Equipment we recommend

Equipment we recommend

A good place to start.

Getting into coffee can be expensive—and overwhelming. We keep our recommendations simple, with equipment we like and honest guidance to help you find your setup.

the Bambino Plus™+Encore ESP
Our recommended espresso starting point

Home Espresso
Starter Set.

The Breville Bambino Plus and Baratza Encore ESP. One machine, one separate grinder, and an easy way to get going.

One machine + your choice of black or white grinder. Current product prices apply, including any active promotions. No additional bundle discount.

Choose your starter set →
Two favorites

Start with a grinder
you can get to know.

The Encore ESP and Turin DF64 are our favorite home grinders, with two options to help you get started at a budget that works for you.

Turin DF64 Gen 2.5 Single Dose Coffee Grinder

Turin DF64 Gen 2.5

Another favorite for a home setup built around a separate, single-dose grinder. Choose your color and burr option on the product page.

Explore DF64 ↗

Availability and delivery timing vary by option, including preorders.

Looking for larger burrs? Explore DF83V →

Connoisseur 8-Cup Drip Coffee Brewer One-Touch with Thermal Carafe and Hanging Basket - SCA Certified Home Brewer
The brewer we recommend

Bonavita 8-Cup Connoisseur.

The larger, one-touch model is our recommendation for a straightforward daily brewer. Great value, and it has held up well in our daily use.

Brews about 2–4 actual 8 oz cups.

For our recommended brew range, use 600 mL–1 L of water. The grounds retain some water, so your finished volume will vary.

Check the cup size. Thinking about the smaller 5-cup model? Check what a “cup” means first. Bonavita counts a cup as 5 fl oz, so five cups is about 25 fl oz (740 mL)—not five full mugs. Choose by the volume you actually brew.

Explore the 8-Cup ↗   Explore the 5-Cup ↗

We also love their old-school electric kettle with real buttons. Explore the Bonavita Classic kettle ↗

Different routines. Different needs.

More espresso machines we recommend.

the Dual Boiler™

Breville Dual Boiler

We recommend the Breville Dual Boiler for people who want a dual-boiler setup without all the bells and whistles of the LELIT Bianca. Pair it with a separate grinder to build out your home espresso setup.

Explore Dual Boiler ↗
LELIT Bianca in white

LELIT Bianca

For a more hands-on espresso setup, we also recommend the Bianca. Dual boilers and manual flow control give you more to explore alongside a separate grinder.

Explore Bianca ↗
A note on Breville machines with built-in grinders

We prefer and recommend the Impress models over the standard Barista Express models. The machines are broadly comparable, but the built-in assisted tamper makes everyday espresso easier, keeps your counter cleaner, and helps your workflow feel effortless. In our testing, the built-in grinder has performed more consistently with familiar, everyday coffees from our Foundation Series and medium roasts like Big Joe. For exploring modern light roasts, we recommend a separate single-dose grinder alongside the machine. Keep your daily coffee in the hopper and use the separate grinder for coffees that benefit from more flexibility.

Further down the coffee rabbit hole

Specialist equipment & useful resources.

When budget allows

For a more specialized espresso setup, we recommend exploring Decent Espresso ↗, Mavam ↗ and Synesso ↗.

For endgame grinders, Versalab ↗, KafaTek ↗ and Weber Workshops ↗ are at the top of our list.

Keep your setup running

We recommend Caffewerks ↗ for plumbing kits and guidance.

Espresso Parts ↗ is a resource we recommend for maintenance parts and supplies to help you care for your equipment.