If you’re looking for the best coffee maker in the world, there may be several candidates in this article. Top of the range coffee makers is those more exclusive models that are placed on the highest step within the commercial line of a product.
These are very exclusive coffee makers, with details impossible to find in standard or mid-range domestic coffee makers and with designs or bodywork that catch the eye. Of course, their price is also above average and to get one of these high-end coffee makers we will have to prepare a budget of over 200 or 300 pounds. Quality must be paid for, of course.
Without further ado, we leave you with the best top-of-the-line espresso machines of 2023 you can find on the market. At least, of all the ones we have analysed on our website (which are not few!)
Top range espresso machines (manual)
Manual espresso machines are handheld coffee machines, the traditional classics. If we talk about high-end espresso machines, we will go to models above 200 or 300 pounds, with stainless steel bodywork, and which normally include features that the medium-low profile user does not appreciate.
We refer to the pressure gauge, the brass or copper boiler, the installation of a double boiler to be able to use the steamer and the coffee group at the same time, or a much more significant than average water tank.
Top range espresso machines (automatic)
Super-automatic coffee machines are, by definition, much more expensive than armoured ones. But it is still possible to establish ranges and price ranges between them. A high-end automatic espresso machine usually has a built-in milk tank, allows us to make a wide variety of automatic drinks, and will have a colour LCD or TFT screen to navigate through its options and see the status of the machine at all times.
The price of a high-end automatic espresso machine can easily go over 500 or 600 pounds.
Top range espresso machines (capsule)
Yes, capsule coffee makers are also espresso. They make espresso. They differ from the previous ones not in the way the coffee is made but in the way the raw material is used (ground coffee or beans on the one hand or packed in single doses on the other).
When we talk about high-end capsule coffee makers, we are looking for advanced features such as wifi connectivity, specially designed bodywork, or even compatibility with traditional ground coffee, from 200 pounds upwards of almost all of them.
Top range 2023 espresso coffee makers
In this ranking, which is not ordered by any particular criteria, there is everything: automatic, manual, current, older espresso machines enjoy them and don’t lose any detail if you want to buy a truly out of the ordinary coffee machine:
Saeco PicoBaristo
For us, the best top-of-the-range coffee machine on the automatics market, both in terms of performance and value for money. In recent years it has found good competition with the updated Philips Series 5000, a renewal of the legendary Saeco Incanto, which was traditionally the inferior model to the PicoBaristo.
Gaggia Classic
The Gaggia Classic is a classic among the classics, and not just because of its name. It is a very long-lived model that continues to sell a lot thanks to its robustness, its large tank capacity, and the fact that it includes two depressurised filters and one pressurised filter. The “updated” model of 2019 incorporates various details, such as the metal finishes of the filter holder or a better fastening of the pressure pump.
A close competitor of this mythical machine is the WMF Lumero, less capable but also with very high performance and with a Cromargan stainless steel body: the most durable and robust on the market:
If the Gaggia is too expensive for you, we suggest you take a look at this WMF because it’s an excellent alternative.
Nespresso Creatista Plus
The Creatista Plus is without a doubt the best capsule coffee maker on the market, with a unique design and amazing features you won’t find in any other. It’s a 19 bar capsule machine, but with the look and precision of a top-of-the-line arm coffee maker, like all the ones we’re reviewing here—Nespresso’s top of the range.
Delonghi EC860
A colossal coffee maker like you have a bar in your own house. Compatible with ESE single-dose infusions, ground coffee, coffee beans, it has programmable memory, the best of Delonghi. It is the next step to the very popular EC-685 or Delonghi Dedica.
LeLit PL41
The Lelit PL41 is one of the few manual espresso machines that can compete with the Rancilio Silvia. How do they differ from the rest, and why are they so expensive? Well, mainly because they’re made of 100% stainless steel, have temperature control on the front, a boiler instead of Thermoblock, and huge water tanks. Is that not enough?
Illy X1 Trio
The great virtue of the Illy X1’s Trio model (a machine that markets up to three different versions) is that it allows the use of both ground coffee and soft pods or Illy’s capsules. Besides, its stainless steel body and its markedly retro-style design make it a beautiful piece from an aesthetic point of view.
Delonghi Primadonna Evo
Delonghi is another manufacturer of super-automatic coffee machines with a very extensive catalogue. Therefore, we have a lot to choose from if we are looking for a top of the range coffee machine. Not in vain, Delonghi automatic coffee machines are one of the leaders in their segment.
Within the Primadonna series, we have the Primadonna Evo, model ECAM 510.55, which has a digital display, built-in milk tank and an excellent recipe customisation program for the most demanding customers. It is an excellent machine, and although within the Primadonna there are much more advanced models, in many cases, their price makes them prohibitive.
Rancilio Silvia: The best coffee machine in the world?
One of the most historically famous manual espresso machines. It has a quite high price, but it stands out from the others because of its durability, manufacture and quality of materials. It’s almost a professional coffee maker and is designed to last a lifetime. For many, the best espresso machine in the world; and, in any case, an excellent investment if you can afford its high budget.
Melitta Caffeo Passione OT
The German brand Melitta is one of the best manufacturers of super-automatic coffee machines on the market. Fame and prestige are sewn into the company’s logo. Among its wide range of models, we have chosen the Passione OT, a very compact machine only 23 cms wide, with automatic cappuccinos, and with all the components removable. It is available with or without an integrated milk tank.
Nespresso Lattissima Pro
Nespresso’s top range has historically been represented by the Lattisima, and among the many versions of this machine, the most advanced is the Pro. It stands out from the rest with its seven programmable touch buttons, its pre-programmed recipes (an unusual option for capsule coffee machines) and the possibility of regulating the density of the milk foam.
What is the best top range espresso machine?
In a market so saturated with products, it’s tough to give a single answer to this question, but if you’re looking to buy a high-end espresso machine and don’t want to beat around the bush, the first models you should look at are these three:
Saeco PicoBaristo (automatic), Gaggia Classic (arm) and Nespresso Creatista (capsule).
When choosing these three models, we took into account not only their performance but also their value for money, as top-of-the-range coffee machines are always expensive, and there can be significant differences between one machine and another.
Finally, we leave you with the link to other documents and guides that may be of interest to you if you are looking for an excellent top-of-the-range coffee machine:
- The best combi machines
- Find out which are the best automatic coffee machines
- Ten magnificent but unknown coffee makers
- Coffee grinders (essential to get all the juice out of your coffee maker)
What about you? Do you have a preference for higher-end coffee machines, those intended only for the most demanding palates? Which is the best coffee machine in the world for you?
