Confession time: I have a carry-on bag fetish. I can’t stop buying them. I love the sound of a carry-on’s wheels on cobblestones in a foreign city. And nothing beats breezing past the luggage carousel while everyone else waits.

Last year, I took 2X trips to Europe, 3X long weekends in Byron Bay, a Bali holiday and 2X getaways to the Adelaide Hills — all with just my carry-on.

I refuse to lug around a bulky checked bag.

Even a recent skiing trip to Austria was with a carry-on only.

Who am I?

(Related: Best Travel Insurance For Australians).

I’m an Aussie entrepreneur who travels frequently, enjoys excellent products and blogs about my experiences.

I tested each carry-on in this review by packing it with about a weekend’s worth of clothes:

1. July Carry On Pro Snapsleeve.

Best overall carry-on bag.

Above: The July Carry-On Pro splits into two sections of equal size.

The July Carry-On Pro has won the #1 spot in my review of the best carry-ons in Australia because it’s stylish, practical and not overpriced.

Let’s unpack (ha) its features in detail.

Pros.

Here is the test load, folded and pressed using July’s compression system. Everything fits with room to spare – and the bag zips up without straining.

Above: The main compartment had 25% carrying capacity remaining, and the lid compartment was only half full.

July’s build quality is outstanding.

Unlike the cheap and cheerful mass-produced vibe you get from most other brands (I’m looking at you, Samsonite) – the July surprises with tactile and robust surfaces.

You’ll find an onboard ejectable battery underneath the handle, with USB and USB-C built-in.

Above: The SnapSleeve mounts to the front, providing easy access to your laptop, earbuds and notepad.

The battery’s 10,000mAh capacity isn’t massive. Yet, it is the maximum allowed by airline regulations and will:

Because it’s ejectable, you won’t need to keep your bag by a power outlet while you wait for your phone or laptop to charge. If you forget the battery at the airport, July will sell you a replacement for $50.

Is it useful?

On international flights with stopovers – hell yes. It saved me in Singapore, Dubai and Frankfurt several times.

On domestic flights – no. You’re at the hotel long before you need it.

Above: My bag has a few scuffs – keep in mind that I’ve used and abused it for almost 3 years.

July’s party trick, however, is its external, detachable SnapSleeve.

Mounted on the front of the bag, the SnapSleeve does two things:

Above: The Snapsleeve has modest carrying capacity. You get two zippable compartments, one laptop compartment and a notepad sleeve. For more capacity, upgrade to the Victorinox Spectra (below).

A hidden, stain-proof, and odour-proof laundry bag rolls up and tucks away in a small area of the luggage. You can even use it as a cable or accessories pocket when it’s not filled with your clothes.

Cons.

Let’s talk about weight, as it’s the July Carry On Pro‘s main drawback. Being a well-built hardshell carry-on bag, it comes with a weight penalty.

Above: July’s attention to detail is remarkable. Perforated mesh, stitched and embossed compression straps and logo-typed fabric make this look like a $600+ bag.

Tipping scales at 3.6kg, the cabin bag is about 200 grams heavier than other bags in its class.

But if you bring heavy gear (e.g., cameras, books, shoes, product samples), the 3.6 kg tare weight combined with 42L carrying capacity make it easy to exceed the carry-on weight limits of most airlines.

Does it matter?

Not really.

I’ve taken the July Pro on three trips to Europe, two to Bali, and over ten domestic flights. Every time, it was 2-4kg over the weight limit.

The only time I was stopped and asked to check it in was on a return flight from Bali.

Above: How big is the SnapSleeve? My 14″ MacBook Pro slides in with ease.

If weight is a deal-breaker for you, the company offers a workaround in the form of a much lighter carry-on bag, appropriately named July Carry On Light.

The second issue with the July Carry-On Pro is the attachment mechanism of the SnapSleeve.

It can be fiddly to attach when the bag is empty, and almost impossible when the bag is overpacked.

I suspect I’m not the only one complaining about this, as July has recently launched a new version of the Carry On Pro with a non-detachable laptop sleeve.

What it misses out in versatility, it makes up in convenience.

Above: With the test load inside the bag, you have 50% of room available in the top compartment for toiletries, chargers and more underwear.

Overall.

The July Carry-On Pro Snapsleeve is the best carry-on cabin bag in Australia because it provides mountains of practicality and style in a reasonably priced package.

Its large internal volume makes it particularly useful for travellers who take longer, 3-7 day trips but want to travel with one bag.

It also doubles up as a great weekender that will fit everything you and your spouse* need during a getaway.

Yes, it is heavier than most hardshell bags (and much heavier than softshells), but workarounds are possible. You have to pack smart and, if you overload, accept the small risk of having to check it in.

It’d be the perfect bag if the SnapSleeve’s attachment mechanism was less fiddly.

Huge 42L internal volume
Onboard removable battery with USB and FastCharge USB-C
100-day trial with free returns
Top-of-the-range YKK zippers
✘ Modest payload due to strong build

* Depends on the spouse.

Price.

At $425, the July Carry On Pro Snalsleeve represents outstanding value for money. Its premium construction and high attention to detail make it look and feel like a $600+ bag.

I suspect this pricing is intentionally lowballed to help the company achieve market penetration. I will not be surprised if July increases the price of its bags by about 30% in about a year or two.

Specifications.

➤ Size: 55cm H x 38cm W x 22/24cm D (excl/incl Snapsleeve)
➤ Weight: 3.6kg
➤ Capacity: 42L

2. Delsey Chatelet Air 2.0.

Best carry-on luggage for trendy women.

Above: Like many carry-ons in this review, The Delsey Chatelet has a 50/50 split between the main and secondary compartments.

Delsey Paris luggage range is designed for women. I must confess – I’m a bit jealous – because I really like the Chatelet Air 2.0.

Pros.

Delsey’s gorgeous design is inspired by Euro-chic retro shapes and colours. It’s very Paris, c. 1975.

I love it.

I also love the build quality.

Don’t get me wrong – the other carry-ons I picked for this review are sturdy and robust.

But all of them look and feel like they were vacuum-moulded on the same assembly line that makes car dashboards.

The Delsey, meanwhile, looks like it was handmade by a grey-haired artisan wearing a leather apron and puffing a pipe.

It feels even more expensive than the July Pro. This is a surprise, as it retails for about 40% less.

Above: The Delsey Chatelet struggled to fit all of my items. To be fair, the secondary compartment still had 80% of space left.

As you’d expect, zippers snap into a three-digit TSA lock for extra security.

But unlike any other bag in this review, the Delsey’s lock allows you to increase security by BYOing your own padlock. You can thread it through a clever pair of eyelets inside zipper handles.

As with the July, you get a nice laundry bag, bulletproof-looking zippers and a smart internal divider system.

While relatively heavy for a 38L bag, it allows you to pack up to 4.1kg of items before reaching the 7kg carry-on limit of Virgin and Qantas international economy.

Cons.

My main gripe with the Delsey is the absence of a separate front laptop pocket. Getting yours out will require unzipping the main compartment.

While most other bags in this review inhaled my items with room to spare, the Delsey’s main compartment was truly full.

If you’re a Mademoiselle who likes to travel with everything but the kitchen sink, the Chatelet might not be up to the task.

Above: The Delsey looks like something Marilyn Monroe would cart around on tour.

The Chatelet is available in a range of light and dark colours – and I suggest you steer away from the former.

The “champagne” hues may seem like a great idea, but will show signs of wear quickly.

Overall.

The Delsey Chatelet Air 2.0 is a chic and stylish carry-on bag aimed at female travellers.

It’s best for style-conscious women who want a change from the usual stark, black business cabin bags.

Above: Your laptop must go inside the secondary compartment, as the Chatelet doesn’t have an external front pocket.

At 2.9kg, it’s on the heavier side, but nowhere near the mid-3kg bulk of the Victorinox, July and Monos bags.

The bag is advertised as a 3-4 day long weekender, but I think it’s more suited to 2-day getaways only.

Chic European styling
Excellent build quality
✘ May be too ostentatious for some businesswomen
✘ No external front pocket

Price.

The vintage-looking Chatelet retails for between $280 and $380, depending on the time of the year. It’s great value for money at this price.

Specifications.

➤ Size: 55cm H x 35cm W x 25.5cm D
➤ Weight: 2.9kg
➤ Capacity: 38L

3. Victorinox Spectra 3.0.

Best premium hardshell cabin bag.

Above: The main compartment is the most usable of all bags in this review, thanks to its 40cm width. The secondary compartment is quite shallow – because it donates space to the front pocket.

The #3 on my list of best carry-on luggage bags is the stylish Victorinox Spectra 3.0. I love this thing. If it weren’t for the bag’s $800-ish price tag, I’d rank it #1.

Pros.

The Victorinox Spectra 3.0 is the best carry-on bag if you travel with multiple airlines and never want to worry about checking in your luggage.

If you keep it unexpanded, it will fit within the size limits of most airlines. Only ultra-low budget carriers typically serving Europe, Southeast Asia, and South America may raise an eyebrow.

Above: The Spectra had no trouble fitting in the test load. It could have easily fit another 20% into the main hold – before expanding. Note, however, that the secondary compartment is almost full.

This is great for scenarios where you fly light outbounds but return heavy – after buying some duty-free presents for the family.

The main compartment is also the widest of all bags in this review, creating a more useful square shape. Notice how my shoes fit into the Spectra without touching the sides.

More attractive than July? A little. More attractive than the Carl Friedrik? No.

The carry-on’s outer shell is crafted from hard, matt, scratch-resistant polycarbonate that looks and feels like it will last a lifetime.

Corner guards are a nice touch for minimising damage from rough handling.

Above: Spectra is a very attractive bag. Note the scuff plates, retractable handles and a TSA lock panel that unlocks both the front and main compartment with one slide.

Additionally, each Spectra has a unique ID number to help you locate your luggage, should it get lost or stolen.

Being a Swiss bag, it comes with a hidden pair of tweezers, a phone SIM card remover and a baby screwdriver.

But what’s useful is Spectra’s front pocket. It is outstanding.

It unzips and hinges out to reveal an organisational panel and provides rapid access to your laptop and travel essentials.

Above: This is a great integrated front pocket – second only to the Carl Friedrik in size.

The compartment itself is cavernous. And unlike July’s Snapsleeve, it’s also lockable.

A couple of hardcover books, notepads and full-size laptops will fit there without issues. Yes, it does eat into internal space (I’ll talk about that shortly), but the compromise is worth it.

And as you’d expect from a Swiss brand that makes locks, the Victorinox Spectra has proprietary, TSA-approved combination locks.

Above: The Spectra expands by 3cm to give you 47 litres of internal space. A word of warning – at that size the bag starts to look like a small trunk than a carry-on. The odds of having to check it in rise exponentially.

Cons.

The Victorinox Spectra has a few downsides.

Price is the first one.

Unfortunately, with RBA stubbornly refusing to cut interest rates, not every Australian can afford an $800 carry-on bag.

But if you’re shopping at this price point, you are probably not very price-sensitive.

Your main dilemma will likely be whether to up your budget and buy the Carl Friedrik instead (below).

Above: A USB 2.0 socket can charge devices from an internally mounted battery. Unlike July, Victorinox doesn’t include the battery.

Personally, I like stylish and understated accessories, rather than shouty, “look at me” types, so I’d go with the Spectra any day – and allocate the extra $1,000 to my holiday budget.

While the July, with its externally mounted SnapSleeve, has a legitimate second internal compartment, the Spectra is limited to a much smaller meshed area.

Above: The front pocket zips away to give unobstructed access to your laptop, accessories and stationery.

Think of it as a place to stash a couple of books, cables, ties, and sock pairs.

It zips away to provide access to the front laptop sleeve area. While you could technically stash some clothes there in a pinch, doing so will make access to your laptop more challenging.

Oh, and the charging cable is USB 2.0. Now that USB-C is the norm, I would have liked to see that instead.

Above: the secondary compartment is big enough for a few sets of underwear and a book.

Overall.

The Victorinox 3.0 Expandable Global is fancy without being ostentatious and professional without being stuffy.

This carry-on bag will dress up your business suit during the week and look funky with your sneakers during weekend getaways.

If you have $800 to spend, this is the best carry-on bag in Australia, bar none.

Highly versatile due to expandable case
Unique ID number and 24/7 lost bag hotline
Nostalgic, iconic Victorinox design
✘ Too expensive for most of us

Price.

Between $800 and $900, depending on the retailer and season. It’s a premium product aimed at style-conscious, well-heeled travellers.

Specifications.

➤ Size: 55cm H x 40cm W x 20/23cm D
➤ Weight: 3.5kg
➤ Capacity: 39/47L

4. Carl Friedrik Carry On X.

Best ultra-premium carry-on bag.

Above: The Carry On X swallowed my clothes, book and accessories with ease.

The Carl Friedrik Carry On X is the classiest bag in this review.

In fact, it’s the best carry-on you can buy – if you want a high-end bag but don’t want to be seen towing a cliché that’s a Rimowa.

Either way, while Rimowa screams for attention, the Carl Friedrik oozes quiet luxury.

But don’t expect to fly under the radar with this thing (pun intended). This is a statement piece, and it will turn heads.

In fact, its vertical ridges echo Rimowa’s trademark stripes – and I don’t think it’s an accident.

Above: Two-compartment clamshell design offers plenty of flexibility. Unusually, the secondary compartment uses straps – rather than mesh – to secure your belongings.

Pros.

Priced at $1,250, the Carry On X is the most expensive carry-on bag in this review.

The most luxurious.

And the most well-made.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s linger on its aesthetics a bit longer.

Damn, it’s pretty. I love how the gunmetal grey contrasts with the tan leather. And how exposed ribbed nails along the edges give the bag a hipster undertone.

Above: Think of the Carry On X as a small trunk, rather than a large carry-on.

The steamer-style combination latches are rock-solid and latch with satisfying precision. I’m sure they were made by a Swiss watchmaker. Or the son of a watchmaker.

Internal compartments, meanwhile, are organised in a way that’s not only intelligent but attractive.

You get chunky stitching, thick lining and stencilled logos everywhere.

Its best feature is its laptop compartment. More mini briefcase than sleeve, it’s the largest of any bag in this review.

While most bags will struggle to fit laptops larger than 15″, this thing will inhale a 16″ model with ease – as well as an iPad, a couple of notepads, passports and your reading material.

It will hold a week’s worth of clothing without any issues.

43 litres of internal storage is second only to the (massive) Monos Pro (46 litres), or the Victorinox in its expanded mode (47 litres).

Above: Two TSA locks on the main compartment, but none on the laptop compartment.

Oh, and Cark Friedrik is the only company in this roundup to offer a trial. You can use the bag for 100 days, and if you don’t like it, you can send it back.

Cons.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room.

Literally.

The bag is the heaviest in this review. At 4.3 kg, it’s 0.7kg heavier than the (already heavy) July Pro.

It also comes with a size penalty. It’s 27 cm deep – about 5 cm deeper than most carry ons – making it look more like a small trunk than a carry-on.

What does all this mean?

Well, if you’re a business traveller, you’ll likely get waved through. But if you’re flying on budget airlines, expect questions – and occasional gate-checks.

Above: The laptop compartment is cavernous – you can easily fit a couple of hardcover books in addition to your laptop.

And if you do have to check it, there’s no lock on the laptop compartment. There aren’t even eyeholes in the zipper handles, so you can’t BYO padlock.

The hardshell construction means you can’t overfill the bag.

Unlike cheap softshells, the square Carl Friedrik will not stretch to accommodate your extra pair of pants.

If you’re used to always fitting in “one more thing”, owning one of these may come with a shock.

Finally, I don’t love the handle. It’s certainly above average, but it isn’t as nice as July Pro’s. I’d hoped for something that feels more premium on a $1,000+ bag.

Above: The front compartment hinges at the bottom, providing excellent access to items you use most often.

Overall.

Carl Friedrik Carry On X is the quintessential luxury carry-on bag.

It’s both elegant and durable.

In my view, it’s better built than a Rimowa, but costs half the price. It’s also less ubiquitous than a Rimowa.

These days, airports are filled with cheap knockoffs sporting the trademark ribbed aluminium look, but Carl Friedrik’s design is still rare.

If most of your travel was on short-haul flights in economy, or in budget airlines, choose the Victorinox Spectra instead. It’s not as luxurious, but just as cavernous – and you won’t get hassled by airline staff.

But if you do a lot of travel in the pointy end of the plane, this is a great pick.

Classy and elegant
Superb build quality
✘ Front compartment doesn’t lock
✘ Heavy

Specifications.

➤ Size: 56 X 38 X 27
➤ Weight: 4.3 kg
➤ Capacity: 43 L

4. Monos Carry On Pro / Pro Plus.

Best oversized carry-on.

Above: The Monos fit my test load with ease.

The Monos is the newest member of my carry-on collection.

(I told you I’m a carry-on geek!)

That’s why it’s the one with the fewest scuffs.

Let me start by saying that I have the larger Pro Pus variant, which measures a humongous 58/38/24cm and 46 litres of volume. It’s by far the biggest carry-on in this review.

Pros.

This thing is cavernous.

If you always travel with a lot of belongings – and want to push the definition of “carry-on” to its limits, this is the best bag for you.

At 46 litres, it’s either a large carry-on or a small check-in bag.

Above: The Monos Pro Plus is huge, but obtains most of its internal volume through its height. TThe main compartment had 25% of capacity left while the secondary compartment was 40% full.

You decide.

If you fill it to the brim, you’ll easily exceed every conceivable airline weight limit by at least 100%.

But you may be surprised to find out that the bag is relatively light.

Because it doesn’t have a built-in battery or TSA locks on the front compartmenet, the Pro Plus weighs in at 3.8kg – 100g less porky than the July. The Pro, meanwhile, tips the scales at just 3.5kg – same as the Spectra.

As with the Victorinox design, the panel zips open to reveal several safari-style pockets for your digital devices and peripherals.

Above: The Monos is a sleek unit. It’s the only bag here with locks on the side – rather than on top of – the bag. While this design touch creates a more minimalist look, I prefer locks to be on top.

Unlike the Victorinox design, it’s permanently sealed from the main compartment, so you don’t get the option to sacrifice some front pocket space to add more internal volume.

Regardless, you get plenty of space to store a a laptop, a large book, charger and all the peripherals you’ll ever wnat to bring.

Above: Monos thinks of itself as “Apple Of Luggage” and competes directly with July.

Cons.

I have no complaints about the Monos’ construction, but it does feel a little cheaper than the July and Victorinox.

Small details add up to create this impression. For example, the hard plastic used in the handle, the absence of an internal side pocket, and boring-looking internal lining.

These details that are easy to overlook, but do become apparent with all bags lined up side-by-side.

This can become an issue for people who carry laptops with sensitive data and want an extra layer of protection against opportunistic thieves.

Above: Stylish, modern, well-built and lightweight, the Herschel Highland is as cool as it is capable.

My second gripe is with Monos’ awkward sizing.

The larger Pro Plus model has a monstrous 46 litre layload.

But the Spectra, when expanded, has 47 litres, making it the better choice for people who want a compact carry on with the option to bring extra gear.

Meanwhile, the smaller Pro model is roughly the same size as the July Carry On Pro – yet has 6 litres less volume, at 36 litres (versus July’s 42 litres).

The only reason you’d choose the Monos is the price, as it’s considerably cheaper than the Spectra and about 10% cheaper than the July.

Overall.

The Monos Carry on Pro Plus is the best carry-on for businesspeople who always carry a lot of gear and don’t want to spend more than $425 on their bag.

No other bag is better value for money when it comes to internal volume per dollar spent.

Above: Leather nametag is a nice touch.

It’s not the best-looking bag, nor is it the best-built or most versatile.

But it’s reasonably good at all of those things, and has no nasty habits. Think of it as a family station wagon. It will do everything you want it to, but don’t expect excitement.

Not quite Apple, then.

Huge payload.
Relatively lightweight at 3.8kg
✘ Not as well built as the competition

Price.

Monos charges $375 for the Pro and $425 for the Pro Plus version. It’s a very well-priced bag and I expect the company to increase prices after they penetrate the market.

Above: As you’d expect, the secondary compartment had plenty of space left – at least 60%.

Specifications.

➤ Size: 58cm H x 38cm W x 24cm D
➤ Weight: 3.8kg
➤ Capacity: 46L

5. Samsonite 73 Hours Spinner.

Best for unpretentious people who need a high payload.

Above: The 38-litre Samsonite managed to fit all my items, but just barely. Keep in mind, I still need to make room for a toiletry kit and a laptop charger.

This carry-on is ideal if you want a lightweight, inexpensive softshell travel bag for around $300.

Pros.

There are only two reasons to buy this carry-on bag:

At 1.9kg, it gives you a massive 8.1kg payload with Qantas on domestic flights. That’s the best carry-on luggage payload figure in this round-up.

Apart from its Herculean payload, the bag gives you all the essentials you ned.

Nice touches, Samsonite.

“No-nonsense” springs to mind when looking at this bag.

Above: The Samsonite 73HR cabin bag offers you only one compartment for your clothes. The lid is very shallow – and designed to hold a book and a laptop only.

The bag is very well-priced at between $250 and $350 – but don’t expect luxury vibe, expensive materials or a head-turning ability.

But unexpectedly for this price point, Samsonite includes a handy external pocket to make sure that you don’t misplace your boarding pass.

You also get an “emergency bag”, which you are likely use as a laundry bag, to keep your smelly stuff separate from the clean pile.

Even thought the bag is relatively cheap, I think it will endure a lot of punishment. The zippers look solid, the corners are reinforced and the handle feels very robust.

Cons.

Let’s be honest. This little Samsonite is the polar opposite of a fashion item.

It’s boring, grey, and practical.

Think of it as the Toyota Corolla of carry on cabin bags.

Above: The front pocket is handy, but my 14″ MBP doesn’t fit into the dedicated laptop sleeve.

But this is not a flat-out indictment. After all, Toyota Corolla is one of the top-selling cars in Australia – and from a cost/benefit perspective, like the Samsonite 73 Hour Spinner, it represents incredible value for money.

The front laptop sleeve is too small for my MacBook Pro (the small 14″ version).

This means I must carry it in the main part of the front section. Not a biggie, except that the strap designed to secure the laptop is redundant.

After folding out the front pocket to take the photo above, I noticed some creasing on the outside of the bag. Its not prominent, but I do wonder how it it will look after I do it another few dozen times.

Above: The front pocket is not generous, but big enough to fit a book and a laptop.

I didn’t mention the wheel quality on the other carry-ons in this roundup because they’re all pretty similar.

The wheels are large, smooth, and quiet, making them effortless to roll — no complaints here!

But I must mention Samsonite’s wheels. While they look reasonably sturdy, they worry me because they’re very small.

These things are strictly for indoor use.

Above: The inside front pocket will hold a book, and some smallaccessories.

Overall.

The Samsonite 72-hour carry-on will happily haul huge amounts of payload everywhere you go. Its sofshell construction may lead to its demise within a season or two of heavy use, but at the $250-$350 price point, it’s hard to complain.

Practical and uncomplicated, this Samsonite carry-on is a workhorse of hand luggage.

Very lightweight thanks to nylon construction
Low price
✘ Softshell not as durable as hardshell
✘ Boring aesthetic

Specifications.

➤ Size: 55cm H x 35cm W x 24cm D
➤ Weight: 1.8kg
➤ Capacity: 36L

6. Antler Clifton.

Best hardshell carry-on for corporate road warriors.

Above: Unlike all carry-ons in this review, the Clifton opnes to the right. The layout is identical to July’s – an even split in the middle, with a middle divider for knick-knacks.

I’ll be the first to admit that the Clifton isn’t the most exciting carry-on. It doesn’t look ostentatious and won’t elicit any double-takes. But that’s part of its appeal.

This carry-on is a practical, inexpensive business tool, not a fashion item.

Pros.

Are you an Australian management type who wants a carry-on that is light, durable, smart-looking and secure?

Above: The Clifton managed to contain the test load, but only just. The main compartment was 100% full, but the secondary compartment had 30% of space left.

First, you get 35 litres of internal volume in a bag that weighs 2.8 kilograms. While this is considerably less than July’s and Spectra’s payloads, you also get a significant weight reduction.

The pocket’s design is almost as good as Spectra’s. You get laptop and notebook compartments plus a few pockets for headphones and cables.

TSA locks, of course, are standard – and they secure the main compartment as well as the front pocket.

The lack of an internal battery will be a pro to business types with lounge privileges, who can charge their devices at the airport and would rather trade the battery for extra payload and internal space.

Above: The Clifton is a modest-looking bag – and that’s a feature, not a flaw.

On the inside, the Clifton also punches well above its price point. You get elastic X-straps with a robust latch to prevent your belongings from falling out and two more zipped compartments in the lid.

Little details – like three zippable compartments in the middle divider and an internal side pocket – elevate the practicality and appearance of the bag.

Last but not least, the price is outstanding. At $349, it’s almost half the price of the Spectra and about 25% of the price of the Carl Friedrik (below).

Above: No batteries, no tweezers or or tools. The Antler is a no-nonsense travel bag.

Cons.

This Antler Prestwick is designed to look smart, professional and safe – not to be obnoxiously loud. If turning heads is what you want, go with the Carl Friedrik.

I could point out that the bag doesn’t include a laundry bag or the option to personalise it, but these criticisms would not be fair in the context of its budget price tag.

It’s also not very big. At 35L, this is a bag for day business trip and overnighters – not for 2-4 night getaways.

And I must point out that the external sleeve isn’t large. My 14-inch MBP is a very snug fit.

Oh, and keep in mind that the Prestwick’s internal lid compartment is only large enough for small items and notepads. It’s not a bona fide secondary clothes compartment, as you get in the July.

Above: The front pocket zips open to provide convenient access to your latop.

Overall.

The Antler Cifton is the best budget carry-on in Australia if you frequent domestic airline business lounges more frequently than the coffee shop near your house.

Above: The secondary compartment will house your favourite book (maybe a few pairs of socks). If your laptop is larger than 14″, it will have to go here, too.

It won’t withstand five years of abuse like the Carl Friedrik will, but at $349, can you expect it to?

Specifications.

➤ Size: 55 x 35 x 23cm
➤ Weight: 2.8kg
➤ Capacity: 35L

What Carry On Luggage Size And Weight Limits Do You Need To Know About?

The world of airline cabin bag limits is frustratingly inconsistent. Each airline imposes its own rules and limits, and you better obey them to avoid checking in your luggage.

See the table below to ensure your cabin bag works for your specific travel habits.

This is far less of an issue if you travel with one airline.

But if you tend to catch international flights with connections, remember that the magic size for your cabin bag is 55 x 35 x 20 cm. Keep to this limit to ensure that your carry-on luggage does not trigger any alarms with any airline in the world.

This is easier said than done – because 20 cm of depth is quite restrictive. It limits you to a pair of shoes, a change of clothes, a laptop and a few other small bits.

In our review of the best carry on luggage, only the Victorinox Spectra Global Carry On meets this requirement (but can also expand by 3 cm).

Note that some airlines take the “cm bag” approach to measure bags, which simply gives you a maximum number that the sum of your bag’s width, depth and length should not exceed.

For example:

Other airlines give you concrete maximum dimensions for each side of your bag.

In almost all cases, you’ll get away with bringing on a laptop sleeve or a small handbag in addition to the above items.

Which Factors To Consider When Choosing A Carry-On Bag?

Road warriors care about privacy, security, weight and style.

1. How Much Payload Do You Need?

The lighter the bag, the higher its payload.

Most airlines impose a 7kg per item limit on carry-on luggage (with Qantas being a rare exception at 10kg), and the weight of the bag itself is a “dead weight” that cuts into this allowance.

If your bag weighs 3.5kg, you’re left with 3.5kg of payload (assuming you’re not flying with Qantas).

The relationship between the carry-on bag’s weight and payload is mediated by its build quality.

But if the maximum payload is what you need, you’ll need to sacrifice the durability of a hardshell by opting for a soft-sided suitcase.

Some of these are extremely well-built and therefore offer very modest payload gains.

For example, the Herschel Highland, tipping the scales at 2.8kg, weighs as much as some hardshells in this review.

But the Herschell is an outlier.

2. Hardshell Or Softside?

Most people will make this decision based on aesthetics.

While looks are very important – especially in the context of business travel – you’re better off prioritising payload (see above).

There’s very little benefit in buying a good-looking bag that matches your image but can’t support you on a business trip by carrying your essential gear.

3. How Long Is The Warranty?

Carry-on luggage is a very competitive space. As a result, manufacturers offer very generous warranties that typically extend past 5 years.

Realistically speaking, you’ll be replacing your carry-on due to wear and tear long before the warranty runs out.

4. What Size Limits Do I Need To Abide By?

I’ve already covered carry-on luggage sizes in detail, in the section above. The easiest option is to fly with one airline and purchase a carry-on bag that fits within its limits.

If that option does not work for you, I suggest you buy an expandable carry-on bag that fits under the limit of the airline with the most restrictive limits when it’s not expanded.

 Steven

Ah, coffee. If you’re an Australian who works from home, you probably consider it fuel. I know I do. But I don’t always have the time – or the desire – to grab a long black from the local cafe before my 8 am team Zoom meeting.

As an ex-professional barista, I refuse to drink rubbish coffee, so I searched for Australia’s best home coffee machine. Which one did I choose for 2026? Here are my conclusions:

Controversial, I know. Most reviews of home coffee machines in Australia instruct you to do the exact opposite.

But it’s also true that most of those reviews are written by “content writers” who know nothing about coffee.

I’m not a content writer or a “professional reviewer”.

I’m an entrepreneur who works (and drinks a lot of coffee) from home – and who, back in the day, became one of the top baristas around Sydney to pay my way through uni.

But first, I present you with the best home coffee machines in Australia. Drum roll, please.

1. Breville Bambino Plus.

Best overall home coffee machine.

Above: the Bambino Plus in brushed stainless steel. Cute and compact.

Pros.

The Breville Bambino Plus has taken the #1 spot in my review of the best home coffee machines in Australia because it crushes the competition from a features perspective.

The machine’s tiny footprint will appeal to people with limited bench space. That being said, it’s a full-featured machine – and will allow you to play around with pre-infusion and shot volume.

A PID is included (and is almost unheard of at this price point). Nice work, Breville. Consider my eyebrow raised – for all the right reasons.

The milk frother is easy to use and performs very well.

You can stretch milk, roll it around, and not be intimidated by the process. It’s a great machine to learn frothing with.

Above: the Breville Bambino Plus in my favourite Black Sesame colour. Very smart.

If you don’t have the time or the desire to learn how to froth milk, the Bambino Plus has an automatic frothing function.

Just stick the milk jug in and press play. It will do everything and cut steam off before the milk gets too hot.

Even though the machine doesn’t have two boilers, the Bambino Plus switches between brewing and frothing modes very quickly – and surprisingly, more quickly than the more expensive Breville Barista Express.

Because of the machine’s diminutive size, it’s on the smaller size at 1.9 litres, but that’s enough to make a few coffees back-to-back without a refill.

Above: the Breville Bambino Plus in Sea Salt colour.

The Bambino does not have a built-in grinder, which makes it relatively inexpensive.

Cons.

The Breville Bambino Plus is quite lightweight. It may move around when you’re working with the portafilter – and you may have to practice your technique before you lock the handle in without pushing the machine.

Speaking of the portafilter handle, it is cheap and plasticky. Breville was looking for areas to save costs, and they zeroed in on this part.

Above: the portafilter is your main point of interaction with the machine. Bambino’s leaves a lot to be desired.

In fact, this is the main Achilles heel of this home coffee machine. It’s not at all the “commercial-style 54mm portafilter” that Breville promises in its marketing. There’s nothing commercial about it.

It is poorly made, doesn’t feel nice to touch and comes included only with Breville’s pressurised baskets.

If you buy this machine, I recommend upgrading to non-pressurised baskets immediately (buy here directly from Breville for about $10).

Or upgrade the entire portafilter assembly (see below).

While I understand that the pressurised baskets exist for people who want an easier life and are happy to sacrifice coffee quality to get it, this review is not for those people.

But I haven’t finished hammering the Bambino’s portafilter yet.

When you pull out the basket, you’ll notice a black plastic insert in the assembly’s base.

Above: black plastic portafilter insert. WTF, Breville.

I don’t like the idea of ingesting water that’s been poured over plastic at near-boiling temperatures.

Thankfully, you can remove the insert in 2 minutes – and it won’t affect your brew. Just unscrew the spouts and stick a screwdriver into the hole from the other side to push out the plastic.

It will add about $60-70 to your total bill, but will improve your coffee by 30%. Thank me later.

Above: the upgrade to the naked-style, stylish portafilter with unpressurised baskets is well worth the $60-70 investment.

The Breville Bambino Plus’ final weak point Bambino Plus is the absence of a dedicated hot water tap. If you’re a heavy drinker of long blacks, you’ll need to boil your water either separately or fill it via the steam wand. Not the smoothest experience.

Overall.

The Breville Bambino Plus is my #1 recommended home coffee machine package because it destroys everything else on the market.

You won’t see so many essential features packed into a coffee machine at this price point.

The machine punches well above its entry-level price point.

It’s not a perfect machine – mainly because of the portafilter issue I described above. All things considered, this is a small frustration, and one you can easily fix.

Above: the Bambino Plus has a lot of potential. It needs a different portafilter to realise it in full.

To get the most out of the Bambino Plus, you’ll need to either buy ground coffee from your local coffee shop or grind beans at home using one of my recommended coffee grinders.

It’s a perfect home coffee machine for someone who wants an enjoyable coffee-making experience but doesn’t want to invest too much of their own time or funds into the affair.

A strong frothing wand and the absence of a dedicated hot water spout makes this machine ideal for lovers of milky drinks or short blacks.

Lovers of long blacks will be better served by Breville’s Dual Boiler machine.

The Bambino Plus’ small size limits the amount of onboard water storage. It’s plenty for one or two people, but larger families will benefit from an upgrade to the Breville Dual Boiler (below), as well.

Price.

The Breville Bambino Plus is not expensive, with prices ranging between $550-650. Check the current lowest prices here.

If you eventually decide to invest in a good grinder, you’ll need to set aside another $300-600 (see my review of grinders below).

2. Breville Dual Boiler.

Best for amateur Australian home baristas.

Above: Breville Dual Boiler home coffee machine, pictured with a Breville grinder. The machine is also available in black sesame (below).

Pros.

The Breville Dual Boiler does something that very few home coffee machines do: it omits the built-in grinder.

Because of this feature (trust me, it is a feature), it can do the same things that prosumer-grade coffee machines can, without their $3,000+ price tag – and without intimidating you.

It’s also the only machine on the Australian market that fully caters to two types of coffee drinkers. Which one are you?

If you are Type 1, the machine’s PID temperature controls and dual boilers will provide you with an invisible, but ever-present safety net, preventing you from ruining your morning shot by automatically keeping temperatures and pressures in the optimal range.

If you are Type 2, the machine will patiently allow you to experiment with shot volumes, shot temperatures, grind settings and pressures – without biting your head off if you make a mistake.

Above: the coffee machine is also available in the very smart-looking colour that Breville calls ‘black sesame’.

You may start your home coffee journey as Type 1, then at some point develop more passion for coffee-making and become a Type 2.

The Dual Boiler coffee machine will grow with you.

If you stay as Type 1 forever, that’s perfectly fine, too – you’ll have a polite, stylish, high-performance coffee machine and grinder that will serve you great morning coffee at home for years to come.

This is a very common scenario – and with this coffee machine bundle, it’s not a problem.

The Breville’s personality works not unlike that of a Porsche 911, which can switch from a friendly, stylish Sunday town cruiser into a purebred racetrack weapon at the push of a button.

Above: Breville Dual Boiler home coffee machine is as stylish as it is understated.

The machine’s auto-on / auto-off feature allows you to pre-heat your coffee machine on a timer, so it is ready to rock by the time you’ve finished brushing your teeth in the morning.

Let’s return to the missing grinder.

Its absence, in fact, is the machine’s most important feature.

If you remember anything from my review, remember this.

Your choice of coffee grinder will have a far greater impact on your coffee than the choice of your coffee machine.

Above: A lot of people buy Breville’s Smart Grinder Pro. It’s OK, but not outstanding.

You cannot escape the GIGO principle. Garbage in, garbage out.

Breville’s Smart Grinder Pro, the default choice of most home baristas is so-so. Mechanically, it’s almost identical to the grinder the company permanently builds into its Express and Oracle machines.

It’s not a bad starting point considering its sub $300 price point, but you’ll outgrow its capabilites quickly if you get obsessed with coffee.

You’re highly unlikely to outgrow the capabilities of the Breville Dual Boiler coffee machine itself.

Cons.

The cup warmer on the machine isn’t as hot as I would like it to be. If you leave your cups there, they will warm up but won’t be toasty.

You can solve this by draping a clean kitchen towel over the top of your coffee cups to trap the heat (as many baristas do, even in commercial cafes), but still, it’d be nice not to have to do this.

Above: Breville’s controls are stylish – and made from hardened plastic.

This is very much a consumer appliance, and it looks like one.

While this is expected in a consumer-grade appliance at this price point, I would have loved to be surprised by the tactile feel that only metal can offer.

Above: Breville’s stylish controls are made from hard plastic.

Size-wise, be mindful of the machine’s decent (64.6 x 46.1 x 47.6 cm) footprint. If you’re very tight on bench space, it may not be for you, as you’ll also need to set aside space for a freestanding coffee grinder.

Overall.

The Breville Dual Boiler home coffee machine has prosumer-grade features, but it looks decidedly consumer.

A friendly interface and a great price point seal the deal.

Its dual boilers provide you with a fast, efficient workflow, which becomes even more important if you regularly make long blacks, or milky drinks for more than 2 people.

It’s a wolf that’s been taught house manners and dressed in a dinner suit.

Above: Breville’s button layout is logical, easy to understand and modern in appearance.

Most importantly, the dual boiler configuration ensures that your brew temperature doesn’t get affected by your steaming activities.

This machine won my “best home coffee machine” trophy because it caters to beginners and experienced baristas alike.

Get it if you’re a Type 1 barista who wants the best home coffee machine or if you’re a Type 2 home barista who is ready for a challenge.

While I wish it had a rotary pump and a commercial-grade E61 portafilter, I also realise that it’s an unreasonable, boyish request. This is an excellent coffee machine for the home, not a professional-grade tool.

It’s already a lot of coffee machine for the money.

While it’s not the cheapest home coffee machine on the market, ‘classic’ Italian machines with the exact same specs sell for 3X of the price – and no one blinks an eyelid.

Price.

The best price for the Breville Dual Boiler is currently on Amazon – you’ll save about $100 off normal retail prices. Check prices now.

3. Lelit Bianca V3.

Best if you want the best money can buy.

Above: The lelit Bianca V3 is a gorgeous premium dual boiler home coffee machine that borders on kitchen art.

Pros.

A conversation about the best home coffee machines in Australia isn’t complete without a mention of the Lelit Bianca V3.

Say goodbye to weak, watered-down coffee and say hello to a real cup of joe. The machine gives your coffee an opulent, chocolaty, creamy flavour at the push of a (very precisely engineered) lever.

First impressions are important – and Bianca makes a great one.

Everything about this home coffee machine exudes quality.

Walnut accents add warmth and style to parts of the machine that you’ll be working with, and looking at, the most.

The machine’s outer case is made from curved, polished stainless steel, accentuating the mechanical beauty of the E61 group head.

Both of its boilers are temperature-controlled by a PID, controlled from a display on the face of the machine.

Above: the dream team. Lelit Bianca V3, the best prosumer home coffee machine in Australia – paired with the best home coffee grinder for Type 2 home baristas, the Baratza Sette 270.

Bianca’s most interesting feature, however, is flow profiling. (What is flow profiling?)

Until now, flow profiling has been available only on a select few, very high-end, $7,000+ home coffee machines.

The Lelit Bianca V3 has changed that.

Turn the stylish hardwood paddle to the left, and you’ll get the slowest flow; push it to the right, and you’ll see extraction at max speed. With a readout of pressure at the puck, this feature gives you a surgical level of control over-extraction.

Cons.

Despite Bianca’s prestige, the stock Lelit portafilter baskets are substandard. You’ll need to set aside another $50 or so to buy a good 20g VST basket.

Speaking of quality, even though the build quality of the Bianca V3 is superb – especially when compared with consumer-grade home coffee machines like the Breville Dual Boiler – it’s a little behind rivals like the German-made Profitec Pro 6000.

Above: a very hipster home coffee setup, featuring the Lelit Bianca V3 and a Niche grinder.

The latter has a tank-like, logical, precise quality that screams “German engineering”, while the Bianca V3 is unmistakably Italian in character.

Yet, I do not care about it – because the machine looks and feels like an instrument designed to elicit an emotional response, rather than be precisely robotic.

Whether this is an issue for you is a matter of personal preference.

Overall.

The Lelit Bianca V3 is a stunner. As a PID-controller, dual-boiler home coffee machine with an E61 group head and a rotary pump, it’s hard not to love.

However, this is not a home coffee machine for someone with zero interest in coffee.

While the Bianca V3 will not demand weeks of study before you can pour a drinkable shot, it will present you with a learning curve you’ll need to overcome.

If that’s what you’re after, you’ll be much better served by the more forgiving and automated Breville Dual Boiler option I recommended above – or the Breville Bambino Plus + Sette Grinder.

The Bianca is perfect for someone who makes a few morning coffees, likes to entertain guests in the evening and steams lots of milk drinks while also making amazing black coffee.

It can be your first – and last – home coffee machine.

You can reasonably expect 15+ years of service from it, with only minimal maintenance costs and fixes. Because it’s built for prosumer space, it’s heavy-duty and built with commercial-grade parts designed to be serviced or replaced.

In the short term, it’s expensive. In the long term, it’s also your most cost-effective option.

Price.

The Lilet Bianca V3 is not cheap but does represent a huge amount of value for your investment. Check prices here.

4. La Marzocco GS3 Manual Paddle.

Above: hipster chic meets industrial pizzaz. Visuall, the GS3 is a show-stopper.

This is a professional-grade espresso machine for your home. We’re talking coffee chain-worthy. In fact, it’s a chopped-down version of La Marzocco’s $27,000 Strada commercial coffee machine.

It has quick touch keys that set the temperature in the brew and steam boiler to .3ºC. These features do most of the heavy lifting, so all you have to do is grind, dose, and tamp, oh my!

Cost? You’ll get very little change from $10,000. Yep, oh my.

This is why I love the Lilet Bianca V3 – it does everything that the GS3 does, at 40% of the price.

5. Rancilio Silvia V6 PID.

Above: Silvia’s design is a bit plain, and its boxyness is not for everyone.

This classic Silvia is a legend in home espresso, and the Rancilio company is a household name in commercial-grade coffee machines.

Silvia’s build is great.

It’s heavy and solid, which means it won’t move when you’re pulling shots. The machine is very well-made. The design, however, is pretty plain. It’s not a home coffee machine that guests will fawn over.

Be sure to spec yours with the PID and pre-infusion. They’re optional – and will add a few hundred dollars to your bill – but are well worth it.

The Silvia is an iconic, reliable single-boiler home coffee machine packed with commercial-grade features. It’s available in stainless steel and now in black, which used to be a limited edition only. I really like the latter.

6. Lelit Mara X.

Above: very pretty and compact, the Lelit Mara X is unmistakably Italian.

The Bianca V3’s smaller cousin, the Mara X is an oddball.

To give you (yet another) car analogy, it’s a bit like a BMW 3 Series with an “M” performance pack. It’s not an M3, but it’s not a capable, but somewhat pedestrian 325i, either.

Some people call it the “best of both worlds”.

You either need to spend more and get a Bianca V3 or save some cash and get the Dual Boiler.

7. Gaggia Classic.

Above: the Gaggia looks like a coffee machine that Al Pacino would use in his home.

While other home coffee machines in this review are modern high-performance instruments, the Gaggia prefers to embody classic Italian traditionalism.

Its design is old-school and largely unchanged for over 20 years – and that’s the point.

I personally disagree with this school of thought, but Gaggia’s persistent popularity demonstrates that there’s a market for their way of thinking.

The Gaggia Classic is a fully manual home coffee machine. You don’t get a touchscreen nor a temperature gauge to tell you when to stop steaming your milk.

But you can easily see Al Pacino using one in his home. And that’s something we can all agree on.

Breville Bambino Plus vs Breville Dual Boiler.

These are two very different home coffee machines for two different types of users.

Breville Dual Boiler vs Lelit Bianca V3.

This isn’t a fair comparison, but an interesting one. While the Lelit Bianca is a lot more expensive and beautiful, it’s not that different to the Dual Boiler on a technological level.

But beyond that, technological differences begin to enter the realm of diminishing returns. Both home coffee machines feature dual boilers and PIDs.

Breville Bambino Plus vs Breville Express.

There is some overlap between these two home coffee machines. You can think of Bambino Plus as a Breville Express without the built-in grinder.

You get the essential features at a low price and in a compact package without locking yourself into a sub-par grinder forever.

Breville Dual Boiler vs Breville Oracle.

Breville Oracle is just a Dual Boiler with a built-in Breville Smart Grinder Pro and a slightly more fancy interface.

Breville Bambino Plus vs Pod Machines.

Pod coffee machines fill a very distinct need. They offer ultimate convenience while, unfortunately, sacrificing the quality of your coffee.

You stick a pod into the coffee machine, push a button and get fresh coffee. Well, somewhat fresh.

Breville Barista Express vs DeLonghi La Specialista.

I looked closely at the Delonghi La Specialista as an alternative to Breville, and was disappointed.

There’s something about DeLonghi home coffee machines that feels cheap. Buttons are plasticky, levers wobble, and the plastic itself feels … plasticky, but not in a nice way.

This is unfortunate because La Specialista’s specifications look pretty good on paper.

11 Essential Features Of A Great Home Coffee Machine.

Now that you’ve chosen your coffee grinder, I’d like to equip you with the knowledge you’ll need to choose the best home coffee machine for you.

They love seducing you with cheesy marketing hyperbole “premium barista experience for coffee connoisseurs” and (I’m looking at you, Delonghi) – “coffee symphony crafted in science” while propping up their claims with buzzwords such as “scientifically engineered”.

Ignore all of their claims – and pay attention only to the 11 features below.

These features are critical because they have a direct, tangible on the taste of your brew and your home coffee-making experience. A few things to keep in mind:

This list of features enables you to assess the machine’s value for money.

For example, only the $4,000-ish Lelit Bianca V3 ticks 11/11 of the boxes on this list. However, the $499-ish Breville Bambino Plus ticks 4/11 of the boxes, and the most important ones at that!

1. Unpressurised Baskets.

Pressurised baskets are a crutch. They allow you to build pressure in your portafilter even when your grind is not fine enough or your tamp is terrible.

However, they will also prevent you from ever achieving a good to great coffee.

If your coffee machine doesn’t include unpressurised baskets, you can buy them online for less than $20. It will be the best $20 you’ll spend on your coffee machine.

Consumer-oriented manufacturers like Breville typically include both types of baskets with their home coffee machines (Bambino Plus notwithstanding, which – sadly – includes only pressurised baskets).

Prosumer-oriented machines always include unpressurised baskets only.

2. Dual Boilers.

Espresso is very exacting: your brew temperature has to be nearly perfect. If you’re off by a few degrees, your drink will be acceptable but not great.

You get strong steam pressure for silky froth and consistent brew temperature for top-notch espresso.

3. PID Temperature Control.

Built-in digital temperature controller that provides better coffee, more consistently.

Works just like cruise control in your car – you set the desired temperature, and the controller gets to work monitoring and adjusting dozens of other parameters to ensure constant output.

4. Overpressure Valve.

Your coffee needs to be extracted at 9 bars of pressure. Not more, not less.

This is more difficult to achieve than you think, as steam is an imprecise instrument that can be affected by environmental and mechanical variables.

The solution is a simple overpressure valve that bleeds off excessive pressure as soon as it is detected, keeping your brew pressure within the desired range and your coffee without sour overtones.

5. Pre-Infusion.

A feature that soaks the coffee grounds before the extraction begins.

Then, it gradually increases the water pressure to achieve even extraction, resulting in less water channelling through the coffee puck. If your tamping isn’t on point, it will provide you with a safety net.

6. 3+ Holes In The Steam Wand.

Cheaper coffee machines – especially those with single boilers – typically offer 1 hole, which is far from ideal. They don’t offer enough violence to stretch the milk.

7. Hot Water Spout.

First, a separate hot water spout is very convenient when making teas, long blacks and rinsing portafilters between shots.

Second, it helps you make better-tasting coffee because it is plumbed to the second (steam) boiler, which means the temperature of your brew important boiler doesn’t fluctuate when you use hot water. Thermal stability and all that.

8. Programmable Shot Volume & Temperature.

You’ll need this feature if you’re a Type 2 home barista who wants to experiment and get the most out of your shots.

9. 58mm Portafilter.

Compared with the cheaper 54mm portafilter, the larger 58mm model allows you to dose more coffee into each shot, providing a richer flavour.

Also, its larger size provides a higher level of thermal stability, which ensures greater coffee consistency.

10. E61 Brew Group.

First of all, it’s very stylish. I just love how it looks.

Second, it always circulates hot water through itself to sync its temperature with that of the water inside the boiler, ultimately leading to – you guessed it – better thermal stability.

This feature is typically only found on top prosumer coffee machines.

11. Rotary Pump.

A rotary pump is much quieter. It also has a more refined sound – more of a smooth “whirr”, rather than a rackety “brrrr”.

Unfortunately, vibration pumps that sound like old, rackety, cheap diesel engines and the industry standard and are found in just about every coffee machine that cost less than $3,000.

How Much Should You Spend On A Home Coffee Machine?

The Australian market is saturated with home coffee machines. The ones worth considering start at $500 and top out at above $6,000.

You could spend less, but the quality of your home coffee brew will be nothing to write home about.

You could spend a lot more, but most of your funds will be spent on social signalling, rather than the taste of coffee in your cup.

Why Should You Listen To Me?

I’m a heavy coffee drinker, but more importantly, at some point, I was one of the better baristas around Sydney. Like many young people, I became a barista to pay bills while at uni.

Not satisfied with being another guy who ‘makes coffee’, I set out to learn from the best. I did stints at Allpress Espresso roastery in Rosebery and a few other notable coffee institutions of that time.

I approached coffee with the same mindset that I tend to approach everything – if I do something, I tend to take it to the extreme (case in point, this article is now over 6000 words long).

In addition to leveraging my professional barista experience, I joined several home barista Facebook groups, including the Breville Dual Boiler group (there is such a thing!) and the Lilet Bianca group.

I wanted to talk directly to the owners of these home coffee machines and understand what they loved and disliked about their choices.

Finally, I spend over 2 days watching home coffee machine reviews on YouTube.

I hope you enjoy the fruits of my labour.
 
Steven

Your choice of a home coffee machine is not as essential as the choice of your coffee grinder. In fact, your choice of coffee grinder will have a far greater impact on your coffee than the choice of your coffee machine.

I recommend starting your home coffee journey by choosing the type of coffee grinder first, as it will determine the type of home coffee machine you buy.

Type 1: Built-In Coffee Grinder.

Shown Above: The popular Barista Express coffee machine has a coffee grinder built-in.

These automatic coffee grinders appear in popular coffee machines like the Breville Barista Express or Breville Oracle.

They typically feature conical burrs and a user-friendly interface.

Furthermore, they create an artificial ceiling for your coffee-making skills by wedding you to that coffee grinder forever.

Despite these downsides, these coffee grinders are very popular because they’re:

Type 2: Standalone Coffee Grinder.

Shown in photo: close-ups of the Baratza Sette 270 coffee grinder.

The standalone coffee grinder offers a step up from the built-in type. The quality of conical burrs in these grinders tends to be improved and you get much more precise dosing control.

Some standalone coffee grinders feature zero grind retention, made possible by their straight-through design.

It means you won’t have 2-3 shots of ground shots of coffee stuck in the neck, or hanging in the hopper, aging and slowly becoming stale.

This saves on wastage, too. Cleaning is easy due to an easily removable burr design.

Shown in photo: Breville Smart Grinder Pro is an entry-level coffee grinder. If you’re new to coffee, start with this grinder – and upgrade in a few years.

Type 3: Coffee Grinder At Your Local Cafe.

Ironically enough, this grinder type is also the best.

Coffee shops use commercial-grade grinders that cost north of $1,000, and the consistency of their grind usually surpasses those offered by home grinders.

If you have a top-notch cafe near your home, they’ll happily sell you a bag of their unground coffee beans. Ask the barista to grind them “for espresso” if you plan to use them with your home coffee machine.

Tip. Don’t buy more than 500g of unground coffee beans at a time. Like most foods, coffee goes stale with time. Buy just enough to last you for 1-2 weeks and you’ll always drink fresh coffee.

Which Type Of Coffee Grinder Is Best For Home Use?

The answer to this question is nuanced.

If you’re relatively new to coffee, Breville’s Smart Grinder Pro built-in burr grinder will provide you with the best balance of features for your money.

Shown in photo: Breville Smart Grinder Pro is a user-friendly, stylish addition to your home coffee setup.

It features an easy-to-understand interface and creates a consistent grind size. Conveniently, it’s included at a discount with Breville’s DynamicDuo package.

If you’re the type of person who likes to go down rabbit holes and see yourself obsessing over grind settings to obtain the correct grind size every time, opt for a premium standalone grinder like the Sette 270.

Shown in photo: Baratza Sette 270 coffee grinder – the best coffee grinder for experienced home baristas with 2+ years of coffee experience under their belt. If you’re relatively new to coffee, this is an overkill.

Finally, there’s the unexpectedly smart option – get your local barista to handle the grinding process for you. Neighbourhood cafes have excellent burr grinders that most of us cannot afford and will happily do it for you.

Steven