6 Best espresso machines for a perfect day’s start

A great cup of coffee can start off your day right. So, we turned to the experts at FindTheBest to help us track down the six best espresso machines you can buy. The espresso machines were ranked based on three criteria: machine class type, length of warranty, and size of water tank (the more amount of water the machine holds, the more stable the water temperature is — making the taste of espresso more consistent).

1. Rancilio Silvia ($639/Rs 38,180)

The 74-ounce, single-boiler Rancilio Silvia is the creme de la creme of espresso machines. The mid-size water tank generates Starbucks-quality coffee, and still fits under your kitchen cabinets. It boasts an above-average 11 bars of pressure, brass boiler that resists corrosion over time, two-year warranty, and manual-controlled pump for espresso that’s just right.

2. Ascaso Steel BAR ($900/Rs 53,700)

The Ascaso Steel BAR allows drinkers to customise the f lavour of the espresso, by manually engaging the pump that controls water f low. With a 169-ounce water tank, this machine is a beast capable of yielding 164 shots.

3. Breville 800ESXL ($349/Rs 20,850)

The general school of thought is that a great tasting espresso shot should be brewed with nine bars of pressure, or nine times the atmospheric pressure at sea level. The Breville 800ESXL goes above and beyond, forcing water through the coffee grinds at 15 bars of pressure.

4. Cuisinart EM-200 ($199/Rs 11,890)

Another bang-for-your-buck brewing system, the Cuisinart EM-200 costs $1,000 (Rs 59,835) less than the average super-automatic espresso machine. One of the most affordable machines in the market, it doesn’t compromise on quality — the 69-ounce tank has a single boiler with heat exchanger so you can brew and steam milk at the same time.

5. Krups XP5240 ($299/Rs 17,860)

This automatic espresso machine is pump-driven, for a better tasting cup every time. Perfectionists will delight in the Krups XP5240’s separate steam wand, which can be used to manually steam the milk for espresso and latte drinks and control the amount of foam.

6. Cuisinart EM-100 ($179/Rs 10,650 )

Amateur at-home baristas can experiment with coffeemaking without a huge financial investment. The bargain Cuisinart EM-100 is smaller, resulting in somewhat less stable water temperature, but it still has automated controls for pump pressure and water temperature like a semi-automatic machine.