Quick answer: the best home latte machine for most people is the Breville Bambino Plus. It makes café-quality lattes without you having to learn milk steaming.
A latte is just espresso and steamed milk, so any espresso machine with a steam wand or frother can make one. But steaming milk is the fiddliest part, so this roundup only includes machines that steam milk hands-free.
- Best overall: Breville Bambino Plus
- Best budget: Mr. Coffee Café Barista
- Best for beginners (one-touch): De'Longhi Magnifica Evo
- Best for iced lattes: De'Longhi Eletta Explore
- Best if money is no object: Breville Oracle Touch
Picks at a Glance
1Breville Bambino Plus
- Automatic steam wand with 3 temperatures and 3 textures
- Café-quality lattes for around $500
- Switch to manual steaming for latte art
2Mr. Coffee Café Barista
- One-touch lattes, single or double
- Happy with pre-ground coffee
- Very affordable and durable for the price
3De'Longhi Magnifica Evo
- One-touch latte from whole beans
- Affordable for a super-automatic
- Very little clean-up
4De'Longhi Eletta Explore
- Hot and cold milk foam at a tap
- Iced lattes with cold foam
- Huge hot and cold drink menu
5Breville Oracle Touch
- Automatic grinding, tamping and milk texturing
- Café-quality lattes at a tap
- Huge control from a superb touchscreen
Best Overall: Breville Bambino Plus
The Bambino Plus makes café-quality lattes, usually for around $500, and its automatic steam wand means you don't need barista skills. More detail in my Bambino Plus review.
| Specification | Breville Bambino Plus |
|---|---|
| Type | Espresso machine with automatic steam wand |
| Controls | Buttons |
| Latte button | No |
| Milk | Auto steam wand: 3 temperatures, 3 textures (or manual) |
| Heating | ThermoJet (ready in about 3 s) |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 7.7" x 12.6" x 12.2" |
| Price | Mid-range |
Latte Quality: 9/10
Café quality, hands-free. Most owners find the middle texture and temperature settings give the best latte. For latte art, switch the wand to manual: the automatic mode gets close, but not quite the glossy, even microfoam you need to pour patterns.
Customization: 8/10
Three automatic textures and temperatures, plus programmable single and double shot volumes. Strength comes down to how much espresso you pull versus milk you steam. In manual mode, your control is limited only by your skill and grinder.
Ease of Use and Cleaning: 8/10
You dose and tamp a portafilter for each drink and knock out the puck after, which can be messy, especially with pre-ground coffee. The dual-wall (pressurized) baskets are forgiving while you learn.
The steam wand is easier to keep clean than a frother: it purges itself and you give it a wipe. So it is a bit more work to use than a super-automatic, but less work to clean.
Design and Durability: 7/10
Compact and ergonomic. The weak spot is the ThermoJet heater, which isn't designed for home repair. Expect roughly five to ten years.
Value: 10/10
The most affordable machine I know of that makes café-quality lattes without milk-steaming skills.
Pros: café-quality lattes with no manual steaming, latte art possible, compact. Cons: less durable than a boiler machine.
If you're happy to learn to steam milk, the plain Bambino saves you money. Compare them in Breville Bambino vs Bambino Plus.
Best Budget: Mr. Coffee Café Barista
The cheapest machine that makes a decent milky coffee at the press of a button.
| Specification | Mr. Coffee Café Barista |
|---|---|
| Type | Pump espresso machine with automatic milk frother |
| Controls | Buttons |
| Milk settings | Hot milk (latte) or foam (cappuccino) |
| Latte button | Yes (single and double) |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 11.2" x 8.9" x 12.6" |
| Price | Budget |
Latte Quality: 4/10
Passable, but not café standard. The milk isn't really textured, so you get something closer to "coffee with hot milk" than a proper latte. If you just want a hot, milky coffee without heating milk yourself, it does the job.
Customization: 5/10
Two automatic sizes and little else. The texture dial basically switches between hot milk and foam.
Ease of Use and Cleaning: 6/10
The latte button steams the milk automatically, but you still prepare the espresso in a portafilter. Cleaning the frother means running a cycle with hot soapy water and another to rinse it, which is slower than wiping a steam wand.
Design and Durability: 6/10
It feels cheap: locking in the portafilter and refilling the milk tank aren't pleasant. Its simple internals hold up well, though, and owners often report years of daily use.
Value: 8/10
Good value if you aren't fussy about perfect lattes. It is by far the cheapest machine here. See more options in my best espresso machines under $500.
Pros: very affordable, durable for the price. Cons: nowhere near café quality, you still use a portafilter, only two sizes.
Best for Beginners: De'Longhi Magnifica Evo
The most affordable machine I recommend that makes a latte from whole beans at one press, with very little clean-up. See my full Magnifica Evo review.
| Specification | De'Longhi Magnifica Evo (LatteCrema) |
|---|---|
| Type | Super-automatic with automatic milk carafe |
| Controls | Buttons with drink icons |
| Milk textures | 1 |
| Latte button | Yes |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 9.5" x 14.2" x 17.3" |
| Price | Mid-range |
Latte Quality: 7/10
Good, not quite café quality. The frother can't make the silky, even texture of a steam wand, but the result is a clear step up from the Mr. Coffee and good enough for most latte drinkers. Coffee snobs may be underwhelmed.
Customization: 7/10
You can adjust strength, coffee volume and milk volume, but there is only one milk texture. That is the main compromise at this price.
Ease of Use and Cleaning: 9/10
No portafilter, no tamping. Fill it with beans, water and milk, and press a button. It rinses itself automatically. The milk carafe comes apart in a few pieces and goes in the dishwasher; put it back in the fridge between uses.
Design and Durability: 7/10
Not a buy-it-for-life machine. Like all super-automatics, it has plenty of moving parts and a thermoblock heater, so expect around five years with regular descaling. The brew unit is removable for rinsing.
Value: 9/10
One of the cheapest super-automatics with a proper latte function, and well below comparable Jura models. If you're weighing it against Philips, see Magnifica Evo vs Philips 3200.
Pros: one-touch latte, affordable for a super-automatic, little clean-up. Cons: not as good as a latte from a steam wand.
Best for Iced Lattes: De'Longhi Eletta Explore
One of the most affordable machines that makes cold milk foam for iced lattes at the touch of a button.
| Specification | De'Longhi Eletta Explore |
|---|---|
| Type | Super-automatic with hot and cold milk foam |
| Controls | Touchscreen |
| Extras | Cold foam, cold-extraction coffee drinks |
| Latte button | Yes |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | 10.3" x 17.5" x 15.1" |
| Cup clearance | Tall enough for large glasses |
| Price | Premium |
Latte Quality: 7/10
Good, but not outstanding. Like the Magnifica Evo, it uses a frother rather than a steam wand, so it lacks a wand's silky texture. Good enough for most people.
Customization: 9/10
Several strength and size settings, a big menu of hot and iced drinks, and the headline feature: cold milk foam. Poured over ice, it doesn't melt everything into a watery mess. It can also make cold-extracted coffee drinks.
Only buy it if you'll really use the iced features. Otherwise, it isn't much more capable than cheaper machines like the Magnifica Evo or Philips 3200 LatteGo.
Ease of Use and Cleaning: 9/10
A one-touch workflow, an automatic rinse cycle (keep a cup under the spout so the drip tray doesn't fill too fast), and a dishwasher-safe milk carafe.
Design and Durability: 8/10
The touchscreen is smooth and responsive, and it feels more solid than the Magnifica Evo, though still mostly plastic. Like other super-automatics, expect around five years or more with proper care.
Value: 7/10
Good if you drink iced lattes often. Cold foam has become more common, appearing on machines like the Jura Z10, but those usually cost a lot more. If you won't use the cold features, you are overpaying.
Pros: iced lattes at a tap, huge menu. Cons: overpriced if you skip the cold foam.
Best if Money Is No Object: Breville Oracle Touch
The easiest way to make a café-quality latte at home. Compare it with its cheaper sibling in Barista Touch vs Oracle Touch.
| Specification | Breville Oracle Touch |
|---|---|
| Type | Espresso machine with automatic grinding, tamping and steaming |
| Controls | Touchscreen |
| Heating | Dual boiler |
| Milk | Auto steam wand with adjustable temperature and texture |
| Latte button | Yes, plus saved custom drinks |
| Price | Premium |
Latte Quality: 10/10
Café quality. As with the Bambino Plus, auto mode makes a great latte and manual mode is best for latte art. Its more powerful wand gives it a slight edge, though the margins are fine.
Customization: 9/10
Set milk temperature and texture on the touchscreen, adjust shot strength, and save favorite drinks. It strikes a great balance between precision and convenience. There is no cold foam, though.
Ease of Use and Cleaning: 10/10
It grinds, doses and tamps, then textures your milk. All you do is move the portafilter and knock out the puck. There's no dregs drawer to empty or rinse cycles to catch, and a steam wand is easier to clean than a frother.
Design and Durability: 9/10
Excellent build and a great touchscreen. The dual boiler is more durable than the ThermoJet or thermoblock machines here.
Value: 6/10
At this price I'd want a machine I could easily open up and repair. The Oracle Touch isn't one, so it is hard to call it great value.
Pros: café-quality lattes at a tap, huge control, superb interface. Cons: very expensive, not buy-it-for-life.
How to Choose a Home Latte Machine
What's Your Budget?
Latte machines run from about $200 to over $2,000, and the best value sits around $450 to $800. Paying more gets you an easier workflow, more automatic settings and a nicer interface. It does not guarantee a better latte: a portafilter machine with a good steam wand, like the Bambino Plus, beats any super-automatic on milk texture.
Do You Want to Learn to Make Espresso?
If you're willing to pull shots yourself, you pay less for a better latte. It isn't hard, especially with pressurized baskets that forgive a poor tamp or pre-ground coffee. The main chore is knocking out the puck.
| Machine | Do you pull the shot yourself? | Good for iced lattes? | Latte art? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breville Bambino Plus | Yes | No | Yes |
| Mr. Coffee Café Barista | Yes | No | No |
| De'Longhi Magnifica Evo | No | No | No |
| De'Longhi Eletta Explore | No | Yes | No |
| Breville Oracle Touch | Mostly automated | No | Yes |
Do You Want Iced Lattes?
Get the Eletta Explore. Its cold foam won't melt your ice. The Oracle Touch's lowest milk setting is still warm, and the other machines here only make hot milk. Of course, you can pour any espresso over ice with cold milk, but the foam is what makes it feel like a café drink.
Precision or Convenience?
Steam wands, like those on the Bambino Plus and Oracle Touch, give unlimited control but depend on your technique in manual mode. Super-automatics let you change strength and texture at a tap, limited by their settings. Decide which matters more to you.
Do You Want to Make Latte Art?
You need a steam wand, used manually. Automatic mode can work sometimes, but not reliably. You don't want to show off yesterday's rosetta to a guest and pour a blob. The best options are the Bambino Plus and the Oracle Touch.
My Recommendation
The best home latte machine is the Breville Bambino Plus: café-quality lattes without learning a steam wand. For one-touch convenience, get the De'Longhi Magnifica Evo; for iced lattes, the Eletta Explore.
Pair a portafilter machine with a good grinder from my best espresso grinders. If cappuccinos are more your thing, see the best cappuccino makers. Want to make a seasonal favorite? Try my pumpkin spice latte recipe.
FAQs
What is the best machine for lattes?
The Breville Bambino Plus. It's the most affordable machine that makes a café-quality latte without manual milk steaming.
What is the easiest latte machine to clean?
The De'Longhi Magnifica Evo. It rinses itself after each drink, its milk carafe is dishwasher safe, and you only need to empty the grounds container every few days.
Is a latte machine different from an espresso machine?
No. A latte machine is an espresso machine with a milk system. Some steam milk much better than others, and those suit latte drinkers.
Written by · reviewed by the Cicada Coffee Bar team
Daniel Voss
Lead Equipment Reviewer, Cicada Coffee Bar
Daniel leads the equipment-testing side of Cicada Coffee Bar. Every super-automatic, semi-automatic, and grinder featured on this site is bought or sourced independently, set up on the test bench, and brewed with daily for at least two weeks before a single word is written — tracking espresso quality, milk texture, ease of cleaning, and long-term reliability. Reviews are updated whenever pricing or firmware changes.
