Best espresso machine with built in grinder

Finally, for a fairly complicated machine, it offers real ease of use. The water tank is big enough that it doesn’t require refilling for days. It tells you step by step what to do if you aren’t sure—what setting the milk frother should be on, how much ice to add, what to do in order to rinse or clean the machine—and is very clear about how to adjust the settings to make drinks stronger or larger. We’re pretty tech savvy, but would feel totally comfortable giving this to a person who struggles to log into their email.

For its quality performance over such a wide range of tasks, the Delonghi Eletta Explore is our pick here.

What we didn’t like about the Delonghi Eletta Explore

This may seem shallow, but we don’t love how it looks. The images of coffee drinks on the control panel seem off for a high-end machine and the body doesn’t have the same wow factor as the Jura. And while we liked the espresso drinks quite a bit, we weren’t crazy about the plain old cup of coffee—it was a bit flat. We won’t judge too harshly for that because we were specifically looking at it as an espresso maker, but think it’s worth noting.

Best espresso maker under $100

Wacaco Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker

Okay, hear us out here: When you dip this low in price on an espresso maker, you’re not going to get the same shot you would out of the Diletta or even the Breville Bambino Plus, but if you’re willing to use a little elbow grease you will get good espresso and give up zero counter space. The Nanopresso is a 6x2" manual espresso machine typically marketed as a coffee maker for camping, hiking, or combatting bad hotel coffee, not unlike an Aeropress. But we found that the Nanopresso is much better at making espresso than an Aeropress—and, in fact, gives espresso makers even three times its cost a run for their money.

The tiny tool works by creating pressure through a piston pump: If you’re at home with a scale and a grinder, just fill the machine with 8 grams of freshly ground coffee, tamp it down with the back of the plastic scoop, and add 80 milliliters of water heated between 190°–200°F, then squeeze a button on the front of the machine repeatedly. Position your coffee cup below and a stream of espresso comes out of a small hole at the bottom of the little pill-shaped espresso maker. We were able to pull a shot with a decent layer of smooth crema on top. Tasted side by side with a shot from a Breville Infuser machine, it held its own, even if it had a bit less brightness than the machine-pulled shot. However, the Nanopresso was very forgiving. We made coffee as we might have to in the woods—water measured without a scale or thermometer, coffee measured with a spoon—and still got a shot that was much better than the $100–$200 espresso machines we tested for this review. If you’re making coffee with a Moka pot right now, you should definitely consider upgrading to the Nanopresso.

What we didn’t like about the Wacaco Nanopresso

Accepting this little gadget for what it is means adjusting expectations accordingly. Given that we didn’t expect it to perform to the level of a good semiautomatic espresso maker, there was nothing not to like.

How we tested

We made dozens of espresso shots and more cappuccinos and lattes than it is comfortable for any one person to drink. On the semiautomatic machines we liked, we tried steaming oat milk in addition to full-fat cow’s milk. On the super automatic machines, we tried each of their brewing functions with whole milk and oat milk. 

What we looked for in espresso machines

1. How well does the machine control temperature and pressure?

Water pressure and temperature must be consistent and the pressure shouldn’t be too high for brewing espresso. As we noted above, it is best made at a pressure of about 9–10 bars, and an ideal water temperature is around 195°F. Generally, the more expensive the machine, the better the equipment inside regulating these two factors. Almost all the machines we liked had PID controllers doing that work. A central problem plaguing inexpensive espresso machines (say, under $200) is that they lack a PID, meaning the temperature of the brewing water can fluctuate and yield inconsistent results. Inexpensive machines often advertise that they have 15 or 20 bars of pressure as a selling point, but higher pressure is not the priority, and too much pressure can actually lead to over-extraction and bitterness in an espresso shot. Therefore, we looked for a machine with good temperature and pressure control.

2. How well did the steam wand incorporate air?

Can the wand pump steam and air into the milk to make a velvety, frothy texture? Inferior steam wands make giant air bubbles that quickly pop and only pump air into the milk, without incorporating foam consistently throughout. So we looked for a wand that made consistent, steamed milk.

3. How easy was it to set up and use the espresso machine?

Espresso machines can be intimidating. We wanted something that did not require reading a novel-size manual, watching a lot of YouTube videos, or reading tons of articles about espresso pulling. Yes, making espresso does require some learning for the home brewer. That’s part of the fun, but the machine shouldn’t be discouraging to use out of the box.

4. How does the espresso taste?

Was the espresso balanced? Was it too bitter? Above all we wanted a shot that was nuanced in flavor, with some sweetness and brightness instead of an ashiness or bitterness.

5. Are there any extra features or accessories?

Making espresso takes more than just a machine. Ideally, we wanted a machine with a jug for steaming milk and a nice tamper. If it came with a dosing tool, too, all the better.

Other espresso machines we tested

Solis Barista Perfetta Plus

A relatively new entrant into the home barista market, the Barista Perfetta Plus comes from the Swiss brand behind the beloved entry-level burr grinder, the Scala. The espresso shots we pulled from the Solis were great and in line with the mid-level Breville Machines—the Infuser, the Barista Express, and the Barista Express Impress. Shots were nicely extracted with a striped layer of crema on top. The steam wand on the Solis is powerful and made terrific flat whites. It also does all this in a tiny package. It’s barely more than seven inches wide. We cannot emphasize enough how big of a plus that is in a category filled with counter hogs.

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