Best Italian Espresso Machine

Quick Answer: The best Italian espresso machine is the Rancilio Silvia Pro X.

Espresso originates from Italy so it makes sense that an Italian espresso machine would be good (or at least not bad).

I’d generally agree with this. Especially when it comes to higher-end ($1,500+) espresso machines.

In this roundup of the best Italian espresso machines, I’m going to assess Italian-designed espresso machines based on their coffee quality, user-friendliness, and value for money.

While all the machines featured here were designed in Italy by Italian companies, they are not all necessarily manufactured in Italy. I will say when a machine is not manufactured in Italy.

My top picks are:

Best overall: Rancilio Silvia X

Budget pick: Gaggia Classic Pro

Most stylish espresso machine: La Pavoni Professional

Best Italian super-automatic espresso machine: Delonghi Eletta Explore

As well as reviewing the above machines, I’ll also warn you about some espresso machines which, while Italian, don’t make good espresso.

Let’s go.

Top Picks

Best Overall: Rancilio Silvia Pro X

Espresso Quality

The Rancilio Silvia Pro X pulls some of the best espresso shots of any domestic espresso machine.

This is because of its incredibly accurate and stable temperature control.

The Pro X’s built-in shot timer makes keeping your espresso brewing consistently easy. This helps you with optimizing your shots and getting the best possible coffee from the machine.

I cannot fault the Pro X as far as espresso quality goes.

Espresso Quality Rating: 10/10

Functionalities

The Rancilio Silvia X is very feature rich by semi-automatic espresso machine standards. Its temperature switch and shot timer are particular highlights.

Its temperature control is accurate to one degree Fahrenheit and lets you brew at between 194-205 Fahrenheit. This is useful if you want to experiment with different roast profiles. 

Lighter roasts call for higher brewing temperatures to extract well. Specialty coffee is gradually moving towards roasting lighter, so having this ease of temperature control is getting more important.

The machine also has an auto on/off feature and dedicated rinsing and draining settings. 

You don’t generally find this on semi-automatic machines and it makes using the Pro X easier than most high-end domestic espresso machines.

Functionalities Rating: 9/10

Ease of Use and Cleaning

The Rancilio Silvia Pro’s temperature control makes pulling shots easy. However, a beginner will find its steam wand hard to use due to its sheer power.

The Rancilio Silvia Pro X’s PID temperature control means that you don’t have to develop a temperature surfing routine to pull consistent espresso shots.

Controlling brewing temperature is the most difficult part of espresso brewing with most semi-automatic machines (including the base Rancilio Silvia and the Gaggia Classic Pro).

The Rancilio Silvia’s steam wand is powerful, so much so that someone who has never steamed milk may find that their milk gets too hot before you have had time to texture it properly.

However, if you have experience steaming milk you’ll love how fast its steam wand works.

The Rancilio Silvia Pro X has a higher mess potential than many other espresso machines because of its poorly designed drip tray. 

You need to lift its drip tray from the front to pull it out. If it’s full it will spill out coffee-water from its back. You can see a video demonstrating this here (watch from 14:22 – 15:05).

The machine has dedicated cleaning modes which is a rarity among semi-automatic espresso machines.

Ease of Use and Cleaning Rating: 8/10

Design and Durability

The Rancilio Silvia Pro X favors durability over style.

The machine is built like a tank. 

This, combined with its relative ease of opening up (and espresso machine technicians’ willingness to repair it ) makes it a potential buy-it-for-life product.

The Pro X has a brutalist look – its substance over style.

Its only major design flaw, from a practical standpoint, is that it’s hard to remove its drip tray.

Design and Durability Rating: 9/10

Value For Money

The Rancilio Silvia Pro X is a good value purchase even given its large price tag.

The machine can make you one of the best espressos or lattes of any domestic machine and can potentially last you a lifetime.

Yes, it’s a big outlay, but there is little doubt that you’d get good value from it if you use it regularly and replace deteriorating parts.

Value For Money Rating: 8/10

Rancilio Silvia Pro X Pros

Makes fabulous espresso.

Can get a good extraction with lighter roast coffee beans.

Incredibly durable.

Rancilio Silvia Pro X Cons

Its drip tray is hard to remove when full without making a mess.

Budget Pick: Gaggia Classic Pro

Espresso Quality

The Gaggia Classic Pro can make a very good espresso, but only after you change its over-pressure valve.

The Gaggia Classic Pro is, stupidly in my opinion, set to brew at 12.5 Bars of pressure out of the box.

This can put harsh, woody notes in your espresso.

It’s relatively easy to change this over-pressure valve, here’s a video on how to do it and the springs that you’ll need. You do however have to open up your machine to do this which will void your warranty.

Once you have done this it will make very good espresso shots.

They won’t be quite as consistent as the Rancilio Silvia Pro X, because the Gaggia does not have the Rancilio’s level of thermal control. The Gaggia Classic Pro’s espresso is still very good in the grand scheme of things, however.

Espresso Quality Rating: 9/10

Functionalities

The Gaggia Classic Pro can brew espresso and steam milk. That’s about it.

It doesn’t have any features you find on similarly priced Breville machines such as automatic preinfusion or temperature control.

Its steam wand isn’t even that great – the machine basically just does espresso well (very well when you take into account its low price).

Functionalities Rating: 6/10

Ease of Use and Cleaning

The Gaggia Classic Pro is not the easiest espresso machine to use.

It’s tricky to use for three reasons:

1. It has no PID temperature control so you need to develop a temperature surfing routine if you want to pull consistent shots with it.

2. It suffers from a lack of portafilter to drip tray clearance so you need to remove its drip tray if you want to brew with a scale under your cup (this is essential when you initially calibrate your machine).

3. Its steam wand is on a pivot joint rather than a ball joint so it’s hard to position in your milk jug properly.

While there’s a bit of a learning curve with the Gaggia, it’s still generally seen as a beginner-friendly machine (mainly due to its excellent price-to-performance ratio). 

So while it’s not super easy to use, it’s not all that hard either. 

Ease of Use and Cleaning Rating: 6/10

Design and Durability

The Gaggia Classic Pro’s durability and repair/modification potential make it a potential buy-it-for-life product.

The Gaggia Classic Pro is the most affordable buy-it-for-life espresso machine currently on the market.

It’s a very popular choice among modders and has a dedicated modding community around it online with lots of guides and tutorials on how you can soup up your machine. You can see an example of such a video here.

The machine’s only major design flaw is its lack of cup clearance. Even then there are compatible low profile drip trays available to fix this problem.

Design and Durability Rating: 9/10

Value For Money

The Gaggia Classic Pro offers good value for money, especially given its durability.

Like I said earlier, it’s the most affordable espresso machine with buy-it-for-life potential. 

If you’re willing to open the machine up and make some modifications to it then you can increase its value for money even further.

Value for Money Rating: 9/10

Gaggia Classic Pro Pros

It’s very durable.

Easy to modify and has a big modding community around it.

It can make excellent espresso, especially if you switch out its over pressure valve to nine Bars.

Gaggia Classic Pro Cons

It’s not good at steaming milk.

You need to open the machine up and adjust its over pressure valve to get the best espresso from it.

Most Stylish: La Pavoni Professional

Espresso Quality

While you can make a good espresso with the La Pavoni, you can’t make good back-to-back shots with it.

The machine is capable of brewing at espresso’s ideal brewing temperature and pressure, however, you need to control these variables yourself by purging its group head (to lower its temperature) and by how you pull its lever (to control its pressure).

Once you’ve pulled a shot with the La Pavoni, it will be at a higher-than-ideal brewing temperature so subsequent shots will have a harsh, burnt flavor.

Your first shot can be excellent though if you can manage its pressure and temperature correctly.

Espresso Quality: 8/10

Functionalities

The La Pavoni Professional can pull espresso shots and steam milk. Nothing less and nothing more.

It has even fewer functionalities than the Gaggia Classic Pro as you need to manage its brewing pressure yourself – the Gaggia does this automatically.

The La Pavoni’s whole point is its retro design and this means forgoing more modern features and functionalities.

Functionalities Rating: 5/10

Ease of Use and Cleaning

The La Pavoni Professional takes a bit of practice to use well.

You need to develop a temperature surfing routine with the machine. This is where you bleed off excess steam pressure (it has a dedicated valve for this) to get to its ideal temperature.

This takes a bit of trial and error to get right.

The machine also gets incredibly hot once it heats up. Take care not to touch any of its metal parts when you’re brewing.

Ease of Use and Cleaning Rating: 5/10

Design and Durability

The La Pavoni is stylish and as durable as they come.

People buy the machine in droves for its aesthetics as much as its performance. It is the quintessential Italian espresso machine.

Even James Bond uses it.

The machine is also incredibly durable, with models from the 1970s still being used today. 

There are lots of replacement parts for it online, so it definitely has buy-it-for-life potential.

Design and Build Quality Rating: 10/10

Value For Money

The La Pavoni is more of a treat than a value purchase.

You can get better-performing, more feature-rich espresso machines for the same amount of money as the La Pavoni.

You buy a La Pavoni because it’s as much a statement piece for your kitchen as it is an espresso machine.

Value for Money Rating: 6/10

La Pavoni Professional Pros

The best looking Italian espresso machine.

Capable of producing very good espresso shots.

La Pavoni Professional Cons

You can’t pull several shots in a row with the machine.

It gets very hot to the touch (like burn your hands hot) when it brews.

Best Italian Super Automatic: Delonghi Eletta Explore

Espresso Quality

The Delonghi Eletta Explore can’t make as good an espresso as the Gaggia, Rancilio, or La Pavoni.

Super-automatic espresso machines cannot make as good an espresso as semi-automatic or manual machines, regardless of their manufacturer or model.

Super automatic’s automated tamping cannot give you precise control over your puck prep so you’re forced to brew with coarser ground coffee.

This will give you an espresso that doesn’t have the depth of flavor or body as a machine that uses a portafilter.

It’s a similar story to milk steaming. An automatic milk frother will not produce as silky or consistent milk texture as a steam wand.

Espresso Quality Rating: 6/10

Functionalities

The Delonghi Eletta Explore can make every espresso drink you can think of with the touch of a button.

This includes cold brews and iced milk drinks. The Eletta Explore is one of only a few super-automatic espresso machines that can do this.

The Eletta Explore has 40 menu items in total.

Functionalities Rating: 10/10

Ease of Use and Cleaning

The Delonghi Eletta Explore lets you make an espresso or milk drink at the touch of a button.

This is a completely different level of convenience to all other espresso makers featured in this article.

The Eletta Explore is controlled by a touch screen, as well as choosing your drink you can also use the touch screen to control your drink’s:

• Size 
• Strength
• Coffee to milk ratio

The machine runs a rinse cycle automatically after every drink you make. All you need to do is clean its milk carafe manually (it’s dishwasher safe).

Ease of Use and Cleaning Rating: 10/10

Design and Durability

The Delonghi Eletta Explore feels well-built. It won’t last you forever, unlike many of the other machines featured here.

Everything about the Eletta Explore feels well-made. This is especially true of its touch screen which is very responsive and well laid out.

The Eletta Explore cannot be opened up and repaired when its pump or heating system wears out. So it does not have the durability or longevity of other machines featured here.

Design and Durability Rating: 7/10

Value For Money

The Delonghi Eletta Explore is only a good value purchase if you plan to make full use of its cold milk foam feature.

Although it’s one of the more expensive super-automatic espresso machines on the market, it’s the cheapest one that can produce cold milk foam.

If you’re going to drink a lot of iced lattes, then the machine is good value.

Otherwise, it’s more of a treat purchase.

Value for Money Rating: 6/10

Delonghi Eletta Explore Pros

One touch espressos and lattes.

Over 40 coffee types at the touch of a button.

Can make cold milk foam.

Delonghi Eletta Explore Cons

Cannot make as good an espresso as a semi automatic machine.

Does not have the durability of a more manual espresso maker.

Best Moka Pot: Bialetti Moka Pot

Espresso Quality

The Bialetti Moka Pot cannot make an espresso with the depth of flavor or body as a semi-automatic or manual espresso machine.

This is because it cannot produce a full nine Bars of pressure. Less pressure means lower extraction, resulting in a less complex and more watery espresso.

The Bialetti’s espresso is comparable to the Delonghi Eletta Explore’s espresso.

Espresso Quality Rating: 6/10

Functionalities

The Bialetti Moka pot can only make espresso.

If you want to make a milk drink then you’d need a separate milk frother.

This gives it less functionality than all the other Italian espresso machines featured here.

Functionalities Rating: 3/10

Ease of Use and Cleaning

The Bialetti Moka Pot is easy to use.

All you need to do is fill up its two chambers with ground coffee and water and heat it up on your stove.

Because you’re brewing at a lower pressure, precision in your grind size and dose is less important than with espresso machines.

This also makes a moka pot an ideal option for brewing with pre-ground coffee -something that I generally don’t recommend with espresso machines.

The Bialetti Moka pot is easy enough to take apart and clean. It is not dishwasher friendly however as this can strip away its outer aluminum layer, making it conduct heat less evenly.

Ease of Use and Cleaning Rating: 8/10

Design and Durability

The Bialetti Moka Pot has bought it for life potential.

The Bialetti Moka pot is so simple and robustly built that it shouldn’t ever break.

The only way I can see someone damaging it is if they put its plastic handle directly onto their stove. I’m not sure why anyone would do that though.

Design and Durability Rating: 8/10

Value For Money

The Bialetti Moka Pot offers good value for money.

It’s significantly cheaper than even the cheapest espresso machines. 

This combined with its longevity means that it’s a good value purchase even if you outgrow it and move onto an actual espresso machine after a few years.

Value For Money Rating: 9/10

Bialetti Moka Pot Pros

Much more affordable than any espresso machine.

Can brew espresso with pre-ground coffee.

Very durable.

Bialetti Moka Pot Cons

Its espresso lacks body and flavor complexity.

It can’t steam milk.

Avoid: Delonghi La Specialista Range

I’d avoid any Delonghi semi-automatic machine with a built-in grinder (all Delonghi La Specialista machines fall into this category).

The built-in grinders on these machines cannot grind finely enough for espresso. They require you to use pressurized portafilters which gives you the type of espresso that you’d get with a moka pot.

If you want a semi-automatic espresso machine with a built-in grinder I’d recommend looking at the Breville Barista Pro.

What to Ask Yourself When Buying an Italian Espresso Machine?

Here’s what you should think about when shopping around for an Italian espresso machine.

Does it Need to Have Been Manufactured in Italy?

While all the espresso machines featured here were designed in Italy by Italian companies, they weren’t all manufactured in Italy.

Some Italian espresso machine manufacturers have outsourced some of their warehouses to other countries.

The most notable example of this is Delonghi. Deloghi’s espresso machines are Italian designed but manufactured in China.

Personally, this wouldn’t put me off Delonghi’s products, but I think it’s nice to know.

The table below shows where each of the machines featured in this article are manufactured.

What is My Budget?

If your budget is significantly below $500, then you should stick to the Bialetti Moka Pot. 

Otherwise here are your best options based on your budget:

~$500: Gaggia Classic Pro

Your options below $500 are the Gaggia Classic Pro and the Delonghi Dedica.

While the Dedica is around half the price of the Gaggia Classic Pro, I still think that the Gaggia offers you much better value for money.

The Delonghi Dedica’s combination of poor thermal control and only allowing you to brew with a pressurized portafilter means that it’s near impossible to get good-quality espresso from it.

Its steam wand also doesn’t have the power, nor the correct design, to allow you to make the silky microfoam needed for a proper latte or latte art.

I think that the Gaggia Classic Pro is more than double the quality of the Delonghi Dedica, so it’s a better purchase, even at twice the price.

If you really don’t want to spend more than a few hundred dollars, then the Dedica could be right for you. You can check out my Delonghi Dedica review for more information on this machine.

$500-$1,000: Still the Gaggia Classic Pro

There still aren’t a huge number of Italian espresso machines between $500 and $1,000.

It’s basically the Gaggia Classic Pro or the base Rancilio Silvia model.

I generally recommend the Gaggia Classic Pro over the Rancilio Silvia as the Gaggia is cheaper and significantly easier to use.

There’s not too much difference between these two espresso machines performance-wise, so I think that you get better value for money with the Gaggia Classic Pro.

I’ve written a whole article comparing the Gaggia Classic Pro vs Rancilio Silvia if you want to know more about how these two coffee machines stack up.

$1,000- $2,000: Rancilio Silvia Pro X or the Delonghi Eletta Explore

You have a lot of options at this price point, with your best two being the Rancilio Silvia Pro X and the Delonghi Eletta Explore.

Get the Rancilio Silvia Pro X if you want a traditional-style espresso machine with a portafilter and a steam wand. The Pro X is one of the best of these types of espresso machines on the market today.

Get the Delonghi Eletta Explore if you want a super-automatic espresso machine that can make an espresso (or any other coffee drink) at the touch of a button.

What Type of Espresso Machine Do You Want?

Italian espresso machines can be split into four types: semi-automatic, superautomatic, manual, and moka pot.

Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine

Semi-automatic espresso machines are your standard machine with a portafilter and a steam wand.

It’s what I’d imagine most people immediately think of when someone says “espresso machine”.

You need to dose up your portafilter with ground coffee, press a button to start and end your shot and steam your milk manually. This means that to get really consistent shots with a semi-automatic you’re going to want to brew with a scale underneath your cup.

The big upside of a semi-automatic espresso machine is that it produces better quality espresso than a super-automatic or moka pot. It also allows you to create the microfoam needed for latte art, something that super-automatic cannot do.

I’d recommend a semi-automatic espresso machine as a default option for most people. 

If you’re not entirely sure what type of espresso machine you want, then you probably want a semi-automatic.

The best Italian semi-automatic espresso machine is the Rancilio Silvia Pro X.

Super Automatic Espresso Machine

Super-automatics allow you to make espresso (and other espresso-based drinks) at the touch of a button.

They don’t have a portafilter, you instead put whole coffee beans in the top of the machine. The machine grinds, stamps, and brews for you.

Super-automatics usually have a milk frother rather than a steam wand. This is usually a detachable carafe that you fill with milk. It then steams and dispenses your milk into your drink hands-free.

Super-automatic espresso machines cannot make as good an espresso or milk drink as semi-automatic. They prioritize convenience over performance.

I’d recommend a super-automatic espresso machine if you don’t want to learn the finer details of espresso brewing or if you want a machine that everyone in your household can use.

The best Italian super-automatic espresso machine is the Delonghi Eletta Explore

Manual Espresso Machines

These are similar to semi-automatics, except you have to produce the nine bars of espresso brewing pressure yourself using a lever or piston.

These vary a lot in how easy or difficult they are to use. The La Pavoni is one of the easiest manual espresso machines to use. It’s not significantly harder to make an espresso with than the Gaggia Classic Pro.

I’d recommend a manual espresso machine to someone who wants a retro-looking machine. It’s as much about style as it is about performance. They can still make as good an espresso or milk drink as a semi-automatic.

The best Italian manual espresso machine is the La Pavoni Professional.

Moka Pot

Moka pots are metal pots that you fill up with water and ground coffee and then heat up on your stove.

The water sits under your coffee, so as it boils it’s pushed through your coffee at pressure, resulting in a greater extraction than drip coffee.

Its espresso quality isn’t as good as a manual or semi-automatic machine. It’s about the same as what you’d get from a super-automatic.

I’d recommend a moka pot if you want to make espresso at home but you’re not ready yet to shell out for an espresso machine.

The best Italian moka pot is the Bialetti Moka Pot.

By “Italian” Do I Actually Mean “Cool Looking”?

Let’s face it, Italians are known for their sense of style.

Compare the below photos – on the left we have the Italian city Venice’s soccer team’s shirt. On the right, we have the UK town Stevenage’s soccer team’s shirt:

If you’re searching for an Italian espresso machine because you want a machine that looks sexy AF on your counter and can make a quality espresso to boot, then you want the La Pavoni Professional.

Final Thoughts

The best Italian espresso machine is the Rancilio Silvia Pro X. It’s up there as one of the best domestic espresso machines period.

If the Rancilio Silvia Pro X is out of your budget then you might want to check out my roundup of the best espresso machines under $1,000.

Best Italian Espresso Machines FAQs

Here are questions that people often ask when searching for the best Italian espresso machine.