Best home espresso machines under $700

Start here: Breville Bambino Plus. It's the easiest way to get genuinely good espresso at home — quick heat-up, automatic milk steaming that does the frothing for you, and a small footprint. Pair it with a decent burr grinder and you're set.

Who the others suit:

• Breville Barista Express — you want grinder and machine in one box and don't mind learning to dial in.
• Gaggia Classic Pro E24 — tinkerers who want a classic, repairable manual machine and will upgrade the wand.
• Gaggia Anima Prestige / Brera / Magenta Prestige — you'd rather press one button than weigh and tamp.
• Breville Bambino — the same easy workflow with a manual steam wand.
• Flair Classic — tiny kitchens and travel; manual lever, no steam.
• Gaggia Carezza De LUXE — a simple, budget semi-auto to learn on.

Budget for a burr grinder and a scale — they matter as much as the machine.