Best Italian Espresso Machines

This hub is about making incredible espresso just like those lucky Italians have every single day. I wanted to be able to replicate what i had in Milan, Venice and Naples in my own home, every single time.

But there is more to making world class espresso than simply buying the best Italian espresso machines money can buy! You also need to pay attention to the finer details as well such as the beans, grind, tap and speed of the espresso pull too.

Getting perfect Italian style espresso, at least every time is more of an art than a science. There will be times even if you are proficient at making it when your espresso is a little bit off. Remember that espresso beans taste different around the year also. However if you follow the tips in this hub then you should be able to make incredible espresso from your Italian espresso machine almost every single time.

There are three main types of espresso machines and what may be the best espresso machine for me may not necessarily be the best one for you, so why not read the below and decide what type of machine would do best for you:

Automatic Espresso Machines

These are the real easy to use, pod or capsule based systems. All you need to is insert a pod, close the lid and the machine will do the rest. You can normally buy these pods at the supermarket.

The problem with these machines is that the cost per drink is very high! This is because making the pods is expensive. The other disadvantage is that you are not in control of any of the variables. The drinks are seldom as tasty as with the other types of espresso machines either. One reason for this is that the coffee may have been in the pods for many months.

Another type of automatic espresso machine is the typical push button machine that you see in many cafes. It would be unfair to say that these can't make great espresso because that simply isn't true. There are many of these machines that can indeed make wonderful espresso. The upside to these machines over the pod based machines is that the cost per drink comes way down because you are using real coffee that the machine often grinds itself. To get a great automatic espresso machine that grinds its own beans, filters the water and makes quality espresso at the push of a button you will have to pay a lot of money. See my recommendations below for my best Italian automatic espresso machine.

Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines

These are the machines where you use your own coffee grounds, place them in a porter basket and fasten it into the group head. You need to prepare the individual espresso shots, so there is manual work involved. However, once the espresso is loaded into the machine, you simply press the button and the boiling water is run through the espresso, making the espresso making part automatic.

There are many great automatic espresso machines that can make world class espresso. Cleaning and maintaining the majority of these machines is easy too and the price per espresso is very low since you will be buying either coffee grounds or even better coffee beans that you grind yourself.

Manual Espresso Machines

These are the machines where you do the work. There are not many around in actual fact and the ones that are in existence make incredible decoration pieces. These were the very first espresso machines where you pull a lever to pump steaming water through the porter filter. You are in control of all the variables including the speed of the infusion.

In case you are interested, and i'm sure you are, it is the manual espresso machines that are by far the most capable machines at making the finest espresso in the world. If you have the money put aside and you are after the best espresso out there then i would strongly recommend a hand built Italian manual espresso machine such as the one i recommend below.

Of course there is more to making incredible espresso, and before i get to my recommended machines for each of the above categories, i will first give you a few tips on making world class espresso even with a cheap machine.

Just like making quality home cooked meals, making the best possible espresso begins with quality ingredients. You can't get in any old supermarket coffee grounds and expect to make awesome espresso simply because you paid $2000 for your machine. You also need to follow my tips below:

1. Instead of going to the supermarket, why not instead go to a specialist coffee supplier. Find one local to you who roast their own beans. Once the beans are roasted they begin to lose their freshness. It's possible to buy the beans still warm from the roast. How nice would that taste?

2. Instead of buying espresso grounds, why not buy espresso beans instead? Grounds lose their freshness ten times faster than beans do due to the increase in surface area.

3. Check the date on the bag of beans at the store. Buy the newest and freshest possible!

4. Remember that as soon as you open your beans, they will lose their freshness. To keep them as fresh as possible, keep them in an air tight and sealed plastic container.

5. Don't freeze your beans. Contrary to many beliefs, this does not keep them fresher for longer.

6. Grind your own beans! This way you know your grounds are as fresh as they can possibly be. You should purchase a high quality burr grinder for this job.

7. Remember to use a high quality, stainless steel tamper to tamp your grounds into the porter holder. Remember the 30 pounds of pressure rule. You can calibrate this by practicing with your arm on a bathroom scale.

8. Finally, you may need to experiment with the variables, ground quantity, ground texture using the burr grinder and speed of the pull if you're using an all manual machine. Any one of these variables can strongly effect the quality of your espresso, so there will always be a little trial and error involve. However once you have your technique down, you'll be making incredible espresso in no time.

Now for what you've been waiting for. I'm going to give you the best Italian espresso machine per category. These are based on my own research, my own experience and my own opinion. You are welcome to disagree if you like.

Best Automatic Italian Espresso Machine

Gaggia 90951 Platinum Vision Automatic Espresso Machine

This machine is made in Italy, Milan to be exact by Gaggia, a great company with years of experience in perfecting espresso machines.

What makes this machine so great? Well it makes cheap drinks, it's easy to clean, the parts are all of high quality, it's durable and built to last, it looks great and can fit nicely in your kitchen. But most of all it makes incredible espresso at the touch of a button. For complete ease of use and high quality espressos in seconds, this machine is the best i've seen.

Best Semi Automatic Italian Espresso Machine

Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine

Well what can you say about this machine? It is probably the most popular espresso machine in the history of the world. It has a huge following all over the world. There are websites and forums set up specifically for this machine. If you need any troubleshooting or tips on getting the most from the Rancilio Silvia then there are many great people at hand to help out.

The Rancilio Silvia is hand made in Milan, Italy! Rancilio has been making espresso machines since the 1920's, they are pretty good at it!

So what makes the machine so popular? It has 15 bars of pressure, perfect for espressos. It has a single tank brass boiler, awesome for holding the temperature and easier to clean. The parts are all very heavy duty, the machine itself weighs 30 pounds. The machine will last you years. It's an icon!

Best Manual Italian Espresso Machine

La Pavoni Professional PBB-16 Espresso Machine

Here it is, in my opinion the best Italian espresso machine there ever was! The La Pavoni Professional has been made since the 1950's in Italy with only very small design changes since then. Why change perfection?

To see this machine is to look at beauty! It is a statue, an ornament, a beauty to have in your kitchen. But then there is the espressos! What this machine is fully capable of doing is creating the finest espressos in the world.

The parts are all of the highest quality and built to last not only your whole life but your children's too. I've read about people that have had these machines for over 40 years and are still making incredible espresso without any problems from the machine.

There is a smaller model available, however it's the PBB-16 model that is far superior, the bigger boiler allowing for more swift espresso making.

You are in control of the speed of the pull, using the lever, a variable which may need practice to get spot on.