Best espresso machines for beginners

Start with the Breville Bambino Plus. It's the friendliest first machine: automatic milk texturing, a fast heat-up, and forgiving of small mistakes in dose and grind — so you get café-style lattes without a barista course. Pair it with a decent burr grinder.

Who the others suit:

• Gaggia Classic Pro E24 — you want to learn the craft properly; it's a manual machine that rewards practice and lasts.
• Gaggia Brera / Anima Prestige — you'd rather press one button than learn anything; bean-to-cup with a built-in grinder.
• De'Longhi Classic — a low-cost semi-auto with a steam wand to learn on.
• Casabrews CM5418 — the cheapest way to try espresso at home before committing.

Budget for a burr grinder either way; pre-ground coffee is the usual beginner's biggest letdown.