Australians love coffee. And whether or not we're drinking a little too much, it's certainly important to us that we drink good coffee – which is where home coffee machines come in.
There are several general types of espresso machines on the market, each with their own pros and cons depending on what you're looking for in a coffee maker.
Pod or capsule machines make up the bulk of espresso machines we buy in Australia. To use them, you insert coffee capsules which are the size and shape of a single-serve UHT milk holder. They're hermetically sealed in aluminium or plastic, giving them the added advantage of staying fresh for about nine months.
We've tested to find you the best.
Easy Serving Espresso (ESE) pods are discs of coffee compressed between two layers of filter paper (not to be confused with the coffee capsule pods). These aren't hermetically sealed like the capsules. Some machines can cater for both pods and ground coffee by providing a separate filter basket and possibly a different shower head for each.
Nespresso is the biggest-selling capsule machine type. Nespresso capsules come in various styles depending on whether you're using an 'original' type of machine, or its newer Vertuo ones, which accommodate a range of cup sizes (and are only compatible with 'official' Nespresso capsules). The prices for capsules can vary.
Some come with a built-in milk frother, while others require you to buy one separately. Some don't need you to use one at all, and instead sell separate milk capsules. In our tests, the quality of these milk capsules is generally poor.
A pod or capsule of coffee is inserted into the machine, which then pierces the capsule to allow hot water to flow through and pour the shot.
Prices range from $37 to over $600, plus the cost of pods.
Read more: Coffee pod taste test
These are a growing part of the market, with major brands including DeLonghi, Gaggia, Jura, Melitta and Miele. While most people prefer to either work a manual model or enjoy the convenience (and cost savings) of a capsule machine, the automated machines definitely have their fans and can be very handy in a small office kitchen or a busy household.
Your cup goes under the spout, you press the button to grind the coffee beans to make the espresso, then you make your desired beverage depending on the strength and volume you want. Some also automatically froth milk for a cappuccino or latte.
These machines cost between $500 and $5000.
We've tested to find you the best.
Read more: How to buy the best coffee grinder
These machines let you experiment and get more hands-on with your coffee. They require a bit more knowledge, and practice, of coffee-making techniques such as grinding, dosing and tamping.
Major brands include Breville, DeLonghi, Gaggia, Lelit, Profitec, Rancilio, Sunbeam and Smeg.
Usually, you'll need a separate bean grinder before using them, which is an added cost, but they generally come with a milk frothing capability.
The bench space they take up will vary depending on the complexity and design of the machine but they tend to be 20–40cm wide. The weight can vary from around 3–19kg.
You manually put the required amount of ground coffee into the group head, then set the machine to pour. You'll need to cut the flow of coffee yourself (unlike a semi-automatic machine).
A manual machine can cost as little as $200 and go all the way up to over $2000.
Our home espresso machine reviews compare more than 40 manual, semi-automatic and capsule coffee machines.
A semi-automatic machine mostly operates like a manual machine would, but will automatically cut off the flow of coffee once a pre-set amount has been poured into your cup (a manual machine will require you to cut the flow of coffee yourself).
Read more: How to clean your coffee machine
Digital displays are generally easier to understand than indicator lights, especially when programming the machine.
This lets you adjust the grind to suit the bean and machine (automatic machines have built-in grinders).
This means you can adjust the intensity of the coffee to your taste.
A big espresso machine is fine if you have plenty of bench space in your kitchen, but you may want one that takes up less room.
Some machines come with a froth enhancer on the milk-frothing wand. This is supposed to make frothing easier, but it often produces large bubbles rather than the fine foam that's suitable for lattes and cappuccinos.
If the enhancer is removable you may find it easier to produce fine, velvety foam.
This helps keep your cups at a warm, constant temperature, which stops the coffee from cooling down too quickly.
Many models can make two espressos at once, but they often just grind one dose of beans for this, usually about the same amount they'd make for a single cup, which leads to weaker coffee.
If you often make two cups, look for models that make them in quick succession rather than at the same time – these models grind a fresh dose for each cup, which is the best way for a good, strong cup of coffee.
The warm-up times can vary depending on the machine – a manual machine might take 1–2 minutes while a capsule might be about 20–30 seconds.
Automatic espresso machines may be Wi-Fi compatible, allowing you to initiate a brew from afar or monitor the cleaning and maintenance process using a dedicated app.
On a manual/semi-automatic coffee machine, a dual boiler means you can froth milk and make coffee at the same time (from each boiler), but these machines cost extra. Coffee machines that use heat exchanger systems only have one boiler which keeps the water at the right temperature for steaming milk (which is too high for brewing coffee), but there is a metal tube inside (the heat exchanger) that fresh water flows through which warms up to the temperature required for brewing coffee.
They take up less room than a dual boiler system but you can't brew and steam at the same time. The same goes for thermoblock systems (which are usually cheaper and more energy efficient). These use a single block of metal (such as aluminium) and heat water when needed, as it passes through an embedded pipe. However, we've seen some espresso machines with dual thermoblocks that let you brew and steam simultaneously.
Other useful features include a 'water tank empty' reminder, a height-adjustable spout to accommodate larger cups, and adjustable coffee volume.
Digital displays are generally easier to understand than indicator lights, especially when programming the machine.
Lets you adjust the grind to suit the bean and machine. (Automatic machines have built-in grinders.)
Read more: How to make the perfect cup of coffee
Regular cleaning and correct usage of your coffee machine, regardless of type, will help prolong its life. But you may still run into issues over time. Thankfully many issues can be repaired, saving the entire unit from being replaced. CHOICE members have told us of problems they've experienced such as a leaking water tank, faulty steam valve, broken plastic tubing, motherboard replacement or a failed pump, all of which were repaired.
In some cases, it may not be worth the cost of replacing a fault if the unit is out of warranty, but you don't need to dump your old electrical appliance into landfill. For instance, cheap capsule machines are largely made of composite plastic material (ABS), which can be recycled – look for the recycling number '7' on the unit.
Other recyclable materials include polypropylene plastic and steel, but these aren't accepted in kerbside rubbish. Planet Ark's Recycling Near You website lists places that accept electrical appliances for recycling.
Although Nespresso pods (the most common) are made of aluminium, they do have a thermal coating so need to be recycled through a Nespresso shop. Alternatively you can buy a Nespresso satchel to fill with used capsules and return it to a Nespresso shop or drop-off point, or you can buy a satchel to fill with used capsules and return it via Australia Post.
Some other brands that use plastic pods can be recycled through TerraCycle. These include L'OR, Moccona, illy, Lavazza and Nescafé Dolce Gusto but collection points may be limited. Check the TerraCycle website for the latest information.
Read more: Coffee gadgets to try for barista-style results
So which brand of espresso machine should you buy? We've identified the best of the bunch based on our test results as well as feedback from our members on satisfaction and reliability.
CHOICE has tested more than 170 espresso machines in our labs over the past nine years from major brands including Breville, DeLonghi, Sunbeam and more. But only five brands met our stringent eligibility criteria for Best Brand.
Breville (manual and semi-automatic machines) is the Best Brand espresso machine for the past 12 months. For the second year running, the Australian home appliances brand has good average test scores – we recommend nine of the 14 models we've tested recently – as well as high customer satisfaction and strong reliability results in our CHOICE member survey.
1. Breville (semi-auto and manual machines) – 77%
3. DeLonghi (semi-auto and manual machines) – 71%
It's important to note that the performance of specific product models may vary quite significantly, so don't assume that one brand's products are the best across the many different features, functions and price points.
For comprehensive details on every coffee machine we've tested, see our home espresso coffee machine reviews and automatic espresso machine reviews.
The Best Brand recommendation for espresso machines is based on our test results for home espresso coffee machines over the past nine years, as well as the most recent customer satisfaction and reliability information submitted by CHOICE members on their experience with the brand.
The recommendation is given to companies with a clear lead over their competitors during the test period, and no more than two recommendations are given during each period.
Best Brand eligibility is tough – to be considered, we must have tested a minimum of five models, and a brand must have received a minimum of 50 responses to the CHOICE member survey. Additionally, brands must score a minimum of 60% and be above the average score for average test score, reliability and satisfaction for consideration.
The following criteria determines the Best Brand recommendation.
This is an average of the CHOICE Expert Rating (our overall score) for all the brand's models that we tested.
The CHOICE Expert Rating covers:
For a full breakdown, check out our article on how we test coffee machines.
Our CHOICE customer insights team surveyed over 2700 members who owned an espresso machine in 2019 about whether they've run into any problems with their machine in the last 12 months.
Our survey also asked how satisfied members are with their espresso machine. So even if an espresso machine has a fault after six months, it's still possible for it to have a high satisfaction score – perhaps the company has customer service that goes beyond expectations, or the product is simply too good, despite some performance quirks.
We calculate the percentage of espresso machines that we recommend for each brand. The greater the number of models that earn a recommendation, the higher the recommended ratio score.
Best brand score Breville: 77% Sunbeam: 75% DeLonghi: 71% DeLonghi Nespresso: 70% Breville Nespresso: 67%
Average test score Breville: 72% Sunbeam: 72% DeLonghi: 69% DeLonghi Nespresso: 65% Breville Nespresso: 63%
Reliability Breville: 81% Sunbeam: 78% DeLonghi: 78% DeLonghi Nespresso: 83% Breville Nespresso: 85%
Customer satisfaction score Breville: 87% Sunbeam: 84% DeLonghi: 85% DeLonghi Nespresso: 84% Breville Nespresso: 84% Recommended ratio Breville: 64% Sunbeam: 62% DeLonghi: 30% DeLonghi Nespresso: 23% Breville Nespresso: 0% Number of models tested Breville: 14 Sunbeam: 13 DeLonghi: 23 DeLonghi Nespresso: 13 Breville Nespresso: 12 Number of recommended models Breville: 9 Sunbeam: 8 DeLonghi: 7 DeLonghi Nespresso: 3 Breville Nespresso: 0
We've tested to find you the best.
Stock images: Getty unless otherwise stated.
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We at CHOICE acknowledge the Gadigal people, the traditional custodians of this land on which we work, and pay our respects to the First Nations people of this country. CHOICE supports the First Nations people's Uluru Statement from the Heart.