Best Espresso Machines in 2023

Breville has been in the coffee game since 1932 and is serving coffee in more than 70 countries now. The Dual Boiler Espresso is a sturdy, no-nonsense machine that can make shot after shot without flinching, but it also works best under the touch of someone with some coffee industry know-how.

Between the stainless steel dual boiler system and 15 bar pump, this high-end machine will have even baristas drooling over the endless amount of customization. There is an LED display, pressure gauge, magnetic tamper, dedicated hot water outlet, and top-loading 84oz reservoir. Brew temperature, steam temperature, pre-infusion pressure and duration, shot volume, extraction time, and machine alerts are all programmable.

If you got lost somewhere in that paragraph (perhaps between pressure gauge and magnetic tamper), this beaut will likely require some Youtube education before actually pulling your first shot. If you’re willing to invest the time (and possibly wasted beans), your friends will be lining up down your front door walkway to get some perfectly pulled morning brew.

Despite the required education, this model has more capability than previous editions—it can steam and brew at the same time, and it doesn’t require professional help to descale it every few years, which is a major perk. 

Hailing from Italy, Rancilio began back in 1927 producing commercial-grade espresso machines and eventually home-kitchen machines. This model debuted more than 20 years ago, and finally began selling in the US in the early 2000s.

This highly durable machine uses a chrome-plated brass boiler system, giving it impressive steam capacity and recovery time, especially in the affordable, high-powered espresso machine category.

The chromed brass portafilter and grouphead are commercial grade and produce a high-quality espresso that makes us forgive the cheap plastic tamper and silicon tubes. The 64 oz reservoir is adequate and leaves enough room for six espresso cups to warm on top, setting the perfect scene for the ideal morning. 

Another huge positive with the Silvia is that it’s highly serviceable—the parts are widely available and affordable, which can extend the life of this machine indefinitely. When it comes to making a solid investment, the Silvia checks all of the boxes.

Reportedly, one of the most finicky aspects of the Silvia is ensuring the shot is being pulled in the golden range of coffee brewing (between 195 and 205 degrees fahrenheit) since it’s a non-PID machine, which means there are points in the functioning cycle when the machine isn’t heating the water. You can see a few tricks on handling the heating problem here.

(Read our full review here.)

Breville is a top name in the coffee field, so it’s unsurprising that there are multiple great contenders on this list. Grind, brew, and decorate all with the same involved machinery using the Barista Express.

When I say “all-inclusive,” I mean all-inclusive: you get an integrated Burr grinder, steaming wand, integrated tamper, 67 oz removable water reservoir, and both one-cup and two-cup single and dual wall filters. There are so many features included, but the best part is that there is enough customization to appease experts while still including beginner-friendly options, such as pressurized brewing baskets that are more forgiving when the grind isn’t quite perfect.

Plus, thanks to the integrated steaming wand, it could be argued that making cappuccinos and lattes is mandatory. The Barista Express Espresso Machine’s wand is capable of creating the kind of micro-foam that’s great for the ever-coveted latte art, so don’t be afraid to think creatively when brewing your morning cuppa.  

 (See full review here.)

Again hailing from that boot-shaped country, Gaggia was founded in 1947 by Achille Gaggia. All Gaggia does is espresso machines, so you can rest assured that a lot of thought has gone into this stainless steel classic. It’s great for beginners and professionals alike. 

With a 17 bar pump, this is a classy machine that gives you a high-quality espresso at an affordable price. This semi-automatic machine has many of the elite features of the more expensive ones, like a commercial grade, chrome-plated brass portafilter, three-way solenoid valve, and large reservoir. Yet it has the option for espresso pods making it novice-friendly. Gaggia keeps the price down with an aluminum boiler and plastic controls scattered around the stainless steel shell. 

If you’re looking for some fancier tricks, the Gaggia Classic features a Pannarello wand, so it’s primed and ready to serve up some latte art. It includes an entire wand assembly kit, so it’s adaptable to many styles and designs. Get creative!

Read our full review here.

If the dollar signs attached to previous models have given you a bit of sticker shock, the DeLonghi Pump Espresso Machine will be a little easier to swallow. Pump driven and producing 15 bars, it automatically self primes so it’s ready to produce a strong, delicious shot at your beck and call.

This machine will give you the quality of espresso made by the Gaggia Classic or Breville Duo Temp with much less effort on your part. The DeLonghi Pump Espresso takes care of the controls and works with either pods or grounds, so it’s totally up to your discretion. The result is that this is a great option if you're looking for an entry-level machine that does the heavy lifting for you but still gives you an excellent espresso.

If you’re looking for the downside here, it only exists if you’re very particular and want total control. What you sacrifice with this model is mostly customizable options, controls, and extra features—though it does have a patented, easy-to-use milk frothing wand so fancy lattes and cappuccinos are still on the menu!

The tagline for this model is literally “Barista quality coffee at an affordable price.” Breville gets credit for reading its audience, because the Duo-Temp Pro fills in a market gap. The brushed stainless steel machine features a 61 oz. water tank, low-pressure pre-infusion for even extraction, and a micro-foam milk wand.

This is similar to the Gaggia Classic and DeLonghi Pump Espresso Machines: it will produce impressive, quality espresso for a more affordable at-home price. Pressure and heat control is automated, but the machine comes with both single and dual wall filters and the extraction is still manual so shot quality will depend on your tamping skills.

This is a good stepping-stone for someone between newbie and expert who is ready to have a little more control over the shot for their latte. That video is only 44 seconds long and it’s easy to see that it takes just a hair more effort than walking up to the counter at your favorite coffee shop.

The Breville Café Roma Stainless Espresso Maker is the quintessential entry-level machine because it holds your hand enough to reduce the number of terrible tasting shots produced while still giving you an authentic espresso-making experience.

The 15-bar thermoblock pump is designed to extract shots at the perfect temperature and the dual wall filter system is ideal for creating stellar crema. Top it off with a cup warming plate, a removable drip tray to make cleaning up unfortunate drippage easy, and a space-conscious size, and it’s hard not to imagine it as a daily gadget on the counter. Oh! And there’s a frother, so experiment away with making some classy leaf patterns on the top of your morning joe. 

Small features like the handy window into the water tank level and simple design are what make some people prefer the Café Roma to the Duo Temp. The Cafe Roma simply doesn’t require much work for a tasty shot with classic crema, and there’s definitely a market for that.

If you absolutely need to stick to a small budget, then you should take a closer look at the Mr. Coffee Espresso/Cappuccino Maker. 

You're still getting the 15 bar pressure pump so the result is ultimately a good cup of espresso, and, thanks to the thermal block heating system, performs at the barista level with both brewing and heating. It also features a frother, which opens several cool options for lattes and cappuccinos. However, you're going to sacrifice a lot of machine quality to meet this price point. If you are willing to spend the extra money or know you will be using your machine every day, I suggest moving up to the DeLonghi EC702 or Breville Café Roma.

Nespresso is the Keurig of espresso shots. It’s a different kind of espresso machine than the previous entries because there’s minimal human input—the Inissia does it all for you. 

This is the first super-automatic machine on this list and its extra-simple functionality means you are essentially going to push a single button every morning for your espresso. It’s designed for the ultimate ease of use and yet somehow still uses 19 bar pressure. The only choice you have to make is whether you want an espresso shot or lungo shot, and for some people that’s quite enough decision-making before caffeine.

The DeLonghi Magnifica Espresso Machine is a great option for espresso drinkers who want to options regarding their shots of espresso but don’t want to  deal with any of the tweaking and experimenting to get there. This super-automatic has a built-in burr grinder and stainless steel double boiler heating system. You set your preferences for ground fineness, coffee strength, temperature, and espresso size and then press start. (Read our full review here.)