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9 Of The Best Espresso Machines To Use While Working From Home
Make barista-quality coffee from the comfort of your own home
Every busy modern woman needs quality coffee on tap. Your go-to café may be out of reach while you work from home, but that needn’t mean missing out on your favourite caffeinated pick-me-up.
Investing in an espresso machine allows you to whip up a barista-quality coffee without leaving the house, making morning Zoom meetings slightly more bearable. And, by giving you total control over the amount of coffee grounds you use, tamping pressure and milk frothing, these machines let you tinker with your drink recipe until you find your perfect formulation.
These skills do take time to master, though no doubt we’ll get plenty of practice by skipping the café queues to make our coffees at home.
Ready to shop? We’ve tested top brands including Smeg, Beko, De’Longhi and Breville to find these impressive espresso machines:
- Best espresso coffee machine: Beko CEP5152B Espresso Coffee Machine
- Best espresso coffee machine for style: Smeg ECF01 Espresso Coffee Machine
- Best compact espresso coffee machine: Breville VCF125 Barista Mini Espresso Coffee Machine
- Best espresso coffee machine for milk frothing: De'Longhi Dedica Style EC685 Traditional Barista Pump Espresso Machine
- Best espresso coffee machine for cappuccinos: Krups XP320840 Opio Steam and Pump Coffee Machine
- Best espresso coffee machine for ease of use: Breville One-Touch VCF109 Coffee Machine
- Best espresso machine for speed: De'Longhi Scultura ECZ351 Traditional Barista Pump Espresso Machine
- Best espresso machine for versatility: Dualit Espress-Auto Coffee and Tea Machine 84516
- Best espresso coffee machine for flavour: Gaggia Carezza Style R18523/01
Espresso machine accessories explained
Espresso machines require a bit of coffee know-how before you can pull the perfect espresso every time. We've explained the tools and accessories you need to know about below.
Portafilter - You’ve probably seen this in coffee shops. It’s the handle with a basket on one end and is where the coffee grounds are held. It’s fitted into the espresso machine, then hot water is forced through the basket to extract the flavour from the coffee grounds.
Filter baskets - These are small stainless steel cups with lots of small holes in the bottom, similar to a sieve. It sits inside the portafilter, and the coffee grounds are then placed within it. If your machine can make two shots at the same time, you’ll be given a second, larger filter basket for double shots.
Tamper - This is a vital bit of kit, and one bound to make you feel like a true barista. It’s a small tool used to compress the ground coffee ready for the flavour to be extracted. The grounds shouldn’t be packed too tightly or too loosely, so it’ll take a few attempts before you strike the right balance.
Stainless steel milk jug - Only some machines will come with one of these. Stainless steel is perfect for heating up milk, and also gives you an idea of how hot the milk is getting if you lightly touch the side of the jug — anything over 70C and you risk burning the milk.
Cleaning tool - A few espresso machines will include a cleaning tool, which looks like a small toothbrush. It’s made specifically for cleaning in and around the portafilter holder, getting rid of any stuck grounds.
Cleaning disk - This is vital for cleaning your machine and keeping it in top shape for as long as possible, and is essentially a filter basket without the holes. When cleaning your machine, place the disk in the portafilter along with some cleaning solution. This will push the solution through the machine, cleaning it — just make sure to rinse the system before you use it again.
Can espresso machines make cappuccinos, lattes and other milk-based drinks?
In most cases, yes, an espresso machine will be able to fulfil all your coffee needs. All bar one of the machines on this list have steam wands which, twinned with a stainless steel milk jug, give you total control over frothing your milk to the optimum temperature and consistency for your drink of choice.
The Breville One-Touch VCF109 Coffee Machine is the odd one out as it has an automatic milk frother. This takes the onus away from you, relying instead on preset programmes available at the touch of a button to make sure your milk is frothed to perfection. This does, however, mean you have less control over the process.
How we test
To find the best espresso machines on the market, we pulled a shot from a range of models. Each drink was reviewed by an independent coffee expert, who scored it for temperature, taste, body and the quality of its crema (the lighter, flavourful froth that sits on top of espresso shots).
Beko CEP5152B Espresso Coffee Machine
If you find yourself rushing to grab a coffee in between video calls at home, try this minimalist machine. It’s as straightforward as they come, with just two functions — express coffee and froth milk. It does both at pace, but it’s worth noting that it doesn’t automatically stop pouring. It’s unlikely to win any awards for style, but our expert tester was impressed with its consistently delicious coffees.
Key specifications
Cup capacity: 2
Water tank capacity: 1.4 litres
Pressure (bar): 15
Milk frother: Yes - steam wand
Milk jug included: No
Smeg ECF01 Espresso Coffee Machine
Not many things in life are certain, but Smeg appliances being stylish is one of them. This high-end, retro-style coffee machine comes in seven pretty colours, including elegant cream and postbox red. It has auto settings for pouring punchy single and double espressos and it steams velvety milk quickly.
Key specifications
Cup capacity: 2
Water tank capacity: 1 litre
Pressure: 15 bars
Milk frother: Yes - steam wand
Milk jug included: No
Breville VCF125 Mini Barista Coffee Machine
Cramming a café set-up into your kitchen is an unenviable task, but the svelte Barista Mini makes it look easy. It made tasty, nutty espressos with consistently thick cremas, and the milk jug was easy to manoeuvre under the steam wand, allowing us to whip up velvety milk for lattes and cappuccinos.
Key specifications
Cup capacity: 1
Water tank capacity: 2 litres
Pressure: 15 bars
Milk frother: Yes - steam wand
Milk jug included: Yes
De'Longhi Dedica Style EC685M Traditional Espresso Machine
This sleek, silver coffee machine exudes classic Italian style. It’s slim enough to fit discreetly into smaller kitchens though, given its attractive aesthetic, we imagine you’ll want to show this one off.
It pours tasty, well-bodied espressos and the steam wand is easy to manoeuvre — ideal for making frothy milk-based drinks. The steam pressure takes a while to rebuild, but it pours two cups evenly at once.
Key specifications
Cup capacity: 2
Water tank capacity: 1.1 litres
Pressure: 15 bars
Milk frother: Yes - steam wand
Milk jug included: No
Krups XP320840 Opio Steam and Pump Coffee Machine
Okay, so it’s on the bulky side, but this fuss-free coffee machine makes a mean cappuccino. It pours coffee and steams milk quickly too, though we’d have liked the steam pressure to be a bit stronger. Our flavoursome test shots scored highly with our expert, and we love the secret storage feature in the lid.
Key specifications
Cup capacity: 2
Water tank capacity: 1.5 litres
Pressure: 15 bars
Milk frother: Yes - steam wand
Milk jug included: No
Breville One-Touch VCF109 Coffee Machine
Steam wands can take a bit of getting used to, so we were relieved to find an espresso machine with an automatic milk frother. Unfortunately, the milk was repeatedly too hot and the texture too foamy. Still, our drinks tasted rich and nutty, and the contemporary rose gold buttons won us over.
Key specifications
Cup capacity: 2
Water tank capacity: 1.4 litres
Pressure: 19 bars
Milk frother: Yes - automatic frother
Milk jug included: Yes (as part of automatic frother)
De'Longhi Scultura ECZ351 Traditional Barista Pump Espresso Machine
Not all the coffee machines on our list have preset espresso functions. This one does, so there’s no need to stress over pouring a well-balanced shot. Our test results varied - some coffees were too tepid and thin - but the fine, bubbly milk was always bang on and the champagne-coloured casing will complement any interiors palette.
Key specifications
Cup capacity: 2
Water tank capacity: 1.4 litres
Pressure (bar): 15
Milk frother: Yes - steam wand
Milk jug included: No
Dualit Espress-Auto Coffee and Tea Machine 84516
Though less classy in appearance than, say, the De’Longhi models, this coffee machine triumphs in the versatility stakes. It makes fabulous espressos, takes ESE and NX pods and also has a tea function! The steam wand whips up a microfoam that latte art enthusiasts will enjoy, though the nozzle could be longer.
Key specifications
Cup capacity: 2
Water tank capacity: 1.5 litres
Pressure (bar): 19
Milk frother: Yes - steam wand
Milk jug included: No
This vintage Italian coffee machine heats up in just 35 seconds, ready to make top-quality espressos. Our tester found their sample shots sweet, glossy and the ideal temperature. The steam wand is less impressive, proving restrictive and running out of steam on the regular, but that shouldn’t bother espresso drinkers.
Key specifications
Cup capacity: 2
Water tank capacity: 1.4 litres
Pressure (bar): 15
Milk frother: Yes - steam wand
Milk jug included: No
Jess is our Acting Multiplatform Editor, directing our digital content strategy across all sections and platforms, as well as editing and writing about fashion, entertainment, wellbeing and travel.
Jess joined Red as Deputy Multiplatform Editor in 2023, having spent the previous six years freelancing for a wide range of leading publications, including Good Housekeeping, ELLE, Harper's Bazaar, Esquire, Stylist, The London Standard and The i Paper. Prior to this, she was Senior Culture Reporter at The Independent, covering TV, film and music. Jess has an Interactive Journalism MA from City University London and an English Literature BA from Durham University.
When she isn't busy scouring the new collections, sales and preloved marketplaces for beautiful pieces to add to her wardrobe, Jess can be found binge-watching the latest buzzy series, immersed in a good book, entertaining friends, enjoying live music or planning her next holiday (usually to her favourite Spanish hideaway).
Harry’s news reporting has been published in over 70 newspapers across the UK. Now, he specialises in home appliances, health and fitness, bringing you reliable reviews on the best homes, sports and nutrition products on the market to help you upgrade your home and training routine.
Outside the office, he has dedicated countless hours to learning about different physical training methods, experimenting with everything from CrossFit to powerlifting.
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