Here’s something I think someone out there needs to hear: Not everything should be easy. Not every problem should be outsourced to the robots. Oh, ChatGPT can make a podcast about your kids’ days.
That’s a shortcut that leads you nowhere. One thing, however, can be totally handed over to the robots with no consequence. You can make espresso a hobby, turn it into rocket science—some on our Esquire staff do just that.
But most of us just want our morning latte or Americano, a caffeine fix to get us going. If that’s you, the best gift you can get yourself is a fully automatic espresso machine—or known by their more fun name, super automatic espresso machines. I love my Breville grinder (it makes the task quick work every time), but some folks just want simplicity and a latte on demand.
An onboard hopper and grinder is one of the boxes a super automatic espresso machine must check. A digital screen that lets you select beverages, adjustable settings and user profiles, and, most importantly, it must do all the weighing and measuring for you, ensuring it brews the same drink every time. Many, but not all, come with milk frothers and tanks to hold your milk or milk alternative.
At their best, the process is as easy as filling it up with beans and milk and then letting the warm-up rinse cycle boot. After that, any hot coffee or espresso drink you want (and sometimes cold-brewed ones too) is available at the push of a button. Some add extra steps, but the core of it is no measuring, no tamping, no wasted time.
And not a single wasted cup. From De’Longhi, KitchenAid, and Terra Kaffe, these are the best super automatic espresso machines at every price point that will brew you a consistent espresso every time. If you’ve read about products on Esquire for any amount of time, you know that we stan De’Longhi.
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