Best Italian Espresso Machines

Best overall for home: Gaggia RI8263/47 Velasca Prestige Espresso Machine

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After we weighed all the pros and cons, this state of art Gaggia Velasca Prestige has emerged as the winner. Yes, this RI8263/47 is our best overall Italian espresso machine.

Why we love it?

• 10 separate grind settings
• Programmable brewing options including Espresso, Espresso Lungo, cappuccino, or milk froth.
• Three temperature settings – it will always have the perfect temperature for you.
• Fully removable milk carafe.
• A ceramic burr grinder.
• It makes both coffee and espresso.
• Super well-built and durable.
• A full two-year warranty by Gaggia.

Read our full review of Gaggia RI8263/47 Velasca Prestige espresso machine.

Runner-up for home: Gaggia RI9700/64 Babila Espresso Machine

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The Gaggia Babila is Gaggia’s top-of-the-line super-automatic espresso machine. It can automate every step in making a fine coffee beverage from grinding the beans to frothing the milk. While offering you, the barista, the ability to customize virtually everything, the Babila will do everything at the push of a button. This machine has great reviews and outstanding quality.

Why we love it?

• The Gaggia Babila offers programing of up to eight one-touch drinks that include cappuccino, latte macchiato, and Flat White at the push of a button.
• Has a commercial quality ceramic burr grinder to produce superior ground beans with no overheating or burnt flavor.
• Features a double boiler—no waiting between brewing a producing steam to heat milk!
• Bypass doser allows use of pre-ground coffee for decaf, etc.
• Milk based drinks are a breeze with the detachable, auto-cleaning carafe, while the manual wand allows you complete control over the texturing of the milk.
• The Babila features a removable brew group for super easy cleaning and maintenance.

Read our full review of Gaggia RI9700/64 Babila Espresso Machine.

Also-great for home: Gaggia Anima Prestige Automatic Coffee and Espresso Machine

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This Gaggia Anima Prestige is a super-automatic espresso machine. This means it takes care of grinding, tamping, extraction, and even frothing. This is for someone who wants convenience of brewing a perfect espresso drink without being a barista. It you want to customize and precise control of every brewing parameters, this model is not for you.

Why we love it?

• The Gaggia Anima Prestige features six different coffee drinks. Just push a button and you are all set.
• Built-in ceramic burr grinder with Prestige’s adaptive system. No stress to decide on what grind size to use.
• It can automatically brew with whole bean or pre-ground beans.
• Automatic milk frothing– automatically prepare and dispense it to your cup! Cappuccino time!
• Three temperature settings – you always get the perfect temperature for your preference.
• Easy access of the hopper and the reservoir.

Read our full review of Gaggia Anima Prestige Automatic Coffee and Espresso Machine.

Best-value: Gaggia Brera Super Automatic Espresso Machine

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The Gaggia Brera offers many great features in a compact body. It is our best-value Italian espresso machines on our power ranking. It has a ceramic burr grinder that allows you to control how finely ground you want your beans, and how strong you want it.

Why we love it?

• Affordable with premium features.
• Long and short pull. You can use the long pull timer at 18 seconds to create a stout shot or set it to brew larger cups.
• Options for cup Height – 3.25” to 4.5”.
• Manual but easy to steam milk.
• Quick steam. This Gaggia has fast heat up, brewing and steaming time rivaling the more expensive models.
• Ceramic burr grinder with five settings – fine to course.
• If you want to use pre-ground coffee, no problem. It has an integrated bypass doser.
• Gaggia’s pre-infusion for maximum flavor and aroma extraction.

Read our full review of Gaggia Brera Super Automatic Espresso Machine.

Best commercial use: Nuova Simonelli Musica Pour Over Tank

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When you are operating a coffee house, the most important thing is to deliver a perfect cup of espresso to your customer every time.

How do you create perfect cup every time? You want the best espresso machine you can afford, you want your barista to deliver a consistent cup every time. Yes, this Nuova Simonelli Musica enables production of espressos and cappuccinos with minimum employee training. With its professional portafilter and push pull steaming, it is ergonomic for your barista.

Why we love it?

• Features 1 cup, 2 cup, and continuous brew functions.
• It uses the same acclaimed boiler temperature technology as their premium levels of commercial espresso machines.
• Compact size. More available space for your barista.
• The automatic dosing, thermo compensated group and steaming system are derived from larger, professional machines.
• A sound proof pump and insulated boiler with exchanger.
• Efficient. With its vacuum breaker valve design, you can start up the Musica from room temperature without opening the steam valve!
• Pulls 10-12 shots from a single tank of water.
• Durable. All metal body construction.
• Energy and money saving. The boiler has a half-inch insulation to save energy.

Best semi-automatic: Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine with Iron Frame and Stainless Steel Side Panels

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This Rancilio has an iron frame and stainless steel side panels, and a commercial grade group head. We just love this old-school durable construction – it is built to last!

Why we love it?

• It is a proven traditional style semi-automatic espresso machine.
• Commercial grade construction with home-use sensibility.
• Large volume capacity of 12 oz.
• Commercial grade steaming power.
• Super-fast recovery time between shots.
• Convenience. You can fill the reservoir from the top anytime.
• A stainless steel articulating wand is included.

Most versatile: Delonghi ESAM5500B Perfecta Digital Super Automatic Espresso Machine with Cappuccino Function

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DeLonghi name this ESAM5500B Perfecta for a great reason – it is indeed perfect to deliver you the best espresso drink. You will be the barista to easily prepare cappuccino or latte with a one-touch hot mike system.

Why we love it?

• Easy to use. From setting up start time to temperature to coffee strength, it’s an intuitive operation using the simple-to-understand digital control.
• Professional-grade burr grinder and bypass doser. This low-pitch feature will give you consistent grinds every time. It grinds beans instantly with direct-to-brew function.
• Double boiler. Fast and concurrent operations for your shot and steam milk. Zero wait time to make espresso and cappuccino.
• Hot Water. You can dispense hot water straight from the boiler! Yes, you can make tea or hot chocolate, if you do desire, using this readily available hot water.
• Cups Warming feature. You will never have a cold cup with this Perfecta.

Read our full review of Delonghi ESAM5500B Perfecta Digital Super Automatic Espresso Machine.

Best Seller: DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso Coffee Machine

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This Magnifica has been our best-sellers three years in a row. It’s attractive and compact, makes superb espresso drinks and coffee, easy to operate and maintain, quality and durable.

Why we love it?

• Makes espresso, cappuccino, latte and coffee
• Customizable and programmable Espresso Drinks including cappuccino.
• Memory customization. This Magnifica “remembers” the strength of your espresso to your preferred size beverage.
• Professional burr grinder with 13 adjustable grind settings
• Bean to brew in simple super-automatic way
• Average heat-up time = 75 sec
• Water Tank Capacity = 60 oz.
• Removable Water Tank and Bean Container
• Magnifica is the only super-automatic machine that allows you to fill the water tank and empty the coffee grounds without moving the machine.
• Removable double boiler. Easy to clean stainless steel material.
• Manual steam wand – you are in charge of the exact amount of steam to milk
• Easy to control rotary control
• All of the controls are at the front of the machine.

Read our full review of DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica Super-Automatic Espresso Coffee Machine.

Best affordability for home: Delonghi EC680M DEDICA 15-Bar Pump Espresso Machine

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When it comes to balancing of functionality and a limited budget, this DeLonghi EC680M is our best affordability espresso machine for home.

Why we love it?

• Budget friendly – under $200!
• You get 15-bar pressure – that translate to full flavor.
• You can make shots of espresso to cappuccinos to lattes.
• Slender and sleek footprint.
• Accommodates both smaller and larger cups.
• Flexibility – it includes filters to load the appropriate amount of beans for one or two shots of espresso.
• And, it comes with a filter to accommodate espresso pods.

Read our full review of Delonghi EC680M DEDICA 15-Bar Pump Espresso Machine.

New ultimate barista experience at home: Gaggia Cadorna Prestige Super-Automatic Espresso Coffee Machine

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The Gaggia Cadorna Prestige is the most fully featured super automatic espresso machine in Gaggia’s new Cadorna line. Gaggia designed a new line of machines all featuring the highest quality components and a revisited user interface to make espresso preparation a snap.

Check out our comparison of the Cardona series.

The Cadorna Prestige includes 14 preprogrammed beverages available at its great new user interface. The prestige also features four different user profiles where you can save all of your favorite drinks. This great machine is preprogrammed with almost any drink you could want, and it also allows the customizations to make the drink “yours”.

Why we love it?

• 14 pre-programmed beverages and for user profiles give you ultimate selection and control.
• The integrated milk carafe gives you complete control over milk temperature and texture.
• The 100% ceramic adjustable burr grinders produce great coffee without overheating.
• The pre-brew feature enhances the taste and body of your espresso.
• Use your best beans for an automatic brew or use of pre-ground coffee for decaf drinks.
• Maintenance is a breeze with the removable brew group, automatic rinsing of the milk circuit, automatic de-scaling, and other maintenance reminders.
• Top quality drinks, great automation, and a beautiful user interface.

Read our full review of Gaggia Cadorna Prestige Super-Automatic Espresso Machine.