An espresso machine is a machine that makes coffee by drawing pressurized water near the boiling point through a "pod" of ground coffee and a filter to produce a thick and concentrated coffee. The pressure applied influences the texture, cream and flavor of espresso coffee. Espresso coffee machines can also have a steam tube that is used to vaporize and foam in liquids, especially milk, to prepare drinks such as cappuccino and latte. However, not all espresso coffee machines are the same. If you want to buy an espresso machine that meets your specific requirements, then you should go through the reviews of the 10 best espresso machine reviews consumer reports. You will definitely be able to find the espresso machine of your choice.
Reviews Of 10 Best Espresso Machines
1. Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine
Breville BES870XL is a decent espresso machine, which strikes a perfect balance between coffee making ability, ease of use and pricing. It seems like a well-thought-out product and the reason why I’m compelled to write it is that it features an inbuilt burr grinder, heat exchanger boiler system, and customizable volumetric controls to get you a perfect cup of espresso.
The consistency of coffee remains untarnished whether you are making it for the first time or hundredth time. You have the ability to adjust the intensity of your coffee, from mild to bitter. You can also extract espresso and steam milk at the same time, courtesy of the heat exchange boiler system. The unit is equipped with preset volumetric controls, which give you one or two espresso shots, but if you want more, then you can adjust the controls as per your needs.
Not just espresso, but you can also make milk-based drinks such as cappuccinos and lattes with this machine, as its wand packs out pressure sufficient to create a silkily steamed milk, but I would still not advise anyone to use it for these two versions of coffee because of its low steaming speed. As it is a semi-automatic unit, you will have to learn the basics of espresso extraction and milk frothing. Besides this, I don’t think there is any drawback to this espresso machine.
2. DELONGHI ESAM3300 Super Automatic Espresso Machine
With DeLonghi ESAM3300, you can brew pre-ground to ground coffee to make a perfect cup of espresso. Being a super-automatic machine, this unit allows you to create espresso, decaf, and even specialty drinks. It also comes with a bean container and removable water container, which easily accommodates around 8.8 ounces of coffee beans and 60 ounces of water. The unit is equipped with two stainless-steel boilers, which ensures even heat distribution and excellent heat retention. You can even froth milk in this machine for a creamy cup of cappuccino. The machine supports cups up to 4.25 inches in height, and an easy-to-use control panel gives new users the power to use the machine without any issue.
3. SOWTECH Espresso Machine 3.5 Bar 4 Cup Espresso Maker Cappuccino Machine
SOWTECH is a renowned name when it comes to espresso machines, and this particular model can brew four delicious cups of original flavored coffee in 5 minutes, thanks to its 3.5-bar pressure pump. This is a sleek and compact unit but comes with all the necessary tools such as carafe, tamper and measuring scoop, which helps in brewing a great cup of coffee every single time. You can also get steamed milk for preparing cappuccino with this espresso machine, thanks to its frothing wand. Everything in this machine is good, from design to color combination, but the plastic body is a small scar to the flawless looks and design of the unit.
4. Breville BEC120RED1AUC1 Inissia Espresso Machine
It’s a Breville espresso machine again, and this one is very cute. It’s a small machine but doesn’t lack power at all, as it has a pressure of 19 bars. Then, there is a built-in folding drip tray, which can easily fold up and out of the way to accommodate large cups. This unit is not expensive at all, plus it will save you money on power bills as well, as it comes with an auto-shutoff feature.
Therefore, if there is no activity for 9 minutes, the unit will automatically shut down. For a quick morning cup of coffee, make sure to prepare the machine a night before because then, all you need to do is press a button the next day for a delicious cup of coffee. The only drawback of the unit is the automatic flipping down of the drip tray when you flip it up to make a larger cup of coffee.
5. Gaggia RI9700/64 Babila Espresso Machine
Gaggia is among the top-rated coffee manufacturing brands in the market. The model in the discussion can make super amazing espresso shots with whole beans or pre-ground coffee, depending upon the preferences of the users.
Moreover, it comes with preset programs, which allows you to select from 8 different beverages with a single punch of a button. Not just espresso, but you can make cappuccinos and lattes in this machine as well, courtesy of an automatic cappuccino system along with manual wand.
The coffee dispenser of the machine is height adjustable, so you can accommodate different cup sizes. The brew group can also be removed, thus making cleaning and maintenance a lot easier. The only drawback of this espresso machine is its expensive price.
6. Jura 13626 ENA 1 Automatic Coffee Machine
For those who are looking for an affordable and reliable single-serve coffee maker, Jura 13626 ENA 1 can be a great option. The unit incorporates a multi-level grinder, which works with a micro brewing unit to provide you with delicious espresso coffee. The unit features a touch panel with 3-cup size settings along with 2-aroma settings, so there are enough options available for you in terms of beverages.
The unit comes with a programmable switch-off timer along with a zero-energy switch to help the unit secure full marks in terms of being energy efficient. The espresso machine is compact and lightweight, yet extremely powerful in terms of performance, considering the price it is being sold for. The only improvement that can be done in this machine is that the bean hopper capacity could be slightly bigger, as the 4.4 oz., capacity is quite small.
7. Breville BES920BSXL Dual Boiler Espresso Machine
Breville BES920BSXL is a dual boiler machine, which controls the temperature of brew and steam separately, thus allowing people to make their favorite espressos in a more professional manner. Besides independent temperature controls, the espresso machine comes with a dedicated waterspout, which is an essential component for making Americanos. Then, you will see on the unit, a backlit LCD display where you can check the time, brew temperature and shot clock. The inclusion of an over-pressure valve is also quite useful, as it restricts the extraction. Coming to the drawbacks of the unit, then one would be its large size and another is its high price.
8. Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine With Iron Frame And Stainless Steel Side Panels
Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine is a semi-automatic espresso machine, which is among the best units available on the market in terms of design, performance, and price. The durable iron frame of the machine along with stainless steel side panels makes the unit extremely sturdy.
The brewing components of this espresso machine are just brilliant, as you will get a 12 oz., chrome-plated brass boiler for fast recovery time between shots, a large water tank, and brass made brew group. The operation of the unit is very silent and without any annoying vibrations, despite its large build. This espresso machine can also be used to make great crema.
Coming to the drawbacks of the unit, then there are a few, which are the inability of the unit to make a good espresso until you have a proper coffee grounds, large size of the machine, cheap plastic tamper and regular steel made lower frame. When using this espresso machine, make sure to have the best coffee grinder or else you will not be able to get the best espressos.
9. BREVILLE BES810BSSUSC BES810BSS Duo Temp Pro Espresso Machine
This is another exciting espresso machine, which can make multiple types of coffee, so if you want to have a latte or cappuccino occasionally, then this machine can fulfill that requirement of yours. It comes with a 15-bar Italian pump to optimize the extraction so as to get coffee that is full of flavor and excellent consistency.
This coffee maker will get you a great cup of espresso or cappuccino with low-speed extraction if you want. Moreover, you will be able to achieve a perfect blend of bitter or sweet coffee. The water tank of this espresso machine has a capacity of 61 oz., which means multiple espresso servings at a time.
Other features of the unit include PID technology or digital temperature control technology to keep the brewing temperature stable, inclusion of a manual steam wand for creating micro-foam for beverages and automatic purging to get the system ready for next shots. There are not as such drawbacks in this unit, except the fact that you will have to invest some time in learning how to use this machine.
10. De'Longhi Nespresso EN125SAE Original Espresso Machine
Check out this espresso machine will come with a 19-bar pressure pump to deliver barista-grade coffee beverages. The unit reaches ideal brewing temperature in around 25 seconds, courtesy of an efficient heat-up system. The coffee that comes out of the dispenser of the unit tastes natural, aromatic and full of flavors. The unit features Aeroccino3 Milk Frother, so if you like a milk-based coffee, then that can too be easily made.
While there are many exciting features in this espresso machine, but I really like the one-touch button for espresso or lungo, plus there is a red backlight indicator that tells you that the water level has reached 24 ounces and thus, needs refilling. Moreover, the folding tray of the unit is flexible and accommodates travel mugs and larger cups. Other features of the espresso machine include programmable features for seamless brewing and auto shut-off after 9 minutes of inactivity. Overall, an excellent machine, but you will not find controls over the strength of the coffee, pressure, and temperature.
Conclusion
If espresso is life for you, then make sure you have the best espresso machine to get you the rich and intense flavor that espresso is known for. To help you with your quest for the best espresso machine, I have done espresso machine reviews consumer reports for 10 top products. I believe you must have identified the espresso machine that you want to buy. If yes, then you shouldn’t wait for no one and proceed with the purchasing part because now is the best time to buy an espresso machine.