The 11 Best Specialty Coffee Makers

The Barista Pro is the machine most people should buy if they want cafe style drinks at home without assembling a whole setup. It packs a conical burr grinder, a pump espresso group and a steam wand into a single stainless body, and the grinder feeds the portafilter directly so the coffee goes from bean to puck in seconds.

Its strongest feature is the ThermoJet heating system, which brings the machine to brew temperature in a few seconds rather than the minutes older thermoblock machines need. Paired with digital temperature control, that means the second shot of the morning tastes like the first. The LCD display shows extraction progress, which turns an abstract process into something you can adjust deliberately.

The honest limitations are physical. It is a single boiler machine, so brewing and steaming happen one after the other, and the hopper needs clearance above the unit. It also demands attention: a level tamp and a correct grind setting matter far more here than on a pod machine, and the first week involves some wasted coffee.

Bottom line: for anyone serious about espresso and milk drinks who wants one appliance instead of two, the Barista Pro is the most complete package on this list and our best overall pick.

• Type: semi-automatic pump espresso machine
• Grinder: integrated conical burr with adjustable settings
• Heating: ThermoJet system with digital temperature control
• Milk: manual steam wand for microfoam
• Portafilter: 54 mm
• Body: brushed stainless steel
• Extras: dosing and tamping tools included

Best for the drinker who orders lattes and cappuccinos more often than black coffee, and who wants to learn espresso properly rather than press a capsule button. It also suits households replacing both an old machine and a blade grinder in one purchase.

It is not the right pick if you mainly drink filter coffee by the carafe, or if counter space is genuinely tight.

Run a blank shot of water through the group head before your first espresso to warm the portafilter and the cup. Dial the grind finer if the shot runs fast and thin, coarser if it chokes and drips.

Keep the steam wand purged and wiped after every milk drink. Dried milk inside the tip is the fastest way to lose steam power.

The Breville Barista Express is the machine to buy when drip coffee no longer cuts it and you want cafe drinks at home. It is a semi-automatic espresso maker with a conical burr grinder built right in, so whole beans are ground fresh straight into the portafilter moments before you pull a shot.

The powerful pump and steam wand let you make espresso, then steam and texture milk for lattes, flat whites, and cappuccinos. Dose control and temperature regulation give you the levers to refine your shot, and the all-metal build feels built to last on the counter.

This control comes with a learning curve and a higher price than any drip or pod machine on our list. You will also need to clean the steam wand and portafilter regularly to keep drinks tasting right, so it rewards people who enjoy the ritual.

Bottom line: for genuine espresso and milk drinks without a trip to the coffee shop, the Barista Express is our best espresso pick and a joy for hands-on brewers.

• Type: Semi-automatic espresso
• Grinder: Integrated conical burr
• Pump: 15-bar Italian
• Milk: Manual steam wand
• Control: Dose and temperature regulation
• Body: Stainless steel

The steam wand produces the microfoam you need for latte art and silky cappuccinos. Purge the wand before and after steaming, keep the milk cold to start, and you can build cafe-quality drinks once you get the technique down.

Wipe and purge the steam wand after every use, backflush the group head periodically, and run the descaling cycle as recommended. Keeping the grinder and portafilter clean is the single biggest factor in consistent flavor.

The Stilosa strips espresso back to the essentials: a 15 bar pump, a boiler, a portafilter and a frothing wand. There is no display, no grinder and no automation, which is exactly why it costs so little and why it is our best value pick.

What it does well is teach. Because nothing is automated, you learn how dose, tamp pressure and grind size change the shot, and those lessons transfer to any machine you buy later. The frother produces enough steam for a home cappuccino, and the compact body slots into kitchens where a full setup would never fit.

The compromises are visible. The portafilter and basket are pressurised, which makes the machine forgiving of coarse or stale coffee but also puts a ceiling on how expressive the shot can get. There is no grinder, so budget for a burr grinder alongside it, and give the thermoblock a couple of minutes to stabilise before the first pull.

Bottom line: the best low-cost path from drip coffee to real espresso, provided you accept that a grinder is the next purchase rather than an optional one.

• Type: manual pump espresso machine
• Pump pressure: 15 bar
• Boiler: stainless steel
• Milk: manual frother wand
• Baskets: single and double, pressurised
• Water tank: removable
• Grinder: not included

Pair it with a burr grinder and freshly roasted beans and the gap to far pricier machines narrows considerably. Pair it with pre-ground supermarket coffee and you will get a thin, flat shot no matter what you do.

If you want an all-in-one instead, step up to a machine with an integrated grinder. If you only want milk drinks quickly, a pod machine is a different answer to a different question.

Descale on a schedule that matches your water hardness, since thermoblock machines are sensitive to scale build-up. Empty and rinse the drip tray regularly and never immerse the body in water.

Purge the steam wand after each use and let the machine cool before dismantling the portafilter.

CASABREWS built the CM5418 around a single problem: espresso machines are usually too wide for small kitchens. The body is noticeably slim, wrapped in stainless steel, and the front carries a pressure gauge so you can see what the pump is doing during a shot.

In use it behaves like a capable entry level machine. The 20 bar pump has no trouble reaching extraction pressure, and the steam wand produces enough dry steam for a proper cappuccino, which is not always true at this level. Heat-up is quick and the controls are limited to a couple of buttons, so there is nothing to learn beyond the coffee itself.

Its weaknesses are the ones common to the category. There is no grinder, the basket is pressurised so it flatters mediocre coffee while capping the ceiling, and the water tank empties quickly if you make several milk drinks in a row.

Bottom line: a strong choice when counter width is the constraint and you want a metal-bodied machine with visible feedback rather than a plastic starter unit.

• Type: semi-automatic pump espresso machine
• Pump pressure: 20 bar Italian pump
• Body: stainless steel
• Milk: rotating steam wand
• Display: front mounted pressure gauge
• Water tank: removable
• Grinder: not included

Aimed at apartment dwellers and anyone whose counter cannot host a wide machine, but who still wants stainless construction and a real steam wand rather than a panarello tube.

Skip it if you plan to make four or five milk drinks back to back, because the tank size will slow you down.

Let the machine sit for a minute after the ready light before pulling the first shot, then run a short blank flush to warm the group. Watch the gauge: a needle that races to the top usually means the grind is too coarse.

Steam milk to just above the point where the pitcher becomes uncomfortable to hold, then wipe and purge the wand immediately.

The Chemex is the reference point for clean filter coffee. It is one continuous piece of borosilicate glass with a wooden collar, and the whole system depends on its unusually thick bonded paper filters, which trap far more oil and sediment than ordinary cone filters.

The result is a cup with remarkable clarity. Bright, delicate notes in a light roast come through in a way they simply do not in a French press, and the absence of sediment makes the finish clean. The eight cup size also solves a real problem, since most manual brewers make one mug at a time while this one fills a table.

The trade-offs are practical rather than qualitative. Filters are proprietary and must be restocked, the thick paper slows the pour so a full brew takes patience, and glass is glass, so hand washing and a careful grip are part of the deal.

Bottom line: the best pick on this list for anyone who wants cafe grade filter coffee for more than one person and enjoys the ritual of making it.

• Type: manual pour-over coffeemaker
• Capacity: 8 cups
• Material: non-porous borosilicate glass
• Collar: polished wood with leather tie
• Filters: Chemex bonded paper, sold separately
• Power: none required
• Care: hand wash

Fold the filter so the triple layer sits against the pouring spout, rinse it with hot water and discard the rinse. Add medium ground coffee, pour just enough water to wet the bed and wait about forty seconds for the bloom.

Then pour in slow spirals, keeping the bed level, until you reach your target weight. A gooseneck kettle makes this far easier to control.

Rinse immediately after brewing so coffee oils do not set in the glass. Remove the collar before washing and dry the wood separately.

Avoid sudden temperature swings, such as putting a hot vessel straight into cold water, which is the usual cause of glass failure.

The V60 is the most widely used manual dripper in specialty coffee, and it is also one of the cheapest items in this guide. The design is deliberately minimal: a 60 degree cone, spiral ribs on the inner wall and one large hole at the bottom.

That single large opening is the key. Unlike a flat bottomed brewer that meters flow for you, the V60 lets water leave as fast as you pour it in, which means your pour rate becomes the brew control. Slow, careful pours extend contact time and build sweetness, faster pours give a lighter cup. The ceramic version holds heat far better than the plastic one, which matters on cold mornings.

The flip side is that it is unforgiving. An uneven pour or the wrong grind shows up immediately in the cup, and it only makes one or two servings at a time. A scale and a gooseneck kettle move it from unpredictable to repeatable.

Bottom line: the best value in manual brewing and the right first buy for anyone curious about pour-over, as long as you are willing to practise.

• Type: manual pour-over dripper
• Size: 02, roughly one to four cups
• Material: ceramic
• Design: 60 degree cone with spiral ribs, single large opening
• Filters: V60 size 02 paper, sold separately
• Power: none required

Rinse the paper filter and preheat the ceramic with hot water, then discard it. Use a medium grind at roughly 1 gram of coffee to 16 grams of water.

Bloom with twice the coffee weight in water for around forty seconds, then pour in slow circles, finishing the brew near three minutes total.

Choose size 02 for one to four cups and size 01 if you only ever brew a single mug. Ceramic retains heat, glass looks best, and plastic is the most travel friendly.

Budget for filters and, if you can, a temperature controlled gooseneck kettle. That kettle changes results more than upgrading the dripper ever will.

The OXO Brew single serve brewer answers the main objection to pour-over: not everyone wants to stand there pouring in careful spirals. You fill the upper tank in one go and the auto-drip lid releases water onto the coffee bed at a measured rate.

What you get is a repeatable cup. The water distributes evenly, the flow rate stays steady and the result is closer to a good manual pour-over than to drip machine coffee, without any technique on your part. Assembly is simple and it sits directly on top of your mug, so there is no extra carafe to wash.

The limits are obvious in the name. It brews one serving, so it is no help when guests arrive, and enthusiasts who want to manipulate bloom time and pour rate will find the automation restrictive. You also still need a kettle to heat the water.

Bottom line: the most convenient way to get pour-over character on a weekday morning, and the right choice for a one person household.

• Type: single serve pour-over brewer
• Mechanism: auto-drip lid with metered flow
• Capacity: one cup
• Materials: BPA free plastic with stainless components
• Filters: standard number 2 cone paper filters
• Care: dishwasher safe parts

Ideal for solo drinkers, desk setups and small kitchens where a machine would be overkill. Also a sensible travel brewer for hotel rooms with a kettle.

Look elsewhere if you regularly brew for two or more people at once.

Rinse the paper filter, add a medium grind, then fill the top tank with water just off the boil and let the lid do the work. Give the grounds a short bloom first if you want extra sweetness.

Rinse the parts straight after brewing so oils do not build up in the lid holes.

The Chambord is the French press most other presses imitate. A borosilicate glass beaker sits inside a polished stainless steel frame, and a three part mesh plunger separates the grounds when brewing is done.

Immersion brewing is the most forgiving hot method there is. Coarse grounds sit in hot water for about four minutes, the metal mesh lets the oils through, and the cup that comes out is heavier and rounder than any paper filtered coffee. There is no learning curve worth mentioning and nothing to calibrate.

Two things to accept. Fines pass through the mesh, so a little sediment in the last mouthful is part of the character, and coffee left sitting on the grounds keeps extracting and turns bitter, which means decanting or drinking promptly. The glass also needs to be handled with some care.

Bottom line: the reference French press and the easiest route to full bodied coffee for two or three people, provided you drink it soon after plunging.

• Type: French press, full immersion
• Capacity: 34 oz, about 8 small cups
• Beaker: high heat borosilicate glass
• Frame: polished stainless steel
• Filter: three part stainless mesh plunger
• Care: dishwasher safe, hand washing recommended for the beaker

Use a coarse grind at roughly 1 gram of coffee to 15 grams of water. Pour water just off the boil, stir the crust after a minute, then leave it until four minutes have passed and press slowly.

Decant into mugs or a carafe straight away rather than leaving the coffee sitting on the bed.

Dispose of grounds before washing rather than rinsing them down the sink. Dismantle the plunger every few weeks and clean the mesh discs, since oils collect between them.

Never press with force if the plunger resists, as that is usually a sign the grind is too fine and it can push hot coffee up the sides.

The Secura press takes the standard immersion design and swaps fragile glass for double wall 18/10 stainless steel. That single change solves the two biggest complaints about French press coffee: batches going cold within minutes, and beakers breaking.

The three layer filter system is the other worthwhile upgrade. Stacking screens catches more of the fine particles than a single mesh, so the cup keeps the body of press coffee with noticeably less silt at the bottom. Two spare screens come in the box, which is a small thing that quietly doubles the useful life of the press.

What you give up is visibility, since you cannot see how full it is or watch the bloom, and it weighs more than a glass equivalent. Insulation also does not stop extraction, so decanting after plunging is still the right habit.

Bottom line: the French press to buy if your coffee tends to sit for a while, or if the press has to survive a backpack and a campsite.

• Type: insulated French press, full immersion
• Capacity: 34 oz
• Material: 18/10 stainless steel, double wall vacuum construction
• Filter: three layer screen system
• Included: two spare filter screens
• Care: dishwasher safe

Made for slow drinkers, home offices and anyone who pours a second mug half an hour after the first. It is also the obvious pick for camping, boats and anywhere glass is a bad idea.

Choose a glass press instead if you like watching the brew or want the lowest possible weight.

Separate the filter stack when you wash it so oils do not build up between the screens. Avoid abrasive pads on the polished exterior.

The body stays cool to the touch but the contents do not, so use the handle and keep the lid spout turned away when pouring.

Cold brew is the least demanding method in this guide, and the County Line Kitchen jar is a straightforward take on it. A heavy 64 oz wide mouth mason jar holds the water, a laser cut stainless mesh tube holds the grounds, and a sealing lid keeps everything airtight.

The volume is what sets it apart. Most cold brew makers produce a couple of servings, while this one makes enough concentrate to keep a serious iced coffee habit running for the better part of a week. Because the lid seals properly you can lay the jar down or invert it during steeping to keep every ground saturated, and the whole filter tube lifts out afterwards, so cleanup is one rinse rather than a straining operation.

The drawbacks are logistical. Filled with water it is heavy, it needs a clear shelf in the refrigerator, and it is glass, so it deserves a firm grip. There is also the obvious point that cold brew takes twelve hours or more, which is planning rather than effort.

Bottom line: the best pick for anyone who drinks iced coffee daily and would rather brew once a week than every morning.

• Type: immersion cold brew system
• Capacity: 64 oz
• Jar: thick wide mouth glass
• Filter: laser cut stainless steel mesh tube
• Lid: leak-proof sealing lid
• Care: dishwasher safe components

Use an extra coarse grind at roughly 1 part coffee to 4 parts water for concentrate. Fill the filter tube, lower it into the jar, seal and refrigerate for twelve to twenty four hours.

Lift the filter out as soon as steeping ends, then dilute the concentrate with water, milk or ice to taste.

Rinse the mesh tube immediately so grounds do not dry inside the perforations. An occasional soak in warm soapy water clears the coffee oils that dull the flavor over time.

Carry a full jar with two hands and avoid moving it straight from a cold fridge onto a hot surface.

The OVALWARE pitcher is the more refined take on cold brew. Borosilicate glass, a slim profile, a proper pouring spout and an airtight lid with a silicone seal make it something you can bring to the table rather than hide in the fridge.

Brew quality is genuinely good. The laser cut stainless filter is fine enough to hold back most of the sediment that cheaper mesh baskets let through, so the concentrate pours clear and tastes clean rather than muddy. The airtight seal matters more than it sounds: cold brew loses aroma quickly in a loosely covered container, and this one keeps a batch tasting fresh for days.

Against that, 1.5 litres is a modest batch if you drink iced coffee all day, the glass asks for care, and a grind that drifts too fine will clog the fine mesh and slow the pour.

Bottom line: the pick for one or two people who want the cleanest cold brew in the fridge and care how the vessel looks while doing it.

• Type: immersion cold brew pitcher
• Capacity: 1.5 L, about 51 oz
• Body: borosilicate glass with pouring spout
• Filter: laser cut fine stainless steel mesh
• Lid: airtight with silicone seal
• Uses: cold brew coffee, iced tea, infused water

Best for one or two drinkers who want cold brew on hand without a bulky jar, and for anyone who serves iced coffee to guests and wants a vessel worth putting on the table.

Go for a larger jar instead if you drink several glasses a day or brew for a whole household.

Grind extra coarse, fill the filter, then add water slowly so every ground is wet. Steep in the refrigerator for around eighteen hours for a balanced concentrate.

Remove the filter as soon as the steep is done and keep the lid sealed between pours to hold the aroma.