The Gaggia 90500 a fully automated option that does all the fun things I love in a mega powerful espresso machine, and it makes a heck of an espresso, but it doesn’t hit the highest notes for me. It does a really good job, but I want a machine that's pretty much perfect.

In my quest to find the best machine with the most going for it (and the smallest possible price tag), I have come across a lot of different options that almost work, but are just missing a little something. They’re all pretty fancy, but I think the KRUPS EA8250 takes fancy to the next level.

The SAECO Intellia hits the market at more than a whopping $1,000. That’s by no means pocket change for most people, and it’s almost as much as some commercial machines. If you’re in the market for top of the line and you’re not scared to pay for it, you’re in the right place.

The DeLonghi ESAM3300 Magnifica serves up both coffee and espresso so that you can get way more from it then just a latte a day. If you have people over and don’t want to individually make drinks, you can still serve up some delicious coffee while you chat.

I am a sucker for a pretty machine that just looks fancy. Whereas I’ll probably be pleased with a machine that is not as pretty but makes a heck of a good drink, I really want to try out the pretty one. Pretty shouldn’t matter, but I’m clearly superficial, and I always want to try something shiny and fancy.