso machine and half on a top-quality burr grinder. Blade grinders can't grind coffee beans finely enough for espresso. See our companion report on coffee grinders .

Look for a cup warmer, detachable water reservoir and removable drip tray. Owners say that many drip trays are too shallow, but you can position a bowl beneath them to catch any runoff.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of Picks	Model (with retailer links)	Details from Amazon.com
5	Rancilio Silvia (*est. $550)	details
3	Nespresso D290 (*est. $500)	details
2	Breville 800ESXL (*est. $400)	details
2	Gaggia Classic (*est. $500)	details
2	Pasquini Livia 90 (*est. $1,500)	details
2	Nespresso Le Cube (*est. $325)	details
1 each	Nespresso D150, Nespresso Essenza Flow Stop , Saeco Incanto Deluxe, Saeco Incanto Sirius , Saeco Magic Deluxe, Saeco Classico, Isomac Zaffiro, Breville Die Cast , Breville Cafe Roma , Sunbeam Caffe Latte, Gaggia Baby , Gaggia Espresso , Gaggia Coffee , Solis Crema SL70 , Solis Crema SL90 , La Pavoni PN Professional, Capresso Jura F9 , Francis! Francis! X1 , Dualit 84024, Alessi Snapper 9090 , Andreja Premium, Bialetti Moka Express , Ala di Vittoria La Valentina

Although purists may scoff at pod espresso makers, owners love them because they drastically shorten the learning curve. The Nespresso D290 gets the best reviews among these. Unlike the cheaper Nespresso Le Cube, the D290 has a steam wand for frothing milk. Among regular espresso machines, the Rancilio Silvia is the best choice overall. We found good reviews for the Gaggia Classic, but we include the Gaggia Espresso in Fast Answers, instead. The Gaggia Espresso has a plastic housing, but its "guts" are of high quality, and experts recommend it as an entry-level espresso machine.

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