How to Pick the Best At Home Espresso Machine In 2019

Buying an espresso machine takes your home-brewed coffee to a whole new level.

13:33 18 November 2019

When you find the right machine for your needs and pair it with premium coffee beans, that pretty much marks the end of your morning trips to your local coffee house, because nothing beats a homemade creamy cup of freshly brewed coffee. 

Let’s just say that commercial-grade coffee made right under your roof will be more than enough to satiate your coffee addiction needs. 

Without further ado, here’s how you can pick the best at-home espresso machine. 

Espresso machine types 

The most commonly used coffee machine is semi-automatic, which is quite basic; however, some models have features that make them a little advanced. It does the job when it comes to brewing a classic cup of black coffee, which you can then spice up with some creamer and sweetener of your choice. 

More expensive types can do more than grind beans for you; some of them froth your milk and make lattes and cappuccinos. That said, they’re also a lot more affordable than their super-automatic counterparts. 

On the other hand, super-automatic espresso machines do all the work for you. You can buy a variety of coffee capsules, or choose the drink of your choice from the machine’s built-in program. It’s practically in your own barista and making a deliciously creamy cup of java is as easy as inserting a capsule in the machine and pressing a button. It goes without saying that super-automatic machines are far more expensive, but the choice is entirely dependent on your skills, your needs, and your budget. 

How to decide 

Consider what you expect or look for in an espresso machine; more expensive does not mean it’s better for you. Remember that finding the right espresso for your home requires a lot of research, but most of all, you need to be a little realistic. Since they come in various shapes and forms, you need to be sure that your needs are met. Think about what you need by asking yourself these questions. 

1. Are you making an impulsive purchase?

Espresso machines aren’t cheap, so before you make a pricey purchase, you need to be honest with yourself about how committed you are to homemade coffee. If you’re used to dropping by a coffeehouse before heading to work, this may be less concerned with your java addiction and is more of a habit. 

When you get your own espresso machine, you might feel like something is missing even when you have your coffee in your travel mug on your way to work – and that’s your morning trip to the coffeehouse. 

A good indicator that you’d make use of your purchase is if you’re the kind of person who wakes up early to make some fresh breakfast. If you’re always running late in the morning, you’ll rarely make use of your machine, even if it’s a super-automatic. 

With that said, if you mostly drink your coffee at home and you’re opting for a fresher alternative to pre-ground coffee, then you pass the impulsive-shopping detector test and you’re good to go.

1. Are you a good barista? 

Coffee drinkers who like to customize their own drinks with a mix of flavors and creamers are better off with semi-automatic. This may be a surprise to you. Maybe you’ve been saving up for a high-end super-automatic because you wanted a machine to do all the work for you, but the truth is, you’re a finicky coffee drinker. You’ll end up purchasing different kinds of capsules to find the perfect flavor before giving up and brewing your own. 

Your choice depends on whether you want to be a barista with a powerful machine, or want a machine to be your barista. If you’ve never made a good cup of coffee, a super-automatic will be your best friend because you won’t have to worry about measuring any ingredients or getting used to how flavoring works. 

1. What kind of coffee do you have daily?

If you always go for black coffee with a little bit of creamer, a semi-automatic will work just fine for you. But if you can only drink java from franchise coffee houses that froth up your drink and add the right pinch of flavor, then a super-automatic will take care of that for you. 

A great semi-automatic espresso is Mr. Coffee Café Barista Espresso and Cappuccino Maker, which pretty much has a self-explanatory name. It boasts a 15-bar pump system and a milk frother and based on the reviews, it’s very user-friendly. 

If your heart is set on a super-automatic, though, the Breville BES870CBXL, also known as the Barista Express Coffee Machine, is one of the highest-rated super-automatics in the market. However, it’s also one of the most expensive. It’s advanced enough to do everything for you, but to many, it’s much more than what they need. 

1. Do you have a realistic budget?

If you’ve been saving up hundreds for the espresso machine of your dreams, see if you’ll use the numerous features of your expensive purchase. If you like variety and enjoy trying a different kind of coffee every now and then, a super-automatic is worth the buy. 

There are plenty of high-end semi-automatics that will froth up a delicious cappuccino without having to spend over $500 on an espresso machine that you’ll never put to good use. Usually, when people are asked if they have a realistic budget, they assume that more expensive is better, but with espresso machines, that’s never the case. 

As long as you purchase a reputable brand and read the description of your product well before you purchase it, you won’t regret your purchase.

Bear in mind that you’ll also have to buy quality coffee beans or capsules for your machine, so that also adds up to how much you can expect to spend. 

Choosing the right espresso machine for you depends on what kind of coffee you like to have. To put it simply, super-automatics are perfect for big households who have different preferences, or drinkers who like variety and cannot decide on their favorite coffee drink. Semi-automatic, on the other hand, make just as delicious cups of coffee, but have fewer features and offer less variety.