As a coffee lover, there are always too many reasons why you should get your own espresso machine. You could finally enjoy the best type of coffee in the comfort of your home, or you could finally get a chance to make your own latte art.
However, it’s not that easy.
Espresso machines are rather complicated machines with lots of different components.
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Here we have some of the best budget-friendly espresso machines for all those who are on a budget or simply don’t want to spend too much money on a coffee maker.
Top Three
In this article you’ll find a list of 10 of the best budget-friendly espresso machines out there.
But if you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick top 3 of our list!
- De’Longhi Stilosa: Best features/value
- Breville Cafe Roma: Best quality/value
- Wacaco Minipresso: Best value
Here’s our list, in no particular order, of the best budget espresso machines.
Best Budget Espresso Machines
De’Longhi Stilosa
De’Longhi has been manufacturing coffee makers (and other small appliances) since 1902.
That’s over a century ago, so you know they know what they’re doing!
Their experience and expertise always shows, even in smaller, simpler machines like the Stilosa.
The stilosa is a super compact espresso machine that can do everything a bigger machine can.
Its steam wand is surprisingly powerful, and will steam milk just like one of De’Longhi’s more expensive machines—it’s definitely the highlight of this machine.
The Stilosa is a great choice for value, especially if you’re a latte and cappuccino lover, since the Stilosa is better than most other budget espresso machines at steaming and frothing milk.
4 Coffee Gear & Coffee Recommendations
- Breville Barista Pro – An excellent manual espresso machine for home use
- Philips 3200 Series Espresso Machine – Easy-to-use fully automatic coffee machine for small office or home use
- Rancilio Egro ONE Touch – High capacity fully automatic commercial coffee machine for professional use
- Koa Coffee – Premium hand-picked Hawaiian coffee. Have you tried American coffee yet?
Gevi Espresso Machine
Gevi isn’t a particularly famous brand when you’re thinking of home coffee makers, yet, so this machine really comes as a surprise for coffee lovers who didn’t expect such a good machine to pop out of seemingly nowhere.
The Gevi is truly a throwback to how espresso machines used to look.
It’s got a stainless steel surface, a pressure meter on the front, and plenty of space on top for placing coffee cups.
It has a very retro vibe but it’s still modern—it reminds you a lot of Breville machines, which are a mix between modern and retro style.
This Gevi is a perfect budget espresso machine for beginners.
It comes equipped with everything, including a steam wand, and it even comes with a coffee scoop and a milk pitcher for just a bit more.
What a deal!
Yabano Espresso Machine
A relatively new Chinese manufacturer, Yabano offers a wide range of kitchen appliances, all of them of above-average quality and having a great price-performance ratio.
In particular, their espresso machine is one of the best ones on this list. It is actually hard to believe how inexpensive it is, given how good its specs are.
The Yabano espresso machine can reach up to 15 bars of pressure, which is the defining feature of a professional-level espresso machine.
It can brew two shots of espresso simultaneously and it effortlessly steams milk with its steam wand.
All controls are accessible, being easy-to-use dials and buttons.
Hamilton Beach Espresso Machine (40715)
Hamilton Beach Espresso Machine (40715)
Hamilton Beach is a rather well-known maker of all sorts of kitchen appliances, and they’re known for their inexpensive yet reliable and durable products.
In fact, many of the most popular drip coffee makers out there are Hamilton Beach. So it makes sense that they’d try their hand at an espresso maker.
The Hamilton Beach espresso maker feels a little old in its design. It’s retro, but not in a good way. If you can get past that, however, it is impressive how well it works.
This inexpensive espresso machine makes great coffee and steams great, too.
The controls are relatively easy to figure out so you’ll be making a cappuccino on your own in no time!
Wacaco Minipresso
Although technically not an espresso maker, the Wacaco has earned a spot in our list.
First of all, it is an extremely fun way to make espresso. Simply figuring out how to operate this clever little device is fun in its own right.
But secondly, as espresso lovers, we’re always in a situation where we want coffee but can’t.
If you’re on your way to work, on a road trip, maybe you went hiking—these are all situations where a freshly brewed espresso would make everything even better, and yet you can’t.
No, wait: you can!
With the Wacaco, you can bring the espresso with you anywhere you go.
Breville Cafe Roma
The Café Roma is Breville condensing everything into a small, austere, yet absolutely elegant espresso maker.
The Café Roma takes up very little space and its specs aren’t anything out of this world—yet it manages to be one of the best home espresso machines there are, even without taking budget into consideration.
The Café Roma has plenty of tray space, a thick steam wand which makes for easier frothing, and a dual-wall filter system in place for achieving better crema—the best possible feature for lovers of black coffee.
This system helps in making a lot of crema, which adds extra texture and flavor to your espresso.
Mr. Coffee Espresso Machine
The Mr. Coffee is easily one of the best machines on this list.
It’s got up to six different coffee options that are easily accessible.
It’s a decent size and has a big water tank, meaning that you don’t have to be refilling it constantly—a big problem with small machines, which most budget-friendly espresso machines are.
But most importantly, the Mr.Coffee has a milk container.
This is a whole new way of frothing milk: you fill up the container, set it to the desired level of frothing, and push a button.
This machine will not only froth it automatically, but also pour it in the cup! Amazing!
Illy Espresso Machine Y3.3
Illy is an internationally renowned Italian brand.
They really do coffee on a massive scale, and have been doing so for a long time. This time, they’ve put out this cute, tiny coffee maker that is quite a good option for your home.
In particular, this coffee maker is great for small spaces, a cramped kitchen, a studio apartment.
There isn’t always going to be enough space to get a big espresso machine.
This machine (capsule espresso) is small enough for it to fit basically anywhere, even though you’d sacrifice the steam wand.
In some cases, it’s more than worth the sacrifice.
Mr. Coffee Dual Shot
Another Mr. Coffee because we can’t get enough of them.
This alternative option takes a different approach to it and instead of having a milk container, it has a steam wand, making it a more traditional choice.
A steam wand is preferable if you like doing latte art and in general experimenting with milk texture.
It can also brew two shots simultaneously (more professional-like) and since it doesn’t have the milk-container system it is hence a little less expensive.
In short, it is a version of the other machine but with dual-shot, steam wand, and a little cheaper.
Not bad.
Jassy Espresso Maker
Upon seeing it, you might think it’s a cheaper version of the Mr. Coffee. In fact, it is an enhanced version of it.
It is much easier to operate, with easy-to-understand and clear buttons. The milk container is bigger, too, and has a very sturdy handle that makes for easier transporting and handling in general.
Finally, the Jassy makes better espresso. It reaches up to 19 bars of pressure, which ultimately results in a more concentrated and fragrant espresso.
With that in mind, it is more expensive than the similarly-endowed Mr. Coffee and the most expensive espresso maker in this list. Although it is indisputably a great machine, it is the least budget-friendly one, too.
Buying Considerations
Being on a budget is a good thing, because it lets you put your priorities in order.
What are those priorities when buying a coffee machine?
Well, it really depends on your needs.
Here are two very important things to keep in mind when determining what are your priorities:
Size
Size doesn’t mean everything, sure, but it’s still very important.
A big machine will always be more expensive, but it is also heavier and more difficult to easily fit in small spaces.
It is no secret that the more time goes on, the places we inhabit are smaller. There are more of us and not as much space. So, space is a luxury and we have to start being more aware about how much space our possessions take up.
Espresso machines can be quite chunky and big, so be sure to choose one that fits your kitchen and doesn’t end up being too big for you.
Features
Are you a latte or cappuccino fan?
Or maybe you just like espresso, no cream or milk?
Many espresso machines come without a steam wand, something that saves both space and money.
If you’re not particularly a latte fan or just don’t want to have to steam milk all the time, you can save a lot of money.
Even within machines that do allow you to make lattes, there are several types.
You have milk-container type machines that froth it for you which are very convenient but also pricier.
Think whether this is a feature you will actually use and enjoy and buy accordingly.
