The Best Espresso Machines in Canada of 2026

De’Longhi’s La Specialista features a dual-boiling system that heats the coffee and milk separately, which is common for commercial-grade machines. At first glance, we were curious about how it actually worked—as we can almost guarantee that there’s no brand-new dual-boiler espresso maker under the $1,000 mark on the market, at least for now. A dual-boiling system shortens the wait time and makes the coffee brewing process a lot quicker, which is why the high-end espresso machines at busy coffee shops almost always have at least a dual-coil heating system. We don’t think a dual-boiler system is necessary since all the single-boiler Brevilles we tested are equipped with the quick-heating system that makes coffee drinks as fast as the De’Longhi with double boilers.

It feels like De’Longhi was trying to acquire a larger market share in an already jam-packed espresso market by adding as many luxurious features as possible: a built-in conical grinder, a smart tamping station, two separate boiling systems for coffee and milk, an analog pressure gauge, 19-bar pump pressure, and active temperature monitoring. However, some of the features didn’t prove to be useful during our testing.

The Specialista is the only machine with a smart tamping station, which means zero mess. After filling the portafilter, we used the lever on the side of the machine to tamp down the coffee grounds and voilà! We were good to go. The coffee received high marks in our taste test, as it consistently pulled full-bodied espresso shots with clarity and flavour. For Americano drinkers, there’s a water spout next to the portafilter for easy dispensing.

Despite the coffee’s delicious taste, the Specialista has some seemingly fancy functions that we don’t think are necessary. First, the 19-bar pump pressure is frivolous. No matter how powerful the water pump (at the back of the machine) is, the output pressure on the grouphead will always be between 9 to 10 bars, which is what an espresso shot requires, no more, no less. A 15-bar pump is what’s needed for that optimal brew head pressure, and the extra pressure will result in water pumped into the drip tray, which is located under the water tank. And with a grinder and two boilers, the machine is the tallest, heaviest, and bulkiest in our roundup. If you live in a small apartment, we don’t suggest investing in this one.

As we unboxed the Barista Pro, we were immediately impressed by its brushed stainless steel appearance and heavy-duty build quality. It’s the widest among all the machines we tested, resembling a classic La Cimbali espresso machine you might find in an artisanal coffee shop. Once turned on, the machine automatically started a cleaning cycle, dispensing cold and hot water for about two minutes.

The machine comes with a conical built-in burr grinder, an LCD screen, and an adjustable steam wand. The burr grinder offers 30 grind sizes from coarse to fine, while the portafilter can pack up to 19 grams of ground coffee, which can be adjusted from a few seconds to 15 seconds of grinding. The built-in grinder has a smart sensor, which means ground coffee automatically starts to fill in the portafilter once it touches the grinder sensor.

Another highlight of the model is the pre-programmed brew presets, which guarantee the same shot every time you use it. For drinkers who like to explore different settings, the Barista Pro has customization settings that are easy to maneuver with the twist of a knob.

This model features a thermojet heating system and a digital temperature control system (PID), just like the other Brevilles we tested, which primed the machine to be ready in just three seconds. The low-pressure, pre-infusion design allows the coffee ground to soak in water evenly in low-pressure before the high-pressure pump kicks in, giving the coffee consistency and smooth taste. It’s also very simple to use when making an Americano—after pulling a double shot of espresso in a 10-ounce glass, simply trim the knob to the water position and hot water will come directly from a nozzle in the same area as the portafilter spout.

The Barista Pro had the potential to be a winner of our roundup. Sadly, its gigantic size makes it less appealing, as we took portability and counter-space-friendliness into account in our tests. For beginners, the technicality of this machine may also make it intimidating to use. As its name suggests, it may be a better choice for the experienced home baristas with room to spare.

As a loyal De’Longhi user, I enjoyed how easy it was to set up the Dedica. It was the slimmest espresso machine in our tests, but the small footprint didn’t affect its overall performance. It has all of the basics: an adjustable steam wand, a sturdy portafilter, and a 15-bar pump, which gives the coffee ground about 9-bar pressure on the grouphead, the optimal pressure for espresso shots.It comes with three dual-walled filter baskets, including one for ESE pods.

The steam wand can froth two types of foams: one for lattes and one for cappuccinos. We like the manual milk frothing wand because it allows you to customize the texture of the foam, but there isn’t an option to optimize the temperature. Throughout testing, it frothed average quality foam but didn’t perform well on the microfoam test, which allows users to create latte art.

The other downside of the Dedica is how long it takes to brew a double-shot of espresso—five minutes from start to finish. The Breville Barista Touch, for instance, took two minutes. It also took five attempts for us to dial in a double-shot in under 30 seconds, which was another key criterion to judge if the machine was worth buying. For at-home brewing on a tight budget, the Dedica is sufficient, but requires a good grinder to optimize coffee quality.

Like the other espresso machines from Breville, the Bambino Plus has an innovative thermojet heating system, which means it reaches the optimal temperature for a nice shot of espresso faster than a regular espresso machine. It also features, like other Brevilles, the precise temperature control to ensure consistency. Thanks to its compact size, the Bambino Plus is a perfect fit for small apartments with limited countertop space. The 54-millimetre-wide portafilter packs 19 grams of coffee, which is on the heavy side of the traditional espresso weight. In Italy, baristas typically uses 7 grams for ristretto and 14 grams for espresso normale.

The frothing wand boasts the ability to both adjust the temperature and texture of the milk, making it easy to create microfoam for cappuccinos, lattes, and designing latte art for advanced espresso drinkers. The only thing we didn’t like about the frothing wand was how it pulled towards the user, as opposed to pulling to the side, which made it difficult for the user to visually monitor the milk foam.

What knocked the Bambino Plus down a few spots in our testing was its long dial-in time. It doesn’t offer any guidance on dialling in the perfect shot other than eye-balling the weight of coffee grounds, which makes the machine a simplified version by comparison to the upgraded models from Breville. Though it comes with the best heating and pressure system, pulling consistently smooth shots from Bambino Plus was still a struggle for us. Bambino Plus was not a bad product for the job but it was just that other espresso machines performed a better job without any struggle for our testers. The accessories are simple: two dual-walled filter baskets, a tamper, a milk jug, and a razor. I like dual-walled filter baskets, but having options for single-walled baskets allows more creativity for experienced drinkers.

Upon first impression, Mr. Coffee’s espresso and cappuccino maker seemed to cover the basic needs: a 15-bar pressure pump, a set of accessories that include a plastic tamper and a scooper, options for single- and double-shot espresso, and an automatic milk frother that takes out all the guesswork when it comes to frothing. Unfortunately, not every feature impressed.

The lid on the water tank doesn’t open or close at a convenient angle, and the automatic milk frother delivered disappointing milk foam that wasn’t made for lattes and cappuccinos. For a similar price, a pod-espresso maker or a pod coffee maker can do a much better job than this model from Mr. Coffee.