The Best Home Espresso Machines for Under $200

It is almost impossible to find a really great espresso machine for home use under $200 since the majority of espresso machines are generally around $350 (and all the way past $1500). However, after much searching, the choice picks for the top three espresso machines under $200 have been narrowed down to the Briel Artemis Coffee/Espresso Machine, the Capresso Espresso Classic, and the Trevi Express Plus. All of these brands—Briel, Capresso, and Trevi—are top-of-the-line brand names on the espresso machine market and offer excellent products across all price ranges. Most of these espresso machine manufacturers also make commercial quality espresso machines that you’re likely to find at local coffee shops and it’s always fun to see one like you own—but on a much larger scale. All the espresso machines listed within this article, are “pump” espresso machines, which means they have an electric pump as opposed to older-style manual espresso machines that require a lot muscle power to get the water through. While you can still find fully manual espresso machines out there, they aren’t much cheaper than the pump varieties and are much harder to use. If none of these three great espresso machines I mention fit what you’re looking for, when you continue your search, make sure that the low price isn’t because it is manual. Manual espresso machines are very messy and in my opinion, aren’t worth the $50 or so you’ll save by opting for them instead of the pump—also called semi-automatics that are widely available. The Capresso ClassicThe very best espresso machine (that is, like all the others here a pump/semi-automatic) is the “Capresso Classic”. This great little home espresso machine costs about $170 and comes with several features that put it above the others I’ve listed here. The best part about the Capresso Classic home espresso machine is that it has a double-frother. For those not familiar with espresso machines, there are the little metal (usually stainless steel or aluminum) pieces that extend from the machine and allow you to make froth from milk or cream for lattes and cappuccino and also allows you to quickly and easily steam milk (which is especially good for hot chocolate). Not only does the Capresso Classic have two of these, but also there is an extra-long nozzle for using with really deep mugs or glasses. With this feature, it’s not only easy to make tall drinks, but also you can make two servings of a latte or hot chocolate with half the effort. Another aspect of the Capresso Classic I like is that it has a 40 oz. removable water holder that is easy to seal (which keeps the water tasting fresh which will effect the taste of the final product). With some home espresso machines, you have to physically dump the water into and out of the machine, which is difficult, not only because this can be a messy process, but because espresso machines tend to be a little heavy. Also of importance with the Capresso Classic, there is a fail-safe feature that makes sure the water never touches the aluminum (which is very important when brewing espresso). The entire inside of the heating mechanism has a lining of stainless steel, which makes the risk of this minimal. Combined with the fact that it has a thirty second heating time for water, this is by far the best home espresso machine for under $200. Did I mention that is also one of the sleekest-looking as well. Even the $500 ones have the same design, so no one will be able to tell you paid less for yours than others with much more expensive models did. Unfortunately, unlike many of the others available on the home espresso machine market, this one only comes in black and silver, which is a shame, since it might look really stylish in red or other, more bold colors. The Briel Artemis Coffee and Espresso MakerAs you can see by the title, the Briel Coffee and Espresso Machine is two great appliances in one. The coffee maker section of this machine (which is of course, a bit larger in size than the Capresso Classic) is functional and without the bells and whistles one might expect from a regular single-function coffee machine, but still, it brews coffee and does so quickly and more importantly, quietly. Our neighbor has the Briel Artemis Coffee and Espresso Machine and swears she can’t even hear it brewing from across her kitchen. The price of the Briel Artemis Coffee and Espresso Machine is about $160, and for only ten dollars less than the espresso quality of the Capresso Classic, it’s still a good buy—especially since it has its own coffee maker. My problem with this is that, while it’s a nice space-saver to have your espresso and coffee machine in one place, I still like having a separate seasoned coffee maker that I can program to brew at certain times and adjust settings on. The Briel Artemis Coffee and Espresso Maker it is very simple, particularly as far as the coffee maker settings go, and I would rather see more features in the actual espresso maker rather than the coffee maker. The best part about the Briel Artemis is that it can steam any liquid in the blink of an eye. I don’t know how they’ve managed it, but you can have boiling-hot water in about ten seconds. Even better, the steam supply on this machine seems endless and lasts far longer than the Capresso Classic would, which makes it much easier and quicker to make large batches of drinks at once. It has a much larger overflow tray than the Capresso, which significantly cuts down on the mess factor and also has a patented no-drip system which makes sure you don’t get all that blackish buildup or have to constantly worry about drying the machine out. I have to admit, after trying the perfect crema that came from this machine, I am quite impressed and when making a choice between the Briel and Capresso brands, you’ll have to look carefully at what your needs are. If you want a home espresso machine that’s going to be capable of brewing quickly for larger numbers of people in a hurry, then the Briel is probably your best choice. However, if you are concerned with the finer points of espresso brewing and want to exact your brew according to narrow specific taste, then the Capresso is better for you. Also, I would suggest it’s important to take into account that the Capresso seems to be easier to keep clean (partly because of the outer water storage) and it is always important to have a very clean espresso machine for taste and health concerns. The Trevi Express PlusTrevi is one of the premier names in espresso machines and I can almost guarantee you that if you go to any fine coffee shop, you’ll discover that they use a Trevi model of some sort. An Italian company, they are best known for their commercial espresso machines, but are now offering a decent, but very simple home espresso machine that is a snap to use. Especially handy within the Trevi Express Plus is the ability to have a removable container for milk. The health and safety aspects of this feature really should be standard on all home espresso machines with the danger of spoiling milk. It comes with a tamper and spoons as well as nice little places to put them and is, all in all, a nice looking machine—stylishly designed and compact. The price for the Trevi Express Plus is $150 and makes just about the best crema I’ve ever been able to produce. There is nothing fancy about this home espresso machine however, and if you are used to making espresso with more involved models, this will leave you wanting. There is one frother and the heating unit seems to quite a while, but if you’re willing to wait, the final result is excellent. Rather than the Capresso or Briel, I would recommend the Trevi Express Plus to anyone that has either never made their own espresso before. This is a great home espresso machine to learn from although I imagine that after you’ve begun to master the fine art of making espresso, you’ll look to other higher-end and more complex machines. Finding These Great Home Espresso Machines It is important to look at these espresso machines firsthand if possible before you buy. It is nearly impossible to gauge how they’ll look in your kitchen and often, they’re a lot bigger and bulkier than you might expect. If you decide to order these home espresso machines online, make sure you check out every available photo and check out the size first. If you’re unable to find one of these three top home espresso machines at a local store, check out a place like Target, which offers several home espresso machines. At least this will give you an idea of how they look in “real life” in general and will give you a better sense of what color and model to buy. Make sure you do your homework on buying an espresso machine since there’s more to the process of brewing than you may think. Think of buying a home espresso machine as buying an actual appliance and take it seriously. Good luck and happy hunting!