If you love espresso but don't like the effort and attention required to brew great coffee, a fully automatic espresso machine might be just what you need. Fully automatic espresso machines are designed to automatically brew espresso from start to finish. That means grinding beans, heating water, brewing, and even frothing cappuccinos and lattes while you sit around.
If this sounds good to you, you're not alone. Fully automatic espresso machines have been around for a long time and are the pinnacle of home espresso preparation. Note, however, that these machines are not cheap. Espresso is usually an expensive hobby, but fully automatic machines take that expense to a whole new level. If you really want the best hands-on espresso experience money can buy, sit back and let us guide you through the world of super automatic espresso machines. These assessments are designed to meet everyone's many different priorities.
Depending on different circumstances, each super-automatic espresso machines will be selected to be the most suitable. So, check our review below to select the best for different categories, and followed by a more in-depth review of each coffee machine:
- De’Longhi Magnifica Super Automatic Espresso Machine
- Gaggia 59101 Brera Super Automatic Espresso Machine
- Breville Oracle Touch Fully Automatic Espresso Machine
- Philips 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine
Best Overall Super Automatic Espresso Machine - De’Longhi Magnifica
Pros: Tons of brew options; Programmable preferences for saving your settings; Steel burr grinder with 13 settings; and Easy to clean.
Cons: Manually operated frother.
De’Longhi Magnifica Super Automatic Espresso Machine
First, we have the De'Longhi Magnifica Super Automatic Espresso Machine. The grinder comes with a high-quality steel grinder with 13 settings to automatically grind your coffee when needed. Once the coffee is ground, the coffee grounds are compacted, the water is heated, and the pressure pump starts the brewing process while you watch. It's easy to use and you can control tons of options for the perfect shot.
A very neat feature is the ability to save your settings for future use. Once set up, you can brew the perfect espresso with just one button. We also like that the brewing unit is removable for easy cleaning without any special tools.
There's a reason this machine takes our top spot, and there's nothing to complain about. If we had to be picky, we'd focus on the frother, it's really nothing special. Other machines are equipped with automatic bubblers to make your job easier. While it would be nice to have, this machine does literally everything else with best-in-class results.
Best Value Super Automatic Espresso Machine - Gaggia 59101 Brera
Pros: Extremely good value; Customizable drink settings; and Built-in steam wand
Cons: Only holds five used pucks; and The water reservoir is small
Gaggia 59101 Brera Super Automatic Espresso Machine
The Gaggia 59101 Brera Super Automatic Espresso Machine is our runner-up. Even though it doesn't provide nearly the same degree of performance as the De'Longhi, it is still one of the most cost-effective super-automatic espresso machines available.
The grinder is the first place where Gaggia has made savings. The ceramic burr set on the 59101 Brera replaces the steel burr grind. Steel and ceramic both offer comparable levels of grind performance, but steel is more durable.
Other than that, the Gaggia functions nicely. It offers a variety of preprogrammed drinks, and you can also design your own unique drink settings, which is convenient. Because the brew group is detachable, cleaning is much simpler. There is a manual steam wand included.
The affordability of this equipment is one of its main selling points. Despite being substantially less expensive than the majority of other super-automatic machines, it nonetheless produces excellent coffee. Less durable ceramic burr and a lesser capacity are the trade-offs. Only five used pucks and 20 ounces of water can be stored in the water reservoir. As a result, you'll need to refill the reservoir and get rid of the used pucks periodically.
Best Super Automatic Espresso Machine for Advanced Users - Breville Oracle Touch
Pros: True one-button experience; An extensive list of pre-programmed drinks to choose from; Highest quality conical steel burr set; and Copious settings to play with
Cons: Exorbitantly expensive
Breville Oracle Touch Fully Automatic Espresso Machine
If you thought the cost of the first two machines was high, prepare for a rude awakening. Everything you could possibly want in an espresso maker is included in the Breville Fully Automatic Espresso Machine. You can choose from a variety of pre-set settings on the touch screen to create a drink. The settings for cappuccinos, lattes, and flat whites are available. Almost every beverage you might possibly purchase at a coffee shop comes with a built-in pre-programmed setting.
The right number of beans are automatically ground using the brushed steel conical burr set and tamped once you've chosen what you want. A pre-infusion stage ensures that you get the best extraction while an electronic sensor regulates the brew temperature during the actual brewing process. Even the settings for frothing are programmable and automatic.
Other than the price, which is astronomically high, there are no drawbacks. This is the pinnacle of preparing espresso at home. Owning this machine is the closest thing to having a live-in barista. This is without a doubt the machine for you if you have a lot of money to spend on espresso and want a genuine one-button experience.
Philips 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine
Pros: Many drinks to choose from; Adjustable strength settings; Unique no tubes milk system; and Easy to clean
Cons: Ceramic burr set
Philips 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine
That is a hard act to follow, but the Philips 3200 Series is the only device that can do it. It is considerably less expensive than the Breville to begin with, but the quality is obviously lot lower as well. Similar to the Gaggia, this machine has a ceramic burr set that compromises durability for savings.
You can customize the cocktails from an outstanding list according to your preferences. The straightforward frothing system is what distinguishes this machine from others. When you make a drink that calls for frothed milk, the machine does it automatically and adds it to your cup. It is a tubeless system, so even if milk is used, no cleanup is necessary. If you routinely make lattes and cappuccinos, this is a significant benefit.
Although we are not very fond of the ceramic burrs, we recognize that the money saved by using ceramic burrs is what enables them to cram so many fantastic features into a machine that is reasonably priced. Overall, this machine is excellent value for the money, especially if you anticipate using it primarily for cappuccinos or lattes.
