The Best Coffee Machines For Home Baristas

A coffee machine allows you to enjoy a range of coffee-infused beverages from the comfort of your home. There's a coffee maker that will suit any budget and taste, whether you prefer pods or filters.

This machine for making coffee is a real workhorse. It offers the kind of control that's not often seen for a top-quality model. It's an excellent choice to enjoy the convenience of brewing at a single touch, plus milky options without any hassle.

1. Breville Barista Max

A mid-range bean-to-cup with an integrated grinder, the Breville Barista Max+ VCF152 is a good choice for anyone who wants to learn how to make coffee the proper method (rather than using pods or an espresso machine) and also for those looking to upgrade from a less capable manual machine. It can produce the highest quality coffee and milk with excellent texture.

The Barista max+ comes with a large drip pan with a separate trough that can collect grounds that have been spilled, and a handy storage space for additional accessories. The machine is also well-built and sturdy and has all the components that can be removed being able to be inserted. It's available in a stylish silver as well as a more classic stainless steel.

It's designed with a professional look and is influenced by commercial machines. Features include Temp IQ Shot Control, that provides precise water temperature for every cup and a Tap & Go burr grinder on-demand with 30 settings. It employs a preinfusion method to gently infuse ground beans to create a balanced, full flavour.

There's a helpful guide in the instruction manual that will help you calibrate your machine, which is important to ensure that it is calibrated correctly to ensure a consistent, excellent cup of espresso. It also explains the process of decalcification that is required to ensure that your machine is in good condition.

The manual controls are simple to master, and there's a dial that sets the machine to hot water (with a simple turn of the knob to the left) or initiates the dispensing of steam (a further turn). The coffee spout is high enough to fit in an espresso glass or latte cup, but not a large jug. It is necessary to infuse your milk and then dispense the espresso before pouring it into larger cups for lattes and cappuccinos.

One thing to bear in your mind is that Breville only provides one year of guarantee on this machine, which means that when something goes wrong with it after the time period, you'll need to pay for repairs. This might be a deterrent for some due to the price of the machine when purchased new.

2. Smeg Bean-to-Cup

The enduring Smeg name is synonymous with kitchen gadgets that ooze retro 1950's style and quality. It's interesting that until recently the brand's collection did not include a bean to cup machine. That is until the launch of this sleekly designed BCC02 model this September.

The bean-to-cup machine can provide the entire selection of your favourite drinks at the touch of a button. It includes espresso, ristretto and Americano plus hot water for tea and other hot drinks. All you need to do is put your desired quantity of ground beans in the hopper, select your beverage from the simple menu using the flat buttons and then press to brew. It's quick and easy with minimal input and even comes with an alert that will inform you when to descale your machine or empty the grounds drawer.

Our barista from the past tried the Smeg Coffee-to-Cup. She was impressed by the ease of use and the fact that it could make milky coffees like cappuccino and latte. She was surprised at how quickly it heated up and how it was silent. She also appreciated that the brewing process took 45 seconds and that you can choose the strength you prefer for each drink, meaning there's no need to be constantly checking the process. The only slight complaint was that the BCC02 doesn't come with a jug made of metal, which you will need to purchase separately.

This coffee maker does not require plastic pods or packets. You'll save money while doing your part to protect the environment. The Smeg Bean to Cup coffee machine comes in a variety of matt colours, such as white, taupe as well as smouldering and new to the collection full black. This means you can match your coffee machine to the decor of your kitchen and effortlessly transform your cooking space at the same time. If you're a fan of Smeg then this is one you must check out.

3. Gaggia Milano V60

If you're a home barista or are interested in espresso and espresso, then this Gaggia Milano coffee machine is an excellent option. It has a quick heating boiler, which means you can make espresso quickly and effortlessly. It has a professional steaming wand to produce great foamed-milk for lattes or cappuccinos. You can also adjust the grind settings, length, and body of your espresso to fit your personal preferences.

This coffee machine is a single-boiler machine that was initially released in the year 1991. Over the years it has become one of most well-known home espresso machines in the world, specifically for baristas who work at home. It is known for its simplicity, affordable price and excellent performance. The design is sleek and simple with modern features. It's also easy to use and maintain.

It's important to note that this Gaggia coffee machine does not have any newer features, such as preinfusion or a preinfusion device which means it could be somewhat outdated for some. However, it will provide excellent espresso and is an excellent option for those who prefer an old-fashioned machine.

There are a few distinct distinctions between the Gaggia and other models. For instance, it comes with a a forged chrome-plated brass portafilter handle. This is a nice feature that differentiates it from other entry-level home espresso machines. It also has an in-built thermo-bloc boiler, which is an impressive feature at this price point.

The coffee maker comes with removable water reservoirs for easy refilling. It also has a stainless steel infusion chamber that keeps the water at the right temperature, which results in a more flavorful espresso. It also comes with a high-end ceramic grinder that can help keep your espresso fresher for a longer period of time.

Another great characteristic of this coffee maker is the best automatic bean to cup coffee machine water level detection. This feature makes it much easier to operate the machine and ensures you're always working with a tank of clean, fresh water. This is essential to get the best coffee pod machine results with your espresso.

4. Sage Barista

Sage is known for its ability to rethink the way coffee machines function. The Oracle Touch is no different. It's a dual boiler with integrated grinder and an on-board barista. Oracle Touch is a balanced machine. While the majority of bean-to-cup machines are designed to be convenient and not focusing on quality, Oracle Touch offers a well-rounded approach. The machine takes care of all the grinding, dosing, and tamping as well as steaming and the milk for you. This lets you get the best coffee machine with grinder out of your coffee and avoid poor results that may result from using pre-ground espresso from a store.

The Oracle comes with 30 different grind settings, making it possible to find the right level of fineness to your preferred drink. It also comes with a cradle to hold the portafilter. This is a fantastic extra for those who want to recreate the barista experience. Other features that are useful include the Razor Precision Dose trimmer to remove any beans that are not used, the milk jug made of stainless steel and steam wands that can be used to create the perfect latte art.

You can select from a wide range of drinks, and the machine will suggest a suitable grind size, brew speed, and the temperature of milk for each. This feature lets you save your preferred settings for later use. It eliminates the guesswork of finding the perfect cup. This model is a good choice for those new to espresso, since it will allow you to get the most out of the beans you select.

It's a sleekly designed machine with a gorgeous brushed stainless-steel finish that looks great on your kitchen counter. It's a huge machine measuring H41cm x W33cm by D38cm. This might make it difficult to fit under some cabinets. You should measure your space prior to buying to ensure you have enough room. The machine is easy to clean, but you will need to wipe down the drip pan and the steam wand frequently. Sage offers weekly masterclasses, as well as customized tutorials that can help you get the most value from your new coffee maker.