BEST CHEAP ESPRESSO MACHINE OF 2022

An espresso can taste so good right? A lot of us associate espresso with coffee bars, Starbucks, and other big brands. We automatically think about those big machines they have in cafés and restaurants. Think about the famous Mastrena. Did you know you can have a cheap espresso machine at home for just under $300?

Nowadays, a lot of people in the world are working more from home because of the pandemic (covid 19). It might even be more relevant to invest in that best cheap espresso machine!

We at Golden Sin love to aid you in your search for the best cheap espresso machine.

Don’t want to read the whole article? We at Golden Sin Coffee think that you can’t miss the cheap espresso machine from Delonghi. Delonghi always delivers, it looks compact, beautiful and is an ideal starter when it comes to making espresso! Click here for the link to Amazon!

THE 10 BEST CHEAP ESPRESSO MACHINES OF 2022

You can click on subtitles to view the products on Amazon.

#1. Sowtech Espresso Machine 3.5 Bar 4 Cup Espresso Maker

This espresso machine is from Sowtech and is very compact. It has the capability to make 4 cups and comes with 3.5 bar steam pressure and a milk frother. With this machine, you can easily make coffee, espresso, latte, cappuccino, and macchiato. This espresso machine is below 100 dollars and can be an ideal start to try this at home.

#2. De’Longhi 15 bar Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Maker

This Delonghi costs under $100 and comes with a few nice features. It’s a compact machine, is semi-automatic and has a pressure of 15 bars. Delonghi has a good reputation as brand. It has a patented dual function filter holder and 2 separate thermostats (for water and steam pressure). Frothing milk is easy with the Frothing Wand.

The machine itself is easy to maintain an can fit in any modern kitchen. Delonghi stands for quality and this model will kickstart your espresso-adventures at home.

#3. Nespresso Essenza Mini Espresso Machine

This is also a coffee machine from Delonghi, so that sounds promising right? It’s a mini espresso machine so it’s very compact. The brand is from Nestle Nespresso. Nestle goes a long way back in coffee and has experience with quality. The quality is great, it’s compact, has 19 bar pressure.

Unfortunately, the machine has its disadvantages: it’s only compatible with nespresso pods and has only 1 style of coffee: espresso, thus limiting your choices. 

#4. Mr. Coffee Automatic Dual Shot Espresso/Cappuccino System

Mr. Coffee is a popular brand and comes with a cheap espresso model. The machine has a compact size, it fits in any kitchen and comes with a steam wand for specials like cappuccinos and lattes. As the name suggests, “shot”, it has a fast speed (15 bar) when making coffee and can choose to brew 1 or 2 cups at the same time. It’s also easy to maintain.

Disadvantages are that it doesn’t have thermostats and has a small water reservoir. All in all this is a decent buy for the starter.

#5. Mr. Coffee One-Touch CoffeeHouse Espresso Maker and Cappuccino Machine

Another model of Mr. Coffee. It comes with a control panel for drink selections and has a milkfrother. It’s normally a buy above $300 but comes cheaper now. It comes with a 19 bar pressure pump. The machine is easy to maintain and can make lovely espresso and cappuccino. When you use it, always check the water reservoir since it has no such warning. All in all this is a great buy.

#6. De’Longhi EC680M Espresso, Stainless Steel, Metallic

Another Delonghi model in this list. The size indicates this one is compact and is portable. It’s made of stainless steel and fits into any kitchen. It comes with a 15 bar pressure pump. Despite its small size, it has large water reservoir. You can make 2 shots with this machine at the same time, depending on your coffee needs. It comes with a steam wand, ideal for cappuccinos and lattes. This is a decent starter. This one may seem small but has a relatively high price tag in the cheap espresso machine category. 

#7. Wacaco Minipresso GR, Portable Espresso Machine

This is a portable, minisized espresso machine. It’s ideal for people who’re often on the road. This machine is made from plastic. It comes with an 8 bar pressure pump, it differs from other machines that the pump must be hand pumped. This is not the perfect solution for people who want to have a quick espresso at home. This can be more suited for people who travel often. You can’t expect to have it all for 50 bucks right?

#8. Espresso Machine & Cappuccino Maker with Milk Steamer

This machine is from Espressoworks, is made from stainless steel and comes with a 15 bar pressure pump. It comes also with a frother, an electric coffee bean grinder and provides an all-in-one bundle for the barista at home. The price is under $250 and is actually a steal for all the features it has. It’s easy to maintain and clean. 

#9. Klarstein Passionata Rossa 15 Espresso Machine

This machine from Klarstein is compact and looks beautiful. It comes with a 15 bar pressure pump and is made from stainless steel. It doesn’t come with a lot of buttons, making it simple to use. The less buttons the less you can do wrong right? You turn left for espresso and right for the frother. It has a capacity of 6 cups. It comes with a price tag of under $120, not very expensive for decent machine.

#10. Espresso Machine, Latte & Cappuccino Maker

This is another fine machine from espressoworks and is ideal for the barista at home. It comes with a 19 bar pressure pump and is made from stainless steel. It comes with a lot of features, such as an electric coffee grinder, 2 cappuccino glasses, 2 espresso cups. This product is priced around $260 and thus a bit more than number 8 in our list. 

WHAT IS ESPRESSO?

An espresso is a small amount of very concentrated coffee. An espresso is the perfect example of quality over quantity. 

It’s made by putting water under pressure, with a high pressure pump. The water is shot through a small amount of finely grinded coffee. An espresso has a very intense taste.

Because of this taste, there are also a lot of coffeevariants with milk (cappuccinos and lattes).

Espresso originates from Europe (Italy) and comes from the Italian word “esprimere” and is translated as: “to press out”. 

WHY ARE ESPRESSO MACHINES SO EXPENSIVE?

You can buy a machine for $100 and $1.000 or even more. Machines are made of different parts and features. They’re made from high quality metal, such as stainless steel, to be able to resist the heat.

These machines can come with a lot of features like: grinders, frothers, steamers, self-cleaning settings, multiple brewing settings (cappuccino anyone?). The more and better the features are, the higher the pricetag can be. 

THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BUYING A CHEAP ESPRESSO MACHINE?

Since these machines come in different sizes and features, it’s important to think of what you actually need for a start. 

#1. Design and quality materials

The design can refer to the exterior, how nice it looks and fits in our interior.

We know that these machines must be able to handle the pressure and the heat. We don’t want to have a machine with inferior materials. If it’s not clear to you what materials are used, simply don’t buy it.

#2. Price

How much money are you willing to invest? Since you’re thinking about buying a cheap espresso machine, I guess you’d rather make a good choice right? In general, price is an indicator of quality. 

#3. Maintenance and cleaning

Not a lot of people think about this before they buy a machine that’s convenient. You’d want a machine that can be cleaned easily. Is it hard to detach all the parts for cleaning? The harder it gets, the more time you’ll lose by doing so. 

#4. Convenient

You’d want a machine that has an understandable control panel. We’re not looking for a machine like they have in the coffee shop with way too many buttons, handles and so on. We want to apply the K.I.S.S.-principle here: Keep It Stupid Simple. Later on, you can always go for more advanced one. Easy and lazy is good for now I’d say.

#5. Shots: single or double

Each machine has its own cup sizes and cup capacity. Think about how your’ll use this machine. Will you use it mostly for yourself or your wife? Do you have often guests in your house? If yes, you surely don’t want to be making 10 cups of espresso with a single-shot machine, then you can opt for a double-shot.

#6. Amount of Pressure (in bars)

A good espresso depends on the pressure the machine can make. Generally, there is about 9 bars required for a good espresso but as with most coffeethings, it depends on the personal preferences and context. In the end, we want to get that great cup of coffee. So to start, look for a minimal pressure of 9 bars!

#7. Frothing Capability

Frothing is a nice-to-have in my book, not a must-to-have. If you have a frother, it’s nice because it broadens your range of options. This can be perfectly done with a separate device. When buying your first cheap espresso machine, this is one of the options you can ignore, but again, think about what you want. If you love your cappuccino, by all means, go for a built-in frother and pay extra or buy this feature separately.

#8. Grinder capability

Grinding your own beans just before making your cup of coffee can greatly improve the taste, we all know that right? Some of the espresso machines in the cheaper range (under $300) do come with an electric built-in grinder. This is also a nice-to-have, surely if you have a decent manual coffee grinder at home.

We at Golden Sin think that if you can grind your beans manually, do it. The blades of an electrical grinder go fast, producing heat in the process and we don’t want that right?. Since the blades spin around very fast, they don’t grind but chop the beans, so there’s a risk of getting an unconsistent grind. You’d want that grind to be consistent in order to enhance extraction and taste.

#9. Water reservoir

Without water, we won’t be able to make coffee and steam and froth milk. Do you want a detachable reservoir or built-in? If you want to make coffee for a lot of guests, you’d want a bigger water reservoir and if possible with an “add-water warning”.

F.A.Q.

Are cheap espresso machines worth it?

There’s a saying: “if you pay peanuts, you’ll get monkeys”. I think you get the message here. Define your personal preferences and start from there. You can’t expect to spend not a lot of money and get it all. There are good espresso machines but there’s always a situation where one machine outperforms the other. I would advise not to buy anything under $100 for a start. You don’t want a machine that looks great but doesn’t do the job or won’t last long, resulting in another purchase.

What things do I have to consider when buying a cheap espresso machine?

You can review this post. We have defined about 9 things: Design (quality materials), price, is it easy to maintain and clean, is it convenient, single or double shots, steaming pressure, frothing capability, grinder capability and water reservoir. The most important thing is knowing your own needs and defining your must-haves and nice-to-haves.

Conclusion

Making yourself an espresso means you’re investing in yourself with a shot of quality. There is a lot of gear available to make an espresso, depending on your needs. We at Golden Sin suggest you try Delonghi. An ideal start for your espresso journey.

Enjoy your coffee!