8 Best Espresso Machines for Exceptional At-Home Coffee

Best manual espresso machine

Flair Classic Espresso Maker

Price: $
Type: manual
Size: 14 x 10 x 4 in.
Color options: black/red
Refund policy: 30-day money back guarantee

And if you want to be intimately involved in your espresso-making (and add a statement piece to your kitchen), then this is your dream espresso maker. It’s a manual maker, so the process is quite involved — but a very nice ritual, nonetheless.

You’ll need to grind your beans, boil water, load the portafilter and tamp the grounds, and add the water to the machine — but then you get the very satisfying experience of pulling your own shot.

As you master the process, you can make tweaks to each step (like grind finer beans or change the water temp) to create your perf espresso.

Reviewers say there’s a learning curve, but that it pulls an amazing shot of espresso. Others say it’s perfect for travel because you can use it anywhere.

Pros

less expensive than other espresso makers
more control over the process
portable

Cons

time consuming and involved
no frother or steamer

Best espresso machine for enthusiasts

DeLonghi La Specialista Arte

Price: $$$
Type: semi-automatic
Size: 14 x 16 x 11 in.
Color options: stainless
Refund policy: 30-day, must be unused in original packaging

For a really dedicated latte artist or home barista, this espresso machine from DeLonghi pulls no punches — although it does pull a lot of espresso.

It has a built-in grinder with eight grind size settings, a steam wand to make fast, easy microfoam, and three preset functions (espresso, americano, and hot water). It also comes with tamping tools and a milk pitcher to help your espresso dreams come to life.

Reviewers love it too and say that it gives you tons of control over the whole process from start to finish. But like any semi-automatic machine, you’ll need to put in the work to learn how to use it to get the most out of it.

Pros