Best Espresso Machine for Latte Drinks at Home (2026)

The best espresso machine for latte drinks is the $485 Breville Bambino Plus, because its automatic steam wand stops at one of three set temperatures and textures milk for you, according to Eric the Coffee Guy, a YouTube espresso reviewer who has tested it (Eric the Coffee Guy, best espresso machine at every $100 price point). For lattes, the milk system matters more than the espresso side, so this guide compares machines by how they steam.

The $599 Ninja Luxe Café Premier is the pick for iced lattes, since it can whip cold foam, and the $699.95 Breville Barista Express is the pick for learning latte art on a manual wand (Amazon listings, Oct 16, 2026).

Best Espresso Machine for Latte Drinks: Milk Systems Compared

Prices from Amazon at time of writing. I may earn a commission from links, at no cost to you.

Latte-art and cold-foam ratings summarize the reviewers credited below.

What Makes a Good Latte at Home

A latte is traditionally a 10 to 12 oz drink of espresso and steamed milk, though some cafés serve 16 to 20 oz, according to Austin Childress, director of education at Carabello Coffee, in a video for Roasty Coffee (Roasty Coffee, “What is a latte and how to make one at home”). His home recipe:

• About 16.5 g of ground coffee for just under 2 oz of espresso, pulled straight into the mug.
• About 10 oz of milk, steamed to around 160°F so a large drink stays hot while you sip.
• Listen for gentle sounds “like paper tearing” while adding air, and stop when the pitcher feels just uncomfortable to touch.
• Pour from three or four inches above the tilted cup, then bring the pitcher close once the cup starts filling.

Any of the machines below can pull that shot. The difference is how much of the milk step you do yourself.

Best Espresso Machine for Lattes Overall

Breville Bambino Plus (BES500BSS)

The best balance of hands-free milk and real espresso. Check the price on Amazon ($485.00 on Oct 16, 2026).

• Automatic steam wand with adjustable milk temperature and texture
• ThermoJet 3-second heat-up and PID
• 54 mm portafilter with a 19 g dose
• 7.7 in wide

Eric the Coffee Guy said you put the wand in the pitcher, start it, and it stops automatically at the temperature you set, giving “a decent froth” if positioned right (Eric the Coffee Guy, best espresso machine at every $100 price point). He also noted a three-way solenoid valve, no need to flush between brewing and steaming, a steaming pitcher in the box and a 2-year warranty. Steaming by hand works, he said, but feels “goofy and clunky” because the wand is designed for auto mode.

Best Espresso Machine for Iced Lattes

Ninja Luxe Café Premier (ES601)

The pick for cold foam and iced drinks. Check the price on Amazon ($599.00 on Oct 16, 2026).

• 3-in-1: double or quad espresso, 3 drip styles and 2 cold brew styles
• 25-setting conical burr grinder with weight-based dosing
• Barista Assist suggests grind changes after each shot
• Assisted tamper
• Dual Froth System with 4 presets, including cold foam

Lifestyle Lab, a YouTube channel that reviews kitchen gear, found the Luxe Café makes foam with a steam arm and a spinning whisk at the bottom of the pitcher. It made good foam for each drink and milk type, but not integrated enough for latte art past “a very basic blob or heart.” Running only the whisk makes cold foam, which the reviewer called a genuinely neat feature for summer iced drinks (Lifestyle Lab, “Ninja Luxe Cafe Premier Review | Is Breville Worried?”).

James Hoffmann, a coffee YouTuber and former World Barista Champion, rated its auto-steamed milk “pretty good,” better than you might get from an untrained café barista or your first tries on a normal machine (James Hoffmann, Ninja Luxe Café review).

Best Espresso Machine for Learning Latte Art

Breville Barista Express (BES870XL)

The pick if you want to pour latte art. Check the price on Amazon ($699.95 on Oct 16, 2026).

• Integrated conical burr grinder grinds straight into the portafilter
• Grind-size dial
• Digital temperature control (PID)
• Low-pressure pre-infusion
• Manual steam wand for hand-textured microfoam

America’s Test Kitchen, which tested espresso machines for eight months, highlighted the Barista Express steam wand for making lattes and cappuccinos and noted it comes with a milk pitcher (America’s Test Kitchen, “Best Espresso Machines (Beginner to Advanced) | Gear Heads”). A manual wand is the only system here that lets you control texture fully, which is what latte art needs.

Automatic vs Manual Milk Steaming

Latte Tips From Reviewers

• Use a double shot, about 2 oz, for a 12 oz latte, as in the Roasty Coffee demo (Roasty Coffee, “What is a latte and how to make one at home”).
• Pick a milk preset that matches the drink: Ninja’s presets cover different foam levels and milk types, Lifestyle Lab found.
• Steam hotter for big drinks; Childress aims for about 160°F.
• If you want art, practice on a manual wand, since both automatic systems here top out at basic shapes, per the reviewers.

Video: Roasty Coffee, “What is a latte and how to make one at home”. Embedded with credit.

Video: Lifestyle Lab, “Ninja Luxe Cafe Premier Review | Is Breville Worried?”.

Espresso Machine for Latte: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best espresso machine for latte drinks?

The Breville Bambino Plus for hands-free steamed milk, the Ninja Luxe Café Premier for iced lattes with cold foam, and the Breville Barista Express for latte art.

Can an automatic frother make latte art?

Only basic shapes. Lifestyle Lab found the Ninja’s foam good enough for a simple heart at most.

How much milk goes in a latte?

About 10 oz of milk to just under 2 oz of espresso in Roasty Coffee’s demo, for a 10 to 12 oz drink.

What temperature should latte milk be?

Around 160°F, or just uncomfortable to touch, according to Austin Childress in the Roasty Coffee video.

Sources

• Roasty Coffee, “What is a latte and how to make one at home”
• Eric the Coffee Guy, best espresso machine at every $100 price point
• Lifestyle Lab, “Ninja Luxe Cafe Premier Review | Is Breville Worried?”
• James Hoffmann, Ninja Luxe Café review
• America’s Test Kitchen, “Best Espresso Machines (Beginner to Advanced) | Gear Heads”
• Amazon product listings for the espresso machines linked above, from Amazon at time of writing

Related: Best Espresso Machine for Beginners | Best Espresso Machine Under $500 | Best Espresso Machine With Grinder | Breville Barista Express Review