We’ve tested range of espresso coffee machines and found out how good a brew they make and how easy they are to use.
Lifetime score
Our overall score combines test performance (how well the appliance works) with predicted reliability (how likely models from the brand are to remain free of faults) and brand satisfaction (how likely owners of the brand are to be very satisfied).
Test performance
It’s no good if a product lasts for several decades if it doesn’t work well in the first place. A disappointing product will soon become unloved and unwanted. For this reason, our independent lab testing forms an important part of our overall lifetime score.
Our espresso machines test includes:
Coffee making performance:
We test how well the espresso machines make coffee, including taste, milk frothing and temperature consistency.
Before testing, every coffee machine is properly warmed up, rinsed and primed. We then make 12 shots of espresso before assessment begins to ensure any residual factory smells and tastes are removed. For automatic machines, we make 20 shots to ensure the machine’s build-in grinder is set correctly.
Taste: Since taste is somewhat subjective, we enlist a panel of expert baristas to assess the taste of the coffee produced by the machines we test. It’s a blind test, so they don’t know which machine is producing the coffee they’re tasting. And we use a reference machine to check the consistency of their ratings.
We make a 30mL shot of espresso using fresh beans ground right at the time of making the coffee. Each barista individually assesses the coffee’s aroma, flavour, mouthfeel and aftertaste plus crema colour and thickness. We average the baristas’ ratings to produce the taste score.
Milk frothing: We remove any froth enhancer so we're judging the machine itself and because, in contrast to its name, froth enhancers often produce a poorer result. Where a steam wand works both manually and automatically, we test and score both.
We use 200ml of fresh milk – less with smaller milk frothers. We aim to get the milk to around 65°C and record the time taken.
Espresso machines that score well for milk frothing produce very small, even bubbles and a smooth, silky froth (microfoam) that pours easily.
The score is lower if there are large bubbles, hard foam that won't pour, too little froth, or the milk overflows before it reaches temperature.
Temperature consistency: For this test, we make four consecutive cups of black coffee and measure the temperature of each. We use the average to generate a temperature consistency score. The coffee produced by some machines can vary by as much as 11°C from one cup to the next.
Ease of use:
We assess how easy each espresso machine is to use, evaluating its controls and displays, programming, adjustments to settings, water container convenience, use of grinder, operation and evenness of cup filling, vibration, removing spent coffee, and exterior cleaning.
Predicted reliability
It’s reasonable to expect a new appliance to remain fault-free for at least the first five years. Our predicted reliability won’t tell you whether your espresso machine will stop working tomorrow, but it does show which brands make models that are less likely to fail.
Brand satisfaction
Satisfaction is important – no appliance should be a source of buyer regret. Appliances with very satisfied owners are more likely to get cleaned regularly and maintained well. Their owners are more likely to seek repair for faults than look for a quick replacement.
Survey data
In our reliability and satisfaction surveys, consumers tell us about faults that have made an appliance they own unusable or mean they’ve had to change how they use it. We also ask them how satisfied they are with the appliance. We use this data to produce our predicted reliability and brand satisfaction scores.
We use a statistical test to rate the relative performance of each brand. Compared to data we have for all products (of the same type) in the survey, we rate each brand with highest, high, average, low or lowest for predicted reliability and satisfaction respectively.
You can compare the rating of different brands for the same product type (for example, the predicted reliability rating for Breville and DeLonghi espresso machines), but you can’t compare the results for different product types (for example, satisfaction ratings for Sunbeam espresso machines and Breville kettles).
We analyse brands that get at least 30 responses in our survey. That means there are some brands we can’t analyse because we don’t have enough data. For those brands, we assume they have average reliability and satisfaction.
Our data is based on 1,426 responses from owners of espresso machines in our 2025 survey. Our next survey for espresso machines is in 2027.
