The Best Espresso Machines for Every Budget

It’s been roughly a year since I started my coffee journey, and I must say, it’s been an incredibly rewarding experience.

Throughout this time, I’ve developed a decent understanding of extraction, temperature, brew time, grind size, and, of course, coffee itself. I believe I’m finally ready to purchase an espresso machine and experience the joy of making espressos at home.

This has led me to spend a lot of time recently researching different machines and understanding what justifies their often astronomical prices. Here’s an article summarizing what I’ve learned.

What is an espresso?

An espresso is a concentrated coffee beverage made by forcing hot water through finely-ground coffee under high pressure. It’s the foundation of many other coffee drinks, such as lattes, cappuccinos, and Americanos. The process typically takes around 25-30 seconds to extract a shot of espresso, which is typically served in small amounts, around 1 ounce (30 milliliters).

Espresso is known for its strong, rich flavor, full-bodied texture, and a layer of crema— a golden, foamy layer that forms on top of the shot, created by the oils in the coffee during extraction. The quality of an espresso depends on factors such as the grind size, coffee-to-water ratio, water temperature, and the pressure used during brewing.

What do you need to make an espresso?

The theory:

1. Grounded Coffee
2. 9 bars of pressure
3. 90° Celsius water

Essential Equipment:

1. Espresso Machine: The key piece of equipment that generates the high pressure required for espresso extraction.
2. Coffee Grinder: A burr grinder is preferred for consistent grind size, which is crucial for good espresso.
3. Portafilter: The metal handle that holds the ground coffee during extraction.
4. Tamper: A tool to press the ground coffee into the portafilter evenly, ensuring proper extraction.
5. Scale (optional): To weigh the coffee grounds and ensure consistency in the coffee-to-water ratio.
6. Shot Glass: To catch the espresso as it extracts and measure the volume (usually around 1 ounce).
7. Water: Clean, filtered water is ideal to avoid any unpleasant flavors.
8. Towel: To wipe down the portafilter and clean excess coffee grounds.

Optional Equipment:

1. Knock Box: To dispose of used coffee grounds after brewing.
2. Milk Frother (if making lattes or cappuccinos): For steaming milk if you’re preparing milk-based espresso drinks.
3. Espresso Cups: Small cups, typically 2-3 ounces, specifically designed for espresso.
4. Coffee Grinder with Dose Control: For accurate control of the amount of coffee ground per shot.

Ingredients:

1. Fresh Coffee Beans: Choose high-quality, freshly roasted beans. The beans should be ground just before brewing for the best flavor.

Why the large difference in machines and prices

Essentially, coffee is like a hobby—similar to hi-fi audio, but with endless potential for growth, where spending more money eventually yields diminishing returns.

There are essentially three types of customers when it comes to espresso machines. Some are looking for affordable home appliances to quickly brew coffee and get caffeinated. Others are semi-professionals or enthusiasts who seek to enhance their coffee-brewing experience. Lastly, there are professional machines designed for consistent results and maximum durability.

Essentially, spending more money grants you better control, consistency, durability, and overall experience. A pricier machine also helps prevent you from wasting your beans.

The best espresso machines for each budget

Here’s a list of the best espresso machines for various budgets. Keep in mind that there are countless options available, so these are just my personal picks. I’m not a coffee expert—this is simply a guide to help newcomers like me navigate the world of espresso.

The best budget espresso machines

Delonghi Stilosa (100-159 euros)

The DeLonghi Stilosa is a budget-friendly manual espresso machine with a plastic build, but it features a stainless steel boiler, which, in my opinion, gives it better temperature control than models like the DeLonghi Dedica.

It has 3 different models :

• EC230 : unpressurized basket and single hole steam wand
• EC235 : pressurized basket and single hole steam wand
• EC260 : pressurized basket and pannarello wand and some stainless steel finish

These machines can currently be found for around 100 euros in promotion and up to 159 in store.

For espresso enthusiasts, I highly recommend the 51mm unpressurized portafilter from Neouza with two ears (€31.99), along with a proper tamper and knock box (€24.99), a dosing ring (€12.99) for WDT tool (€8,99) , and a puck screen (€5.99).

These accessories add around €75-85 to your budget, but you can always purchase them at your own pace.

The DeLonghi ECP 35.31 (129-149 euros)

The DeLonghi ECP is another great budget-friendly option, featuring the same internal components as the Stilosa but with a larger shower screen (50.4 vs 42 cm) and improved build quality for a slightly higher price.

It includes more stainless steel elements, with the 36.30 model being fully stainless steel—though it’s now harder to find. This added stainless steel not only enhances durability but also allows cups to be pre-warmed on the tray, making it one of the best choices overall.

Honestly, I still prefer the Stilosa’s design, especially the rotating dented wheel over the knob, but these are just small details. The additional weight of the stainless steel helps keep the cups more stable and less prone to shifting due to vibrations.

The best budget premium espresso machines

Gaggia Classic E24 (499 euros)

The Gaggia Classic Pro Evo E24 is the latest iteration in the series, featuring a brass boiler that enhances temperature stability compared to previous models. In my opinion, this model stands out as one of the most popular due to its sleek design and high level of customization.

For instance, you can add a PID for precise temperature control or even install a pressure gauge. Its 58mm basket also makes it an appealing choice for espresso enthusiasts. At this price range, the build quality improves, with enhanced internal components such as 3-way solenoid valves and other features that provide better control. This model is priced at around 499 euros.

Rancilio Silvia V6 (599 euros)

For an additional 100 euros in Europe, you can upgrade to the Rancilio Silvia V6—a more robust and durable version of this espresso machine. I would personally recommend the Silvia over the Gaggia, but in the US, the Silvia costs around 400 euros more than the Gaggia, making it a less comparable option.

Advantages of the Rancilio Silvia :

• Insulated boiler
• Larger boiler for stronger and longer steam
• Ball joint steamer
• Better construction overall
• Set to 9 bars from factory

The best premium espresso machine

Lelit Bianca V3 (2399 euros)

The Lelit Bianca V3 is a semi-professional espresso machine packed with all the features you’d expect from a high-end model. I’d even say it’s more suited for enthusiasts than professionals due to its manual control knobs.

It offers everything—dual boilers, PID temperature control, adjustable pressure, and even a flow control valve for the shower head. It’s also one of the rare machines that doesn’t require a porta filter upgrade.

In my opinion, it’s the ultimate machine for espresso enthusiasts—my dream machine. It can often be found at a reasonable price on the second-hand market.

The best commercial espresso machine

La Marzocco Linea Mini (5316 euros)

La Marzocco is often considered the Rolls-Royce of coffee machines. If you own a coffee shop, you’re probably familiar with the brand—and might even have one of their machines.

Of course, there are several reputable brands in the industry, but La Marzocco is arguably the most iconic. Most commercial espresso machines come with multiple group heads to brew several coffees simultaneously.

This particular model, however, feels more like a home-friendly version of La Marzocco’s commercial machines, designed specifically for coffee enthusiasts.

The best manual espresso machine

La Pavoni (700-1500 euros)

La Pavoni is one of the most renowned brands for manual espresso machines, featuring a hand pump that allows you to manually apply pressure on a lever to achieve the 9 bars required for espresso.

It’s likely the machine that offers the most immersive experience when making espresso at home. However, the main drawbacks are that it can be challenging to brew multiple shots consecutively, even though it’s advertised to make up to 8 cups.

Additionally, the machine has a regular boiler, which can be a bit hazardous since you can only safely touch the wooden parts during operation. The Flair 58 Plus 2 is another similarly priced option, but to be honest, the La Pavoni has a lot more style and will hold stronger value in my opinion, even though both are excellent choices.

The best no budget limit espresso machine

MANUMENT Leva Machine (19,000 euros)

Alright, I think we’ve moved well beyond supercars at this point—this is essentially a symbol of what humanity can achieve in the world of espresso machines.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a machine that is as beautiful in design and in experience as this one. Perhaps the Sennheiser HE-1 ?

This is truly a work of art, designed for those with so much wealth to spare that even the coffee machine in The Green Hornet seems modest in comparison.

What should you buy?

In my view, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, but I would personally recommend going for at least the Gaggia Classic E24.

The reason being the build quality and that it comes with a 58mm porta filter, which is arguably a better choice. With this standard size, you’ll be able to buy accessories that won’t require upgrades down the line, in my opinion.

Additionally, by crossing this threshold, you improve the overall experience enough to make your daily routine enjoyable, without the constant urge to upgrade whenever you feel the plastic of the machine or the rubber of the steam valve.

Conclusion

Like many hobbies, coffee can easily become a deep rabbit hole. That doesn’t mean you need to strive for perfection.

You can still enjoy a fresh cup every morning and incorporate a bit of manual process into your routine.

The true appeal of a hobby often lies in the endless depth of knowledge and craftsmanship it offers, rather than the expensive machines and deep pockets required to reach the pinnacle.

I hope this article gave you a preview into the world of espresso and I hope you’ll be motivated to start experimenting with coffee in general.