At the head of the class of types of espresso makers is the "super automatic espresso machine". I could even go so far as to suggest that they rename the category the "super-awesome super automatic espresso machine".

One Touch Ease of Operation

These machines really are automatic. After it's initial programming it will brew an espresso custom made to your personal taste specs, automatically, at the touch of a button. It will automatically grind your whole coffee  beans for you; it will measure your preferred quantity of coffee that the machine puts into your shot; it will tamp the grounds just as they ought to be tamped; it heats the water to the temperatures that you have pre-programmed; it will extract the exact volume of water to be utilized in brewing; finally, it'll brew your coffee or espresso to the precise specifications that you had programmed--your personal, ideal cup of espresso. [One] last thing it does automatically--after brewing it will place the used grounds in the dump box! All automatically!

Become an At-Home Barista!

Nowadays more individuals are choosing to create their personal espresso beverages at home rather than spending $4 or more at their local caffe bar. While coffee lovers increasingly desire to conserve cash on their daily caffeine habit, they aren't willing to abandon their favorite local coffee bars for any homemade espresso drink that's only an imitation of the real thing. Dilemma? Not in the least bit. Thanks to today's nicely designed, engineered, and crafted European espresso machines the home barista can make a latte or a macchiato every bit as great, and maybe even much better, than at Starbucks.

There are lots and lots of super automatic espresso machines on the market today, made by numerous different businesses, but quality and cost differ quite a bit. This could result in a bit of confusion when you are attempting to select the best machine for your spending budget and for your personal needs.

I've summarized a record of features that you should be able to find on an espresso machine that falls into the super automatic machine category:

Water Use Control

to select and control the precise amount of water that is used to brew your coffee, depending, for example, on whether you you want a stronger or weaker cup.

Pre-Grinding

This function will have your coffee beans already grinding while you make one shot of espresso so they are ready for the next shot.

Pre-Moistening the Ground Coffee

This feature will lightly spray the coffee grounds just prior to brewing. This causes the aromatic and flavorful oils to begin coming out from the coffee.

Temperature Control

If you like your coffee piping hot then you can get it piping hot! You can control the temperature to brew at whatever temp pleases you.

Adjustable Dosing

With this function you are able to manage the amount of ground coffee beans which are used for every shot which enables you to refine the taste and strength of your coffee.

Cup Warmer

Espresso is best when brewed directly into a warm cup. Espresso coffee is brewed at a lower temperature than the temperatures at which drip devices brew. If you brew an espresso right into a cold cup your espresso may be too cool to enjoy.

Water Filter Systems

This is really a nice function because the removal of minerals and chlorine from your water will make your coffee taste much better. The only manufacturer that offers a built-in water filtration system is Jura-Capresso.

Grinder Settings

You will be able to customize the flavor of your coffee by adjusting the how fine or how coarse your coffee beans are ground. Whenever you grind it too fine it'll frequently result in your coffee being bitter; should you leave it too coarse it will result in a weak cup of coffee.

Bypass Doser

This handy feature makes it easy to brew a cup of coffee using different coffee than is within the hopper. If, for instance, you feel like a cup of decaf in the evening you could make one by pouring pre-ground decaf beans into the bypass doser. This way you don't need to turn your machine upside-down to empty the bean hopper to put in different beans.

Double Boiler System

In contrast to single boiler systems which requires a waiting period between brewing and frothing (to permit the water to reheat), there is no waiting with the double boiler system since the 2nd boiler is prepared to go as soon as you finish brewing. This means that you will appreciate your espresso beverages, lattes, cappuccinos, and machiatos, at the temperatures at which they were intended to be served.

LCD or Digital Display

The digital or Liquid crystal display displays will display you in plain english what's going on with the machine, as well as what needs to be carried out, like adding water, adding beans, or emptying the dump box.

Good Machines Aren't Cheap

Higher priced super automatic espresso machine will frequently include all of these features; lower priced machines will include fewer. More features generally adds up to a greater price. Frequently lower priced machines that seem feature rich, and would as a result appear to be an excellent value, are lesser quality machines. It is very often the case that these kinds of machines are not engineered or made well, and will most likely not last long. In the long run, what may seem like an up-front price savings will wind up costing you more, and you'll never really appreciate the quality of the espresso you make.