It was almost a year ago when I stumbled onto a rather incredible discount on my dream coffee machine, the Breville Oracle Touch. At the time, we were celebrating EOFY 2025, which had bargains aplenty, including a tidy AU$1,000 off the terrific coffee maker. However, I've just spotted an even better discount, and I'm definitely reaching for my credit card.

Right now, my most wished-for coffee machine, the Breville Oracle Touch, has been discounted by a massive AU$1,000 during Breville's EOFY sale. Across the sale, this is the biggest discount offered on any Breville product, let alone a coffee machine of its calibre.

That said, this discount gets even better when you apply an exclusive code, courtesy of Tom's Guide. With this code, found on our Breville coupons page, you can score an additional 10% off the Oracle Touch, bringing it down to just AU$2,249.10 — that's AU$1,249.90 off RRP!

While I was way off investing in this machine last June, I can confidently say I'm picking one up this year. So, if you're anything like me and had your eye on a Breville coffee machine for some time, you'll need to act fast. This killer price is only available until June 30, 2026.

Okay, I get it — you may be wondering how I know this coffee machine is the one for me and my home setup if I haven't used it before. Well, I can honestly say that I have, and it's one of the big reasons I regularly attend Tom's Guide AU office (other than to work, obviously).

The Breville Oracle Touch has made a fine home for itself in our office kitchen, and as soon as it gets to 11 am, you can always find me at the machine, crafting my latest coffee obsession — an iced long black with a dash of almond milk.

I'm not one to fuss around with grind and tamp settings, either, so the Oracle Touch has truly come in handy at perfecting my ideal cup. As the name might suggest, all you need to do is press the touchscreen display to select your grind size, preferred caffeinated beverage and hit start.

Plus, thanks to its dual boiler system, the machine is seriously speedy when making your morning brews, as it can foam and pull an espresso shot at the same time. And as someone who is constantly in a hurry, it's a pretty big win to have a coffee in hand as I'm flying out the door.

So if you have the means to nab this excellent machine, Breville's EOFY sale is the best time to act. And if Breville's coffee machines aren't up your alley, you can use our Breville coupon code across the entire site to score an additional 10% off. What a win.

Let me tell you this from the bottom of my heart: you do not need to spend over $500 on the best espresso machine to get barista-level coffee at home. You can easily get a pro-level espresso machine for $300 — the Breville Bambino. The Bambino is my go-to recommendation if you want coffee-snob-level espresso on a budget.

I have also tested the $150 De'Longhi Stilosa and the $109 Casabrews 3700 Essential — these super-budget espresso machines pack a surprising punch. With a little more practice and some skill, you'll definitely be slinging shots like your local blue-haired barista.

If you're setting up your at-home coffee station, you should get one of these cheap machines and invest in one of the best coffee grinders, like the Comandante C40 MK4 (around $300), Timemore Chestnut C2s ($79), or the Baratza Encore ESP ($199).

You can also get more out of your coffee machine by following this quick fix — it could improve the taste.

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If you're looking for an espresso machine that won't break the bank, will fit in any kitchen, and is easy to use, I'll let you in on my worst-kept secret: the Breville Bambino Plus. This tiny, unassuming espresso machine is under $500, but it has a cult following, and there's one reason why... It's simply fantastic.

I recommend this espresso machine to everyone who'll listen — it's without a doubt one of the best espresso machines money can buy. Whether you're a coffee nerd who doesn't want (or need) a dual boiler or a complete beginner, you'll love the Bambino Plus.

Right now, the Bambino Plus is just $399 — the lowest-ever price. We usually see this price around Black Friday, but sometimes it'll dip randomly. But not for long — according to Amazon, this deal will end at 3 AM EST, tomorrow morning (May 12)/midnight tonight PST (May 11). Hurry!

What actually makes the Bambino Plus so good?

If you've been here before, you'll know I love the Bambino Plus — and I also love its younger sibling, the Bambino. Both of these machines are incomprehensibly good for their price.

For $299, the Bambino gives you a PID controller, a powerful, 1-hole steam wand, and customizable pre-infusion wrapped up in a 6-inch wide body.

Comparatively, for $499 ($399 right now), the Bambino Plus gives you a PID controller, a powerful 4-hole steam wand (+ auto frothing), customizable pre-infusion, and a three-way solenoid valve that makes cleanup easy. A solenoid valve effectively sucks out the water from the puck post-extraction, so you can whack the entire coffee puck into the trash (or compost) without needing to get your hands dirty.

You also get weighty accessories with the Plus, like a heavy tamper and a mostly metal portafilter.

These are super-premium features at a budget price, and for these reasons, I always recommend the Bambino Plus.

Unlike other budget machines I've tested (Casabrews CM5418, Casabrews 3700 Essential, De'Longhi Stilosa), the Bambino Plus is good enough to impress casual coffee drinkers and serious coffee snobs right out of the box. While these other machines need a few accessories — or a lot of finesse — for snob-approved drinks, the Bambino Plus can do it from the off.

With the provided single-walled portafilter basket and the powerful steam wand, I can make consistently perfect coffee again and again. For that reason, it's my go-to home espresso machine.

If I could go back in time and get a different espresso machine, I would stick with my Bambino Plus. And at just $399, you should, too!

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• You don't have to spend $1k on espresso — my pro setup is under $650 (trust me, I'm an ex-barista)
• The Coffee Lab: What will get the Tamp of Approval?

I love playing with the best espresso machines. Every time I unbox a new model, I can barely hold back my excitement. Making flat whites and Americanos and lattes for my colleagues is one of my favorite things to do — it reminds me of my barista days.

As a result, I write a lot about espresso machines. I recently asked you to tell me your favorite espresso machine — and it brings me great pleasure to announce the winner of the poll.

Drum roll, please....

The Breville Bambino Plus!

Yes, the Breville Bambino Plus is your favorite espresso machine. It took a huge 27% of the vote, 6 percentage points higher than the runner-up, the Breville Bambino. Casabrews came in third, the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo and De'Longhi Stilosa joint fourth, and the $3k Breville Oracle Dual Boiler in last place.

Even after testing 43 coffee makers (yes, 43...), the Breville Bambino Plus is my favorite, too. Here's why I agree with you.

The results

Why I love the Breville Bambino Plus too

The Breville Bambino Plus is the perfect espresso machine for both coffee enthusiasts and coffee beginners. Despite being incredibly easy to use and boasting an automatic milk frothing mode for total newbies, it's also stuffed with features that'll please even the snobbiest of coffee nerds.

I have the Bambino Plus at home, and it's perfect for my household — me, the coffee snob, and my boyfriend, the give-me-hot-bean-water-and-give-it-to-me-now coffee drinker.

You can customize pre-infusion time — when the machine soaks the coffee using low-pressure water — to unveil new subtle notes in your beans. You also benefit from a PID controller, which is a nifty piece of tech that controls water temperature at every stage during the extraction.

This all combines to make a barista-quality espresso that'll whet the appetites of coffee snobs, coffee connoisseurs, and coffee casualists alike.

It's not just espresso that makes the Bambino Plus a near-perfect machine, though. The 4-hole steam wand is intensely powerful and can make barista-level latte art without breaking a sweat.

Despite being such a tiny machine, the steam wand packs a major punch. You can easily create the all-important 'vortex' to texturize the milk as skilfully as a professional barista.

But if you can't be bothered to make your own milk — don't fret! The Bambino Plus has an auto-milk frother that steams your milk hands-free. All you have to do is fill the jug, put the steam wand inside, and press 'go'. The machine starts and stops the entire process.

Personally, I never use this mode, but my boyfriend only ever uses it. It just depends on your barista style.

Another feature I love is the auto-purge. On most other espresso machines, you need to manually purge the steam wand after use, and it's quite easy to forget if you don't have this drilled into you from over three years working in coffee shops.

But not the Bambino Plus. As soon as you turn off the steam wand, it purges into the drip tray. Sure, this means you have to empty the drip tray more often, but you don't want to be leaving nasty stagnant coffee/milk water in your lovely, expensive espresso machine, do you?

Finally, we have the accessories. As much as I love the $299 Breville Bambino — and it is by far the best espresso machine in its price class — the tamper doesn't have the same sturdy heft as the Bambino Plus's.

The Bambino Plus comes with a weighty, mostly metal tamper and weighty, high-quality portafilters. No flimsy plastic accessories here. Breville's milk jugs are the best milk jugs I've ever used, too — the angled spout helps with latte art so much.

You get this angled spout with the Bambino, too, but you don't get the weighty tamper or weighty portafilters with the $300 machine.

What do you think about the Breville Bambino Plus? Is it your favorite espresso machine? What would you recommend instead?

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I love a good family-style meal. Whether it's hosting a dinner party for my parents or enjoying a cake picnic with my closest circle of friends, I love plating up exquisite dishes and trying new recipes. But this hasn't always been the case. I was a notoriously bad chef, and I would often groan at the thought of any meal taking longer than 20 minutes to prepare.

Fortunately, that’s where the world of kitchen appliances comes into its own, with the sole purpose of making cooking easier and more efficient. I’ve been fortunate enough to try out a variety of kitchen gadgets and gizmos, and I can honestly say they've improved my cooking skills. These appliances have helped me bid farewell to the days of burnt toast, undercooked chicken, and soggy fries — all without adding any extra fuss to meal prep.

From effortlessly creating complex cakes with my KitchenAid stand mixer to brewing up caffeine delights with my Ninja Luxe Cafe, the gadgets listed below are my most-used, most-loved and most-rated in the kitchen. And the best part? They're now discounted at select retailers, including Amazon, KitchenAid and The Good Guys.

You'll need to act fast to nab a solid discount, though, as these prices won't stick around long.

5 Top-rated kitchen appliances

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Please don't think you have to buy the most expensive espresso machine on the market to make decent coffee at home. That is wildly incorrect. Save your money — get one of the best affordable espresso machines for beginners.

I've tested pretty much every mainstream espresso machine on the market. Breville? Check. De'Longhi? Check. Casabrews? Check. Gevi? Check. Cuisinart? Check. Jura? Check. If you can buy it, I've probably had my caffeine-addicted mitts on it.

I have but four recommendations for beginners: the $149 De'Longhi Stilosa, $299 Breville Bambino, $499 Breville Bambino Plus, and the $699 De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo. The best part is yet to come — all of these machines are discounted right now, from $99-$499. So, you'll be brewing like a pro in no time — all for less than $500.

How can I get barista-quality espresso at home?

The first thing I want all beginner baristas to remember is that coffee is supposed to be fun. Please don't stress yourself out following overly complex advice you might've seen online — forget about WDT tools, forget about tamping pressure for a moment, forget about backpressure and pumps and yadda yadda.

If you're a complete beginner, I want you to remember just two things: weight and time. These are the two key principles for good coffee.

I recommend getting one of the best coffee scales — I have the Wacaco Exagram Pro, which is $50 and super reliable — to measure these things.

The key to professional espresso is simple: it's a recipe. Just like baking, or cooking, or, heck, even walking, you only need to follow a recipe. The recipe for walking is foot + surface + movement = walk. Easy, right?

The recipe for good coffee is weight + time = espresso. I want you to measure how much coffee you're putting in your portafilter, then weigh how much you're getting out. If the finished espresso is roughly double the weight of your dry coffee, you're onto a winner.

You should be getting this espresso out within around 20-30 seconds. Sure, anything less than 23 seconds is "too fast" and anything longer than 28 seconds is "too slow", but if you're a beginner, just aim for that window.

But the most important test of all is the taste test. Drink your espresso. How does it taste? Yummy? Then you're onto a winner! You've done it!

Which espresso machine is right for me?

Three of the espresso machines I mentioned earlier — De'Longhi Stilosa ($99 right now), Breville Bambino ($249 right now), and the Breville Bambino Plus ($399 right now) are compact espresso machines.

These are ideal for small spaces or beginner setups, but they have no grinder. You might want to experiment with grocery store pre-ground coffee if you're a total beginner, or you might want to get a cheap grinder like the 1ZPresso Q-Air ($60) or the Timemore Chestnut C2s ($79) to get started.

If you're a total beginner, I'd recommend the Stilosa as it saves you the most money. If you already know you want to get into coffee, I'd go for the Bambino, as you get some premium features like automated temperature control and low-pressure infusion customization.

If you're happy to spend a bit more and you want the "best" small espresso machine (in my humble opinion), I'd recommend the Breville Bambino Plus. This is the espresso machine I have at home — the steam wand is crazy powerful, and you can get seriously barista-level latte art with it.

However, if you want a fantastic machine (that is seriously underpriced — honestly, does De'Longhi know how cheap this machine is right now?) that can do it all, then you won't be disappointed with the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo (just $499 right now).

This is a bean-to-cup, which means that it has a built-in grinder, and is the best-value all-in-one espresso machine I've ever tested. It's my go-to recommendation for newbies who want a grinder and espresso machine. The steam wand is ultra-powerful and it can even make cold brew, perfect for summer.

Which machine looks the best? Which one do you think you'll get? Do you have any other recommendations I may have missed? Let me know!

I'm an ex-barista and now Tom's Guide's resident coffee expert, so I've tested a fair few of the best espresso machines in my time. But while I may have hung up my barista apron in favor of these super-speedy journalist typing fingers, I haven't forgotten how much I love the sweet art of coffee-making.

I genuinely love making coffee. I love the routine, I love the artistry, I love it when my colleagues repeatedly ask, "When's the next espresso machine review?" As soon as I unbox a machine, it's like a Biblical swarm of coffee-hungry locusts, smacking their lips and rubbing their hands together as I make what feels like hundreds of lattes and Americanos.

So you would be right to assume that I have a decent understanding of which espresso machines on the market are worth your hard-earned dollars. I've tested $3,000 Brevilles and $99 Casabrewses. If you want an espresso machine but aren't sure which to get, let me help you. Here are my 7 highest-rated espresso machines.

Best espresso machine deals: Quick links

• Casabrews 3700 Essential: was $129 now $99
• De'Longhi Stilosa: was $149 now $99
• Breville Bambino: was $299 now $249
• Breville Bambino Plus: was $499 now $399
• Breville Barista Express: was $699 now $549
• Breville Express Impress: was $799 now $649
• De'Longhi Rivelia: was $1,499 now $1,999

Best espresso machine deals right now

I have the best job in the world. As Tom's Guide's resident coffee expert, I spend much of my time playing with the best espresso machines. I've reviewed everything from the $3k Breville Oracle Dual Boiler to the $129 Casabrews 3700 Essential to the iconic, coffee-snob-favorite Breville Bambino Plus. Catch me on an espresso machine day, and my brain is 99% random coffee knowledge.

What's the other 1%, I hear you ask? Probably trying to remember if I actually locked my front door, or if I left the fridge open. All of that is to say — I know way too much about coffee. Luckily for you, I've decided to put that to good use and help you find the ideal espresso machine for your needs.

Every single espresso machine on this list I have personally tested, so don't worry about an impersonal, arbitrary collection pulled from Amazon's sponsored list. Every machine has also received a 4-star — or, in the Breville Bambino's case, a perfect 5-star — rating from me. Trust me, you're in good hands!

What should you look for in an espresso machine?

The first thing you need to figure out is budget. How much money do you have to spend? That's the most integral part of picking an espresso machine — everything else relies upon that.

Next, think about how much space you have. I've tested utter behemoths — the Breville Oracle Dual Boiler is 18 inches tall, 14 inches wide, and 15 inches deep — and also tiny skinny legends — the Casabrews 3700 Essential is just 5 inches wide.

I have a pretty small apartment, so the Breville Bambino Plus + Comandante C40 MK4 hand grinder is as large as I can go.

After you've got budget and space figured out, it's time to think about what you want from your machine. Do you want to make Instagrammable flat whites and cortados? Are you looking for the proverbial gateway drug into the exclusive world of coffee snobbery, or something a toddler could use?

If you want to learn what things like "customizable pre-infusion time" and "PID controller" mean, I'd recommend a Breville. Every Breville — yes, even the entry-level Bambino and Bambino Plus — has a PID controller to ensure your coffee is never burnt or weak and a customizable pre-infusion time so you can adjust the flavor profile of your espresso depending on your beans of choice.

But if you just want to make consistently yummy espresso, you might want to check out the Casabrews 3700 Essential or De'Longhi Stilosa. Both of these machines are exceedingly easy to use, ideal for beginners.

However, if you've got serious money to spend, you might want to treat yourself to the Breville Oracle Dual Boiler. This model is the most intelligent espresso machine I've ever used. You can pre-program your ideal drink recipes into the machine — or choose from the 15 pre-set drink recipes.

Last but not least, if $3k is a little out of your budget but you want a bean-to-cup, then I wholeheartedly recommend the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo. This is the best-value bean-to-cup I've ever tested — just $699 for a grinder, powerful steam wand, premium design, and a temperature-controlled espresso pull is ideal.

Let me know which machine tickles your fancy!

As an ex-barista and now Tom's Guide's resident coffee expert (read: coffee snob), I've tested loads of the best espresso machines. I've reviewed $3000 superautomatics, $99 budget models, and everything in between.

So you can imagine that the espresso machine I chose to welcome into my home is a darn good one. And you'd be right. I gave up my $900 De'Longhi La Specialista Opera for the Breville Bambino Plus — a $399 compact workhorse that makes espresso like a professional barista.

Although the Bambino Plus's MSRP is $499, it's just $399 on Amazon right now, which, incidentally, is its lowest-ever price. I love my Bambino Plus — and I'm so sure you will, too.

Premium features with a budget-friendly price

The Breville Bambino Plus is Breville's second-cheapest espresso machine, but you wouldn't be able to guess just from tasting its coffee.

Some brands save premium features for pricey machines, but not Breville. Every single Breville has a PID controller — yes, even the $299 Bambino — which is one of the most important things to look for in an espresso machine.

A PID controller is a nifty piece of engineering that controls water temperature at every point during espresso extraction. You don't want your water hotter or colder than around 197°F-206°F. Any hotter, and your coffee will taste burnt. Any colder, and your coffee will taste weak.

Other cheap espresso machines rely on internal boilers to heat water to a preset temperature, but not PID machines. PID machines have a separate device that takes care of this, so you can put your faith in the machine.

Now, I'm not saying every machine with a PID controller is immediately the best espresso machine to grace our planet, but the Venn diagram of "Machines with PID" and "Machines that make barista-quality espresso" is nearly a perfect circle.

Steam wand of pure power

One of the biggest pitfalls of a cheap espresso machine is weak steam power. So often, I test out a budget model and am really impressed by its espresso capabilities. But, then, its weak steam wand lets it down — like the Casabrews Ultra.

But not the Bambino Plus. This model has a four-hole steam wand that can make professional-quality latte art (depending on your skills, of course). When steaming milk, you should be aiming for a 'vortex' in the jug that aerates the milk to the texture of melted ice cream.

With a spluttery, weak steam wand, this is basically impossible. But Breville has installed a darn powerful steam wand on the Bambino Plus, and I'm sure you'll be on your way to making Instagrammable lattes in no time.

The Bambino Plus also has an auto milk frothing function if you're not fussed about making your own milk, so it's ideal for every member of the household. I always steam my milk manually, but my boyfriend only ever uses the auto setting. Guess whose latte art is better? Me, obviously, but I've got 3 1/2 years of barista experience up on him, so it's not really a fair competition.

When I unboxed the new-ish De'Longhi Linea Classic, I was a little stumped. "Huh," I thought to myself as I pinched the wide steam wand between my fingers. "Well, I'll be."

This type of steam wand is called a Pannarello wand. These wands are aimed at beginners. As you might be able to tell by looking at it, Pannarello wands are thicker and wider. These styles of wands force air into the milk continuously, so you don't have to do any fancy-schmancy vortex-making or aeration.

While this may be good for some types of home baristas, a Pannarello wand is my worst enemy. As a former barista turned coffee snob, I'm a sucker for the thinner, commercial-style steam wands. For an espresso machine to be crowned one of the best espresso machines, it needs to be usable for beginners and semi-pros alike. As easy to use and attractive as the Linea Classic is, it's just not for me. If you're a bit of a coffee snob yourself, I'll tell you exactly what you should get instead.

What's wrong with the De'Longhi Linea Classic?

As I said earlier, the Linea Classic isn't an inherently awful machine. Actually, if you value a sleek, modern appearance and usability over fancy coffee, then it might be perfect for you.

As per my coffee snob status, I need an espresso machine that can help me relive my coffeehouse days. A powerful steam wand, single-walled portafilters (or compatible third-party accessories) and premium features like pre-infusion and PID controllers are my non-negotiables.

Unfortunately, the Linea Classic just isn't for me. It falls at the first hurdle: its steam wand.

Take a look at these two images below. The first image shows the steam wand on the Breville Bambino (just $70 more than the Linea Classic): the second shows the steam wand of the Linea Classic.

As you can see, the steam wands look completely different. You might think this is just a superficial aberration, but you'd be wrong. The Bambino has a powerful jet of steam that aerates milk delicately. However, the De'Longhi Linea Classic can only froth the milk violently.

If you're a cappuccino addict, you might not even notice the difference. Historically, cappuccinos are made with drier (frothier) milk, so I know that's what the Linea Classic's steam wand is designed for. However, it's not for me. It's just not versatile enough.

When I'm at home, I don't just make flat whites on my Breville Bambino Plus. I make chai lattes, matcha lattes, and hot chocolates using my Bambino Plus' steam wand. If I had the Linea Classic instead, I wouldn't be able to do this.

So what do I recommend instead?

Thankfully, there are loads of other espresso machines available. I've reviewed every single one of these, so you know my recommendations are genuine. Personally, I'd go for the Bambino if you can spend a little more but want a barista-worthy machine, or you could splurge on the $499 Bambino Plus or La Specialista Arte Evo.

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Which entry-level Breville espresso machine is worth it? Are Brevilles truly the best espresso machines money can buy? With such a hyped reputation in the coffee world, it can be tricky to figure out if Breville machines are as good as everyone says they are.

In short, everyone's right. I've reviewed tons of espresso machines — and I'm an ex-barista — and I've yet to test a Breville I don't like. Thanks to their premium design, user-friendly functionality, and top-notch espresso, Breville espresso machines are one of the best ways to get barista-level coffee at home.

So, the next problem is figuring out which machine to buy. Is the Bambino Plus worth the extra $200, or is the Bambino good enough? I put Breville's two beginner machines head-to-head to see which one reigns supreme.

Breville Bambino vs Breville Bambino Plus: Specs

Breville Bambino vs Breville Bambino Plus: Pricing

The Bambino and Bambino Plus are Breville's entry-level machines, and they're priced to reflect this.

In the U.S., you'll find the Breville Bambino for $299 on Amazon. You'll find the Bambino Plus for $499 on Amazon.

In the U.K., Breville is called Sage. You'll find the Sage Bambino for £329 at AO and the Sage Bambino Plus for £399 at Amazon U.K..

In the U.S., the price difference between the Bambino and the Plus makes the Bambino better for most people. $299 feels much more digestible than $499. Is having an auto-milk function and a more powerful steam wand worth $200?

However, in the U.K., I'd recommend just spending an extra £70 and getting the best of the best — the Bambino Plus.

Overall, though, the Bambino wins here.

Breville Bambino vs Breville Bambino Plus: Design

As with every espresso machine under Breville's belt, the Bambino and the Bambino Plus are both breathtakingly gorgeous. Breville has really mastered the art of making cheaper products look — and feel — like their much pricier counterparts.

Both the Bambino and Bambino Plus are available in silver (pictured). The Plus also comes in blue or red, although these colorways seem less popular than the silver or black versions. Regardless of color, the Bambino and Bambino Plus feel much pricier than they are.

What separates the Bambino and the Bambino Plus from Breville's other machines is size. In comparison to other espresso machines, the Bambino and Bambino Plus Plus are compact, coming in at 6.3 inches and 7 inches wide, respectively.

Seeing as I've tested espresso machines as wide as 15.2 inches, which I'd only recommend for abnormally large kitchens. The Bambino and Bambino Plus are much better suited to the average kitchen.

Despite this compact size, the water tanks on both the Bambino and Bambino Plus are still large enough to see you through a decent number of drinks.

Anecdotally, I rarely fill my water tank all the way as I never get through the water fast enough. I fill it to the minimum amount every day — I'd rather use fresh water anyway.

However, if you're making loads of coffees every day, you'll be pleased to know that the Bambino and Bambino Plus will be able to keep up.

The Bambino has a 46-ounce tank and the Bambino Plus boasts a 64-ounce tank. As the Plus is a touch wider and taller than the Bambino, it makes sense that this extra space results in a larger water tank.

Although the Bambino Plus has a larger water tank, both it and the Bambino have a similar-sized drip tray: around 5 fluid ounces (150ml). Some users see the small drip tray as a hindrance. Boo-hoo, they have to empty their drip tray after every use! What a travesty.

To that, I say, "Do you really want stagnant, dirty water sitting in your ~$500 espresso machine for days at a time?"

Presumably, the answer is no. I empty my drip tray after every use, and I'd recommend you do, too. Unless, you know, you have a particular desire to stain your machine, attract flies, or live with gross coffee-milk water.

Water tanks and drip trays aside, the Bambino and Bambino Plus have a few more important differences.

Primarily, the control buttons. While the Bambino has just two large buttons — single and double shot — the Bambino Plus is controlled via three large buttons. On the Plus, you control the steam wand via a large circular button on the front of the machine, too.

The Bambino's steam wand is activated with a small button off to the right, alongside a button for hot water (that dispenses from the steam wand). The Bambino has a much more flexible steam wand, capable of rotating what feels like a full 360°.

Comparatively, the Bambino Plus's steam wand mostly just moves up and down, and there's no hot water button. I always just boil water in my kettle, because I'm British and they're very common. If you have no kettle, though, this may be a concern.

I'll round off this section by quickly discussing accessories. Both the Bambino and the Bambino Plus come with dual-walled and single-walled portafilters in both single- and double-shot sizes.

Both come with Breville's excellent milk jug. Thanks to its angled spout, I find pouring latte art really easy with Breville's jug. I like Breville's jug much more than De'Longhi's.

You get a tamper, too, of course. The Bambino Plus's tamper is metal and weighty, whereas the Bambino's is more plasticky, but still good. Finally, the Plus comes with the "Razor" tool, which basically levels your grounds before tamping. I don't ever use this, though, so take from that what you will.

The winner? Ooh, it's so hard. Due to the higher-quality tamper, I think the Bambino Plus just takes this one. However, for just $299, the Bambino deserves some admiration, too. Oh, let's just say it's a draw.

Breville Bambino vs Breville Bambino Plus: Espresso

Right, let's get into what you're really here for: Espresso. How does the coffee actually taste?

With a bit of finesse, there's no reason why you won't be making professional-quality espresso on both the Bambino and the Bambino Plus. As a former professional barista, I can genuinely say that the Bambino and Bambino Plus could go head-to-head with the espresso you get at specialty coffee shops. Trust me, I used to work at them.

However, that doesn't mean you can make barista-quality espresso straight away on either machine. You need to understand the principles of coffee: heat, ratio, and pressure. Without one of the best coffee grinders or best coffee scales, you probably won't be able to make barista-quality shots.

All that being said, the Bambino and Bambino Plus are both phenomenal machines to learn on, and that's for two main reasons: PID controller and customizable pre-infusion.

A PID controller basically controls water temperature at every stage of the brewing process. Breville machines are factory set to operate at 200°F. You can make espresso in confidence, knowing that the machine will always use optimal-temperature water.

Pre-infusion is another nifty premium feature. This basically seeps water through your coffee grounds at low pressure for up to 10 seconds before increasing the pressure for the extraction.

You control pre-infusion by holding down the respective shot button, and release when you want to ramp up the pressure. This is a fantastic feature to see on an entry-level machine — some coffee snobs will tell you that pre-infusion is the most important part of the brewing process.

As you can see from the pictures above, both the Bambino and the Bambino Plus make divine espresso. You can see the rich, creamy crema and the gorgeous caramel color on both shots. Pictures speak a thousand words, so there's little point me saying much more about these photos. Simply look and admire the delicious espresso.

When it comes to espresso, it's practically impossible to choose between the Bambino and Bambino Plus. As both machines use pretty much all the same tech, the differences aren't stark enough for there to be a winner.

As a result, I'm going to announce this round as a draw. If you treat 'em right, both the Bambino and Bambino Plus will be able to make Ambrosia-like espresso.

Breville Bambino vs Breville Bambino Plus: Milk

The only major difference between the Bambino and Bambino Plus lies here, within the steam wands.

The Bambino uses a 1-hole steam wand and has 9-bar pressure, whereas the Bambino Plus boasts a 4-hole steam wand with 15-bar pressure. Now, espresso only needs 9 bars of pressure, so the extra 6 bars in the Plus is irrelevant in terms of espresso.

However, the Plus's steam wand majorly benefits from those extra bars of pressure. The Plus's steam wand could genuinely go head-to-head with much pricier machines — it's more powerful than any of the steam wands in De'Longhi's La Specialista series. The La Specialista Arte Evo and La Specialista Opera both have a 1-hole steam wand; neither is anywhere near as powerful as the Bambino Plus's.

Here are two photos of the milk texture I achieved on the Bambino and Bambino Plus, respectively.

Please don't judge the latte art in the second photo — it's pretty shoddy because I used a too-small mug. Forgive me, coffee gods.

As you can see from the photos, the milk texture on both drinks is great. Both show delicate, thick, shiny milk with no large bubbles. Considering the Bambino photo shows oat milk, I'm really proud of this texture and resulting art.

The differences between the steam wands don't end in pressure and number of holes, though. The Bambino Plus also has an auto-milk function and auto-purging. This would be great if you're the kind of home barista who always forgets to purge the steam wand, or if you need a little extra help behind the bar.

I personally never gravitate towards the auto-milk function, but my boyfriend uses it every time he makes a coffee. It's a great feature to have if you so desire, but for me, I'm happy to skip it.

Even so, I can't deny that the Bambino Plus's steam wand is much more powerful than the Bambino's. If you want to go head-to-head with the latte art masters of the world, then I'd recommend the Bambino Plus.

But, as I said earlier, is a more powerful steam wand worth an extra $200? It's your choice. The Bambino's steam wand is great — but the Bambino Plus's steam wand is outstanding.

For me, the winner here is the Bambino Plus.

Breville Bambino vs Breville Bambino Plus: Storage & maintenance

Many people overlook cleaning and maintenance while considering espresso machine options. Maintaining your machine is just as important as making coffee on it. A poorly maintained machine will never live as long as a well-cared-for machine.

As with every other appliance that comes into contact with water, you need to descale your espresso machine often. Every three months in a soft water area, but every month or so in a hard water area.

Descaling is easy with Breville's $14 descaling solution, and both the Bambino and Bambino Plus come with a water filter holder. You can buy the water filters for $16 from Breville. I'd recommend cleaning your machine with Breville's provided cleaning tablets, which are also $14 from Breville.

While these cleaning products are pricey, this is a necessary evil when maintaining espresso machines. Breville's descaler is actually around the same price as De'Longhi's, so one brand isn't particularly cheaper than the other.

There's little to compare to here, as both the Bambino and Bambino Plus require the same maintenance. Let's call this one a draw.

Breville Bambino vs Breville Bambino Plus: Verdict

Asking me to choose between the Breville Bambino and the Breville Bambino Plus is like asking me to choose which of my eyes I'd most like to lose.

As a former barista and now a professional espresso machine tester, I'm in constant awe of Breville's two entry-level machines. This is a bold statement, I know, but both the Bambino and Bambino Plus behave like prosumer models. They're both capable of pulling professional-quality shots and steaming award-worthy milk. I would be more than happy to spend the rest of my life drinking Bambino/Bambino Plus coffee. Actually, I would be honored to.

However, this is a face-off, and you're here for one reason, and one reason only. You want me to crown a winner, right?

It depends on where you are in the world. If you're in the U.S. and you aren't too fussed about auto milk steaming, then I'd recommend saving $200 with the Bambino.

However, if you're in the U.K. (and therefore know Brevilles as Sages), then I'd suggest spending an extra £70 and getting the Bambino Plus.

Even so, both machines punch well above their weight and are capable of going head-to-head with some near-$1,000 machines. I don't think you could go wrong with either of Breville's entry-level espresso machines.

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I'm an ex-barista, and now I'm putting my coffee skills into reviewing espresso machines for a living. I test all of the best espresso machines — and the worst ones, but we don't talk about those — and I'm on a mission to help you spend your money wisely.

If you're even a little bit into coffee, you've definitely heard of Breville and De'Longhi. The espresso machines made by these two companies are some of the best-value home coffee makers, crammed with premium features that'll impress espresso purists and beginners alike. I'm a huge fan of both of these brands' machines, and there's one key reason.

All Breville espresso machines and most De'Longhis have a PID controller — and I would never buy an espresso machine without one. I'll tell you exactly what a PID controller is and why it's such a good feature.

What is a PID controller?

"PID" stands for "Proportional-Integral-Derivative." If that makes your eyes go funny, then, yeah, me too.

A PID controller effectively controls the temperature of water at every stage of the espresso-making process. If the controller detects that the water is too hot or cold, it will instantly adjust boiler power to reach the optimal temperature.

All Breville espresso machines have one. The PID controller in a Breville ensures the water is at 200°F consistently. If the machines didn't have a PID controller, the water might wobble between 198°-212°F and result in a weird-tasting coffee.

Why is a PID controller so important?

Espresso is made up of two things: water and coffee. If you use old coffee, it's not going to taste good, right? So why would you use cold/boiling water?

Coffee should be brewed between 200°F-212°F. A couple of degrees out, and you'll have either weak or burned coffee. That's why a PID controller is so important — these devices ensure accurate water temperature at every point along the brewing process.

Imagine baking a cake. You've made your batter with high-quality flour, eggs, sugar, milk, and vanilla. Then, you bake it in an oven at 450°F rather than 350°F. What's going to happen? It's gonna taste nasty, that's what.

Coffee works exactly the same. You need to brew espresso at the correct temperature; otherwise, it'll be burned or weak. Grind size is the most important aspect, but water temperature is essential too.

Which espresso machines have PID controllers?

I've tested 30 espresso machines in the past 12 months. One thing you need to know is that a PID controller doesn't automatically make a good espresso machine. Super-budget machines like the Gevi Espresso Machine with Grinder and the Casabrews CM5418 Pro both have PID controllers, but I wouldn't recommend either of those for serious baristas due to a low-quality grinder and boiler issues.

I do, however, know which PID-controlled machines are worth your money. They are the Breville Bambino, Breville Bambino Plus, De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo, and the Breville Barista Express.

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As an ex-barista and now professional espresso machine reviewer, I get my hands on a lot of the best espresso machines. I've reviewed $99 machines, $200 machines, $800 machines, all the way up to $3,000 machines (yes, the Breville Oracle Dual Boiler is three grand.)

But what is the one thing none of these machines have managed to do? Earn my perfect 5-star rating, that's what.

Enter the Breville Bambino. At first glance, an unassuming little thing, just 6.3 inches wide, weighing just 11 pounds. Yet as soon as I put this teeny machine in the ring, I realized I'd underestimated it. The Breville Bambino is a heavyweight espresso machine, capable of brewing barista-quality shots and steaming silky smooth milk without breaking a sweat — or getting its teeth knocked out.

The Bambino can go up against world champions like the Gaggia Classic, Breville Barista Express, or De'Longhi La Specialista Maestro, and it won't go down without a fight. Here's why the Breville Bambino is a perfect espresso machine.

Instant K.O.

I wrote a hefty 2,000+ word review on the Breville Bambino, and that was after reigning myself in. I could easily spend 5k words waxing lyrical about this monstrously talented machine.

For the sake of your poor thumbs (imagine scrolling through 5,000 words), I'll keep it brief.

Like all other machines under Breville's belt, the Bambino has a PID controller. A PID controller is a nifty piece of tech inside your machine that controls the temperature of the water as it flows through the coffee. This temperature is factory-set to 200°F, which is within the ideal range of 200°F-212°F for espresso extraction.

Other, more expensive machines like the Smeg EMC02 have a customizable PID controller, but that privilege can set you back nearly $2,000.

And another feature you might be surprised to see on a cheap machine? Customizable pre-infusion time. This is where low-pressure water seeps through the grounds for up to ten seconds, before the machine ramps up the pressure and extracts the espresso. Pre-infusion can dramatically alter the taste and bring out more nuanced flavors.

Considering the Bambino is a comparatively measly $299, these are majorly impressive features to have. Just look at this delicious espresso shot I made on the Bambino.

I guzzled that shot. If I don't mix my espresso with milk or water, you know it's delicious. And I drank it raw. It tasted complex, layered, yet balanced, with top notes of florals and juicy citrus and a well-rounded, toasty, malty flavor at the back end. Utterly delectable.

But espresso isn't the only thing this machine can do. It can also steam a mean milk. As an ex-barista with three-and-a-half years of slinging shots and steaming milk behind me, I long for the domestic machines that'll get me pouring latte art like I'm still behind that bar.

The Bambino is one of them. Not only can you switch between espresso and milk in under four seconds, but it also boasts a crazy powerful steam wand. I was able to get the all-important 'vortex', resulting in shiny, melted-ice-cream texture milk. This photo shows an oat milk latte, which is trickier to steam than dairy.

Although not my most aesthetic pour, you can see the texture of the milk clearly. It's soft and weighty but without being stiff. This latte tasted as good as it looks.

Oh, and like Breville's pricier machines, the Bambino comes with the iconic angled spout jug, which means it's easier to pour barista-quality latte art.

Enter the opponents

The Breville Bambino does what many other espresso machines try and fail to accomplish: Barista-quality coffee at budget pricing.

Although I know $299 sounds like a lot of money — it is a lot of money — if you're familiar with the price of espresso machines, it's actually incredibly reasonable. If you want a high-quality compact espresso machine, you're looking at around $500 for the Breville Bambino Plus or the Gaggia Classic.

I've tested the $129 Casabrews 3700 Essential, which, in my mind, is a clear Bambino dupe, right down to the layout of the buttons. I've also tested the $299 Casabrews 5418 Pro, which is more like a Bambino Plus-level dupe.

Both machines are good, but neither breaks into "I would buy this for myself" territory. This is due to a plethora of reasons: no single-walled portafilter accessory, frustrating forced boiler purging, and flimsy accessories.

This is where the Bambino shines. You can tell it's made for coffee enthusiasts and beginners alike. As I mentioned earlier, you get tons of high-end, coffee-snob-worthy features for your $299. You get customizable pre-infusion time, a PID controller, and a barista-quality steam wand.

Thanks to these features, the Bambino is head and shoulders above the rest of the rather bloated beginner-friendly espresso machine crowd.

If you're willing to spend a bit more — or having a built-in grinder is a non-negotiable — then you sacrifice some of these features for the convenience.

I utterly adored the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo, and it's the best-value bean-to-cup on the market right now. But it stumbles where the Bambino excels: the steam wand. Although powerful, all of De'Longhi's La Specialista range suffers from the same inflexible steam wand, which means I wouldn't really want to buy one for myself.

The La Specialista range also lacks a PID controller, which is an essential feature if you want a reliable, high-quality espresso machine that'll pull consistent shots.

On top of that, the coffee snob crowd would berate me in the comments if I didn't tell you that built-in grinders are inherently inferior to standalone grinders. It's true, but some people just want the added convenience of a built-in grinder.

The Bambino's biggest competitor is kind of... itself? Breville also makes the $499 Bambino Plus, which is my personal espresso machine. I'd recommend splurging on the $500 model if you want a four-hole steam wand more than you want two hundred smackaroos left spare, but if you want to spend as little as possible, it's gotta be the Bambino. It's a perfect espresso machine.

I challenge you to show me another model that can do more for less.

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The Breville Bambino is the best espresso machine for coffee lovers on a budget. At just $299, you’d be hard-pressed to find a similarly powerful machine for less. I’ve tested 30 coffee makers this year, and there’s nothing I’d recommend more than this for cost-conscious coffee lovers.

Although I adore its older sibling, the Breville Bambino Plus, the Bambino’s $299 price tag (compared to the Plus’s $499 price tag) is much more digestible for beginners. But don’t think this is a machine just for newbies — it’s stuffed with tons of premium features like a PID controller and a powerful steam wand.

So, is this machine for you? Short answer: yes. 100% yes. But if you want the long answer, well, you’ll have to keep reading this Breville Bambino review.

Breville Bambino review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? Compact homes, beginner baristas, or coffee snobs alike
• What does it do well? Everything — PID controller, powerful steam wand, the lot
• What are its weaknesses? I’ve been wracking my brain, and… no?
• Anything else to know? Yes: buy it. Buy it now

Breville Bambino review: Specs

Breville Bambino review: Price & availability

The Breville Bambino is $299 from Amazon U.S., while in the U.K. it sells under the brand Sage and will set you back £329 from AO. In the U.S., this is a fantastic deal — it’s $200 cheaper than the Sage/Breville Bambino Plus, which is Breville’s next-step machine.

In the U.K., the Bambino Plus is just £399 — that’s a difference of £70. I’d recommend getting the Bambino Plus over the Bambino, as you get a more powerful steam wand and auto milk frothing for just £70 extra.

The Bambino is the cheapest machine offered by Breville, and my overall recommendation for budget-conscious coffee lovers. You could also check out the $149 De’Longhi Stilosa, $229 De’Longhi Classic, $299 De’Longhi Dedica Duo, or the $129 Casabrews 3700 Essential if you’re looking to save as much $$$ as possible, but honestly? The Bambino is the best bang-for-buck option amongst these options.

Sure, it’s $150 pricier than the De’Longhi Stilosa, but for that extra investment, you get a premium, pure metal finish and a PID controller, which are both key markers of a high-end product.

However, if you want more of a “serious” espresso machine on a relatively small budget, I’d recommend checking out the Gaggia Classic ($499). This machine is famous in the coffee world for its repairability and modability. You can install a PID controller yourself and switch out the steam wand should you so desire.

Breville Bambino review: Design

As with every other espresso machine under Breville’s belt, the Bambino is utterly gorgeous. It comes in silver and black, which is fewer colorways than its older sibling, the Bambino Plus, but as you can see from the photos above, being plain doesn’t always mean being unimpressive.

Breville’s Bambino range is the cheapest, most compact series the brand offers. At just 6.3 inches wide, the Bambino is even dinkier than the Plus (7 inches), so I’d recommend the Bambino for super-small households. Like the Plus, the Bambino weighs around 11 pounds, so much, much lighter than other espresso machines on the market.

Despite being very similar, the Bambino and Bambino Plus have a few key design differences, most notably the steam wand controls. While the Bambino Plus has three circular buttons on its front — single shot, double shot, and steam — the Bambino has just two. These control single and double shots.

If you want to activate the steam wand, you have to press a little button on the right side of the machine. There’s also a hot water button (the resulting hot water spurts out of the steam wand, so ensure your wand is purged if you want a milkless Americano, for example).

There’s also no auto milk function on the Bambino. Personally, I never use the automatic milk frothing function on my Bambino Plus, but my boyfriend, who is less of a DIY barista and more of an I’d-be-happy-with-an-automatic barista, uses the auto function all the time. It just depends on your preference.

Overall, the Bambino looks like a compact Breville machine, and I mean that as a very high compliment. Breville has really mastered the suave yet usable aesthetic. There’s a reason why you see so many Brevilles/Sages in Instagram and TikTok videos.

Breville Bambino review: Espresso

I mentioned earlier that the Bambino has a PID controller. If your eyes kind of glazed over that, let me explain exactly what that means now.

A PID controller is a nifty piece of tech built into premium espresso machines. Personally, I would never buy an espresso machine without one. Some really fancy machines (like the Smeg EMC02 that I dream about on a semi-regular basis) have a custom temperature control, but Breville’s PID controller is factory-set to 200°F. This means all the water used in espresso extraction will be precisely 200°F. Not a degree hotter or colder.

A PID controller basically ensures that you get consistent, technically accurate espresso every single time. You won’t have any burned or undercooked shots, which is paramount if you want to seriously get into coffee. Keeping as many core variables the same as possible each time allows you to get scientific with your shots and tweak the variables you do want to change individually, when you want to experiment.

Now, I’ll talk about the Bambino’s ability to make espresso. In short: awesome. Damn, this is such a good machine. This machine’s functionality vs. cost is darn near unbelievable.

For just $299 and a little practice, you can pull barista-quality shots every single time. Every espresso I made had a rich, thick crema and deep, intense flavor with no bitterness and no sourness. Here’s a photo of a particularly delectable shot I made on the Bambino. This shot was extracted in 28 seconds to a ratio of 1:2 (18g in, 36g out) with artisan Ethiopian beans.

As you can see, the crema is perfectly caramel-colored and thick. It tasted divine, with a bright, punchy top note and a malty, toasty base note. I guzzled this shot with no milk or water, which is how you know it was a delicious shot of espresso.

You can also customize pre-infusion time. I pulled another shot with a custom pre-infusion time of 10 seconds, and then extracted 36g. When it was finished, the time on my Wacaco Exagram Pro scale read 34 seconds, which means it poured a touch too quickly, but tasted divine just the same.

Although you can do all these fancy-schmancy things on the Bambino, like custom pre-infusion time and custom shot volume, please don’t let that put you off if you’re a beginner. My parents have a Bambino at home and they get on with it perfectly, using the included pressurized baskets and (shudder) pre-ground coffee from the grocery store.

You can also just use the Bambino as it comes, with the preset shot volume and pre-infusion times. That’s the beauty of this machine: it’s so versatile. The ideal machine for a household with a coffee snob (guilty) and a hot bean juice guzzler who doesn’t know what pre-infusion is, let alone care about customizing it.

Breville Bambino review: Milk

After pulling your shot, the Bambino takes just four seconds to switch from espresso to steam. This is the same speed as my Bambino Plus, the same as the De’Longhi La Specialistas I’ve tested, and much faster than the Gaggia Classic, which requires a tedious, time-consuming process called “temperature surfing”. Thanks to the Bambino’s ThermoJet boiler (basically Breville’s name for a Thermoblock), you can switch between espresso and milk and back in no time. Casabrews’ machines require boiler purges after steam, which gets very frustrating.

Despite this speedy ThermoJet heatup time, I was a little skeptical of the Bambino’s one-hole steam wand. A one-hole basically has less power than a four-hole, as there are fewer holes from which steam can come. However, I love to be proved wrong, and oh boy, was I proved wrong.

The Bambino’s steam wand is super flexible, much better than the De’Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo and Opera’s low-lying and inflexible steam wands. The Bambino’s wand has a ball joint rather than a prescriptive up-down joint. Consequently, I’d recommend the Bambino over the La Specialistas if you want to seriously perfect your milk texture.

With the provided milk jug (complete with Breville’s standard angled milk spout for easier latte art pours), I was able to get beautiful latte art. This is with oat milk, which is famously trickier than dairy milk.

As you can see, the milk is shiny and creamy, with the ideal texture of melted ice cream. I was able to get the all-important vortex while steaming this milk, which is the marker of a powerful steam wand.

Although not quite as powerful as the Bambino Plus’s four-hole steam wand, the Bambino’s steam wand is still a force to be reckoned with. You can easily get barista-quality milk texture with just a little practice.

Breville Bambino review: Storage & maintenance

One of the best aspects of the Bambino is its compact size. This is an ideal espresso machine for small households. If you’ve only got one countertop of space, I’d recommend the Bambino or the Bambino Plus. The Bambino is just 6.3 inches wide, 0.7 inches smaller than the Bambino Plus.

In terms of cleaning, the Bambino is very easy to maintain. The drip tray is completely removable and has a little red tab that pops up when it’s due to be emptied. I found it very easy to just clean it in the sink with some warm, soapy water.

If you live in a hard water area (like me), then you’ll need to be on top of descaling. I descale my espresso machine once a month. You can get a water tank filter, which will assist with the everyday maintenance of the inner pipes. These are $16 from Breville and should be replaced every three months. De’Longhi’s water filters are $19 from Amazon, which is a touch pricier than Breville’s. Filtering your water is an expense, I know, but it’s worth it in the long run.

With proper maintenance, Breville machines can last years, although when they do break, they’re harder to fix than all-metal boiler-fed machines like the Gaggia Classic and Rancilio Silvia — which have a stellar reputation for reliability and repairability.

If the Bambino breaks within a year, you’re covered under warranty. This is the same as Casabrews and De’Longhi but less than Ninja’s 2-year warranty.

Breville Bambino review: How does it compare?

If you want a professional-quality coffee for as little money as possible, you have no other options. It’s gotta be the Bambino. I guess you could go for the Bambino Plus too (my personal espresso machine), but this is an extra $200. The Bambino is much better value — that’s not an opinion, it’s a fact.

So, if you want to save as much money as possible, I’ll chat about a few more options. The De’Longhi Stilosa can brew delectable espresso for just $149, but it looks a little plasticky, and there’s no PID controller. In terms of PID-controlled machines on a budget, you’re looking at the Gevi Espresso Machine with Grinder ($349), but I wouldn’t recommend this machine for serious coffee lovers due to the disappointing steam wand and poor grinder.

You could also check out the Casabrews CM5418 Pro ($299), which is 100% (in my mind) a dupe of the Bambino. However, it only comes with dual-walled portafilters, which is a major ick. Breville supplies you with single- and dual-walled portafilters with the Bambino, so you know it’s a machine designed for coffee lovers on a budget.

Breville Bambino review: Verdict

If you couldn’t tell from the zero “cons” listed at the top of this review, the Breville Bambino is an excellent espresso machine. It’s quite literally the dictionary definition of perfect.

Considering it’s just $299, I’d recommend the Bambino for those looking to save as much money as possible without sacrificing on quality. You can very easily brew barista-quality espresso and steam barista-quality milk — trust me, I spent 3 ½ years behind the bar of various coffee shops. I would happily open a cafe with the Bambino as the head barista.

If you want delicious, quality coffee at home, then I wholeheartedly recommend the Breville Bambino. Those looking to spend a little more might be better off with the Bambino Plus, but I’d be content with the Bambino. Thanks to its PID controller, customizable pre-infusion time, and a powerful steam wand, the Breville Bambino is a must-have in every coffee lover’s household.

Just when I thought toasters didn't need smart settings, an iconic brand has proven me totally wrong.

Breville, renowned for its range of premium home and kitchen appliances, has recently launched the Eye Q Auto toaster. What sets the Eye Q apart from Breville's lineup of toasting appliances is that it abandons the traditional timer method in favor of monitoring your bread's color to achieve your perfect toast. Whether you prefer pale, lightly warm bread or a beautifully crispy golden crust, the Eye Q can do it for you.

Breville's smart toaster uses optic sensors to detect color change in your bread 10 times every second, and stops toasting once the desired shade, out of the seven presets, is reached. The Eye Q also has a specialized Sourdough mode and Crumpet/Bagel mode to perfectly crisp up dense, thicker slices of artisan bread. But how does the Breville Eye Q actually fare when it comes to toasting? We put it to the test to find out.

Breville Eye Q Auto: Price and availability

Right now, the Breville Eye Q is available exclusively in Australia, starting at AU$469 for the two-slice and AU$629 for the four-slice. Breville hasn't confirmed when the toaster will be available in other markets just yet.

When it comes to pricing, the Eye Q is definitely on the more expensive side, given that it houses optic sensor technology and an automatic lift, instead of a manual chute. The toaster comes in four colors: Brushed Stainless Steel, Noir (which is launch exclusive), Black Truffle and Sea Salt.

Breville Eye Q Auto: Design

The Breville Eye Q Auto lets you toast different types of bread — be it toast, sourdough, or bagels, or a combination of all — at their own ideal color and density setting. It does come in a 2-slice model; however, if you opt for the 4-slice, you'll need to be wary of countertop space. Measuring 12.9 x 12.4 x 7.5 in / 33 x 31.7 x 19.1 cm and weighing 12.5 lbs / 5.7kg, it's certainly a heavy toaster, taking up more room than Breville's Bit More 4-Slice. This also applies to the toasting slots, as they are seemingly wider to accommodate longer and denser slices of artisanal bread.

The design is where the Breville Eye Q really shines, as it was aesthetically pleasing to look at, let alone use. The slots are controlled by the Toast Shade Selector, which allows you to choose your preferred color, and it'll toast your bread to that level. To use the machine, you need to press the LED play/pause circular button. The button displays different colors depending on the mode in use. For normal toasting, it'll glow green, sourdough mode will be blue, and for timer mode, the button will be red.

To toast your desired carb, all you have to do is select your preset using the plus (or minus) buttons, and either press or hold the circular button depending on your preferred mode. If you find your chosen shade isn't right for you, you can press the 'A Bit More' button for an extra bit of toasting. There's also no need to worry about defrosting your bread, too, as the sensors will take care of it for you.

The Eye Q's optic sensors monitor one slice across a pair, indicated by the little bread icon on the farthest slots. This is because Breville's research shows most users toast the same kind of bread in both slots, so the sensor only needs to monitor one slice, and the toaster's tech will ensure even heating throughout. In the instance of toasting one piece of bread, you'd pop it into the marked slot.

With automated one-touch lowering, the Eye Q will slowly raise and lower your bread when you press the button, eliminating the toaster's popping sound. And as a bonus for Breville fans out there, the toaster will play the iconic music when switching it on/off. To cancel your toast, you'll need to press the play/pause button and wait for the toaster to raise your slice.

Breville Eye Q Auto: Performance

As for performance, the Breville Eye Q has three modes for toasting — Normal (for sliced regular bread), Sourdough Mode (for sourdough and artisanal breads), and Crumpet Mode (for crumpets, bagels, and English muffins). For this review, I trialled all modes, using bread or toastable items with the desired settings as specified by Breville's instruction manual.

Now, it’s worth noting that there is a Timer Mode setting on the Eye Q, just in case you prefer counting the minutes until your toast is done. This mode is also great for toaster waffles or Pop-Tarts, as these items don't necessarily change color while toasting.

Normal mode

Utilising all slots of the machine, I loaded up four slices of white bread, testing the lowest, middle and highest color setting on the Shade Selector.

I was thrilled with my initial results, with each batch delivering consistent coloring across all pieces of toast. The toasting shade was consistent with settings in almost all cases in terms of brownness and evenness. On the lowest setting, the slices were lightly warmed, with minimal browning, while the fourth setting and the highest setting were crispy brown, but not burnt.

Sourdough Mode

As for Sourdough mode, I was particularly intrigued by the premise of the Eye Q, as Breville claims it reduces the chance of burnt crusts on artisanal breads. Switching on Sourdough mode is a little different to toasting as normal on the Eye Q. You need to hold the button and wait for the toaster to change into the mode before toasting your sourdough slices.

During the initial test, I was subject to some burnt crusts on our test sourdough. It was rather unfortunate, too, as everything else about the slices was ideally crisp, café-quality sourdough. That said, once I settled on slimmer sourdough slices, the results were perfection.

During our secondary tests, all four slices of sourdough were crisp and even colored, particularly when using the middle and highest settings.

Crumpet/Bagel mode

Crumpet mode provides additional heat on one side to perfectly toast specialty items. To activate the setting, just press the crumpet button and adjust the shade to your preference.

Crumpets are a bit of an odd item to toast, as most toasters have just enough width to pop in a pair without it being a total fire hazard. That said, the Eye Q had plenty of space around each crumpet for it to slide in and out without raising any alarms.

Now the Eye Q did a superb job of toasting crumpets; however, the real test was toasting dense bagels. Overall, the toaster performed well in terms of evenness and consistency. When it comes to testing toasters for bagels, I look for an appropriate amount of browning on the front and less color with soft warmth on the back.

The Eye Q Auto excelled in both categories, which, after testing the machine, came as no surprise. That said, it did suffer a similar fate to my initial sourdough tests, where one thicker bagel crisped up too much on the backside, causing some burn spots. Other than that, the Eye Q delivered consistency and evenness on the other test bagels.

Breville Eye Q Auto: Ease of use and cleaning

The Breville Eye Q is extremely easy to use, with all controls illuminated, and the 'A Bit More' button allows you to add a small extra amount of toasting if your original shade setting isn't quite enough.

The cleaning tray fits seamlessly into the sleek design, making it hard to spot at first glance, as it's located under the machine. A small ledge just underneath the toaster easily pulls out to allow you to empty the crumbs. There's also a storage compartment at the rear of the toaster that neatly houses the cord when not in use.

If you're unsure, the Breville includes a comprehensive manual that explains the toaster's structure and functions in detail, complete with illustrations and instructions.

Breville Eye Q Auto: Verdict

The Breville Eye Q Auto is a great, smart addition to any kitchen appliance lineup, especially if toast or toasted items are a large part of your daily breakfast routine. Now, it can be a bit tricky to find your desired shade using the selector, but Breville makes it easy to add 'A Bit More' if you find your shade isn't quite right.

Once you do find your preferred hue, your next piece of toast will be exemplary, as the Breville delivered evenness and consistency throughout the shades I tested. The same goes for using the toaster for bagels and crumpets.

Where the toaster truly shines, though, is in its Sourdough mode, which creates a cafe-quality slice at home with ease. Again, opting for a thinner sourdough or artisanal slice helped avoid any accidental burnt crusts, but once that niggle is sorted, you'll have consistent color and toastage on your sourdough.

Cyber Monday deals are here! Oh boy, has Cyber Monday brought the coffee machine deals. We've got lowest-ever prices on my highest-rated machines, and I'm so excited. Here, I've rounded up my 5 highest-recommended coffee machines for you — and they're all on sale for Cyber Monday!

I'm a professional coffee machine reviewer, and I've tested 30 of the things this year. I've reviewed bean-to-cup marvels like the $3k Breville Oracle Dual Boiler and $129 machines like the Casabrews 3700 Essential (on this list).

But if I had to recommend one coffee machine deal over any others, it'd be the Breville Bambino Plus. This is one of the best espresso machines out there — I even own one and use mine every day. Cyber Monday sees it slashed to $399 at Amazon — its lowest price ever. I'll tell you why this is such a great deal alongside the other best Cyber Monday coffee machine deals.

The 5 best Cyber Monday coffee maker deals: Quick links

• De'Longhi Stilosa: was $149 now $84 @ Amazon | $99 @ Best Buy
• Casabrews 3700 Essential: was $129 now $94 @ Amazon
• Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select: was $369 now $235 @ Amazon
• Breville Bambino Plus: was $499 now $399 @ Amazon
• Breville Barista Express: was $699 now $499 @ Amazon | $499 @ Best Buy

The 5 best Cyber Monday coffee maker deals

For more discounts, check out our Cyber Monday deals live blog.

Shop today's best Cyber Monday deals

• Amazon: 50% off Ring, Ninja, AirPods and more
• Walmart Plus: 50% off @ Walmart
• REI: half-off Arc'teryx, Patagonia, more
• Dell: monitors from $69, laptops from $299
• Nectar: 50% off mattresses + bundles
• Best Buy: laptops from $149
• Lenovo: doorbuster deals from $319
• Wayfair: up to 80% off home decor
• Lululemon: top picks from $9
• Newegg: Doorbuster deals from $6
• Walmart: holiday gifts from $15
• Birkenstock: deals from $20 @ Nordstrom
• Saatva: luxury mattresses from $1,099

Cyber Monday is officially (almost) here, and I've already found the best espresso machine deal on this planet. There's no competition here: I know for a fact that espresso machines don't get better (and cheaper) than this.

I know that sounds like a bold statement, but I'm an ex-barista and now a professional coffee machine reviewer, so I like to think I know what I'm talking about. And this, right here, is the best Cyber Monday espresso machine deal I've seen.

The Breville Bambino Plus is down to $399 at Amazon right now. This is its lowest ever price. If you're an espresso nerd like me, you know that Breville rarely cuts the price of its iconic beginner machine, so when you see this discount, you need to grab it fast. I doubt this deal will stick around much longer.

Oh, and let me tell you — the Breville Bambino Plus wasn't discounted for Black Friday at all, so this is a true Cyber Monday exclusive. Quick, quick, quick!

There are so many reasons why the Bambino Plus is the best beginner espresso machine, but I'll just give you a few.

On top of Breville being the joint-best (with De'Longhi) home espresso machine brand, the Bambino Plus takes it one step further. The steam wand is genuinely cafe-level-powerful — trust me, I spent three-and-a-half years as a barista — and you can make barista latte art very easily.

On top of the excellent steam wand, the espresso is delectable. With a PID controller for correct brewing temperatures and a customizable pre-infusion time, this is both the perfect machine for beginner home baristas who need a little extra help and coffee addicts like me who want to experiment with their morning brew.

The size is also excellent — at just seven inches wide, it's ideal for small spaces. But don't fret! You can still fit a coffee scale and your mug on the drip tray so you can track your ratios and make perfect, consistent espresso time and time again.

As someone who's reviewed 30 coffee machines this year, please listen when I say: the Breville Bambino Plus is my favorite espresso. machine in the world. I don't give it that title lightly.

For more discounts, check out our Cyber Monday deals live blog.

Shop today's best Cyber Monday deals

• Amazon: 50% off Ring, Ninja, AirPods and more
• Walmart Plus: 50% off @ Walmart
• REI: half-off Arc'teryx, Patagonia, more
• Dell: monitors from $69, laptops from $299
• Nectar: 50% off mattresses + bundles
• Best Buy: laptops from $149
• Lenovo: doorbuster deals from $319
• Wayfair: up to 80% off home decor
• Lululemon: top picks from $9
• Newegg: Doorbuster deals from $6
• Walmart: holiday gifts from $15
• Birkenstock: deals from $20 @ Nordstrom
• Saatva: luxury mattresses from $1,099

Here at Tom's Guide, we're tracking the best Black Friday deals live. We've found savings on everything from Ninja to Bose, so you'll surely find something good there.

Me, though? As an ex-professional barista and now professional espresso machine reviewer, I'm hunting down the best espresso machine Black Friday deals. I've found some excellent savings, such as our best budget espresso machine, De'Longhi Stilosa, for just $99 at Amazon, and our best overall espresso machine, De'Longhi La Specialista Touch, at just $699 at Amazon — that's a $300 saving.

Not all of the espresso machines on our coveted best espresso machines guide are on sale, but I'm holding out hope that deals will drop closer to the big day. I'm waiting for my favorite espresso machine — the Breville Bambino Plus — to get a big discount.

The best espresso machine Black Friday deals: Quick links

• Shop all of Amazon's Black Friday deals now!
• Casabrews 3700 Essential: was $129 now $94 @ Amazon
• De'Longhi Stilosa: was $149 now $99 @ Amazon
• De'Longhi Classic: was $229 now $149 @ Amazon
• Breville Infuser: was $599 now $399 @ Amazon
• De'Longhi La Specialista Touch: was $999 now $699 @ Amazon

The best espresso machine Black Friday deals: About the author

The best espresso machine Black Friday deals

I've broken down my top Black Friday espresso machine picks into three categories: for people on a budget; for espresso purists; and for people who simply want the best of the best.

The budget options

I awarded the Casabrews 3700 Essential a nice 4-star rating in my review. For just $94, this is a fantastic espresso machine that would impress even coffee snobs (with just a little TLC).

Of course budget espresso machines like this don't perform like their premium cousins, but no one is asking them to. If you're a bit of a coffee nerd, you'll care about this next part: The 3700 Essential comes with a dual-walled portafilter, but you can grab Casabrews' bottomless portafilter for about $40 on Amazon.

If you're not a coffee nerd and you just want a reliable espresso machine you can make drinks with at home, then the Casabrews 3700 Essential is the perfect entry-level machine. You don't have to purge the boiler (like on other Casabrews machines), and you can make delicious espresso from the get-go. The steam wand is surprisingly powerful, too, and worked well with both dairy and plant-based milks in my testing.

For the price, you won't find a better bang-for-buck machine.

The Stilosa is my go-to budget espresso machine recommendation. As soon as anyone asks me which cheap espresso machine they should get, I always, always say the Stilosa.

I was able to get barista-quality espresso with just a little finesse, and I'm sure you would, too. In my 4-star review, I said of the Stilosa, "With a bit of experimentation and dedication, there’s no reason why you can’t be pulling consistently delicious shots on the Stilosa."

Yes, you need to know what you're doing to get barista-quality shots, but that's the sacrifice with cheaper espresso machines — they need a little more babying than the $1,000+ options. Or, if you're not fussy about "perfect" espresso, then ignore me completely!

The Classic is basically just a fancier Stilosa. As it has separate controls for each function — espresso, steam, etc — it's a little easier to use for complete beginners. The steam wand and stainless steel boiler are quick to heat and powerful, which means you'll be able to get barista-quality coffee in no time.

I've not reviewed this one just quite yet — but it's in the office waiting for me, and I'm so excited — but De'Longhi rarely misses. I've yet to test a De'Longhi espresso machine that disappointed me, and I'm sure the Classic will be no different.

I'd recommend the Classic for anyone who feels a little overwhelmed by all the chatter of steam dials and pressure and portafilters and just wants good coffee quickly. The best part? You only have to spend $149 right now.

In my review of the Casabrews Ultra, I praised its espresso functionality. As it has a 58mm portafilter, you can get loads of post-purchase third-party accessories like bottomless portafilters, tamping collars, and WDT tools.

The only negative is the steam wand. It's pretty weak, but with a bit of finesse, I was able to get some good milk texture. Casabrews has also reached out to me to confirm that it has updated the Ultra and it now has a more powerful steam wand.

If you're on a serious budget but want a fancy coffee machine, it's got to be the Casabrews Ultra.

For the espresso purists

With a PID controller for optimal water temperature (and therefore better-tasting coffee), the Breville Infuser is the perfect mid-range option for the serious home barista. If you can't spend $1,000 on the top-of-the-range fancy schmancy espresso machines but you want barista-quality coffee, the Infuser is the ideal solution.

The Infuser is known for its low-pressure pre-infusion period, which soaks the coffee in hot water before ramping up the pressure and extracting the espresso. This results in a richer, more intense flavor, without bringing in any of the unwanted burned or bitter notes you might be used to from chain coffee shops.

As it doesn't have a built-in grinder, you'll need to get yourself a coffee grinder, but most espresso enthusiasts will tell you to do away with built-in grinders anyway! You should be able to grab a decent grinder for less than $200 during Black Friday week, which means you'll get the Breville Infuser + grinder for the price of just the Infuser.

Although some sneer at a built-in grinder, I think the Arte Evo is perfect for most home baristas. If you're short on space but still want a bean-to-cup, then I recommend this one wholeheartedly. It's got a a burr grinder and a dishwasher-safe barista kit tamper for easy cleanup.

The steam wand is also incredibly powerful, which makes it ideal for beginners or newcomers who need a commercial-level steam wand to make latte art and microfoam.

Also, if you're a cold brew fanatic, the Arte Evo can make fresh cold brew in five minutes — that's literally sixteen hours quicker than how long it takes me to make!

The best of the best

In our 4.5-star review of the De'Longhi La Specialista Touch, our Homes Editor Millie said, "Using De'Longhi's 'Bean Adapt' tech, it can walk you through your initial setup to get its grinding and brewing settings aligned with your choice of beans. It makes things accessible by using the color of your beans to ascertain the roast level, and asks you to report on the tamping level to help it land on the ideal volume dose for your beans."

This means the La Specialista Touch takes most of the guesswork out of grinding your beans. It'll be able to estimate the optimal grind size. Obviously, if the espresso is over- or under-extracted, you'll be able to manually adjust the grind size, too.

There's also a cold brew mode, alongside the standard espresso fare, and the powerful steam wand has a temperature probe so you never burn your milk. We can confidently say the La Specialista Touch is the best espresso machine for most people, and at just $699, it's an utter steal.

Shop today's best Black Friday deals

• Amazon: 50% off Ring, Ninja, Under Armour and more
• REI: half-off Arc'teryx, Patagonia and more
• Walmart: holiday gifts from $15
• Dell: monitors from $69, laptops from $249
• Nectar: 50% off mattresses + 66% off bundles
• Best Buy: laptops from $149
• Lenovo: doorbuster laptop deals from $319
• Wayfair: up to 80% off home decor
• Nike: apparel/sneakers from $7
• Lululemon: top picks from $9
• Birkenstock: deals from $20 @ Nordstrom
• Saatva: luxury mattresses from $1,099

I'm an ex-barista and now a professional coffee snob, and I'll be the first person to tell a coffee newbie of the horrors of using pre-ground coffee. But there's only so much I can say.

If you've got one of the best coffee makers — like the Breville Luxe Brewer — or the best espresso machines — like the Breville Bambino Plus — you can easily make barista-quality coffee from the comfort of your kitchen. And I'm here to help!

The most important thing? Grinding coffee correctly. It can be really hard to know what the correct grind size is. But for the sake of science, I purposefully used the "wrong" grind size for espresso, drip, and pour-over. This is what happened. Don't make the same mistakes as me!

Can you use the same coffee grind for everything? The methodology

For this experiment, I used the best coffee grinder in the world: the Comandante C40 MK4. If you make coffee at home, I recommend buying a grinder. This ensures you know exactly what size your coffee is being ground to.

The Comandante C40 MK4 is pretty pricey, though, so I've included some cheaper options here.

I ground three rounds of coffee beans: Fine, medium-fine, and medium.

Espresso calls for a fine grind, pour-over calls for medium-fine, and drip coffee calls for medium.

I used three coffee makers for this experiment: the Breville Bambino Plus, Breville Luxe Brewer, and the Hario V60.

After grinding all my beans fine, medium-fine, and medium, I then made three coffees on each coffee maker — using all three bean sizes.

Can you use the same coffee grind for everything? The results

Here I'll go through all my results, including each brewing process, flavor, and overall thoughts.

Espresso

Espresso is probably the most rigid brewing method. By "rigid", I mean the brewing method where you have to follow the rules; otherwise, you'll get nasty coffee, or no coffee at all.

I weighed out 18g of coffee, tamped, and pressed the double-shot button. I was aiming for 36g of espresso out in 25-28 seconds. If your espresso reaches double its weight in under or over that window, it will be under-extracted or over-extracted, respectively. This will result in sour, watery, or bitter, burned coffee.

Here are three photos of espresso. Can you guess which ones used finely ground beans (the correct size), medium-fine (too coarse), and medium (way too coarse)?

If you guessed: 1 = medium-fine, 2 = fine, and 3 = medium, you'd be correct. Take another look at the espresso. Look at the top of number 2, and compare it to number 1 and 3. The fluffy crema on espresso 2 shows that it has been extracted correctly, and the shot has been pulled with the appropriate degree of pressure.

The lack of crema in pictures 1 and 3 means that the coffee was ground too coarsely, as there was no pressure, and the coffee oils weren't extracted adequately.

As you might have guessed, espresso 1 and 3 tasted horrible. They were both sour and watery, which means under-extracted.

Take another look at the coffee scale underneath, too. I used the Wacaco Exagram Pro, which is the best budget coffee scale for espresso. The time on picture 1 was 20 seconds, and the time on picture 2 was 25 seconds. Compare these to the time on picture 3 — just 13 seconds.

As I said earlier, I was looking for 36g of coffee in 25-28 seconds. It's not just the timings that are way off, though. Look at the weights. Espresso 1 weighs 46g, espresso 2 weighs 37g, and espresso 3 weighs 52g.

You want to get 36g of espresso in 25-28 seconds, not 52g of coffee in 13 seconds. This means that espresso 1 and 3 were ground much, much too coarsely.

If you want to get the best espresso at home, you need to use the correct grind size. Espresso 2 is what you want — you want the coffee to pour like honey.

Pour-over

I used my tried-and-true Hario V60 and Hario's unbleached #2 papers for this experiment. As with the espresso section of the test, I used espresso grind, pour-over grind, and drip grind with the V60.

V60 is better for experimentation. Only super-fine coffee will clog the filter, so you can usually grind finer or coarser depending on your personal preference. If you ask me, too-fine and too-coarse coffee results in bitter or sour tastes, but obviously you do you. If you like bitter or watery coffee, be my guest. Unlike espresso machines, which physically cannot pull shots with too-finely ground coffee, you will at least get some liquid out of it.

I dosed 15g of coffee in each cup, and was aiming fro 270g of water (sometimes I over-poured slightly, oops).

I took three photos, each with the weight and times visible. From the brewing time displayed on the coffee scale, can you guess which coffee used which grind size?

If you guessed: 1 = fine, 2 = medium, and 3 = medium-fine, you'd be right!

As you can tell from the times, picture 1 is very over-brewed, picture 2 is very under-brewed, and picture 3 is just right. Although picture 3 took an extra couple of seconds to pull through the final dregs of water, this was the best coffee overall.

I gave the over-brewed and under-brewed coffees to my boyfriend (he's not picky in the same way I am) and I drank picture 3. It tasted delightful, just as I'd expect from a V60, with delicate floral notes and no bitterness whatsoever.

My boyfriend had to put milk in picture 1 because it was so bitter, and he said picture 2 tasted like dirty water.

Sounds yummy, right?

This is why using the right grind size is so important: you get the perfect balance of coffee flavors for your brewing method.

Drip

Drip coffee is probably the most forgiving brewing method out there. Unlike espresso or pour-over, drip has a reputation for being just "standard" coffee and isn't expected to have as much flavor finesse.

As a result, you can pretty much grind your coffee from about 600-1,400 microns and you probably won't upset that many people. For this experiment, I ground my coffee to a medium size, like standard white sugar size.

I brewed using the Breville Luxe Brewer, using around 12 ounces of water (so a Starbucks Tall). The Breville brews all sizes in 3 minutes, so there was no difference in brewing time.

Here are three photos of the resulting coffee. Can you guess which is which?

If you guessed 1 = medium, 2 = medium-fine, and 3 = fine, you'd be right! As I said, this one is a little trickier as you can't see the difference as clearly as you can with the espresso and pour-over.

Drip coffee is more forgiving, but I was actually quite surprised when all three of these coffees tasted more or less the same. Picture 3 was a touch bitterer than picture 2, and picture 1 was the most "faithful" coffee flavor, but all three were drinkable.

I would still err on the side of medium-to-medium-fine with drip coffee, though, as a French press grind will result in watery and weak coffee. I tested one drip batch with French-press-ground coarse beans, and it was like drinking brown water. Nasty.

But there's a catch...

So, how do you know if your coffee is ground perfectly?

Unfortunately, there's no one answer. Different coffee beans — various roasts, washing styles, bean size, and even humidity — can affect the required grind size. As a result, you're going to have to use a little trial and error the first time you use new beans or a new machine.

For espresso, I recommend you grind your coffee to around baker's sugar or fine salt texture. It should stick to your fingers. You don't want it to be like powdered sugar (too fine) or kosher salt (too coarse).

If you want to get super science-y, it needs to be around 200-500 microns. As I said, different beans will call for different grind sizes.

This isn't going to help you, but I'll tell you exactly the perfect grind size for the beans I used in this experiment. I used click 12 on my Comandante C40 MK4 with natural Kenyan medium-roast beans. For espresso, this gave me the perfect 1:2 ratio in 25 seconds.

For pour-over, you're going to want something a little more like sand. Some sticks to your fingers, but some doesn't. You'd want something more like 700-1000 microns for V60, and even coarser — up to 1,100 microns — for Chemex. I used click 25 on my Comandante C40.

For drip coffee, you want medium-ground. This is around the texture of standard white sugar. In microns, this would be around 700 to 1,200 microns. I used click 30 on my Comandante C40.

This all depends on your beans, though. Lighter roast beans need a finer grind than dark roast beans. Washed beans can benefit from a finer grind than natural beans.

Didn't I say it was unhelpful? There's no one answer to the age-old question of "What grind size should I use?" Unfortunately, you need to get a good grinder and use trial and error to find the perfect grind size for your beans. Each grinder's user manual will have information on which grind setting is best suited to each brewing method.

I can tell you, however, that it's definitely not the pre-ground French press coffee from the grocery store.

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If you love your coffee, you'll know that Breville makes some of the best espresso machines on the market. And while the brand has released a number of high-tech, $3,000 machines this year, there's one classic that people keep coming back to: the Barista Express.

We raved about last Black Friday's best deal on the Breville Barista Express. In fact, it was so good that our News Editor bought one himself. And now we're officially approaching Black Friday once again, Amazon has already matched last year's $150 discount on the Breville Barista Express, now down to $549. It's an early Black Friday deal you won't want to miss.

This will be my sixth Black Friday, and I've never seen the Barista Express priced this low at $549. Will this $150 discount be available on the big day this year? Most likely. But if it's cheaper than last year's price, I'll eat my hat.

Why we love it

Why is the Barista Express so iconic? I think it's at least partly based on how it looks. I mean, it's the archetypal espresso machine, with brushed stainless steel (although Black is also on sale at Amazon) and the pressure gauge to allow you to manually monitor your espresso.

It's a really solid machine, though. Especially if you've got the basics down. The grinder is capable, with 16 grind size settings to choose from. And it comes with single-walled and double-walled portafilters in two shot sizes, meaning it can work with a range of beans and create a variety of drinks.

I've used this machine myself for a number of years, and one of my favorite features was its in-built tamper. It's removable, allowing you to tamp on your countertop, but it magnetically reattaches to the left side of the machine, giving you a place to store it so it never gets lost.

It's little touches like that which make this machine a no-brainer buy at $549. I'm not saying it's cheap, but you get a lot of machine for your money.

If any brand can do anything and do it well, it's Breville. And that sentiment rings true to its latest invention, which, surprisingly, is a smart toaster that's perfect for toast connoisseurs.

Breville, synonymous with all things premium home and kitchen appliances, recently dropped the Eye Q Auto toaster, which ditches the traditional timer method and keeps an eye on your bread's color to deliver your ideal toast instead. Whether that's pale, slightly warm bread or a nice crispy golden hue, no matter what shade, the Eye Q can do it for you.

So how exactly does the Eye Q work? Breville's smart toaster uses optic sensors to detect color change in your bread 10 times every second, and stops toasting when the desired shade, out of the seven presets, is reached. Breville has also included a specialized Sourdough mode and Crumpet mode to correctly crisp up dense, thicker slices of artisan bread.

Right now, the Breville Eye Q is available exclusively in Australia, starting at AU$469 for the two-slice and AU$629 for the four-slice. At the time of writing, U.S. and U.K. availability has yet to be confirmed. I jumped at the chance to get my hands on one, picking up the four-slice in the gorgeous Sea Salt colorway. I haven't owned a toaster in years, opting to use my trusty sandwich press anytime I needed something toasted. And as one would assume, the results were often flatter than a pancake.

In the past two weeks, I've put the Breville Eye Q Auto to the test, trying out its key features, which may or may not have changed my mind about owning a toaster after all this time. Here are my initial thoughts on the smart toaster.

The perfect hue

The most obvious (and brilliant) feature of the Breville Eye Q is the Toast Shade Selector, which allows you to choose your preferred color, and it'll toast your bread to that level. All you have to do is select your preset using the plus (or minus) buttons, and voila, you've got toast. There's also no need to worry about defrosting your bread, too, as the sensors will take care of it for you. Plus, with automated one-touch lowering, if you're anything like me, you won't get a little frightened by the popping sound normal toasters make, as the Eye Q will slowly raise and lower your bread when you press the button.

I was a tad hesitant to give the toaster a go, especially since I prefer very slightly toasted, pale bread, and I've often been burnt by toasters in the past with too much toastage. My husband, on the other hand, prefers a definitive crunch in his first bite, opting for a more medium shade.

For our first attempt, we tried a few plain white bread slices and white low-carb bread, as we often opt for it. We both utilised the four slots of the machine, but it's worth noting that the sensors are exclusive to the two marked outer slots. This is because Breville's research shows most users toast the same kind of bread in both slots, so the sensor only needs to monitor one slice, and the toaster's tech will ensure even heating throughout. For my bread, I used the first setting, and my husband used the fourth on his side.

I was beyond thrilled with our initial tests, delivering consistent coloring across all pieces of toast. I was particularly delighted by the toasting of the low-carb bread, as I had anticipated that it would burn to a crisp due to its thinness. But thankfully, I was wrong.

My slices were perfectly white, with a touch of firm toasting, exactly how I like them. My husband's toasts were just as good on the first attempt; however, he found the fourth setting to be a bit too crispy, and after a few more attempts, the third setting seems to be his go-to over the following weeks.

Now, it’s worth noting that there is a Timer Mode setting on the Eye Q, just in case you prefer counting the minutes until your toast is done. This mode is also great for toaster waffles or Pop-Tarts, as these items don't necessarily change color while toasting.

Smart Sourdough

As for Sourdough mode, I was particularly intrigued by the premise of the Eye Q, as Breville claims it reduces the chance of burnt crusts on artisanal breads. Breville was kind enough to send me a sourdough loaf to toast, and it was heavenly. I was somewhat petrified to toast the loaf, though, as I was worried that the Eye Q wasn't up to delivering great sourdough toast like you'd get at a café.

Switching on Sourdough mode is a little different to toasting as normal on the Eye Q. You need to hold the button and wait for the toaster to change into the mode before toasting your sourdough slices.

During the initial test, I was subject to some burnt crusts on our test sourdough. It was rather unfortunate, too, as everything else about the slices was ideally crisp, café-quality sourdough. It even made for a perfect avocado toast — minus the burnt bits, of course.

That said, once I settled on a lower setting and an ever-so-slimmer sourdough slice, the results were perfection. Easily, the thing that terrified me the most was solved in a slight adjustment of settings, and I've never been more confident in toasting sourdough.

Crumpets, crumpets, crumpets!

Induction cooking is a hot topic at Tom’s Guide, and we love getting our hands on products to review. However, we also recognize that while cooking with induction delivers excellent results and is easy to use, many people are still reluctant to make the swap to induction. and are hesitant to give up their gas range or electric range.

If you are nervous about investing in a built-in induction cooktop, there's a great solution. A portable induction cooktop offers a more affordable option and serves as an excellent compromise. You’ll get the chance to try out induction cooking before making a big commitment — and enjoy extra cooktop space when you’re entertaining a crowd, like during Thanksgiving.

Imagine no more juggling pans to get everything cooked on time. Below is our current lineup of three portable induction cooktops we’ve tested, along with pros and cons of each — to help you decide which is the best fit for your needs.

Best budget

We’re big fans of IKEA at Tom’s Guide, and appreciate how the Swedish brand makes stylish furniture and home goods at affordable prices. However, it’s not as well-known for its kitchen appliances, even though it has an extensive range — including refrigerators, microwaves and even a portable induction cooktop.

While IKEA's built-in induction cooktops start at $599 for the FLACKSTA, the brand has made induction cooking more accessible with its portable version, the TILLREDA, available for $74 at IKEA. Even though the Amazon Basics portable induction cooktop is a just $51 at Amazon, IKEA beats Amazon on style — which isn’t surprising.

Although IKEA’s induction cooktop is on the affordable side, I wasn’t disappointed with its performance. It doesn’t have the extra features of the Smeg or Breville, but at this price point, that’s to be expected. Plus, it gives you the chance to try out induction cooking before you buy a built-in version at a much steeper price. Whether you decide to upgrade or not, you’ll still have an extra cooking zone when needed

The TILLREDA portable induction cooktop takes on a cube-like design. While it’s not as sleek as the Smeg version, it's still compact. It also comes with two color options — a white or black base. I also like that it has a hook, so you can hang it up above your countertop, saving valuable counter or cabinet space if storage is limited.

The touch controls are very basic — it has a child lock, an off/on button and the temperature is controlled by ‘+’ and ‘-’ buttons. This all makes it super easy to use. If you place the wrong type of pan on the surface (they need to be magnetic), a ‘U’ icon will appear on the display, so you won’t be second-guessing why your induction cooktop isn’t working.

What impressed me most about this portable induction cooktop is despite its price it’s still just as responsive to heat adjustments as other induction cooktops. However, because it doesn’t offer the power boost function, it will take a whole minute longer than Smeg’s portable induction cooktop to boil a one liter of water. You might be waiting a few more seconds, but you’ll be saving $275.

Read the full IKEA TILLREDA Portable Induction Cooktop review

Best for most people

Smeg’s portable induction cooktop isn’t cheap at $349 from Williams Sonoma, but it gives you a good taster of what you’re missing out on.

With Smeg’s portable induction cooktop you get a sleek, lightweight appliance with a matte black surface and brushed silver aluminum surround, and touch controls. Although it's also available with a matte white or matte jade green surround, It’s also incredibly easy to set up — just plug it in. What’s more, you get two options with the control, either a slider control or touch +/- buttons.

One of my favorite features is the power boost function, which is perfect for boiling water fast for your pasta or vegetables. You’ll pay more for this feature, but once you’ve used it, it’s hard to go back.

You also get three cooking modes — Keep Warm, Barbecue, and Fry. And you can check the temperature while your food is cooking, with the option to set an alarm when it reaches the desired heat. It even includes a built-in temperature probe, which saves you relying on a separate meat thermometer. I found this super helpful for checking the temperature of a variety of foods, including melted chocolate.

I’d previously used a built-in induction cooktop at Smeg’s test center, and found the portable version just as responsive regarding heat control. Additionally, the portable appliance features an automatic switch-off function. The Keep Warm function will run for two hours, power level nine will switch off after 90 minutes, and the unit turns off after 30 seconds if no pan is detected.

Overall, it’s an excellent appliance with far more functionality than you’d need for a camping trip, but it would make an excellent additional cooking surface, or be ideal for a compact kitchen or small apartment.

Read the full Smeg Portable Induction Cooktop review

Best premium

The Breville’s Control Freak Home portable induction cooktop might have a strange name and its price might make you freak out . At $1,499 at Crate & Barrel it’s one of the most expensive portable induction cooktops on the market. However, when Tom’s Guide’s U.S. Editor-in-Chief, Mike Prospero, tested it during a kitchen refit, it convinced him to buy an induction range as his next major appliance upgrade.

However, it doesn’t look as sleek as Smeg’s portable induction cooktop. In fact it’s quite chunky, and instead of a touchpad for temperature control it has a knob. But while it’s a heavyweight in the design department, it packs in a lot of functionality — including an HD touchscreen display screen that not only shows the current temperature but also allows you to select the ideal cooking temperature for specific foods.

Whether you’re cooking meat or fish, you can enter your food type and choose a preferred method, like poaching or searing. The cooktop will then automatically set the optimal cooking temperature. I’m beginning to realize why it’s called the “Control Freak”. Of course, if you want to do things your way, you can use the manual setting by turning the control knob.

Prospero used the Control Freak Home settings when cooking eggs and steak, achieving perfectly cooked eggs and a beautifully seared crust on his steaks. He was also able to make good use of the temperature probe to ensure his proteins reached a safe internal temperature.

And while he was impressed by the cooking results — especially how quickly the pans heated up and maintained a consistent temperature — he did notice a few pitfalls. For a pan to register on the cooktop, a small sensor needs to be depressed, and he found his smallest pan had to be repositioned a few times before it registered. He was also surprised to discover that there wasn’t a setting for boiling water, even though there were presets for other liquids, including boiling sugar.

It is a high price to pay for a portable induction cooktop, but using the automatic settings does take the guesswork out of cooking.

Read our full Breville Control Freak Portable Induction Cooktop review

The verdict

If I were choosing a portable induction cooktop out of the three above, I would rule out the Breville Control Freak Home straight away. Why? At close to $1,500, it's incredibly expensive for a portable option, and I’d prefer to use that budget towards a fixed appliance.

However, out of the remaining two, there’s no doubt that the Smeg portable induction cooktop is the best product. The power boost function is a quarter of the price of the Breville.

With that being said, it is still pricey for a portable cooktop, so you need to think hard as to whether it’s the best choice for you. Nonetheless, if all you want is to get a feel for induction cooking, and at this stage aren’t worried about any fancy extras, then you can’t go far wrong with IKEA’s TILLEDRA portable induction cooktop at $74.

More from Tom's Guide

• Induction cooking is easier than you think: Experts share their 7 top tips for success
• Induction vs. gas cooktop: Which is best for you?
• Induction experts share 6 cooking tips to unlock your induction cooking potential

Tired of pale toast or burnt slices, never quite getting the toast color you want? Struggling to figure out the right timer setting for your sourdough or brioche? Breville’s latest toaster might be the key to achieving perfect toast every time.

While we’re used to the standard pop-up toaster that works on a timer, Breville has entered the market with a game-changer for toast lovers — and I can’t wait to get my hands on one. Breville’s Eye Q toaster ditches the traditional timed method and instead keeps its eye on your bread to deliver your ideal toast shade. It's a big leap forward from the first pop-up toaster designed by Charles Strite in 1926

Smart toasting

So how does it work? Breville’s smart toaster uses optic sensors to detect color change in your bread—which it does this up to 10 times per second—and stops toasting when the desired shade is reached. What's more, you can choose from 7 shade options.

For the user, it takes the guesswork out of time-based toasting — and for some, avoids the inevitable task of scrapping burnt toast or tossing it out! It also eliminates the need for a defrost button, since the sensors handle it automatically. Plus, for those who prefer sourdough, which can be tricky to toast evenly, it has a dedicated sourdough mode.

However, what happens if you want to warm up a snack, rather than go for a full-on toast? The Eye Q gives you the option to switch to a standard timer mode — just be sure to switch it back. I predict Breville’s Eye Q will win the hearts (and stomachs) of all toast lovers...if you have the means.

When can you buy it?

That said, it’s not available everywhere just yet. Currently, you can purchase the Eye Q range direct from Breville in Australia, starting from AU$469 for the 2-slice model, and AU$629 for the four-slice toaster. We’ll report back once we hear about availability in the U.S. and U.K.

It’s a steep price to pay for perfectly colored toast, so it will be interesting to see how popular Breville’s Eye Q range becomes with consumers. Although you do get to choose between four colorways — Black Truffle, Sea Salt, Stainless Steel and Noir — making it easy to match this countertop appliance to your kitchen aesthetics.

However, there is one feature of the Eye Q that I find a bit disappointing. According to Breville, you won’t hear the bread ‘pop up’ — instead, it rises silently and smoothly.

More from Tom's Guide

• I finally got the burnt marks off my toaster using this genius hack — it only took 10 seconds
• Best toaster ovens in 2025
• Breville Custom Loaf Bread Maker review

It's the last day of Prime Day, so the time for window-shopping is over. Now you need to finalize your purchases, lest you wait until Black Friday for the next super-sale. We're tracking the best Prime Day deals live to ensure you don't miss any essential buys.

I'm an ex-barista and now a professional coffee nerd, so I'm always in the mood for the best coffee deals. I've found my favorite beginner espresso machine, the Breville Bambino Plus, at its lowest-ever price, just $399 at Amazon, and loads more great deals.

I've rounded up everything from espresso machines to coffee scales to coffee itself, so you should be able to upgrade your home espresso setup for less.

About the author

Quick links

• Breville Bambino Plus: was $499 now $399 @ Amazon
• De'Longhi Stilosa: was $149 now $99 @ Amazon
• Breville Smart Grinder Pro: was $199 now $159 @ Amazon
• Maestri House Mini Coffee Scale: was $31 now $25 @ Amazon
• Normcore 54mm Bottomless Portafilter: was $69 now $55 @ Amazon
• Normcore 51mm Bottomless Portafilter: was $56 now $45 @ Amazon
• Subminimal FlowTip Milk Jug: was $39 now $29 @ Amazon
• Casabrews Milk Jug: was $9 now $8 @ Amazon
• Normcore 53.3mm Puck Screen: was $13 now $11 @ Amazon
• MHW-3BOMBER 51mm Puck Screen: was $11 now $9 @ Amazon
• Normcore Tamper 53mm: was $43 now $33 @ Amazon
• Subminimal Flick WDT Tool: was $29 now $25 @ Amazon
• Bones Coffee Company Wholebean Coffee x 5: was $38 now $29 @ Amazon

My favorite Prime Day espresso machines

I use my Breville Bambino Plus every single day. I gave it 4.5 stars in my review, and I love basically everything about it. Although it has the makings of a premium machine thanks to its PID controller (that controls the temperature of water), it's also beyond easy to use as your first ever espresso machine.

There's an auto milk frothing function, which I never use but my boyfriend solely uses, that can make microfoam completely hands-free. If you're more of a hands-on barista like me, you'll be able to steam milk 100% manually. I can get professional-level milk and latte art with this machine, so I know you can too.

Right now, it's just $399 (its lowest ever price) so I would grab this machine before the sale ends.

I awarded the De'Longhi Stilosa a nice 4 stars in my review, and to this day it's the only super-cheap espresso machine I would happily use in my own house.

Most super-cheap espresso machines suffer from overheating boilers (coughCasabrewscough) or weak steam wands. Not the Stilosa. I was able to craft barista-quality microfoam with the Stilosa, which is something I struggle with on weaker, budget machines.

Although it looks pretty cheap, it performs like a $300 model. If you've got a tight budget but you want an espresso machine, I 100% recommend the Stilosa. You won't be disappointed.

My favorite Prime Day coffee grinder

Grinders are a bit of a conundrum. Yes, you need a good grinder. But a good grinder can also set you back well over $500. If you're a beginner, $500 is a big chunk of money to spend on a one-note product.

A lot of the "coffee grinders" on Amazon are blade grinders. You do not want a blade grinder. These grinders cut the coffee beans with blades, which results in uneven coffee grounds. Uneven grounds won't make good espresso, and they might even damage your machine. If the coffee grounds are too small, it will clog the shower screen, your portafilter, and create a build-up of pressure. If you're going to spend all that money on a proper espresso machine, getting a blade grinder is like shooting yourself in the foot.

You want a burr grinder. Burrs work by crushing the beans rather than slicing, which means the coffee grounds will be more uniform. This will brew a pleasant-tasting coffee and won't create pressure buildup.

Thankfully, the Breville grinder I recommended above is a burr grinder, and it's perfect for beginners. This is my #1 recommendation for a first grinder.

My favorite Prime Day coffee scale

I reviewed the Maestri House Mini Coffee Scale last year and awarded it a nice 4 stars. This scale is simple and not afraid of that. With the manual timer and weighing function, I was able to brew delicious espresso stress-free.

I'll give you a little bit of info about why you might want a coffee scale. While it's not essential, it's quite tricky to get technically perfect espresso without a coffee scale. Why, I hear you ask?

Coffee is as much an art as it is a science. You need to get the perfect ratio for 'perfect' espresso., and you can't do that without weighing ingredients. It's kind of like baking in that way — you wouldn't just throw together flour, eggs, sugar, and butter, and hope for the best, would you? You'd follow a recipe.

Coffee is the same. You want a ratio of 1:2 for an espresso. A double shot of espresso should be about 18g, so you'd want your espresso to weigh 36g overall. Ideally, you'd want this espresso to extract in 23-28 seconds, which is where the timer comes in handy.

Some coffee scales have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and espresso-tracking apps, but you don't need to worry about that nonsense if you're a beginner. Just get the budget-friendly Maestri House model!

My favorite Prime Day coffee accessories

You don't need any of these, but it can be fun. You start to feel like a mad scientist or a Medieval torturer. I'll explain what each product is for as we go.

For more great discounts be sure to check out our Amazon Prime Day deals live blog right now.

Shop today's best Prime Day deals

• shop all Amazon deals
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October Prime Day finished last week, but this awesome Breville Bambino Plus deal is still live. Right now, the Breville Bambino Plus at it's lowest-ever price of $399 on Amazon, which is such a great price for this impressive machine. You can also get the black and red versions at their lowest-ever prices too!

I'm a professional espresso machine reviewer, so when I say something is my favorite, it's serious. And I'm so serious when I say the Breville Bambino Plus is my favorite espresso machine in the entire world.

There are so many reasons why this machine is awesome, but the most important one? It makes perfect coffee and you barely have to try.

• shop all coffee machines deals from $29 at Amazon

If you've never had an espresso machine before, the Breville Bambino Plus is the best place to start. In my opinion, this is the best espresso machine money can buy. As it's a semi-automatic machine, it can help you learn the basics of coffee-making, and can also be more hands-off for when you've learned the ropes.

The Bambino Plus comes with dual-walled and single-walled portafilters, which means you can use the machine with both pre-ground and freshly ground coffee. While I would never use pre-ground coffee or dual-walled portafilters, this is great for beginners who might not have a grinder yet.

Once you've got the coffee in the group handle (the black-and-silver thingamajig you can see in the photo below), making coffee is as straightforward as just pressing the button.

Thanks to the Bambino Plus's PID controller, the coffee machine controls water temperature throughout brewing, which means it'll never burn the coffee. Cheaper machines lack a PID controller, so if you're wondering why your home espresso always tasted burned, it could be the lack of PID controller.

Another great beginner-friendly feature is the automatic milk frother. Unlike its younger sibling the Breville Bambino, the Bambino Plus can froth your milk hands-free. Personally, I never use this feature, but my boyfriend always heats his milk with the automatic frother. He is definitely what I'd call a barista beginner, and it suits him just fine.

You won't really find any other similarly priced machines with an auto milk frother — it's the Bambino Plus or bust. Other Casabrews, Gevi, and De'Longhi models require users to manually steam their milk, usually with weak steam wands, too. The Bambino Plus has a 4-hole steam wand that ensures you'll get barista-quality milk in no time.

At just $399, the Bambino Plus is an utter steal right now. $399 is the lowest the Bambino Plus has ever been, so I wouldn't waste any time in grabbing this awesome deal.

I'm an ex-barista and now a professional espresso machine reviewer, so I've spent a ridiculous amount of time making coffee both behind a bar and in the comfort of my kitchen. All that coffee experience means that I also know how hard mastering the craft is. Yeah, I'm pretty good at making coffee, but I wouldn't say I've mastered it, even though I've been doing it for years.

At home, I use my Breville espresso machine (the $499 Bambino Plus, which is the most affordable model on this list, and the best espresso machine IMHO), which my inexperienced boyfriend can use, too. I've also had a De'Longhi La Specialista Opera, and have tested a Breville Oracle Dual Boiler at home, both of which he loved using too.

If you're a complete beginner, you might be wondering why there are no Nespresso coffee machines on this list. Well, that's because they're bad not espresso machines. The best Nespresso machines are a completely different type of machines, but are generally easier to use than espresso machines.

Before we start, jargon buster!

I use a few coffee nerd terms in this article. The most common is portafilter, which is the metal contraption (basket) where you put the coffee grounds. It looks like this.

There are two types of portafilter: on the left is a dual-walled, which is a pressurized basket. This basket type forces the coffee through a tiny hole and aerates it as it extracts, which obliterates delicate notes and complex flavors. Ideally, you don't want this.

On the right is a single-walled portafilter, which you do want. This portafilter helps the coffee extract with the desired delicate aroma you'll expect from specialty coffee shops.

Next: a grinder is the most important part of making coffee. Two of these espresso machines have grinders built in, so you don't need to worry. I think beginners can do well with a bean-to-cup espresso machine. The grinders in these machines don't tend to perform as well as separate grinders, but having too many moving parts can be too confusing for beginners.

If you decide to go for a machine sans-grinder, I'll recommend the Baratza Encore ESP, which is the most affordable decent espresso grinder I've ever used.

The long and short of it is this: coffee is a really confusing hobby at first. There are so many contradictory and opinionated people in the coffee world, so I know it can be overwhelming. Some people will tell you not to buy a bean-to-cup, but I think they can be a decent introduction into home espresso making without making you count clicks on manual grinders or start talking about microns.

(I told you — confusing.)

The smallest option: Breville Bambino Plus

The Breville Bambino Plus is the smallest — and most affordable — option on this list. It's also my personal espresso machine, so I can attest to how instantly usable and manageable it is.

At $499, it's a considerable amount of money, but this is relatively low for an espresso machine. Some machines go for up to $5k, so $500 doesn't feel as bad by comparison.

I've got a 2,500-word review on the Breville Bambino Plus, but I'll give you a quick run down here.

The machine is so easy to use because everything you need comes in the box — a single-walled portafilter, non-flimsy tamper, and milk jug being the most important things. Some budget brands (coughCasabrewscough) don't ship milk jugs with espresso machines, so you have to go out and buy one separately before you can use it.

Once you've got everything unboxed, it's as simple as putting 18g of finely ground coffee in the single-walled portafilter, tamping as hard as you can, and putting the group handle in the group head. Then you press double shot (or single, but you should only put 12g of coffee in and make sure you've got the right portafilter basket!) and watch the honey-colored liquid pour.

The steam wand is also easy to use. It has four holes, so is more powerful than single-holed steam wands, but isn't too aggressive in its aeration. Yes, you'll have to concentrate while you're using it for the first few times, but isn't that the joy in taking up a new hobby? You get to go back to school for a while.

The Bambino Plus has an auto-steaming feature, too, which makes it even easier to use. All you have to do to activate this is fill the milk jug, put it on the drip tray over the 'auto milk' sensor, and the machine will do everything else for you.

But despite all these user-friendly features, I think the number one reason is the Bambino Plus's size. Or, lack thereof. You don't have to clear a space in your kitchen to fit this tiny little machine. It could easily fit next to the kettle or air fryer, and that makes it super beginner-user-friendly in my book.

The cheapest bean-to-cup option: De'Longhi La Specialista Opera

So this is the espresso machine I used to use. And don't get me wrong, I loved it. But it was simply too big for my kitchen, which is why I swapped it out for the Bambino Plus.

If you've got the space, though, the La Specialista Opera is a great mid-range beginner option. Thanks to the built in grinder, you don't need to fork out an extra $200 on a budget grinder (or $600 on a high-end grinder). So, while the La Specialista Opera's price might make your eyes bulge like a cartoon cat, it's actually not that much higher than a Bambino Plus + grinder (about $700).

So the main thing that jumps out as a "beginner-friendly" feature is the smart tamping system. Unlike the Bambino Plus, you don't have to tamp manually on the La Specialita Opera. This results in less mess, more straightforward usage, and less confusion about tamping pressure or angles.

Beginners sometimes wonder what on earth tamping should actually do, so the La Specialista Opera takes that worry out of the equation. The machine sorts out everything for you.

Once you've got your coffee tamped on the smart tamping system, all you have to do is put the group handle in the group head and press the single or double shot button. You'll get a delicious barista-quality drink in seconds.

When I was testing this machine last year, I loved playing around with all the different settings. The La Specialista Opera can make cold brew and 'cool espresso', which sounds like it shouldn't taste good, but it actually kind of... does?

The steam wand is a little low lying, which was my only downside when reviewing the machine last year, but I was able to use it with just a little re-angling of my body during steaming. And the best part for beginners? The steam wand stays cool during use, so if you accidentally touch it (been there, done that) then it — hopefully — won't burn you.

Obviously test this on your model. Please don't trust me wholeheartedly with your finger skin.

The oh-so premium option: Breville Oracle Dual Boiler

Alrighty, this is the most premium machine on this list and the most expensive espresso machine I've ever used.

But that's for a reason. The Breville Oracle Dual Boiler is an absolute Titan. It's a behemoth. It's a beast. It's all of the hyperbolic nouns that mean "this is a big machine".

As with all the machines in Breville's Oracle range, the Oracle Dual Boiler is kind of an automatic and manual machine in one. It has an auto mode and a manual mode, so the automatic mode could be used while you're getting to grips with the machine, then you could switch to the manual mode once you feel more confident with coffee-making.

The Oracle Dual Boiler is, for all intents and purposes, the easiest espresso machine I've ever used. But the price isn't exactly conducive for complete beginners: why would you spend $3k on your first espresso machine?

Yes, it's a premium machine. I'm fully aware of that, and the price means I could never buy it for myself. But that doesn't mean it's a bad machine, or a user-unfriendly machine.

Actually, it's the most user-friendly machine I've ever used.

As I mentioned above, I reviewed the Breville Oracle Dual Boiler last week and gave it 4 stars. There are so many things to love about the Oracle Dual Boiler: the full-color touchscreen that makes you feel like you're using the newest smartphone; the auto-milk-frothing function that works well for beginners; the fact that the machine grinds, doses, tamps automatically, so you don't have to mess around with coffee grounds or measuring or weighing anything.

You can select your drink using the touchscreen; the machine will tell you exactly how to make it. This is ideal for beginners who might not know the difference between a cafe crema and a long black (a cafe crema is a supersized lungo shot, and a long black is an upside-down Americano), but who want to learn.

There are tons of options, including an espresso martini and even hot chocolate, so you'll be the master of the coffee world in no time.

Finally, there's one more reason why I think the Oracle Dual Boiler is great for beginners. The Oracle Dual Boiler is, you guessed it, a dual boiler machine, which means you can steam milk and make espresso simultaneously. This is ideal if you've got loads of people to make coffee for in quick succession, as you'll be able to make drink after drink without the boiler giving up.

This also means you don't have to 'purge' the boiler or prevent it from overheating, which is a major downside of many budget espresso machines I've tested (coughCasabrewscough). You won't have to learn any annoying quirks to use the Oracle Dual Boiler, which is great for your frustration levels.

The secret fourth option: De'Longhi Stilosa

So the reason why this machine isn't on the main list is that the U.K. and the U.S. models are different, so I can't say for certain that it's easy-to-use. In the U.K., the Stilosa comes with single-walled portafilters, whereas in the U.S. it doesn't.

As a result, if you were to use this in the U.S., I'd recommend making a secondary purchase to get a bottomless portafilter accessory, which immediately makes it not beginner friendly. If you have to purchase something to make a machine usable, it's therefore not usable out of the box.

However, if you want to save as much money as possible, I wholeheartedly recommend the Stilosa. With an extra $30 or so, you'll be able to make coffee worthy of a Bambino Plus on a $149 machine.

In the U.S., the Stilosa requires an extra purchase to make "technically" perfect coffee: a bottomless portafilter.

Thankfully, you can get a third-party bottomless portafilter for just $29 on Amazon. With this accessory, the machine will cost you $178, which is still $321 cheaper than the next cheapest model on this list.

So, with the Stilosa and a bottomless portafilter, you'll be able to make barista-quality coffee for just $178. This is an unbelievably low price for an espresso machine of this quality. There was a reason I was shocked during my testing period with the Stilosa: it's simply marvelous.

More from Tom's Guide

• You might be using your espresso machine wrong — I'm an ex-barista and here's what you need to do
• I'm an ex-barista — here's my top 3 espresso machines for every budget
• I'm a barista and I ditched my Breville Bambino Plus for this $129 espresso machine — is the $370 saving worth it?

It goes without saying that dual boiler coffee machines regularly top most people’s best espresso machines lists. Dual boiler espresso machines aren’t for everyone, though: generally, they’re pricier and much, much bigger.

The Breville Oracle Dual Boiler is no different: it’s frankly gargantuan, at a massive 15 inches wide and 17 inches tall. This is not a machine for small kitchens. Heck, this is barely even a machine for large kitchens. This is a machine for a kitchen with a dedicated coffee corner.

While, yes, the Oracle Dual Boiler is huge, that’s expected for an espresso machine of this caliber. It’s a dual boiler — inherently large — and makes commercial-grade coffee (with some quirks). Is it worth $3,000, though? I’ll discuss everything in this comprehensive Breville Oracle Dual Boiler review.

Breville Oracle Dual Boiler review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Oracle Dual Boiler is a powerful espresso machine with a quad-core processor (yes, really), touchscreen (yes, really), and Wi-Fi (yes, really)
• Who is it for? It’s for serious home coffee lovers, but not espresso purists. Confused? Let me explain. The Oracle Dual Boiler has a built in (and lackluster) grinder, which won’t impress coffee snobs
• What does it do well? Well, it makes cafe-quality drinks, if you’re a chain coffee addict
• What are its weaknesses? Its inability to dial-in light roasts won’t impress all coffee drinkers
• Anything else to know? If you love dark roasted coffee and espresso machines more intelligent than 5-year-olds, then this is the machine for you

Breville Oracle Dual Boiler review: Specs

Breville Oracle Dual Boiler review: Price & availability

The Breville Oracle Dual Boiler is very expensive. It’s the most expensive espresso machine I’ve tested to date.

You can find it for $2,999 at Breville U.S.. In the U.K., Breville products go by the name Sage, so you’ll find it listed as Sage Oracle Dual Boiler. It’s £2,499 at Sage U.K.. and £2,499 at John Lewis.

Breville/Sage has a ton of espresso machines, all with similar naming conventions. I’ll quickly explain the difference between the various models. It’s all very confusing.

So the Oracle range of espresso machines basically refers to automation. If a Breville espresso machine has “Oracle” in the name, it has some degree of automation. Obviously it’s not a superautomatic machine, but it’s more of an automatic machine than, say, a Bambino Plus ($499, the best entry-level Breville).

The Oracle Dual Boiler is the flagship model. Further down the Oracle line, you’ll find the Oracle Jet, which is $1,995, so is a cheaper introduction into an automated Breville machine.

The Oracle Jet is not a dual boiler, so you can’t steam and extract at the same time. Breville does, however, make a non-Oracle dual boiler (I said confusing, didn’t I?), which is just called the Breville Dual Boiler. This machine has no grinder and no automation, so would be better for the more traditional coffee snobs in the house.

So while the Oracle Dual Boiler is the most expensive Breville machine on the market, it’s also the most “intelligent” — if you like that sort of thing. You’re essentially paying $3,000 for a computer + coffee machine.

Breville Oracle Dual Boiler review: Design

As you’d expect from a Breville/Sage machine, the Oracle Dual Boiler is beautiful. And massive. It’s 15 inches wide, 14 inches deep, and 17 inches tall, so it’s an utter behemoth.

The design is pretty standard for a bean-to-cup, but it’s definitely one of the most modern machines I’ve ever seen. The edges are rounded, which just carries an air of modernity, and there’s a 6 x 3 inch touchscreen in the center of the machine.

This touchscreen is bright, responsive, and colorful, exactly what you’d want to see on a premium espresso machine like this. You can choose light or dark mode (I chose the dark side) and you can adjust screen brightness to your liking. Each drink recipe has a full-color high-res illustration depicting the drink, which is really helpful for coffee beginners who might not know the difference between a latte and a flat white.

To the left of the touchscreen is the power button, and to the right is the Breville/Sage logo. This facade has a really clean, easy-to-use design, and will look beautiful in any kitchen.

Above the touchscreen is the flat top of the machine; the grinder and hopper is on the left, and the right side is empty so you can store your milk jug and portafilter there between uses. I will note that it gets quite warm, so it could be a good location to store your mugs if you like them pre-heated. The machine doesn’t vibrate much when it’s heating up so I doubt there’d be an overt risk of the mugs falling off.

Now onto the actual coffee-making area of the machine. As you’d expect, the grinder is on the left, the group head is in the middle, and the steam wand is on the right. It’s a nice left-to-right process, just like reading.

I’ll discuss this fully in the ‘Grinder’ section below, but the grinder basically does everything for you. All you need to do is put your portafilter in the grinder; the machine grinds, doses, and tamps automatically. Some coffee snobs will say this isn’t the right way to make coffee, and that’s fine, but this machine isn’t for them. This machine is for serious coffee lovers who also want the process to be as easy as possible.

The group head in the middle tends to be a little stiff; I found that I needed to use two hands to get my group handle slotted in properly. This could be because the machine is new, though, and might get easier with time. Unfortunately I’ve only got the machine for a short testing period, and the machine only released last week, so I’ve not been able to test this fully.

On the right side of the machine is the steam wand, and oh boy, is this steam wand a beast. It’s about a half an inch thick, with a red loop so you can move the wand without burning yourself. It doesn’t have a ball joint like the Smeg EMC02, but it was easy to find the angle sweet spot regardless. The steam wand also unscrews so you can clean under the tip.

At the bottom of the machine is the removable drip tray. This has a mesh layer under the silver grill so you can really get in there and clean. There’s also a secret hiding spot behind the drip tray to store things like extra portafilters and cleaning products, should you so desire.

All in all, this is a beautiful, modern machine that I think will look fresh for years to come. It’s incredibly well made.

Breville Oracle Dual Boiler review: Grinder

The Breville Dual Boiler uses Baratza European Precision burrs as its grinder. These burrs have 45 grind settings. I’ve used and reviewed the Baratza Encore ESP. I gave it a 4-star rating in my review, but the main reason why it got such a high rating is because of its value-to-cost ratio. I found it struggled to grind fine enough for some light-roasted beans, which is still an issue with the Oracle Dual Boiler’s Baratza burrs.

While Breville doesn’t specify which Baratza burrs the Oracle Dual Boiler uses, the most expensive Baratza grinder is the $899 Forte, which has ceramic burrs. As the Oracle Dual Boiler doesn’t specify ceramic burrs, I’m inclined to believe the machine doesn’t have those specific ones.

General hearsay online (on Reddit and Home Barista) purports that the Oracle Dual Boiler has the same burrs as the Baratza Encore ESP. Now, this is an unverified rumor, but if this is true, then that’s majorly disappointing. You’re telling me I’m paying $3k for a $200 grinder? If true, that’s kind of unacceptable. You should be getting a high-quality grinder with a premium machine. I’d expect at least the aforementioned Forte ceramic burrs. I’ve reached out to Sage/Breville for clarification, but have yet to receive a response.

Now that’s out of the way, I’ll actually talk about the grinder’s ease of use. I love getting all nerdy and technical with grinders (if you read my grinder reviews, I have multiple mathematical tables with uniformity and retention), but as the Oracle Dual Boiler grinds, doses, and tamps all internally, I have no way of measuring retention and uniformity.

So, we’ll just have to go off taste and ease of use.

As I mentioned briefly above, the Oracle Dual Boiler is good at figuring out dark roasted coffee. Medium roast and light roast? Well, you’re on your own there.

I found it near-impossible to dial in my light-roasted beans. I used an entire 250g bag of light-roasted beans trying to dial in my shot. Yes, an entire bag. It was $10.

Dark roast, however? The Oracle Dual Boiler figured that out in one shot. If you primarily drink dark coffee, then this is the machine for you. As someone who loves light-roasted beans, though, I would definitely skip this machine personally, for the sole reason that its grinder just can’t wrap its head around them.

The grinder is, as you might expect from an automated Oracle machine, absolutely painless to use. All you have to do is put the 58mm portafilter into the grinder. The machine automatically doses the coffee (you choose the grind size, or it can choose automatically) between 18-22g, but I found it mostly dosed 22g.

I’d recommend getting one of the best coffee scales — I use the Wacaco Exagram Pro — to measure exactly how much coffee the machine dosed. I weigh the portafilter, then tare the scale, then let the machine dose and tamp. Then I weigh the portafilter again to see the coffee dose.

The Oracle Dual Boiler takes about a minute to finish tamping, and it makes a strange whirring sound during. The first time I used the machine, I thought this was the sound of an empty grinder, and stopped tamping halfway through by mistake. So heed my warning: it is tamping, it just takes longer than you think.

Of course, you don’t have to use the built-in grinder. If you’ve got your own grinder, you can grind, dose, and tamp (as long as you have a 58mm tamper on hand). But then why wouldn’t you just buy the Bambino Plus, the Barista Express, or the non-Oracle Dual Boiler?

Breville Oracle Dual Boiler review: Espresso

The Breville Oracle Dual Boiler has a huge range of drink ‘recipes’ you can choose from. I’ll list them all here: espresso, cafe crema, americano, latte, flat white, hot chocolate, latte shakerato, espresso shakerato, cortado, piccolo, espresso martini, babyccino, cappuccino, latte macchiato, mocha, tea, and ‘custom’.

Yes, you can make your own recipe and save it to the homescreen. I made my own little flat white recipe, with a 35ml shot volume and oat milk texture ‘6’, temperature 140°F. The default flat white has a 60ml shot volume, which is a bit too much for me.

Don’t get me wrong — the machine is intelligent, sure, but it’s not more intelligent than you, the human barista. This is all fun and games, but the machine also has a manual mode, which I did gravitate towards most of the time.

If you use the automated setting, the machine doesn’t actually make the drinks for you. You still have to make the drink: the machine just tells you how to do it. For example, if you choose a latte, the screen reads: coffee double shot, milk 140°F. You just follow its instructions. This is great for first time users — but then again, would first time home baristas really spend $3,000 on an espresso machine — or people who want homemade coffee but with a little extra help.

Anyway, now that’s out of the way, I’ll actually talk about the espresso flavor. If you read the ‘grinder’ section, you’ll know that the Oracle Dual Boiler doesn’t really know what to do with light roasts.

As a result, I’d only recommend you get this machine if you’re a dark roast fanatic. Love Starbucks coffee? Then this is likely the machine for you. Love light roasts? Then you’ll probably need a machine sans-grinder like the Dual Boiler ($1,599). It’s an old machine now, but it’s stood the test of time.

I tested with both light and dark roasts and the dark roast provided a more consistent shot. Here’s a photo of a dark roast shot.

As you can see, there’s nice thick crema and a deep brown color to the espresso itself. This espresso tasted as you’d expect: strong, bitter, and a little chocolatey. This shot was 45g and extracted in 23 seconds, so a little too fast, but still good in a caramel latte.

In automatic mode, the Oracle Dual Boiler extracts via volume, not time. So if you’ve ground your beans too fine, it’ll take up to 40 seconds, if your beans are too coarse, it can take just 17 seconds. You want the sweet spot of 23-28 seconds.

You can easily switch to manual mode though, and you start and stop extraction yourself. I’d recommend getting a coffee scale if you’re going to use this mode.

All in all, the espresso is great. I don’t think it’s worth $3,000 — it’s just as good as the espresso my Bambino Plus can make, which I think is the best espresso machine for pure espresso taste.

But it’s all down to personal preference: if you want a super fancy, techie machine like this, then yeah, it’ll make you delicious espresso. With dark roasts, of course.

Breville Oracle Dual Boiler review: Milk

As I mentioned above, the Oracle Dual Boiler is, you guessed it, a dual boiler machine, which means the steam wand and the group head use different boilers. I found it super easy to steam milk and extract espresso simultaneously.

Thanks to this dedicated boiler, the steam wand is really impressive. It’s about a half an inch thick, and oh-so powerful, and is perfect for experienced baristas, or those wanting to level up their latte art. I found it really easy to make beautiful art in pretty much every drink I made.

Here’s a photo of an oat milk latte I made on the Oracle Dual Boiler.

As you can see, the milk is perfectly textured, with velvety microfoam and delicate aeration. This is quite hard to achieve on non-dairy milk, so I am really impressed with the steam wand here.

Here’s a photo of a dairy milk latte I made.

As you can see, the milk is shiny, velvety, and smooth. My latte art isn’t great, but that’s because I didn’t fill the jug enough. That’s my fault. The milk texture itself is perfect, definitely something you’d expect to be served at a coffee shop.

This is one of the best steam wands I’ve ever used — beaten only by the Smeg EMC02 — and I have no doubt that any home coffee enthusiast would adore using this machine.

Interestingly, there’s a feature on the Oracle Dual Boiler that I’ve only really seen on fully-automatic machines before.

The Oracle Dual Boiler has something called “AutoMilQ” for automatic milk steaming. This feature is supposed to adjust its power for different types of milk, including: dairy, almond, oat, and soy.

I tested this feature with oat milk (Oatly Barista), and I did not like it. It made the steam wand way less powerful and made it more difficult to mix in the larger bubbles. I would never use this feature again.

Presumably, AutoMilQ makes the steam less powerful for non-dairy milk as it tends to be more delicate and prone to over-aeration. I understand that this could be a useful feature for non-barista non-dairy milk.

Also, I suppose if you want hands-off milk steaming, then MilQ could be good for you. Personally, however, I’m very happy to baby my milk through every step of the process. I actively enjoy steaming my milk manually, so I’m not the ideal candidate for automatic steam wands.

Breville Oracle Dual Boiler review: App

Yes, the Breville Oracle Dual Boiler has an app: Breville+/Sage+. I write that with a strained rictus grimace plastered on my face. My eye is twitching. I can hear my heartbeat in my ears. I may or may not be biting down on my tongue so hard I can taste blood.

Right, that’s all a bit of hyperbole, but seriously, the fact that this espresso machine has an app is just a bit much. And the worst part? The app literally doesn’t do anything. Sure, you can turn on the machine from your phone. Sure, that saves you two minutes in the morning. But seriously? I do not need my espresso machine to have Wi-Fi. No thank you.

This could be my personal preference, though. What do you think? Do you love the idea of being able to preheat your coffee machine from bed?

Anyway, here’s a few screenshots from the app so you can see for yourself.

You can change the machine’s name in the app, but there’s quite a strict character limit. I tried to name it “Caffeiney McCaffeineyface” ala Boaty McBoatface, but there wasn’t enough room. Sigh. It’s now called “hot bean juicer 3000”, which doesn’t have the same ring to it.

But that is it. This app’s got all my data for that? Right, okay, makes sense. I think this is a bit of a gimmick and I will not be using this app regularly. It would be so much better if the app took some inspiration from Acaia’s Brewmaster app, which plots your espresso extraction on a graph and has a great notepad section where you can track the notes of your espresso shot.

Breville/Sage, if you’re listening, I’d love for the Breville+/Sage+ app to behave less like a remote control, and more like Brewmaster. Thanks!

Breville Oracle Dual Boiler review: Storage & maintenance

As I mentioned earlier, this is a massive machine. I’ve referred to it as the Titan of espresso machines before, and I think that’s such an apt name. It truly is the Titan of espresso machines.

It’s a huge 15 inches wide, 17 inches tall, and 14 inches deep. You will either need a massive counter free in your kitchen — with no cupboard above — or a dedicated coffee station. This machine took up a whole counter in my kitchen and I found myself getting a little stressed out by how cluttered it looked during my testing period.

All that being said, if you’ve got a big kitchen or somewhere spacious to store the machine, this won’t be a problem.

I will note that the Oracle Dual Boiler is power-hungry. I noticed that when the machine was heating up from cold, my electricity usage (I have a live electricity usage monitor in the kitchen) jumped up from about 4p an hour to about 50p ($0.68) an hour. This will obviously depend on where you live and your electricity provider, but it was noticeably higher for me. Although, if you’ve bought a $3,000 machine, I doubt a 50p ($0.68) electricity cost will be an issue for you.

The Oracle Dual Boiler has an array of self-cleaning modes: it can rinse the steam wand, deep clean the steam wand, group head cleaning, descaling, and water filter switching information, and more. Obviously it’ll prompt you when you need to do certain cleaning tasks.

The machine also comes with a cleaning disc and cleaning tablets, which I appreciate. If you run out, though, you can easily buy more supplies from Breville direct.

Day-to-day maintenance is very straightforward, but also essential for longevity. I’d recommend you empty the drip tray every day and purge the steam wand before and after use. Make sure you wipe down the machine so it stays looking fresh and sparkly for as long as possible.

Most of Breville’s cleaning advice is just common sense, too — descale when required, put in a water filter, etc. You can also buy WDT tools and tampers from Breville, but the whole point of this machine is that it does it for you, so these aren’t essential purchases.

Breville Oracle Dual Boiler review: Verdict

The Breville Oracle Dual Boiler is a premium, high-tech espresso machine perfect for one kind of home barista. This isn’t for beginners, and it’s not for coffee snobs, either. The Oracle Dual Boiler is for those who are serious about coffee, but not necessarily serious about technical coffee.

If you love dark roast and you love playing around with different drink styles, this is the machine for you. The proclivity for dark roast bodes well for syrup lovers, and I can definitely see the Oracle Dual Boiler’s espresso tasting particularly good with pumpkin spice or toffeenut syrup.

While this machine is expensive, big, and a little frustrating if you like light roast, if you’re in the aforementioned coffee-lover-but-not-necessarily-coffee-snob category, you will love the Oracle Dual Boiler.

I'm an ex-barista and now I review espresso machines for a living. Hard life, I know. I've tested everything from $3,000 dual-boiler coffee machines from Breville (Sage in the U.K.) to $99 super-budget espresso machines you can only really buy at Amazon.

All this testing and tinkering, though, means I've got a thorough understanding of what makes an espresso machine good. And, most importantly, which espresso machines are actually worth your hard-earned money.

I've had a long, hard think about it, and I've finally decided on the three best espresso machines for each budget. There's an affordable option, a mid-range option, and a premium option in this list.

1. Best budget espresso machine

This is the best budget espresso machine: the Casabrews 3700 Essential. While my review isn't yet live, I have completed my testing and written the full piece. Here's a sneak peek: I awarded the 3700 4 stars.

There's a lot to like about this machine: its compact 5-inch size, its powerful(ish) steam wand, and its low-profile design. It's also not as ugly as you might expect from a $129 (but often $99) espresso machine.

The price, though, is by far the best part. The Casabrews 3700 Essential is just $129, but regularly discounted to just $99. At this price point, there's very little competition. It's 3700 Essential or bust.

A word of warning: the Casabrews 3700 Essential only ships with dual-walled portafilters (which pressurize the coffee during extraction and make it taste bad, in short), but Casabrews sells a bottomless portafilter (which doesn't pressurize the coffee and therefore makes it taste good) for $38 on Amazon. Unfortunately, it also doesn't come with a milk jug, but you can get a Casabrews milk jug for just $15 on Amazon.

If you get the 3700 Essential with the $38 portafilter, that's still only $137, which is a huge saving versus alternative machines. If you add on the milk jug, that's still only $153.

The 3700 is the best cheap espresso machine on the market, but it's not perfect. Unfortunately, you'll have to spend a little more to get technical perfection, which brings me to my next model.

2. Best mid-range espresso machine

There's very little competition. At this point, I'm not really sure why other manufacturers bother. The Breville Bambino Plus (Sage Bambino Plus in the U.K.) is, hands down, the best mid-range espresso machine money can buy.

This is my personal favorite espresso machine, and I use it every single day. Of all the machines I've tested, this is my top pick.

The Bambino Plus has a PID controller, which is basically a temperature regulator inside the machine. The PID controller ensures all the water is at the optimal temperature to prevent coffee from tasting burnt or weak.

This is a premium feature, and it's always nice to see affordable(ish) machines with this technology.

While you can't customize your extraction temperature to the degree like you can on my premium pick below, the Bambino Plus doesn't really need that feature. Every shot of espresso I pull on this machine is delicious, delectable, decadent, divine. It's just so good.

It's not just good at making espresso, though. The steam wand is one of the most powerful I've seen on a home espresso machine. It has 4 holes to create the perfect 'vortex' in milk. Other cheaper espresso machines (like some Casabrews and Gevi models) suffer from weak steam wands, but the Bambino Plus is capable of steaming fluffy, textured milk worthy of a specialty cafe.

I will never give up my Bambino Plus, and I can't recommend it enough.

3. Best premium espresso machine

Alright, I know for most people this espresso machine is a pipe dream. But if I had a) space and b) money, this would be the machine I'd get. I love my Bambino Plus, but the Smeg EMC02 (also known as the Smeg Semi-Professional espresso machine and Mini Pro in the U.K.) is on another level. The Smeg EMC02 was made with La Pavoni, which is the brand that (apparently) invented espresso as we know it. How cool is that?

When I was testing this espresso machine back in April, one of my colleagues said the latte I gave him was the "best coffee I've ever had." I'm not gonna brag, but come on. That is a pretty great soundbite.

In my 4.5-star review of the Smeg EMC02, I praised almost everything about it. Firstly, you can select the extraction temperature to a degree. Secondly, it has a built-in timer, and you can adjust pre-infusion and infusion to your heart's desire. Thirdly, the steam wand is the closest I've ever gotten to a commercial steam wand (well, since I was a barista).

As the Smeg EMC02 has three boilers, it can switch from espresso to steam and back to espresso again with no heating-up time. You could even extract espresso and steam milk simultaneously.

The group head is designed to look like an iconic E61, although it's not actually an E61; it's electric. This means while it heats up in minutes rather than hours, it does get very hot to the touch. That's perhaps my only negative feeling towards the EMC02, and it's not even that negative. Just don't be silly like me and touch the massive hot piece of metal.

More from Tom's Guide

• You're probably using your espresso machine wrong — I'm an ex-barista and here's what you need to know
• I'm a barista and I ditched my Breville Bambino Plus for this $129 espresso machine — is the $370 saving worth it?
• I've been testing the new Breville Oracle Dual Boiler — here's my first impressions of this $3,000 espresso machine

If you hadn’t heard, Breville (known as Sage here in the U.K.) just released an updated version of its Oracle Dual Boiler espresso machine, intended to be all things to all people… as long as they have $3,000 to spare.

The Oracle is designed in large part for cash-rich individuals who enjoy specialty coffee and milk drinks, but who don’t have the desire, time or patience to learn how to make espresso manually.

If you want it to, it'll do everything complicated about espresso for you. It grinds, doses, tamps, pulls shots and even textures milk. All you need to do for a flat white is press the flat white icon and then put the portafilter and jug where you’re told. Et voilà: you have a flat white. No dialling-in. No shot analysis. No texturing milk yourself. No skill required at all.

The thing is, Breville doesn’t market the Oracle exclusively to those people. This machine boasts a slew of features designed to pique the interest of genuine espresso enthusiasts as well. “Enjoy the best of both worlds,” says Breville. “Select Auto mode for automation at every stage or go for a hands-on barista experience with Manual mode.”

Like I said, the Oracle is supposed to be all things to all people: if you have both an espresso nerd and an uninterested coffee lover in the house, the Oracle is intended to serve both.

Only, it doesn’t. It really doesn’t. I’ve spent the last two weeks testing the Oracle. Unfortunately, if you’re an espresso enthusiast this machine will simply not hold up, which is a huge shame given a) how close it came, and b) the price.

So what’s wrong? Just like most espresso problems, it all comes down to the grind.

A plethora of nerdy features

I don’t want to be a total negative Nancy, so I’ll get the many positives down first. If anything, this serves as useful context — when you know how well the Oracle’s other features perform, its negatives are even more annoying.

As I mentioned up top, the Breville Oracle has plenty of really cool features that I’d want to see in a $3,000 machine. First up, emblazoned across its frontage are the words “DUAL BOILER”.

Now, this may be an unpopular opinion, but most people (even hardcore enthusiasts) don’t need dual boilers. Most home brewers rarely need to make more than one or two drinks at a time. A single boiler or thermoblock machine with a PID is more than capable of that. But that fact doesn’t stop me wanting one!

Dual boilers are like the endgame for coffee nuts. Car guys ‘n gals do just fine with their modified Miata, but if they had the money the endgame would be a Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Bikers do just fine with their 1995 600cc Honda, but the endgame would be a Ducati Panigale V4. I do just fine with my Rancilio Silvia V6, but my endgame would be the Diletta Mio. If you have the money one day, why not get the best?

And besides, dual boilers let you steam milk and pull espresso at the same time without one affecting the other, which is inherently useful to all espresso lovers: neither sits around while you sort the second, risking your crema deflating or your milk congealing.

The new Oracle also has a manual mode offering lots of cool features for nerds. Pre-infusion, blooming and brewing stages are all manually controlled, as are brew temps, and there’s a built-in shot timer for you to keep an eye on how long each of your stages lasts. All are great to have, giving plenty of fine control over espresso shots.

Sectumsempra!

The wand is also excellent. Pull it towards you and it enters manual mode, which is a joy. It has an interesting quirk where it pumps air at a super fast rate to begin with, spewing large bubbles into your milk. But I’ve found a quick pre-steam purge solves the issue, and thereafter it’s perfect for texturing everything, from flat whites to cappuccinos.

The wand also has a temperature sensor, so you can avoid overheating the milk and destroying the texture. And it’s powerful enough to take on large quantities of milk for oversized lattes or two-to-three smaller drinks.

…But

But — and it’s a big “but”, I cannot lie — all of the above is totally undermined by the Oracle’s grinder. In manual mode, I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s completely unusable.

The only way this grinder works is in the automatic dial-in / espresso mode. In auto, the Oracle’s group uses sensors to determine how well a shot is pulling and adjusts the grind accordingly for your next shot. The grinder likewise has sensors to calculate dose volumetrically, all to meet the correct pour time the machine wants to hit for its preset water volumes.

And it works! Run a couple of shots through, let it change grind size for you, and it doses on point from thereon out. But that ain’t gonna make an espresso nerd happy, is it?

For many, the whole point of getting into espresso is to control this stuff yourself. Breville knows that, and says the Oracle is capable enough to suit. Put the machine into manual mode, though, where you set the grind size and grind time, and the Oracle’s grinder is utterly woeful.

In manual mode, the machine is no longer sensing the volume of coffee dosed into shots. But that shouldn’t matter, because that’s the point of manual mode — you dial-in based on weight out, finding the correct ‘dose/grind size’ combo for the output you want. From then on, with your dose and grind size set, you can start to tweak variables for your desired output. That’s the fun. But your grinder needs to keep set doses and grind sizes consistent for everything to work.

Not a problem, right? If your grind size is the same and you’re dispensing for the same amount of time, it stands to reason the grinder will deliver the same amount of coffee each time. That’s how other timed-dose grinders like my Eureka Mignon Specialita work.

Dosage woes

Unfortunately, that’s not how the Oracle’s grinder works. In manual mode, the grinder is laughably inconsistent, to the point of being unusable. Using my Felicita Arc scale tared to the weight of the portafilter, I dialled in some light/medium roast coffee. At a grind size of 12 for 20 seconds of grinding, my dose was just over 18g. With a 35-second brew time and a 36g output, the espresso was spot on. The drink was good.

The next morning, however, using the same beans, the same grind size, the same grind time, my dose was… 13g. This was perhaps a one-off, I thought, or due to the grinder needing a purge last time around. So I left the grinder at its settings and simply ground a little more, stopping it after a few seconds until I had around 18g. The next shot later that morning — same beans, same grind size, same grind time, same day — 22g. That’s a 9g swing. Wild.

Perhaps it was the beans? Online discourse is damning about the original Oracle’s grinder, particularly when using light and medium roasts. So I switched to a medium/dark roast. Same problem. I dialled back in to 18g only to find a 3g swing to 21g the next day, with a further swing back to 16g later that morning.

So, I went even further, to a properly dark espresso roast — 100% Arabica, just to keep things as bog-standard as possible. Unfortunately, it was more of the same story. After dialling-in to 19g this time, the next morning I found myself with a 23g dose. Then back to a 17g dose. Then a 21.7g dose.

It’s unusable.

Auto-only

Every espresso enthusiast knows the most important piece of kit is the grinder. Breville knows this, too. To my mind, then, it’s completely unacceptable that a product marketed as suitable for automatic and manual use, especially when it costs $3,000, features a grinder this poor. What’s even more damning is that the grinder was also an issue on the previous model. This isn’t a novel problem. Breville owns Baratza (and the Oracle features Baratza burrs), so it knows how to make a good grinder. It could’ve solved this.

You can get around the issue by using the auto dose/espresso mode to fill your puck, then switching to manual mode to control pre-infusion, bloom and shot time. But that gives you no control over your puck. And where’s the fun in that?

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I'm an ex-barista, so I have a lot of experience in the world of coffee. Whether it was working the Christmas rush in my local Starbucks (don't remind me) or lovingly crafting artisanal flat whites at an independent coffee shop (please, do remind me), I've been there, done that.

Now, I'm on a mission to make the best home espresso I possibly can. I've got my arsenal of the best espresso machines, including Breville coffee makers and De'Longhi coffee makers, and Eureka grinders behind me. Hard life, right?

But growing more closely entwined with home espresso machines has made me realize that most people don't actually know how to get the most out of these machines. There's nothing wrong with that — espresso machines are confusing — so let me show you exactly how to level up your espresso and impress yourself.

You should customize shot volume

If you use your espresso machine right out of the box, it's likely that the shot volume is programmed to about 50ml. This is, to put it politely, a bit wacky.

The general rule of thumb is that espresso should follow 1:2 ratio. So if you dose 18g of coffee grounds, you should get 36g of espresso out. This means that the default shot volume of ~50ml is way too much.

As a result, you'll have a weak yet bitter espresso, with undesirable burned notes.

"But how do I know when my espresso is at 36g?" Let me introduce to you the best coffee scales. I've reviewed way too many coffee scales to count, and this is the affordable model I use every single day.

You could either place the coffee scale under your mug every time you pull a shot and manually stop the extraction once the espresso reaches your desired weight, or you could customize the shot volume manually.

If you want to customize the automatic shot volume, you'll need to consult your machine's user manual. Each espresso machine has a different way to do this: for example, on the Breville Bambino Plus, you have to hold down two buttons and then run water through the machine. There's little point me telling you how to do it on your machine as they all differ.

Personally, though, I don't have time for that. Especially when, depending on uncontrollable factors like bean porosity, humidity, grind evenness, this shot volume will differ day-to-day. As a result, I just manually start and stop extraction by pressing my machine's shot button.

You shouldn't use dual-walled portafilters

Most machines come with both single- and dual-walled portafilters, but some just come with dual-walled. If you're not sure on the difference or what any of this means, let me give you a quick rundown.

The portafilter is the metal basket where you put the coffee. There are many different types: the most common are single-walled and dual-walled. These are also known as unpressurized and pressurized respectively.

You don't want to use dual-walled/pressurized portafilters because they physically cannot make proper espresso. These metal baskets force the coffee water through a tiny little hole and aerate the liquid as it extracts. This means the flavor will be completely off, and the texture will be way too fluffy.

Here's what you should be looking out for.

As I said earlier, most espresso machines come with both portafilters. I want you to take the dual-walled portafilter and put it in the back of your kitchen drawer where no light shall shine upon it again. It's what she deserves.

If your espresso machine doesn't come with single-walled portafilters, don't worry. There's a workaround. Many espresso brands also sell first-party single-walled or bottomless portafilters. Bottomless portafilters are basically flat on the bottom (so no 'spout' like you might be used to) and look really, really cool.

If you've got a Casabrews machine, Casabrews sells bottomless portafilters for $38 on Amazon. If you've got a De'Longhi (the Stilosa doesn't come with single-walled portafilters in the U.S., for example), you can get third-party compatible portafilters on Amazon for around ~$40.

Usually, though, you won't have to buy another portafilter. Most machines I've come across do ship with both types of portafilter. Just make sure that you're using the one with the little grate on the bottom, not the single hole.

You'll definitely notice a difference in the flavor of your espresso, unless you're using pre-ground coffee, which brings me onto my next point...

You (probably) shouldn't use pre-ground coffee

Now, don't get me wrong, this is just me being a bit of a coffee snob. If you enjoy using pre-ground coffee, then that's fine. But I could never use pre-ground. It won't have the tart, juicy, fruity notes that I look for in coffee.

I hate dark roasted coffee, and, unfortunately, that's usually what you'll find in the pre-ground section. I am the kind of person who'd rather drink no coffee than bad coffee, so I'll only buy wholebean, specialty coffee.

To test coffee machines, I used a local coffee roaster called Hard Lines, and every single roast is utterly divine. If you're in the U.S., though, you won't be able to get Hard Lines beans.

My colleagues in the U.S. have recommended Atlas Coffee Club in the past, which is a nationwide coffee subscription/online delivery service.

If you start using wholebean coffee, you'll need a grinder. While most great grinders are expensive, I've tested enough now to know that there are a few exceptions to that rule. This is one of the most affordable grinders out there.

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I'm an ex-professional-barista and now a home espresso enthusiast. One of my favorite parts of my job is reviewing the best espresso machines — every model from the basic all the way up to $3,000 dual boilers and beyond — and I have an utter blast doing it.

But what's my favorite espresso machine? Probably the Breville Bambino Plus ($499). It's compact, intelligent, and brews delicious espresso. It's everything I would want in an espresso machine. It fits in almost any kitchen and levels up my coffee game.

So when I tested out the $129 Casabrews 3700 Essential, I couldn't help but compare it to the Bambino Plus. To me, the 3700 Essential looks and behaves like a Bambino Plus duplicate, so I thought I'd swap out the machines and find out if the $370 savings are worth it.

Espresso extraction

The Casabrews 3700 Essential only ships with dual-walled portafilters, which are pressurized baskets intended for use with pre-ground coffee. While this is a decent starting point for complete beginners, I wouldn't personally recommend using dual-walled portafilters or pre-ground coffee.

If you're not sure what the difference between dual-walled (pressurized) and single-walled (non-pressurized) portafilters are, let me show you a picture.

So, as the Casabrews Essential 3700 only comes with dual-walled baskets, if you want 'proper' espresso, you'll have to make an additional purchase. Thankfully, this additional purchase is only $38, and you can easily add it onto a Casabrews order.

So now that the playing ground is a little more even, we can compare the Casabrews 3700 Essential's espresso and the Breville Bambino Plus's espresso. Yep, it's a little annoying you have to buy a separate portafilter to get decent espresso from the 3700 Essential, but, come on, it's literally $129. Here are two side-by-side shots of Bambino Plus and 3700 Essential espresso.

As you can see, the Bambino Plus's espresso shot is bright amber, with a fluffy layer of crema. The 3700 Essential shot has thick crema, too, and you can see the layers between the body and the heart of the shot.

I'm not going to hold the darker color against the 3700 Essential, as I took the photo of the espresso about ten seconds after extraction finished, as opposed to one or two seconds on the Bambino Plus. That wouldn't be fair.

Now, I'll talk about flavor. Obviously there's no evidence I can show to support this claim, but the Bambino Plus's espresso tastes better. It is true — not surprisingly — that the Bambino Plus makes superior espresso to the Casabrews 3700 Essential.

That could be due to the Bambino Plus having a PID controller, which regulates water temperature to prevent espresso burning, and the 3700 Essential does not. Alternatively, it could be because the Bambino Plus has better pressure control, or maybe even because little goblins live in the Bambino Plus and inject every espresso shot with deliciousness serum.

Whatever the reason is, the fact of the matter is that the Breville Bambino Plus makes espresso better than the Casabrews 3700 Essential. I mean, are you surprised? I'm not. Breville is widely regarded in the coffee world as one of the most trustworthy and reliable (semi) affordable espresso machine manufacturers.

Even so, that's not to say that no one should buy the Casabrews 3700 Essential. I don't think the Bambino Plus's espresso is superior enough to justify a $370 price increase, especially if you're a beginner. While I, personally, would rather spend $499 on the Bambino Plus than $129 on the 3700 Essential, that doesn't mean everyone has to follow suit.

In a pinch, I could certainly see myself using the Casabrews machine and having a good time while using it. Among all the Casabrews models I've tested now, the 3700 Essential is probably the only one I would personally buy based on espresso taste.

Milk steaming

Right, now I'll talk about the steam wand on both the Bambino Plus and the 3700 Essential.

The long and short of it is this: when I was using the 3700 Essential, I longed for the sweet, sweet Bambino Plus steam wand. Make from that what you will.

The Bambino Plus has a 4-hole steam wand, whereas the 3700 Essential has just the one hole. While it's not a hard-and-fast rule, usually, the more holes, the stronger the steam, and the easier it is to texturize milk.

Here's some visual representation of what I'm talking about.

As you can see, the texture of each milk is, initially, comparable. However, if you look closely, you can see some more uneven bubbles in the 3700 Essential's milk. The Bambino Plus's milk is more structured and shiny.

It's much easier to get 'perfect' milk texture on the Bambino Plus, but some beginner baristas I've spoken to actually prefer the weaker steam wands of machines like the 3700 Essential. This is because it takes longer to steam the milk, and therefore there's more time for learning and self-correction.

Personally? As an experienced barista, I'm craving commercial-level steam wands like you'd find on the Smeg EMC02 and the Breville Oracle Dual Boiler.

For that reason, I was so happy to go back to my old faithful Bambino Plus. But that begs the question, is the difference between the steam wand of the Bambino Plus and 3700 Essential worth $370? Is the Bambino Plus capable of making $500 milk? Or is this just down to personal preference? What about for beginner baristas — do you actually want a lower-power machine to learn how to use one first?

You should consider longevity

Now, this section is my personal speculation, so please feel free to take with a pinch of salt. I've only had my Bambino Plus for six months, and I only used the 3700 Essential for a week.

However, I do know a thing or two about maintaining an espresso machine.

The Bambino Plus comes with a bunch of cleaning products: a cleaning disc, some brushes, and Breville has a huge range of aftermarket solutions available for purchase on its website. There's also a horde of information online about how to tinker with your Breville machine.

Comparatively, Casabrews doesn't ship a single cleaning product in the 3700 Essential's box. I actually pawed through the box a few times, desperately searching for — at least — a cleaning disc.

Then, in the 3700 Essential manual, it actively warns against unscrewing the shower screen. But how are you supposed to clean the mulch inside the shower screen? I've unscrewed my Bambino Plus' screen a few times and cleaned the inside, and it's often been a bit vile.

So it makes me a little wary that you are told not to clean the shower screen.

Also, the 3700 Essential's boiler is prone to overheating, and you often have to purge excess steam from the wand before pulling a shot of espresso. What does this mean for its longevity? Will the boiler be able to handle years of slinging shot after shot?

Both the Bambino Plus and the 3700 Essential have removable water tanks, so you'll be able to clean both well, and removable plastic drip trays. The exterior of both machines is very similar, so it's not the exterior I'm worried about.

However, the Casabrews 3700 Essential is just $129... so, theoretically, if one machine lasts two years, you could buy 3.9 3700 Essentials for the price of one Bambino Plus... which works out to eight years of service. Eight years is usually the lifetime of a Breville espresso machine (according to users on sites like Reddit).

Would I make the switch permanent?

The short answer is no, but the long answer is, well, long. You've just read 1,500 words of explanation.

I would rather pay $370 extra for a more powerful machine, so I am happy to go back to my Bambino Plus now. I've got over three years of barista experience under my belt, so, personally, I want a machine that can match the power of the commercial machines I cut my teeth on.

However, I think if you're a beginner, and you want your first espresso machine, then you should get the Casabrews model. If you've already had an espresso machine and you want to level up, then you should get the Bambino Plus.

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I'm a huge fan of Sage espresso machines. Combining automated features with the power of a souped-up manual brewer, they allow anyone to feel like a pro barista right at home. And best of all, they're capable of extracting the very best espresso out of every single bean.

And today, Sage has released its most impressive creation to date. The latest iteration of its most premium Oracle line, the Dual Boiler uses the high-performance tech of a coffee shop machine which will allow you to brew coffee and steam milk at the same time. It's a win for speed and efficiency, but also a sign of just how powerful this latest release can be.

The Oracle Dual Boiler is also Sage's most expensive ever machine, retailing for just shy of £2,500. That's £500 more expensive than the Oracle Touch, which first hit markets nearly a year ago.

What's new?

The Sage Oracle Dual boiler has the classic look of a traditional Sage machine. It's, in a word, gorgeous. But the control panel does remind me of a speedometer, almost like it's a supercar that's accelerating as it extracts your espresso.

It's a smart parallel to draw, because the Oracle Dual Boiler does seem like the Ferrari of espresso machines. With a dual boiler design that allows you to brew and steam all at once, it's firing on all cylinders with every use, and you'll never have to worry that your coffee is over- or under-extracted, because it doses, tamps, and extracts automatically.

All you really need to do is follow the instructions on the screen to ensure you've got the right grind size, and you're good to go.

You can switch between Auto and Manual modes when using this new machine, allowing you to cruise on sports mode for a guaranteed tasty coffee with minimal effort, or dial in for a fully manual experience, including hand-steaming and working with your own ratios.

If you opt for Auto, you can choose from a selection of pre-loaded recipes for everything from a simple espresso or latte to an oat milk flat white. And the machine will even tailor the temperature of your milk depending on your preferred type, using its Auto MilQ hands-free microfoam settings.

We've already tried the Sage Oracle Dual Boiler espresso machine in our own testing centre, and if our first impressions are anything to go by, Sage is onto a winner with this new machine. Reviewer Erin Bashford says, "This is one of the most impressive steam wands I've ever used", and enjoyed making flawless latte art from her very first use.

Another feature Erin loves is the in-built tamping. "If you're the kind of barista who hates dealing with coffee grounds all over your kitchen, or you hate the idea of having to buy a separate grinder, then this is the machine for you."

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The Breville Oracle Dual Boiler (Sage Oracle Dual Boiler in the U.K.) released on Monday, September 15. You can purchase the machine for $2,999 from Breville U.S. and £2,499 from Sage U.K..

Yep, this is a top-of-the-range espresso machine. But is it one of the best espresso machines? Well, it's certainly one of the best Breville espresso machines I've used. The Oracle Dual Boiler straddles the line between an espresso enthusiast/prosumer coffee machine. Some espresso evangelists might not be impressed, and that's fine, but I think the Oracle Dual Boiler is awesome. It's the Titan of the espresso world.

I've not written my full review yet — that will be coming soon — but I've compiled a few of my first impressions here. Spoiler alert: this is one of the most intelligent espresso machines I've ever used. It's like a smartphone and a coffee machine rolled into one beautiful, ingenious piece of tech.

The king of all steam wands

My favorite thing about the Breville Oracle Dual Boiler? The steam wand. This is one of the most impressive steam wands I've ever used. It's about a half inch thick, so already sturdier than most other home espresso machines I've used. The steam itself is expressed through four holes, rather than the one hole you might find on cheaper machines.

The steam wand is powerful, but it's also very precise. I found it very, very easy to get barista-quality microfoam. I've worked at artisan coffee shops and chain coffee shops, and the Oracle Dual Boiler's steam wand is near-identical to one you'd find on a commercial machine. The closest comparison is the Smeg EMC02 Mini Pro, which is one of the most impressive steam wands I've ever used.

Take a look at an oat milk latte I made on the Oracle Dual Boiler. Bear in mind this is oat milk, so not as velvety as cow milk, and I used manual mode, not the AutoIQ setting (which I've not tested fully yet — I'll discuss that in my upcoming review).

I can't lie, I'm really proud of that latte art. This is probably the closest I've come to my barista-level latte art I used to bash out every day.

Here's a photo of cow milk latte art — this was the first drink I made on the Oracle Dual Boiler.

I know the milk is a little too bubbly, but as I mentioned above, this was the very first drink I made on this machine. I think for a first attempt, this is pretty good.

The steam wand also self-purges, like other Breville machines, and has a live temperature sensor so you don't scald your milk. How cool is that?

The Oracle Dual Boiler is (if you hadn't guessed) a dual boiler machine, which means it uses separate boilers for espresso and the steam wand. You'll be able to steam milk and pull shots simultaneously, which means you should be able to sling drink after drink should you so desire.

I'm so excited to drink way too many coffees this week as I test every aspect of the Breville Dual Boiler — it's been thrilling thus far.

Mess-free self tamping

When I first unboxed the Breville Dual Boiler, I was about ten seconds away from messaging customer service, demanding why the machine had shipped without a tamper. I jest — I was more confused than anything — but, yeah, it's worth noting that this machine doesn't come with a tamper.

You'd easily be able to buy a Breville 58mm tamper should you so desire, but the Oracle Dual Boiler isn't designed to require a tamper.

The tamper is built in to the machine itself. Unfortunately that means I can't show you a photo lest I deconstruct the machine, but here's a photograph of the group handle while grinding and tamping.

The machine doses, grinds, and tamps all automatically. (I'll get into this later, but dialing in is a bit of a nightmare.) If you're the kind of barista who hates dealing with coffee grounds all over your kitchen, or you hate the idea of having to buy a separate grinder, then this is the machine for you.

From experience, the grinding takes a while. The first few times I used this machine, I stopped the tamping before it had finished, as I thought I had done it wrong. It takes a good forty seconds or more to grind and tamp. Just let the machine do its thing — it knows what it's doing.

Once I got used to this feature, though, I enjoyed it. I loved not having to clean up my counter after making a coffee.

The self-tamping is akin to the "Smart Tamping System" found on the De'Longhi La Specialista Opera, but with a little more automation. The De'Longhi version requires the barista to pull on a handle and tamp internally, but the Breville version literally does everything. You put the group handle in, and a minute later, you've got a perfectly tamped puck, ready for extraction.

Sure, coffee purists will criticize this and say it's not as good as a human barista, and that may be true. Some coffee purists decry all built in grinders, and, again, that may be for good reason. But the Oracle Dual Boiler isn't for that kind of home barista, and that's fine.

Espresso worthy of a specialty coffee shop

But there's a caveat to this one, which I'll get into below. Once you're dialed in (which is finding the perfect grind for your beans), the espresso is utterly marvelous. I used the provided 58mm single-walled portafilter and the espresso was divine.

The espresso is rich, balanced, and juicy, with a beautifully thick crema and layered flavors. Say goodbye to unpleasant bitterness and weak shots, because once you've found the right grind, the Oracle Dual Boiler will pull espresso worthy of the fanciest specialty coffee shop in your city.

While I don't think the espresso tastes any different from the Breville Bambino Plus ($499), the Oracle Dual Boiler and the Bambino Plus have different use cases. The Bambino Plus is intended for smaller spaces, and doesn't have a grinder.

The Oracle Dual Boiler is the Titan of the coffee world: it's massive (18 inches high, and takes up a whole countertop in my kitchen), with an 81-fluid ounce water tank, and a Baratza grinder built in.

As the use cases are so different, so is the target demographic. If, like me, you have a small kitchen and are happy using a hand grinder, you'll get Oracle Dual Boiler-level espresso with the compact Bambino Plus.

But if you want size and substance, you'd definitely find yourself right at home with the Oracle Dual Boiler.

But... it's a dialing-in nightmare

As promised, the aforementioned caveat. Once I got myself dialed in, the Oracle Dual Boiler pulled espresso delectable to serve to angels. Espresso ambrosia, so to speak.

Even so, the process of dialing myself in was so frustrating and so time-consuming that I wanted to give up. I've only had this machine for three days, and I am learning how to use it as we speak. I know this will not be an issue further down the line, once I'm more familiar with the Oracle Dual Boiler's inner workings.

However, dialing in my light roast beans took 23 minutes and almost a full 200g bag of coffee.

Let me just say that I know most coffee drinkers tend to gravitate towards dark roast beans, so perhaps Breville designed the Oracle Dual Boiler with that in mind.

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I recently got my hands on one of the newest and most exciting drip coffee makers: the Breville Luxe Brewer.

It's a drip coffee maker, not a coffee percolator, French press, moka pot, or pour-over coffee maker— they are all different —and works by submerging coffee grounds with nearly-boiling water and then 'dripping' from the filter into a serving jug or carafe.

So the Breville Luxe Brewer words by submersion rather than agitation, and in my opinion, makes delectable coffee 10 times faster than you'd expect. I was able to make 12 cups of hot fresh coffee in 3 minutes.

Now, I know espresso and drip coffee have inherently different flavors. Coffee brigade, please don't come for me. However, I also know that learning how to use an espresso machine is actually quite tricky.

Sometimes you don't want to fiddle with pressure and tamping and dosing; sometimes you just want hot caffeine bean juice and you want it now. So if you want homemade coffee but you don't like espresso machines, here's why the Breville Luxe Brewer just might be the machine for you.

One-touch super-fast coffee

The Breville Luxe Brewer is so fast. Like, blink-and-you-miss-it fast. Well, assuming you blink for 3 minutes and 15 seconds.

The Luxe Brewer does what no other drip coffee machine has ever done before (not one I've seen anyway): it brews 12 cups of black coffee in 3 minutes and 15 seconds. No, that's not a typo. I know, I was shook too. In the office we were so surprised that we thought we were doing it wrong.

But there's not really anything you can do wrong. The Luxe Brewer is as easy as this: pour ground coffee into the filter basket, fill the water tank with your desired amount, and press 'Brew'. Yes, that's literally it.

Whereas the best espresso machines require: coffee ground to the perfect size for pressure and speed, tamping, dosing, a coffee scale, and more. It can be a bit of a headache for some people, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Personally, I prefer the flavor of espresso over drip coffee, but if you want speed and convenience over flavor, then a drip machine might be more your vibe.

Even so, the Luxe Brewer makes delicious coffee. I've tested a few drip brewers by now — the Moccamaster and Aarke Coffee Maker are perhaps the most famous of the bunch — and none really brewed delectable coffee like the Luxe Brewer.

It's worth noting that the Luxe Brewer is SCA-accredited (Specialty Coffee Association), which basically means the machine meets a certain number of fundamental design and functionality requirements. This doesn't guarantee perfect coffee every time, but it means it's a little easier thanks to the built-in PID controller (temperature control).

An experimenter's dream

Are you familiar with the concept of a 1950s American diner? Well, of course you are. In my mind, I associate drip coffee with a big-haired, wide-eyed waitress wearing a little white apron and announcing in a syrupy-sweet, "Refills are on the house, y'all." No? Just me?

Anyway, I was fully expecting to live out my 1950s dreams with the Luxe Brewer. I anticipated coffee so black and so intense I'd wince with every sip. But I was wrong.

The Luxe Brewer is so easy to experiment with. You aren't restricted to specific doses or grind sizes. You can use one of the best coffee grinders and best coffee scales to ensure you get the optimal ratio of coffee:water (I went for 1:18, which some would say is too weak, but for me it's perfect).

If you like intense brews, I'd recommend dropping the ratio to as low as 1:15. Of course, you can grind your beans finer as well to get an even more intense flavor. Personally, this style of brewing wouldn't mesh with my light-roasted beans very well, so I will stick to my 1:18 ratio of medium-coarse ground coffee.

But that's what makes the Luxe Brewer such a great stress-free brewer. You don't need to dose a certain amount or be able to reach a certain level of pressure like an espresso machine.

If you're patient enough to wait for the water to drip through, you could theoretically make an ultra-strong blackest-of-black coffee with finely ground beans and a small amount of water. It would taste vile, but you can do it, and that's what makes this machine so fun.

Want cold brew? No problem

Cold brew isn't that rare of a brewing mode these days — many of the best coffee makers, like the older Breville Precision Brewer, have a cold brew mode. The Luxe Brewer has a cold brew setting too, which is a nice touch.

But do I think it's necessary?

Hmm, not massively. You can make cold brew in a French press (I use the Espro P7 to make cold brew) without needing to sacrifice using your drip brewer for however long it takes the cold brew to steep.

More from Tom's Guide

• I asked an expert why automatic espresso machines and manual espresso machines taste different — and I'm really surprised
• I'm an ex-barista and this is why you need to stop ordering 'extra hot' coffees
• I went to the 'biggest coffee party on earth' — and these 5 coffee gadgets caught my attention

The Breville Luxe Brewer — called Sage Luxe Brewer in the U.K. — came out in May 2025, and is the newest drip brewer on Breville’s lineup. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m 99.9% sure it’s the fastest brewer on the market. The Luxe Brewer can make 60 ounces of coffee in 3 minutes and 15 seconds. No, that’s not a typo. 3 minutes 15 seconds. I know — I’m shook.

And it’s not just speed over quality, either. Breville’s coffeemakers are ‘SCA approved’, which basically means the machine meets standards set out by the Specialty Coffee Association. This is something you’d want to look for if you are serious about coffee.

So is the Breville Luxe Brewer one of the best coffee makers money can buy right now? Short answer: yes. Long answer… keep reading this Breville Luxe Brewer review.

Breville Luxe Brewer review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? Drip coffee enthusiasts
• What does it cost? $349 / £249
• What does it do well? It brews a full carafe in 3 minutes!
• What are its weaknesses? It’s quite expensive and doesn’t have as many impressive features as the Fellow drip brewer
• Anything else to know? The Breville Luxe Brewer is the fastest drip brewer I’ve ever seen

Breville Luxe Brewer review: Specs

Breville Luxe Brewer review: Price & availability

Breville currently makes two drip coffee brewers: the Luxe Brewer — available since May 2025, which is $349 from Amazon U.S.; and 2017’s Breville Precision Brewer, priced at $329 from Amazon U.S..

In the U.K., the Sage Luxe Brewer (same product, different name) is £249 from Amazon, which is much more affordable than in the U.S. (for some reason).

The Luxe Brewer comes with both glass and metal carafes: I tested the metal carafe, which is thermally-insulated and keeps coffee warm for 4 hours. The glass is $319 and the thermal is $349, and I think it’s worth the extra $30 if you want your coffee to maintain temperature for a long time.

Ninja has a similar coffeemaker: the Hot and Cold Brewed System, which came out in 2018 and is $229. The Ninja option also makes tea, so could be a preferable option if you’re a huge tea drinker. However, the Ninja is 3 inches bigger than the Breville Luxe Brewer, so not optimal for small spaces.

The Fellow Aiden is our best coffee maker overall. While quality doesn’t come cheap — it’s $399 — it’s still pretty hard to beat. With a gorgeous construction and app compatibility, the Aiden is the top-of-the-range coffeemaker, but isn’t necessarily the best option if you want a straightforward machine.

Breville Luxe Brewer review: Design

As with other Breville/Sage products, the Luxe Brewer is gorgeous. It’s quite large, at 16 inches tall and almost 15 inches wide, so make sure your kitchen has enough space before purchasing. The Luxe Brewer fit on the kitchen countertop in our office, but wouldn’t fit in my home kitchen.

On top of being objectively beautiful, the Luxe Brewer is also well designed. There are three moving parts: the water tank, the filter basket, and the carafe. As I mentioned in the ‘Price & availability’ section above, the carafe is available in glass or thermal. I tested the thermal.

The water tank is a huge 60 ounces (1.8 liters) and is fully removable, so it’s very easy to empty and refill. There are measurements on the side of the tank so you can fill the desired amount simply. I found it easy to clean, too, thanks to the removable lid and wide opening. The tank slots nicely onto the brewer itself.

As you’d expect from a drip brewer, the coffee filter basket slots in above the carafe. I had no problems slotting the basket in accurately every time. There were no sharp edges, unlike the Aarke Coffee Maker ($349).

There are actually three filters: a reusable mesh filter, a 10-cup filter basket (that requires a paper filter, provided), and a conical filter (that requires V60 #2 filters, not provided). I mostly used the reusable mesh filter, but obviously I tested the brewer with all three filter types.

The mesh filter is obviously best for the environment — yes, the paper filters are compostable, but the mesh filter prevents them from being manufactured in the first place, which is undoubtedly better for the planet — which is why I gravitated towards it. I’ll admit, though, that the #2 V60 filters result in a better-tasting coffee.

On the whole, I love how the Luxe Brewer looks. While not much has changed from the Precision Brewer, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Breville Luxe Brewer review: Performance

The main difference between the 2025 Luxe Brewer and 2017 Precision Brewer is the range of brewing modes. The 2017 Precision Brewer has ‘Fast’, ‘Gold’, ‘Strong’, ‘Over Ice’ and ‘Cold Brew. Comparatively, the Luxe Brewer has just two modes: ‘Brew’ and ‘Cold Brew’.

But don’t assume the Luxe Brewer is slacking — the reason it has fewer modes is because it doesn’t need them. The Luxe Brewer takes just 3 minutes and 15 seconds to brew 60 fluid ounces of coffee. There’s no point having a ‘Fast’ feature if its default setting is, well, fast.

If you want to achieve the Precision Brewer’s ‘Gold’ or ‘Strong’ modes, then you’d just put more or less coffee in the filter basket. There are handy diagrams for optimal doses in the user manual, so I’d recommend playing with these to find out your personal preference.

As I mentioned earlier, the Luxe Brewer is SCA-approved. This basically means it meets standards set out by the Specialty Coffee Association, such as including a PID controller to ensure optimal water temperature. This doesn’t mean every single serving of coffee it makes will be automatically delicious, though — you’ll still need to understand ratios and grind sizes to get perfect results.

Even so, having this SCA approval is good peace of mind. You’ll be safe in the knowledge that the machine is at least capable of brewing technically-perfect coffee. Other machines with this approval are the: Aarke Coffee Maker ($349), Fellow Aiden ($399), OXO 12-Cup Coffee Maker ($299), and the Braun MultiServe Coffee Maker ($239).

As you can see, all of these coffee makers are over $239. Even though the Luxe Brewer is $349, this still feels expensive for a one-trick-pony machine, especially in this economy. Don’t get me wrong, the Luxe Brewer performs exceptionally well, but this is still a considerable amount of money. I’ll discuss its performance in detail so you can come to a well-informed conclusion.

Brew

Using the Breville Luxe Brewer is very straightforward: fill the basket with your desired amount of coffee, fill the water tank with your desired amount of water and press ‘Brew’. The machine takes care of everything else. It’s really as easy as that. If you want consistent, reliable, and fast coffee, then I’d recommend this machine wholeheartedly. This is definitely worth it for those days when you just want to guzzle hot coffee and guzzle it now.

Yes, the Luxe Brewer has just one hot brewing mode — ‘Brew’. As I mentioned earlier, there’s little point in having a ‘Fast’ setting, as the entire pot brews in just 3 minutes and 15 seconds. This is a game-changer for small coffee shops — you’d be able to serve fresh drip coffee in 3 minutes.

This brewing time is faster than the Aarke Coffee Maker’s 7 minutes, the Ninja Hot and Cold Brewing System’s 10 minutes, and the Technivorm Moccamaster’s 6 minutes. The Breville Luxe Brewer is, by far, the fastest drip brewer I’ve ever seen.

I really can’t fault the brewing process: it’s completely streamlined and negates user error. While, no, I don’t think the taste is as complex and as nuanced as espresso (but I am an espresso girlie), it’s very adaptable. You can easily fiddle with the grind and ratio to achieve a flavor you like.

The Luxe Brewer has a keep warm feature, but this only works on the glass version. The metal carafe keeps coffee hot for over 4 hours so you don’t need the keep warm feature at all.

Taste will obviously depend on your personal preference, but I went for a ratio of 18:1. If you like a stronger coffee, drop the water, and if you like a weaker coffee, increase the water amount. Grind will also depend on your personal preference, but I opted for a medium-coarse grind.

The Luxe Brewer doesn’t do anything new in terms of flavor — it’s drip coffee and it tastes like drip coffee. But is there anything wrong with that? Not at all. I primarily drink black coffee these days and I can’t fault the taste. It’s delicious, not too strong or intense (but can obviously be adjusted with ratio and grind). There’s a very slight oil on the surface, which I personally like because oil is where lots of flavor is held, but this can be eradicated with paper filters.

While the Luxe Brewer is primarily a hot coffee machine, it also has a cold brew setting, which I’ll discuss now.

Cold brew

I found the cold brew feature a little baffling at first. As Breville’s user manual is a series of uninformative hieroglyphics, it took me a few attempts to actually figure out what on earth I was doing.

So the cold brew feature can run from 30 minutes to well over 24 hours. As I didn’t have time for 24 hour cold brew — and if I did, I’d make cold brew with a French press in the refrigerator as I normally do — I let the cold brew steep for one hour.

I put 17g of coffee and about 10oz of water in the Luxe Brewer, then I selected ‘cold brew’ and changed my time from the default 24 hours to one hour. You have to remove the carafe lid to prevent the water from pouring straight into the carafe. After your allotted time, the Luxe Brewer will release the cold brew into the carafe.

I was curious how the Luxe Brewer would fare with one-hour cold brew, but I was pleasantly surprised. It tasted how you’d expect one hour cold brew to taste — pretty weak and pale in color — but the juicy fruity notes from my beans came through nicely. I would recommend letting the coffee steep for more than one hour (12 is the minimum I’d usually steep cold brew for), but if you’re in a rush, this is a pretty neat feature.

However, the Luxe Brewer is primarily a hot coffee machine, and while the cold brew setting is nice to have, I don’t think I’d ever reach for it. I always make cold brew in a French press (my Espro P7 is my go-to, or the Instant Cold Brewer we awarded 4 stars). Personally, I wouldn’t like being unable to make hot coffee for however long my cold brew was steeping for.

Breville Luxe Brewer review: Storage & maintenance

Thankfully, Breville offers a 2-year warranty with the Luxe Brewer. However, this is not industry leading. Aarke offers 5 years, Braun offers 3 years, and Fellow offers 3 years. I’d like to see Breville upgrade this warranty to at least 3 years to maintain competitive warranty periods.

In terms of cleaning, the Breville Luxe Brewer is very easy to clean. As I mentioned above, the water tank is removable so it’s easy to clean. The mesh filter basket is easy to clean too, as is the conical and wide filter basket. The carafe opening is big enough for my hand so it’s easy to clean. No parts are dishwasher safe, so I’d recommend only cleaning by hand.

Breville provides you with 10 paper filters, but afterwards you’ll need to buy them separately. The conical filters are $7 for 100 Hario V60 #2 on Amazon and Amazon Basics flat-bottomed paper filters are $2 for 200 (although I’ve not used these personally).

Alternatively, you could simply use the reusable mesh filter provided with the Luxe Brewer. I mostly gravitated towards that, although I know some coffee evangelists will say it’s not as good as the paper filter due to sediment (I didn’t find it sediment-y though).

I was super impressed to see that the Luxe Brewer comes with a Claroswiss water filter (or, mine did, anyway). This will help prevent limescale buildup, but you should still descale depending on your area’s water hardness (the brewer comes with a hardness test strip).

Breville Luxe Brewer review: How does it compare?

If you want to get really granular with your brew and understand your coffee on a deeper level, it’s got to be the Fellow Aiden. However, at $400, this isn’t a cheap machine, but it could be worth the extra $50 compared to the Breville Luxe Brewer.

The most affordable SCA-approved drip brewer is the Braun MultiServe Coffee Maker (just $239), and it’s around the same size as the Breville option. I would recommend this if you wanted to save as much money as possible, and it appears as easy to use as the Breville. However, I’ve not tested it myself so I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it.

If you don’t want an electric drip brewer, you should check out our best pour-over coffee makers. The most similar to the Breville Luxe Brewer is probably the Chemex, which can brew up to 10 cups at once (as long as you buy the 10 cup version, obviously), but it’s a little trickier to use, and requires more patience and finesse.

Breville Luxe Brewer review: Verdict

Having tested a fair amount of coffee gear (feels like almost the entire industry!), I’m confident that the Breville Luxe Brewer does something no other machine is capable of. It can make hella coffee hella quickly. And you know what really surprised me?

It actually tasted really, really good. Usually I’m ambivalent about drip coffee, but not the drip coffee I made on the Luxe Brewer. It was balanced and layered in flavor without being weak. The delicate floral notes from my medium-light roasted beans came through, and it didn’t taste burnt or stale after four hours in the thermal carafe.

The Luxe Brewer is by far one of the quickest and easiest ways to brew coffee. I’d recommend it for any low-effort home barista. Don’t feel like learning how to use an espresso machine, or don’t like using an espresso machine? The Luxe Brewer is for you.

I thought the Breville Bambino Plus was overrated... until I reviewed it. I tested the iconic Bambino Plus back in April and immediately was obsessed. So obsessed, in fact, that I have since ditched my De'Longhi and got the Bambino Plus.

Breville is often considered one of the best (if not the best) home espresso machine manufacturer. The brand makes a range of other machines: the Breville Barista Express, Breville Barista Touch, Breville Dual Boiler... you name it, the machine likely exists. The Barista Express is the most affordable high-end Breville option.

But what do all these machines have in common? They all suffer from the same malady as the Bambino Plus: imperfect default shot volume. But don't worry, I'm going to teach you exactly how to reconfigure your Breville machine — in seconds — to get the perfect espresso every time.

What's the problem?

So, out of the box, Breville espresso machines are programmed to run a set amount of water for single and double shots. On the Bambino Plus, the single shot default volume is 30ml, and the double shot default volume is 60 ml.

Breville recommends an 8-11g dose for a single shot and a 16g-19g dose for a dual shot.

Ideally, you want your espresso at a 1:2 ratio. So, for every one part of coffee, you're putting two parts water through it. For 5g of coffee, you'd want a 10ml espresso. Now, let's do a bit of math (sarcastic 'yay' inbound).

If the single shot volume is 30ml, I should be dosing 15g of coffee. Then, if the double shot volume is 60ml, I should be dosing... 30g coffee?

Hmm. That doesn't sound right.

If I'm drinking a 60ml shot with only 16g of coffee, that's not an espresso. That's basically a lungo to the max. This will result in a mild yet bitter flavor, and won't taste great in a latte or flat white.

Take a look at these two photos to demonstrate exactly what I mean. Both shots used the same beans, same grind, both dosed 18g.

The first picture is default shot volume (which ended up pulling 55.5g of espresso); the second is my customized shot volume (which ended up pulling 37.1g of espresso).

In my opinion, the second shot looks much better. The honey-colored crema is thicker and fluffier, and the body of the shot looks stronger. The second shot tasted more delicious, with tarter, juicier flavors, without any of the stale bitterness of the first shot.

(After taking a sip, I gave the first shot to my boyfriend. He is less of a I-can-taste-the-grapefruit-notes-in-this-espresso coffee drinker and more of a hot-bean-juice-energize-me-now kind of coffee drinker, so he didn't mind.)

Personally, I would never drink the first shot of coffee. But I am picky. If, like me, you want artisan-level barista-pro coffee, then you'll probably rather drink the second shot too.

Alright, how do I fix it?

Thankfully, it's really easy! All you'll need to do is configure your Breville espresso machine to pull double the water to the amount of coffee you usually use. Do you go for the traditional 18g double shot dose? Then set up your machine to pull 36g of water.

Tend to go for a 12g single shot? Then dose your machine to pull 24g of water.

It might take a few attempts to get it perfect, and I'd recommend getting one of the best coffee scales to know the exact amount of coffee.

(When I say 'shot button', I mean the button on the front of the machine with a cup or two cup icon. If you're changing the single shot volume, press the single shot button. If you're changing the double shot volume, press the double shot button.)

Here's exactly how you do it on the Bambino Plus: press and hold the single and double shot buttons for 2 seconds, or until they flash.

Press the shot button to start extraction. When your coffee reaches the desired volume, press the shot button again to stop extraction.

On the Barista Express, you do it the exact same way, but you press the 'program' button instead of the shot buttons.

If you've got a different Breville machine, consult the user manual. Some fancier machines (like the Oracle Jet) have a dedicated 'Menu' button for settings like this.

More from Tom's Guide

• I just discovered this simple hack to tell if you're brewing good espresso — and I wish I learned it sooner
• Best espresso machines 2025
• 3 tips for making the perfect coffee at home — from an ex-barista

I'm on a mission to try out every single one of the best espresso machines. I don't think I'm a crazy coffee lover until I start going through my list of dream espresso machines: like the more traditional Rocket espresso machines or Lelit espresso machines, the Breville Oracle Jet, or the as-prosumer-as-prosumer-gets Slayer espresso machines.

But to get great coffee you need a great grinder, whether that's a Baratza Encore, Comandante hand grinder, or a budget Breville option. Thankfully, I've tested loads of 'em, too.

But even though I review countless espresso machines, my heart always yearns for one. One small, unassuming, special little machine: the Breville Bambino Plus.

What to look for on espresso machines

Before I tell you exactly what machine I recommend for most people, there's a few details you should know about.

Don't buy a budget espresso machine without checking for important features first. These features are integral to a good machine. You'll want a PID controller, which prevents your coffee from burning or tasting weak, a powerful steam wand, and single-walled portafilters (not dual).

Thankfully, the machine I'm about to recommend has all three of these, and is under $500.

Of course it's the Breville Bambino Plus. Every coffee I make on this machine is delectable, delicious, decadent. It steams milk like a pro. And it's just so easy to use.

But I know espresso machines are a big purchase, which is why there are a few more things you should probably take into account before you buy one.

What to think about when shopping for espresso machines

Firstly, you'll need to come up with a budget. While some machines are as cheap as $150, they won't perform well without a good grinder — which start from about $150.

Secondly, you'll need to think about your home. Do you have a small kitchen? Do you have a dedicated countertop for the espresso machine + coffee setup? Will the coffee machine be out all of the time?

Thirdly, you'll need to figure out what you want in an espresso machine. Do you prioritize delicious espresso over milk texture? Or do you want to be able to pour Instagrammable lattes?

Once you've got these figured out, you'll be able to choose an espresso machine with confidence. But, as I said in my headline, there's only one machine I would choose over and over again: the Breville Bambino Plus.

The only espresso machine you need to buy

If I spent the rest of my days waxing lyrical about this espresso machine, it wouldn't be enough. I need to praise this machine until I'm blue in the face — maybe that'll really get my point across.

I adore the Breville Bambino Plus.

Everything about this machine is perfect for me. Obviously, you may have different requirements, but for most people, I'll always recommend the Bambino Plus.

The PID controller means every single shot is perfect. The steam wand can turn milk into delightfully smooth foam in under a minute. It's compact enough to fit in most kitchens. And it's beyond easy to use. Perfect for beginners, casual coffee drinkers, and enthusiasts alike.

More from Tom's Guide

• I asked an expert why automatic espresso machines and manual espresso machines taste different — and I'm really surprised
• Best coffee grinders 2025
• 3 tips for making the perfect coffee at home — from an ex-barista

Now, I'm no caffeine addict, but there's no better way to start the morning than with a great cup of coffee. Arguably, it's even better if you can make it the way you like at home, with an equally great espresso machine.

Don't get me wrong — some of the best espresso machines are quite the investment, often costing upwards of AU$2,000 for a fully automatic machine with integrated grinder and steam wand. That said, there are some stellar coffee machine discounts available right now, from top-rated brands Nespresso and Breville.

I've compiled five great coffee machines, from capsule coffee to espresso and fully automatic, for you to peruse. So, if you're in the market for a simple one-touch coffee or a decadent latte with excellent microfoam, there's sure to be a coffee maker that'll fuel your caffeine fix.

You'll need to act fast to secure your perfect cup of joe, though — these deals will expire when stocks run out.

I'm pretty much useless until I have my morning cup of coffee. I need that little jolt of caffeine to get me going. And lately, I've been wanting to treat myself to a nice espresso machine.

There are a ton of Prime Day deals on coffee makers of all stripes, but after much deliberation, I've decided to go with the Breville Bambino Plus, which is $100 off on Amazon for Prime Day. Here's why.

I've tested a handful of the best coffee makers and espresso machines over the years, and while I've found a lot of great models, I've generally gravitated towards Breville. Its kitchen products are excellent — I also have a much-loved toaster oven that's been going strong for nearly a decade — and I've used some of the company's other espresso machines, like the Barista Express.

But don't just take my word for it: In our Breville Bambino Plus review, we gave it 4.5 stars and an Editor's choice, and named it the best espresso machine under $500.

So why didn't I opt for a model with a built in grinder? A couple of reasons.

The first is that I don't always want an espresso or cappuccino in the morning. Sometimes, I want a big pot of joe, so I turn to my trusty French Press and by Fellow Stag Kettle (on sale for $135 at Amazon).

I also have a separate coffee grinder, so I can switch between coarser or finer grounds based on what I'm making.

And I have pretty limited counter space, and the Bambino Plus' 12 x 7.6-inch footprint means it won't dominate my kitchen.

Lastly, the Bambino Plus lets you adjust the microfoam when making lattes. I still struggle with frothing milk just right, so any help I can get in this department is welcome.

Today is the last Amazon Prime Day, so it's worth jumping on this, as well as any other deal, as you're not likely to see sales like this until Black Friday.

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It's the last day of Prime Day today. But don't fret, there are still a few hours to grab the remaining discounts. We're also tracking the best Prime Day deals live, so you don't have to. Make sure to head over to our live blog to check out some awesome savings.

Me, though? Well, I'm a self-described coffee snob. As a former barista and current espresso machine reviewer, I like to think I'm clued up on the coffee world. Right now, you can get the excellent Breville Bambino Plus for just $399 on Amazon — a massive $100 off the MSRP of $499.

$399 is the Bambino Plus' lowest price ever, and today is the last day of the sale. So what are you waiting for? Run, run, run!

• shop all Prime Day deals at Amazon
• $399 still too much for an espresso machine? I got you: De'Longhi Stilosa: was $149 now $99 @ Amazon

In my review of the Breville Bambino Plus, I awarded it an enviable 4.5 stars. I praised everything about it: the espresso extraction, the appearance, the compact size that doesn't skimp on power, and the powerful milk frother.

The Bambino Plus made me a coffee snob — even more than I already was thanks to my barista background — and I look forward to going to sleep because I know I can have a coffee when I wake up. Coffeemaking is as much an art as a science, and the Bambino Plus gives it that extra flair I crave.

On top of excellent performance, the Bambino Plus is nice and compact. It's just 7 inches wide, which is perfect for people with small apartments like me. Or those who don't want to lose an entire countertop of space to an espresso machine.

I swapped out my bean-to-cup De'Longhi for the Bambino Plus recently and as much as I loved the De'Longhi, the Bambino Plus just suits me more.

$399 is the Bambino Plus's lowest ever price. Breville sales are rare, so I'd grab this machine now before it shoots back up to $499.

Shop more Prime Day sales

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We're running our Amazon Prime Day live blog until the end of the sale, so be sure to check that out for last minute savings. Make sure to check out what freebies you can get this Prime Day before it's too late!

It's a well-known fact that Breville makes some of the best coffee makers on the market, but while most of these are espresso machines, it's also in the business of making drip brewers.

And its newest addition, the Luxe Brewer, joined Breville's premium line-up in May offering the "next generation" of one-touch filter coffee at home.

And I'm pleased to reveal that while it's only been on the market for a few months, it's just been released in four new eye-catching colors.

Sea Salt, Olive Tapenade, Black Truffle and Damson Blue are now available, meaning you can choose between a soft neutral shade, earthy green, deep charcoal or rich tone blue.

All for the same $319.95 price at Breville.com, unless you opt for the thermal carafe, in which case it's $349.95.

Colorful kitchens

Breville is one of the many brands embracing a pop of color in the kitchen. When I discovered Breville's brass accents range recently, I was immediately obsessed. And now, it's brought those four new colors to the Luxe Brewer.

It's a serious trend right now across kitchen appliances. For coffee makers, the Fellow Aiden released in Matte White and Moccamaster introduced a new calming Ocean colorway are both wonderful options.

But, it doesn't stop at coffee, Ninja dropped a pink model of its popular Ninja Crispi air fryer, alongside Mint and Periwinkle and KitchenAid announced their color of the year, Butter Yellow.

After choosing a dark matte gray for my kitchen cabinets a few years ago, I've been desperately searching for colors to add a vibrant pop to my cooking space.

I toyed with a bright tile backsplash, considered some colorful chairs round the kitchen island, but I realized the answer lay in my pick of appliances.

For the Luxe Brewer, I'm lured in by the Olive Tapenade or Damson Blue for their sleek and stylish looks. But, I still feel like they could be bolder.

While I'm holding out hope for those Butter Yellows and Pinks to make it to the coffee world, I'll be sure to see what earthy green looks like on my kitchen moodboard.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to make cold brew coffee at home — no fancy equipment needed
• Sage's new espresso machine will save you from watered-down iced lattes this summer
• I was a drip coffee skeptic until I tried this super-smart coffee maker — now my beloved espresso machine is gathering dust

Sage's Barista Express is one of the most iconic coffee machines ever created, and it's currently under £500 in the Prime Day sales.

As an SCA-qualified barista, I'm always asked what the top espresso machine for beginners is. My answer? The Sage Barista Express. And it just so happened to be my entryway into specialty homemade coffee!

This machine has it all: a quality grinder with an in-built tamper for mess-free pucks, excellent extraction with the guidance of a pressure gauge, and an ultra-powerful steam wand that's ideal for getting to grips with latte art.

Typically, this legendary machine will cost you £629, but it's currently just £474 at Amazon when you buy it in the Black Truffle colourway. And if you want Stainless Steel? It's still 13% off at £547.

• See all Amazon Prime Day Deals right now!

Why I recommend it

Like I said, this is the machine I bought when I was first getting into quality coffee, and there's a reason it's achieved such an iconic status in the coffee world. In our 4.5-star review of the Barista Express (written in the U.S., where the brand is called Breville), we praised everything from the iconic design of the machine to its faultless, premium performance.

The machine comes with 15-bar pressure, meaning it's perfectly equipped to deliver the optimum extraction for espresso after espresso. It also comes with a quality hardened steel precision grinder with 16 grind sizes, allowing you to get close and personal with tailoring your brew to your specific roast.

While £474 is no small amount to spend on any kitchen appliance, you really will struggle to spend less when finding a quality beginner setup. Because the Barista Express features everything you need to go from bean to cup, and does so without cutting any corners, it's an investment I couldn't recommend more if you're hoping to get started with quality home brewing.

Just make sure you add to basket while it's on sale, because discounts like this don't happen often!

Amazon Prime Day is almost upon us, and we're tracking the best Prime Day deals live. We've rounded up deals on everything from phones to running shoes, but as Tom's Guide's resident coffee nerd, there's only one thing I really care about: coffee.

One of the best deals I've found so far is the Breville Barista Express that's just $549 right now. Yes — you read that right. Its MSRP is $699, so this is an unbelievable $150 saving.

This is the Barista Express' second-lowest price ever. The cheapest it's ever been was $488, but that was a random discount five years ago. In 2025, this is probably the cheapest it's going to get. If I had more space in my kitchen, I would definitely want to get in on this deal.

• See all Amazon Prime Day Deals right now!

In our 4.5-star review of the Breville Barista Express, we praised its delicious espresso and ease of use. Our U.S. Editor-in-Chief Mike wrote that he "set [Barista Express] up in my company’s office so that I, along with other coffee aficionados, could assess the machine’s performance. It was universally adored by everyone who used it, including myself."

Like other Breville espresso machines, the Barista Express has an impressive 15-bar pressure and comes with both single and dual-walled portafilters, so you'll be able to make "true" espresso.

The Barista Express doesn't have any flourishes like a touchscreen or auto-milk frothing: this is a hands-on machine for people who are interested in coffee. If you want an automated machine, I'd recommend checking out the De'Longhi Rivelia.

Personally, I love getting up close and personal with my coffee, so the Barista Express is the ideal espresso machine for me. It's got a built-in grinder, too, so is a one-stop way to make barista-quality drinks at home.

Shop more Prime Day sales

• shop Prime Day deals at Amazon
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• Amazon Haul: Adidas, Columbia, from $5
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• Switch 2: games/accessories from $14
• Outdoor String Lights: just $21
• Samsonite: travel essentials from $31
• Ninja appliances: deals from $44
• TV sale: from $69
• Garmin: from $149

For more savings, be sure to check out our Prime Day 2025 live blog for the newest deals.

We're rounding up the best early Prime Day deals so you don't have to. As one of Tom's Guide's resident coffee nerds, I spend an embarrassing amount of my life thinking about, making, and drinking coffee. Oh, and I'm also an ex-barista, so I have a wealth of professional coffee experience too!

I've got a huge mental list of Breville espresso machines I'm desperate to try, and the Barista Touch is right at the top of that list. I'm so intrigued by the touchscreen — and De'Longhi's rival touchscreen model (the La Specialista Touch) got rave reviews from our team.

So when I saw the Breville Barista Touch on sale for just $799 — down from $999 — I knew I had to shout about it. Breville espresso machines rarely ever go on sale, so I don't know how long this deal will last — I wouldn't wait.

What does the Breville Barista Touch's touchscreen actually do?

Good question! The touchscreen itself is kind of the centerpiece of the machine. From the touchscreen, you can calibrate:

1. Grind size
2. Coffee dose
3. Espresso volume
4. Espresso extraction time
5. Milk temperature
6. Milk texture
7. Easily access cleaning and settings menu

With all the complicated guesswork taken out of making coffee, the Barista Touch is one of the easiest ways to master espresso.

Most people find "dialling in" espresso the hardest part of making coffee. Dialling in refers to finding the correct grind size and dose for your machine. If this is all visually displayed on the espresso machine itself, it takes away the need to get a coffee scale and do mental math.

The Barista Touch also memorizes your recipes. For example, if you want a triple-shot flat white in the morning and a weak cappuccino in the afternoon, the Barista Touch will remember exactly how to make up to 8 drinks and will walk you through the process every time.

If you want an espresso machine with a touchscreen, the Breville Barista Touch is the most affordable way to do that. Below is the Breville Barista Touch Impress, which costs $1,499.

The Breville Barista Touch Impress is double the price of the Touch, but it does a few more things. The Touch Impress auto-steams all milks (including plant-based alternatives) and automatically tamps for you.

However, the Barista Touch ($699) has all the same internal premium features as the Touch Impress ($1,499), including: a PID controller, Thermoblock heating system, 10-bar pressure (the Impress has 9-bar), and a 30-click conical burr grinder.

If you want premium performance at a lower cost, then the Breville Barista Touch is the machine for you. I can't believe how affordable it is right now.

Sage is the king of the U.K. coffee scene, and while it's best known for its espresso machines, the brand also offers a number of excellent drip machines which make refined pour-over, and come at a comparatively affordable price.

Perhaps Sage's best-known drip coffee maker is the Precision Brewer, and eight years after its initial release, Sage has given it a well-deserved upgrade. Meet The Luxe Brewer.

Retailing at £249, the Luxe Brewer features a range of new features including a strong brew and even cold brew concentrate setting, but the feature I'm most excited about is its removable water tank.

Users of the original Precision Brewer will know that it can be annoying to have to use a jug to top up your coffee maker, so this simple update will make an instant difference to the user experience.

What's new?

The Luxe Brewer already launched in the U.S., where it has both a thermal jug and a glass carafe. This U.K. launch is called the Luxe Brewer Thermal, offering a double-walled carafe that will insulate your coffee for four hours without any additional heat. Which is better for flavour, as hot plates can degrade the taste of your brew.

Carafe aside, Sage has added a jazzed-up new interface to the Luxe Brewer, which allows you to tweak your bloom volume, bloom time, brew temperature and flow rate for full control of your coffee.

There's also a range of pre-set modes: Gold Cup Standard and even Cold Brew. I don't know about you, but it's been a few weeks since I touched a hot coffee, so the addition of a cold brew setting is very welcome!

We'll be testing the new Sage Luxe Brewer in the weeks to come, but in the meantime you can buy it direct from Sage for £249. That's actually less than the OG Precision Brewer, which sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to make cold brew coffee at home — no fancy equipment needed
• Sage's new espresso machine will save you from watered-down iced lattes this summer
• I was a drip coffee skeptic until I tried this super-smart coffee maker — now my beloved espresso machine is gathering dust

Like many of you, I have a dream. But perhaps what differs between your dreams and mine is that my only goal in life is to have a killer at-home coffee set-up. From specialty coffee beans to decorative mugs and flavoured syrups, I want it all. And right now, my most wished-for coffee machine, the Breville Oracle Touch, has been discounted by a massive AU$700 during the final hours of EOFY.

Even though that's a mighty fine discount directly from the maker, what's even more tempting about this particular offer is that Tom's Guide has an exclusive code (BREVFUTURE10) that whacks an additional 10% off the total. That brings the machine down to AU$2,699, a whole AU$1,000 off the listed price!

While I'm still a ways off investing in this dream machine, my friends at TechRadar gave it a massive 4.5 stars in their review, knocking it back due to its hefty price tag. But I reckon this AU$1,000 discount would make their reviewer think otherwise.

You may be thinking, "well, how do you know it's your dream coffee machine if you haven't used it before?" and I can gladly say I have. The Breville Oracle Touch has made a fine home for itself in the Tom's Guide AU office kitchen, and when it hits 11am, there's no doubt that I'll be at the coffee machine, mastering my own almond latte preset.

As someone who doesn't love tamping and selecting grind settings, the Oracle Touch's presets have truly spoiled me. As the name suggests, all you need to do is press the colour touchscreen display to choose your grind size and drink you prefer, and hit the go button.

If you're short on time in the mornings, the machine sports a dual boiler system, which speeds up the coffee-making process. Simply put, the machine can multitask, extracting your espresso shot and frothing your milk to foamy heaven at the same time.

So if you have the means to nab this gorgeous machine, the final hours of EOFY are the best time to act. I don't expect this deal to hang around past midnight AEST July 1, so you'd better hurry. Deliciously dreamy coffee awaits.

And if Breville's coffee machines aren't up your alley, you can use our Breville coupon code across the entire site to score an additional 10% off. What a win.

I'm an ex-barista, so I've used loads of the best espresso machines. I'm literally obsessed with Breville gear, and it's rarely on sale. Like, almost never. So when I saw the bean-to-cup Barista Express was discounted by $50, I jumped with joy.

Yes, I know $50 isn't a massive saving, but this price does push the Barista Expresso to under $700. In the grand scheme, this is a very reasonable price for a bean-to-cup espresso machine, let alone a Breville.

In our 4.5-star review of the Barista Express, we praised its delicious espresso, the removable tamper, and its superior performance. I'll chat about all its technical specs and what makes it so good below.

The Barista Express has 15-bar pressure, which is perfect for brewing espresso. You need at least 9-bar, and, in reality, 9-bar actually results in the best flavor. Overpressurizing the coffee can result in burnt and bitter taste.

But don't shy away from all this technical info: in the grand scheme, the Barista Express is actually very easy to use. It has nice navigable buttons on the front of the machine. Once you figure out how much ground coffee you need for a single and double shot, the machine will automatically dose this each time you press the respective dose button.

What separates Breville from other brands is the quality of its machines. Breville machines can last for years and years, whereas other plasticky gear might die after a couple.

Not only does Breville offer a 1-year warranty, it also will it also sells replacement parts so you can fix the machine after the warranty period — no need to buy a whole new one.

Even so, most users online agree that Breville gear can last up to around 8 years if maintained properly.

If you're a beginner barista, I've got loads of advice on how to make barista-quality drinks at home. The long and short of it is: just have fun!

I'm an ex-barista, so I like to think I know a thing or two about coffee. While spending 8 hours a day slinging flat whites, americanos, and mochas is way different to just making myself one espresso drink every morning, I'm still just as enamored with barista-ing now as I was during my days behind the bar.

As a journalist, I'm now on a mission to find the best espresso machines on the market. I've tested loads now, from the biggest names in coffee — think De'Longhi, Breville (Sage in the U.K.), Smeg, Casabrews, KitchenAid.

When I reviewed the Breville (Sage) Bambino Plus, I immediately fell in love. I thought, "This is it. This is the espresso machine I want until I die." But then I tested the De'Longhi Stilosa — and while, no, obviously the $150 De'Longhi doesn't perform like the $500 Breville, I was utterly blown away. I couldn't believe how fantastic the Stilosa was, for just $149.

So, which is the best affordable espresso machine? Better yet, which is the better compact espresso machine? Let's figure it out.

Price

I'm not being funny: there's a clear winner right off the bat. It's the De'Longhi Stilosa. Why, I hear you ask?

Well, the Breville Bambino Plus is $499 from Amazon, whereas the De'Longhi Stilosa is $149 from Amazon. That's a price difference of $350 — enough to buy about 22 pounds of specialty coffee beans. Think of how many drinks that could do!

There's a reason why the Stilosa is so cheap, though: it's really ugly. While the Breville Bambino Plus could walk the runway of espresso machines, the Stilosa would be hiding in the back corner.

I suppose you can't ask for much when you consider the Stilosa is literally $149. It's cheaper than most coffee grinders. If you decide to skimp on the espresso machine, though, make sure you spend on the coffee grinder. It's way more important, and I'll chat about that in the 'Espresso' section below.

The winner: De'Longhi Stilosa. There's no competition at all.

Design

Alright, I've already let the cat out of the bag, haven't I? I wasn't exactly positive about the De'Longhi Stilosa's looks in the 'Price' section.

While the De'Longhi Stilosa has a cheap, plasticky construction and weighs literally 9 pounds, the Breville Bambino Plus has an all-metal exterior and a nice weighty 11 pounds. In writing, the difference doesn't sound too massive, but I've carried both the Stilosa and Bambino Plus and the latter just feels better.

Both machines are incredibly compact, so perfect for small kitchens. I'd recommend both in terms of size.

Just look at that gorgeous construction. The metal drip tray (unlike the Stilosa's plastic drip tray) is much easier to clean, and the steam wand feels sturdier. On top of that, the buttons are tactile and easy to press, which I find much more user-friendly than the Stilosa's dial.

Although I found the Bambino Plus tarnished a little too easily, the steel finish is hardier than the Stilosa's plastic body.

The winner: Breville Bambino Plus. Its metal exterior, weightier construction, and metal drip tray pave way for longevity more than the Stilosa.

Espresso

This is it: the big guns, and the reason you're here (hopefully). A picture speaks a thousand words, so I'm just going to share two pictures of the espresso I pulled on both the De'Longhi Stilosa and the Breville Bambino Plus.

As you can see from the images above, the Breville Bambino Plus generally pulls a thicker, creamier espresso. The De'Longhi Stilosa took me multiple tries to get a decent espresso, which I think would be tricky for someone more inexperienced with espresso machines.

I'll walk you through my processes for both machines, so you can see the necessary finesse for both.

Bambino Plus

• Dose 18g of finely-ground coffee, ground in the Comandante C40 MK4
• Tamp with the provided tamper with approximately 20kg of weight
• Attach portafilter to group head and press the double shot button
• Allow water to run through the espresso until 36g has been reached — should be 25-28 seconds including pre-infusion

Now I'll go through my Stilosa routine — it's mostly the same, but with a few tweaks.

De'Longhi Stilosa

• Dose 18g of very finely-ground coffee, ground in my Comandante C40 MK4
• Tamp with the provided tamper multiple times, ensuring the plastic doesn't warp the puck. I found this tamper very tricky to use, so would recommend getting a 51mm third-party metal tamper (from about $10 on Amazon)
• Clear coffee dust from portafilter (as the tamper is extremely poor) and slot into the machine
• Allow water to run through the coffee until 36g out, should be around 25-28 seconds including pre-infusion

As you can see, I needed a little more finesse with the Stilosa. I recommend giving away or repurposing the scoop/tamper accessory and just getting a metal 51mm tamper from Amazon — I recommend IKAPE's 51mm tamper, $33 on Amazon.

I was really happy to see that the Stilosa comes with single-walled portafilters (non-pressurized) for 'true' espresso. Most cheap machines come with dual-walled (pressurized) portafilters to mimic crema, to distract from the fact that the machine isn't actually that good. The Bambino Plus comes with single-walled portafilters, too, obviously.

As I mentioned earlier, I recommend getting a really high-quality grinder to ensure your espresso tastes as good as you'd want it to. Personally? I use the Comandante C40 MK4, but it's really expensive.

The Baratza Encore ESP is just $199 and works really well. Or, you could check out the $199 1ZPresso J-Ultra, which is another hand grinder, but much cheaper.

Wondering how I know I'm dosing exactly 18g of coffee and getting 36g out? I have one of the best coffee scales — the Wacaco Exagram Pro.

So while the Stilosa can still make excellent espresso, it needs a little more nurturing than the Bambino Plus. And for that reason...

The winner: Breville Bambino Plus. It's better right out of the box.

Milk

I feel like milk steaming is where a lot of people who've never been professional baristas struggle. That's not a bad thing — it's just an occupational hazard. Or, in this case, a lack of occupational hazard. Here's two side-by-side photos of my milk texture and latte art on both the Bambino Plus and the Stilosa.

But beware: the Stilosa doesn't come with a milk jug. I used the Bambino Plus's milk jug during testing.

Where the Bambino Plus and Stilosa differ is the former has an auto-milk function and the Stilosa doesn't. However, I don't really like the Bambino Plus's auto function. Sure, it's good if I just want to steam milk and forget about it, but I'm not that kind of barista. I love babying my milk. I love making it go tss-tss-tss and creating the necessary vortex for melted-ice-cream texture.

As you can see from my latte art, too, there's a clear winner in terms of appearance. And that's the $149 De'Longhi Stilosa.

However, that's just my opinion. I like the Stilosa more because I'm a do-it-yourself barista. But if you want an auto-milk function? Then it'll be the Bambino Plus taking the crown.

The winner: Up to you. Mine is the Stilosa, but yours can be the Bambino Plus.

Maintenance

Now, this is where it might get controversial. Some long-term De'Longhi users report that their machines break after the warranty period, and that De'Longhi machines aren't built to last.

However, I beg to differ. My parents bought their De'Longhi Icona Vintage (U.K. only, I believe discontinued now) in 2015 or 2016, and it's still going. It still pulls espresso, it still steams milk. So, I think it just depends on how well you look after the machine, and how hard your area's water is.

As I mentioned earlier, the Stilosa has a plastic drip tray, which doesn't really bode well for longevity. You'd need to ensure you cleaned this daily to prevent buildup, as plastic can be trickier to clean properly than metal.

Comparatively, the Bambino Plus has a metal and plastic drip tray, which is easier to clean in the long run. The Bambino Plus also has a metal-and-plastic water tank, whereas the Stilosa's is plastic.

In terms of longevity, I'd go with the Bambino Plus, but that machine is almost quadruple the price of the Stilosa, so it's kind of a given.

The winner: Breville Bambino Plus

Verdict

So, what did I learn? Well, I learned that price doesn't mean anything. Just because an espresso machine is expensive, it's not guaranteed to be good. Conversely, just because an espresso machine is cheap, doesn't mean it's going to be awful. Some decent machines are cheap, and some awful machines are expensive (case in point: Smeg EMC02).

Have you ever seen those YouTube videos like "A professional barista and a home barista swap machines — who will win?" and it's always the pro who wins? That's because it's not all about the machine. The barista is the most important cog in the machine of coffee.

If you put in the effort, get some better accessories, and most importantly a decent grinder, there's no reason why the De'Longhi Stilosa won't make excellent espresso.

However, if you want a better machine right out of the box, I'd recommend the Bambino Plus.

What you choose will be up to you. But me? I'd be happy with the Stilosa and a Comandante C40 MK4 grinder, any day. The Bambino Plus is a little out of my price range at the moment.

If you're in the market for one of the best espresso machines, you know they're pricey. You are also probably aware that Breville makes some of the most beloved espresso machines money can buy — the Breville Barista Pro among them.

Right now, you can save an impressive $250 on the Breville Barista Pro espresso machine, bringing the price down to $599. While that might sound high, considering the $849 price tag it usually carries, you can't help but be impressed with this all-time low price.

This espresso machine has a cool LCD with grinding and extracting progress animations so you can tell how your drink is coming along. It takes the guesswork out of the process, which is critical for newer espresso makers.

Of course, the screen doesn't make everything automatic, as the powerful steam wand lets you fine-tune the milk foam to your exact preferences. Just like when you head to your local Starbucks and tell them how much foam and steamed milk you want, you can do that yourself.

I have the Barista Express Espresso Machine and I love it. It's not quite as nice as the Barista Pro Espresso Machine on sale today. In fact, I wish I had held out for this deal, as the screen would have made learning to make a good drink a little easier (I've mostly figured it out now, but there was a learning curve for sure).

Either way, with the all-time low price, anyone who's been on the fence about getting a good espresso machine can rest easy knowing they're getting the best possible deal.

And if you want more Memorial Day deals, check out our live report covering the biggest sales and deals as they happen.

Breville makes some of the best coffee makers on the market, period. But while the brand is best known for its espresso machines, it also offers a number of outstanding drip brewers.

Released 8 years ago, the Breville Precision Brewer has been the brand's most popular drip brewer for the best part of a decade. But now there's a new drip brewer on the market: The Luxe Brewer.

Breville, which U.K. readers will know as Sage, calls this drip coffee maker "a new standard for at-home drip coffee". Among its huge range of smart features, there's one element that fixes the most annoying part of the original Precision line. Finally, this drip coffee maker comes with a removable water tank.

The price? $319 for the Luxe Brewer Thermal, which comes with a dual-wall thermal carafe or $349.95 for the Luxe Brewer Glass with a glass carafe and upgraded warming plate, both available at breville.com. Here's what's new with the Luxe Brewer.

Gold standard

The Breville Luxe Brewer is the Precision Brewer, but better. Improving on the much-loved features of its predecessor, its the "next generation" of one-touch filter coffee at home.

And while you'll get all the same features as the Precision Brewer, you'll also get a lot more. This is a Luxe experience, after all.

Boasting the same quality results as its predecessor, it's got a revamped interface, removable water reservoir, directly brewing for single-serve cups and three primary modes: a Gold Cup Standard, Cold Brew, and Custom Brew.

There's also a choice between two carafe options, with a varying price. The dual-wall thermal carafe will keep your coffee hot for up to four hours with no additional heat.

The glass carafe with an upgraded warming plate will maintain a consistent temperature for up to six hours. If you don't need the carafe, you can brew directly into your mug.

Amongst all these new shiny features though, there's also a dedication to Gold Standard coffee with the same Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) Certification as the Precision Brewer.

Gold Standard coffee sounds fancy, and it is. This means, once again, that Breville has successfully followed the guidelines for quality. So, you're guaranteed a well-balanced, well-brewed and perfectly ratioed cup of Joe.

How does it compare?

Drip coffee machines are a super popular choice given how simple and easy-to-use they are, resulting in consistently delicious coffee achievable from the comfort of your home. And with their popularity, it should come as no surprise to see a wide range of drip machines appearing amongst the best coffee makers on the market.

There's the Fellow Aiden, the Braun Multiserve Plus, GE Profile Smart Grind & Brew, and the OXO Brew 8-Cup all excellent options covering a range of prices and specs.

For the best value option, Braun's drip coffee maker comes in at under $150 – an excellent pick for those on a budget in comparison to Breville's over $300 price tag.

And in terms of spec, the Luxe Brewer fits in closely alongside our favourite drip machine, the Fellow Aiden. Both boasting pre-programmed brewing, single-cup to whole carafe servings and keeping coffee hot for around 4 hours (or 6 with the Luxe Brewer's glass carafe and warming plate).

For AI-powered drip coffee, the GE Profile Smart Grind & Brew is a clever machine with an abundance of settings and the Gold Cup standard, coming in at a similar price.

Then, OXO's coffee maker boasts the same SCA certification while also managing to stay compactly-sized, but notably without the removable water tank and ability to program.

Each machine will have features that suit your needs, but fortunately they're all capable of making you flavorful brews with customization to suit your tastes.

Of course, we also have to compare the Luxe Brewer to the Precision Brewer considering Breville say its the predecessor's upgrade. And since we gave the Precision Brewer four-stars, we're going to hold our thoughts until we've sufficiently tested the newer model in our full review, coming soon.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to make cold brew coffee at home — no fancy equipment needed
• Sage's new espresso machine will save you from watered-down iced lattes this summer
• I was a drip coffee skeptic until I tried this super-smart coffee maker — now my beloved espresso machine is gathering dust