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When articles pose questions like “what kind of espresso maker is right for you,” they often don’t do much to answer them, digging about as deep as a layer of crema on a cheap espresso shot. And while you know yourself, your needs, and your constraints better than we do, we’ll at least try to give you enough information to make a choice and tell you who we think will get the most out of different styles of machine.
Read our full espresso maker review for more information about our favorite machines:
First, let’s clarify the kinds of espresso machines we’re talking about here, and there are really three: automatic (or super-automatic), semiautomatic, and manual.
What is a super-automatic espresso machine?
A super-automatic machine is an espresso maker that does all the work for you. Simply push a button and an internal burr grinder grinds the beans, an internal mechanism tamps them, water moves through with enough pressure, and, in more expensive automatic machines, milk steams and dispenses into the drink. Super-automatic machines typically offer several drink options, like lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites, espresso shots, Americanos, and regular drip coffee.
Who should get a super-automatic espresso machine?
We don’t mean this in a disparaging way, but these machines are for people who don’t want to work very hard. Espresso can take a lot of precision to make well and some people just don’t want to spend time nerding out in this particular area, learning all the ins and outs. A good super-automatic machine will get you most of the way to excellent espresso. We say most of the way because with all that ease of use comes some compromise in flavor. Tasting notes are often muted compared to other types of machines, and you can’t zero in on the specific flavors you might like to bring out. But for lots of people, that trade-off is not so large as to be disqualifying and in fact is one they are excited to make for the incredible convenience. If you like what you get at Starbucks, for example, this will still be a marked improvement on that and it will require very little effort on your part. These are also great for people who hate cleaning up because everything happens inside the machine—very few stray coffee grounds or coffee drips happen here. However, all the automation comes with high price tags. If you want a machine that can froth milk, you should be ready to pay $800 and up. Inexpensive automatic machines, like inexpensive espresso machines generally, just don’t make very good coffee. If you see something for under $400 that says it can make a cappuccino with one button push, we’d advise you to stay away.
What is a semiautomatic espresso machine?
Like the name suggests, a semiautomatic machine does some of the work for you, but requires you to do the detailed work of grinding and tamping yourself. Some machines have built-in grinders, but unlike super-automatic machines, users still have to fill the portafilter basket with ground coffee. Those built-in grinders, by the way, have a tendency to be underpowered and lacking in grind settings, so with a couple exceptions we’d recommend having a separate burr grinder. Once you’ve ground and tamped your coffee with a semi-automatic machine, you lock the portafilter in place and push a brew button. Some machines, like Breville’s espresso makers for example, brew for a preset time that you can adjust. Others, like the Gaggia, require you to both start and stop the brew. This means that you get exactly the right amount of coffee, but it also means you have to pay attention to the machine throughout the process. In terms of making milk drinks, semiautomatic machines typically have a steam wand that you place a jug of milk under. They take some practice to use well, and you’ll need to keep an eye on the milk in the pitcher to make sure it’s coming out thick and velvety without too many bubbles.
Who should get a semiautomatic espresso machine?
For the most part, these are the machines for coffee nerds who want their espresso experience to be more hands-on. Most high-end prosumer machines that truly come the closest to a café experience are semiautomatic, and the mid-priced entries, like Breville’s Infuser, offer a brewing process that’s still customizable. Some semiautomatic machines can be forgiving to a grind that’s too coarse or a tamp that’s too soft, but most aren’t, so you have to want to work, at least a little bit, for your morning shot. The rewards, though, are espresso drinks with exactly the flavor profile you want.
What is a manual espresso machine?
The most common type of manual espresso machine is a lever machine. You grind and tamp as you do with a semiautomatic machine, but then you actually have to pull a lever to force the water through the coffee with your own brute strength—around 35 pounds of pressure if you were to measure it on a bathroom scale. A lot of these lever machines are beautiful steam punk–esque works of metal that truly look beautiful on a countertop, but they tend to cost just as much as a nice semiautomatic machine. Some pro-level lever machines cost thousands of dollars. The lever machines from Flair are still high quality but much more affordable. Piston machines, like Wacaco’s, are another type of manual espresso maker that you force water through by squeezing and are also reasonably priced. Finally, you may hear items like Moka Pots referred to as manual espresso makers, but we aren’t considering them here because in our experience we just haven’t gotten results we’d consider to actually be espresso.
Who should get a manual espresso machine?
This one is a little tricky because, while machines like the Flair Pro 2 and the Wacaco Picopresso can make great espresso on par with lots of quality electric machines, we’ve found them to be so much more laborious and messy that it’s hard to justify choosing one over a plug-in espresso maker. The two situations in which we’d choose a manual machine are: when budget is an overriding concern and whether someone wants to make espresso while traveling. The Flair Pro 2 costs less than $350 and the Picopresso costs less than $130. If you try to get a semiautomatic machine for that much money, you will be disappointed. Both of them also pack up quite well and can fit into a backpack (or, in the case of the Picopresso, a coat pocket), so they’re easy to take and use at the office or on vacation. Of course, if you’re someone who likes the old way of being things simply because it’s the old way of doing things, then you may like using a lever espresso maker.