Some people might think the price tag is too high for a good espresso coffee machine but here is some Espresso math; $4 Lattes, 3 times a week from Starbucks for a year comes to $624. Here we review three espresso machines that come in at $599.00 or less. You have to love the taste of that, its called saving money.


In this tasteful and explorative review we've evenly matched these high quality mid-priced espresso machines for an insightful comparison. With espresso machines wildly varying in price from $30 to $3,000, and quality from from nearly disposable to professional barista and coffee sommelier models, things can get a bit confusing.

To begin there are various espresso machines in the range of fully-automatic, semi-automatic and manual. The machines we look at here are all semi or fully automatic and have one or two major features that make a perfect espresso machine; a built-in coffee grinder and high pressure. The importance of these two features is crucial to a true cup of espresso and you will probably not find them both in lower priced machines. Any coffee afficianado will tell you that freshly grinded beans are essential to an ultimate cup, and when it comes to espresso, having enough pressure in the chambers will ensure that all the flavor is delivered directly to you and not lost in the sauce. All of the machines here: the Gaggia Classic, the Saeco Odea Go, and the La Pavoni Napolitana fit these qualifications. In addition these machines tamp, brew and dispense, with cup warmers and dregdrawers to catch the spent grounds.

Important features and innovations to consider for starters are the grinders inside the machines. The Saeco Odeo Go espresso machine has a ceramic grinder whose most important feature is to not absorb the flavor of the coffee, so your Jamaican Blue Mountain Kona, doesn't taste like the hazelnut blend that you brewed yesterday. Other cool features are things like the Gaggia Classic's high-pressure 3-way solenoid valve that creates an almost totally dry puck that can be easily knocked out. Finally the Napolitana espresso coffee machine offers such well thought out techniques as returning unused water from the pump back into the reservoir to avoid stale brews and it's conical grinder is a low-rpm motor that gives and even flavored brew cup after cup.

For avid drinkers the La Pavoni Napolitana is almost, an instant win with the largest water reservoir, and the most pressure, a full 16 bars and a moderate 1200-watt power, this unit is the well built work horse of the pack. Before we go too far we must comment on the style and function of the Gaggia Classic with its ability to use fresh ground coffee or pods and elegant manufacture. Lastly the fully automatic Saeco Odea Go is a snap. Plug and play, it's large front console dial make your selections easy and largely unattended.

Considerations here are also decor, and brand loyalty... both difficult choices because the style are all great and will only depend on your personal choice since all three of these units are so well crafted. Secondly the brands; each of these brands is at the forefront of espresso life... Saeco having been contracted by Starbucks to produce machines for their chain and La Pavoni and Gaggia being time-honored and reputable staples of their own. All the prices are the same, and if you do the espresso math, you'll find that over a year these long warrantied machines will more than pay for themselves.