A home espresso maker can be a hefty investment—and for good reason. For a high-quality, consistent espresso, a machine must maintain both exact temperature and stable pressure. This requires serious engineering, which is why you can easily shell out $500, or even $5,000 or more. The ideal machine makes excellent tasting espresso every time and is relatively easy to set up and use. A bonus is a well-integrated steamer for frothy milk for cappuccinos, lattes, and macchiatos. Our top choice, the Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine, will even let you monitor and control the temperature of the water. Our picks run the gamut from old-school stovetop coffee makers to sleek machines where your dream drink awaits at the press of a button, with zero barista skills required. Here’s our list of the best espresso machines to fit your budget, your space, and your caffeine needs. What We Don’t Love: Takes some practicing, bulky If you’re not an espresso nerd yet, the Breville Barista Express just might convert you. It comes equipped with a pressure gauge that allows you to assess the quality of the coffee as you make it, just like on a professional espresso machine. A low-pressure pre-infusion soaks the grinds allowing water to pass evenly through the coffee during the high-pressure extraction process, resulting in a flavorful espresso. Plus, digital temperature control delivers water at the right temperature, ensuring optimal espresso extraction. The integrated conical burr grinder allows you to grind the beans right before extraction for full flavor and dispenses the right dose of 15 to 18 grams for a double shot. The attached steam wand lets you texture foamed milk for the perfect café drink. Try your hand at latte art if you’re feeling creative. It can take some time to master the Breville Barista Express, as you’ll have to finesse the right settings and balance the right grind coarseness and amount, water temperature, tamp pressure, and extraction time to produce the perfect shot. If that doesn’t sound like any fun, consider investing in an automatic machine. Otherwise, get practicing! Also, don’t worry about wet espresso grinds all over after. The machine forms it into a puck that’s easy to remove, while everything else just needs a wipe down with a wet cloth. The Breville is relatively affordable based on its high quality, with a polished, pretty look, and most importantly delivers consistently balanced espresso topped with rich crema. “It’s actually pretty easy to use once you get the hang of it and makes you feel like a professional barista! I love (attempting) to make latte art with the steam wand.” — Rachel Lee, Editorial Commerce Producer Price at time of publish: $750 Dimensions (WxDxH): 12 x 11 x 13.5 inches | Hopper Capacity: 0.5 pound | Reservoir Capacity: 67 ounces What We Don’t Love: Frother can over aerate, plastic exterior, cleaning internal parts post-espresso This sleek, inexpensive semi-automatic machine delivers on both flavor and ease of use and is a smart choice for an entry-level machine that makes quality shots. Simply choose whether you want a single or double shot, select your grounds, fill the milk reservoir, and press a button. This machine makes espresso beverages with the touch of a single button, which is impressive and useful, especially considering the price.  The Café Barista espresso coffee maker brews espresso with a 15-bar pump system and automatically froths milk into cappuccino and latte selections. Some reviewers thought the milk texture was a little off, but many others were happy. Compared to the similarly affordable DeLonghi EC155M Manual Espresso Machine, the Mr. Coffee Café Barista wins for ease of use. One con: To properly care for your Mr. Coffee machine, you’ll have to clean it thoroughly after each use. The water reservoir is removable at least, but all the internal parts need to be flushed a few times. Still, it’s a great buy that’ll deliver on consistently tasty drinks. Price at time of publish: $250 Dimensions (LxWxH): 11.2 x 8.9 x 12.6 inches | Reservoir Capacity: 55 ounces What We Don’t Love: Separate frother, have to use Nespresso capsules Nespresso’s capsule system delivers high-quality espresso in hermetically sealed and recyclable aluminum capsules. If grinding coffee is not your jam, this one’s for you—although it means you’ll have to stay stocked with Nespresso capsules. Capsules not only make this compact machine simple to use and to clean, but it also makes consistently excellent espresso. With just one touch and less than thirty seconds, you can make multiple single-serve cups of espresso, double espresso, or lungo without having to refill the 40-ounce tank. The tray is adjustable so you can use everything from a small demitasse cup to your travel mug. Bonus: It’s energy-efficient, too. Its smart energy-saving mode automatically switches off the machine after nine minutes. This bundle comes with Nespresso’s own milk frother, the Aeroccino, which is perfect for when you feel like having a cappuccino or latte. You can also buy just the machine and pick up the Aeroccino separately. Price at time of publish: $270 Dimensions (LxWxH): 12 x 8.25 x 12 inches | Reservoir Capacity: 40 ounces What We Don’t Love: Steam wand lacks power If you really want a compact espresso machine, but don’t want to limit yourself to pods, the Coffee Gator Espresso Machine deserves a spot in your kitchen. At just 10 inches high, it’s small enough to fit under anyone’s cupboards. Plus, it’s lightweight enough to store away if you’ll only be using it for the occasional espresso martini. What’s fantastic about this little espresso maker is how fast you’ll have your morning cup. With 20 bars of pressure for brewing and 9 bars for extraction, you’ll have your shot in less than a minute. When we sent this home to test, our product tester found that the water heated up in 20 seconds, and the final espresso was topped with luscious golden-brown crema. The tester did also find that the steam wand isn’t as powerful as ones found on larger machines, so it takes a few extra seconds to heat up milk and create delicate foam for your morning lattes. The Coffee Gator comes with three types of filter baskets: single, double, and ESE pod, should you want the shortcut. There’s also a tamp and scoop for measuring. It does have to be regularly descaled, but the day-to-day cleaning is wiping down the steam wand and rinsing out the portafilter. “I appreciated the simplicity of this espresso maker right away. I tested it while moving apartments and, for a couple of weeks, it was the only coffee maker I had with me. Since I was using it multiple times a day, it was really convenient to just hit a button, turn a dial, and have a delicious shot of espresso in about one minute.” — Derek Rose, Product Tester Price at time of publish: $150 Dimensions (LxWxH): 12.4 x 5.5 x 10.3 inches | Reservoir Capacity: 44 ounces What We Don’t Love: Known to break quickly The Gaggia Classic debuted in 1991, and hasn’t substantially changed much since then. Designed and made in Italy, this machine excels at bringing out the brightness and acidity of coffee. This update of the Gaggia Classic has an improved steam wand, rocker switch controls, temperature-ready lights, and a streamlined stainless-steel frame that will look nice on your countertop. It’s even available in different colors, like red, blue, and white. Brew expert espresso with the included commercial single and double shot baskets or opt for pods with the pressurized basket.  Its three-way solenoid valve releases pressure from the brew head after pulling the shot, one of the features that help make next-level delicious espresso.  The Gaggia Classic Pro is powerful, easy to use, and one of the best entry-level semi-automatic espresso machines on the market. Just note that some reviewers felt the steamer didn’t produce great, light froth.  Others thought it worked great while it was going strong, but it was relatively quick to break down after consistent use. Price at time of publish: $449 Dimensions (WxDxH): 8 x 9.5 x 14.2 inches | Reservoir Capacity: 72 ounces What We Don’t Love: Pricey, large footprint Swiss Jura espresso makers are famous for their slick look—and their no-joke price tags. If you want perfection at the push of a button, this machine prepares delicious coffee, espresso, lattes, and one-touch Americanos—two at a time. The easy high-resolution touchscreen interface boasts snazzy graphics that sync with your smartphone. Download the Jura app for your personalized online portal with videos, tips, and more. There are 21 preset drink options, or you can program your own custom favorites. Its AromaG3 grinder preserves the complex aromas from the coffee beans, and the fine foam technology frother creates the perfect milky layer. Patented pulse extraction technology ensures that all the flavor and aroma of the coffee is optimally extracted. The Z8 has dual heating systems—two thermoblocks and pumps—which sets it apart from the (also excellent, also pricey but slightly less so) Z6 model. Once it’s done brewing, the cleanup is also automated, with integrated rinsing programs. The machine does have a large footprint, so it’s best for big kitchens and big budgets. Dimensions (LxWxH): 17.7 x 12.6 x 15 inches | Hopper Capacity: 9.9 ounces, 20 servings of coffee grounds | Reservoir Capacity: 81.3 ounces What We Don’t Love: Not technically espresso, need a stove Named after the Yemeni city of Mocha, the Moka Pot is a stovetop classic that brews espresso by passing boiling water pressurized by steam through ground coffee. Invented by Italian engineer Alfonso Bialetti in 1933, Bialetti Moka is beloved for classic design elegance and technological simplicity. You’ll see these in kitchens all over Italy, and you can create a rich, satisfying brew without fuss in minutes. There are other moka pots on the market, but this classic one is sought out for good reason. The distinctive eight-sided aluminum pot allows heat to diffuse evenly, enhancing the coffee’s aroma. It’s available in three sizes, from 3 to 12 cups, so you can make espresso for the whole family or just yourself.  It’s also environmentally friendly, as it can be cleaned only with water and produces only completely biodegradable waste (coffee grounds).  Cleanup is easy thanks to the compartment design; just unscrew it, wash it out, and enjoy the rest of your day. Strictly speaking, Moka coffee is not exactly espresso—espresso needs about five times more pressure than a Moka Pot offers. But you will get a bold, full-bodied, and satisfying brew for a relative bargain. “The first time I used this Moka pot was while studying abroad in Italy. When I returned home, I had to get one for myself, and it’s served me well for years. I love breaking it out for a morning latte and the occasional after-dinner espresso.” — Taysha Murtaugh, Commerce Editorial Director Price at time of publish: $50 Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.5 x 4.8 inches | Reservoir Capacity: 10 ounces

What to Look for When Buying an Espresso Machine 

Size 

In my New York City apartment, every square inch of counter space is precious. Consider the machine’s height as well: make sure you have cabinet clearance for your espresso machine (most non-plumbed machines have top-filling reservoirs) or your grinder (hoppers fill from the top, too). 

Types

The fully manual espresso machine, also called a Piston espresso maker, is a classic piece of equipment oozing with old-world charm. It requires a barista to manually pull down a lever to generate pressure and pull the shot. These look very cool, but they’re not too common since they require precision and effort (and a strong barista arm).  Semi-automatic machines use an electric pump instead of a manual lever. All you need to do is press a button to pull yourself a shot. These are way more common, making churning out espresso drinks way less of a feat of strength. Since it’s only semi-automatic, you still have to grind the coffee, load the portafilter, tamp, and press a button to kick off the process. Automatic espresso machines are not all that different. Despite the name, users still must grind the coffee, tamp the coffee, and press a button. But the big difference is that the machine uses an internal timer to cut off the shot after a certain amount of time, so you don’t have to figure out the perfect timing.  Super-automatic machines do it all— grind and tamp your beans for you, as well as pull and time the shot. They often come with programmable options which give you some control over the brew, but semi-automatic aficionados love the skill and finesse it takes to pull the perfect shot themselves. 

Features

When it comes to fancy features, there are quite a lot of possibilities. A built-in grinder lets you brew a drink from freshly ground, flavorful beans, always ground to the perfect size. A built-in milk frother is a great addition for latte and cappuccino lovers, letting you froth milk and even experiment with latte art to get your inner barista on, although you can always purchase a separate automatic or handheld milk frother.   Smart espresso makers deliver your drink of choice at the touch of a button, the swipe of an app, or a voice command, like the swanky Jura Z8 Aluminum Automatic Espresso & Cappuccino Machine. 

Do you need to descale espresso machines?

Definitely. “You need to descale espresso machines regularly as part of a maintenance schedule,” says Jessica Randhawa, owner and head chef of The Forked Spoon. “All espresso machines have pumps and internal components that over time build up mineral deposits, also known as scale, coffee residue, and potentially bacteria on that coffee residue. Even with super soft water, it’s a good idea to descale an espresso machine at least every quarter to extend the life of the appliance. The last thing any espresso lover wants is to wake up and find that the espresso machine is not working because it hasn’t been maintained.”

What’s the best grind for espresso?

A fine grind is ideal for espresso. Additionally, Randhawa recommends a burr grinder. “Conical burr grinders produce a very uniform grind by crushing the beans, which creates an even pull of espresso across the entire espresso puck,” she says. “By contrast, blade grinders chop the beans, which often makes a chunky, dusty mess that produces an uneven espresso pull.”

Why Trust Simply Recipes?

Hannah Howard has been writing about food and beverages for over a decade, including the memoirs “Feast” and “Plenty.” She lives in Brooklyn and spends a lot of time scoping out and savoring the best lattes around, wherever she happens to be in the world. Read Next: The Best Cold-Brew Coffee Makers