Let me set the picture for you. It’s the morning, you’ve snoozed once too many times and it’s gonna be a mad dash to get to the office in time. You cut as many corners as you can in your morning ritual but if you’re anything like me, there’s no question of missing out on your first coffee of the day. Luckily, with modern coffee technology, your cup of motivation can be preparing itself while you continue to get ready. If you’re a lover of an early morning espresso, here’s a list of machines that you should make part of your morning routine.
1 – Breville BES870XL
The Barista Express truly does live up to its name in that it’s essentially a full barista in very small package. The Breville 870 is a semi-automatic espresso machine which pretty much takes care of all the work for you once it’s been set up. The magic of the Express begins with it’s heavy duty, fully integrated burr which is automatically fed your coffee beans of choice from the hopper (the container holding the coffee) that you’ve pre-filled. Once that’s done, the burr grinds them to the perfect specifications you’ve already set. The ground coffee is then dropped into the portafilter which is conveniently sitting in its hands free cradle directly under the burr. All you have to do is give the portafilter a little push to activate the switch and a perfect portion of coffee is ground and poured to order! As we know, freshness is key when it comes to coffee and this is as fresh as it gets.
Tamping is always a breeze thanks to a pretty nifty magnetic slot which ensures the tamper (noun, not verb) is always handy, rather than lost in some drawer or cupboard.
The last trick this little machine has up its sleeve is the dual walled, pressurized filter which will automatically regulate the pressure within the machine. Essentially, this is the least amount of work you can do without getting a fully automatic espresso machine.
For the more obsessive or the wannabe baristas among us who like to experiment, the Breville features a good assortment of settings you can fiddle with including grind size and grind amount. The really advanced may opt to swap out the dual walled filtered for the included single walled filter which is not pressurized. Once you’ve done that you can experiment with how much pressure the machine uses by tamping the grounds down harder till the puck is more solid or using a little less pressure for a softer puck. The truly skilled barista will need to learn to manage all of these settings to extract the best brew; I’ve even heard of barista who change the grind size depending on the humidity in the air! Again, half the fun is learning what you like best!
Finally, the modular design of the coffee machine makes clean up a breeze as parts can be removed from the unit and cleaned separately. Even then, we’re not talking about a lot of cleanup! Thanks to this machine’s clever design, you’ll really only ever find yourself cleaning up the overflow reservoir just beneath the porta filter cradle. Provided you clean out the porta filter after you use it to ensure no grounds end up encrusted along the sides, a simple rinse is often enough to get it ready for the next cup!
All in all, this is a fine little machine that takes some of the guesswork out of coffee brewing, and streamlines the process a little a while ensuring you still have some leeway to experiment like a real barista. And the coffee is delicious!
2 – Gaggia Classic Espresso Machine
This classic looking machine harkens back to a little café in Rome. The classic esthetic would be a welcome addition to any home and the small package ensures that you’ll easily be able to find a place to leave your new toy. This is a high powered, 17.5 bar pump which is incredibly responsive. It has a high voltage boiler which ensure warm up times are kept as short as possible. The porta filter as well as the group head are made of highly durable chrome plated brass which has received a “marine-grade” rating. There is additionally a hot water dispenser that can be used for brewing Tea. Within the package is included The Machine, double and single slot portafilters, plastic tamper, and a plastic measuring spoon. While this is certainly a great option, the price does leave a little something to be desired.
3 – Rancilio HSD-Silvia review
The Rancilio Silvia is a no-frills machine which prides itself on consistently making the best cup of coffee time and again. If you’re looking for something durable, then the Silvia may just be the coffee machine for you. Boasting superior craftsmanship, this machine consists entirely of durable materials like iron and stainless steel. It may just be the best bang for your buck as it’s reputation indicates it may outlast any of the other machines on this list!
The quality doesn’t stop at the body either, Rancilio has gone out of it’s way to bring commercial grade parts into your home. The porta filter for example is reminiscent of what you might see on their commercial models. Extra attention has been paid to the Group head as well which is chrome plated brass (as are the portafilters), ensuring an even temperature distribution and a perfect brew. Finally, a 15 bar pump ensures that this machine is never lacking in pressure, no matter how hard you like to tamp down your coffee!
Many reviewers have also pointed out how quickly the machine is ready to go following a brew; likewise, they’ve expressed how great the articulated steaming wand is in terms of steaming power. This is no doubt thanks to the Silvia’s extremely efficient, 12 oz brass boiler which features unrivaled speed and capacity within its class.
While it doesn’t come standard, you may also opt to install a PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) which can also improve performance. Essentially, this is a unit which controls temperature with a very high precision ensuring you always get the perfect brewing temperature. While the standard setup uses a mechanical thermostat which can cause the temperature to vary wildly, the PID heats up the water in pre calculated, optimized increments. This allows the water to heat up more quickly, but also ensures a very even temperature. The PID can keep the water to within 1 degree of a set temperature.
The cherry on the Sunday is a couple of handy accessories which are thrown in like a tamper, coffee scoop, and replacement portafilter baskets.
The only downside to this machine is there is no included burr or hopper. That means you’ll need to get yourself a coffee grinder [LINK TO COFFEE GRINDER ARTICLE] to make sure you have ground coffee at the ready. Cleanup is also a little more of chore since the machine does not easily come apart. With that said, there aren’t too many parts of the machine that actually come into contact with the coffee anyways so messes aren’t very frequent.
4 – Francis y1
Francis Francis was actually the only company to make our list twice! The Francis Francis Y1 is definitely the machine that stands out the most esthetically. Looking like something more reminiscent of a Star Trek replicator than a coffee machine, it’s certain to garner a comment or two from house guests, and would be right at home in any of todays modern living space. It features sleek lines, a modern color scheme, and a tempered glass surface which will be right at home in your kitchen.
It’s also one of the easiest to use as it removes all of the guesswork from brewing your perfect espresso in the morning. The Y1 is almost like a perfect marriage between the espresso machine and the single serve, pod machines. There’s no tamping, no grinding, no settings, no anything but a cup of coffee. Rather, Illy has developed a unique method of brewing which can be used with their distinctive pods to produce a no frills, no mess, perfect espresso every time. Cleanup is almost non-existent given its pod design and the most you’ll need to do is maybe run a cycle with no coffee from time to time to keep the innards from getting gunked up.
The 19 bar pump ensures adequate pressure to brew any coffee but this is pretty much a moot point since all customization is impossible on this machine due to the pod design. It’s also notably missing any kind of steaming wand which means this is not the machine for you if you’re looking to make cappuccinos or lattes.
Ultimately, this is a no frills machine that will make a delicious cup of coffee with virtually no interaction from you. If you’re just looking for a cup of coffee this is the machine for you. With that said, it’s definitely not the machine for you if you’re looking forward to improving your barista skills or if you’re environmentally conscious.
5 – Cuisinart EM-200
The EM-200 is the first programmable unit to make our list and it’s also one of the cheapest. Programmable should be taken with a grain of salt though as this essentially just means that you can program a specific button to distribute an unconventional amount of coffee. Along with the single cup (1.5 oz) and double (you guessed it, 3 oz.) the programmable button allows you to select whatever quantity of coffee you need it to serve. There’s also a manual serve button which you can use to dish out whatever custom amount of coffee the current situation calls for.
This is really a no nonsense kind of machine but one of the major perks is what it’s hiding under the hood where 15 bar, pump driven action ensures it will always have adequate pressure to brew your preferred cup. Other add ons of note include a heat plate to warm up the espresso cups at the top, and a standard steam wand. The package is finished off with a plastic tamper and scoop.
Clean up is simple thanks to the removable tray which can be taken out and cleaned easily by hand or even in the dishwasher if it’s gotten really messy. A small switch on the portafilter also makes it easy to dispose of used coffee grounds without losing the filter baskets. Since this switch holds the filter in place, you won’t be required to go digging into the portafilter to get all the grounds out.
As this is not an automatic machine, it will require the investment of a good coffee grinder. Another little annoyance is that the machine needs to be primed prior to its first use or if it’s left idle for a long time; the included guide explains how to go about doing this.
6 – Francis X7.1
Where the Y1 is sleek and modern, the X7.1 feels a lot more traditional in my opinion. It really evokes in me the feeling of Americana, and would be right at home in any 1950’s style diner around the nation. It also differs from it’s sister in that there are a couple of more features than the much simpler Y1; though it does keep the simplified pod design rather than the standard ground coffee set up.
It features a 15 bar, pump action pressure system which ensures your espresso comes complete with the thick crema you’ve come to expect from a quality espresso. The machine’s interface remains very simple with just three buttons and a couple of indicator lights. The temperature gauge found around the brew button helps to visually indicate how hot the water within the machine is while you’re waiting for the water to get up to temperature either to brew, or to use the steam wand. On that note, good news for you cappuccino lovers as this version does come with a steaming wand! The final convenience is a removable drip tray which can easily be cleaned though messes are uncommon with pod machines.
Our only criticism, as with the Y1, is you won’t be learning any advanced barista tricks with this essentially full automated system. There is also very little wiggle room with the type of coffee to use as all Illy pod coffees are made from Arabica beans.
7 – Mr Coffee ECMP50
When we thought up this list we wanted to make sure to have at least a couple of cheaper options to make sure we didn’t exclude anyone just because of their budget. The Mr. Coffee ECMP50 is the first such machine on this list, and provided you temper your expectations a little it may be the right machine for you. This machine clocks in at less than $100 but unfortunately, that’s also reflected in the feature set.
The ECMP50 features a single button which is used to control both the brewing and the steaming wand while a couple of indicator lights on the front let you know what’s going on. The interface is really straight forward without much room for misinterpretation; simply choose between 1 of 3 options, brew, steam, and off. It also features possibly the largest water reservoir of it’s class which comes in at 52 oz.
As you might expect, a machine with such a low price is bound to have a couple of negatives. Firstly, since this isn’t an automatic machine, you’ll need to invest in a coffee grinder to be able to make use of it. Next, there is a real problem in terms of both temperature and pressure. Water temperature is highly inconsistent and can differ significantly even just in the 30 seconds brewing window; any aficionado will tell you that consistent temperature is one of the most important aspects to determining a quality brew. Moreover, the machine needs to be primed prior to using to ensure the water is up to temperature before brewing.
The water pressure also causes problems, particularly if you use a very fine ground which has been known to clog up the machine. This will be an even bigger problem for those of you who enjoy light roasts as those typically require a finer grind than darker roasts.
The final annoyance is the inconvenient steaming wand which, on top of having very poor clearance, is totally devoid of controls. This means the steamer wand is either on or off, with no ability to adjust the flow of steam.
All in all, the ECMP50 is an affordable machine that can make a half decent coffee. If you’re just looking for something that can make the occasional latte or espresso where you’re feeling a little more adventurous, and looking to stay on budget, this might be a good option. If this is your first foray into espressos and you’re on a really limited budget it could be a good beginner machine. If however, your palate is a little more refined, I highly recommend you spend a little extra money to get one of the better machines, or stick to the local café.
8 – De’Longhi EC155
Like the ECMP50, the EC155 is a bargain machine that’s more geared to the new espresso drinker rather than the aficionado. If you’re determined to get a home espresso machine but are equally determined to stay under $100 then the De’Longhi is most likely your best bet. This machine is very similar to the Mr. Coffee machine in that it features a single button, needs to be primed prior to use, and lacks a built in grinder.
Where it sets itself apart is in the marginally better temperature control and slightly higher water pressure. Those two factors alone make this machine better at consistently producing a good cup of coffee. Another little plus is the variable pressure on the frothing wand which gives you much better control when trying to whip some cream. This machine is also much more compact than the Mr. Coffee leaving you substantially more, and ever valuable, counter space.
9 – Nespresso Pixie
The penultimate entry on our list is the Nespresso Pixie. As the name implies, this is an extremely compact machine, which would fit in perfectly with any fans of minimalism. This is a single serving, 19-bar, full automatic machine, that completely removes all the frills from the morning coffee. There is no tamping, no priming, no temperature control (though their thermoblock technology is supposed to provide the ideal temperature every time), no cleaning, no anything other than a premium cup of coffee. It’s also incredibly quiet which is not a quality shared with all machines. More than once I’ve hesitated to make a coffee while my partner slept for fear that all that racket would wake her!
The nespresso pixie works just like any other pod machine, insert the appropriate pod, and sit back and wait till you can enjoy your coffee. Each capsule is just 50 cents, so it won’t run up a charge on you either. For a small additional fee they will even throw in the Aeroccino Plus, which can be used to make elegant foam allowing you to wow guests and spouses with picture perfect lattes and cappuccinos. At just 200 dollars it’s a perfect option for someone who just wants a no frills coffee in the morning, but it’s not the choice for anyone who wants complete control over their brewing experience.
10 – La Pavoni Professional Espresso Machine
The last machine to make our list is the La Pavoni professional espresso machine. This gold machine, adorned in Brass and Copper would look equally fitting at a vintage Roman café or a steam-punk Sci-Fi movie. It is a manual action espresso machine featuring a large handle that works in two steps. Raising the handle allows water into the porta filter, which then begins to extract the coffee. In the second step, the lever is brought down forcing the water through the coffee grounds with pressure. Because you’re directly generating the pressure yourself, you have a lot of control over how the final product will turn out. With that said, manual machines are generally thought of as less consistent that the automatic bar-pump machine for obvious reasons. There’s also just no way to recreate the pressure of a 19-bar pump manually. But what this machine makes up for the lack of power with sheer esthetic, giving you that full vintage barista feel every time you pull an espresso. It also includes a steaming system, and a 2 cup portafilter so you can make 2 coffees at once with. With all that said though, the $1,300 price tag will put it out of reach for many of us.
