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- The 10 Best Espresso Machine Under $2,000 | Ultimate 2021 Guide
The 10 Best Espresso Machine Under $2,000 | Ultimate 2021 Guide
In my years of coffee sipping and exploration, I’ve gone through a lot of different machines. From drip to percolate, french press to pour over, and now a really great semi-automatic that I love.
If I’m not looking for a better-tasting cup, I’m replacing a broken machine. Admittedly, early on this is my own fault because I wasn’t ready to invest in a quality machine until I moved on to my Breville.
Sub-par coffee and machine replacement is always a serious disappointment. When you add up what I’ve spent over the years, it almost certainly equals or surpasses some of the machines we’re looking at here.
The Final Shot: The Jura Impressa E8 is our top pick for the under $2,000 budget range. The Swiss-made quality, fully automated brewing system, extra quiet and speedy grinder and range of customization options put it on another level.
While all of the options on this list are definitely not in the average budget, if you’ve saved or if you just have the extra cash to spend, you’ll find each of the machines here will offer a unique and incredibly satisfying espresso experience.
Why spend $2,000 on an espresso machine? For those of us to whom coffee is not just a beverage but a way of life, a one-time investment in any of the following machines will pay for itself in convenience and superiority.
I also dare you to add up what you spend at your local coffee shop each week, month and year. It might really surprise you.
Contents
Top 10 Espresso Machines Under $2000 in 2021
Breville BES980XL Oracle Espresso Machine
Product Name- 4.5Rating
- $$$$$Price
- AutomaticMachine Type
Jura E8 Espresso Coffee Machine
Product Name- 4.3Rating
- $$$$$Price
- AutomaticMachine Type
Saeco PicoBaristo Super Automatic Espresso Machine
Product Name- 3.8Rating
- $$$$$Price
- Super AutomaticMachine Type
1. Jura E8 Espresso Coffee Machine Review
First off, let’s take a look at the Swiss-made Jura E8. This by far one of the best engineered and thoughtful espresso machines on the market, and truthfully, while I love my Breville, it’s my dream machine.
Why? It’s a little like an espresso butler. All the guesswork is removed from the process and what you’re left with is simple: a perfectly made cup of your favorite latte or cappuccino.
There’s no need to be intimidated by foaming techniques or ratios of milk to espresso as the Impressa is a fully automatic espresso machine and takes care of all of that for you.
It also comes with all the tech a modern espresso lover could want: TFT color screen integration along with easy programming to customize and save your favorite beverages. For new drinks, you can use the buttons to scroll through brewing options, and press the button to select your beverage of choice. It includes up to 16 drink varieties so there’s a little something to satisfy everyone.
It can be tricky to master the perfect micro-foaming technique with a traditional steam wand (I’ve spent years perfecting my technique), but the Jura eliminates the need to monitor your milk foam. It acts as your own personal barista by running cold milk through the machine and turning it into perfect foam on demand.
Another favorite feature: If you’re playing host and taking coffee orders for your guests and one of them asks for a decaf, you don’t have to spend extra time cleaning out the grinder. The E8 comes equipped with an additional powder chute that allows you to pour pre-ground coffee directly into the machine, so you can go from caffeinated to decaffeinated instantly. This is also a great feature if you like to bounce between different bean varieties and want to have them pre-loaded.
I also appreciate that the grinder on the E8 also features 6-level Aromag3 technology to preserve the integrity of the bean, reduces noise and also grinds 2 times faster than most conventional stand alone grinders. If you’ve read more than a few of my articles, you know I’m a stickler for grind quality and convenience, the Jura really outperforms most everyone else on both counts.
This model from Jura also comes equipped with an adjustable spout that can accommodate glasses of all heights, even travel mugs, which is essential if you’re on your way out the door. My Breville doesn’t do this and it’s one of my biggest gripes about it.
Customizability is also a major sweet spot with the E8. You can select both your brew strength and volume to tailor your drink to your specific preferences before milk foaming and frothing. The PEP (pulse-extraction process) is intelligently designed to maximize the flavor of the bean during the extraction process and deliver a more perfect shot.
The Jura E8 is a premium designed machine that is a bit like owning a Ferrari – you enjoy all the bells and whistles, beautiful stylish and a fast and seamless end result: perfect espresso with no work from you. If you have the budget, this is the ultimate in luxury coffee at home.
2. Breville BES980XL Oracle Espresso Machine Review
If you’ve spent any time on this site you know a few things about me: 1) I’m passionate about coffee, 2) I’m constantly making lattes for my wife, and 3) I love the Breville brand.
While my budget doesn’t extend to the Oracle, if you’re looking for a slightly less super-automatic machine (is that a new technical term?) without the butler service level of the Jura, this is the perfect pick for a similar price point.
What’s to love? Most functions are hands-free and automatic: the built-in conical burr grinder automatically grinds, doses and tamps the necessary amount of coffee for whatever beverage you’re brewing right into the portafilter. You’re still transferring the portafilter before extraction, but there’s no skill required and its a quick changeover.
For automation, The Oracle also offers programmed hands-free milk frothing, similar to the Jura. While you’ll still need to fill your pitcher with milk and place it under the spout, instead of using an integrated milk system, it’s easy and there are no skills to learn before enjoying the perfect latte or cappuccino. And the best part? The wand is self-cleaning so you’re not stick chiseling dried milk off before enjoying your drink.
The tech side of the Oracle isn’t quite at the Jura level – you’re still using a black and white LCD display with buttons and rotary dials. Though more basic, it’s intuitive and easy to use, allowing for more user control over variables like temperature, espresso volume and dose.
The Oracle also includes a one-touch Americano button that pulls a perfect shot with hot water for a quick and easy Americano-style beverage.
On the internal side, Breville packs dual stainless steel boilers and Italian-made pumps with digital temperature control technology for extraction that is ideally balanced for an optimal, consistent shot.
If you’re interested in being a little more hands on with your morning coffee ritual, the Breville Oracle is a great, nuanced machine that lets you tinker with key settings but avoid any of the hassle of a less automated machine.
3. Saeco HD8927/47 PicoBaristo Super Automatic Espresso Machine
Many of the machines featured here are super-automatics and make the brewing process feel luxurious and as hands-off as possible. The PicoBarista from Saeco falls in that category and has some fun top-end features.
Designed with a 15 bar Italian pump, it has all the high-end internal parts to make the external experience smooth, including a quick heat boiler to allow for immediate brewing of one shot after another, a durable, internal ceramic burr grinder with top access and a 10 grind settings, a side-mounted water tank with integrated filter, a removable brewgroup for easy cleaning, and a side-mounted milk pitcher and automatic frothing mechanism.
The automated touch-screen control panel allows you to select and customize your beverage from up to 15 different drinks. You also have the option to save up to 6 user profiles so the machine remembers your favorites and makes early morning pre-coffee selection hassle-free. You can literally use this machine half asleep.
The external design is also sleek and modern while still maintaining functionality and limiting it’s overall footprint so the Pico isn’t dominating your whole countertop.
All components are easily removable to making cleaning simple and the aQua clean water filter eliminates the need to perform any de-scaling for up to 5,000 cups. That’s a big deal. The steaming system also has it’s own internal clean mechanism so no added work from you is required.
Saeco basically gives you a personal at home barista genie in a small, stainless steel covered package. This is a great pick if you prefer to be hands-off with your espresso preparation and want to just sit back and enjoy the coffee magic.
4. Delonghi ECAM45760B Digital Super Automatic Espresso Machine with Latte Crema System Review
When it comes to espresso machines, Delonghi is another top level brand that earns it’s spot on any short list.
This particular model has a lot of features comparable to our top picks but it falls a little short on styling, quality of materials and the lack of tech when it comes to the display and selection. It’s just a little clunky and less streamlined than our fave options.
Like the Breville, the ECAM comes with a built-in conical burr grinder with adjustable settings to customize your grind coarseness. A nice second chamber allows you to store a pre-gorund option, like the Jura, so you can have a stash of decaf or another variety if you want to spice things up.
Next up, the milk frother: Their LatteCrema system is not unlike the Jura and sauce where the milk is maintained in a canister and is automatically drawn through the machine for steaming and frothing. The wand is self-maintaining and refilling is easy.
The LED screen on this machine is pretty tiny and there are a ton of different buttons to control temperature, volume, frothing and bean grind. Drink choices are limited to 11 and there is no pre-programming favorites and saving them for later. It’s not intuitive and can feel pretty dated in comparison to the Jura and Saeco screens in particular.
Internally, it also has two themoblocks so heat up is instant and switching between extraction and frothing is easy.
This is a great machine that has a lot of solid super-automatic features that make a morning coffee ritual simple and easy.
5. Breville BES920XL Dual Boiler Espresso Machine
Always a top pick, I love just about anything that comes from Breville and the Dual Boiler is no exception.
This is a great high-end espresso option that more involved users will love. As a semi-automatic, you’ll need a little bit of skill, but it’s a fun machine to learn on and it won’t take long to hone your technique.
Features on the Dual Boiler include: dual stainless steel boilers (duh!) and dual Italian pumps for simultaneous extraction and steaming, an over-pressure valve to limit extraction pressure for pulling the perfect shot, PID temperature control for precision water temp adjustment, flexible shot control for selection between one or two shots, a backlit LCD screen, and removable water tank.
The stainless steel frothing wand is easy to become comfortable with and is perfect for whipping up a latte or cappuccino. Powered by its own boiler, you can froth and brew at the same time. The wand is also nuanced enough to create perfect micro-foam for latte art.
This model does not include the built-in grinder, so just keep in mind you’ll have to have a separate appliance for that with this particular model.
6. Gaggia RI9700/64 Babila Espresso Machine Review
Another solid pick, the Babila from Gaggia is a great super-automatic machine with sleek styling and most of our favorite features.
This machine reminds me of the Delonghi. Its a classic Italian brand and has all the key features of the big boys, but just falls short on the interface and some of the bells and whistles we’ve gotten used to for this budget level.
The milk-frothing system is a bit of a hybrid on the Gaggia – it offers a milk carafe for automated frothing, but the system isn’t quite sophisticated enough to handle all the nuance of lattes and macchiatos so a manual wand is included for some textured drinks that the automated system can’t handle. This requires a little more skill and maintenance than most of the other machines on our list.
Total number of drink options is 8, which is still respectable but not the range of out top picks. Selection is one touch, which is a nice ease-of-use features.
The extraction process customization is a little more manual with an adjustable flow-knob, rather than digital calibration.
It does feature a great conical burr grinder with a bypass dose so you can switch between whole bean and pre-ground coffee as needed. The telescopic coffee dispenser is reminiscent of the Jura set up and will allow you to brew right into a travel mug if needed.
The screen is a little more basic, offering a black and white LED with some pre-programming options. It tries to keep up, but it falls far short with the beauty of the Saeco display and personalization options.
In terms of drink quality, it brews just as beautifully as the other options on our list. You’re not sacrificing overall drink quality, just some of the bells and whistles that accompany it.
7. Quickmill Alexia Espresso Machine Review
I really enjoy the old school Italian design of this machine. It is BEAUTIFUL to look at and made with all commercial grade components.
The Quickmill also stands out from the other options on our list as it is not a super-automatic machine. This one is all manual switches, timing and skill.
If you are interested in having more control over your espresso brewing process and finessing the extraction and frothing, this is the pick for you.
So what does it have to offer? A PID brew temperature adjustment, easy access expansion valve, a manual frothing wand, three position power switch, easy pull out drip tray, and cup warmer.
Using this machine is an old school experience. It is mechanical art and designed for only the most serious espresso drinker. This is not the machine to act as a concierge for your morning coffee. This is the machine if you want to be the Italian barista of your own home, enjoying only the best components and materials.
8. La Pavoni PC-16 Professional Espresso Machine
For the true espresso connoisseurs, the La Pavoni is the ultimate in manual extraction and a true example of Italian coffee artistry.
This machine is not for the newbies or those looking for a quick shot in the mornings. Using La Pavoni is more of an experience than an efficiency.
So how does it even work and what does it include? This is a manual, so the action of raising the lever allows water to infuse the grounds while depressing the lever pushes the heated water through the portafilter to complete the extraction. Varying this speed will change the strength and overall flavor of the shot. It has a single button for turning it on to heat and has a steaming mechanism just for making cappuccinos. The 38 ounce boiler allows you to pull up to 16 two ounce cups of espresso without refilling.
The entire machine is chrome-plated brass with a heavy-duty stainless steel base. It is crafted in Italy and has beautiful detailing.
9. KRUPS EA9010 Fully Auto Cappuccino Machine Espresso Maker Review
This option from Krups is a fully-automatic machine with a great tech set up and smooth styling.
It offers automatic adjustments for grind, volume, and temperature with options for 17 drinks recipes with the touch of a button on a clean, easy to navigate color display. It also includes the option to program in favorite drink specifications and strength preferences.
Frothing is 2-step and totally automatic, though you will need to add the milk directly to the cup as it doesn’t come with a separate milk container. This isn’t ideal for latte options, and is just a little less refined than some of the other systems we’ve reviewed. The wand does self-clean so that’s a major win for this unit.
The grinder is a solid metal conical burr style with a range of adjustment options to customize grind coarseness. It does not include a separate chamber for pre-ground beans.
The KRUPS is a solid performer without some of the extra features fo the higher priced options. If it’s in the budget, I recommend splurging on the Juras, Breville or Saeco for a more curated experience.
10. Miele CM6150 OneTouch Countertop Super Automatic Coffee & Espresso Machine Review
The styling of this little Miele is one of my favorites from the whole line up. It looks like a sleek apple product that just so happens to make amazing coffee.
It’s a bit pared down compared to some of the beasts on this list but it has all the core features you should expect in this price range.
Key components include: automatic customizable milk frothing for cappuccino drinks, 8 drink varieties, dual extraction for preparing two beverages at the same time, up to 4 programmable user profiles, customizable conical burr grinder, temperature and volume customization, pre-brewing technology and adjustable spout for preparing drinks in larger vessels.
This is a great little machine with a lot of fully automatic features that will really streamline a morning coffee experience.
You deserve a home brewing experience to rival the local coffee shop, and all of these machines will make next level espresso. Each one has unique features that require careful consideration, but once you make your choice, you’ll never go back to using any other machine again.
Questions? Leave a comment below!
Chatting about coffee is my passion! Leave me a question in the comments, I answer each and every one and would love to get to know you better.
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4-Week Free Espresso E-mail Course!
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Week 2 - Coffee Beans
Week 3 - Types of Drinks
Week 4 - Advanced Brewing
Join Mike (me) and learn all the basics of making great tasting espresso!
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About the Author Michael York
I am a die-hard espresso fan. I love every form of the drink from straight espresso shots to lattes and cappuccinos. I currently use a Breville BES870XL Barista, it is an awesome machine. BUT, my dream machine is definitely an Italian Quickmill Andreja. Those bad boys make badass espresso. I love answering your questions, leave a comment or question below!
