De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo Espresso Machine with Coffee Grinder

Why it's worth it

The La Specialista Arte Evo grinds, doses and tamps in one machine, so he can pull a proper shot without buying a separate grinder. It's for the husband whose coffee habit has already outgrown a drip pot.

This is the pick that says you paid attention. Anyone can buy headphones. Buying the espresso machine means you noticed he's been watching pour-over videos, or complaining about the café down the street, or grinding beans on a Saturday for fun. Wirecutter named this its best overall espresso machine under its price threshold, citing the integrated conical burr grinder and single-dose dosing drawer as the features that justify the premium over machines without a grinder.

The built-in grinder is what makes it a gift rather than a project. Buying a good separate grinder usually costs as much as a mid-range machine, so most espresso gifts quietly require a second purchase. This one doesn't. Eight grind settings, a dosing and tamping guide, and a tamping mat come in the box, so he's pulling shots the morning after he opens it.

From our review of 8 gifts for husbands

What we like

• +This is the pick that says you paid attention
• +The built-in grinder is what makes it a gift rather than a project
• +A 15-bar Italian pump handles the pressure curve — lower during pre-infusion, then up to about 9 bar for extraction
• +Be honest about counter space

What to know

• –The grinder is the reported weak point
• –There's a learning curve
• –It also needs upkeep — descaling, backflushing, wiping the wand after every steam