To discover the best fully automatic espresso machine on the market we took a comprehensive approach. We looked at the best machines overall and, before we discovered our winner, we researched the top four contenders.
Let's start with a broad, top-level, perspective giving you an overview of our results:
Best Fully Super Automatic Espresso Machine - Overall  Jura Giga 5 | Best Bean to Cup Automatic Coffee Machine for the Money  DeLonghi Gran Dama | Best Bean to Cup Espresso Machine - Overall DeLonghi Gran Dama | Best Fully Automatic Espresso Machine for Large Households  Jura Impressa XS90 | Best Fully Automatic Coffee Machine Offering the Most Grind Settings DeLonghi Gran Dama |
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Best Fully Super Automatic Espresso Machine - Overall
OUR PICK | RUNNER-UP | BEST PRICE | ALSO GREAT | |
 OVERALL BEST Best Fully Super Automatic Machine |
Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
|  Saeco Xelsis SS *Product is no longer available. |  DeLonghi Gran Dama |  |
Rating | ||||
Price | $$$$$ | $$$ | $$ | $$$ |
Dimensions | 20” x 17” x 13” | 13” x 20” x 19.8” | 11.1” x 14.8” x 16.8” | 17.5” x 14” x 11.2” |
Weight | 40 pounds | 35 pounds | 29 pounds | 22 pounds |
Reservoir Size | 87 ounces | 54 ounces | 60 ounces | 64 ounces |
Boiler | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel, and both feature Thermoblock technology | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel, and both feature Thermoblock technology | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel, and both feature Thermoblock technology | Single boiler is aluminum and lined with stainless steel. Features Thermoblock technology |
Adjustable Coffee Spigots? | Yes, accommodates cups from 2.5” to 6” in height | Yes, accommodates cups from 2” to 6” in height | Yes, accommodates cups from 2” to 6” in height | Yes, accommodates cups ranging from 2.2” to 4.4” in height |
Number of Grind Settings | Two grinders (and two bean hoppers). Grinders are ceramic, conical burr with 5 grind settings, paired with two 9.8-ounce bean hoppers | Ceramic, conical burr grinder with 8 grind settings, paired with a 10-ounce bean hopper | Ceramic, conical burr grinder with 13 grind settings, paired with a 7-ounce bean hopper | Stainless-steel conical burr grinder with 6 grind settings, paired with an 11-ounce bean hopper |
Milk Frothing Technology | Auto-frother | Has both an auto-frother and a conventional steam wand | Auto-frother, with dial-controlled foam | Auto-frother with Jura’s patented “fine foam” technology |
Has Cup Warming Tray? | No | Yes, passively heated | Yes, passively heated | No |
Pros | A simply incredible machine. Jura pulled out all the stops here, and included just about every feature under the sun. Plus, it has the ability to create your own custom blends by pulling beans from both hoppers in varying quantity | Extremely robust, well-rounded, and feature-rich machine that caters to both casual drinkers and purists alike | Surprisingly inexpensive, Ultra convenient, easy to use, and has a superb self-cleaning mode | Extreme ease of use and tremendous value for the money. Even coffee purists will appreciate the auto-frother, which is excellent |
Cons | Ridiculously expensive. A machine like this cries out for user profiles, and they weren’t included | Could stand a larger water tank, & more grind settings | Bean hopper is too small, we’d love to see the display upgraded to TFT (Thin Film Transistor) | Bean hopper is too small, we’d love to see the display upgraded to TFT (Thin Film Transistor) |
Recommended For | Power coffee drinkers and large households, primarily, but this machine can even stand up to the rigors of being used in a busy office setting. Not recommended for casual users or hobbyists. | Anyone. Easy enough for newbies to master, yet allows the kind of fine-grained control that purists will adore. | Coffee enthusiasts looking for ease of use and great value/cost ratio. | Users looking for an extremely practical easy-to-use top-notch machine. |
Our Winner - Jura Giga 5
If you’ve read other “best fully automatic espresso machine reviews” on the web, then you’ve almost certainly seen the Giga 5 mentioned before, and with good reasons. It is a ridiculously capable machine with very few drawbacks.
In every way that matters, it’s like getting two machines, rolled into one, and the way it is designed, it allows you to do something that no other machine on our list of finalists can match. You can create your very own custom blends of coffee on the fly, by missing various percentages of beans from both hoppers.
Do you want to create a half-caf cappuccino? Just load one hopper with decaf beans and pull half from each hopper. The possibilities that the double hopper and double grinder give you are virtually endless.
With its tank and hopper capacity, this machine can handle just about anything you can throw at it. It’ll have no difficulty meeting the needs of a large household, even if it’s made up of several power drinkers, and the double boiler means minimum wait time when crafting a milk-based drink.
For all its strengths, the Giga 5 does have a few shortcomings. None of them are what we’d consider deal breakers, but they are all issues you should be aware of. In no particular order, they are:
No matter how you slice it though, and even with these shortcomings, the Giga 5 is one of the best machines on the market today in any category (semi- or super auto), and in our view, is well deserving of top honors on our list.
Saeco Xelsis
This is another model that makes a lot of “best super automatic espresso machine reviews,” and with good reason. Saeco Xelsis costs less than our top pick, which makes it more accessible to a broad swath of the market. It’s very similar in terms of capabilities to the Gran Dama, and it was agonizing trying to decide which one to place second, but this model won by a nose in the end. As Saeco’s flagship model, it just provides a slightly more polished presentation.
It’s a simply magnificent machine, offering a staggering number of customization options, allowing you to craft exactly the kind of drink you want. A lot of lesser machines offer pre-programmed drinks, but don’t give you many options to adjust the flavor as you like. That’s not the case here!
The grinder is good but falls short of being excellent. It’s ceramic and offers eight grind settings, and is paired with a ten-ounce bean hopper. That’s a good fit, given its 54-ounce water tank, although in our view, both could stand an upgrade.
Since we’re on the topic of the model’s shortcomings. There aren’t many, but we’ll list them here:
Overall, this is a near perfect machine. If you’re a power drinker who lives alone or live in a smaller household filled with casual coffee drinkers, and you can’t afford our top pick, this one is an excellent alternative.
DeLonghi Gran Dama
The Gran Dama is another of the best bean to cup coffee makers on the market today, and is almost shockingly low-priced, given its capabilities. In fact, its modest price is one of the things we love about the model.
It’s got a lot more going for it than just a relatively low price tag though. One of favorite aspects is the fact that the grinder offers you a whopping 13 grind settings. There are a few super autos that offer more grind settings, but they suffer from a relative lack of features as compared to the Gran Dama.
While it doesn’t offer quite as many drink customization options as the Xelsis, it’s got a quite robust feature set, and the impressive number of grind settings, combined with the excellent self-cleaning options very nearly make up the difference. Our only real gripe with this model is the fact that the bean hopper could stand to be a little bigger. It’s slightly undersized, given the presence of the sixty-ounce water tank.
Speaking of the water reservoir, it’s slightly bigger than the one offered by the Xelsis, making it better able to keep pace with power drinkers and larger households. A great model, and well worth your consideration.
Jura Impressa F8 TFT
A somewhat surprising entry on our “best super automatic coffee maker” list, the F8 is not quite as capable as the other entrants, but it still has a lot going for it.
For one thing, it’s the only single boiler model listed. You might consider that to be a weakness, but consider: If you don’t drink many milk-based specialty coffee drinks, then there’s little reason to spend the extra money on a double boiler machine.
Besides, with Thermoblock technology, your wait time as the boiler shifts from brewing to milk-steaming mode is minimal, and its generously sized water tank makes it more than capable of keeping pace with power drinkers and larger households.
As to downsides, the big things to be aware of are as follows:
The grinder could use an upgrade. Stainless steel isn’t bad, but can sometimes be problematic if you’re brewing drinks in rapid succession. That’s because the burrs, being metal, can heat up and burn your grounds, which will ruin the flavor of whatever drink you’re making.
It’s got an average number of grind settings, which could stand improvement too, but it’s certainly acceptable for most users.
The only other potential problem is the fact that it uses an auto-frother, and coffee purists won’t like that, preferring a conventional steam wand. Having said that, Jura’s patented “fine foam” technology produces milk froth better than most auto-frothers, and even many purists will like the end-result. A great machine, and a serious contender.
Best Super Automatic Espresso Coffee Machine – Alternate Measures
While we stand by our top picks, we readily acknowledge that not everyone is looking for the same things when searching for the best bean to cup machine for them and their families.
“Best” is subjective, depending on exactly what you’re looking for in a super automatic espresso machine. Because of that, we’ll take a deeper look and examine the concept through a few other lenses.
The Value Proposition – Best Bean to Cup Automatic Coffee Machine for the Money
If you’re on a budget and looking for the best super automatic espresso maker in terms of machines providing the biggest bang for the buck, then you’re going to love this part of our review.
As before, we’ll start by taking a top-level view of our finalists, then talk about each one in turn and what makes them special.
OUR PICK | ||||
OVERALL BEST Best Bean to Cup Automatic Coffee Machine for the Money |
Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Delonghi ESAM5500B Perfecta Digital Super Automatic Espresso Machine with Cappuccino Function, Black
$1,048.88
Buy this item
Amazon.com
Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Rating | 4.93 | 4.87 | 4.93 | 4.56 |
Price | $$ | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ |
Style | Semi Automatic | Super Automatic | Semi Automatic, Combination | Super Automatic |
Dimensions | 11.1” x 14.8” x 16.8” | 16” x 11” x 13.5” | 20” x 14.4” x 19.9” | 11.2” x 17.3” x 14.9” |
Weight | 29 pounds | 21 pounds | 40 pounds | 25.9 pounds |
Reservoir Size | 60 ounces | 64 ounces | 54 ounces | 57 ounces |
Boiler | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel, and both feature Thermoblock technology | Single boiler, aluminum, lined with stainless steel and featuring Thermoblock technology | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel, and both feature Thermoblock technology | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel and both feature Thermoblock technology |
Adjustable Coffee Spigots? | Yes, accommodates cups from 2” to 6” in height | Yes, will accommodate cups up to 4.25” in height | Yes, accommodates cups from 2.5” to 6” in height | Yes, will accommodate cups up to 4.5” in height |
Number of Grind Settings | Ceramic, conical burr grinder with 13 grind settings, paired with a 7-ounce bean hopper | Stainless steel, conical burr grinder with 6 settings, paired with an 8-ounce bean hopper | Ceramic, conical burr grinder with 8 grind settings, paired with a 12-ounce bean hopper | Stainless steel, conical burr grinder with seven grind settings, paired with a 10 ounce bean hopper |
Milk Frothing Technology | Auto-frother, with dial-controlled foam | Auto-frother | Has both an auto-frother and a conventional steam wand | Utilizes an auto frother, rather than a conventional steam wand |
Has Cup Warming Tray? | Yes, passively heated | Yes, passively heated | Yes, passively heated | Yes, passively heated |
Pros | Surprisingly inexpensive, Ultra convenient, easy to use, and has a superb self-cleaning mode | Very newbie friendly. Largest water reservoir in its class | Very newbie friendly, while still catering to the preferences of coffee purists. User profiles are an awesome addition, especially for large households | Newbie friendly and focuses on convenience |
Cons | Bean hopper is too small, we’d love to see the display upgraded to TFT (Thin Film Transistor) | Grinder could stand an upgrade to ceramic, and could use more grind settings. Control system is somewhat dated | Water tank is too small, and mismatched, given the size of the bean hopper | Designed to be a “one owner” machine. Not great if you have multiple coffee drinkers in your home |
Recommended For | Coffee enthusiasts looking for ease of use and great value/cost ratio. | Easy enough for newbies to use, convenient enough for hobbyists, and even offering enough customization options to please some purists. A really nice machine. | Anyone. A stunning design that does it all. | Singles, or smaller households where there’s one primary coffee drinker. This machine is somewhat poorly suited for households where everyone wants to customize their drinks. |
Top 4 Bean to Cup Automatic Coffee Machines for the Money In More Detail
Our Winner - DeLonghi Gran Dama
An amazing machine for the money. It's functionally similar to the now discontinued Gaggia Titanium, which offered a staggering 18 grind settings, and was widely regarded as the best value on the market. In its absence, the Gran Dama takes center stage, and its 13 offered grind settings are more than twice the current industry average.
The Gran Dama is capable of making any specialty coffee drink you can imagine, but there are two points to be aware of. First, it uses an auto frother rather than a conventional steam wand or offering both options. If you’re new to the world of specialty coffee drinks, then you’ll probably see this as a positive, rather than a negative. Second, the bean hopper is somewhat undersized, so if you like your coffee strong, then you’ll probably find yourself having to refill it more often than you’d like.
A deal breaker? Absolutely not, but something to keep in mind!
It’s easy to use and has a fairly modern control system which sets it apart from a lot of machines in the value segment of the market, that tend to use really dated tech. All things considered then, if you’re on a budget and want a great, full featured robust machine, the Gran Dama is probably the machine you’re looking for.
Jura Impressa C9
There are two reasons this machine might make the top of your list:
With the largest water reservoir in its class, the C9 can keep pace with large households with more than one power drinker, and the presence of the model’s auto-frother means you won’t have to worry about learning to use a steam wand.
Sure, the machine has some limitations, most notably where the grinder is concerned: It’s stainless steel, rather than ceramic, and only has six settings, but again, if you’re a newbie, then you’re probably not too concerned with huge numbers of grind settings anyway.
It should also be noted that the machine only has one boiler, so if you like milk-based drinks, you’ll face slight delays in making those, but if you prefer mostly espresso, ristretto, or Americano, then much of the advantage provided by the second boiler is lost anyway.
Bottom line: A solid machine for the money, and perfect for a certain class of user!
Saeco HD 8954/47
Literally the only thing that keeps the HD 8954/47 from a perfect five-star rating is the fact that the water tank is a bit undersized as compared to the bean hopper. With only a 54-ounce reservoir capacity, it will struggle to meet the demands of large households with multiple power drinkers, but if you’re in a smaller household, it should do just fine.
While it doesn’t boast as many grind settings as our top picks in this category, the eight it has still puts it above the industry average, and perhaps the single best feature of this machine is the fact that it offers user profiles.
What that means from a practical standpoint is that every member of your household can save their preferred drink settings without overwriting anyone else’s settings, which is huge. Combine that with the fact that this is an easy to use, full-featured machine and it’s a dream come true for a lot of users.
It should be noted though, that this is the most expensive model on our list. While it offers tremendous value for the money, that fact may put it beyond the reach of some users.
DeLonghi Perfecta ESAM 5500B
This is an older model, and it’s got some limitations but for the right user, it’s solid gold. Specifically, if you consider yourself to be a power coffee drinker, and you’re the only serious coffee drinker in your household, you’ll love this machine.
The way its features are implemented, it gives one person a surprising amount of control over their coffee drinks, but there’s a catch. The ESAM 5500B can only hold one setting in memory, so if you’ve got two coffee drinkers in your home, then either one of them will have to manually set the machine up for their flavor preferences, or the two drinkers will keep saving over the other person’s settings.
It’s an easy machine to master, and in fact, it will probably take you longer to get it up and ready for first use than it will be to get a firm handle on its basic operation, so if you’re new to the world of specialty coffee, then you’ll really appreciate that aspect of the design.
Really, the only limitations to bear in mind with this unit are:
If you can live with both of those, and bearing in mind what we said before about it being a “one owner” model, then this is a great choice!
When Convenience Matters Most - Best Bean to Cup Espresso Machine
We’ll handle this leg of our quest to find the best super auto espresso machine somewhat differently than the rest, because we’ve done a separate, detailed review on this sub-category. In light of that, we’ll provide you to the link to the full “Best Bean To Cup Coffee Machine Review” here, and simply summarize by replicating the top-level overview table here.
OUR PICK | |||||
OVERALL BEST Best Bean to Cup Coffee Machine (Convenience Matters Most) |
Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Rating | 4.93 | 4.93 | 4.93 | 4.18 | 4.81 |
Price | $$ | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ | $$$$$$ |
Dimensions | 11.1” x 14.8” x 16.8” | 13” x 20” x 19.8” | 20” x 14.4” x 19.9” | 15.5” x 16” x 18.5” | 20” x 17” x 13” |
Weight | 29 pounds | 35 pounds | 40 pounds | 34 pounds | 40 pounds |
Reservoir Size | 60 ounces | 54 ounces | 54 ounces | 1.5 gallons (192 ounces!) | 87 ounces |
Boiler | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel, and both feature Thermoblock technology | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel, and both feature Thermoblock technology | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel, and both feature Thermoblock technology | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel, and both feature Thermoblock technology | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel, and both feature Thermoblock technology |
Adjustable Coffee Spigots? | Yes, accommodates cups from 2” to 6” in height | Yes, accommodates cups from 2” to 6” in height | Yes, accommodates cups from 2.5” to 6” in height | Yes, accommodates cups from 2.5” to 6” in height | Yes, accommodates cups from 2.5” to 6” in height |
Number of Grind Settings | Ceramic, conical burr grinder with 13 grind settings, paired with a 7-ounce bean hopper | Ceramic, conical burr grinder with 8 grind settings, paired with a 10-ounce bean hopper | Ceramic, conical burr grinder with 8 grind settings, paired with a 12-ounce bean hopper | Ceramic, conical burr grinder with 6 settings, paired with a 10-ounce bean hopper (can be doubled to 20-ounces with optional attachment) | Two grinders (and two bean hoppers). Grinders are ceramic, conical burr with 5 grind settings, paired with two 9.8-ounce bean hoppers |
Milk Frothing Technology | Auto-frother, with dial-controlled foam | Has both an auto-frother and a conventional steam wand | Has both an auto-frother and a conventional steam wand | Has both an auto-frother and a conventional steam wand | Auto-frother |
Has Cup Warming Tray? | Yes, passively heated | Yes, passively heated | Yes, passively heated | Yes, passively heated | No |
Pros | Surprisingly inexpensive, Ultra convenient, easy to use, and has a superb self-cleaning mode | Extremely robust, well-rounded, and feature-rich machine that caters to both casual drinkers and purists alike | Very newbie friendly, while still catering to the preferences of coffee purists. User profiles are an awesome addition, especially for large households | Massive water tank and bean hopper capacity, full-featured and incredibly robust | A simply incredible machine. Jura pulled out all the stops here, and included just about every feature under the sun |
Cons | Bean hopper is too small, we’d love to see the display upgraded to TFT (Thin Film Transistor) | Could stand a larger water tank, & more grind settings | Water tank is too small, and mismatched, given the size of the bean hopper | Steep learning curve. Once you master it, it can do anything, but getting there is an uphill battle | Ridiculously expensive. A machine like this cries out for user profiles, and they weren’t included |
Extras & Notes | N/A | Adjustment knob lets you change the brew pressure on the fly | Offers user profiles! | N/A | The ability to pull beans in varying amounts from both hoppers allows you to make custom blends on the fly, unique among espresso machines for the home market |
Recommended For | Coffee enthusiasts looking for ease of use and great value/cost ratio. | Anyone. Easy enough for newbies to master, yet allows the kind of fine-grained control that purists will adore. | Anyone. A stunning design that does it all. | Large households with heavy coffee drinkers, busy offices or small businesses whose primary product is not specialty coffee. | Power coffee drinkers and large households, primarily, but this machine can even stand up to the rigors of being used in a busy office setting. Not recommended for casual users or hobbyists. |
As you can see, there are some familiar faces on this list, but this specific subset is focused squarely on machines that provide one touch convenience, where the overall best list weights other factors more heavily.
High Capacity Machines - Best Fully Automatic Espresso Machine for Large Households
For power drinkers and people who live in large households with multiple coffee drinkers, the best super automatic coffee machine is going to be the one that offers the largest capacity, while still offering a broad range of other features.
The machines on this next list do exactly that. One thing to note here is that the machines with the very biggest capacities also have a fairly steep learning curve, so they’re not for the faint of heart, and unless you’re fairly tech savvy, mastering their use could pose a significant challenge. Once you do master them, however, you’ll be dazzled by what they can do! Let’s take a top-level look:
OUR PICK | ||||
OVERALL BEST Best Fully Automatic Espresso Machine for Large Households |
Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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$1,799.99
Buy this item
Amazon.com
Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
|
Rating | 4.18 | 4.81 | 4.75 | 4.18 |
Price | $$$$ | $$$$$$ | $$$$ | $$$ |
Dimensions | 15.5” x 16” x 18.5” | 20” x 17” x 13” | 17.7” x 12.6” x 14.8” | 20” x 15.2” x 19.7” |
Weight | 34 pounds | 34 pounds | 26 pounds | 39.2 pounds |
Reservoir Size | 192 ounces | 87 ounces | 81 ounces | 74 ounces |
Boiler | 2 aluminum boilers, lined with stainless steel, and both featuring Thermoblock Technology | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel, and both feature Thermoblock technology | Single aluminum boiler, lined with stainless steel and featuring Thermoblock technology | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless-steel, and both featuring Thermoblock technology |
Adjustable Coffee Spigots? | Yes, can accommodate cups up to 6” in height | Yes, accommodates cups from 2.5” to 6” in height | Yes, accommodates cups up to 6” in height | Yes, accommodates cups up to 5.5” in height |
Number of Grind Settings | Ceramic, conical burr grinder with six grind settings, paired with a 10-ounce bean hopper | Two grinders (and two bean hoppers). Grinders are ceramic, conical burr with 5 grind settings, paired with two 9.8-ounce bean hoppers | Ceramic, conical burr grinder with six grind settings, paired with a 9.9 ounce bean hopper | Ceramic, conical burr grinder with six grind settings, paired with a 12-ounce bean hopper |
Milk Frothing Technology | Offers both an auto-frother and a conventional steam wand, but there are issues (see details below) | Auto-frother | Auto-frothing, but offers fine-grained controls that nearly mimic the versatility of a frothing wand | Auto-frother |
Has Cup Warming Tray? | No | No | No | Yes, passively heated |
Pros | Huge water tank, well matched with bean hopper, one touch convenience | A simply incredible machine. Jura pulled out all the stops here, and included just about every feature under the sun | Ten different temp settings for maximum control, surprisingly good auto-frother. One touch convenience | Ten different temp settings for maximum control, surprisingly good auto-frother. One touch convenience. |
Cons | Ghastly learning curve (dated control system), needs more grind settings, cries out for user profiles. Could use more grind settings | Ridiculously expensive. A machine like this cries out for user profiles, and they weren’t included. Needs more grind settings | Needs more grind settings and a second boiler. Would be even better if it also had user profiles | Beastly learning curve and cumbersome to use, owing to its outdated interface. No user profiles. Could use more grind settings and better milk-frothing implementation |
Extras & Notes | N/A | The ability to pull beans in varying amounts from both hoppers allows you to make custom blends on the fly, unique among espresso machines for the home market | N/A | N/A |
Recommended For | Large households with heavy coffee drinkers, busy offices or small businesses whose primary product is not specialty coffee | Power coffee drinkers and large households, primarily, but this machine can even stand up to the rigors of being used in a busy office setting. Not recommended for casual users or hobbyists. | Any and everyone. | An ideal machine for power coffee drinkers and people new to the world of specialty coffee drinks. Purists will be put off by the relative lack of fine-grained controls. |
Top 4 Fully Automatic Espresso Machines for Large Households In More Detail
Our Winner - Jura Impressa XS 90
The XS 90 offers more raw capacity than any other comparably priced super automatic we’ve ever seen, and for that reason alone, it’s pure awesome as far as power drinkers are concerned.
It really doesn’t matter how much you like coffee, this model can keep pace with you. That’s fantastic, but the XS 90 has a fatal flaw that keep it off most people’s radar. The interface is wretched, and that gives it a steep learning curve.
The problem here is two-fold. On the one hand, it uses a simple LED interface, which means that complicated menus are out of the question. Unfortunately, the machine also has a robust set of capabilities, which means that the menus are fairly deep, and navigating through them on an LED is just a lesson in frustration.
These problems could be solved if Jura would give this model an update to a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) display or even an LCD, but so far, they haven’t.
Make no mistake, once you master its use, you’ll love it, and find the XS 90 capable of doing just about everything you’d ever want or need an espresso machine to do, but getting there is going to be a battle.
Interface aside, our only other complaint about the model stems from the way the company implemented the milk frothing solution. It’s great that they offer both an auto-frother and a conventional steam wand, but in practice, the steam wand is of somewhat limited value, because it isn’t articulated.
It cannot move at all.
Sure, you can work around that, but again, it’s going to feel like the machine is fighting you on it.
“Temperamental” would be the best descriptor for this model, but if you can live with its quirks, and consider yourself to be a power drinker, then this model, for all its faults, is the one you want, no question.
Jura Giga 5
This machine makes a lot of “best of” lists, and for a good reason. What’s not to like about a model that does just about everything and has a massive capacity to boot?
On the other hand, its weaknesses, which we’ve noted before, are still worth keeping in mind. As good as it is, it’s still lacking user profiles and could stand more grind settings. While the Giga 5 does have less raw capacity, most people feel that the other options it brings to the table are worth the tradeoff. That said, its off the chart price tag simply puts it out of the reach of many users.
Jura Z6
The Jura Z6 offers a nice blend of capacity and functionality. Although it’s somewhat lacking in grind settings, it offers a number of excellent flavor fine-tuning options, including a staggering ten boiler temperature settings and an auto-frother that can hold its own surprisingly well against conventional steam wands. A lot of super autos that use auto-frothers make that claim, but in the case of the Z6, it’s true, and coffee purists won’t be disappointed in its capabilities.
While some people might see the fact that the model only has a single boiler as a disadvantage, that’s only true if you’re particularly fond of milk-based drinks. If you prefer your coffee black, you’ll tend toward espresso, Americano, and the like, which renders the second boiler unnecessary, and why pay extra for something you’re not going to use often.
Besides, it’s not like single boiler machines can’t make milk-based drinks, it’s just that you’ll have a slight wait time as the one boiler shifts gears between tasks, but again, if you don’t drink a ton of milk-based drinks anyway, that’s hardly a deal breaker.
On the other hand, every high-capacity machine, including this one, would benefit from the addition of user profiles, and sadly, the Z6 doesn’t have them, which is a bit of a disappointment.
Saeco Royal
While the Saeco Royal has the smallest tank capacity on our list of finalists, 74-ounces is still nothing to sneeze at, and you’ll find that this machine is more than capable of keeping pace with the demands of most large households.
The best part about the Royal though, is that it combines an enormous amount of functionality with a price that won’t break the bank. While it’s not quite as full-featured as the Giga 5, it also costs a fraction of what that model costs, making it a tremendous value for the money.
Ultimately, it depends on what you’re looking for in a machine, and if you don’t mind sacrificing a bit of raw capacity for more bells and whistles, this is an excellent model.
It’s worth mentioning that you don’t get a ton of grinder settings here, and the milk-frothing implementation, while functional, could stand some improvement, but neither of those things are deal breakers.
The one thing that might give you pause about the model though, is the fact that it suffers from a limitation similar to that of our top pick. Thanks to an outdated interface, the learning curve on this machine is brutal.
Once you’ve mastered it, you’ll find it to be an extremely capable machine, but until then, you’ll often feel as though it’s actively fighting against you to keep you from unlocking its secrets.
Maximum Flavor Control - Best Fully Automatic Coffee Machine Offering the Most Grind Settings
Finally, for a certain class of users, the best bean to cup coffee machines are the ones that offer the most grind settings, simply because they allow for the most flexibility in terms of really dialing into your preferred flavor.
Newbies don’t usually spend a lot of time thinking about this, but if there’s one thing that can totally change the character and flavor of your drink, it’s experimenting with the grind setting, and if that’s your “thing” then you’re going to absolutely love the machines on this list!
OUR PICK | ||||
OVERALL BEST Best Espresso Machine Under 500 Dollars |
Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Delonghi ESAM5500B Perfecta Digital Super Automatic Espresso Machine with Cappuccino Function, Black
$1,048.88
Buy this item
Amazon.com
Last update: April 24, 2024 9:53 am
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Rating | 4.93 | 4.93 | 4.93 | 4.56 |
Price | $$ | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ |
Dimensions | 11.1” x 14.8” x 16.8” | 20” x 14.4” x 19.9” | 13” x 20” x 19.8” | 11.2” x 17.3” x 14.9” |
Weight | 29 pounds | 40 pounds | 35 pounds | 25.9 pounds |
Reservoir Size | 60 ounces | 54 ounces | 54 ounces | 57 ounces |
Boiler | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel, and both feature Thermoblock technology | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel, and both feature Thermoblock technology | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel, and both feature Thermoblock technology | Double boiler, both are aluminum, lined with stainless steel and both feature Thermoblock technology |
Adjustable Coffee Spigots? | Yes, accommodates cups from 2” to 6” in height | Yes, accommodates cups from 2.5” to 6” in height | Yes, accommodates cups from 2” to 6” in height | Yes, will accommodate cups up to 4.5” in height |
Number of Grind Settings | Ceramic, conical burr grinder with 13 grind settings, paired with a 7-ounce bean hopper | Ceramic, conical burr grinder with 8 grind settings, paired with a 12-ounce bean hopper | Ceramic, conical burr grinder with 8 grind settings, paired with a 10-ounce bean hopper | Stainless steel, conical burr grinder with seven grind settings, paired with a 10 ounce bean hopper |
Milk Frothing Technology | Auto-frother, with dial-controlled foam | Has both an auto-frother and a conventional steam wand | Has both an auto-frother and a conventional steam wand | Has both an auto-frother and a conventional steam wand |
Has Cup Warming Tray? | Yes, passively heated | Yes, passively heated | Yes, passively heated | Yes, passively heated |
Pros | Surprisingly inexpensive, Ultra convenient, easy to use, and has a superb self-cleaning mode | Very newbie friendly, while still catering to the preferences of coffee purists. User profiles are an awesome addition, especially for large households | Extremely robust, well-rounded, and feature-rich machine that caters to both casual drinkers and purists alike | Newbie friendly and focuses on convenience |
Cons | Bean hopper is too small, we’d love to see the display upgraded to TFT (Thin Film Transistor) | Water tank is too small, and mismatched, given the size of the bean hopper | Could stand a larger water tank, & more grind settings | Designed to be a “one owner” machine. Not great if you have multiple coffee drinkers in your home |
Recommended For | N/A | Offers user profiles! | Adjustment knob lets you change the brew pressure on the fly | N/A |
Recommended For | Coffee enthusiasts looking for ease of use and great value/cost ratio. | Anyone. A stunning design that does it all. | Anyone. Easy enough for newbies to master, yet allows the kind of fine-grained control that purists will adore. | Singles, or smaller households where there’s one primary coffee drinker. This machine is somewhat poorly suited for households where everyone wants to customize their drinks. |
Top 4 Fully Automatic Coffee Machines for Maximum Flavor Control In More Detail
Our Winner - DeLonghi Gran Dama
Every model on our list of finalists has made an appearance in some other list in this document, so we won’t spend much time rehashing their pros and cons.
Suffice it to say that if you’re looking for a machine that offers a robust-feature set, one-touch convenience, and maximum grind control, then the Gran Dama is the machine for you.
Of particular interest is the fact that the Gran Dama is the only machine to earn top honors on two different lists, which makes it an all the more compelling machine.
Saeco HD8954/47
This model is a significant step down in total number of grind settings, only offering eight, but it’s worth considering for one very important reason. It’s the only model on the list that offers user profiles, and that’s potentially huge.
If you live alone, or are the only coffee drinker in your house, then it won’t matter, but if you live with other coffee aficionados, then giving each user the ability to save their preferred settings is such a godsend that it might be worth giving up a few extra grind settings!
Saeco Xelsis
This model deserves a second look if you’re a coffee purist, because at the end of the day, maximizing the number of grind settings isn’t the only way to adjust the flavor of whatever drink you’re making.
What makes this model stand out is the fact that it offers plenty of other customization options, including the pressure control knob, which allows you to adjust the extraction pressure on the fly, with each drink you make.
If all you’re looking to do is maximize your grind settings, that’s not going to matter, but if you’re interested in a machine that really gives you the freedom to experiment, this one’s worth a closer look!
DeLonghi Perfecta ESAM 5500B
The Perfecta puts in another appearance! It was also featured as one of the best value-priced machines on the market today, and it is truly a giant among its peers. At the price point it competes in, you’re lucky to find a machine with 3-4 grind settings, and this model offers seven, which is one more than the industry average.
If you’re on a budget, and you don’t want to give up flavor settings and flexibility, then this is a great choice, though as we mentioned earlier, the way this one’s designed, it’s really best suited for singles, or households where there’s just one coffee drinker present. If that describes your situation, then this one is well worth a look!
Best Fully Automatic Espresso Machine Review Conclusion
So, at the end of the day, what is the best fully automatic espresso machine? The answer, as you have seen is, “it depends.” Each person is different, and because of that, everyone will have a different view of what the most important feature or features of a great machine are.
Our summary recommendations are as follows:
With that in mind, we’ve approached the answer to that question in a variety of ways, but we stand by our top pick for overall greatness, although in truth, every machine we’ve mentioned here is awesome, and would make a fine addition to your home. Perhaps the better question is, what is the best fully automatic espresso coffee machine for you?
Sources & Resources
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