De'Longhi Linea Classic EM450M

Fresh grinding right before brewing matters more for taste than almost anything else. A built-in grinder saves buying a separate one.

More steps let you fine-tune extraction for different beans. Below about 15 steps, dialing in espresso gets hard.

Dual boilers and heat exchangers can brew and steam at the same time with stable temperature. Thermoblocks heat fast but drift more.

A PID controller holds brew water within about one degree. Unstable temperature is the most common cause of sour or bitter shots.

Light roasts like hotter water, dark roasts cooler. Without adjustment you are stuck with one setting.

Wetting the coffee puck at low pressure before full pressure evens out extraction and forgives small tamping mistakes.

58 mm is the café standard with the widest choice of baskets and tampers. Smaller sizes work, but accessories are scarcer.

Espresso is brewed at about 9 bar. Higher numbers on the box are maximum pump ratings and do not make better coffee, so we do not score them.

A gauge shows whether your grind and dose are right while the shot runs.

Handy when you make coffee for two.

A manual steam wand gives the best microfoam for latte art but takes practice. Automatic systems are easier but less flexible.

How long you wait from switching on until the first shot. Under a minute feels instant, over 15 minutes means planning ahead.

A bigger tank means refilling less often. For two milk drinks a day, about 60 oz lasts several days.

How many beans the built-in grinder holds.

Preset recipes such as latte or cappuccino at the push of a button.

For Americanos and tea without a kettle.

Warm cups keep espresso hot longer.

Remote start and recipe settings from your phone.

Measure the space under your kitchen cabinets. Many machines need a few extra inches on top to refill the water tank or bean hopper.

Width times depth, the area the machine takes up on your counter.

Heavier machines stay put when you lock in the portafilter. Lighter ones are easier to move and store.

Higher wattage usually means faster heating, but it says nothing about coffee quality.