8 Best Espresso Machines for Home (2026), Tested by Coffee Pros

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The Best espresso machines for home must thread a delicate needle. Espresso is forceful and finicky, and a little intimidating, and yet so essential that astronauts might take it into orbit. A home espresso machine remains the most intense and expensive device I regularly operate before my first cup of coffee.

I tend to favor devices that let technology do much of the work and don't make you join a cult of engineers before your first cup. And so my top-rated espresso machine, the Fellow Series 1, earned its place on WIRED's counter by combining ease of use with a solid build, consistent temperature, and rare control over pressure—an industry-beating mix of nerdiness and hand-holding friendliness. For a more classic, all-analog build, we offer the compact, stylish Diletta Mio.

But I also know not everyone wants to also buy a good coffee grinder or spend four figures for their morning cup. For those who want milk-based drinks and a built-in grinder, I recommend the top-selling Breville Barista Express as the Goldilocks machine balancing performance and cost. For an entry-level device, I pretty much always recommend the straight-ahead Breville Bambino, among the lowest-cost machines with PID-controlled temperature.

Note that this guide mostly covers classic, hands-on espresso machines with portafilters. We do also include the De'Longhi Rivelia, our top pick among super-automatic espresso machines that require little more than a button press. For a guide that focuses on easy-to-use espresso machine picks that do most of the work for you, check out our guide to the Best Latte and Automatic Espresso Machines.

Updated March 2026: After recent testing, I've changed my top pick to the Fellow Series 1 Espresso Machine, moving the previous top pick, the Breville Oracle Jet, to honorable mentions. I also added WIRED's assessment of the Gevi espresso machine to the guide. As always, I updated picks, descriptions, and prices throughout.

Compare the Top 8 Espresso Machines

| Device | Type | Grinder | Steam wand | MSRP | Warranty | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Fellow Series 1 | Semiautomatic, touchscreen | None | Y | $1500 | 2+ years | | Breville Bambino | Classic | None | Y | $300 | 1 year | | Diletta Mio | Classic | None | Y | $1409 | 1 year | | Rancilio Silvia M | Classic | None | Y | $995 | 2 years | | De'Longhi Rivelia | Super-automatic | Conical burr, 13 settings | Y | $1500 | 2 years | | Breville Barista Express | Semiautomatic | Conical burr, 16 settings | Y | $750 | 1 year | | De'Longhi Classic | Classic (pressurized basket) | Nope | Y | $230 | 1 year | | Flair Signature Espresso Maker | Manual | None | N | $229 | 3 years |

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Test Espresso Machines?

Over the past decade, WIRED has tested dozens of espresso makers to find our favorites. The process, in part, is simple. We brew a whole lot of coffee. I’ve written about coffee for more than a decade on both the East and West Coasts, including my hometown coffee mecca of Portland, Oregon. Other current and past WIRED espresso testers—who include former baristas and longtime coffee writers—include Jaina Grey, Jeffrey Van Camp, Kat Merck, Tyler Shane, Pete Cottell, and Scott Gilbertson.

On each machine that’s capable, I make and assess at least four styles of drink, on multiple roasts and beans: a basic 2:1 espresso, an Americano, a latte, and a cappuccino. On machines that advertise a wacky array of drinks, I test each one. This includes any newfangled coldspresso and head-scratching variations on a “long.” It also includes, if science dictates, espresso martinis. And I test to see whether a machine can be dialed to both dark roasts and lighter roasts.

I might make many dozens of coffees to dial in a machine and truly understand it, and on any of my top picks I've made at least fifty drinks. Sometimes, alas, you understand a machine’s shortcomings far sooner—and so some of our less-recommended devices are dismissed a bit earlier.

What I’m looking for is nuance, aromatics, beauty, sensitivity to the characteristics of each bean, and the satisfying texture of fully integrated milk. But also, I’m looking for ease, the thoughtful touches that make an espresso maker something you can fall in love with.

How I Select Espresso Machines to Review

In part, we select machines to test by looking at the espresso makers with long track records of making good espresso machines—people with long tails in the industry and good track records of customer support. Names like Breville, De'Longhi, La Marzocco, and Rancilio. But also, I listen. I read. I ask every coffee-obsessive in my life. I pay attention to the newest releases, follow trade shows, watch Youtube videos, and spend a lot of time tracking down not just the obious big names but the unexpected recommendations.

I often also look at how accessible each machine will be to most users. Espresso isn’t just a finicky process: It’s finicky by design. The most sensitive and sophisticated traditional machines are responsive to every tiny variation in the coffee grind and every fluctuation in the water temperature. The deepest bean geeks want this: They want the control, the frustration, the vision quest.

But I also know that most of you out there aren’t looking to be in an abusive relationship with your coffee machine. Few want to wake up to feelings of inadequacy, brought on by a machine that costs as much as a used car. And so what I look for is the espresso machines that can pull lovely character from each bean, but also make this easy on you.

This means that our top picks, the ones I recommend to most people, tend to fall in the semiautomatic camp: They’re the ones that offer the best coffee with the least effort. Finding this balance is delicate and often rewarding. It used to be that a built-in grinder was a recipe for blown shots, sadness, or pressurized portafilters with less character. But year by year, espresso machine makers get better at this goal.