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Shop top-rated home espresso makers for professionals and beginners.

We updated this article in July 2022 to ensure all products tested and vetted by the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab were in stock and correctly priced.

The best home espresso machines can help you get your espresso, Americano, latte or cappuccino fix right in the comfort of your own kitchen. Traditional coffee shop machines can seem like huge, unknowable beasts, but home espresso machines can have you pulling a shot with a good "crema" (the creamy, light-colored surface of an espresso) in no time. Some espresso makers will grind beans for you, pack the grounds and make your cup with just the push of a button, while others will require you to learn to fill a hopper (known as a portafilter) with grounds and tamp them (which means to compress the grounds into a puck so the hot, pressurized water can extract a lot of flavor as it passes through quickly).

The Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab has a century-plus history of testing kitchen appliances and all types of coffee makers, including pour over coffee makers, single-cup brewers, French presses, drip coffee makers, portable coffee makers for camping, cold brew coffee makers and so much more. To find the best home espresso machine, we tested a mix of super-automatic, automatic, semi-automatic and capsule machines, selected based on popular brands, best-selling machines and attributes like built-in milk frothers and/or coffee bean grinders.

Read on for notes on how we test espresso machines. We also share our Kitchen Lab's top tips on what to consider when shopping for an espresso machine as well as a guide to the different types, so you can figure out which is right for you.

This fancy-looking automatic espresso machine with built-in grinder is easy to use and adjust based on your preferences. Choose from six grind sizes (fine for dark espresso, coarse for coffee), then select single espresso, double espresso, Americano or coffee. It also dispenses hot water for tea.

The La Specialista has a built-in tamping mechanism, which helps pack your grounds perfectly, and a pressure gauge you can monitor to ensure you're pulling the perfect shot. It also has an adjustable steam wand that can be used to create milk that is flat (best for lattes) or foamy (best for cappuccinos). We loved the espresso it produced; it was full-bodied with thin, silky crema. A knock box for used grounds can be bought separately, which we found very useful when making espresso after espresso. Overall, this espresso machine is easy to clean.

First, we love how easy the Nespresso VertuoPlus is to use. The lid opens and closes with a light press of the lever, and you can start brewing with the push of a single button. It's also rather foolprooof: The capsule machine uses a special system to detect the barcode on the capsule and then brews the drink exactly how it’s supposed to brew. Choose from five drink types: espresso, double espresso, gran lungo, mug and alto (perfect for your travel mugs).

In our tests, every cup of espresso and coffee came out hot and well-rounded with a luxurious crema. We also like that the position of the water tank can be moved around to accommodate your counter space. Another noteworthy perk is that Nespresso recycles used pods if you send them back to the company, and the brand's newest Vertuo machine is made with 54% recycled plastic. Finally, you can't beat the price, and it requires barely any cleanup.

If you’re very particular about your coffee, this is the automatic espresso machine with built-in grinder for you. The Barista Pro allows you to choose from 30 grind sizes and five temperatures. The steam wand is basic, so you can froth your milk exactly how you like it. It also comes with four filter baskets, two for pre-ground coffee and two for whole coffee beans. We recommend playing around with the settings, starting with the default settings, to create your perfect espresso. All parts are easy to wash and wipe down.

The Breville Bambino Plus is the perfect automatic machine for those who crave the traditional espresso-making experience. It comes with two dual-wall filter baskets for pre-ground coffee beans, a trimming tool, tamper and a milk jug to be used with the attached steam wand. Choose between a single espresso or a double espresso, plus steamy, frothy or very frothy milk. In our tests, this machine made espresso that was strong with a crema that wasn't overbearing. We also appreciated that this machine heats quickly, wasn’t too loud, has a small footprint and can be wiped down easily.

If you’re looking for a Keurig upgrade, a special gift or the option to froth milk with a capsule machine, look no further than the Keurig K-Cafe. Four coffee size options (6 oz, 8 oz, 10 oz and 12 oz), plus a “strong” option make it easy to enjoy your favorite K-cup exactly how you like it. Opt for an Espresso Roast K-cup capsule and the “shot” size option for a fine cup of espresso.

While the Espresso Roast K-cup doesn’t quite deliver on crema, a built-in frother (with lid, which helps for storage) allows you to froth milk quickly and easily for cappuccinos (less milk) and lattes (more milk); there’s also a “cold” option if you’d like to enjoy your frothy milk drink over ice. In our tests, this capsule machine was very consistent when it came to preheat time, brew time, coffee temperature and volume. The used pod needs to be manually removed before the next brew, and the milk frothing container is easy to wash.

The Gaggia Carezza Deluxe is made in Italy and has classic Italian styling that suits upscale kitchens (at a reasonable price for an automatic espresso machine). While we have not tested this machine in our labs, reviewers comment that the machine makes great coffee — once you get to know its quirks, such as finding the grind size, tamping and timing that will produce the cup you want. We like the front-loading water reservoir with viewing window for easy access, though some reviewers comment that you have to refill it frequently.

This super-automatic espresso maker grinds your beans and turns out excellent, hot espresso with a thin but creamy crema. Our experts were particularly impressed with the unique milk hopper and frothing capabilities: It's easy to fill, attach, detach and clean. When you choose a drink that incorporates milk, the machine indicates the frother setting and gives you time to select it from three options before frothing begins. It also reminds you to run the cleaning stage for the milk container.

The Dinamica has a touchscreen that’s highly responsive and easy to operate. You can also save your favorite drink settings so that you can bypass the selections for one-touch brewing.

The super-automatic LatteGo espresso machine from Phillips has a large, intuitive touchscreen control panel that makes it easy to select and brew drinks. It grinds whole beans for five different drinks: espresso, cappuccino and latte macchiato as well as black coffee and Americano. It has a removable, dishwasher-safe milk hopper rather than a wand, so frothing milk is simple, hands-free and easy to clean up. Our testers found the drinks flavorful but light-bodied.

Not much beats this capsule espresso machine's small size and power: With 19 bars of pressure, it makes a good, full-bodied espresso with a creamy crema. Choose from espresso or lungo (which translates to “long” in Italian and produces a slower, larger espresso), with the option to use or remove the drip base for a bigger cup.

The water container seems small at first glance, but we didn't mind refilling it for the freshest tasting cups. If you enjoy milk-based drinks, you can purchase this machine in a bundle with a separate milk frother or consider a similar espresso machine we tested with a built-in frother that uses the same type of original pods.

We evaluate each espresso maker for ease of use, time to brew, consistency, taste, temperature and noise level. In our most recent test, we rounded up well over 20 espresso machines in the Lab, brewing more than 60 cups of espresso. To find the top performers, we test the timing and temperature of multiple straight espressos and note the quality of the crema. We also rate the flavor and smoothness of each drink. If the machine includes a milk frother, we test it with both skim and oat milks. Where applicable, we use the machine's preset options to make cappuccinos and lattes to compare the milk ratio of each and to assess the quality of the frothing.

Our favorite machines are easy to set up, simple to use without a user manual, quick to heat up and reasonably fast to brew. The best machines produced a hot, smooth cup of espresso that had depth and wasn't too bitter or acidic, with crema that was smooth without any noticeable air bubbles.

✔️ Type: When shopping for espresso machines, the first thing to consider is type. Do you want a traditional hands-on machine that uses grounds and a portafilter or one that's more hands-off with a built-in grinder or even one that uses capsules. Each have their pros and cons. (More on each type below.)

✔️ Size: Consider how much space you have to allocate to your espresso maker. The more customizable ones are usually bigger while the smaller ones are typically more straight forward with fewer brewing options.

✔️ Price: A good espresso maker with features like a built-in grinder and multiple drink options, can be expensive; a simple machine is usually more affordable. However, some espresso makers that seem straightforward but make a good and balanced cup can be costly due to higher-quality materials and more effective heaters, milk frothers or technology.

✔️ Clean-up: In our experience, espresso makers are easy to clean. Typically just the milk frother needs to be cleaned after each use, and the drip tray can be emptied and washed as needed. Some have milk containers that connect to the machine with a straw, which can be tricky to clean, and large drip trays can be clunkier.

An espresso machine is an investment — especially if you want one with all the bells and whistles. There are several ways to make espresso, with manual, semi-automatic, automatic, super-automatic and pod machines all available to the home barista, so it's important to consider the type that fits your needs.

✔️ Manual machines require finely ground beans that are scooped into a portafilter and tamped down. The filter is attached to the brew head and a lever is used to manually pull water through the grounds. It is the most customizable method but arguably the most difficult to master.

✔️ Semi-automatic machines are similar to manual machines in terms of preparation, but they operate with a button or dial that automates the water flow instead of a lever, and the size of the brew is controllable.

✔️ Automatic machines use a button instead of a lever to brew espresso. The size of the espresso or coffee-drink is automated and often programmable. This method offers more consistency than a manual or semi-automatic machine, making them super easy to use and nabbing top scores in Lab tests.

✔️ Super-automatic machines are a step above automatic machines. In addition to automated and programmable coffee sizes, they can also grind beans, measure them out and often tamp them. These tended to be our favorite in Lab testing for their do-it-all performance.

✔️ Capsule machines use capsules or pods filled with pre-measured coffee to make espresso or other coffee drinks. They offer the most consistency and hands-off ease of use.

Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she oversees all testing and content related to cooking and making drinks. She conducted the last side-by-side test of espresso machines and uses at least one daily. Her favorites are easy to use and clean and — most importantly — deliver a rich and balanced cup of espresso.