Best Stainless Steel Espresso Machines
The best stainless steel espresso machines, ranked by our review scores. The only finish that looks the same in ten years: it does not yellow, fade or chalk. What it does do is show fingerprints and, in hard water, spots - and brushed and polished behave completely differently there, with polished collecting marks hourly and brushed forgiving them. The word is also used loosely. On cheaper machines "stainless steel" often describes a trim panel or a steel-look wrap over plastic rather than a steel body, so it is worth reading which part the maker is talking about.
How this list is ordered
Ranked by arithmetic, not opinion. Every score is worked out from the specifications each maker publishes, so you can open the working on any product page. Anything commercial is labelled and sits outside that order, and how we score explains what each criterion measures.
Stainless Steel Espresso Machines, ranked by score
scored on what the maker publishesOpen a row for the score working1
BrevilleBarista Touch BES880BSSFrom $987.997.8How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction7.8Steam Power & Milk Texturing8.1Build Quality & Durability8.2Ease of Use & Learning Curve7.1Maintenance & Cleaning10.0plumbable and bottomless not publishedWorkflow & Ergonomics8.8Value for Moneyweakest link5.0carries 10 of the 81.8 points scoredPrice from$987.99Score7.8Machine TypeSemi-automatic with built-in grinderBuilt-in GrinderYesAutomatic MilkYesBody MaterialStainless steelRead the Breville Barista Touch BES880BSS review →2
BrevilleBarista Express Impress BES876From $799.957.7How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction8.9Steam Power & Milk Texturing6.9Build Quality & Durability7.2Ease of Use & Learning Curveweakest link5.9carries 12 of the 84 points scoredMaintenance & Cleaning10.0plumbable and bottomless not publishedWorkflow & Ergonomics9.4Value for Money6.0Price from$799.95Score7.7Machine TypeSemi-automatic with built-in grinderBuilt-in GrinderYesAutomatic MilkNoBody MaterialStainless steelRead the Breville Barista Express Impress BES876 review →3
BrevilleBarista ProFrom $849.957.7How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction9.0Steam Power & Milk Texturing6.9Build Quality & Durability8.2Ease of Use & Learning Curve6.0Maintenance & Cleaning8.0Workflow & Ergonomics8.5Value for Moneyweakest link5.6carries 10 of the 95.2 points scoredPrice from$849.95Score7.7Machine TypeSemi-automaticBuilt-in GrinderYesAutomatic MilkNoBody MaterialBrushed stainless steelRead the Breville Barista Pro review →4
BrevilleOracle Jet BES985From $1999.957.5How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction9.1Steam Power & Milk Texturing6.9Build Quality & Durability8.8Ease of Use & Learning Curve7.6Maintenance & Cleaning10.0plumbable and bottomless not publishedWorkflow & Ergonomics6.9Value for Moneyweakest link2.5carries 10 of the 81.8 points scoredPrice from$1999.95Score7.5Machine TypeAutomatic espresso machine with a built-in grinderBuilt-in GrinderYesAutomatic MilkYesBody MaterialStainless steelRead the Breville Oracle Jet BES985 review →5
BrevilleBarista Touch Impress BES881From $1499.957.3How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction7.2Steam Power & Milk Texturing8.1Build Quality & Durability7.2Ease of Use & Learning Curve7.1Maintenance & Cleaning10.0plumbable and bottomless not publishedWorkflow & Ergonomics8.8Value for Moneyweakest link3.1carries 10 of the 81.8 points scoredPrice from$1499.95Score7.3Machine TypeSemi-automatic with built-in grinderBuilt-in GrinderYesAutomatic MilkYesBody MaterialStainless steelRead the Breville Barista Touch Impress BES881 review →6
BrevilleDual Boiler BES920XLFrom $1599.957.3How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction10.0Steam Power & Milk Texturing8.0Build Quality & Durability7.2Ease of Use & Learning Curve5.0Maintenance & Cleaning7.5plumbable and bottomless not publishedWorkflow & Ergonomics8.5Value for Moneyweakest link3.0carries 10 of the 89.2 points scoredPrice from$1599.95Score7.3Machine TypeSemi-automaticBuilt-in GrinderNoAutomatic MilkNoBody MaterialStainless steelRead the Breville Dual Boiler BES920XL review →7
RancilioSilvia Pro XFrom $21957.2How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction9.1Steam Power & Milk Texturing7.5Build Quality & Durability8.9Ease of Use & Learning Curve4.5Maintenance & Cleaning7.5plumbable and bottomless not publishedWorkflow & Ergonomics8.5Value for Moneyweakest link2.1carries 10 of the 89.2 points scoredPrice from$2195Score7.2Machine TypeSemi-automaticBuilt-in GrinderNoAutomatic MilkNoBody MaterialStainless steelRead the Rancilio Silvia Pro X review →8
Gevi20Bar Super Automatic Espresso MachineFrom $699.996.9How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction10.0Steam Power & Milk Texturing6.0Build Quality & Durability7.2Ease of Use & Learning Curve5.9Maintenance & Cleaningweakest link5.0carries 12 of the 87.4 points scoredWorkflow & Ergonomics6.2Value for Money6.0Price from$699.99Score6.9Machine TypeSemi-automaticBuilt-in GrinderYesAutomatic MilkNoBody MaterialStainless steelRead the Gevi 20Bar Super Automatic Espresso Machine review →9
BrevilleInfuser BES840XLFrom $336.506.7How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction7.8Steam Power & Milk Texturing6.2Build Quality & Durability7.6Ease of Use & Learning Curveweakest link2.9carries 12 of the 81.8 points scoredMaintenance & Cleaning5.8plumbable and bottomless not publishedWorkflow & Ergonomics5.6Value for Money10.0Price from$336.50Score6.7Machine TypeSemi-automaticBuilt-in GrinderNoAutomatic MilkNoBody MaterialStainless steelRead the Breville Infuser BES840XL review →10
LelitMara X V2 PL62XFrom $1699.956.6How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction8.3Steam Power & Milk Texturing6.5Build Quality & Durability8.8Ease of Use & Learning Curve2.9Maintenance & Cleaning8.3plumbable and bottomless not publishedWorkflow & Ergonomics6.9Value for Moneyweakest link2.5carries 10 of the 88.8 points scoredPrice from$1699.95Score6.6Machine TypeSemi-automaticBuilt-in GrinderNoAutomatic MilkNoBody MaterialStainless steelRead the Lelit Mara X V2 PL62X review →11
BrevilleBarista Express BES870XLFrom $692.996.3How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction7.8Steam Power & Milk Texturing6.2Build Quality & Durability7.6Ease of Use & Learning Curveweakest link4.7carries 12 of the 81.8 points scoredMaintenance & Cleaning5.0plumbable and bottomless not publishedWorkflow & Ergonomics5.0Value for Money5.5Price from$692.99Score6.3Machine TypeSemi-automatic with built-in grinderBuilt-in GrinderYesAutomatic MilkNoBody MaterialStainless steelRead the Breville Barista Express BES870XL review →12
De'LonghiClassic Signature Espresso MachineFrom $224.996.3How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction5.0Steam Power & Milk Texturing5.0Build Quality & Durability7.2Ease of Use & Learning Curveweakest link3.5carries 12 of the 81.8 points scoredMaintenance & Cleaning7.5plumbable and bottomless not publishedWorkflow & Ergonomics6.9Value for Money10.0Price from$224.99Score6.3Machine TypeSemi-automaticBuilt-in GrinderNoAutomatic MilkNoBody MaterialStainless steelRead the De'Longhi Classic Signature Espresso Machine review →13
La MarzoccoLinea MicraFrom $45006.3How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction8.1Steam Power & Milk Texturing8.5Build Quality & Durability6.8Ease of Use & Learning Curve2.9Maintenance & Cleaning6.9Workflow & Ergonomics6.9Value for Moneyweakest link0.9carries 10 of the 91.2 points scoredPrice from$4500Score6.3Machine TypeSemi-automaticBuilt-in GrinderNoAutomatic MilkNoRead the La Marzocco Linea Micra review →14
De'LonghiDedica EC680MFrom $149.956.0How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction5.0Steam Power & Milk Texturing6.2Build Quality & Durability6.7Ease of Use & Learning Curveweakest link2.9carries 12 of the 81.8 points scoredMaintenance & Cleaning6.7plumbable and bottomless not publishedWorkflow & Ergonomics5.0Value for Money10.0Price from$149.95Score6.0Machine TypeSemi-automaticBuilt-in GrinderNoAutomatic MilkNoBody MaterialStainless steelRead the De'Longhi Dedica EC680M review →15
Mattino ProMattinata Espresso MachineFrom $159.996.0How it scored
Shot Quality & Extractionweakest link4.5carries 22 of the 88.6 points scoredSteam Power & Milk Texturing5.6Build Quality & Durability4.8Ease of Use & Learning Curve6.2Maintenance & Cleaning6.2Workflow & Ergonomics6.9Value for Money10.0Price from$159.99Score6.0Machine TypeSemi-automaticAutomatic MilkYesRead the Mattino Pro Mattinata Espresso Machine review →16
Rocket EspressoAppartamento TCAFrom $23006.0How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction7.4Steam Power & Milk Texturing6.0Build Quality & Durability8.0Ease of Use & Learning Curve2.9Maintenance & Cleaning8.3plumbable and bottomless not publishedWorkflow & Ergonomics5.6Value for Moneyweakest link1.7carries 10 of the 88.8 points scoredPrice from$2300Score6.0Machine TypeSemi-automaticBuilt-in GrinderNoAutomatic MilkNoRead the Rocket Espresso Appartamento TCA review →17
BrevilleBambino Plus BES5005.9How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction8.4Steam Power & Milk Texturing6.2Build Quality & Durabilityweakest link4.4carries 16 of the 81.8 points scoredEase of Use & Learning Curve5.3Maintenance & Cleaning5.0plumbable and bottomless not publishedWorkflow & Ergonomics5.6Value for Money5.0no price publishedPricePricing N/AScore5.9Machine TypeSemi-automaticBuilt-in GrinderNoAutomatic MilkYesRead the Breville Bambino Plus BES500 review →18
RancilioSilvia Espresso Machine5.2How it scored
Shot Quality & Extraction5.0Steam Power & Milk Texturing5.6Build Quality & Durability6.1Ease of Use & Learning Curveweakest link2.9carries 12 of the 81.8 points scoredMaintenance & Cleaning6.7plumbable and bottomless not publishedWorkflow & Ergonomics5.6Value for Money5.0no price publishedPricePricing N/AScore5.2Machine TypeSemi-automaticBuilt-in GrinderNoAutomatic MilkNoBody MaterialIron frame with stainless steel side panelsRead the Rancilio Silvia Espresso Machine review →









