Become Your Own Barista With These Home Espresso Machines
Image: @brevilleaus
Chances are you have scoured your local neighbourhood in search of the perfect coffee, be it a neat shot of espresso, a simple flat white, an indulgent mocha or perhaps a finely frothed latte.
Good coffee is surprisingly hard to come by, not to mention costly. And even if you find yourself a decent cafe and an alright cup of joe, there is no guarantee your favourite barista—who makes it just right—will be working. How many times has your local cafe run out of macadamia milk, mixed up your order, changed up their coffee beans, left you waiting for 20 minutes all whilst charging a fortune for a small almond piccolo?
No need to risk it. Home-brewed coffee has come a long way since instant coffee, hot water and a splash of milk. Espresso machines are slowly becoming sleek home appliance staples, no longer reserved for cafes and restaurants.
To help kick your daily café runs, we have sourced 4 of the best espresso machines that guarantee the perfect coffee every time.
The Best Luxury Home Espresso Machines on the Market
Breville The Oracle® Touch
Image: Breville
Breville has been around since 1932, so the brand undoubtedly knows a thing or two about coffee machines and making the perfect brew. The Oracle® Touch is an award-winning espresso machine that is easy to use and maintain. Most importantly, it consistently makes the highest quality coffee.
Regarded as the crème de la crème of espresso machines, the Oracle® Touch includes deluxe features such as an automated touch screen, integrated conical burr grinder, digital temperature and control technology. It also houses an overpressure valve which limits the 15-bar Italian pump pressure throughout the extraction, preventing bitter flavours in the shot. With these smart features, you can adjust the coffee strength, milk texture and temperature to create café quality coffee every day.
At $3,999, the Oracle® Touch is a bit costly. However, fans say that it's well worth the investment with its array of impressive features as well as a 2-year warranty.
De’Longhi PrimaDonna Elite
Image: De’Longhi
The invention of the espresso machine is attributed to Angelo Moriondo of Turin, Italy. So it's only fitting that next on our list is one of Italy’s oldest small appliance manufacturers.
The sought after De’Longhi PrimaDonna Elite ($2,199) combines state-of-the-art coffee technology, compact design and easy-to-use features to create a wide range of customised coffee options, from the humble Americano to the frothy cappuccino.
Getting barista-level froth is no easy feat, but this machine comes with an automatic LatteCrema System to make the creamiest milk foam every time.
The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Elite is so advanced and easy-to-operate that it comes with an app which allows java lovers to prepare their coffee remotely, customising the aroma, milk quantity, coffee quantity and temperature to create the perfect beverage.
La Marzocco Linea Mini
Image: Alternative Brewing
This commercial-level, high-end coffee machine is perfect for the aspiring at-home barista. The Linea Mini comes in a classic Italian design complete with all the bells and whistles including a PID-controlled dual boiler that allows you to pull shots and steam milk all at once.
The Linea Mini also includes two portafilter spouts (Single, Double), five portafilter baskets, a 2.5-litre water tank, barista lights, water test kit, cleaning detergent and a cup warmer. This sophisticated espresso machine comes to a price of around $5,990, making it the perfect investment for coffee aficionados.
Image: Alternative Brewing
The humble Gaggia Classic Pro is compact but powerful enough to turn out rich shots of espresso. Designed and manufactured in Italy, the Gaggia Classic Pro’s key features comprise an impressive list: 2.1-litre water reservoir, cup warmer, special cappuccino steam wand, and a crema filter kit to help build pressure and extract flavour.
This small coffee making powerhouse is the perfect addition to your kitchen counter, coming in at a cool $728.
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