Your questions are pretty generic while being non model specific and I do agree its pretty easily abtained info for anyone who put in minimal effort, so i am not sure what specific info you are hoping for. That being said.
Very few people are black coffee drinkers in this sub, most like large lattes and don't offer that info when they make recommendations. For black espresso/coffee dose size and grind are what matters. The larger the dose, the better the grind, the larger , stronger cup of coffee you can get. Delonghi is 12g max KA is 15g. There are people who are parroting that Delonghi can do 18grams or 14g max doses thanks to a Youtube influencer but that is not true he just wants to be paid by YT and Delonghi. Delonghis will clog sooner on a finer grind than Kitchenaid/jura/miele machines. That makes a difference if you enjoy stronger coffee or more traditional espresso.
I have a kitchenaid and a jura, and have had delonghis. IDK what the kitchenaid price is on the insiders pass now. They used to be under $1200 on the insiders pass. I wouldn't pay retail for any machine. if the retail price after cash back is in the $1500 for the kf8 that is acceptable to me, the kf7/kf8 are basically the same machines. The new Jura C series is 16g dose and around 16g, think its about $1500 but it is worth checking out. Not sure what the difference is between those and the Eseries, but they are worth checking out. E8 is fine if you can get it for $1500 or so after cash back. Kitchenaid/Jura is what I would get whicher you can get cheaper. Meiel makes great coffee but id say away from the CM5 series unless you can get one for $800 or so.
Any machine made is Switzerland is your best bet for espresso. They can grind and brew the largest dose and finest grind. Get the one you can get the best deal on. Miele/KitchenAid or jura. The jura e4 just does black if you wanted to switch it up from Miele.
Edit: Miele removed the Americano form the current generation of machines. Idk why. Not sure if that matters to you.
Well yeah a semi auto with separate mid priced grinder is better than a full auto. You get larger dose sizes too. That's obvious.
OP was asking about full autos. Of the full autos the Switzerland made ones I mentioned are the best for traditional espresso after having all the brands and drinking dark roast myself.
I had one and was so happy...then it broke less than a year later. I kept getting the dreaded "fill bean container" message that seems to plague people and it just doesn't pull enough beans in to grind and then cancels and dumps. Wasted so many beans with 2-8 failed attempts before a successful grind. Grateful for Costco's return.
I've had built in Miele coffee machines since 2005, when I moved to a condo I bought the countertop version in 2025. In two decades the machines were flawless, never having an issue and making exceptional coffee every time. I like all the options these days and in a flat white phase.
I knew that I'd never drink espresso in the morning if it didn't involve a press of a button.
Bought a Miele super automatic from Costco, and it's been the best. Always keep it clean and perform the proper maintenance. Use filtered water and OEM cleaner from Miele. It's held up for years. Only use medium or light roast non-flavored beans as specified. You're able to specify grind size, amount of coffee and volumes to tailor the espresso drinks to your taste. We use it mostly for espresso, cappuccino, Americano, lattes and lately macchiato. Again with just a push of the button for the most part.
The ability to use whole beans or even ground coffee (for coffee) with the Miele saves money.
There's often used and new machines on Facebook marketplace. It's a great machine that will hold up until the plastic degrades. Parts can be purchased, albeit from Germany, off of eBay like gaskets.
Edit: Also you're not producing plastic waste like a Nespresso or Keurig.
1970Tango
