Best overallBreville
Breville Bambino
For $300 its ThermoJet heater is ready in 3 seconds, it pre-infuses before a 9-bar extraction, and it has a manual steam wand. You'll need a separate grinder.
This guide is for people making espresso at home for the first time or replacing a basic machine. Prices run from $150 for a manual De'Longhi to $700 for machines with a built-in grinder.
For $300 its ThermoJet heater is ready in 3 seconds, it pre-infuses before a 9-bar extraction, and it has a manual steam wand. You'll need a separate grinder.
At $150 it has a 15-bar pump, a stainless steel boiler and a manual milk frother, which covers espresso, lattes and cappuccinos.
For $600 it adds a 25-setting conical burr grinder with grind recommendations, a built-in scale for dosing, and hands-free frothing with four presets.
Its automatic steam wand lets you choose from 3 milk temperatures and 3 textures, so you can froth without practicing the technique.
| Product | Typical price | Built-in grinder | Milk frothing | Cold brew | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| De'Longhi Stilosa | $150 | No | Manual frother | Not listed | Lowest-cost manual espresso |
| De'Longhi Dedica Duo Espresso and Cold Brew Machine (EC890) | $250 | No | Manual steam wand (My LatteArt) | Yes, in under 5 minutes | Small counters and cold brew |
| Breville Bambino | $300 | No | Manual steam wand | Not listed | Fast heat-up with your own grinder |
| Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine (BES500) | $500 | No | Automatic steam wand (3 temperatures, 3 textures) or manual | Not listed | Hands-off milk frothing |
| Ninja Luxe Café Premier Series Espresso Machine (ES601) | $600 | Yes, conical burr, 25 settings | Hands-free, 4 presets including cold foam | Yes (rapid cold brew) | Grinder, scale and auto frothing |
| De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo Espresso Machine (EC9255M) | $700 | Yes, 8 settings | Manual steam wand | Yes | Grinder plus cold brew |
| Breville Barista Express | $700 | Yes, conical burr, 16 settings | Manual steam wand | Not listed | Classic all-in-one with grinder |
We started from the espresso machines listed on Cheaper Swap at $700 or less. We then checked the maker's page (or a retailer listing where the maker's US page was unavailable) for a built-in grinder, how each machine froths milk, and whether it makes cold brew.
Prices are typical US prices checked October 2026, not live Amazon prices. Specs come from each maker's page or a dated review.
Three picks have one built in: the Ninja Luxe Café Premier ES601 ($600, conical burr with 25 settings and a built-in scale), the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo ($700, 8 grind settings plus cold brew) and the Breville Barista Express ($700, conical burr with 16 settings).
If milk drinks are the hard part, the Breville Bambino Plus has an automatic steam wand with 3 temperature and 3 texture settings. The Ninja ES601 has hands-free frothing and Barista Assist, which recommends a grind size for each drink.
All seven here can froth milk. The Stilosa, Dedica Duo, Bambino, Arte Evo and Barista Express use a manual wand or frother, the Bambino Plus adds an automatic mode, and the Ninja ES601 froths hands-free and can also make cold foam.
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Every swap is a product sold in the US that does the main job of the original. Close match is another brand with similar features, Same brand, cheaper is an older, smaller or renewed model from the same maker, and Budget pick is the cheapest thing that still does the job. On each page, Closest match is the close match nearest the original in price, and Lowest price is the cheapest swap. We compare published specs, retailer listings and reviews; we don't test products ourselves.
A cheaper product is cheaper for a reason. Each swap says what you give up, like weaker noise cancelling, a smaller screen or a shorter warranty, so you can decide if the savings are worth it.
Prices are typical US prices from retailer listings and price trackers, last checked October 2026. They are not live Amazon prices, which change often. When a price couldn't be confirmed, the page says “Check price on Amazon” instead of showing a number.
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