Best 8 High-End Espresso Makers: Enjoy The Next-Level Espresso

Brewing an espresso can be a real art form and not only a daily ritual. However, to do so, you need to have a machine that will allow you to hone your brewing craft.

If you are truly serious about taking your espresso brewing abilities to another level, it is time you invest in a powerful, high-end espresso machine. We gathered all the information you need to have to find the best option for your needs.

The Rundown

What Does High-End Entail?

The first thing you will notice about a high-end machine is its price. While it is true that they are a bit more expensive (on average around $2000), they also offer many amazing features such as a powerful heating system and high extraction pressure, customizable performance, grinding and frothing mechanisms, etc. that take their performance to another level.

How Is It Different From “Regular” Models?

“Regular” or basic espresso machines are those you can find in most appliance stores. They offer a standard-quality design, pump pressure around 9 to 15 bars max., simple switch between being and frothing system, may offer a few customizable features such as cup size.

High-end models, on the other hand, offer high-quality design and durability, pump pressure around 15 to 20 bars, have independent brewing and frothing mechanisms, allow you to customize almost every part of the brewing cycle including cup size, brew strength, espresso to milk ratio for milk-based beverages, etc.

Are They Made For Professional Or Home Use?

Luxurious models are mainly found in professional coffee shops. However, this is not to say that you can’t get one for home use. Any espresso aficionado will love and appreciate all the features that high-end brewers offer. They are a bit larger investment in the start but you can expect them to last anywhere between 5 to 15 years when cared for properly.

What Else Can You Use Them For?

Since all high-end brewers come equipped with a frothing mechanism, you can use them to brew espresso, cappuccino, latte, mocha, macchiato, etc. Brewers with an additional hot water spout allow you to quickly brew tea and even make hot chocolate.

What To Look For In Luxury Models To Get Your Money’s Worth?

You don’t want to spend too much money not knowing whether you will get your money’s worth. Here is an in-depth review of all features espresso machines in this price range have to offer.

Quality And Durability

Stainless steel is often used in commercial-grade appliances because of its high quality and exceptional durability level. That is why you can never go wrong buying a stainless steel espresso machine. It will have a lasting lifespan and won’t be affected by any kind of exterior damage such as rust, corrosion, stains, etc.

Automation Level

High-end machines offer a wide automation range. You can choose from:

• manual lever – you have complete control over their performance and results, but you do need to put in the effort.
• automatic – they are your basic home brewers with a few controls such as cup size.
• semi-automatic – they do the brewing part for you, however, you are in control over all of the brewing parameters.
• fully automatic – they do the brewing part but you are still required to grind the coffee, add it to the portafilter, tamp it, and start the brewing process.
• super automatic – they do everything for you from grinding and tamping the coffee to controlling the brewing parameters.

For every espresso enthusiast, a semi-automatic one is the best choice simply because you have control over the parameters such as temperature, brewing volume, size of the espresso shot, its strength, etc.

PID System

A proportional integral derivative (PID) mechanism is specially designed to keep the temperature of the brewing water at a consistent level. It is very important as it ensures that every espresso shot you make will be pulled with the optimal brewing temperature.

Extraction Pressure

Extraction pressure determines how slow or fast your brewer will be. It also affects the quality of every shot you make. It can vary from 9 to 20 bars. A 9 bar espresso machine is just fine for home use. However, for a high-end brewer, you need it to be quick and efficient. It is important that its extraction pressure is no lower than 15 bars. Just for reference, a 9 bar machine needs about 30 seconds to pull a perfect espresso shot, while a 20 bar one will do the job in 10 to 20 seconds.

Coffee Bean Grinder

A coffee grinder is another feature you can expect with these brewers. They offer a range of grinding settings: coarse, medium, and fine ground coffee. Coarse grounds are the best option for making a hot or cold brew using a french press brewer. Medium grounds work well with pour-over and drip coffee makers. However, to achieve the optimal espresso shot, a fine coffee powder is the way to go.

Frothing System

These machines either come with a frothing wand or an automatic frothing mechanism. The former provides you with a bit more control as you can choose for how long you want to keep the frother in the milk. The latter does the work for you and automatically dispenses frothed milk into your cup. Most automatic systems also provide simple adjustments so you still have control over their performance.

Customizable Performance

Since you are spending a bit larger amount of money, you want to be sure that you can enjoy as many customizable features as possible. This includes the temperature inside the heating system, volume control, adjustable brew size, strength control, etc.

Safety Features

As for the safety features, you can expect them to come with the common ones such as overheat protection, automatic shut-off, etc. However, you can also find models that come with certificates such as UL and ETL that provide additional assurance.

Maintenance Level

Even though these brewers are made to last for 5 to 15 years, that is only possible if you care for them properly. If used in a domestic environment, you should service the brewer about every 6 months just to be sure that all its parts are in optimal condition. If used in professional environments, this should be done every 3 months.

Warranty

Before you set your mind on a specific brewer, be sure to check its warranty. Most models on the market come with at least 1-year manufacturer warranty that covers all damages to the brewer apart from those that are user-made, i.e. water damages, etc.

Best 8 High-End Espresso Makers

Each of the listed espresso machines offers amazing performance and deserves its place amongst the high-end brewers. While the first one offers fully automatic performance, the third one requires some manual effort to pull a perfect espresso shot.

Breville Oracle Touch Espresso Machine

This brewer comes equipped with a dual boiler heating system. It provides unparalleled temperature control and ensures you can simultaneously brew espresso and steam milk, without compromising the quality of any process. Its low pre-infusion process ensures that all delicious flavors from your grounds get to your cup.

With its top-mounted coffee bean grinder and an automatic dose control grinding system, you will get the freshest brewing results possible with every use. Its grinding system is designed to deliver the optimal amount of grounds to the portafilter for a perfect espresso shot.

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Saeco Xelsis Espresso Machine

As opposed to the previous model, this 15 bar machine comes with double thermo blocks, one for the brewing and one for the steaming system. As a result, you get to adjust both the brewing and steaming temperature to every drink you want to brew.

Its simple touch control panel ensures that you can easily make the desired adjustments. Apart from the customizable features, it also provides up to 6 different user profiles you can customize to your needs and have ready for use whenever you want.

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La Pavoni Espresso Machine

Even though this espresso brewer uses electrical power, it also requires some manual effort to pull a perfect espresso shot. Once you turn it on and let it heat up, you need to pull the manual lever up and push it down to create the extracting pressure.

Another thing worth mentioning is that it comes with an ETL certificate. This means that all of its electrical parts have been tested and approved to meet specific safety measurements. It is a great choice both for home use and somewhat smaller coffee shops.

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Jura Automatic Coffee Machine

This espresso/cappuccino machine also offers multiple programmable features you can adjust with a simple touch of your finger. Its high-resolution display helps you adjust the volume of the brew, strength, etc. You can also choose from versatile pre-set beverages.

The great thing about this high end brewer is that it can also dispense hot water on demand. This feature comes in very handy as it allows you to quickly make, tea, hot chocolate, or even oatmeal for breakfast. Its automatic frothing mechanism ensures you always get the most perfect milk froth for your beverages.

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Nuova Simonelli Espresso Machine

This espresso/latte brewer offers exceptional quality. You can easily see its durable stainless steel and ABS body. On its inside, it features a copper water boiler and a professional-sized group head. Combined, they ensure professional-grade brewing results.

Even though this luxury machine does not come with as many programmable features, it does allow you to choose the cup size you want to brew. In addition, it offers an improved steaming wand that will help you make the perfect milk froth.

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De’Longhi Dinamica Espresso Machine

This espresso brewer also offers a user-friendly backlit control panel with versatile customizable features. It offers 16 different pre-set beverages and even provides you with an “over ice” function that allows you to make a perfect cold brew during the hot afternoons.

Its top-mounted coffee bean grinder offers 13 different settings you can adjust to your likings. The machine even has a bypass doser you can fill up with decaf coffee to ensure that you can enjoy the brewing versatility.

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Gaggia Accademia Espresso Machine

The great thing about this super-automatic espresso machine is that it comes with a height-adjustable telescopic coffee dispenser. Thanks to this feature you will be able to brew versatile cup sizes from a single espresso shot to a large cappuccino.

Its milk carafe can hold up to 0,6 Liters of milk and is completely removable from the machine. Thanks to this feature you don’t have to throw away the leftover milk, simply store the carafe into the refrigerator. Since its frothing system is fully automatic, it will dispense the frothed milk right into your cup.

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Miele One-Touch Espresso Machine

What separates this home espresso machine from the rest of the listed models is its carafe brewing mode. It allows you to brew up to 40 ounces of delicious coffee within one use. Its hot water spout provides a quick and delicious Americano or tea at a single touch.

Another convenient feature of this brewer is its timer. It allows you to set for how long you want the machine to stay on. Its super-automatic performance and a simple control panel with multiple programmable features ensure you can easily adjust the brewing process to your needs.

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Will You End Up Overpaying For An Espresso Machine?

If you brew espresso only a few times a week, yes, you will end up overpaying for a brewer as you won’t use most of its features. However, for everyone that considers brewing espresso to be a true art form, a high-end brewer will pay off. You will get to enjoy the powerful performance, high extraction rate, multiple customizable features, etc.