There are now more ways than ever to get your daily dose of caffeine. Here are four excellent coffee machines that will have you whipping up barista grade espressos in no time.
By Laith Abou-Ragheb
Nespresso Pixie
Nespresso machines and their accompanying range of shiny coffee capsules have become pretty ubiquitous of late, no doubt helped by their George Clooney-backed ad campaign. Matching its namesake, the Pixie is the smallest Nespresso machine on the market. But it still comes with a powerful 19 bar pressure pump and a thermo block heating unit that combine to consistently produce a quality cappuccino.
The Bottom Line: If it’s good enough for George (and Amal), it’s good enough for us.
Price: $220
Gaggia Baby Class
No list of quality coffee makers would be complete without Gaggia getting a mention. This compact counter top machine from the famed Italian manufacturer comes with a double heating system for zippy espresso preparation, a built-in milk frother, plus, for anyone strapped for time, a special filter for Gaggia’s own range of coffee capsule
The Bottom Line: Don’t be fooled by its name, the Gaggia Baby Class is a decidedly grown up coffee machine.
Price: $350
Kitchen Aid Pro Line
This hulking and delightfully retro coffee machine from America’s Kitchen Aid comes with dual independent boilers, an adjustable frothing arm, cup warmer and frothing pitchers especially designed to create latte art. The machine is available in three bold colors. We prefer the one that comes in candy apple red.
The Bottom Line: Built like a tank, the Kitchen Air Pro Line will likely keep pumping out fine cups of coffee for years.
Price: $1,300
DeLonghi Gran Dama Avant Esam 6700
If you want a high-end cup of coffee, but can’t be bothered to master the fine art of making one, then you might want to invest in a fully-automated coffee machine like this one from DeLonghi. Simply pop some coffee beans in the top, press a button and wait for it to work its magic. It’s even a cinch to clean thanks to its removable water tank, drip tray, and used coffee container.
The Bottom Line: Pricey, yes. But having your own robot barista was never going to come cheap.
