The Best Espresso Machines Under $1,000 

We spoke with Derek Anderson, owner and president of Speedwell Coffee in Plymouth, Massachusetts, to get some insider advice and pro tips while we searched for the best espresso machines under $1000. Anderson has worked in the specialty coffee sector for more than 20 years.

He first entered the field as a roaster and later opened and ran two cafes before establishing Speedwell in 2008. The staff at the roastery with a wholesale concentration has an in-depth understanding of both the beans that make a fine espresso and the mechanisms that transform them from ground coffee to liquid gold. Continue reading for Anderson’s advice and our list of the top espresso makers for less than $1,000.

1: Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine

This espresso machine provides a refined, exquisite brewing experience (and yields espresso shots with equally opulent crema). Although Silvia’s design features clean, simple lines, what elevates it to the top of our list is its 58mm portafilter, which is far larger than those found in most home espresso machines and enables more precise drink preparation. Professional espresso drinks are made with extremely specific ratios, and using a portafilter of a commercial size allows you to maintain those ratios accurately rather than adjusting them to accommodate your kitchen-sized machine.

Also Read Out: Top 8 Best Espresso Machines Under 150$

We were amazed by the strength Silvia’s steam wand packed because we are people who can’t resist a delicious cappuccino. It creates a halo of milk foam with a fine texture that feels velvety on the tongue and has a distinctive nutty sweetness. This machine has every basic option you could possibly need to be marked on user-friendly toggle switches, but it lacks a pressure gauge, which can be a negative for more seasoned baristas wishing to tailor their brew a little bit more. It also uses a single boiler, which requires some downtime to heat up or adjusts temperatures between pulling shots and steaming milk, but wonderful things are worth waiting for, aren’t they?

2: Breville Bambino Plus

I will never pass up the chance to wax lyrical about my Bambino Plus, the only kitchen item I own that motivates me to get out of bed in the morning. This little but powerful machine offers a wealth of unique features and practical supplemental items for a fair price (and is far superior to the company’s standard Bambino machine).

For especially leisurely mornings, the machine’s automatic settings work well: they produce a silky, finely textured microfoam that I find to be on par with that of my favorite local cafe, with precisely calibrated single- or double-shot doses and a steamer mechanism that senses the temperature of your milk. And once you’ve finished steaming, just snap the wand back into place vertically, and the device will automatically purge it to avoid annoying clogs (though do have a rag handy to mop up the inevitable milk splatter). On the same point, you should empty the drip tray after each purge because the milk-water mixture that results when left to sit is very unpleasant.

3: De’ Longhi Dinamica

The Dinamica is a hyper automatic-style espresso maker, so at the touch of a button, it can handle everything from grinding your beans to filling your cup. In addition to producing flawless espresso shots, this model is incredibly adaptable, including settings for “drip coffee” (for dinner party attendees who prefer their post-meal cup on the basic side) and “iced coffee”—apparently the only machine on the market with this capability. Just put ice in a glass, and the Dinamica will take care of the rest. Although it takes longer to brew than a typical espresso, the result is a strong, not weak, iced coffee.

Additionally, you save time because you won’t need to decant the coffee separately before each cup. A built-in water filter and a Panarello wand help you generate a delicate foam that isn’t smattered with ugly big bubbles, which are two additional characteristics that qualify this jewel as one of the best espresso machines under $1,000.

4: Smeg Espresso Machine

With a Betty Crocker cookbook and a set of jadeite salt and pepper shakers on the counter, this adorable espresso maker would look perfectly at home in a 1950s kitchen. The Smeg exudes vintage appeal in spades if you share my nostalgia for a time when pastel-colored appliances were the standard (even if you weren’t even born yet). From lipstick red to soft mint to poodle skirt pink to the perfect vanilla milkshake cream, each of the available colors is striking, and the gleaming chrome accents are reminiscent of bygone muscle cars and space-age elegance.

In contrast to the boxier forms of many other machines, the Smeg has a distinctively rounded design that we adore. But this little device does more than simply look good; it also does its job admirably. It has a built-in milk steamer and heats up in around two minutes (which works fine, but is a little clunky and awkward to use compared to the long and slender steam wands on other models). For baristas who are more precise about their espresso requirements, there isn’t much option for customization here, so it probably won’t cut it, but beginners will love its three-button simplicity. Furthermore, this modern convenience is not lacking in its vintage beauty; if you like coffee pods, it can also accommodate them.