The best espresso machines that make a café-quality brew

Best for: effortless café-quality coffee at home

If you have the budget to splurge on your at-home espresso machine upgrade, you can’t go wrong with Breville’s new Oracle Jet, which combines cutting-edge automation with barista-level features. This machine lets you effortlessly create café-quality drinks, from espressos and creamy lattes to refreshing cold brews, all at the touch of a button. With hands-free frothing and customisable settings, you can also master latte art and impress your friends. No barista skills needed!

Colours: brushed stainless steel, black truffle and sea salt

Key features:

• Automatically grinds, doses and tamps coffee
• Hands-free frothing
• Quick heating system that saves energy
• Guides you to the perfect espresso shot
• Easy-to-use touch screen
• Adjustable grinder with 45 settings

Also available at:

• $3299 (usually $3899) at Myer
• $3299 at The Good Guys
• $3299 at Amazon
• $3699 at Appliances Online

Best for: coffee lovers who enjoy flavour experimentation

This stylish machine takes the guesswork out of brewing, guiding you through each step with premium accessories and smart tech, ensuring every cup is café-quality – minus the barista price tag, of course.

Key features:

• Eight grind settings
• Active temperature control
• MyLatte Art steam wand
• Three pre-set recipes: Espresso, Long Black and Hot Water
• Professional single-wall filters for rich flavour
• Dishwasher-safe parts

Also available at:

• $649 at Bing Lee
• $649 at DeLonghi
• $699 at Betta Home Living

Best for: mouth-watering specialty coffee

Introducing the Breville Pro – your new go-to for easy specialty coffee. With a sleek brushed stainless steel design, it features an integrated grinder and frother, promising to whip up aromatic brews and creamy microfoam in no time at all. Plus, the Dual ThermoJet heating system means you’re just three seconds away from your morning fix.

Key features:

• Integrated conical burr grinder with 30 grind settings
• Three-second heat-up time with ThermoJet heating
• Low pressure pre-infusion for optimal flavour extraction
• Manual steam wand
• Built-in water filter

Also available at:

• $897 (usually $1399) at David Jones
• $918 (usually $1399) at Amazon
• $944 (usually $1399) at Appliances Online
• $949 at Betta Home Living
• $999 at Breville

Best for: quality espresso with minimal clean-up

This espresso machine is a must-have for coffee lovers, boasting a 58mm commercial-sized group head that packs in rich espresso flavour. With its handy tap-go grinder and powerful dual thermo block heating system, you can brew and steam at the same time, so you get your caffeine faster. The anti-static technology also keeps your bench tidy, while the professional-grade steam wand creates that velvety microfoam we all love.

Key features:

• 58mm group head for rich espresso
• Built-in grinder
• Brews and steams at the same time
• Less mess with anti-static tech
• Steam wand for creamy microfoam
• Comes with filter baskets and tools

Also available at:

• $854 (usually $899) at Billy Guyatts
• $899 at The Good Guys
• $899 at Betta Home Living
• $899 at Matt Blatt

Best for: speedy, delicious coffee on a budget

The Nespresso Essenza Mini Solo is perfect for small kitchens, bringing together minimalist design with high-quality brewing. It heats up in just 25 seconds and uses a 19-bar pressure pump to extract rich espresso from Nespresso capsules. With programmable shot sizes for espresso or lungo, this compact machine lets you enjoy your coffee without the hassle of juggling multiple buttons.

Colours: black, white and red

Key features:

• Compact, lightweight design
• Heats up in 25 seconds
• 19-bar pressure pump for rich espresso
• Programmable shot sizes (espresso and lungo)
• Removable water tank (600mL capacity)
• Auto shut-off

Also available at:

• $151 (usually $159) at Stan Cash
• $159 at The Good Guys
• $219 at Nespresso

Best for: a stylish retro touch

This stunning, retro-style espresso machine blends vintage charm with modern convenience. It has a 15-bar pump and 40 second heat up time, so get ready to indulge in fast, delicious crema. Perfect for adding a retro touch to your kitchen without sacrificing performance!

Colours: black, cream, pastel blue, pastel green, red and white

Key features:

• 40-second heat-up time
• 15-bar pump for optimal coffee extraction
• Stainless steel steam wand for frothing milk
• Works with ground coffee or ESE pods
• 1.1-litre water tank capacity
• Made in Italy

Best for: ultra-tasty espresso in a flash

With the Creatista Pro, your morning coffee is as fast as it is flawless. The intuitive touchscreen lets you scroll, save and perfect your favourite drinks – whether you’re in the mood for a flat white, an espresso or a frothy cappuccino. With its premium stainless steel finish and lightning-fast performance, it brings the café experience right to your countertop.

Key features:

• Three-second heat-up time
• Customisable coffee and milk settings
• LCD touch screen
• Built-in automatic steam wand
• Two-litre removable water tank
• Hot water nozzle included
• Nine coffee and eight milk settings

Also available at:

• $998 (usually $1399) at Amazon
• $998 at Bing Lee
• $999 at The Good Guys
• $1399 at Breville
• $1399 at Nespresso