Best Espresso Machine Under 250

Are you looking to make some amazing coffee and want to buy the best espresso machine? If you want to buy the best espresso machine under 250 then you are very lucky because you land on this page.

Whether for home use or for professional, you will eventually need an latte making machine in order to fulfill your needs. There are several espresso machines that are available out there in the market but it is a difficult task to find out the perfect one. Some of the espresso machines are for beginners while some are for the perfectionists. Check out my other posts about Best Trail Camera and Best Rain Showerhead and Best Masticating Juicer For Leafy Greens.

This article is written in order to make your work easy to choose the perfect espresso machine. You will find information on the top espresso machines below.

Qualities of Best Espresso Machine:

An espresso machine is one which is responsible for brewing the coffee by bringing water near to the boiling point through grinding the coffee beans or coffee pods in order to make a thin and concentrated coffee known as espresso.

There are many kinds of machines made in order to make the espresso. Some machines have common features. An espresso machine is also equipped with a steam wand which steams and froths the liquid for instance milk for coffee drinks like latte and cappuccino.

Espresso machines can be pump driven, air pump driven, piston driven or steam driven.

Drive Mechanism

With the drive mechanism, a higher temperature of the espresso is maintained.

Piston Driven

This piston driven machine was first introduced in the year 1945. In this design, a lever is used which pressurizes the hot water and then makes it go through the coffee beans. There are 2 types of lever machines and they are manual piston and spring piston design.

Steam Driven

Steam driven espresso machines produce coffee by forcing the water through the machine by using steam or steam pressure.

Pump Driven

The pump driven machine was introduced in the year 1961 and is most widely used in espresso bars. The motor driven pump provides the force important for brewing the coffee.

Air Pump Driven

Recently the trend of air pump driven espresso machines has evolved. These machines make use of the compressed air to force the hot water in the coffee grounds. The hot water is put in by a flask or kettle.

Parts of Espresso Machine

Those espresso machines which have sensors, valves, grinders and pumps to carry the brewing process are called as automatic.

• In semi-automatic a pump is used instead of manual to deliver the water. The rest of the pressure is released from the valve.
• In an automatic machine, the brewed volume is automated by the in-line flow meter to the group head.
• In super automatic machine the coffee is grinded automatically. The only thing that the operator has to do is to fill the bean hopper and add water in the reservoir if the machine is not connected to the water line.

Top 10 Best Espresso Machine under $250:

To make your selection easy, you can get the advantage of the reviews of top 10 espresso machines:

1. Bialetti Mukka Express 2-Cup Cow-Print Stovetop Cappuccino Maker

Are you looking for an espresso coffee machine that makes coffee in less than even 5 minutes? Well, then this is the one that would satisfy to your need. Let us now read a bit more about this espresso machine but first we better view a few negative points about this espresso machine which might change your mind.

The coffee that is made in this espresso machine is quite good, rich and creamy but there is one thing very negative about this machine which is that there are large pieces of aluminum flakes that start to come from the inside of the pot of the machine. These flakes are large enough to be noticed even in your cup of coffee. This is not something too good and should be in your notice before you buy this machine.

One other thing which you really have to keep in your mind is that while the coffee is being brewed, there comes a very horrible smell from the machine itself. The smell is somewhat of chemicals and petroleum and most probably you will find that smell in your coffee as well.

Apart from this, the upper and lower parts are tightly fit and screwed but there is still a great chance of the coffee spilling out and that can dirty your machine as well as your counter parts. You will have to start all over again and make more coffee for yourself! So, it is advisable to not waste your money on this product.

Special Features

• Makes 2 cups of rich coffee in less than 5 minutes
• Made in Italy and has 2 years of warranty
• Maximum capacity is 60 ml
• Is of octagon shape
• Can be disassembled easily

2. Coffee Cafe Barista Espresso and Cappuccino Maker, Silver

Have you ever tried making coffee out of a semi-automatic coffee machine? Have a look at this one maybe you might think about getting it for yourself. But you have to keep this in mind as well that there are a few negative things about this espresso machine as well which you have to keep in your mind before you actually go to buy it.

The sad thing about this semi-automatic espresso machine is that it works perfectly fine within the first or second month of use but then it starts to kind of stop brewing the coffee. Even though, if you will complain to the company they will guide you to follow a few steps so that it might start working but there is absolutely no reason for a new coffee machine to stop working just within 2 months of usage.

It is quite obvious that when your machine will not work, you will try to make it work again and again and try it from other ways. This will make your machine quite hot, it will make a lot of noises and then it will not work at all. This is a very negative point of this machine.

One another disadvantage of this coffee machine is that it does not come with a filter. In order to get the filter, you need to pay an additional 20 or 30 dollars and then only will you get it and that will obviously add up to your cost. After a few months of use, the milk will also stop coming out from the frothing tube so you have to keep that in mind as well.

This semiautomatic espresso machine is simple to use, but its parts are not assembled perfectly and so there is a high chance that it might even break just after a few months of usage. This can be a big problem if it happens.

Special Features

• Makes many kinds of coffees
• Cord length of 26 inches
• 15 bar pump system
• One touch control panel to select different kinds of drinks

3. DeLonghi EC702 15-Bar-Pump Espresso Maker, Stainless

Do you normally have trouble in understanding how to use espresso coffee machines? Well, if you want to use this one, then you definitely have to read the manual properly. This coffee machine is driven by a pump and has 15 bars. This machine is quite complicated to use so you first have to understand from the manual about how to use it. Apart from the manual, you also have to understand some negative points about this machine before you go to buy it.

The first concern that comes with this espresso machine is that after using it for a few months, you might start to feel that your coffee has started to taste a bit sour. Some users believed that there might be some issue in the coffee beans that they were using, but even after changing the beans they felt the same. Cleaning the espresso machine also did not avail any other result. So, this is something you have to take notice of.

One another main concern that comes with this espresso coffee machine is that there is absolutely no proper customer service if you are in need of it. For instance, you might face any issue with this espresso machine but when you will contact the customer service, you will not get any reply from them. This can be extremely annoying.

Although, this coffee espresso machine looks great from the outside, but to use it might be a complete nightmare. The button of this espresso machine is extremely inconvenient and uncomfortable to use. One more thing that is negative about this machine is that you have to remove the water reservoir from the machine side in order to refill the water. That can be a huge hassle to deal with.

Special Features

• 15 bars and driven by pump
• Frothier capable of making patented cappuccinos or latte
• 3 liter removable water tank
• Water level indicator equipped

4. De’Longhi BAR32 Retro 15 BAR Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Maker

Heard of an espresso machine which is simple and fast? Make use of this one which makes use of coffee pods with the dual working filter. This espresso machine seems to be quite promising however, there are a few negative things that come with this espresso machine and that which you have to take care of.

The first thing concerning about this espresso coffee machine is that the designing of this espresso machine seems to be quite poor. The main issue comes with the metal cups for putting the coffee in the machine that they are so small that you wont be able to put more than a teaspoon of espresso. This is quite a disadvantage specially for those who would want a strong cup of coffee.

The handle of the espresso coffee machine is also made up of plastic and if there is heavy pressure of the coffee machine then these handles can easily break. The water tray is poorly connected to the base and can also easily break causing great damage to your coffee machine.

Apart from that, one other disadvantage of this espresso coffee machine is that it makes such a horrible sound when brewing the coffee that it will wake up the entire house. You might even feel if the machine is working fine or not due to the heavy noise.

This espresso and cappuccino machine is low in price and cheap as well but the main concern is that it creates less froth and is kind of too awkward to froth with the milk. It will be much better to spend a few more bucks and getting a better machine than wasting money on this one.

This espresso machine is not at all worth the price that you pay for it and the company of the espresso machine does not also have great worth out there. It seems like a company from China which is why most parts are just up of plastic and tend to break easily.

Special Features

• Separate thermostats to control water and steam pressure
• Swivel jet frothier to make latte and cappuccino
• Stainless steel boiler and 15 pump bars
• Self-priming operation for starting up

5. BELLA 14392 Dual Brew Single Serve Coffee Maker

Did you hear about this new Bella espresso coffee machine with a 5 bar pressure? If you haven’t then there have a look at it. So far, we have viewed only the 15 bar pressure espresso coffee machines. This espresso machine can brew up to 4 cups of good coffee. But it is not the perfect coffee machine that you are looking for. There are a few flaws here and there which you must look upon before you buy it.

One major flaw of this espresso machine is that the knob in the espresso maker can break off too easily and then you will have some real problem in using the machine. Although, this design of the espresso machine is a new one but still it is not made perfectly.

For instance, it is written in the manual instruction that the black plastic could leak to the counter and leave a stain. One more safety concern that comes with this espresso machine is that there is no pressure relief button which would give you the indication that now it is completely safe enough to open the top cap. Without the safety indication imagine yourself opening the cap and hot coffee gushing out and burning you.

The toppling of the machine is also a very annoying factor. When you put down the espresso machine on the counter, you will feel like the machine rocks back and forth and is not at all stable. Apart from that, the coffee which is made in this espresso coffee machine is one of the worst coffees that you might have ever tasted. It does not taste anywhere near to that of an espresso coffee and even if you reduce the quantity of the coffee it will still not taste better.

Special Features

• 5 bars of pressure and makes 4 cups of espresso
• Built in steam wand for frothing the milk
• Espresso soup included
• Removable drip tray and wand cover included

6. Capresso 304.01 Steam Pro 4-Cup Espresso & Cappuccino Machine

Do you have space issues in your kitchen? Do you also feel that whatever kitchen appliance which you go to buy is too big to fit in your kitchen. You might feel annoyed at this fact and might compromise on a lot of things. For instance, if you want to buy a coffee machine, you will feel annoyed that almost all the coffee machines come in big sizes. Not this one however, about which we will be talking about below. This coffee machine is a good one and does not take much space, but even then you need to rule out some negative points that it has.

The first thing which you need to know about this machine is that it is not very efficient and may not meet up to your expectations. For instance, the knob of the espresso machine might just stop working and that will stop you from making coffee of course.

The main issue comes with the parts of this coffee machine that the parts start to break off. One another example apart from the knob is the on-off button which might break in to small pieces and then you will have to go and get it fixed which will add up to the cost.

One more issue with this espresso machine is that it only produces very little steam and that means your coffee will not be exactly hot the want that you want it to be. Since it produces very little steam, it takes a lot of time for the coffee to be brewed and be prepared. It might take 10 minutes even!

There might be issues with the boiler cap coming off and steam coming out making a lot of noise. This espresso machine is great for the price that you pay for it but it is not recommended at all because its quality is not up to the mark.

Special Features

• Dish washer safe glass
• Removable drip tray
• Fast heating time
• Illuminated on and off switch

7. Cuisinart EM-100 1.66 Quart Stainless Steel Espresso Maker

Do you live in North America? If yes, then this espresso coffee maker is for those who live in the north America. It is specially designed according the standards of North American standards. The manual will guide you perfectly well about how to exactly use this coffee machine and make it easy for you.

However, there are some issues with this espresso maker machine on which you have to ponder upon. The first and foremost main concern that comes with this espresso maker is that the light which indicates that the water has turned hot does not work. This way you will not know when exactly does the water get hot. Apart from that, there have been cases with people reporting that they have gotten electric shocks whenever they touch the machine. That can be quite dangerous as well as impossible for you to use this machine.

One another concern about this machine is about the steam wand. This espresso maker is a great machine but only if you do not use the steam wand. This is because it is poorly designed and so the steam wand falls out. The wand connector is made up of plastic and so it will break soon for sure.

You might also face the issue of the coffee dripping slowly and you will not also be able to remove the espresso vessel carefully because that acts as a vacuum and it will be quite difficult to remove it. This sums up that the quality of the machine is not entirely like the one to be trusted upon.

Special Features

• Espresso maker with 15 bars
• Brews 2 cups at the same time
• 53 ounces of removable reservoir
• Cup warming plate

8. Breville 800ESXL 15-Bar Triple-Priming Die-Cast Espresso Machine

Could we ever have imagined that even espresso machines used to ever run out of stock? No right, but this one definitely has. Maybe because it is equipped with a 15 bar Italian pump. This espresso machine is also equipped with a triple pump which gives 3 bursts of water in order to make the coffee beans as moist as possible.

Even then, the smartest of stuff has some disadvantages and so is the case with this espresso machine. Let us now view some of the negative points that this espresso machine has. Even though you will take utmost care of this espresso machine, the maximum that you can use it would not be more than just 5 years. At the end of the fourth year you will most probably find out that it will start to leak from the back and water will then gush out from the steam wand.

One another concern that comes with this espresso machine is that even the steaming wand will break off or die within just a few months of usage. It is very clear that the parts of this espresso machine are not designed properly at all.

Their customer service is also pathetic. For instance if you face any issue with the espresso machine you will not receive any proper response from the company. This is a major drawback.

Apart from this, people often prefer to buy espresso machines that do not make much of a noise, but this espresso machine makes a lot of noise that will disturb everybody around. This makes it quite impossible to use this machine.

Special Features

• 15 bar Italian pump
• Stainless steel housing
• Removable front fill water tank
• Thermoblock heating system

9. Hamilton Beach 40792 Espresso & Cappuccino Maker, Black

Have you tried the Hamilton beach espresso maker? If not, then give it a try. It does have a good and unique design. But even then, there are a few negative points about this coffee machine upon which you should look upon.

One of the biggest disappointment that people face with this espresso machine is that the coffee that it makes is not good at all. It does not taste nice infact it tastes exactly like garbage. It is true, many people have stopped using this coffee machine because the coffee turns out to be disgusting.

Apart from that, the coffee machine might also start to make loud noises after a few months of usage. It might also start leaking coffee all over the counter which can make your kitchen quite dirty. So, it is better to just stay away from this espresso machine otherwise it can make your kitchen too dirty and the noise will also disturb you.

One another concern with this espresso machine is that the porta filter is made of cheap materials because of which the taste of the coffee is terrible. The main issue is that all the parts of this machine from the inside are completely china and not at all fit for long use. They can break or deteriorate easily just within few months of usage.

Special Features

• Pressure pump for rich crema
• Removable water reservoir and drip tray.

10. Espressione-Ariete Café Minuetto Professional Thermoblock Espresso Machine, Silver

How can you decide what is the best feature in a coffee machine which makes it worth buying? In the majority’s opinion it is the power of the coffee machine that whether it has enough power to extract the best kind of coffee or not. Well, this espresso machine does seem to be nice and promising but still there are some issues that are worth discussing about it.

The main issue that comes with this espresso machine is about the steamer wand. This espresso maker is a great machine but only if you do not use the steam wand. This is because it is poorly designed and so the steam wand falls out. The wand connector is made up of plastic and so it will break soon for sure.

The main issue comes with the parts of this coffee machine that the parts start to break off. One another example apart from the knob is the on-off button which might break in to small pieces and then you will have to go and get it fixed which will add up to the cost. Even the construction of this coffee machine is very poor and the parts might break off without any reason.

Special Features

• 1000 watt espresso machine
• High pressure safety valve
• 15 bars of pump pressure