Espresso Machines: How to Choose?

Espresso drinkers love the finer things in life, and espresso machine makers excel at providing pleasing, quality products in every price range. That makes choosing easier: what makes you happy?

Are you the do-it-yourself type who likes to make things from scratch and experiment with the details? Manual machines allow you to adjust your own espresso grind, mix beans at your whim, tamp to your secret specs, and froth your milk with the deft hand of a barista. The DeLonghi DEC5 espresso machine, for example, makes a superior espresso with you at the helm, and its beauty belies its surprising affordability. Rather leave it to the experts? Among the most magical automatic machines is the S-PTP-SG Primea Touch Plus. Its precision burr grinder perfectly prepares your fresh beans, coaxes out your espresso with flawlessly pressurized self-filtered water, froths your milk, and then cleans itself up, doing everything but bringing it to your pillow. It won't save you any time, though, because you'll sit in front of it, mesmerized.

Push or pull? Those antique brass machines you saw in Rome use a long handle to create the pressure to push water through the packed grind. The chrome Gaggia Achille 11400 is a mouth-watering example of this simple, classic design. Other machines, like the Krups XP2010, are pump-driven, letting you dial in the pressure while they do the work. Many espresso machines just build up a head of steam and blow.

Your espresso maker will spend a few moments each day filling your house with exotic aromas, and the rest sitting around looking pretty. Italians lead the world in fashion as well as espresso, and no machine is more beautiful to look at than the Espressione 1385 Cafe Retro, perfect in every whimsical detail, including the measuring spoon.