12 Best Espresso Machines For Beginner Enthusiasts

If you love drinking espresso and want to start making coffee-shop-quality espresso at home, you're probably going to need an espresso machine. But where to start? For a beginner, the world of espresso machines can seem endless, and it's tough to make a decision on which one is right for you (especially when you're about to drop at least a few hundred dollars on a new one).

As a former barista, I'm here to guide you through my top beginner picks for espresso machines. Whether you want a fancy super-automatic or are hoping to learn all the ropes on your own, this list will help you find something that works for your individual espresso needs. There is no right answer when it comes to picking an espresso machine; it's all about your personal preferences and how you want to learn. But I can promise you that the machines I've rounded up here cover nearly every facet of the beginner hobby — from the dedicated newbie to the person who really just wants a nice cup of coffee they don't have to think about.

The reason why the Bambino Plus comes so highly recommended is because it is a fantastic beginner machine in every way. If you're just getting started with espresso making, you might not want to shell out thousands of dollars for a high-end machine. There are certainly those who claim that you have to spend a minimum of $600 to acquire a solid espresso machine, but thanks to the Bambino, they'd be wrong.

For one thing, the machine comes with a high-quality portafilter and tamper right off the bat. Yes, every espresso machine comes with these — but if they're not good quality, your espresso won't taste as delicious. As you learn more about espresso, you'll likely find that you want to upgrade these parts on your own. But for a beginner, having access to quality espresso tools is important — you don't want to purchase a beginner machine and still have to worry about replacing parts you don't even know the names of yet.

The Bambino Plus's main upgrade over its regular counterpart is that it features an automatic milk frother. This is a nice bonus for a beginner who loves milk-based drinks but doesn't want to have to worry about learning a bunch of new things at once. Just keep in mind that you will need to purchase your own grinder.

You're going to be seeing a lot of Breville machines on this list, and that's because the company is one of the coffee world's favorites — especially when it comes to super-automatic and semi-automatic machines. Do you want a machine that's long-lasting? High-quality but not jaw-droppingly expensive? A coffee counter machine with a large water tank? With a built-in grinder that actually produces the perfect customized grind? Of course you do. The Barista Express is all yours.

If you're willing to spend just a little more money on your espresso machine, you'd certainly be among the majority of beginner baristas who purchase a Barista Express. Many of those users never upgrade their machine again — a Barista Express is perfectly satisfactory for someone who wants a delicious but easy-to-make espresso.

Now, you may have heard some negative things about the Barista Express's grinder. It's true that if you're an espresso fiend, the grinder probably won't be to your liking. But you're not here because you're an espresso know-it-all. Save yourself the trouble of having to purchase a separate grinder and go for the Barista Express. If you decide you need to upgrade your grinder in search of the perfect espresso, well, you can do it later — once you can truly taste the difference.

Let's say you've decided that, even as a beginner barista, you're going to sell your soul to the hobby of making espresso. Okay, fine — you don't need that much dedication. But you do need to plan to invest some time into the hobby if you're planning on getting a Gaggia Classic Pro as your first-ever machine.

Mostly, beginners should consider their Gaggia purchase carefully because, though it's semi-automatic, it is considered close to a manual machine when learning it. This means that Gaggia Classics tend to have a steep learning curve. That's true if you know your way around a super-automatic espresso machine and if you've never even touched an espresso machine in your life.

If you're someone who gets discouraged from a hobby because of how difficult it is in the beginning, the Gaggia Classic Pro probably isn't for you. But if you want to dive right into the world of customizations and manual espresso machines, well, the Gaggia Classic Pro is simply the best there is. 

Classic Pros are generally considered to be well worth every penny, and Gaggia machines are known to last a long time. As long as you know you're going to love making your very own espresso, the Gaggia Classic Pro is a machine that appeals to beginners and experts alike, making it a good investment.

The Terra Kaffe TK01 is a super-automatic machine at a lower price than most other super-automatics. Because it's entirely automated, it tends to be easy for a beginner to learn. It also comes with a built-in grinder.

If you're a fan of lattes, cappuccinos, and other milk drinks, the TK01 is for you. That's because all of its reviewers agree that it is amazing at making the perfect cup of steamed milk. It's all about the froth — and the TK01's automation has zero problems there.

For a beginner, it can be really nice to have a machine that does everything for you — the TK01 has a shallow learning curve and is a good introduction to the world of espresso. If you're not planning on diving super deep into the customization that comes with the espresso hobby, then the TK01 might even be a forever machine for you.

The one complaint about the TK01 that you're likely to notice as soon as you start trying to improve the quality of your espresso shots is the grinder, which is not highly rated by users. Fortunately, a grinder is one of the simplest things to upgrade — and it's also something you can do later, once you're dedicated to customizing and improving the quality of your espresso. This will also give you the benefit of having extra time to research the kind of grinder you think best fits your needs.

We're getting into the rhyming world of Breville espresso machines. The Breville Barista Express Impress comes with everything that the Express has. Its main upgrade is its automated dosing system with its assisted tamping. The machine will calculate the appropriate coffee dose based on the previous grind. This will give you the perfect espresso shot every single time. Essentially, this is all meant to provide you with extra help while you're still learning. As you learn more, you can always turn these functions off if you choose.

The Impress will also warm up much faster than the Express. The Impress is ready to use within 4 seconds, while the Express can take up to 45 seconds to warm up. If speed is important to you, the Impress will certainly be worth it.

Lastly, the Impress also comes with eleven additional grind settings, bringing you from the 19 grind settings that come with the Express to 25 total grind settings. This just gives you a little more control over your espresso shot. You may or may not decide that you still want to upgrade to a more highly-rated grinder eventually — after all, there's virtually no machine that comes with a grinder that meets the approval of espresso experts. But I do think that the Impress is a machine that you'll be highly satisfied with on its own for a long time.

Owning a Breville Barista Touch is basically like having a barista who sits on your counter and makes your drink order perfectly every single day. All you need to do with this machine is select your drink of choice from the touchscreen, and the machine will make it for you. You can even add in your own custom beverages if you don't like the ones the machine comes with.

The Barista Touch has a lot of minor improvements that are really important for a good espresso machine, especially for a beginner. I'll commend the automatic milk steamer for being able to make absolutely any kind of froth texture on its own. The machine is ready to use in three seconds. There's even a tutorial displayed on the touchscreen that will guide you through the entire process of making the perfect cup of coffee.

You aren't likely to make any mistakes with the Touch, and you're always going to get the perfect espresso. But you will still get to learn things as you go. The machine can be what you want it to be, whether that's a hands-off espresso machine or a tool for teaching you to pull the perfect shot.

The Touch is much more expensive than many other options on this list. If having an all-inclusive machine doesn't seem worth it to you, then I wouldn't recommend this machine. But it is a solid contender for someone who wants a barista guide.

The Baristina is an interesting machine, and one that is sometimes controversial. That's because it truly is targeted at beginners — or people searching for convenience over customization, something that is sometimes frowned upon in the world of espresso.

The Baristina is not customizable whatsoever. It can make either espresso or lungo (long espresso). It comes with a grinder, though the grinder has no settings on it.

The machine is cheaper than any of the others on this list. The reason why it's here is because it is, by all means, a beginner machine. I would not expect you to purchase this machine and never decide to upgrade it in the future. I don't think it's going to create the most perfect espresso shot of all time. Eventually, you're likely to feel frustrated by the fact that it's not very customizable.

However, all of those issues are in the future. If you want a simple, care-free introduction to espresso, then the Baristina is a great choice. If you're still uncertain about the hobby or just feel like you don't know where to start, purchasing an inexpensive machine while you figure out what is important to you can be a good learning experience in itself. Plus, you get the bonus of having an inexpensive machine with a very shallow learning curve.

I would say that the De'Longhi Magnifica Evo is a very solid choice if you're in the market for a super-automatic machine. It has its own milk frothing system that is highly rated by reviewers, and it can easily make foam for different drinks. It has a built-in grinder with 13 different grind settings, which is useful when it comes to customization. It's fast, it gives you some customization options, and it's easy to use, too.

Many users also admire the fact that the machine is particularly easy to clean (and also features an automated cleaning cycle, another small bonus). It's also a long-lasting machine that rarely needs repairs — and many users find this machine so satisfactory, they don't consider needing to upgrade.

One thing that I really like about the Evo is that you'll need to play around with your grind settings before you find your perfect espresso shot. This gives you the chance to explore customization practices (like the temperature you choose, which is also slightly adjustable) without leaving you completely in the dark. It's a fun experience — and once you have everything figured out, you never really have to adjust it again if you don't want to.

The Jura ENA4 is a solid super-automatic machine. It's a bit pricier than other options, but many reviewers agree that the espresso quality the machine produces is top-notch for a super-auto.

One thing that is different about the ENA4 is that you won't be able to clean or service the parts yourself. Your machine will inform you of how to clean it automatically. When it needs to be serviced (which is rare), it will tell you, and then you will send it in to Jura without attempting any servicing yourself. This can either be a massive pro or a massive con, depending on how hands-on you are with your machine. Fortunately, many reviewers say that they've never had to service their Jura before.

Another potential bonus of the ENA4 is that it's smaller than many other super- and semi-automatic machines. If you're looking for a high-quality machine that won't impact your counter space (or that you can stow away when not in use), the ENA4 might be for you.

One thing to keep in mind is that reviewers have had issues with oily coffee beans clogging up their machines. This can also impact your decision on the ENA4; if you already know your favorite coffee bean blend is relatively oily, then you might want to stay away from the ENA4. But if you use less oily beans, you shouldn't have any maintenance problems at all — and Jura machines are said to last for up to a decade.

Do you want a machine that is one of the fanciest super-automatics around? Are you in need of an espresso machine with 45 different grinder settings? Do you want your espresso machine to be able to optimize its settings to make cold brew? What about a machine that will tell you if you over-extracted your espresso shot? Well, the Oracle Touch is for you — as long as you don't mind the $2,000 price tag, of course.

Simply put, the Oracle Touch is just plain fun. It's essentially a barista's whimsical super-automatic dream machine — it has everything you need and so much more that you don't. It's so easy to use, so versatile, and will guide you through making every drink you could ever dream of. It's an aesthetically beautiful machine where every little detail has been thought out — whether it's the tiny wheel in the back of the machine that helps you move and rotate it around the counter or the fact that the water tank can pop out of the back of the machine if you don't have the shelf space to take the lid off of the top.

If you have extra cash to drop and want to have a fun machine you can show off to your friends, I would seriously recommend the Oracle Touch.

The Lelit Victoria is a great semi-automatic machine that provides (in my opinion) slightly more hands-on learning than some other semi-automatic machines. It produces consistently delicious espresso and is beloved by many, making it a safe long-term espresso machine investment. Most people who purchase a Victoria do not end up ever upgrading their machines again.

The machine does not come with a built-in grinder, so I find myself recommending this machine more to people who are looking at building a long-term setup for themselves. The thing that always stands out to me is that many of those who review the Victoria say that it is by far one of the best espresso shots they've ever tasted. If you're a beginner who's searching for the most quality espresso shot that you can get right off the bat, the Victoria is for you.

There is a bit of a learning curve to it, but most people agree that the Victoria is not a terribly difficult machine to use. Lelit has a reputation for being long-lasting, providing quality service, and producing excellent espresso shots — three things you can't go wrong with.

Rancilio's Silvia is truly an unbeatable espresso machine on many accounts. Almost all of its users seem to agree that it is the best espresso machine out there. Baristas love it. Espresso experts enjoy the espresso it produces. If you want a machine that you'll never, ever tire of, the Silvia is your new go-to.

The Silvia does not come with a PID (proportional integrative derivative, or specific temperature control), which is one of the most talked-about alterations most espresso fanatics will complete at some point. I would recommend starting without one and learning the workings of the machine first. Once you feel like you desperately need to improve the quality of your espresso, then you can purchase the kit and make the adjustments yourself. It's honestly not something I think you need to worry about right now, but it is an easy adjustment you can make later on.

This machine does not come with a grinder, which is something you'll have to research and add yourself. Its milk steaming and frothing is very high-quality, but if you prefer to have a dual-boiler machine, you should look into the Silvia Pro X, which adds this upgraded feature.