The best coffee machines in Australia, and the grinders to go with them
Quick answer: Decide first whether you want to make coffee or just drink it. To make it, the Breville Barista Express ($649) puts a grinder and espresso machine in one box. To just drink it, the Philips 2300 LatteGo ($679 at Harvey Norman and The Good Guys) makes a cappuccino at one touch. Either way, buy whole beans with a roast date, and if your machine has no grinder, budget for one: the Breville Smart Grinder Pro is $324.
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Our picks at a glance
| Product | Breville Best espresso machineBarista Express (BES870BSS)$649 Breville | Philips Best bean-to-cup2300 Series LatteGo (EP2331/30)$679 Harvey Norman | Breville Best under $500Bambino Plus (BES500BSS)$487 JB Hi-Fi | Breville Best grinderSmart Grinder Pro (BCG820BSS)$324 JB Hi-Fi | Breville Best for milk drinksDual Boiler (BES920BSS)$1,199 Harvey Norman | De'Longhi Cheapest real espressoDedica Arte (EC885M)$196.95 Kitchen Warehouse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Why it's here | Grinder, PID, pressure gauge and 54 mm portafilter for $649 at Breville, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys and Myer. | One-touch cappuccino with an easy-clean LatteGo milk jug, $679 at Harvey Norman and The Good Guys. | Automatic milk, PID and a 3 second heat-up for $487. Needs a grinder. | 60 settings, a 0.2 second dose timer and 54 and 58 mm cradles, $324. | Brews and steams at once with a 58 mm portafilter, $1,199 at Harvey Norman. | A 15 cm wide pump machine with a steam wand for $196.95 at Kitchen Warehouse. |
| Watch out for | 16 grind settings, the fewest of the Breville grinder machines here (the Impress has 25, the Pro and Touch 30) | Only four coffee recipes | No grinder: budget about $95 to $324 for one, or buy fresh-ground coffee | Doses by time, not weight | Needs a separate grinder, so the real budget is $1,500 or more | Dual-wall baskets only in the box |
| Buy | Check Amazon$649 at Breville$649 at JB Hi-Fi$649 at Harvey Norman$649 at The Good Guys$649 at Myer | Check Amazon$679 at Harvey Norman$679 at The Good Guys$729 at Appliances Online$849 at JB Hi-Fi | Check Amazon$487 at JB Hi-Fi$487 at The Good Guys$487 at Harvey Norman$499 at Breville | Check Amazon$324 at JB Hi-Fi$324 at Harvey Norman$324 at The Good Guys$349 at Di Pacci$369 at Breville | Check Amazon$1,199 at Harvey Norman$1,222 at JB Hi-Fi$1,299 at Breville$1,299 at Myer | Check Amazon$196.95 at Kitchen Warehouse$199 at JB Hi-Fi$199 at The Good Guys$199 at Myer |
Grinder, PID, pressure gauge and 54 mm portafilter for $649 at Breville, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys and Myer.
$649 at Breville · checked 18 Oct 2026
One-touch cappuccino with an easy-clean LatteGo milk jug, $679 at Harvey Norman and The Good Guys.
$679 at Harvey Norman · checked 18 Oct 2026
Automatic milk, PID and a 3 second heat-up for $487. Needs a grinder.
$487 at JB Hi-Fi · checked 18 Oct 2026
60 settings, a 0.2 second dose timer and 54 and 58 mm cradles, $324.
$324 at JB Hi-Fi · checked 18 Oct 2026
Brews and steams at once with a 58 mm portafilter, $1,199 at Harvey Norman.
$1,199 at Harvey Norman · checked 18 Oct 2026
A 15 cm wide pump machine with a steam wand for $196.95 at Kitchen Warehouse.
$196.95 at Kitchen Warehouse · checked 18 Oct 2026
How we picked: We compared these 6 picks on and price, using maker specs, Australian retailer prices and owner reports. We haven't tested them hands-on yet, and maker claims are labelled as theirs. Commission never changes the order. Full method.
Every guide on this site is written for Australian kitchens and Australian shops. Prices are what we found at Breville, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys, Myer, Kitchen Warehouse, Appliances Online, Di Pacci and Amazon Australia on the date above, in Australian dollars; for Amazon, follow the link to see the current price. We compare maker specifications and retailer listings; we have not pulled shots on these machines ourselves, and we say so on every page.
How to choose
Start with how you want your mornings to go, then match the machine.
- I want to learn to make espresso. A manual machine: you grind, dose, tamp and steam. The espresso machine guide explains heating systems, 54 vs 58 mm portafilters and built-in grinders, and ranks eight machines from $244.
- I want good coffee with no learning. A bean-to-cup machine grinds, tamps and brews at one touch, and the better ones froth milk too. See the bean-to-cup guide.
- It is my first machine. The beginner guide ranks machines on how much they help with the grind, the tamp and the milk.
- My budget is $500. The under $500 guide covers eight options, including a Breville Bambino and burr grinder for $494 together.
- I already have a machine. A better grinder is usually the biggest upgrade. See the coffee grinder guide.
- I am stuck between the two big brands. Breville vs De’Longhi lines them up model for model.
What each type costs
| Type | Price range we found | The ongoing cost | Our pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual espresso, no grinder | $196.95 to $2,699 | A grinder ($95 to $799) unless you buy ground coffee | Breville Bambino Plus |
| Manual espresso, grinder built in | $497 to $1,199 | Burrs eventually; Breville lists the Barista Express burr set at $51.95 | Breville Barista Express |
| Bean-to-cup | $476.95 to $2,499 | Water filters and descaler | Philips 2300 LatteGo |
| Grinder | $95 to $799 | Replacement burrs when they wear | Breville Smart Grinder Pro |
Specs that matter, and two that do not
Heating sets the price. Thermoblock, thermocoil and ThermoJet machines heat fast but do one job at a time; dual boiler and heat exchanger machines brew and steam together. PID temperature control holds the brew temperature steady. A pressure gauge helps you learn. For grinders, look at burr type and size and how many settings fall in the espresso range.
The two that do not matter: pump pressure (15, 19, 20 bar is the pump’s maximum; espresso is brewed at around 9 bar, which Breville’s own pages state) and the number of drinks on a bean-to-cup menu, which is mostly the same espresso with different milk.
Mains power and safety marks
These are benchtop appliances that plug in; none of the retailer listings we read called for installation. Anything that runs on mains power should carry the Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM), the electrical safety mark used under the Electrical Equipment Safety System. Our research method explains what else we check.
The one trap
Spending everything on the machine and buying stale beans. Supermarket beans without a roast date, or coffee ground weeks ago, will make sour or flat espresso on a $1,000 machine. Buy beans with a roast date, use them within a few weeks, and if your machine has no grinder, put part of the budget into one.
The picks in detail
Breville Barista Express (BES870BSS)
$649 at breville.com · checked 18 Oct 2026
Grinder, PID, pressure gauge and 54 mm portafilter for $649 at Breville, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys and Myer.
- Type: Manual espresso, built-in grinder
- Heating: Thermocoil, PID
- Portafilter: 54 mm
- Grinder: Conical burr, 16 settings
- Tamping: Manual (magnetic tamper)
- Milk: Manual steam wand
- Pressure gauge: Yes
- Water tank: 2 L
- Bean hopper: 250 g
- Warranty: 2 years (Breville)
Pros
- Grinder, 54 mm portafilter, pressure gauge and steam wand in one machine for $649
- Same $649 at Breville, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys and Myer on the day we checked
- PID temperature control and adjustable brew temperature
- Replacement burrs are a listed spare part on Breville's own site ($51.95)
Cons
- 16 grind settings, the fewest of the Breville grinder machines here (the Impress has 25, the Pro and Touch 30)
- Thermocoil heating means you wait between pulling a shot and steaming milk
- 40.5 cm wide, wider than a standalone machine plus a slim grinder
Paid links: we may earn a commission. Price checked 18 Oct 2026.
Philips 2300 Series LatteGo (EP2331/30)
$679 at harveynorman.com.au · checked 18 Oct 2026
One-touch cappuccino with an easy-clean LatteGo milk jug, $679 at Harvey Norman and The Good Guys.
- Type: Bean-to-cup (automatic)
- Grinder: Ceramic, 12 steps
- Milk: LatteGo automatic (2 parts, no tubes)
- Drinks: 4 coffees plus hot water
- Water tank: 1.8 L
- Bean hopper: 275 g
- Warranty: 2 years
Pros
- Automatic milk for $679 at Harvey Norman and The Good Guys, the cheapest one-touch cappuccino here
- LatteGo has two parts and no tubes; Philips says it rinses clean in 10 seconds
- AquaClean filter: Philips claims up to 5,000 cups before descaling
Cons
- Only four coffee recipes
- Price ranged from $679 to $849 across retailers on the same day
Paid links: we may earn a commission. Price checked 18 Oct 2026.
Breville Bambino Plus (BES500BSS)
$487 at jbhifi.com.au · checked 18 Oct 2026
Automatic milk, PID and a 3 second heat-up for $487. Needs a grinder.
- Type: Manual espresso, no grinder
- Heating: ThermoJet, PID (ready in 3 seconds, Breville)
- Portafilter: 54 mm
- Grinder: None (needs ground coffee or a grinder)
- Tamping: Manual tamper
- Milk: Automatic steam wand, adjustable temperature and texture
- Water tank: 1.9 L
- Warranty: 2 years (Breville)
Pros
- Hands-free milk texturing: set the temperature and texture and walk away
- Same 54 mm portafilter and PID as the Barista Express in a compact body
- $487 at JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and The Good Guys
Cons
- No grinder: budget about $95 to $324 for one, or buy fresh-ground coffee
- JB Hi-Fi listed the stainless model as back-ordered on the day we checked
- Harvey Norman's $487 was for the Sea Salt colour
Paid links: we may earn a commission. Price checked 18 Oct 2026.
Breville Smart Grinder Pro (BCG820BSS)
$324 at jbhifi.com.au · checked 18 Oct 2026
60 settings, a 0.2 second dose timer and 54 and 58 mm cradles, $324.
- Type: Electric grinder
- Burrs: 40 mm stainless conical (Di Pacci)
- Settings: 60 stepped
- Range: Espresso to French press
- Loading: Hopper, 450 g
- Retention: Not stated
- Warranty: 2-year replacement (Breville)
Pros
- 60 settings, a timer you set in 0.2 second steps, and cradles for 54 and 58 mm portafilters
- $324 at JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and The Good Guys
- The grinder we would pair with a Bambino, Bambino Plus or Dual Boiler
Cons
- Doses by time, not weight
- Di Pacci, which sells it, says a 40 mm conical holds more grounds than flat-burr single-dose grinders
Paid links: we may earn a commission. Price checked 18 Oct 2026.
Breville Dual Boiler (BES920BSS)
$1,199 at harveynorman.com.au · checked 18 Oct 2026
Brews and steams at once with a 58 mm portafilter, $1,199 at Harvey Norman.
- Type: Manual espresso, no grinder
- Heating: Dual stainless boilers, PID, heated group head
- Portafilter: 58 mm
- Grinder: None (needs a grinder)
- Tamping: Manual (magnetic tamper)
- Milk: Manual steam wand
- Pressure gauge: Yes
- Water tank: 2.5 L
- Warranty: 2 years (Breville)
Pros
- Separate espresso and steam boilers: pull a shot and steam milk at the same time
- 58 mm portafilter, the size most café gear and aftermarket baskets fit
- $1,199 at Harvey Norman, the lowest price we found for a dual boiler
Cons
- Needs a separate grinder, so the real budget is $1,500 or more
- Breville's own page lists power and voltage as 'TBA'
Paid links: we may earn a commission. Price checked 18 Oct 2026.
De'Longhi Dedica Arte (EC885M)
$196.95 at kitchenwarehouse.com.au · checked 18 Oct 2026
A 15 cm wide pump machine with a steam wand for $196.95 at Kitchen Warehouse.
- Type: Manual espresso, no grinder
- Heating: Thermoblock (40 second heat-up, JB Hi-Fi)
- Portafilter: Not stated by retailers
- Grinder: None (ground coffee or ESE pods)
- Tamping: Manual (metal tamper included)
- Milk: Manual steam wand (My LatteArt)
- Water tank: 1.1 L
- Warranty: 2 years (JB Hi-Fi); The Good Guys lists 1 year
Pros
- The cheapest real pump espresso machine we would buy: $196.95 at Kitchen Warehouse
- 15 cm wide, takes cups up to 13 cm
- Includes an ESE pod basket as well as larger dual-wall baskets
Cons
- Dual-wall baskets only in the box
- JB Hi-Fi lists a 2-year warranty, The Good Guys 1 year; check with the seller
- Amazon lists it as non-returnable for change of mind
Paid links: we may earn a commission. Price checked 18 Oct 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What type of coffee machine should I buy?
If you enjoy the process, a manual espresso machine with a grinder gives the best coffee for the money. If you want one-button coffee, buy a bean-to-cup machine. Pod machines are not covered here.
How much should I spend on a home coffee machine in Australia?
Around $500 buys a good manual machine such as the Breville Bambino Plus, or a bean-to-cup machine with a manual milk wand. $650 to $1,000 buys a machine with a built-in grinder or a bean-to-cup with automatic milk. Above $1,000 you are paying for brewing and steaming at the same time.
Do I need a separate coffee grinder?
Only if your machine does not have one built in. Fresh-ground coffee matters more than the machine, and a separate grinder can move to your next machine. Our grinder guide starts at $95.
When are coffee machines cheapest in Australia?
Prices move during sale periods such as Father's Day, Black Friday and Christmas, so check on the day. Breville prices were the same at most major retailers when we checked, so compare bundles (free beans, accessories) as well as price.