Best espresso machines under $700

Start here: Gaggia Classic Pro E24. It's the machine that teaches you espresso properly — commercial-style 58mm basket, real steam wand, and a build that lasts years. It rewards a good grinder and a little practice, and it's the one most home baristas keep.

Who the others suit:

• Breville Bambino Plus — easiest path to café-style espresso and auto milk texturing with almost no learning curve; add a grinder.
• Breville Barista Express — grinder built in, so one machine does the whole job; best if you want a single purchase.
• Gaggia Anima Prestige / Brera / Magenta — bean-to-cup: press a button, get espresso or a milk drink, no technique needed.
• Gaggia Carezza De LUXE / Casabrews 3700 — budget entry points for learning the basics.
• Gaggia Velasca — the most automatic features for the money if you want variety without fuss.

Rule of thumb: manual machines give the best espresso per dollar, super-automatics give the least effort.