Last Updated: 1/1/19
The Best Automatic Espresso Machine
Gaggia Brera
Top Rated Overall

DeLonghi America
Easiest Use

KRUPS
Value Option

Gaggia Brera

DeLonghi America

KRUPS

Making good espresso is not an easy task. The process relies on everything from grind size to the perfect pressure and temperature to draw a proper shot, or froth the perfect milk. So how can the average Joe make great espresso from home? Since most of us aren’t trained baristas, automatic espresso machines are designed to do the work for us. Automatic espresso machines can grind, dose, tamp and pour by themselves. They are also programmable so that you can alter features like dosage or strength without so much as pressing a few buttons. Compared to a manual espresso machine, there is inevitably less user input. Less work means less control. If you’re the artisanal type and like to control every aspect of your brew, this might be seen as a drawback. But for the average consumer who may not have the know-how (or the time) to manually brew espresso drinks on the daily, automatic espresso machines are there to be your own personal barista.
Have you ever wondered just how much expertise goes into that frothy, creamy, strikingly tasty latte you buy on the way to work? Baristas require skills in grinding, dosing, tamping and even pouring in order to get that perfect espresso drink. It’s a skill that requires knowledge, patience, and lots of practice in order to master. Automatic espresso are engineered to do some or all of these skill based processes for us.
Super-Automatic
vs.
Semi-Automatic
Automatic machines are quite varied in exactly how much automation is involved, and how many features are offered. There are two main subgroups of automatic espresso machines. These are semi automatic and super (or fully) automatic. There are some slight differences between the two.

Semi-Automatic Machines:
True Espresso With Some of the Work

Semi automatic espresso machines are a little more involved. They give the user more control over their drinks, and generally don’t include a grinder. With a semi automatic, the user needs to grind their own beans, dose, tamp, and froth all themselves. The automated part of a semi automatic espresso machine has to do with the internal temperature and pressure systems. Where manual espresso machines rely on the user’s ability to evenly and consistently pull a lever (this is where the phrase “pull a shot” comes from), semi automatics are designed to pull shots for you with perfect pressure consistency. Of course, the end result still relies on other factors such as the grind size and the pressure of your tamp. This doesn’t necessarily mean that semi automatics require much skill, since beginners can still use these machines with relative ease. For example, with pressurized portafilters, even tamping your grinds doesn’t necessitate any expertise. Semi automatic espresso machines control pressure, temperature, and sometimes dosage for you. There is a small learning curve, but they are easy to figure out and ultimately give you more control and freedom with your beverages.
Super Automatic Machines:
True Espresso with None of the Work
Super automatics are designed to do absolutely everything for you. They usually come with a built in grinder and will grind, dose, tamp, and pour. These are the true “push of a button” espresso machines. And unlike capsule style espresso machines, they brew real, fresh espresso rather than espresso-style coffee (you can read more about the difference between true espresso and capsule espresso here). You will ultimately have less control over your drinks with a super automatic, but they are often fully programmable, meaning you can alter settings like strength and dosage. So for true espresso with none of the work, super automatics are the way to go.

The Best Super Automatic Espresso Machines
Super Automatic Espresso machines are the easiest way to get true espresso with minimal effort. These machines are designed to produce quality espresso while taking on the task of grinding, dosing, tamping, brewing and even frothing your milk. They are the essence of “espresso at the push of a button.” These machines are perfect for people who want good espresso drinks without all the work.
#1
Gaggia Brera Super Automatic
The Best All-Around

Why We Love It
It’s a great starter espresso machine with a user friendly interface and stylish design
Who Should Buy This
Those who want a quality starter espresso machine
The Gaggia Brera Super Automatic is the ultimate super automatic. It has a ceramic burr grinder for more uniform grind, which translates into better tasting espresso. It also has a pre ground coffee setting in case you choose to grind your own coffee, or if you buy pre ground. The coffee spouts are height adjustable to accommodate various mug or to go cup sizes. This model comes with a Panarello wand milk frother. Some view these wands as subpar, but they’re really just designed for beginners and machines that don’t have a lot of steaming power. Essentially, the Panarello simply automatically infuses the steam with air so that the user doesn’t have to draw the wand up and down as is the technique with a professional espresso machine. It also has a rapid steam setting to reduce the time delay between steaming milk and brewing coffee. The Gaggia Brera has pretty small water tank, especially for a machine that includes a frother, so it requires frequent refilling. But other than that, it stands as our overall top recommendation for super automatic espresso machines.
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#2
DeLonghi America ECAM28465
Most User Friendly Option

Why We Love It
The front-loading water tank and milk frother, paired with an easy-to-use interface and programs make it perfect for any user
Who Should Buy This
Those who are willing to spend a little more for convenience and perfect coffee, every time
DeLonghi is at the top of many coffee expert lists. They’ve been around for a long time and know how to balance long term knowledge and innovation. The Prima Donna is one of the best user-friendly super automatics we’ve seen. For starters, it has a front loading milk and water tank. DeLonghi was the first to try this front loading design, and it has caught on in a big way. The milk tank is removable so you can refrigerate it after use without constantly playing the guessing game with your milk quantities. You get two steaming options with the Prima Donna: you can use the Panarello steam wand, or for an even lazier morning, you can use the automatic carafe (which you can set to steam various quantities of milk). It has preset coffee settings, or you can program the “My Coffee” option for more personalized doses and strengths. You can also program on/off times with this machine so that it’s warmed up and ready to go by the time you get out of bed, and shuts down when you leave for the day. Finally, the Prima Donna is a great looking machine. It has a brushed stainless steel exterior and a user friendly interface. This machine does require a bit of patience when it’s initially heating up, so we recommend taking advantage of the programmable on/off with this model. Overall this one of the most user friendly, well laid-out super automatics on the market.
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#3
KRUPS EA89
Affordable Features

Why We Love It
Lots of features and customization for this price range
Who Should Buy This
People who like the most variety with minimal effort
The Krups One-Touch Deluxe is one of the most feature-heavy super automatics out there. While they are often fully programmable, super automatics are not generally known for their customizability, simply because they’re designed to do most of the work and decision making for you. But the Krups stands out in this regard. You can select between 15 fully customizable drink options, an impressive feat given that everything is fully automatic. It can also brew two drinks at once, making it great for office or household environments serving multiple people. All features are easily accessible through the touch screen prompts. The coffee spout is height adjustable and it comes with a removable water filter. It does require some disassembly of small parts to clean, but the process itself is very easy. You simply remove the front casing on the spout, take out the components inside, rinse and dry, then pop them back into place. For all its feature, the Krups is also priced quite competitively. This machine only takes full beans, so it’s not a great option if you like to buy pre ground or want to grind your own beans. Other than that, the Krups One-Touch Deluxe is a feature-rich fully automatic at a surprisingly competitive price.
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#4
Jura Impressa C65
Beautifully Designed

Why We Love It
It’s sleek and easy to use
Who Should Buy This
Those who want simple and straightforward espresso
The Jura Impressa C65 is a sleek, modern looking design with a very simple user interface. It leaves little to the imagination, featuring a spout, a few knobs, and a frother.It boasts a few fancy-sounding features, like the Pre-Brew Aroma System and the Fine Foam Frother. The pre-brew aroma system shots water in short spurts, which is designed to optimize extraction time and increase the aroma in your coffee. Their foaming system is a vague multi-chamber design unique to Jura. The end result wasn’t leagues above our other top automatic machines, but the flavour was delicious and the foam had a nice consistency. There is also a brew interruption feature in case you find your shot is running too long. One downside of the Jura frother is that it doesn’t come with its own carafe. Jura models have a hose and nozzle that you stick in your carafe (or any milk holder), so you’ll have to supply that component yourself. Overall, the Impressa is easy to use and the coffee tastes great.
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The Best Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines
Semi Automatic Espresso Machines are different than super automatics in that they give more control back to the user. Most of the processes that are automated in super automatics are done by the user in semi automatics. This includes grinding, dosing, tamping, and milk frothing. While semi automatics will draw a shot with consistent pressure, and sometimes do the dosing for you, the end result still depends on your ability to grind, tamp and froth your milk. Don’t be too intimidated however. Entry level semi automatics are not as complicated to use as a commercial espresso machine, and require little more than a couple of trial and errors before you’ll be making your own delicious espresso drinks. The other upside of semi automatics is that because users have more control, you can play around with all kinds of different drink options that you can’t necessarily do with super automatics.
#5
Breville BES880BSS
Control, not Complexity

Why We Love It
It simplifies espresso making without sacrificing quality
Who Should Buy This
Those who want a balance between control and simplicity
The Breville Barista Touch is a really well thought out espresso machine. It gives you all the control you want out of a semi automatic, but has tons of automated and programmable features that make it accessible to coffee makers of any skill level. The Barista Touch comes with a bean hopper and automatic grinder, and can be programmed for different dosages. The steam arm is fantastic because like a Panarello, it adds air to the foam so you don’t have to know any foaming techniques to get that creamy latte or cappuccino foam. Better yet, you can program the steamer for both the amount and temperature of foam/milk you want. Once finished, the steam arm also purges automatically, making it a breeze to keep clean. It is very user friendly, boasting a touch screen interface that offers 6 pre-programmed drinks and 6 customizable drinks that you can program (and even name) right into the system. For all its features, this machine doesn’t sacrifice quality. Like the BES 870XL, it has a pre infusion features designed to extract more flavour from your coffee. When all is said and done, this is an impressively designed espresso machine that balances effort, ease and taste in harmony.
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Not What You're Looking For?
Automatic espresso machines are just one category of the many styles of espresso machines out there. Espresso machines vary greatly in their automation, functionality, style and price range. These are our selections for the best automatic espresso machines, but there are tons of other options out there that include budget espresso machines, commercial machines, and even stovetop espresso makers. For a general overview of our favourite espresso machines, take a look at our review here.
I'm On a Tight Budget,
Are the Cheap Machines any Good?
This really depends on your coffee expertise, and most importantly, your personal taste. If you’re a trained barista who’s used to top of the line espresso, then you’ll probably be left wanting with a budget espresso machine. Making good espresso combines technique and science, and the tighter your budget, the more you’ll sacrifice in those categories and therefore in overall quality. That being said, there are some great budget espresso machines out there that will give you the full barista experience, and even brew great espresso, so long as you’re not making a comparison to expertly crafted artisanal espresso drinks.
Why Wouldn't You Get an Automatic Machine?
The short answer is that more control gives you more options. If you’re happy with push-of-the-button espresso, you might not get much satisfaction making the step up to a semi automatic machine. However, if you want the ability to customize, play around with textures and flavours, or even just enjoy the process of doing some of the work yourself, you’ll be rewarded with the freedom given by a semi automatic.
The Best Automatic Espresso Machine
Last Updated: 1/1/19The Best Automatic Espresso MachineGaggia BreraTop Rated OverallDeLonghi AmericaEasiest UseKRUPSValue OptionGaggia BreraPremiu
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