Buying guide
The best espresso machines in 2026
Updated Aug 30, 2026 · prices dated per offer
These four cover the real range of how much of the espresso process you want to do yourself: a fully manual machine, two semi-automatics that split the difference on milk and grinding, and a capsule machine that automates all of it at the cost of a per-cup bill that never stops. Whether that recurring cost matters more than upfront price is the first thing to work out before comparing anything else.
Every price below was checked on 2026-08-30 and is quoted with the retailer that showed it that day.
Espresso machines: all 4 products we track, with dated prices →
| Spec | Breville Barista Express | Breville Bambino Plus | De'Longhi Stilosa EC260BK | Nespresso VertuoPlus Deluxe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best price | $699.95 at Breville | $499.95 at Breville | $149.95 at De'Longhi | $189.99 at Target |
| Checked | ✓ AUG 30 | ✓ AUG 30 | ✓ AUG 30 | ✓ AUG 30 |
| Shopper rating | 4.52,062 ratings | 4.3931 ratings | 3.91,094 ratings | 4.67,523 ratings |
| Type | Semi-automatic espresso machine with an integrated conical burr grinder | Semi-automatic espresso machine with automatic milk texturing, no built-in grinder | Manual espresso machine, no grinder and no automatic milk system | Single-serve capsule coffee and espresso machine, no manual brewing or grinder |
| Pressure | 9 bar extraction via a 15 bar Italian pump (Breville's rating) | 9 bar extraction via a 15 bar Italian pump (Breville's rating) | 15 bar pump (De'Longhi's rating) | Centrifusion capsule extraction (Nespresso's technology), not a bar-pressure pump |
| Portafilter size | 54 mm stainless steel | 54 mm | 51 mm, per aftermarket accessory listings; De'Longhi's own spec sheet does not state a diameter | None; uses sealed Nespresso Vertuo capsules instead of a portafilter |
| Milk system | Manual steam wand, 360-degree swivel | Automatic steam wand with 3 milk temperatures and 3 texture levels, plus manual override (Breville) | Manual steam wand, hand-frothed | None built in; a separate Aeroccino frother is sold as an accessory or bundle |
| Water tank | 67 fl oz, removable, with a carbon water filter included | 64 fl oz, removable | 33.8 fl oz (1 liter), removable | 60 fl oz, removable (Target) |
| Dimensions | 15.9 in H x 12.5 in W x 13.8 in D (Target) | 12.2 in H x 7.6 in W x 12.5 in D | 11.22 in H x 8.07 in W x 13.5 in D | 12.8 in H x 5.6 in W x 16.7 in D (Target) |
| Warranty | 1 year limited (Target) | 2 years limited (Target's listing) | 1 year limited (De'Longhi) | 1 year limited (Target) |
| Recurring cost | None required beyond whole bean coffee and periodic replacement of the included water filter | None required beyond whole or pre-ground coffee; no proprietary pods or filters | None required; runs on any pre-ground coffee that fits the included single or double filter baskets | $1.40 per capsule, $14.00 for a sleeve of 10 (Nespresso.com, checked 2026-08-30); works only with Nespresso Vertuo-line capsules |
| Power | - | 1560 watts | 1100 watts | - |
| Grinder | Integrated conical burr grinder, 16 grind settings (Breville) | - | - | - |
| Brew sizes | - | - | - | 5 oz and 8 oz coffee, plus single and double espresso (Target) |
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Best overall
1. Breville Barista Express
The Barista Express is the only machine here with a built-in conical burr grinder, so beans go from hopper to portafilter without a separate grinder to buy or find counter space for. Breville pairs that with digital PID temperature control and a 67 oz tank with an included carbon water filter, and the dedicated hot water spout covers tea and Americanos too.
It costs $699.99 at Target ($699.95 direct from Breville, price checked 2026-08-30), roughly 4.5 times the Stilosa. The manual steam wand still takes practice, and the larger footprint needs real counter clearance to lift the hopper lid, but for someone who wants fresh-ground shots without buying a grinder separately, it is the machine to default to.
Skip it if: you already own a grinder or do not want to dose and tamp by hand; the smaller Bambino Plus does the shot side for less and automates the milk instead.
Best for milk drinks
2. Breville Bambino Plus
The Bambino Plus automates the part of espresso most people actually get wrong: milk. Breville's automatic steam wand offers 3 milk temperatures and 3 texture levels selected on the machine, with a manual override if you want it, and the ThermoJet heater reaches temperature in about 3 seconds per Breville, so there is no warm-up wait before a shot.
It runs $499.99 at Target ($499.95 direct from Breville, price checked 2026-08-30). It has no built-in grinder, so it needs pre-ground espresso or a separate grinder, and dosing and tamping are still manual. For someone who wants consistent lattes without practicing a wand, and already has beans sorted, it is the pick.
Skip it if: you want the grinder built in too; step up to the Barista Express instead, or down to the Stilosa if a manual wand is fine.
Best budget
3. De'Longhi Stilosa EC260BK
The Stilosa is a genuine 15-bar pump portafilter machine with a stainless steel boiler, not a stripped-down toy, and it undercuts every other pick here by a wide margin. It teaches real technique, manual dosing, tamping and hand-frothing, at a price that is cheaper than most capsule machines and a fraction of what the semi-automatics cost.
It costs $149.99 at Target ($149.95 direct from De'Longhi, price checked 2026-08-30). There is no pressure gauge, so dialing in grind and dose is trial and error, and Best Buy shoppers note it runs loud. For someone willing to learn by hand rather than pay for automation, it is the cheapest real way in.
Skip it if: you want consistent microfoam without practice or fresh-ground beans without a separate grinder; the Bambino Plus or Barista Express solve those directly.
Best for convenience
4. Nespresso VertuoPlus Deluxe
The VertuoPlus Deluxe is the only machine here with no portafilter at all: a barcode-read Nespresso Vertuo capsule sets brew size, temperature and pressure automatically, and Target's listing puts heat-up at about 15 to 20 seconds. It also covers the widest range of drink sizes in this roundup, from a 5 oz coffee to a double espresso, from one button.
It costs $199.99 direct from Nespresso ($189.99 at Target for the Titan color, listed out of stock online at the time of checking, price checked 2026-08-30). The honest tradeoff is the capsule itself: $1.40 each, $14.00 for a sleeve of 10 on Nespresso.com, and no other brand's pods fit the machine's barcode reader, so that per-cup cost never goes away and there is no way to use your own beans to lower it. No milk frother is included either; an Aeroccino is sold separately.
Skip it if: you drink enough coffee that $1.40 a cup adds up fast, or want to grind your own beans; any of the three portafilter machines here have no per-cup cost beyond whatever coffee you buy.
Common questions
Which of these has no recurring cost?
The Bambino Plus, the Barista Express and the Stilosa all run on whole or pre-ground coffee you buy yourself, with no proprietary pods, capsules or filters required beyond the Barista Express's included water filter, which is optional to replace. The VertuoPlus Deluxe is the exception: it only works with Nespresso Vertuo capsules, at $1.40 each on Nespresso.com, checked 2026-08-30.
Which machine is easiest for a beginner?
The VertuoPlus Deluxe needs no technique at all, since the capsule and its barcode set everything for you. Among the portafilter machines, the Bambino Plus is the easier start because its automatic steam wand removes the hardest skill, texturing milk, while still leaving dosing and tamping as a simple manual step.
Is the Barista Express worth almost five times the price of the Stilosa?
Only if you want fresh-ground shots without buying a separate grinder. At $699.99 versus $149.99, both checked 2026-08-30, the Barista Express buys you an integrated conical burr grinder and PID temperature control that the Stilosa does not have. If you are happy with pre-ground coffee or already own a grinder, that price gap is not buying you anything you would use.
Does any of these make regular drip coffee?
No. All four are built for espresso or capsule-based coffee and espresso, not a drip brew cycle. The Barista Express has a hot water spout that can extend a shot into an Americano, and the VertuoPlus Deluxe brews larger 5 oz and 8 oz coffee sizes from its capsules, but none of them replicates a drip coffee maker.