In this post we will be going over the best espresso machines for home use. These espresso machines have been handpicked by espresso enthusiasts. When we started to compile our list of the best espresso machines for home use, we looked at: the built quality, price point, user friendliness, design and features. So without further ado let’s jump into our 2019 list of the best home espresso machines for coffee lovers.
What to look for in a espresso machine?
Espresso machines are mainly divided into three types:
- Manual espresso machine: A manual espresso machine is as the name implies ‘Manual machine’, which means it can’t be pre-programmed for espresso shots. Instead a manual espresso machine has a lever. To brew a espresso shot with a manual espresso machine all you have to do is fill up your porta-filter with finely ground espresso of your choice and insert the porta-filter into the espresso machine very tightly. Make sure the porta filter is tightly fitted into the machine so there is no leakage during the brewing process. A perfectly ground espresso should take 9 seconds to brew for a single shot of espresso. Once you are ready, pull the espresso lever down and release the boiling water through the group-head of the espresso machine. You will need to time this process and wait exactly 9 seconds for a single shot and 16 seconds for a double shot of espresso. After the proper time has gone by (9 to 16 seconds) simple pull the espresso machine leaver back up there by stopping the release of boiling hot and pressurized water from the espresso machine. Voila your espresso shot is ready. A tell tale sign of a perfect espresso shot is when you see a golden crème on top of the espresso shot.
- Semi-automatic Espresso Machine: A semi-manual espresso machine is a machine that practically does half the work for you. By this what we mean is that unlike a manual espresso machine, there is no lever involved with a semi-manual espresso machine. With a semi-automatic espresso machine you have the options of brewing your choice of espresso shots with a press of a button. You will be presented with three buttons.
- Button #1: Single shot – When you press this button the latest deLonghi espresso machine will automatically brew a single shot of espresso and then automatically stop brewing after 9 seconds.
- Button #2: Double shot – When you press the double-shot button on the espresso machine it will automatically start brewing your espresso shot for exactly 16 seconds and then stop brewing at precisely 16 seconds.
- Button #3: Free shot – The free shot button is basically same as the lever option you find on the manual espresso machine. The only difference is the fact that instead of pulling up & pulling down a lever, you will be using a button to do all the heavy lifting. The only time you would use the free shot button for brewing espresso is when you’re doing something special for a customer or yourself.
With the semi-automatic espresso machine you also have the option of programming the buttons yourself, which means you can decide how long each brew should take. This option is very good and handy when you brew specialty espresso’s which might take less or more time to brew each shot.
- Super-automatic espresso machine: This espresso machine is the most advance espresso machine and also known as all-in-one espresso machine. This espresso machine is the most expensive out of the three and for good reason. This espresso machine actually does everything for you. It is a built-in grinder as well. It will literally grind the espresso and then automatically brew a shot of espresso for you with a single press of a button.
Now that you know what types of espresso machines are out there, here is our list of the three best espresso machine for home use.
- Breville barista express
- Gaggia classic espresso machine
- Delonghi magnifica espresso machine