Although it may not get a lot of love in some circles, my DeLonghi Perfecta from Italy does an excellent job.
That’s annoying I can’t rotate the image in the edit.
I like the machine and the coffee it brews as well.
I can clearly taste the difference between what the machine generates and a Coffee brewed on a professional machine but somebody who knows how to make a good brew.
The DéLonghi comes close, it makes a wonderful crema, all at the push of a button. It’s certainly better than batch brew or Americano. Drink it out of isolating glass or ceramic cups and it is much better than anything poured in paper cups. So for at home and convenience the DéLonghi is good.
We have it for over 7 years now, it’s been operating at 50 and 60 Hz on both sides of the pond, I only had to take it apart once, as I underestimated the lime of our Texas water well and had to mechanically clear all tubes in the machine.
Seven years of regular use of this type of machine appears impressive to me. I expect many breakdown fairly quickly.
My dad maintained 2 Saeco (pre Philips area) machines, of which one is left now. 18 years of service. But its like Jeff said, these domestic plastic machines run at lower pressure and lower temperatures than professional stainless steel ones.
Nevertheless, you are right surprisingly long life time considering moest parts are plastic.
Jeff, what of grinders? Is there a good, durable, powered ceramic burr grinder out there? If been using a manual Hario for many years, but when grinding for two or more cups it gets a little tiresome. I’ve looked online at reviews and such, but that’s no substitute for an expert’s recommendation. Thanks.
Hey Tony!
You stand to significantly improve the grind quality by moving to a powered burr grinder. Don’t concern yourself too much with ceramic burr composition. The only real benefit of ceramic burrs is the heat dissipation. That said, heat build up is a non-issue for home use, as opposed to commercial use.
I would ask what type of brewing do you do? Brewed coffee, espresso, or both? Knowing the primary use of the grinder is essential for a meaningful recommendation. Once I understand the intended use, I can certain provide some advice.
There you go! Nice E-61 group head… bulletproof. Dual boiler for cafe quality steam. PID controlled for temperature stability. My only grip with this machine is the vibratory pump. I like rotary pumps. More robust and quieter. But, at the end of the day, both pump types will get the job done!
The Alex Duetto is a fantastic machine as well. https://clivecoffee.com/products/izzo-alex-duetto-iv-espresso-machine?ref=direct-plumb
I have the V3 and it has been a workhorse. However, I am selling it to get the Breville Oracle Touch. When I am around, I make my wife her morning cappuccino. However, when I am not around…
So, the Oracle has a pretty phenomenal auto steam function that produces truly cafe quality textured milk that is legit enough to create latte art. A caffeinated wife is a happy wife. She gets a tasty capp regardless of whether or not I’m around.
But, if you want to ultimate control of temperature, pressure and flow profiling, then look no further…
Problem is my brain or rather state of mind in the morning. That overload of data would cause me going on tilt.
Think at that price level at home (here in Europe) I like the Jura S8. The touch screen of that machines asks you what you want, you touch the drink you like and it does the magic for you. Swiss precision grinding, filling, pressure etc. All at one touch.
Should I prefer manual, I think of robust Chrome / Stainless steel, copper boiler / tubing crafted machines with analog gauges and a separate grinder. But that would be a hobby. The whole art is interesting for sure.
But, I prefer getting it served, rather than making it. So a full automatic at home is my cup of coffee.
Thanks Jeff. This would be primarily for use with a dead simple Melitta pour over glass pot. I haven’t moved to any type of machine like these wonderful models being discussed here… yet. 
My coffee selections are typically from local roasters, although if I’m travelling and find something interesting I’ll pick it up to bring home. Hey, back in the 80s when most people didn’t know there was anything outside of what you could find at a supermarket 
, I was getting Gevalia coffee mailed to my house! It maybe wasn’t the greatest at the time, but it sure beat the cr@p out of what was in the stores!
I know this is all about espresso machines and not just “coffee” machines, but we’ve had a miele unit for years. In our old house we added a wall-unit version when we remodeled our kitchen; but in our current house, we got a countertop unit, as there was no room for a wall unit.
It makes espresso/cappuccino, but as a daily coffee appliance (and my sons and I use it a dozen times a day for that purpose), it is brilliant. Automatic, as whole beans go in the hopper and they are ground for each cup. (Second hopper for ground beans is used when brewing decaf after dinner.)
Anyway, probably too close to a Mr. Coffee for all y’alls, but it makes a great cup. Perfect crema. Wonderful.
Roasted my own beans for a while (using an air popper), and it worked amazingly well. But i started to think too much about the health effects from the smoke, so I left that behind as a fond memory.
I would recommend the Capresso Infinity burr grinder. For drip coffee, it will do a nice job, especially for the price point. The Baratza grinders work well also with and the entry level Encore would be worth considering. It’s pretty close in price to the Capresso.
Thanks to you both. I sometimes do espresso, so I’d like it to be an even, fine grind. It looks like I should go to the Virtuoso to be able to cover the full range of grinding needs. 
Hmm, or maybe the Capresso 565…
Dude - that is just this side of pounding beans with a hammer and boiling them up in a cast iron skillet over the campfire ; )