The best-of files.
The best espresso machines for each budget and use case — with a named top pick, the runners-up, and the reasons. No 17-item lists where everything is somehow "the best."
Best Espresso Machine Under $500
The best espresso machine under $500 is the Gaggia Classic Pro — a 58mm commercial portafilter and real 9-bar espresso for under $500. Plus 4 more picks that don't waste your money.
Top pick: Gaggia Classic Pro (Classic Evo Pro)
2 picksBest Espresso Machine with Grinder
The best espresso machine with grinder is the Breville Barista Express Impress. Here's why our list is only two machines long — and why most great machines skip the grinder on purpose.
Top pick: Breville Barista Express Impress (BES876)
4 picksBest Budget Espresso Machine
The best budget espresso machine is the DeLonghi Dedica Duo — real 9-bar espresso from a machine six inches wide. Plus three cheaper picks that actually work.
Top pick: De'Longhi Dedica Duo (EC885)
6 picksBest Espresso Machine
The best espresso machine for most people is the Breville Barista Express Impress — grinder, assisted tamping, and real 9-bar espresso in one box. Plus five more picks from $150 to $1,600.
Top pick: Gaggia Classic Pro (Classic Evo Pro)
5 picksBest Espresso Machine for Beginners
The best espresso machine for beginners is the Breville Bambino Plus — it steams milk for you and heats up in three seconds. Plus four more picks, and the one mistake every beginner makes.
Top pick: Breville Bambino Plus (BES500)
5 picksBest Espresso Machine Under $1,000
The best espresso machine under $1,000 is the Breville Barista Express Impress — grinder, assisted tamping, and PID temperature control in one box. Plus four more picks and what $1,000 does not buy you.
Top pick: Gaggia Classic Pro (Classic Evo Pro)
4 picksBest Compact Espresso Machine
The best compact espresso machine is the Breville Bambino Plus — about 7.7 in wide with automatic milk texturing. Plus the narrowest real espresso machine you can buy, and the measurement nobody publishes.
Top pick: Breville Bambino Plus (BES500)
5 picksBest Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine
The best semi-automatic espresso machine is the Gaggia Classic Pro — you control the shot, the machine controls the pressure and temperature. Here's what 'semi-automatic' actually means and 5 picks worth buying.
Top pick: Gaggia Classic Pro (Classic Evo Pro)
2 picksBest Espresso Machine Under $200
The best espresso machine under $200 is the Casabrews 5418 — a metal-bodied machine with a real steam wand for around $150. Here's the honest short list, and why it's short.
Top pick: CASABREWS 5418 Espresso Machine
3 picksBest Espresso Machine Under $300
The best espresso machine under $300 is the De'Longhi Dedica Duo — a six-inch-wide machine with real build quality that outclasses everything cheaper. Here's what the extra $100–150 over the under-$200 bracket actually buys.
Top pick: De'Longhi Dedica Duo (EC885)
5 picksBest Espresso Machine with Milk Frother
The best espresso machine with a milk frother is the Breville Bambino Plus — it textures real microfoam automatically while you get your cup out. Here's automatic vs manual wand, and 5 picks that actually froth well.
Top pick: Breville Bambino Plus (BES500)
2 picksBest Dual Boiler Espresso Machine
The best dual boiler espresso machine is the Breville Dual Boiler — separate boilers for brew and steam, running at the same time. It's also the only true dual boiler we've tested; here's why the Lelit Mara X doesn't count, no matter what its listing says.
Top pick: Breville Dual Boiler (BES920)