Saved Compare

Buying guide · Coffee machines

The best home espresso machines

This guide is for people who want to make cafe-style espresso, flat whites and lattes at home without a steep learning curve. The Breville Barista Express Impress (sold as Sage in the UK) is the best choice for most beginners, because its built-in grinder and assisted tamping take the guesswork out of each shot. If you want to spend as little as possible, the De'Longhi Stilosa makes good espresso for about A$150.

Checked 18 October 2026 5 picks 10 expert sources Prices for your country
See our top pick Find my match

We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes what we pick. How we make money.

Best overallBreville Barista Express Impress (BES876)about A$800 · 8.3/10 Best valueBreville Bambino (BES450)about A$420 · 7.9/10 Best premiumBreville Oracle Jet (BES985)about A$3,399 · 8.2/10 Best for tight budgetsDe'Longhi Stilosa (EC230 / EC260)about A$149 · 7.3/10 Best for milk drinksBreville Bambino Plus (BES500)about A$490 · 8.2/10

Find my match · 10 seconds

What matters most to you?

Choose what matters most and we'll point you to the right pick.

8.3
Our scoreweighted, out of 10
Best overall

Breville Barista Express Impress (BES876)

Breville
about A$800approximate street price

Forbes Vetted named it the best espresso machine for beginners, and TechRadar found its smart dosing, assisted tamping and built-in grinder make great-tasting coffee easy to repeat.

Best forBeginners who want an all-in-one machine with a grinder and some help getting each shot right.
Skip it ifPeople who want one-touch coffee, or experienced home baristas who want full control of temperature and pressure.

What we like

  • Built-in conical burr grinder with 25 settings
  • Assisted tamping and dosing feedback cut down mess and guesswork
  • Pressure gauge helps you learn

Watch out for

  • Forbes found shots slightly under-extracted at times
  • Takes up a lot of bench space
Grinder
Built-in conical burr, 25 settings
Portafilter
54 mm
Water tank
2 L
Heating
Thermocoil with PID
Weight
11.1 kg
Size (H x W x D)
41.5 x 31 x 31 cm
Espresso quality8.0
Ease of use for beginners9.0
Milk steaming7.5
Build quality8.0
Value8.5
Check price at Amazon eBay

Based on: Forbes Vetted, TechRadar

7.9
Our scoreweighted, out of 10
Best value

Breville Bambino (BES450)

Breville
about A$420approximate street price

Forbes Vetted picks it as the best value and Tom's Guide as the best compact machine, because it pulls high-quality espresso and steams velvety milk from a very small, affordable machine.

Best forPeople with a small kitchen, or those who already own a good grinder.
Skip it ifAnyone without a burr grinder who does not want to buy one, and people who want automatic milk frothing.

What we like

  • Heats up in about 3 seconds
  • PID temperature control for consistent shots
  • Tiny footprint at 19 cm wide

Watch out for

  • Needs a separate grinder for best results
  • Steam wand has a single setting, and the tamper feels flimsy
Grinder
None
Portafilter
54 mm
Water tank
1.4 L
Heating
ThermoJet with PID
Size (W x H x D)
19.1 x 31 x 32 cm
Espresso quality8.0
Ease of use for beginners7.5
Milk steaming7.5
Build quality7.0
Value9.0
Check price at Amazon eBay

Based on: Forbes Vetted, Tom's Guide

8.2
Our scoreweighted, out of 10
Best premium

Breville Oracle Jet (BES985)

Breville
about A$3,399approximate street price

It automates grinding, dosing, tamping and milk texturing, and Tom's Guide, TechRadar and Forbes Vetted all found it turns out very consistent, high-quality coffee with almost no learning curve.

Best forPeople who want cafe-quality coffee with minimal effort and are happy to pay for it.
Skip it ifSmall kitchens and anyone on a budget.

What we like

  • Automatic grinding, dosing and tamping with a 45-setting grinder
  • Hands-free, temperature-sensing milk wand
  • Commercial-size 58 mm portafilter

Watch out for

  • Very expensive
  • Grinding can be messy, and it cannot brew and steam at the same time
Grinder
Built-in, 45 settings
Portafilter
58 mm
Water tank
2.3 L
Heating
ThermoJet
Screen
5 inch touchscreen
Weight
12.2 kg
Espresso quality9.0
Ease of use for beginners9.0
Milk steaming9.0
Build quality8.0
Value5.5
Check price at Amazon eBay

Based on: Forbes Vetted, Tom's Guide, TechRadar

7.3
Our scoreweighted, out of 10
Best for tight budgets

De'Longhi Stilosa (EC230 / EC260)

De'Longhi
about A$149approximate street price

Tom's Guide names it the best budget espresso machine and Expert Reviews calls it a little superstar, because it makes good espresso and steams milk well for around A$150.

Best forFirst-time buyers who want to learn real espresso for the lowest price.
Skip it ifAnyone who wants a machine that does the work for them, or who drinks from large mugs.

What we like

  • Very low price
  • Heats up in about a minute
  • Strong manual steam wand

Watch out for

  • Plastic build and a poor included tamper
  • Limited cup clearance under the spouts
Grinder
None
Pump (rated)
15 bar
Water tank
1 L
Boiler
Stainless steel
Portafilter
51 mm
Espresso quality7.0
Ease of use for beginners6.5
Milk steaming7.5
Build quality5.5
Value9.5
Check price at Amazon eBay

Based on: Tom's Guide, Tom's Guide, Expert Reviews

8.2
Our scoreweighted, out of 10
Best for milk drinks

Breville Bambino Plus (BES500)

Breville
about A$490approximate street price

Its automatic steam wand textures milk to your chosen temperature and froth level, which is why TechRadar picks it as the best small machine and praises its milk drinks, and Tom's Guide calls it the best entry-level espresso machine.

Best forLatte and flat white drinkers who want great milk without learning to steam by hand.
Skip it ifPeople who mostly drink straight espresso, where the cheaper Bambino does the same job.

What we like

  • Hands-free milk texturing with adjustable temperature and froth
  • Heats up in about 3 seconds
  • Compact, with PID temperature control

Watch out for

  • Tiny drip tray needs emptying often
  • Needs a good separate grinder
Grinder
None
Portafilter
54 mm
Water tank
1.4 L
Heating
ThermoJet with PID
Milk
Automatic or manual steam wand
Espresso quality8.0
Ease of use for beginners8.5
Milk steaming9.0
Build quality7.0
Value8.0
Check price at Amazon eBay

Based on: TechRadar, Tom's Guide

Side by side

Every pick scored on the same criteria. Tap a row to jump to it.

ProductAwardEspresso qualityEase of use for beginnersMilk steamingBuild qualityValueOverallPrice
Breville Barista Express Impress (BES876)Best overall8.09.07.58.08.58.3about A$800
Breville Bambino (BES450)Best value8.07.57.57.09.07.9about A$420
Breville Oracle Jet (BES985)Best premium9.09.09.08.05.58.2about A$3,399
De'Longhi Stilosa (EC230 / EC260)Best for tight budgets7.06.57.55.59.57.3about A$149
Breville Bambino Plus (BES500)Best for milk drinks8.08.59.07.08.08.2about A$490

How we chose

For beginners, the best machine is one that makes good espresso consistently, steams milk well and guides you while you learn, at a price that makes sense. We compared hands-on testing from Forbes Vetted, Tom's Guide and TechRadar, plus Expert Reviews' testing of budget machines, and checked specs on CHOICE and retailer listings. Each pick is recommended by at least two of these testers, and we gave the most weight to shot quality and ease of use. Machines without a grinder need a separate espresso-capable burr grinder, so we factored that into value.

Espresso quality30%
Ease of use for beginners25%
Milk steaming15%
Build quality10%
Value20%

Bars show how much each criterion counts towards the overall score. Scores are out of 10, built from the testing listed below.

Questions people ask

Do I need a separate grinder for an espresso machine?

For the Bambino, Bambino Plus and Stilosa, yes, if you want good results. Espresso needs a fine, even grind, so choose a burr grinder made for espresso, or buy pre-ground coffee and use the pressurised baskets. The Barista Express Impress and Oracle Jet have grinders built in.

Are Breville and Sage espresso machines the same?

Yes. Breville sells its machines under the Sage brand in the UK and much of Europe, with the same designs and features. Model names stay the same, such as the Sage Bambino or Sage Oracle Jet.

Is a 15 bar espresso machine better than 9 bar?

Not necessarily. Around 9 bar at the coffee is the classic pressure for espresso, and pump ratings such as 15 or 19 bar are maximums rather than what reaches the puck. Temperature stability, grind quality and fresh beans make a bigger difference to taste.

How often should I descale my espresso machine?

It depends on how hard your water is and how much you use the machine, but every two to three months is common in hard-water areas. Many machines, including Breville models, show a reminder. Using filtered water slows scale build-up.

Sources

  1. Forbes Vetted: The 6 Best Espresso Machines, After Testing 15 Popular Models (2026-10)
  2. Tom's Guide: The 7 best espresso machines you can buy in 2026 (2026-08)
  3. TechRadar: The best espresso machines (2026-09)
  4. TechRadar: Breville the Barista Express Impress coffee machine review (2022-09)
  5. Tom's Guide: De'Longhi Stilosa review: Performs like an espresso machine double the price (2025-06)
  6. Expert Reviews: De'Longhi Stilosa coffee machine review: A brilliant little manual espresso machine for £104 (2025-05)
  7. Tom's Guide: Breville Oracle Jet review: A does-it-all espresso machine (2024-10)
  8. TechRadar: Breville Oracle Jet review (2025-08)
  9. Tom's Guide: I just tested the iconic Breville Bambino Plus — and it's the perfect espresso machine for small spaces (2025-05)
  10. CHOICE: Breville The Barista Express Impress BES876 BSS review (2026-09)

More top picks

The best overall product in our other guides.

All guides