Buying an espresso machine and set up is quite the investment and with the rise of interest in specialized coffee and at-home espresso, the market has an overflow of options.
As a big coffee enthusiast and barista myself, I know how it can be quite overwhelming, especially if you’ve never had a hands-on experience with an espresso machine yet.
With lots of research, we’ve organized and broken down each important element of consideration for you and have seven great recommendations for espresso machines under $2000 that can work for you!
At a Glance: Best Espresso Machines Under $2000
Quick Summary: Best Espresso Machines Under $2000
 | Our Top Choice Rocket Espresso Appartamento |
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 | La Pavoni PC-16 Professional Espresso Machine |
| Check on Amazon → |
 | Miele CM 5510 Silence Automatic Coffee Machine |
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 | De'Longhi EC9665M La Specialista Maestro Espresso Machine |
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 | Rancilio Silvia Pro X Espresso Machine |
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 | Jura E6 Automatic Coffee Center |
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 | Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine |
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OUR TOP PICKS FOR BEST ESPRESSO MACHINE UNDER $2000
Rocket Espresso Appartamento Espresso Machine
Rocket Espresso Appartamento
The Rocket Espresso Appartamento provides café-grade drinks and uses commercial-grade components in a compact 304 stainless steel design, making it ideal for creating a perfect espresso at home.
Looking for a café grade semi-automatic espresso machine? Look no further than Rocket. Available with black, white, or copper accents, this beautiful 304 stainless steel machine is sturdy and gives you the full-on barista experience. It also has an E61 group head for better temperature stability and commercial-grade internal brass components.
The machine is hand-built in Italy and is known for its high build quality. Not to mention, with a large water reservoir that holds over 2 liters and also utilizes a heat exchange for steaming, you won’t be needing to fill your machine with every use.
Keeping up with cleaning and maintenance though is very important for the longevity of this machine. If there are any issues with your machine, Rocket gives a three-year warranty for all their products that covers all parts and work that may need to be done, making that higher price tag well worth the investment.
The high-end machine comes with both single and double portafilters, as well as cleaning supplies, and an in-depth user manual. It’s got a fast-working steam wand that can texturize milk for beautiful latte art and a handy hot water spout.
The Rocket Appartamento is an excellent choice for baristas who want the same café-like experience, or for avid espresso enthusiasts who want that same experience within the comfort of their own homes.
La Pavoni PC-16 Professional Espresso Machine
Starting with the most labor-intensive espresso machine, La Pavoni provides top-of-the-line manual lever espresso presses. Their most classic design features a beautiful chrome body with black accents that includes a pressure gauge and boiler, with a spout for frothing milk.
La Pavoni provides a detailed instruction manual and video guide that covers all the details of how to operate this lever espresso machine for a classic espresso shot. This time-tested and reliable company also provides a year-long warranty from the purchase date that will cover parts and labor, if your machine should need a tune-up.
Although it does take quite a bit of testing and learning before pulling a perfect shot, this is one of the finest and best manual espresso machines you’ll find on the market. With several other styles and color options available, La Pavoni is definitely the go-to brand for a quality retro espresso maker.
Miele CM 5510 Silence Automatic Coffee Machine
Next up, we have the espresso machine that can deliver two fully prepared espresso drinks with the mere touch of a button – no heavy pressing here!
Available in five different color options, Miele has provided a high-end, super-automatic espresso machine that makes over 10 pre-programmed espresso and coffee drinks. You can also create two different profiles with perfectly curated and customized drink preferences saved.
From grind size to the temperature of water and milk, and how much foam to how much espresso – it’s truly as personalized as it gets while eliminating any work at your end. However, this machine is programmed to accommodate only whole milk. Using alternative milk, especially nut base milk that needs lower temperatures, may result in less favorable-tasting drinks.
Miele is a well-known company that manufactures quality appliances and offers a two-year limited warranty to customers within the US. Consumers have found that their super-automatic espresso machines last for several years with regular use. It’s a great option for households that have lots of variety in coffee preferences.
De’Longhi EC9665M La Specialista Maestro Espresso Machine
De’Longhi is one of the most reliable and reputable at-home espresso machine brands, and rightfully so. With a two-year manufacturer’s warranty, these machines are durable and meant to replicate a café-like experience, while making it just a little more accessible.
With a conical burr grinder, hopper, and smart tamper, this machine really does it all. You can easily dial in your espresso using the 8 espresso grinding settings and can use the simple interface to get pre-set recipes, or manually pull the shot for your own hands-on experience.
Although it only has one boiler, you can still prep your milk while the espresso is pulled thanks to the heat exchange system. If you’re not ready to try your hand at frothing milk or you’re in a rush and can’t, you can utilize the Lattecrema that does it for you and distributes the milk into your drink.
This is a great machine for an experienced barista who wants to replicate the cafe espresso machine experience, while also being for new espresso enthusiasts who are just starting their espresso-pulling days. The machine is accessible, easy to use, easy to customize, and all-inclusive.
Rancilio Silvia Pro X Espresso Machine
With a minimalistic look available in a few different colors, Rancilio has made a quality espresso machine that sports two boilers for efficient espresso-pulling and frothing abilities. This semi-automatic espresso machine pulls great-tasting espressos with its consistent pressure and preinfusion setting that helps pull out the beans’ flavor.
Consumers found this machine to be well made and to last for years, but in the case of something being wrong, you do get a two-year limited warranty from the manufacturer upon purchase. Because of the simple interface with buttons and a knob for controlling temperature and pressure, experienced baristas found this machine easy to use while also allowing plenty of room for tinkering.
Although no grinder is included in this espresso machine, it gives a commercial-like feel that isn’t often found in at-home espresso machines. This makes it popular with baristas while still being a great choice for the average coffee enthusiast.
Jura E6 Automatic Coffee Center
If you’re familiar with Jura, you know how all-inclusive their espresso machines are. With 7 different programmable drinks and five coffee strength levels, this machine will give you your perfectly customized espresso or coffee drink with the touch of a button.
Or, if you purchase the Smart Connect compatibility, you can order from your phone from a completely different room and get your coffee ready to go within minutes (just don’t forget to have your cup set up beforehand!).
The Jura E6 utilizes the Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.) that allows the machine to grind, tamp, and extract a perfect espresso shot, all right within the machine.
Jura also takes pride in the way they filter their water and the high tech that will alert you when your water filter is ready to be changed, along with other cleaning prompts, making it easy to maintain your machine.
If you’re a coffee enthusiast who enjoys a range of espresso and coffee options but doesn’t want to put in the effort of learning how to pull espresso, this super-automatic machine is an excellent choice! It can make two drinks at a time, making it great for larger households or entertaining guests.
Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine
If you’re an aspiring barista, this might be the perfect espresso machine for you. With preprogrammed settings, you can have a very hands-off experience brewing, letting the machine do the majority of the work. Or, you can control as many components as you want.
Whichever you choose, this machine sets you up for success. Included with your purchase, you get a cleaning kit with cleaning supplies, a water filter and water test strips, a 16 oz stainless steel jug for steaming milk, and a double and single portafilter. All of these tools help make a smoother and easier brewing experience.
Breville included a conical burr grinder within the machine that features an innovative grind cradle allowing your portafilter to fill with grinds, hands-free. The easy-to-navigate interface lets you select your desired drink or make programmed customized drinks.
You can leave your milk in the stainless steel jug and set the machine to automatically froth it to the desired temperature and foam level, or you can do it manually and learn the trick of getting macrofoam on your own.
What To Consider When Buying an Espresso Machine
Having a budget of $2000 will get you pretty far in the world of at-home espresso machines. Most machines within this price range are built well for durability and have some pretty nifty features.
You won’t need to compromise on things like having a milk frother or not (as compared to some $300 espresso machines), but you may want to consider which type of boiler or group head you can afford.
We’ve broken down the key elements to consider before purchasing your very own home espresso machine!
Types of Espresso Machines
There are four main types of espresso machines ranging from extremely hands-on to just needing to push a button: lever espresso machines, semi-automatic machines, automatic, and fully-automatic espresso machines.
Lever, or manual espresso machines, are for coffee enthusiasts who love a challenge every time. You control every single aspect of pulling a quality espresso, from the pressure used to the speed of the shot.
It’s all done manually, so you will need to exert physical effort for every use. Manual espresso machines tend to be on the less expensive end of at-home espresso machines but usually don’t incorporate other elements such as a steam wand or grinder, which will add additional costs.
Automatic machines and semi-automatic are very similar and are the most common types of espresso machines used within cafe settings and for at-home espresso stations. Both these types use a pump for pressure, rather than a manual lever.
The difference between semi-automatic and automatic is that semi-automatic espresso machines allow you to manually stop the espresso shot once it’s extracted for as long as you’d like.
Specialized coffee baristas prefer this style as it allows maximum control of each element of the shot. Automatic espresso machines will have a timed shut-off, allowing you to walk away from the machine and know that your espresso won’t be over-extracted or overflowing.
Fully-automatic espresso machines will do it all. From grinding and tamping within the machine to frothing and distributing the milk, these machines are the whole barista. These range from pod machines like a Keurig all the way to high-end, office-style machines like Jura automatic espresso machines.
Things to Consider: how much effort do you want to put into learning your machine? How much time do you have each day to spend focusing on the process?
Visual Appeal and Size
Espresso machines are visually quite appealing, and rightfully so! They take up a good amount of space and aren’t easily movable, meaning they’ll likely be out and visible all the time.
Finding a style that matches yours and fits into the aesthetic of your kitchen is a key element of consideration when shopping. Don’t forget to also consider the space you have available. Most espresso machines will take up a cubic foot of space or more on your kitchen counter.
You will also want to consider storage space for the other appliances and tools necessary to work your machine, as listed below.
Ease of Use
Every type of espresso machine has some sort of interface to control your settings. Depending on the type of machine you get, this may be a dial or buttons to control temperatures and pressures, or it could be a computer screen to customize exactly how much espresso to milk you want.
Consider how much effort you want to put into learning your machine and note the complexity of each machine’s interface before purchasing.
If you like maximum control, look for machines that allow you to customize settings and drink preferences, or which have full control of each element of the machine.
Boiler Type
At home, automatic and semi-automatic espresso machines will either have one or two boilers. With one boiler, you can’t brew espresso and steam at the same time as that requires different water temperatures and pressures. One boiler is much more cost-effective, both for espresso machine models and for power usage.
Although more expensive, having two boilers gives a more streamlined process where you can pull a shot and froth your milk simultaneously, making the process quicker and more efficient.
Some models use a heat exchange with one boiler, which can give you a two-boiler feel as it allows for steaming and brewing to work together. The drawback of having a heat exchange is that it takes more effort in terms of upkeep as it needs to be flushed with each use for cooling purposes.
Maintenance and Longevity
Spending up to $2000 on an appliance is no light decision and is certainly one that can be considered an investment. Your purchase should reflect that in quality and longevity. The last thing needed is an espresso machine that stops working within six months.
Most espresso machines are created with durability in mind and many manufacturers have recommended technicians or service centers where you can get new parts or work done on your machine.
Be sure to find out this information before making a purchase as it’ll determine the ease of fixing when your machine begins to show some wear and tear.
Features Included
The last thing to consider is any additional tools you might need to get with your espresso machine. We always recommend using freshly ground espresso beans for maximum quality, and this is best achieved in your own grinder if there isn’t one built into the espresso machine.
Check out our top picks for espresso grinders to get started on your search. If your espresso machine does not include them, you’ll want to invest in a quality tamper and may also want to consider the ease of a grind knocker for convenient disposing of your espresso grinds.
Let’s Lay It Out
La Pavoni Miele De’Longhi Rancilio Rocket Jura E6 Breville
Type of EM Lever/
Manual Super-Automatic Semi-Automatic Semi- Automatic Manual Super- Automatic Semi- Automatic
Boiler Type Single N/A Single Dual Single w/ Heat-exchange N/A Therma-coil
Tank Capacity 1.12 L 1.3 L 2.5 L 1 L 2.5L 64 oz 67 oz
Wattage 1000 watts 1.45 KW 1450 watts 1300 Watts 1200 Watts 1450 Watts 1680 watts
Dimension 14.6"D x 16.1"W x 9.8"H 9.5"D x 18.1"W x 14.2"H 14"D x 16.5"W x 18.5"H 16.5"D x 10"W x 15.2"H 17"D x 10.5"W x 14.2"H 11"D x 17.3"W x 13.8"H 12.7"D x 15.5"W x 16"H
Warranty 1 Year 2 Year Limited 2 Years 2 Years Limited 3 Year 2 Year Limited 1 Year Limited
Variety of Drinks Espresso and steamer 12+ Espresso and steamer Espresso and steamer Espresso and steamer 7 programmable drinks Espresso and steamer
Manual
FAQ
We hope that you have a good idea of where to start when purchasing your at-home espresso machine after viewing our recommendations and considerations.
We’ve also answered any last lingering questions you may have left.
What Brand of Espresso Machine Is Best?
There are many great and reputable espresso machine brands that have withstood the test of time.
Some of these brands and manufacturers are the ones we’ve recommended above; Miele, De’Longhi, Breville, LaPavoni, and Jura.
How Much Does a Decent Espresso Machine Cost?
Espresso machines range from $100 to several thousands of dollars, and with enough time, dedication, and commitment to learning your machine, you can get a great espresso from most selections.
However, for a long-lasting machine that will continue to produce fantastic espresso over and over again, the more you’ll need to budget.
We’ve got you covered with recommendations for machines under $200, $300, $500, and $1000 to find the best ones for you, no matter your budget!
Which Type of Espresso Machine Should You Look For?
That depends on how much effort you want to put into learning your machine and what types of drinks you want.
For minimum effort, look for super-automatic or fully-automatic espresso machines. For a more hands-on experience that requires more learning, look for semi-automatic or manual espresso machines.
Conclusion
Whether you’ve decided to go with an easy, push-of-a-button super-automatic machine like the Jura E6 or have decided to do the most hands-on approach as possible with a lever espresso machine, we hope that you are soon sipping and enjoying your favorite espresso drink within the comfort of your home.
Happy Caffeinating!
