We’ve researched the best espresso machines under $300 and found nine strong candidates. If you make coffee for two or more people and your family’s tastes range from straight shots to sparkling lattes to rich American coffees, then our best choice for the best budget espresso machine is clear: it’s the Breville esp8xl roma coffee. >.
Of course, different espresso machines are good for different things. To get the best value in a home espresso machine, you need to look in the mirror first.
Reading: Best coffee maker under 300
what drinks do you want to prepare?
How interested are you in the finer points of espresso brewing?
You won’t find an espresso machine under $300 that can do it all, so the first step is to understand what you want it to do.
top 4 espresso machines under $300 per category
With that in mind, and before we get into more detail about these nine machines, here are four quick picks, one for each major machine category. To learn more about these types of espresso machines (manual, semi-automatic, fully automatic, and capsule), check out our espresso machine buying guide near the end of this post.
the best espresso machines under $300
1. breville esp8xl roma coffee
See Deal The Breville ESP8XL Café Roma scores big points for the simplicity of its design, operation and maintenance. It’s a big, solid, durable machine that’s made of stainless steel. It has some heft and will take up space on your counter, but it will look good doing so.
with a thermoblock boiler, roma coffee heats up quickly. Its pressurized portafilter takes some of the guesswork out of your routine, and it comes with filter baskets for a single pod, double pod, or ese. clearance between spout and drip tray is sufficient to accommodate taller cups.
The removable water reservoir holds enough for four double shots or three lattes if you need a little of that water to froth milk. I wouldn’t mind a little more control over the steam wand. It only has one configuration that isn’t particularly strong, but at this price let’s not criticize ourselves: it’s still a great machine for making milk-based drinks like flat whites and cappuccinos. And on the plus side, the stainless steel rod removes for easy cleaning.
advantages
- durable
- three filter baskets, can use ground coffee or capsules
- heats up quickly
- generous water tank
- regular milk frother
- some noise and vibration
- makes a good espresso
- comes with frothing pitcher and tamper
- simple and intuitive operation
- looks good on your counter
- mainly plastic casing
- difficult to block in the portafilter
- strong steam wand
- heats up quickly
- simple use at the touch of a button
- high quality coffee
- 34 ounce water tank among the largest of nespresso
- auto power off function
- rather noisy when brewing
- holds only nine spent capsules, requiring frequent emptying
- the capsule collection tray can get dirty
- very elegant
- compact
- Heats up and prepares in about a minute
- some automation
- three filter baskets
- a bit noisy
- comes with low quality tamper
- regular milk frother
- does not adjust to accommodate tall cups
- old school legit espresso
- promotes learning and mastery
- built with solid materials
- portable
- no milk foam
- each shot requires some work
- preheating is recommended
- removable milk container
- create dairy drinks at the push of a button
- many dishwasher-safe parts
- large water tank
- takes up space
- a lot of plastic
- does not adjust to accommodate tall cups
- easy to use and clean
- small space
- heats up quickly
- warming tray that keeps cups warm
- visible water tank
- makes some noise
- Milk Frother Trouble Reports
- Included blade grinder unsuitable for espresso
- high cups are not allowed
- affordable
- simplicity
- two spouts for portafilter
- solid construction
- portable
- each shot requires some work
- needs strength to achieve a minimum of nine bars of pressure
- recommended preheating
- removable jets are fragile
- can make coffee and espresso
- large water tank
- removable cup tray
- limited to nespresso vertuoline capsules
- slightly higher capsule price
- does not dispense hot water separately
cons
2. caphalon temperature iq
the calphalon temp iq is right there with the cafe roma if you’re looking for a true espresso machine that does all the basics well. in fact, we have a hard time choosing between the two, so if you like the look of one better than the other, go for it.
the temp iq was known in a former life as the sunbeam mini barista, before parent company sunbeam renamed it a few years ago. it’s still essentially the same machine, with some cosmetic changes.
just like the roma coffee, this fully automatic machine has a 15 bar boiler and thermoblock to prepare espresso at the correct pressure and temperature.
Comes with a single and a double pressurized portafilter. These forgiving portafilters are designed to reduce your margin for error and give you a nice crema on top of your espresso, even if you don’t get the grind and tamp exactly right. but the really nice thing about these portafilters is that they are 58mm, which means that if you develop any barista skills, you can try the machine with a regular portafilter and it will still fit.
the operation could not be simpler. simply load and lock your portafilter, then turn a dial on the front of the machine for a single or double shot. the machine will do the rest.
however, locking the portafilter is not as easy as it seems. you need to use a bit of force and you may have to hold the machine with your free hand while doing this.
Our only other complaint is that the machine is noisy. you’ll hear some weird sounds as it brews, and the steam wand really howls!
nevertheless, this is a really good machine at its price point and an ideal introduction to practical espresso preparation.
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3. nespresso city
it’s fast. It is easy. takes up very little space. if your priority is a relationship between coffee quality and ease of use, then nespresso citiz is for you. we think it’s the best nespresso machine under $300.
the citiz heats up in 25 seconds and brews in 30. once you have your pod, you choose an espresso or a lungo (slightly more volume, less concentrated) from the programmable buttons, and that’s it.
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the citiz can also be combined with an integrated milk frother, the most economical machine in the nespresso line that offers this option. the aeroccino frother comes attached to the machine and produces a passable microfoam in less than a minute. so by pressing two buttons, you can have a latte or a cappuccino.
keep one of these at the office and you’ll cut down on your trips to starbucks drastically.
The fully automatic citiz is a nice step up from the nespresso essenza mini. Like its little cousin, it uses pods from the original line, which are a bit cheaper than the newer ones and will be around for a long time.
You can use it with just nespresso capsules (you can easily order them online), which limits your selection a bit, but rest assured, it makes excellent coffee and produces a nice crema. nespresso has enough variety to keep you going for a long time.
We have a full nespresso citiz review in another post if you want more information. and here are some tips and tricks to help you get the most out of any nespresso machine.
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4. de’longhi ec680m dedicates
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the de’longhi ec680m dedica is an attractive machine that, again, won’t take up much space on your counter. it feels a bit more like a real espresso machine, for the simple reason that instead of dropping pods, it loads a portafilter with ground coffee and snaps it into place under the brew head.
See also: Cuisinart Coffee Center Review 2022: Two Is Better Than One!
With coffee in place, you can take advantage of automation that still offers some flexibility: three temperature settings and options to choose your shot volume and brew time.
The machine comes with three filter baskets: one single, one double, and one that accommodates these capsules. the filter baskets are not large, so if you are concerned about small portions, this may not be the machine for you.
the deck heats up quickly. Your milk frother is pretty basic and may not provide the raw material needed for masterpieces of latte art, but if all you want to do is put some foam on top of your cappuccino, it works.
The machine can be a bit noisy for some, but the comfort and quality of the coffee makes up for it.
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5. flair espresso maker
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Are you ready to go to work? You won’t get any help from a computer when using the espresso flair maker, but if the stars align, you just might have a great espresso.
style appeals to espresso shots. does not steam. does not foam milk. It has a die-cast metal base, stand and lever, and an extraction chamber where the magic happens. You preheat the chamber with hot water, then you assemble it between your cup and the flair piston. then you pull, slowly, with full control.
since you have to boil the water ahead of time, preheat the chamber, grind the beans and put everything in its place, the machine is not the machine for a very quick morning coffee. But that is not the point. the point is to have fun tweaking all those variables until you get it right, and then start the learning process all over again with a new batch of beans.
the flair is portable and even comes with a handy travel case, so you don’t have to sacrifice your coffee while camping.
Looking for a very detailed review? try home-barista.com.
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6. Mr. coffee coffee barista
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the mr. coffee café barista is another solid semi-automatic machine that gives you plenty of automation without resorting to pods. you can make espresso, cappuccinos, or lattes, and there’s actually a button for each right on the panel. press once for a single, twice for a double.
It heats up quickly (you can tell that’s a big factor for me, as it probably is for you) and comes with an automatic milk frother instead of a wand. What’s great about this is the removable reservoir, which not only makes cleaning easy, but also allows you to easily store unused milk in the fridge. the drip tray is also removable, allowing you to place taller cups below the spout.
This machine will take up some space on your counter, and if you go this route, be aware that the machine may need a good cleaning with vinegar before first use to work properly.
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7. espressoworks all-in-one espresso maker & cappuccino maker
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the semi-automatic espresso machine espressoworks all in one & the cappuccino maker has a fairly small size and a very short heating time of about 45 seconds.
The removable water reservoir is clearly visible on the side of the machine, which is nice because you won’t need a stool or flashlight to check the water level like you do with the capresso pro.
The machine includes a grinder (something the others on our list don’t), but don’t let that fool you into thinking you’re getting a great deal here. it’s a two-blade grinder, the same kind you might use to grind beans for an old drip coffee maker, and it won’t grind fine or even enough for a high-quality espresso. for that, you will need a separate burr grinder.
many removable parts make the espressoworks all-in-one easy to clean.
also comes with a stainless steel milk frothing pitcher and two stainless steel filter baskets for single and double servings.
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8. rok espressogc
rok’s slogan is “feel the coffee”, and you will surely feel it with this manual machine, the rok espressogc. it has two handles, which is good because it seems to require a little more strength than the style. otherwise, the process is similar: preheat the portafilter and your cup, load the machine, and start pressing.
the portafilter spout is detachable so you can switch between single and double. the machine also comes with a portable milk foam pump.
It’s a nice, shiny looking machine out of the box, but be aware that because it’s aluminum, the finish will dull quickly. however, the satisfaction of achieving a perfect shot will not.
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9. nespresso vertuoline evoluo by de’longhi
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while citiz uses the original conical nespresso pods, de’longhi’s nespresso vertuoline evoluo uses a newer pod design that is dome-shaped and rotates during brewing, applying centrifugal force to help extract the coffee from the land. (You probably don’t need to know this, as blissful ignorance is what drew you to capsule machines in the first place.)
See also: Color, Texture, Shape: How Cups Affect Your Coffee Experience
you can make espresso or coffee with evoluo, you just have to choose the right capsule. the machine reads a barcode on the capsule to find out what it is producing and distributes the water accordingly.
if you like dairy drinks, you can buy the nespresso aeroccino frother for $50 or so when you buy the evoluo.
the removable water tank of the evoluo has a capacity of just over a liter, a little more than the citiz, so you won’t have to fill it as much.
the cup tray, like the one from citiz, can be moved out of the way to accommodate taller cups.
While both machines take up a relatively small footprint, you’ll need a bit more room for the evoluo.
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espresso coffee maker buying guide
Home espresso machines vary greatly in the demands they place on you. We will review them here, going from the most demanding to the least demanding.
types of espresso machines
manual espresso machines
Manual espresso machines have no electrical or electronic components and actually rely on your physical strength and finesse to achieve the proper pressure to take a shot of espresso. nothing will do a better job of teaching you the art and science of espresso. it’s easy to get it wrong, but when you get it right, the results can be sublime. they are for the purist patient.
semi-automatic espresso machines
Semi-automatic espresso machines have electronic temperature controls and built-in pumps, so you can set the temperature to perfection and you don’t have to push the water yourself. but you have to decide when to start and stop the flow of water. you can learn how different variables affect your shot by playing around with the settings.
fully automatic espresso machines
Fully automatic espresso machines give you minimal control over settings and also control the flow of water, depending on your selection. you still grind the beans and load the beans yourself.
capsule espresso machines
capsule espresso machines are simple, compact, hands-off machines. he fills the water tank, drops a pod of pre-ground coffee into the machine, places his cup under the spout, presses a button and walks away.
tips for buying an espresso machine
As you prepare to choose a machine, here are some questions to ask yourself to help narrow down your options.
How steep is the learning curve? There is usually a trade-off between richness of features and ease of use. the more a machine can do, the longer it takes to learn. Some people want a high degree of control and don’t mind doing a little homework to get it. others just want simplicity.
Somewhere in between those two extremes is your sweet spot.
what style of coffee do you want to make? some machines do one style well, others are more versatile. be sure to look for machines that can handle your type(s) of beverage.
How much coffee will you brew at a time? The size of the water tank can vary. if you’re entertaining yourself a lot and don’t want to constantly recharge it, you’ll need a big one.
some machines also require more downtime between drinks and cannot make them in quick succession.
How fast does the machine heat up? If espresso is part of your morning routine and your mornings are rushed, you probably don’t want to wait 15 minutes for your machine to heat up. most of the machines I’ve chosen here heat up pretty quickly.
Can you froth milk? Some machines are equipped with a steaming wand or automatic milk frother. others make just the coffee, in which case you’ll need to buy a separate milk frother to make cappuccinos and lattes.
How tall are your cups? If a machine is short on clearance under the portafilter spout, you may need special espresso cups or short cappuccino cups. on many models, a removable or adjustable cup tray allows for taller cups.
How much counter space do you have? Some machines take up more space than others. You’ll also want to check the weight if you plan to store your machine in a closet when you’re not using it.
How difficult is it to clean? Cleaning your espresso machine is important for health reasons, but also to ensure that it continues to function properly and produce the best possible coffee.
Basic cleaning should be done after each use, as unpleasant odors and tastes don’t take long to develop. try to find a machine that makes it quick and easy.
will it last? finally, check out online customer reviews to find out what people are saying about a machine’s durability. Don’t let a negative review stop you, every machine on this list has had at least one unhappy customer, but if the broken parts seem to be a pattern, proceed with caution. At a minimum, make sure the item has a good warranty and that the brand provides good customer service.
espresso accessories you may have to buy separately
grinder
Only one of these machines comes with its own grinder and it’s not a great grinder. Of course, the two pod machines on our list use pods with pre-ground coffee so they won’t need a grinder, but all the others do. Any expert barista will tell you that grinding is everything, so for a quality espresso, be prepared to spend around $250 on a good burr grinder that’s built to last.
manipulation
Many of these models include a tamper, but they tend to be plastic and more flexible than you’d like. A good steel roller does a much better job of compacting your fields for optimal extraction, so consider spending around $20 on one.
further reading
Whatever your tastes, the best espresso machine under $300 for you is sure to be on this list. But if you want a deeper read on all the considerations to take into account when buying a home espresso machine, take a look at the top 10 things to look for according to coffee geek.
See also: 21 Best Coffee Table Plants To Grow Indoors
