Espresso machines for beginners

The espresso machine you use determines the texture and influences the taste of your beverage. If you have just started drinking coffee and are stranded on where to begin, here are the best espresso machines for beginners.

I love the luxury of making my espresso and coffee beverages at home. This is after I entered into a budget-strict lifestyle and discovered how much money I have spent on takeout drinks. When I decided to make my espresso beverages at home, I wanted a quality machine that was affordable yet beginner friendly. I settled for the Breville Bambino espresso machine because of its straightforward design, and also it was within my budget range. Read on to find out more about beginner-friendly espresso machines and which ones are our top picks.

Table of Contents

Here are our top picks for the best espresso machines:

How much are beginner espresso machines?

Espresso machines, whether for beginners or experts, have a wide price range. You can get an expresso machine for up to $600, depending on the features you are looking for. You can also get a beginner-friendly espresso machine for as low as $55.

Are beginner espresso machines easy to use?

Most beginner-friendly espresso is easy to use. However, when choosing an espresso machine, you should also weigh the knowledge you know about these machines and how much you are willing to learn. If you want to start making your espresso beverages at home, I recommend you go for semi-automatic machines as they are easier to operate.

How we choose the best espresso machines for beginners?

We examined several features when choosing the machines we will discuss in this list. The first criterion is user-friendliness. Furthermore, most of them are affordable and can be cleaned easily. The easier the design of the machine, the easy to use and clean. And for beginners, those are the most important features they look for in a machine. Of course, quality features were also put into consideration.

Five best espresso machines for beginners

DeLonghi ECP 3420

This espresso machine made it on the list because of its affordability, yet it has great performance. It has stainless steel accents and is made of ABS plastic; hence you are assured of its durability. This machine is equipped with a boiler system that heats things quite fast. Due to its rapid heating system, you can switch steaming in 30 seconds and pull several espresso beverages in succession. However, you must also get a coarser grind or a pressurized basket when purchasing the DeLonghi ECP 3420, as its boiler is not that powerful. The only downside with the coarser grind is that it limits the flavor potential of your beverage.

The ECP 3420 espresso machine also comes with a manual steam wand, meaning though it can heat milk pretty well, it can also run out of steam. The pressure pump in the DeLonghi espresso machine is 15 bar (meets the standard pressure in espresso machines). This allows you to adjust the pressure depending on how you prefer your espresso to be.

However, though this machine is budget-friendly, as your brewing skills grow, you will probably outgrow some features and have to invest and purchase a grinder with stainless steel parts. You can check the price for this espresso machine here.

Breville Bambino stainless steel espresso machine

top picks for beginner espresso machines reviewed — Breville Bambino stainless steel espresso machine. Image source: Breville

If you are looking for an affordable espresso machine that is high quality yet friendly to beginners, consider purchasing the Breville Bambino espresso machine. This machine is semi-automatic; hence you will put in some effort and skills while operating it, but it is nothing a brewing newbie cannot handle. The Breville Bambino espresso machine is equipped with thermo-jet technology, which gets the machine ready in three seconds when you want to brew. This saves time, especially when you are in a hurry, as you will not waste time between steaming and brewing.

Furthermore, this machine contains a PID which controls temperature when brewing; hence you will extract consistent shots at optimal temperature. The PID (low-pressure pre-infusion) also primes the ground coffee before you brew it to produce precise extraction of espresso shots.

Another key feature of this machine that makes it an excellent option for those with little brewing skills is that it is easy to use. You can choose to either brew single or double espresso shots manually or hold the start button to begin. If you want to change the number of shots, you can remove the start button and reprogram it.

The Breville Bambino machine also comes with a manual steam wand that will allow you to perfect your latte art skills as it creates a rich microfoam. This machine is compact and occupies less kitchen space. However, it does not come with an in-built grinder, meaning you will have to invest in one while your skills grow. You can check the price for this espresso machine here.

Gaggia R19380/46 Classic Pro Espresso Machine

espresso machines — Gaggia R19380/46 Classic Pro Espresso Machine. Image source: Gaggia

The Gaggia espresso machine is a good option for beginners who want to experiment with their drinks and learn how to create latte art or pull espresso drinks. It is of premium quality and made with a stainless steel body. While most espresso machines have a basket of 54 mm, the Gaggia classic pro has 58 mm. This allows for more espresso extraction.

However, this machine is not the fastest machine in the market as it is only made with a single boiler which will take you up to five minutes to heat. However, after it heats, it only takes the Gaggia classic pro 30 seconds to steam. You can pull several shots, one after the other, which allows you to make drinks for many people.

The commercial steam with this espresso machine has holes on the tip, allowing it to achieve high pressure. This creates a great micro-foam that allows beginners to upscale their latte art skills. However, just like the above-mentioned machines, the Gaggia classic pro does not come with an in-built grinder, meaning you will have to spend more and invest in one once you nurture your brewing skills. You can check the price for this espresso machine here.

Breville Barista Touch Stainless Steel Espresso Machine

If you are looking to start with a machine that has plenty of drink options, is high quality, and is easy to use, then this machine would suit you best. It has automatic features that are easy to operate and give you control over the brewing process. It is equipped with a touchscreen display that allows you to scroll through pictures of various programmed drinks, and you can choose which drink you want by simply pressing a button, and your coffee will be made in no time. Therefore, you can get up to eight free drink recipes programmed into this machine when you buy it. The Breville Barista touch stainless steel espresso machine is a perfect blend of semi-automatic and automatic machine.

Another excellent feature of this machine is the automatic steam wand which makes it easy to use. To use this wand, you simply put the milk pitcher under it and on a temperature sensor and select between manual or automatic frothing. This machine also allows you to decide between various milk textures and temperatures. Another great thing about this want is that it has an auto-purge feature via which the want cleans itself after frothing milk.

Additionally, an essential feature of this machine is the integrated conical burr grinder that comes with it and has 30 settings. This allows you to control the texture of your coffee grounds. However, the Breville Barista espresso machine has only one boiler machine; hence you cannot brew your coffee simultaneously. You can check the price for this espresso machine here.

PHILIPS 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine

This espresso machine is a great option for beginners who love milk-based espresso or coffee drinks. Its price is not too high like that of Jura machines, but it still functions pretty well. The front-loading system in the Phillips machine makes it user-friendly.

This machine is equipped with an AquaClean water filter which you will only have to descale after around seven years. You can also brew up to five different espresso drinks with it and customize them to your preferred volume and strength.

Another stand-out feature of the Phillips 3200 is the automatic milk frothing system which allows you to froth milk by just pressing a button. However, this frother only produces dense foam. This machine also has a built-in quality grinder that will serve you for years, even after growing your brewing skills. You can check the price for this espresso machine here.

Informative section

Is it worth having an espresso machine at home?

Yes, if you love caffeine or espresso drinks, then it would save you a lot of coins if you buy this machine at home and make your drinks at home.

What is the cheapest beginner espresso machine?

The best yet beginner-friendly espresso machines should cost you around $100 and below. The cheapest is the Sowtech Espresso and Cappuccino machine, which will cost around $55.

Can beginners use a manual espresso machine?

Beginners can use manual espresso machines as they do not require additional knowledge of how to extract coffee or texturize milk. It is fully manual, and all you have to do is follow the instructions guide that comes with it upon purchase.