Best Beginner Friendly Espresso Machine Under $200!

Interested in purchasing a home espresso machine but don’t want to spend a fortune? I’ve found one on Amazon that makes delicious at home coffee drinks, works like a charm, has a compact design AND doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg. This is truly the best espresso machine on the market!

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Today I’m here to tell you all about this amazing little espresso machine and show you how to use it! Without a doubt it’s got to be one of the best espresso machines. You can become a home barista, too! I’m honestly shocked that I’m the kind of person who is so excited about a coffee machine because I never was much of a coffee drinker. In fact, I still don’t like hot coffee pretty much anytime unless I’m sick. I do love a good iced coffee though.

I went through a stage where I was making iced coffee out of K-Cup pods using a Keurig and then just putting the coffee in the freezer until it cooled off enough to put ice in. Then I moved on to buying good coffee like cold brew in a bottle (like the Stok or Starbucks brand bottles).

Nothing quite hit the spot like great espresso drinks did though like when I ventured out to local coffee shops or actual Starbucks locations. Only probably was I had no idea how to make espresso at home and figured it was some big complicated and expensive thing that was out of reach. But I was fortunately so wrong about that! The price range is just right.

So here is my coffee bar setup. I normally keep all the “extras” like the frother cup, mini espresso shot glasses, etc. in the cabinet overhead so that the actual machine is the only thing on my cabinet. I just pulled it all out to display for this photo!

The knob on the far right has three settings – coffee, hot water (if you like a high water temperature), and steam (for milk). Always leave the settings on coffee when preparing your espresso. For a full video tutorial I’ve made, refer to this video.

I’m convinced it’s just as good as the high-end espresso machines. I make double shots almost daily! The instruction manual that comes with this is also actually SO easy to understand which I really appreciated for setting it up. It’s just such a good espresso machine.

1200W Espresso Maker with Foaming Steam Wand – The Espresso Machine!

One of the things that I love the most about this particular espresso machine is the size. It’s an excellent choice! It seems very compact compared to some of the other ones out there on the market. The compact size makes it so easy to leave out on your kitchen counters. But, the quality and taste is 100% still there. It’s one of the best semi-automatic machines out there and is a good choice for small kitchens.

This makes espresso shots that taste (to me at least) WAY better than any coffee shop and DEFINITELY better espresso than Starbucks. I’ve had several family members and friends over and have made them coffees with this machine and they all say the same thing.

It’s also SO easy to use. No manual espresso maker machines, lever machines, or other manual machines around these parts. That’s too much work! This machine is the perfect choice.

It’s also quite economical compared to other machines out there on the market. I’ve seen them range from $100-$1,000 and this one falls VERY low on the price point spectrum. Just look up the brand Rancilio Silvia and you’ll be shocked at how expensive they can get. You will easily find the investment worth it if you frequently buy $5 (or more) coffees from shops with this affordable machine. It’s the best option! It’s in line with the prices you find from Delonghi Stilosa, if familiar with that brand.

There are 4 buttons as you can see on this machine. The power button, the single shot, the double shot of espresso, and the Americano button. I’ve only ever used the single or double but that is just my personal preference. I have no doubt the Americano feature would be nice if you enjoy those drinks.

My only critique is that it doesn’t come with any shot glass cups so it’s hard to find something to fit that is small enough to catch the espresso. I started out using a shallow condiment bowl but quickly decided the few extra dollars were worth it to buy some shot glasses since I plan to use this for a long time. More on that below!

Accessories You May Want to Buy

Here are my two top picks to grab with this or any other semi-automatic espresso machines.

There is a really nice milk frothing feature but it does not come with a milk frothing pitcher. I’m assuming you could just froth the milk right in a coffee mug but I went ahead and bought a frothing pitcher. As I alluded to in the paragraph above, it also does not come with shot glasses so you may want to buy those as well.

Altogether, I’d spend the extra $20 or so and grab these espresso shot glasses and this milk frothing pitcher from Amazon. Those are really the only two extras you need! It’s all I’ve purchased (other than coffee grounds of course) to go with my new espresso machine and I truly can’t think of anything else you would need for the brewing process.

Well, actually come to think of it I do have ONE other recommendation you could choose to get. I didn’t buy any because I had already been gifted several months before this adorable little heart shaped glass that you see in the image above. BUT if I didn’t have that I would have grabbed this cute iced coffee cup with a lid and straw just to make your morning coffee that much more special.

How to Make Espresso Shots

Here is your step by step tutorial for making high-quality espresso! Before you do anything, always check the back of the water tank (the water reservoir) and make sure there is enough water in there. I only have to refill it every few days or so.

If you’re interested in watching a video version of this tutorial, I’ve published one here you can watch. It’s such good espresso!

1. Press The Power Button On

This is pretty self explanatory. Just press that button on the far left once! It will start flashing red. Once it stops flashes and STAYS red, you know it’s heated up and ready to go. This normally takes only a few seconds.

2. Put Coffee Grinds in Stainless Steel Filter

The machine comes with two filters as you can see in the photo below. One is obviously deeper than the other (for 1 shot or 2 shots). I’m filling up the double shot in the photo and the single shot filter is off to the side. If you use whole coffee beans, you’ll need a good grinder since there is no built-in grinder. So I recommend just buying pre-ground coffee for this machine. Don’t confuse it with super-automatic espresso makers.

Before having this espresso machine and doing some research I also thought that there were some special beans out there for espresso that you would buy. But turns out you can use any coffee grinds! That makes it simple.

Use the black tamper and press down firmly but lightly to flatten out the grounds.

3. Attach Handle to the Machine and Press the Coffee Setting of Your Choice

Attach the handle with the filter filled with ground coffee onto the espresso machine. It’s somewhat hard to explain and I don’t have a great photo that demonstrates how to do this, but you can actually watch a clip of me doing this in a full tutorial video I’ve published here.

Select the button of your choosing (I’m selecting the button for a double shot here). Make sure to have an espresso shot glass or other small mug or cup underneath to catch the espresso when it starts dripping! You’ll notice the bar on the pressure gauge start to rise when it starts dripping coffee. Make sure the bars of pressure always rise.

4. Watch Your Espresso Drip Out

The setting you selected will turn blue and the espresso will start dripping out! Isn’t it a pretty color? I love the look of espresso.

And there you have it! For me, the double shot fills this cup up *almost* to the very top of this shot glass so it really is the perfect size for it. Use this espresso for any drinks of your choosing or to enjoy by itself. If you like to add milk, sugar, etc. then you can keep following along down below as I use it to make an iced latte!

How to Make an Iced Latte

Before I go any further, if you want to see the built-in milk frothers in action and how I would make a hot latte, I would highly suggest watching this full tutorial video I put together. I walk you through the entire process of using the milk frother and you can watch an actual video (which is always easier to help visualize than reading instructions, IMO).

But today, as most days, I was in the mood for an iced drink. Pour the espresso shots into a glass of your choice.

Next, pour anywhere from a half teaspoon to an entire teaspoon of honey or cane sugar into the hot espresso. This part is very important, now stir it until the sugar of your choice is completely dissolved. The honey will turn very thin and mix into the hot espresso. This is key for avoiding clumps and it tasting good!

Next, add milk of choice! Oat milk, almond milk, or regular milk all work. Or, froth milk using the frother to steam milk. Again, if you want to see that process refer to my video tutorial where I show you how to make both hot and iced lattes with cups of espresso.

Finally, add ice cubes. I add a pretty big scoop and it turns it cold pretty fast!

Time to enjoy this delicious espresso drink! With a little practice, I’m convinced you can master it.

It’s also super easy cleaning as the removable drip tray plops right out! One last thing to note is that there are detailed instructions on how to setup the machine when you first get it that are extremely easy to follow. I can’t say enough good things about this being the best budget espresso makers!

What Type of Coffee Do You Use?

So far I’ve bought three different types of coffee grounds and all have tasted great using this machine. But, the nice thing about it is you can really use any coffee grounds that you love. So if you already have a favorite, just use that! I think you just need to find one with a small grind size, and most come like that anyways.

The Bean Organic Coffee Company 50/50 (Half Caff) French Roast

The first type of coffee I tried was this half caff. I really love it! I’m just buying different ones now because I want to test a ton before I land on one to consistently buy. But I really appreciated the fact that it was already half caff for those watching their caffeine intake.

Amazon Fresh Organic Fair Trade Peru Ground Coffee, Medium Roast, 12 Ounce

This might be my favorite though and the one I repurchase the most because it’s significantly cheaper than the others. I just can’t make afternoon drinks with this because after about lunch time I need to watch any caffeine at all or I’ll be up all night! But the taste was absolutely delish.

If you want fully caffeinated drinks this is for sure the bag to buy! I will probably repurchase again and use for mornings only.

Natural Force – Organic Clean Decaf Coffee

This is the most pricey of them all. I’m trying to save it and only use when I really want an afternoon pick me up and need to drink decaf.

However, I picked this decaf option to buy because of the impressive toxin-free process they use. It looks to be without a doubt the highest quality decaf I could find on Amazon. And I have to say, it taste amazing.

Conclusion

I love this budget espresso machine for the ease of use, affordability, and the delicious espresso it makes! The good news is you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg at coffee shops buying espresso drinks if you’re one of those coffee lovers on a tight budget! I love making milk drinks like lattes. Pour a good shot over milk in the comfort of your own home.

You can easily make espresso drinks at home and create the coffee bar station of your dreams with this best coffee maker. The special features on this machine are unmatched. You don’t have to opt for a Nespresso machine with pricey coffee pods or a Breville machine, either. I’m really convinced just because it’s a more expensive machine doesn’t make it a better at-home espresso machine.

From lattes to cappuccinos to simple iced espresso concoctions, you can make it all right at home! This truly is one of the best coffee makers that produces cafe-quality espresso. It’s why I rave about semiautomatic machines. Home baristas and coffee drinkers unite!