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Is it possible to find a decent espresso machine at the price range around 300 dollars? Yes, in fact, some models are great deals. Here are some of our favorites.
Asser Christensen
Back in the days, espresso machines always had Italian sounding names and a hefty price tag. Luckily, this has changed in recent years. Today, there are a lot of new players on the market, and as a result, the value proposition is a lot better in the lower end of the market.
In 2019 it’s possible to find a very decent espresso machine if you can live without the bells and whistles of a premium model. In this article, we’ll take a close look at the best espresso machines under 300 dollars.
The Flair is probably not what you envision when you imagine an espresso maker. Nonetheless, it’s a really great little tool that can help you make barista level shots at home.
It has some obvious benefits.
However, there are also a signifcant downside:
Also, since it’s 100% manual tool, you will have to go through a somewhat tedious process with each shot. Granted, as you get to know the device and develop your muscle memory it will become a breeze to pull a shot. However, there will be a bit of a learning curve.
I’ve been using the Flair for a while and would recommend it to all serious espresso lovers. It’s worth pointing out that most users seem to feel the same way — there are only FEW negative reviews of this device out there.
Bonus Tip: Get the new & updated “Pro 2” version at Prima Coffee.
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This is one of the cheapest espresso machines that is capable of pulling a decent shot.
You can’t talk about budget espresso machines without mentioning Italian brand, Delonghi.
This old, company has plenty of robust models available at dirt cheap prices. For that reason the question many burgeoning espresso lovers inevitably end up starting out with Delonghi. That’s not a bad thing since most of their models offer an excellent price to quality ratio.
Another cool thing is that you can learn a bit of the barista craft by starting out with a model like this and then graduate to something more substantial.
The ECE 155 has thousands (literally!) of very enthusiastic reviews on Amazon, and it lets you brew any kind of espresso-based drink imaginable.
Bonus: Also compatible with ESE pods
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The Picopresso is a compact manual espresso maker made by Wacaco; a brand specializing in portable coffee equipment.
This little coffee maker is the newest gadget from the brand. It’s way superior compared to its predecessor, the Nanopresso. The basket is non-pressurized model that can hold up to 18 grams of coffee. This is the same as a real espresso machine.
This device is extremely small, which makes it ideal for travel.
However, the espresso it produces is actually very good. It’s certainly way better than most devices in this price range.
You can learn more about this device, by checking out my review here.
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Breville is an Australian brand that has shaken up the coffee industry. Breville makes equipment with new and intelligent features that only cost a fraction of the Italian competitors.
This model is elementary, though. It’s very much your standard semi-automatic. 15 bars pressure, thermoblock and a steam wand to create that cappuccino foam.
This model doesn’t have any standout features, but it is still noteworthy in one sense. It has an excellent track record. With over 600 reviews on Amazon and most of them being quite positive, it goes without saying that this is a solid purchase.
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When we’re talking budget espresso machines, we can’t avoid talking about Delonghi. The Italian brand is the undisputed king of the cheap semi-automatic espresso machine.
This is not a bad thing – on the other hand, it means that the brand knows what they’re doing. If you’re visiting an Italian home, there’s a good chance they’re pulling their strong espresso shots on a machine like this, too.
The Dedica is one of the Delonghi’s newer models, but it has become very successful due to an impossibly slim and sexy design.
This Italian coffee maker has the smallest footprint of any severe semi-automatic out there. Still, it delivers 15 bar and efficient steaming. Another benefit it that it is capable of using ESE pods, too.
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If you want to get espresso machine chances are good, you’d also want that looks good on the countertop. This is definitely the case with this one.
Other than that, it’s worth to point out that this is a capsule espresso machine. That means that you’re locked into a proprietary design when it comes to choosing your coffee. This was bad news back in the days when Nestlé still had a valid patent for producing capsules, but today you can use coffee from a lot of different roasters and brands.
This espresso style is great if you just want a good cup of coffee without knowing ANYTHING about barista skills. If you’d like the more hands-on feeling of pulling a real shot then forget about this model, though.
It has outstanding reviews, so you can be pretty sure that the espresso will be tasty.
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Nespresso isn’t going to win any barista competitions. If you ask me the shots are weak, and not really ‘genuine’ espresso.
However, the good thing is that you can make a decent americano without knowing anything about coffee at all.
If you’re too lazy to learn the barista craft — and many people are once the initial shopping-endorphins have worn off — this is capable of making drinkable coffee. Especially, if you pair it with some capsules that are better than what Nestle makes.
The design, construction and quality of the machine that Nespresso has made together with De’longhi should be superb. It has extremely good reviews on Amazon.
See more reviewsEspresso machines come in all shapes and forms, and it can be a bit of a jungle to figure what the difference is.
For most people reading this, a semi-automatic espresso machine would be ideal.
These machines offer the right mix of hands-on feeling and convenience. Sure, you still need to grind, dose, tamp and steam, but you’ll be able to crank out a couple of lattes in a matter of minutes as long as the machine has had sufficient time to warm up (in these small machines, it usually never takes more than 5-10 minutes).
The espresso shot quality will definitely be better with something like the Flair Espresso Maker, however, most regular people won’t sacrifice a steam wand for those extra percents of perfection.
Being a coffee snob and traditionalist by nature, I’m not one to endorse newer inventions like Nespresso’s capsule machine. But I think that they do have some merit. If you want espresso with minimal hassle, these machines genuinely deliver.
With a real espresso machine, there is some work involved and cleaning and maintenance is essential, too. A capsule machine lets you press a button and ‘voila’ – you got espresso.
It’s worth keeping in mind that you can find an alternative to capsules that works perfectly with semi-automatic espresso machines. These are called ESE pods, and they have been on the market for ages in Italy.
They offer all the advantages of the Nespresso capsules, but you can use them in most traditional machines as long as they have an extra ESE pod basket to insert in the portafilter.
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I have been a coffee geek since I started home roasting more than a decade ago. Since then, coffee has taken me on countless adventures: From ancient coffee ceremonies in Ethiopia to the volcanos of Sumatra.
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