8 Best Espresso Machines for Home (2026), Tested by Coffee Pros
Best Espresso Machine Overall Fellow Series 1 Espresso Read more $1,500 Fellow Best Semiautomatic Espresso Machine for Most People Breville Barista Express Read more $680 $550 (19% off) Amazon Best Traditional Espresso Machine Diletta Mio Espresso Machine Read more $1,409 Amazon Best Espresso Machine Under $500 Breville Bambino Read more $300 $250 (17% off) Amazon The Best espresso machines for home must thread a delicate needle.
Espresso is forceful and finicky, and a little intimidating, and yet so essential that astronauts might take it into orbit .
A home espresso machine remains the most intense and expensive device I regularly operate before my first cup of coffee.
I tend to favor devices that let technology do much of the work and don't make you join a cult of engineers before your first cup.
And so my top-rated espresso machine, the Fellow Series 1 , earned its place on WIRED's counter by combining ease of use with a solid build, consistent temperature, and rare control over pressure—an industry-beating mix of nerdiness and hand-holding friendliness.
For a more classic, all-analog build, we offer the compact, stylish Diletta Mio .
But I also know not everyone wants to also buy a good coffee grinder or spend four figures for their morning cup.
For those who want milk-based drinks and a built-in grinder, I recommend the top-selling Breville Barista Express as the Goldilocks machine balancing performance and cost.
For an entry-level device, I pretty much always recommend the straight-ahead Breville Bambino , among the lowest-cost machines with PID-controlled temperature.
Note that this guide mostly covers classic, hands-on espresso machines with portafilters.
We do also include the De'Longhi Rivelia , our top pick among super-automatic espresso machines that require little more than a button press.
For a guide that focuses on easy-to-use espresso machine picks that do most of the work for you, check out our guide to the Best Latte and Automatic Espresso Machines .
Also be sure to check out our other coffee guides, like the Best Drip Coffee Makers, Best Cold Brew Makers , Best Aeropresses , Best Coffee Pod Machines , Best Coffee Subscriptions , and Best Coffee Grinders .
Updated March 2026: After recent testing, I've changed my top pick to the Fellow Series 1 Espresso Machine, moving the previous top pick, the Breville Oracle Jet, to honorable mentions.
I also added WIRED's assessment of the Gevi espresso machine to the guide.
