The Best Home Coffee Machines, According to Local Roasters and Baristas

Nothing beats a coffee from your local, but a good cup shouldn’t always hinge on a barista. In the current climate, relying on one to keep your caffeine levels in check all day (or night – you legend) can get expensive, fast.

And while the upfront cost of an at-home machine can sting, the long-term savings on flat whites and the like make it worth the investment.

Plus, if you enjoy getting into the nitty-gritty, there are hobby-worthy machines that let you tweak everything from water temperature to grind size and coffee-to-water ratio. But if not, there are fail-safe options too – including one that brews your morning cup before you’re even out of bed.

So, which machines actually deliver the best hit? We asked the experts to find out – and flagged those currently discounted in EOFY sales.

Fleur Studd, co-founder at Market Lane Coffee

Why do you love it?

“We use La Marzocco espresso machines in all our shops, and we have for many years because they’re consistent, reliable and robust. The Linea Micra is a home espresso machine that has all the power and finesse of La Marzocco’s commercial machines – and it’s handmade in Italy using the same components.

“[It also has] a beautiful, compact design and you have the same control over dialling in your espresso that our baristas have in our shops, which helps you get the very best out of every brew. And for a limited time, we’re giving away a free 12-month Market Lane coffee subscription with every Linea Micra purchase.”

What’s your go-to coffee order?

“Flat white, using Market Lane’s Seasonal Blend.”

Sonam Sherpa, co-owner at Golden Brown Coffee

Why do you love it?

“It’s great for beginners, with easy-to-follow guidance at an affordable price for the features it offers. There are a lot of videos online to help with upskilling if you grow out of the built-in automated system. Anyone who you trust handling hot liquids can use this machine effectively.”

Do you have any advice before buying?

“This model doesn’t have the built-in tamper, but that’s an easy skill to learn.”

What’s your go-to coffee order?

“Double espresso.”

Benjamin Johnson, co-owner at Solstice Coffee, head roaster and managing director at The New Paradigm

Why do you love it?

“It heats up fast – I’ve had home machines that cost over 10 times as much but would take far longer until they were properly heated and ready to make coffee. I didn’t think I cared about this, but there’s something just nice about being able to make a spur-of-the-moment coffee at home in less than a couple of minutes.

“Nowadays there are baskets, portafilters and shower screens that are compatible with Breville machines that improve the experience greatly and make brewing much more efficient and taste better. I have a combination of Pesado handle and high extraction basket, a Decent Freckles shower screen and Barista Hustle autocomb.

“It’s also easy enough to use that my partner, who has no coffee experience, can make a great coffee with a simple recipe – all they need is a pair of scales.”

Do you have any advice before buying?

“It doesn’t look as good as a Kees Van Der Westen Speedster, La Marzocco Micra or Rocket but it’ll save you a fair bit of money to get a fancy, nice-looking grinder, which I’d argue is more important. It’s also a touch loud – not as loud as a grinder, but vibration pumps are still louder than rotary pumps. And the programmable volumetrics aren’t great, so you’ll usually have to use scales.”

What’s your go-to coffee order?

“A turbo shot double espresso with a 60-millilitre dash of cold, filtered water and two ice cubes in the morning, and an oat flat white a bit later on.”

Toby Aubrey-Poiner, head of training at Single O

Why do you love it?

“It’s simple and comes with some useful presets; it’s compact and could even be put away in a cupboard; and [there’s] automatic steaming to texture and temperature [milk], which is really useful if you need to multitask in the morning.”

Do you have any advice before buying?

“Grinding fresh [beans] is key [to making good coffee]. The dollar-to-quality ratio of money spent on a grinder is far more impactful than with a machine, in my opinion. Upgrade your coffee first, grinder second, and then your machine.”

What’s your go-to coffee order?

“I drink espressos at home. As for the beans, I prefer to use any washed-process single origin, but especially [those] from Ethiopia or Kenya.”

Reuben Mardan, founder of Sample Coffee

Why do you love it?

“It’s designed by a coffee geek for coffee geeks, and it has all the controls and sensors you could ever want, so you [can] replicate any type of espresso machine, from old hand-pulled lever [types] to the latest Italian commercial models. And its compact design is very aesthetically pleasing.”

Do you have any advice before buying?

“Making coffee at this level is a bit of a rabbit hole. The more you learn, the more you realise you don’t know. Plus, setting up all the parameters can be time-consuming – get an automatic machine if this is not your thing. This is definitely for the advanced coffee hobbyist, but it’s still fun and mind-opening for everyone from pros to beginners.”

What’s your go-to coffee order?

“I usually make V60 pour-over at home as it’s simple, easy and delicious. But when I have the time to turn the espresso machine on, it’s always a straight espresso.”

Rowena Chansiri, coffee roaster and founder of Ickle Coffee and Ama

Why do you love it?

“This machine allows you to make anything from a single cup of coffee to 1.7 litres at a time. It’s also an affordable price, very easy to adjust to different recipes and you can even set the coffee to brew so that it’s ready for when you wake up.”

Do you have any advice before buying this machine?

“A good quality coffee grinder, a scale to measure [grounds] and a water filter are all very beneficial when it comes to making an awesome cup of coffee.”

What’s your go-to coffee order?

“A batch brew.”

Sebastian Farias Arcila, founder and CEO at Far More

Why do you love it?

“Its compact body fits perfectly in our kitchen, so we get the most out of our coffee without taking up too much bench space. I also like the precision temperature control, as I can use the machine to both extract and steam at the same time.

“I’ve got a few different coffee machines at home, from the most complex to more basic. Across these, the Mara X is easiest to use thanks to the lever. It’s one of the best entry-level machines for a home coffee enthusiast.”

Do you have any advice before buying this machine?

“Because it’s a single boiler coffee machine, be aware that this machine takes about 15 to 20 minutes to heat up before use, but this is pretty normal with most machines. However, this is good, since the tech is designed for accurate thermal stability.”

What’s your go-to coffee order?

“A double espresso using specialty beans from one of our Colombian farmers, either roasted by me or from one of the many roasters we supply in Australia: Core in Melbourne, Stitch in Sydney or Offshoot in Perth.”

Adam Wang, founder of Coffee Anthology and The Maillard Project

Why do you love it?

“As a long-time fan and daily user of Slayer at work, I’m always impressed by both its visual design and how it elevates espresso quality through its unique flow-rate profiling system. The needle valve used for pre-brew flow control is unlike anything else – it allows you to slow down the extraction and draw out deeper sweetness, clarity and texture in a way that most machines simply can’t replicate.

“It’s beautifully hand-built with premium materials and the paddle and levers make the process feel hands-on and meditative – it’s a joy to use.”

Do you have any advice before buying this machine?

“It’s a significant investment in both price and space, and it’s not an automatic or ‘set and forget’ machine – it rewards attention and care. Plus, it needs a high quality grinder to really shine.”

For something more affordable, Wang recommends the Breville Dual Boiler or Lelit Mara X.

What’s your go-to coffee order?

“Straight espresso or a long black – no milk, just clean extraction and a focus on flavour clarity.”

Sasa Sestic, founder and CEO at Ona Coffee, Project Origin and Nucleus Coffee Tools

Why do you love it?

“It offers commercial performance in a home environment, plus it’s simple to use and has built-in scales.”

Do you have any advice before buying this machine?

“It’s hard to install and requires high-level tech [knowledge to operate].”

What’s your go-to coffee order?

“Espresso and filter coffee.”

Hannah Smith, creative director at Thieves Coffee

Why do you love it?

“It’s really straightforward – just two buttons (on/off and heat plate levels) with no unnecessary frills, making it almost impossible to brew a bad cup. If you have good beans and follow a simple recipe, you’re set. Plus, at Thieves, we offer a free three-month coffee subscription with every Moccamaster purchase.”

Do you have any advice before buying this machine?

“It’s hard not to drink the whole jug, so if you live alone, consider yourself warned.”

What’s your go-to coffee order?

“Filter coffee – either a pour-over or straight from my Moccamaster.”

Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

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