Best Espresso Machine for Beginners: Top Picks

I have a Breville Bambino and Baratza Encore ESP and have been happy with that set up.

My Breville’s been pretty solid through thousands of cups so far

The grinder matters more than the machine, and you should budget a decent amount for that too. You also will likely need to budget $100-150 or so for accessories like a scale, decent tamper, distribution tools, and in some cases a nicer portafilter and basket. Some recommended combos:

1. De’Longhi Stilosa ($100) + Kingrinder P2 ($44) = the cheapest entry point for high quality espresso. Saves you plenty of money for beans and the bones of each (boiler + burrs) are great, but the exterior is cheap. Also will absolutely require a better basket, running you $15-30.

2. De’Longhi ECP ($150) + Kingrinder K6 ($99) = the upgrade of the first option. Essentially the same performance but it looks and feels a lot nicer for about $100 more.

3. Breville Bambino ($300) + Baratza Encore ESP ($200) = the most foolproof $500 setup. User friendly and convenient, and technically usable out of the box with only a scale added (although other accessories are still worth getting).

4. Breville Bambino Plus ($500) + Turin DF54 ($230) = the most widely recommended beginner setup. With the grinder and accessories added in, you’re well over budget (although the machine fits) but this does include several notable upgrades like auto steaming milk, a three-way solenoid, and 54mm flat burrs.

Feel free to mix and match these options to fit your needs and budget. Good luck!

Hey everyone! I’m looking to buy an actual espresso machine and need advice on the best one for a beginner. I currently use a Moka Pot to make my espresso, and I don’t have any problems with it I just want an actual machine. I absolutely hate Nespresso machines, so that’s not an option for me lol. I’ve been watching videos on Breville, Delonghi, and La Marzocco. Any other brands I should look into? What would you recommend for someone’s very first machine?

Gaggia Classic Pro. They’re built like tanks easy to use out of the box, with simple internals, and have a huge fan base that has made quite an aftermarket for the product. As far as espresso machines go they’re pretty easy on the wallet too. Depending on how far down the espresso rabbit hole you want to go, you’ll be able to upgrade it to the moon.

Hello everyone, my husband is coming back from deployment soon and as a welcome home gift I wanted to get him an espresso machine set up. I’m looking to stay under $500, but I want it to be starter friendly. I don’t know much about espresso machines, I don’t even drink coffee. But he’s mentioned wanting one in the past so I thought this would be a great surprise. I don’t want anything with plastic pods, so if you have recommendations on actually espresso beans that are great I’d love some recommendations. Same with a grinder. Thanks so much for any and all advice!

i’m pretty new to making espresso at home and getting a little overwhelmed by how complicated some machines look. i don’t need pressure profiling or dual boilers or anything like that,just something a beginner can use without worrying it’ll break in the first year.

for someone starting out, what actually matters if i want a machine that’s simple to learn on and won’t fall apart after a year or two?would really appreciate hearing what’s held up long term for you. thanks.

The answer to this is quite subjective. How do you prefer your coffee? What type of beans do you use? Do you prefer a light or medium roast?

All of these can influence your choice. But whatever it is, you cannot argue that there is something surreal about making your own brew at home.

One of the benefits is that you are guaranteed the freshness of the coffee. Just select the best bean and you can make your own specialty coffee in no time. Just heed our suggestions below!

• Breville Barista Express Impress
• Ninja Luxe Café Pro
• Sage Bambino Plus
• Breville Oracle Jet
• De’Longhi Magnifica Evo One Touch
• Smeg BCC13
• Lelit Anna PL41EM
• Siemens EQ900 Plus
• De’Longhi Rivelia
• Gaggia Classic Evo Pro

• ​Coffee quality versus the price

​We have a wide range of espresso machines, from the budget-friendly to the more high end ones that can be a hefty investment. But one thing is for sure, we made it a point to pick espresso makers that will make a good tasting cup of Joe. We have machines that can make great everyday coffee to an excellent celebratory cup.

But this is relative to the price. There’s the entry level machine for a more affordable cup, tasty yet, but may lack some fancies of coffee aficionado.

Then there is the more steeply priced machine that has almost everything you need; it can create more sublime coffee.

• ​Beginner vs the learning barista

You can find an array of espresso machines in this list that are perfect for everybody. So whatever your coffee needs are, what level of expertise you are in coffee making, or how deep you are in this rabbit hole of home brewing, you can find the perfect machine that can help you whip up your signature cup.

We also considered the earning curve. Beginners will need a more straightforward approach; thus, a simpler system must be in place. Those who are already experts won’t mind the overwhelming smorgasbord of choices that can help them personalize their cup to the brim.

Whether it’s a straight espresso shot you fancy, or a silky cappuccino or latte, you can confidently make your own brew at home. You can make your own brew anytime you want, and you can even personalize each cup to the brim.

A lot of folks may have jumped onto the bandwagon of home brewing, but you can still catch up. With ease in making a signature cup, you don’t always need to be an expert. You just need to choose the most suitable espresso maker for your kitchen, and this list will help you with how.

You will need a grinder and an espresso machine.

Grinder: Encore ESP (make sure it's the ESP and not the classic) is a good starting machine. It is kind of noisy, and you have to be willing and comfortable taking the burr assembly apart, and getting it back together correctly. It's not difficult, but for some people this might scare them off. They run about $200. DF54 is an alternative, more compact, easier to take apart, a little quieter, but also $50 more. 5 months into the hobby, I think I could have spent the extra for a df64 or Encore ESP Pro and been happier, but I have no plans to part with my ESP in the near future.

Machine: For your budget (after grinder) your only real option is going to be the Bambino, non-plus. MSRP is $300, which is too much. If you have time, check out TJ Maxx, Homegoods or Marshalls to look for them on sale. $240 is a good price. $200 is fantastic. Right now you can order it for $250 off a few sites. The next step up is the Bambino Plus at 400-500 bucks. From what I've read, I don't think it's worth the upgrade unless you REALLY value auto frothing, or money isn't a huge issue.

Stay under budget, since you'll want to pick up a bunch of accessories to get you started:

Digital scale, with timer and 0.1 gram resolution. Maestri House has worked for me so far.

Tamper: The one that comes with it is crap. Ideally self leveling and spring calibrated for the best - but anything is better than the stock one. Look for ones that work with a 54mm portafilter.

Dosing ring: MWH-3Bomber makes a nice magnetic one.

Puck Screen: With the non-plus bambino this isn't optional. They are also relatively cheap. Mine came with my dosing ring.

Shortly before he gets home, consider picking up some fresh beans - look for roast dates that are less than a month. Don't get "espresso" beans unless he loves starbucks and super sugary drinks. Look for dark to medium dark beans to get started. If there's a local roaster, that is an amazing place to get started.

Optional: WDT tool - they are little pins that you use to de-clump the espresso before you make it. However, you can learn to get started without it, so maybe leave this off so he can choose one out. Alternative is a shaker - but let him do his research and figure out what he wants.

Entry level equipments is a waste of money IMO and i actually think dealing with cheap equipment is way harder than more expensive one, in most cheap machines you can't control water temp and pressure and it comes with a weird size portafilter and basket and you can't make multiple cups back to back And those are crucial variables when it comes to making a good cup of coffee.

Making good coffe is not hard and good equipment make it even easier but I don't recommend going full crazy, a combination of a Lelit Bianca and DF64 is really nice for like 3000$ and will last years with no issue.

Hi all! Sorry for a longer post, but I want to put as much context in so I ideally get appropriate advice!

I am looking for advice on buying a home espresso machine. I’m very much of the mindset of buy nice or buy twice so I want to make sure whatever I get is worth the money I spend on it. I’m also aware that espresso machines and grinders are something people tend to get the “beginner” home set ups for and upgrade later.

So my question: should I go straight for the top tier $1000+ machines/brands? Or should Invest in a solid grinder and get a “mid tier” espresso machine for $500 or less? Additionally are their any machines people believe is a great one to learn about espresso on?

My goals and some context: I really know all the theory on espresso as I’ve read so many articles, watched hours of videos, but I don’t have an espresso machine at home to really put any of that knowledge to practice. So in the Short term, I really just want a good machine where I can learn hands on and practice dialing in, extraction, etc. and pulling a really good shot. Long term, a coffee shop/cart is something I’ve been wanting to do for years but I know I need (or rather I’d like) to learn a lot before I take that step and seeing if it’s something I really want to do long term. But with the expense of machines and knowing a future prosumer machine purchase may be down the line, I’d rather learn properly on the best machine to do so.

Happy to provide any additional info if needed!

TLDR; should I start with a beginner Espresso machine to learn or should I go full in either higher tier, more expensive machine?

Do you want to learn how to make traditional espresso? Or do you want espresso that tastes great?

If the latter you can get a Bialetti moka pot for $30 that is basically indestructible.

Checking prices i see the price has gone up likely due to tariffs. Lame.

Whatever you do, don’t get a two-in-one grinder and espresso machine unit.

The built in grinders are never good.

Whenever I talk to anyone about getting "into" espresso, I tell them that you need to decide what you want. Do you just want coffee, or do you want a hobby? Because I think that answers the question.

My goals and some context: I really know all the theory on espresso as I’ve read so many articles, watched hours of videos, but I don’t have an espresso machine at home to really put any of that knowledge to practice. So in the Short term, I really just want a good machine where I can learn hands on and practice dialing in, extraction, etc. and pulling a really good shot. Long term, a coffee shop/cart is something I’ve been wanting to do for years but I know I need (or rather I’d like) to learn a lot before I take that step and seeing if it’s something I really want to do long term. But with the expense of machines and knowing a future prosumer machine purchase may be down the line, I’d rather learn properly on the best machine to do so.

Sounds like you want a hobby. If money is not the issue, I would go straight to an intermediate ($500+) machine. I'm on my second machine, having upgraded from super-beginner maching to beginner (DeLonghi Dedica) and now I find myself wanting a step up again.

You could work out your skills and interest for a while on a good machine, and then if a coffee cart or shop is still something you're interested in, you could invest in a prosumer machine, imo.

Hey everyone first time here in this subreddit! ☕️

I'm brand new to making espresso (I’ve only ever used a capsule machine) and I want to step up my coffee game. I’ve saved up about $800 for my first real espresso machine and want something that’s:

• Good for beginners
• Easy to learn on
• Great value for the price
• Doesn’t require too much extra gear right away

I’d love recommendations on machines that fit my budget, and some explanations of why you like them — especially around:

• Ease of use for a beginner
• Quality of espresso
• Durability / long-term value

Thank you all !

I think for a lot of us we buy the cheap gear .. then find it limits us ... then get more expensive gear .. and find features lacking... and so it goes. For this reason I think its a good general principle to go the higher end of the continuum with more features. The reason being, if you sell each time you cop a loss on the initial investment of up to 50% per item in the used market. Losing this each time you upgrade over time can add up to a lot of money. So it can be very smart to make your initial machine/s used, as this provides some insulation against the loss from upgradeitis.

General principles are, buy the best grinder you can afford then add an espresso machine to fit to budget.

If you plan on making milk drinks occasionally, one at a time, then a single boiler. If you plan on regularly making back to back milk drinks, a lot of time and annoyance can be saved with a dual boiler. This is probably the biggest aspect of the cost/workflow decision.

Espresso is one of those things where there is a clear and discernable relationship between spend and quality of taste - to a point. But people differ quite a bit on how discerning their tastes become over time.

Once you start exploring fresh beans and lighter roasts / single origins etc, this can get pretty deep. Its fun, but it costs money to extract those flavors.

So yeah, my suggestion is if you are budget conscious, buy used a machine you can easily get rid of for what you paid for it. Then once you know better your needs and wants and workflow, look at getting something a bit more complex and shiny. But yeah, dont skimp on the grinder. If you want really good insulation on it being a keeper, look at something with large, flat burrs. Your other decision is whether you want single dosing or not, as this will be a big factor in the grinder you choose.

A little backstory: I have worked in restaurants for the last 8 years or so. The last 4ish years I’ve spent my time in family owned Italian restaurants with good espresso and espresso machines. I’ve gotten pretty accustomed to drinking espresso, I also think it’s worth mentioning that I just drink regular espresso straight up with no milk or anything. Although having the option to do lattes or cappuccinos would be a nice plus. A few years ago I looked into getting a machine but everything I found online said you couldn’t buy a real good espresso machine for under $500. I heard that you have to particular with how the beans are ground up, the pressure from the machine, etc. so ultimately I decided not to. Now I’m at a point where I could spend a little more, although I’d prefer not to go much higher than $500. I am transitioning out of hospitality and will be working from home, so I will no longer have the access I’ve had for the past few years. That said I’m looking to find a decent grinder and machine set up, definitely under $1,000, ideally under $600. I have currently been considering the Gaggia Classic Pro E24 with the MiiCoffee DF54, that brings me to around $680. Any other recommendations? I’ve been looking online but I know technology has gotten better over the last few years so I’m wondering if anyone has tried anything that fits the criteria I mentioned and that they think is worth the money? Thanks in advance!

I've found my setup quite easy to use and it pulls some excellent shots.

The machine (Apex V2/Legato V2, same machine) is around $450, has a dual boiler* setup to let you do steaming simultaneously and much faster than a single boiler setup like the Gaggia. It also has inbuilt PID so you can just set a target temperature and it'll stabilize there every time you turn it on.

For the shot itself, you can adjust pre-infusion and there's an overpressure valve (OPV) where you can adjust max pressure if you like to play with higher/lower pressure shots or just set it to 9 bar.

Standard 58mm portafilter with two notches, easy to clean with the equipment and/or replace with aftermarket parts. The included basket and portafilter are perfectly serviceable, though I'd recommend replacing the tamper with a self-leveling 58.5mm.

For the grinder, the great thing about a manual is that you're getting the same output quality of a much pricier electric and has both wider and finer adjustment ranges for a fraction of the price; it's also significantly easier to clean and less grounds retention. Mine was $160 and it's more than competitive with $500 electric grinders. With the obvious caveat that you have to spend 30 seconds or so cranking each shot with some force.

If your budget is $800, I'd say it'd be a solid choice to grab the same machine and the manual grinder with extra money for other upgrades (scale, tamper, basket etc.), or push the budget a bit and get a decent electric grinder.

My first machine was Casabrews CM5418 and it's still on my counter. Pretty beginner friendly tbh. The pressurized basket makes the early learning phase way less frustrating, so you will not pulling sour or choking shots all the time. And after pairing it with a decent grinder the shots got super good. ice crema, chocolatey body, and a little nutty sweetness depending on the beans. I mostly do cappuccinos and it’s been very easy to live with day to day.

So I love coffee. Specifically flavored iced lattes. But recently with my new job it’s become inconvenient for me to buy a latte every morning from Dunkin or Starbucks so I’ve decided to start trying to make these lattes at home. Problem is, the actual coffee is the one thing I can’t get right. I’ve tried just using a regular pot of coffee, a moka pot, a cheap espresso machine that wasn’t really espresso at all. Nothing tastes right. I even got a shot of espresso from Dunkin and used it in my coffee, just to make sure I wasn’t bugging. And nope, the espresso made all the difference.

So I’ve decided I’m gonna try making espresso at home. But I had no clue were to start. I’m not willing to absolutely break the bank, but I do want a reliable machine. I see so many mixed reviews on different machines so I’d like to hear from some experts on what machine I should buy to start my home latte journey!

I’m a busy mom of 4 and have little time (so probably not at the point in my life where I would want a separate grinder). Used would be best but I do live in a smaller town. I want something that tastes good and is relatively easy to use. I don’t have more than about 5 minutes to make espresso in the morning. I love lattes and cappuccino. Thank you.

Hey guys I would appreciate any advice you may have!

My wife and I just got married and moved in together. We are based in the US. One of our wedding gifts was a $300 gift card to Williams-Sonoma. We are looking to buy an espresso machine together.

I personally drink my espresso straight and any other drink I get is either drip or an americano. I am not particular about quality or type of coffee bean. I am as novice as it gets. My wife is hoping to make her own milk based drinks.

I imagine we will be buying pre ground coffee. We want something that is easy to use and can readily make shots of espresso. I typically only have one serving of coffee a day at most. My wife makes one serving of coffee as well before going to work.

We both want a stainless steel machine and something that will last for a while. I’ve seen posts about machine that can handle upgrades and mods but we are not even remotely to that level yet.

Based off all of this what machine would be best for us? Thank you for your help!