Photography by Grace Walker
If you own a fully automatic espresso machine, brewing good espresso and coffee drinks is likely a beloved part of your daily routine—why should you give that up just because you’re on vacation?
We say, you shouldn’t.
But, before you dash on over to our website to re-buy the same super-automatic machine you already have for your vacation home, there are some factors you might want to consider.
Budget
Just because you have “second house” money, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have “second JURA GIGA 10” money. (Although, if you do, please feel free to stop reading this blog and hop on over to the product page to make your purchase.) What’s more, blowing your bathroom renovation budget on an automatic coffee maker might not even make sense if you won’t actually be there to use it all that often.
Luckily, there are super-autos out there that are remarkably affordable. Gaggia’s Anima Prestige is about as inexpensive as a super-automatic espresso machine gets—and it doesn’t skimp on the value offered just because of the low price tag. For a mere $550 you get a machine that covers the basics: one-touch espressos as well as cappuccinos and latte macchiatos brewed with the same frothing carafe and brew group as Gaggia machines that cost nearly four times as much. It’s a simple machine with a humble aesthetic, but if you’re looking for the least expensive way to enjoy quality espresso drinks at the touch of a button while you’re on vacation, congratulations: your quest is at an end.
$549.00
Footprint
Chances are your vacation home is a bit smaller than your primary residence. That means less room on your kitchen countertop for luxury appliances like super-automatic espresso machines, some of which can be pretty chonky. Some super-autos, however, are quite space-conscious without sacrificing on the quality of their brewing unit or built-in grinder.
The Gaggia Magenta Prestige is one such machine. At less than 9” wide, it’s capable of brewing espresso the quality of which meets or even exceeds that which you would expect to get at most of your local coffee shops. Its beverage menu is a bit more expansive than what you find on the Anima Prestige, too: it features 12 one-touch espresso and milk drinks, each of which is fully customizable. The auto-frothing carafe is impressive, especially given the low price tag on this machine: it produces fluffy foam perfect for cappuccinos and even runs an automatic cleaning cycle after each use.
Just $50 more than the Anima Prestige, the Magenta Prestige offers a modern aesthetic and a bit more optionality when it comes to drinks and drink customization, all in a compact package that will look wonderful on your overcrowded countertop.
The Gaggia Magenta Prestige is a sophisticated and powerful espresso machine that produces authentic one-touch milk drinks on the fly with a crisp full color display and easy to navigate menu.
$649.00
Features You Can Live Without
Maybe you’re an espresso enthusiast who doesn’t particularly care for frothed milk but you absolutely refuse to compromise on the quality of espresso you drink. If that sounds familiar, you’re going to love the JURA ENA 4.
This super-auto only brews espresso (no milk), but boy does it brew espresso. The Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.) and Aroma G3 grinder mean the beverage quality offered by the ENA 4 is just about unparalleled when it comes to approximating barista-prepared espresso.
The ability to connect the ENA 4 to JURA’s J.O.E. app means owning and using this machine is about as easy as it gets. You’ll get automated reminders on your phone to top off water or coffee beans, and you can also adjust beverage options and initiate brewing remotely.
If you don’t need frothed milk, the JURA ENA 4 is about as incredible a super-auto as you could hope to get.
Ease of Use for Renters
A super-automatic espresso machine is an amazing amenity to offer folks who rent your home when you’re not using it. Of course, you can’t be certain that everyone who stays at your home will have had experience using a super-auto, so you’ll want to make sure the machine you have is as user-friendly as possible—both to prevent any misuse that might cause damage and also so your guests can actually enjoy it.
When it comes to ease of use in super-automatic espresso machines, the Gaggia Accademia is about as good as it gets. The full-color touchscreen display makes selecting and customizing the 19 distinct beverages simple and intuitive. (You can even use the knob and button to navigate if touchscreens aren’t your thing.)
The Accademia also offers the ability to save programmed beverages to one of four different user profiles, so you can allow guests to play around with beverage preferences without having to re-program everything the next time you’re there and wanting your cappuccino the way you like it.
$1,899.00
Luxuriate on Your Vacation
There are plenty more super-automatic espresso machines out there than what we’ve been able to cover in this short blog. If you didn’t see exactly what you’re looking for, rest easy—we can still help!Consider scheduling a Coffee Cast. It’s a unique service we offer where you can do a one-on-one video chat with one of our experts who can do product demonstrations, answer questions, and help troubleshoot setup or functionality with you. The best part? It’s totally free!
Book a Coffee Cast today so we can pair you with the perfect super-auto and you can start luxuriating in delicious, one-touch espresso drinks while you’re on vacation.
