When shopping for espresso machines, one of the most tempting options are super automatic espresso machines.
These are machines of the new century, that are able to do a lot more work with a lot less input – and that means better coffee for you with less work from your side!
By Marcelo.
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In short, super automatic espresso machines are like a barista in a machine.
They can make complex drinks on their own, or froth the milk themselves, sometimes even grind beans. It depends on the model.
But of course, they can be super expensive.
So in this article we’re going to show you some of the best super automatic espresso machines out there that are, at the same time, super inexpensive for their value.
Top Three Super Automatic Espresso Machines
First, though, a little sneak peek of the top three:
De’Longhi Magnifica XS
Easy to use, full to the brim with features, and a great design.
Gaggia Brera
Easy to use machine that is known for being reliable. It makes consistently great coffee even after years of heavy use.
Nespresso Expert
Nespresso’s best, most complete machine as of yet. Will satisfy all types of coffee drinkers, from the simplest to the pickiest.
Gaggia Brera
The Brera is a simple machine which aims to offer all the functionality of a super automatic espresso machine without all the hassle and complicated controls.
It has a small LED screen which, along with four buttons, help you navigate all the drink options that the machines offers.
In terms of user-friendliness, it’s definitely the easiest machine to use on this list.
The design is also quite popular. There are two versions: black and silver, with the silver being much more popular because of its sophisticated look.
MEROL automatic espresso machine
MEROL automatic espresso machine
MEROL. It is a juggernaut: a chunky, boxy coffee maker that you can’t help but love.
Between the lovable features is its super powerful coffee grinder which promises consistency and perfect grind every single time.
The MEROL also has one of the best touchscreens that you’ll see in a coffee maker.
There are no buttons whatsoever; everything is done through the touchscreen.
Here you can tweak the size of your coffee, the temperature of the brewing water, and more!
Nespresso Expert
Nespresso’s crown jewel. The expert is, important to note, a capsule espresso maker. So unlike other machines on this list it works on coffee capsules.
As for the rest of the features, it is just like and even better than other super automatic machines.
The Nespresso has the most user friendly controls out there with a fusion of dial-style controls and LED lights that looks stunning and is very easy to navigate.
The Nespresso Expert can even be paired up to your smartphone!
That allows you to craft recipes, set brew times, schedule on and off times, and so on from your phone.
When it comes to the design, it’s no surprise that the Expert is an absolute winner.
Nespresso always goes above and beyond with its coffee makers—with several award-winning designs under their belt – but the expert is particularly breathtaking.
De’Longhi Magnifica XS
The ECAM is a super automatic machine that is both futuristic and a throwback.
At first glance, it has a design that is very much like classic espresso machines; it even has a heated space on top for placing coffee cups.
But once you start to use it, you realize just how next-generation the ECAM is.
Its professional-grade grinder has up to thirteen different settings, and the automatic milk frother performs better than the best barista could—and with consistent results!
This machine has come out as one of the best super automatic espresso machines in the market as recently as 2017.
And this still holds true today, with few machines as user-friendly, inexpensive, and that perform as good as the Magnifica XS.
De’Longhi ESAM 3500
The Magnifica. Again. This time, though, it is even bigger, and even more powerful.
For starters, this coffee maker has a milk compartment which can heat up milk and froth it.
Oh, and it will even pour it into your coffee!
You, almost literally, don’t need to lift a finger.
The controls and small digital screen on this Magnifica will remind you a lot of drip coffee machines. And that’s kind of the point: it is a very easy-to-use, familiar type of coffee machine.
The difference is that it grinds, froths, and brews. It does it all, and it does it a thousand times better than any drip machine ever could!
De’Longhi Magnifica (4110)
Another take on De’Longhi’s Magnifica.
While the last one was somewhat of a throwback with a relatively small, coffee-shop style design, you could say this is the complete opposite of that.
The Magnifica is big, imposing, and quite different in style.
The look could be described as robotic and very 2000s, which many would say is peak aesthetic for coffee makers.
The controls are fun to use with a combination of dials, buttons, and small LED lights.
It is a little underwhelming when we’ve seen smoother controls and even touchscreens on the list, but these types of controls end up being more reliable; take it from an experienced barista.
Photos by Chevanon and Michael Burrows
