This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Making cafe-style lattes at home can save you hundreds of dollars a year. If you buy one $5 latte every workday, that is over $1,200 a year. But espresso machines can be confusing for beginners: grinders, tamping, steam wands, bars of pressure. Pick the wrong one and you end up with bitter coffee and an expensive machine collecting dust.
We went through hands-on test results from Tom’s Guide (tested by a certified barista) and Forbes Vetted (15 machines tested) to find the espresso machines that are easiest for beginners and still make genuinely great coffee.
🏆 Our Top Pick: De’Longhi La Specialista Touch
Tom’s Guide named it the best espresso machine for most people. It has a built-in grinder with “Bean Adapt” guidance that helps you dial in your beans, a responsive touchscreen and automatic milk frothing that was among the best the reviewer had tried. Testers loved its rich espresso with toffee and chocolate notes.
Quick Comparison
| Espresso machine | Best for | Built-in grinder | Milk frothing |
|---|---|---|---|
| De’Longhi La Specialista Touch | Best overall | Yes | Auto + manual |
| Breville Barista Express Impress | All-in-one for beginners | Yes | Manual wand |
| Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus | Easiest to use | Yes | Auto + manual |
| De’Longhi Rivelia | Fully automatic, one touch | Yes | Automatic |
| Breville Bambino | Best value, compact | No | Manual wand |
| Gaggia Classic E24 | Learning real barista skills | No | Manual wand |
Do You Need a Built-In Grinder?
Fresh-ground beans make a huge difference to espresso. A machine with a built-in grinder saves money, space and hassle, which makes it the easiest choice for beginners. Machines without a grinder (like the Bambino) can make excellent coffee, but you will need to buy a separate burr grinder.
The 6 Best Espresso Machines for Beginners
1. De’Longhi La Specialista Touch – Best Overall
Tom’s Guide’s best overall pick combines a built-in grinder, guided setup and excellent milk in one well-priced machine.
- Built-in grinder with 15 settings and Bean Adapt guidance
- 3.5-inch touchscreen
- Automatic or manual milk steaming
- Cold brew option
✅ Why you’ll love it
- Rich, tasty espresso
- Bean Adapt helps beginners get the grind right
- Automatic milk froth is excellent
- Powerful steam wand when you want to practice
⚠️ Keep in mind
- Manual steaming is a little fiddly
- Tamping is guided, not fully automatic
👉 Buy this if: you want great lattes and cappuccinos without a big learning curve.
2. Breville Barista Express Impress – Best All-in-One for Beginners
Forbes Vetted named it the best espresso machine for beginners. Smart dosing and an assisted tamping lever take the guesswork out of the hardest steps.
- Built-in conical burr grinder (25 settings)
- Smart dosing and assisted tamping
- Manual steam wand
- Accessory storage drawer
✅ Why you’ll love it
- Takes the mess out of grinding and tamping
- Comes with a full set of accessories
- Removable parts are easy to clean
⚠️ Keep in mind
- Forbes’ shots came out slightly under-extracted (a bit thin)
- No pressure adjustment
- No dishwasher-safe parts
👉 Buy this if: you want to learn real espresso with a lot of help from the machine.
3. Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus – Easiest to Use
Tom’s Guide’s pick for beginners. It weighs and grinds your beans automatically and even calibrates the grind size for you. The reviewer compared the drinks to a chain coffee shop.
- Built-in weight-based grinder with auto calibration
- Automatic and manual milk frothing
- Presets for dairy and plant milks
✅ Why you’ll love it
- Very beginner friendly
- Automates grinding, dosing and weighing
- Great for oat and almond milk drinks
⚠️ Keep in mind
- No built-in tamping
- Less control for coffee enthusiasts
👉 Buy this if: you want great coffee with almost no effort.
4. De’Longhi Rivelia – Best Fully Automatic
Press a button, get a drink. Forbes Vetted found its shot temperature stayed consistent and its double shot hit the target weight, with balanced flavor and velvety crema.
- Built-in grinder (13 settings)
- 18 drink options, 4 user profiles
- Two swappable bean hoppers
- Automatic milk system
✅ Why you’ll love it
- True one-touch lattes and cappuccinos
- Two hoppers for regular and decaf
- Slim enough for smaller kitchens
⚠️ Keep in mind
- Mostly plastic exterior
- Less manual control
- Water tank is not very big
👉 Buy this if: you want cafe drinks at the push of a button for the whole family.
5. Breville Bambino – Best Value
A compact machine that Tom’s Guide called a five-star buy. Forbes found it consistently pulled robust shots with velvety crema.
- PID temperature control
- Pre-infusion and automatic shot timing
- Manual steam wand and milk jug included
- Very compact
✅ Why you’ll love it
- Excellent espresso for the price
- Tiny footprint
- Heats up fast
⚠️ Keep in mind
- No built-in grinder, so you need one separately
- No pressure gauge
- 1-year warranty
👉 Buy this if: you already own a grinder or want the best espresso for the money.
6. Gaggia Classic E24 – Best for Learning Barista Skills
A reliable, classic manual machine. Tom’s Guide’s barista tester got great espresso across many beans and steamed milk for a flat white in about ten seconds.
- Commercial-style 58mm portafilter
- Brass boiler for stable temperature
- Powerful manual steam wand
✅ Why you’ll love it
- Great espresso once you learn it
- Very reliable and long-lasting
- Powerful steam wand
⚠️ Keep in mind
- No grinder included
- No PID temperature control
- Takes practice; you start and stop each shot yourself
👉 Buy this if: you want to learn espresso the real barista way.
How to Choose Your First Espresso Machine
- Semi-automatic with grinder (La Specialista, Barista Express): the best balance of help and control for beginners.
- Bean-to-cup / fully automatic (Ninja Luxe, Rivelia): push a button and go. Least effort.
- Manual without grinder (Bambino, Gaggia): great coffee and more to learn, but budget for a separate grinder.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest espresso machine for beginners?
Fully automatic and bean-to-cup machines like the Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus and De’Longhi Rivelia are the easiest. They grind, dose and froth for you.
Is a home espresso machine worth it?
If you buy coffee drinks most days, yes. A machine can pay for itself within a year compared with daily cafe lattes.
Do I need a separate grinder?
Only if your machine does not have one built in. Fresh-ground beans are the key to good espresso.
Can I make iced lattes?
Yes. Pull a shot over ice and add cold milk. Some machines, like the La Specialista Touch, also make cold brew.
Our Verdict
For most beginners, the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch is the best choice: built-in grinder, guided setup and excellent automatic milk. Want the least effort possible? Go for the Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus. Already have a grinder? The Breville Bambino is outstanding value.
Sources: Tom’s Guide, Forbes Vetted. Prices change often; check Amazon for today’s price.