The Top 8 Best Super-Automatic Espresso Machines

How would you like to have a high quality freshly ground cup of coffee every day? Perhaps a Macchiato, a Latte or an Americano? How about, if we told you that with no work or knowledge required, but just the press of a button, you could have your choice of almost any coffee drink! How does that sound?

Welcome to the world of the super-automatic espresso machine, also known as a bean to cup coffee maker.

In this guide, so that everyone can benefit from our in-depth research, we have explored all three price categories from budget to mid-range and premium to bring you a list of the 8 best super-automatic espresso machines covering all price points.

• We firstly explain everything you need to look for in a super-automatic espresso machine.
• We will then look in detail at the top 8 best super automated espresso machines currently on the market including the best features, the pros and cons and which type of coffee lover each machine will suit.

Our aim is to provide you with everything needed to make an informed decision of what the best super automatic coffee machine is for your budget and requirements.

If you read on right to the end we will also provide our overall top pick and why we have come to this decision!

The Difference Between Regular & Super-Automatic Espresso Machines

Both regular (semi-automatic) coffee machines and super-automatic espresso machines cater to different levels of user involvement and convenience in the coffee-making process. Semi-automatic espresso makers offer a balance between manual and automated functions, requiring users to grind the coffee, measure the right amount, and tamp it down. The water pressure is typically automated, but the user decides when to start and stop the extraction.

On the other hand, super-automatic espresso machines automate nearly every step. With the push of a button, they grind the beans, dose, tamp, and brew the coffee, often also frothing milk for lattes or cappuccinos. Essentially, while semi-automatics provide more hands-on control, super-automatics prioritize ease and consistency.

What You Should Look For In A Super Automatic Espresso Machine

We have identified 12 areas that you need to be aware of and which play a vital role in determining which super-automatic coffee machine will best suit your specific needs and we will look at these now.

Budget

Your budget is the first step in determining which bean-to-cup machine you can afford to purchase. Although premium models offer advanced features such as color touchscreens and a wider choice of programmable drinks, there are cost-effective models that provide good value without compromising on essential features.

Both the Gaggia Anima Prestige and the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo are in the budget category but still make excellent espresso.

Design and Build Quality

A super automatic coffee machine’s design will affect your kitchen aesthetics as they are large items that are hard to miss. Premium machines often boast stainless steel construction that gives a sleeker appearance than a plastic one.

Build quality ensures longevity – You may be fine with plastic, but a stainless steel machine may be more appropriate to your circumstances. Consider where you will use the machine and how many people will be using it. The more users, the greater the chance of scratches or of breaking the plastic parts.

Espresso Coffee Quality

The essence of a super-automatic espresso machine lies in its ability to produce barista-quality espresso. Factors like temperature stability and pressure consistency are crucial for extracting rich and flavorful shots. A dual boiler (dual-heating system) better controls temperature stability and recovery time than a single heating system.

Grinder

An integrated grinder is essential for fresh coffee. Integrated grinders are typically made of stainless steel or ceramic and most in-built grinders now use flat or conical burrs instead of blades.

• Ceramic grinders maintain bean integrity by preventing overheating, and are considered a little higher quality; while a stainless steel grinder will outlast a ceramic grinder, especially if you use it regularly.
• Flat burrs tend to offer a more consistent result than conical burrs but are also noisier.

The number of grind settings is also important and you should pay attention to how many are available on your machine. Espresso is a subtle drink where minute changes in the grind size affect the extraction and flavor. 

More adjustable grind settings allow you to better fine-tune grind coarseness for your coffee brewing. Many coffee experts believe that inbuilt grinders are inferior to external grinders due to a larger number of adjustment settings typically available and the better quality of the burr.

Programmability

Advanced machines offer customizable settings, from coffee strength to temperature. Greater programmability ensures each coffee drinker can match the coffee to their personal preferences.

A super-automatic coffee machine is easier to use than a manual or semi-automatic coffee maker. Since there is no risk of manual human error, you can get the perfect espresso with a press of a button. 

Not all super-automatic espresso makers are the same however. Some will allow you more adjustable settings, like grind, temperature and pressure. The range of adjustable options decides the control level you have over the coffee brewing process. The choice is yours whether you prefer to let the coffee machine complete the full process with a push of a button, or you prefer additional options, allowing for more control over your coffee.

Milk Frothing System

For lovers of milky coffee drinks like cappuccinos and lattes, an efficient milk frothing system is vital. Super-automatic espresso machines typically have one of two types of milk systems: a milk carafe or a steam wand. With the milk carafe, the machine does all the milk frothing work for you. All you have to do is press a button.

• If a super-automatic coffee machine comes with an automatic milk frother using a carafe, you can create more drinks.
• Some super-automatic espresso machines may have a steam wand when you steam the milk yourself, which is known as manual steaming.

Brew Group

The brew group is the center of the coffee maker where coffee extraction occurs. A removable brew group allows easy cleaning of coffee bean residue to maintain consistent espresso quality. With a removable brew group, you can easily rinse out this central part of the machine by hand to remove residue and so always brew with fresh beans.

Some automated espresso machines like the Jura range have a built-in brew group. As they have a self-cleaning program they are easy to maintain but if any repairs are needed, this may ne expensive.

Boiler Type

Super-automatic espresso makers typically use a thermoblock heating system which just heats the water required for an espresso shot. A dual-heating system (or boiler) rather than a single system will allow you to extract coffee and steam milk at the same time, enhancing efficiency. Espresso machines with just a single boiler typically need a 30 or 40 second wait between extraction and steaming.

Operating Interface

A user-friendly interface ensures seamless operation. Touchscreens and intuitive button layouts enhance user experience, making drink selection and customization straightforward.

As the whole purpose of a super-automated espresso machine is to make quality espresso easily, you should pay attention to whether the touchscreen and buttons are responsive and the menus straightforward to understand.

Bean and Water Tank Capacity

Larger capacities reduce the frequency of refills, ideal for heavy users or households. Reducing refills means less use of any moving parts which is better for the longevity of the machine. Transparent tanks also allow for easy monitoring of levels.

Maintenance

Regular maintenance ensures machine longevity and consistent coffee quality. Machines with automated cleaning cycles and descaling alerts simplify upkeep. Give consideration if it is you rather than the machine who will need to descale, empty the drip tray or purge the steam wand.

Drink Options

Some super-automatic espresso machines can make more espresso drinks than others. You can choose between machines that can make only simple beverages, like americano or as espresso, or ones that can serve ten or more coffee drinks. As previously mentioned, if the super-automatic espresso machine has an automatic milk frother, you can make more drinks.

Gaggia Anima Prestige

In the budget sector, the Italian made, Gaggia Anima Prestige is our favourite super-automatic espresso machine, blending affordability with feature-rich offerings. As Gaggia’s pioneering espresso machine, it has undergone significant refinements over time. The Anima boasts the ability to brew four distinct drinks, offering users control over brew temperature, coffee strength, and milk temperature for milk-infused coffee drinks like lattes. Its unique “adapting system” memorizes user preferences, ensuring a consistent personalized brew.

The Anima Prestige’s design is both functional, compact and aesthetically pleasing with its sleek look complementing modern kitchen decor. Its LED display is easy to use and the stainless steel paneling, which is unusual at this price point, adds a touch of elegance and robustness compared to an all plastic build.

Key features include a detachable carafe milk system, facilitating easy refrigeration, and an automatic milk frothing mechanism, eliminating the need for a steam wand. This single boiler espresso machine ensures hygiene with its “Milk Circuit Quick Clean” feature, automatically cleaning the frother.

The ceramic flat burr grinder, a staple in Gaggia’s super-automatic espresso machines, grinds the beans with 5 grind settings, giving some control over the espresso quality. The Anima’s large, removable reservoir ensures uninterrupted brewing, while the integrated milk carafe doubles as a water spout, perfect for Americanos or hot tea.

A video snapshot of the Gaggia Anima Prestige

Best feature

The standout feature of the Gaggia Anima Prestige is its integrated milk carafe and auto-cappuccino system. The double-chambered carafe locks into the machine, frothing and dispensing milk directly into your cup, ensuring a rich foam for specialty beverages. Moreover, the automatic cleaning cycle of the milk circuit ensures hygiene and ease of maintenance.

What type of coffee lover would this suit?

Wants easy one-touch coffee at a low price point, suitable for smaller kitchens

The compact Gaggia Anima Prestige is ideal for coffee enthusiasts with smaller kitchens seeking a budget-friendly machine, that is highly automated and with a touch of a button brews coffees including milk based drinks through automatic milk frothing.

Philips 3200 LatteGo

Italian designed, the Philips 3200 LatteGo is a budget-priced super-automatic espresso machine, known for its unique LatteGo milk system. The hands-free frothing mechanism blends milk and air, producing thick foam ideal for cappuccinos. The milk carafe can be detached for rinsing or refrigeration with the cleaning in the LatteGo system, straightforward due to the absence of tubing that prevents milk curdling.

The 3200 LatteGo features an intuitive display offering five coffee drink choices and accepts pre-ground coffee. Customization options include shot volume, temperature, grind size, brew strength, and water volume. The 3200 Series also has an aroma seal to maintain bean freshness and a removable brew group for easy cleaning.

The machine boasts a ceramic flat burr grinder with 12 grind settings, which is excellent at this price point for adjusting a range of coffee bean coarseness for good espresso quality. Philips also guarantees the grinder’s longevity, which is rated for brewing up to 20,000 cups.

For ongoing maintenance, the AquaClean filter ensures that users can enjoy up to 5,000 cups before needing to descale, making it a more hygienic coffee machine than many of its competitors.

We should note that the machine’s grinder and milk frothing system can be quite loud, which might be disruptive for early morning brews or late-night coffee cravings. The machine is also only available in black which may not be the most aesthetic finish for higher-end kitchens.

A video snapshot of the Philips 3200 LatteGo

Best feature

The standout feature of the Philips 3200 Series is undoubtedly the LatteGo Milk System. This innovative system ensures a hands-free frothing mechanism that produces a creamy layer of milk froth, enhancing the overall coffee experience.

What type of coffee lover would this suit?

Looking for good quality coffee at a low price point with minimal maintenance or cleaning

The Philips 3200 Series is ideal for those that want a machine that is easy to clean and produces high quality coffee at a budget price point. With 12 grinder settings, you can combine your perfect espresso grind, with the innovative LatteGo Milk System for a milky drink option.

DeLonghi Magnifica Evo

The DeLonghi Magnifica Evo is available in a sleek silver finish, successfully blending modern aesthetics with advanced functionality. The Magnifica Evo, is a sub $1000 priced super-automated coffee machine that boasts seven one-touch drinks, covering most coffee preferences, from robust espressos to frothy cappuccinos from its carafe and milk froth system with just one touch of a button.

The built-in stainless steel conical burr grinder with an impressive, 13 grinder settings, ensures that every cup is brewed to perfection, offering a consistent and smooth flavor.

The Magnifica Evo employs DeLonghi’s innovative LatteCrema System, a proprietary technology that not only textures milk from a creamy cappuccino to a custom latte, but also works seamlessly with milk alternatives, which some machines are unable to do competently.

The machine’s touchscreen interface is designed with the user in mind, offering a simple, user-friendly experience without compromising on style. The screen’s slight angle ensures easy access but not enough that it will impact on the overall sleek silver design that will work well in contemporary kitchen surroundings.

Maintenance is straightforward with the Magnifica Evo. Its design allows for easy cleaning, with removable and dishwasher-safe parts. However we would like to note that the milk carafe needs immediate rinsing after use to ensure freshness as there is no built in milk cleaning function.

A video snapshot of the DeLonghi Magnifica Evo

Best Feature

The standout feature of the Magnifica Evo is its patented LatteCrema System which with the addition of milk allows you to make seven different coffee-based drinks. This proprietary technology ensures a consistent foam every time and combined with 13 grind settings from the grinder really allows you to dial in a high quality coffee, all of which is impressive at this price point.

What type of coffee lover would this suit?

Enjoys good quality milk-based coffee drinks conveniently at the touch of a button

The De’Longhi Magnifica Evo is perfect for coffee lovers who prioritize quality and convenience. With its advanced LatteCrema system it delivers barista-level quality at home with the convenience of one-touch drink options and easy to clean maintenance for reduced hassle.

Gaggia Babila

The Gaggia Babila, stands out in the super-automatic coffee machine market with its dual-milk frothing options, both automatic and manual, as the design includes a steam wand for those who enjoy crafting their milk texture and a detachable auto-cleaning carafe.

Designed and made in, Italy, it boasts a one-touch brewing system with 8 programmable drink options, and a double boiler for simultaneously brewing and steaming. Further unique features include:

• An adjustable coffee dispenser
• A flow knob for precise extraction control.
• A bypass doser for using pre-ground coffee

The older style interface is easy to use and the Babila ensures top espresso quality from its ceramic flat burr grinder with 15 adjustment settings to dial in that perfect grind, as well as pre-infusion settings. With the capacity to remember user settings, stainless steel construction and solid 28.6 pounds in weight, it is an excellent mid-priced choice for coffee enthusiasts.

A video snapshot of the Gaggia Babila

Best feature

The Gaggia Babila’s standout feature is its dual capability of automatic and manual milk frothing. This unique combination allows users to quickly froth milk with the automatic feature or manually froth to perfect their latte art skills. Additionally, the manual frother doubles as a hot water outlet, making it versatile for other beverages like tea.

What type of coffee lover would this suit?

Advanced coffee drinkers who want the option of both ease but also customization

The Gaggia Babila, with its dual-frothing options, is perfect for more advanced coffee enthusiasts who value both convenience but also customization, when it suits them.

DeLonghi Dinamica Plus

The DeLonghi Dinamica Plus is a super-automatic espresso machine with a sleek design and advanced technological features. They include a 3.5-inch touchscreen display, making it easy for coffee drinkers to select from 16 barista-style beverages; a built-in Coffee Link App allows for further personalization, enabling coffee enthusiasts to save up to three custom coffee profiles. It ensures that every cup is tailored to individual tastes, from lattes to iced coffees.

The Dinamica Plus has an integrated stainless steel conical burr grinder with 13 settings, helping to deliver consistent ground coffee every time. The machine’s LatteCrema system delivers consistent frothed milk, while the TrueBrew Over Ice feature allows for refreshing iced coffee without compromising on flavor.

Designed with convenience in mind, the Dinamica Plus is user-friendly and easy to maintain. It features a compact layout, making it suitable for any kitchen size. Cleaning is straightforward with its removable components and dishwasher-safe drip tray. In the mid-range sector, this machine offers high quality espresso and easy to use functions.

A video snapshot of the DeLonghi Dinamica Plus

Best feature

The DeLonghi Coffee Link App functionality stands out as the best feature. It not only allows you to create and save up to 3 personalized espresso recipes but also provides tips, tricks, and machine maintenance updates, ensuring a customized and seamless coffee experience.

What type of coffee lover would this suit?

Those who want good coffee through a user-friendly touch screen experience and app

The DeLonghi Dinamica Plus is ideal for coffee drinkers seeking a premium, user-friendly experience in a compact-sized package. With its intuitive touchscreen, personalized recipe settings via the Coffee Link App, and versatile brewing options, it produces high-quality espresso.

Jura E8

The Jura E8 Semi-Automatic Coffee Machine is not just about aesthetics but also functionality. It boasts a sleek design available in white or black to appropriately match your kitchen decor and is equipped to deliver 17 different specialty coffee drinks. With features like a professional aroma grinder, one-touch preparation, and an exclusive Extra Shot function, coffee drinkers can enjoy a barista-level coffee at home.

The machine’s intuitive color display makes it user-friendly, allowing even those unfamiliar with coffee machines to customize their drink effortlessly.

Jura is Swiss-made and a global leader in automatic coffee machines. With the E8 they have ensured it stands out with high level functions including a Professional Aroma Grinder that guarantees optimal flavor extraction. The Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.) enhances the intensity and flavor of the espresso, ensuring a rich taste in a shorter brew time.

Additionally, a fine foam milk frothing system promises the perfect milk-based beverages, from cappuccinos to lattes, with a creamy finish. The machine’s design is harmonious, reflecting its quality, functionality, and durability.

A video snapshot of the Jura E8

Best feature

The best feature of the Jura E8 is its Professional Aroma Grinder, which ensures 12.2% more aroma and consistently high grind quality. This allows the flavors to unfold to perfection throughout the entire service life of the grinder, ensuring that each cup of coffee brewed is aromatic and flavorful.

What type of coffee lover would this suit?

Enjoys premium coffee with no manual preparation from a machine that enhances their kitchen interior

The Jura E8 is perfect for coffee enthusiasts who want a beautifully designed machine for their kitchen that makes a premium cup of espresso or any specialty coffee without the complexities of manual preparation.

Breville Oracle Touch

The Breville Oracle Touch, is a premium espresso machine. Unlike the rest of our ‘best of’ list, it blends the best of both semi-automatic and super-automatic machines, offering a higher degree of coffee brewing customization. For those passionate about coffee and willing to invest in a high-quality experience at home, the Oracle Touch offers a balance between manual control and automated processes.

It boasts a user-friendly touchscreen, allowing coffee lovers to easily select or customize their preferred drink. With its innovative features, the Oracle Touch simplifies the coffee-making process, automatically handling tasks like grinding, dosing, and tamping but the machine also offers hands-free steaming, producing barista-level micro-foam essential for latte art. Its dual boiler system ensures that users can brew and steam simultaneously, saving precious time during busy mornings.

One of its standout features is the built-in stainless steel conical burr grinder with 45 settings, ensuring precise grinding for every coffee preference. The machine’s design prioritizes convenience; for instance, it has an automatic self-cleaning steam wand. Additionally, its large 84-ounce water tank and the ability to save drink preferences for up to eight drinks make it ideal for households with multiple coffee enthusiasts.

A video snapshot of the Breville Oracle Touch

Best feature

The Breville Oracle Touch’s most outstanding feature is its touchscreen display. This intuitive interface allows users to easily select from a range of drinks, customize their beverages, and save their preferences. Combined with its ability to automatically grind, dose, and tamp coffee, it offers a seamless and personalized coffee-making experience.

What type of coffee lover would this suit?

Those who want convenience but also the option to personalize their coffee

The Breville Oracle Touch suits discerning coffee drinkers who value both convenience and quality. Its blend of manual and automated features ensures a personalized, barista-level experience, making it ideal for those willing to invest in a premium home brewing experience without the complexities of a fully manual machine.

Jura Z10

The Jura Z10 is a luxury super-automatic espresso machine. The Swiss-engineered coffee maker offers a unique blend of technology and design. It’s one of the first to offer brewing of both hot and cold coffee specialties, boasting 32 options at the touch of a button.

The machine’s standout feature is its Product Recognizing Grinder (P.R.G.), which automatically adjusts the grind in a split second, ensuring the perfect consistency for each coffee type. This feature, combined with its touchscreen display and WiFi connectivity, offers users a seamless coffee-making experience.

The Z10’s design is a blend of modernity and classic elegance, reflecting Jura’s commitment to quality and precision. It’s not just about looks; the machine’s brewing unit uses advanced technology to ensure water flows evenly through the coffee, maximizing aroma and flavor. The genuine cold brew extraction process is also another highlight.

For those seeking a premium coffee experience, Jura is considered the go-to brand. While it promises a top-tier coffee experience and delivers a consistently high quality coffee every time, potential buyers should note that the milk carafe is sold separately, which is a little disappointing at this price point.

A video snapshot of the Jura Z10

Best feature

The Product Recognizing Grinder (P.R.G.) is the standout feature of the Jura Z10. This high-performance grinder automatically adjusts to the ideal grind for the chosen specialty in a fraction of a second, ensuring optimal flavor extraction for each coffee type, from fine espresso to coarse cold brew.

What type of coffee lover would this suit?

Those who enjoy both hot and cold brewed coffee in a machine that will enhance their kitchen decor.

The Jura Z10 is perfect for the discerning coffee enthusiast who values both luxury and versatility. With its ability to brew both hot and cold brew specialties and its advanced grinding technology, it’s ideal for those who want a premium coffee experience and are willing to invest in top-tier quality.

Gaggia Babila: Our Pick For Best Super-Automatic Espresso Machine

The Gaggia Babila is our choice for the best super automated espresso machine currently on the market. The four factors fundamental to our research for this guide of espresso quality, ease of use, build quality and design are all impressively evident in the Babila. What has swung it for us is that this quality is all available in a mid-priced machine, meaning coffee enthusiasts are not priced out by premium price machines. To justify our pick:

1. The espresso quality is high with 15 adjustment settings from its ceramic flat burr grinder to dial in a precise grind. Only the Breville Oracle Touch and the Jura Z10 allow for more minute adjustments.
2. With its older style interface there is very much an emphasis on ease of use with many function a simple one touch of a button.
3. The build quality is excellent with an all stainless steel construction weighing a solid 28.6 pounds, the heaviest out of our best 8 machines listed here. With a lack of plastic the Babila is more durable than plastic constructed machines.
4. The design with a stainless steel finish is more premium than a plastic finish, although the older style interface is not as sleek as the Jura and Breville offerings, but which are much more expensive.