How to Choose the Best Coffee Machine

There's a lot more technical excellence behind this machine, which manages to precisely control the temperature of the water and evenly disperse it over ground coffee beans in the filter basket. This ekes out more flavour than other less expensive machines.

In contrast to semiautomatic machines, which require you to fill the portafilter manually and decide when to stop pulling, this fully automated machine does everything for you.

Filter coffee machines

A filter coffee machine brews the pot of filter coffee by passing hot water through coffee beans that sit in the filter. The grounds absorb the water and release flavor compounds that are then absorbed into the cup of coffee. They are available in a range sizes, from 3 cups to 13 cups.

Some of the models we tested feature an insulated jug that helps keep your brew warm without the need for a consuming hotplate, and others come with an adjustable timer that runs 24 hours a day, so you can set it up the night before and get up to a pot of coffee ready for you to enjoy. Other useful features include a permanent reusable filter to reduce paper waste and an insulated water tank that allows you to easily see the amount of water left.

Some filter coffee makers are small enough to sit on the counter top of a small kitchen while others are larger. Some have a removable tank for easy refilling and cleaning. Others have fixed tanks, which could limit the space you can make use of.

For a filter coffee maker with extra functionality, look for one that has an integrated grinder, so you can choose to grind fresh coffee beans on demand and then pour directly into the filter basket (though some models offer this as an additional feature). You can find models that use pre-ground coffee beans.

For those who want to be able to make several cups of filter coffee in one go We suggest a machine with a larger capacity. We've tested many filter coffee makers that have this feature and discovered the Melitta Look V Timer to be among the best for making a fantastic cup of filter coffee at a good price. It's extremely easy to set up and use, has an impressive amount of user reviews and numerous helpful tips and guides and is extremely robust and reliable.

Espresso machines coffee

Espresso machines can create many different specialty drinks by simply pressing a button. They're similar to the manual coffee makers you can find in cafes. They require a bit more effort than other kinds of machines - users must grind their own beans and measure and tamp the grounds and steam milk on their own - however, our test participants found that the results made the extra effort worth it.

Espresso machines use hot water and pressure up to nine bar to create an intense, more concentrated drink. They can have an inbuilt milk frother to make macchiatos and cappuccinos. They're often more expensive than other coffee machines but provide a premium, high-end experience.

They are a favorite choice for those wanting to recreate cafe-style cheap coffee machines at home. They come with an airtight container that heats the water to boiling before flowing through a nozzle, and then into ground coffee. The machines may take some time to heat up, but once they're ready, they can produce the cup in between 4 and 6 minutes.

Semi-automatic espresso machines are a great option for those who prefer a little more control. They permit users to add their own beans however, they stop the flow of water at the halfway point of the brewing process. This is done to ensure consistency in the final espresso. It's not a great choice for those who are new and requires some patience to master, but for those with a knack of tamping it, it's the perfect coffee maker.

The more sophisticated super-automatic espresso machine removes the guesswork of the process and is more like an industrial coffee maker. The machine measures and grinds the Coffee maker machine prior to pumping hot water through it. These machines are great for those looking to make a specific drink rather than just the cup of coffee. They are among the most popular available.

The capsule and pod machines are easy to use, but they provide less customization in comparison to their bean-to-cup counterparts. The Lavazza Jolie & Milk has nine pre-programmed drink choices. These range from classics like white coffee and cappuccino to more creative drinks like ristrettos and macchiatos. It also can dispense steam and hot water at the push of one button.

Bean-to-cup machines

The most effective bean-to-cup machines crush whole roasted coffee beans upon demand and then prepare the beans to make various drinks. This can be done at the touch of one button. Many machines allow you to store your coffee preferences, so that the machine can create the drink you prefer each when it is powered on. They can also be connected to apps or home tech networks to provide greater flexibility and automation.

You can usually control the finer details, such as the temperature and the pressure of the extraction. This gives you complete control over the flavor of each cup. They're often made to create a higher quality coffee than capsule or pod machines. A good bean-to cup machine will grind the coffee beans to a precise consistency and then force hot, filtered water through the beans at precisely the pressure and duration needed to maximize flavour.

There are a lot of bean-to-cup machines that have milk that froths. This is great for making the rich, creamy texture of the cappuccino or latte however, there is a bit of a learning curve in getting these drinks right. Once you have it down the machines can make drinks that could be at home in a specialist coffee shop.

One of the best examples of a modern bean-to-cup machine is Sage's Oracle Touch. It is a little more expensive than the best capsule or pod machines, but the added cost is worth it. It has a huge touchscreen that shows the user through every process of making a certain coffee. It also has a pro steam wand that can create the perfect texture of milk and enables you to customise each drink to your tastes. Oracle Touch can offer hot and cold drinks. It can also remember your drink preference for school runs, so you won't have to buy a new one every time. Take a look at our complete review if you're looking to buy a high-quality coffee machine with a top-quality grinder and a lot of bespoke features.

The capsule or pod machines

The best pod coffee machines take the guesswork out of brewing and provide consistently good results with little or no effort. These machines offer capsules containing instant or ground coffee, tea and other beverages. These machines are a great option for those with no experience with espresso or bean-to-cup machines and need an easy fix in the morning.

These machines are a great option for those who don't need to purchase large quantities of beans, and also because they're less expensive when you don't use them frequently. They are less versatile and don't yield the same quality of coffee as filters or a bean-to- cup machine.

If you're after a no-fuss cuppa, this pod coffee maker from Illy is the perfect choice. It's as simple as lifting the flap on top (which automatically removes the used capsule) then put in the new one, and then press either the big cup or small cup button. The machine uses an innovative two-stage extraction process to create rich and satisfying coffee.

It can also provide hot water for herbal teas and hot beverages in addition to a cappuccino or latte, due to the milk frother. It's worth noting that pod-related milk tends to lack the lushly textured texture that you can get with a more expensive, manual frother from Dualit or Lavazza.

The machine is more elegant than most of the pod coffee makers on the market and is also quieter, so it won't create a noise while you're getting your caffeine fix. It's designed to look great in any kitchen, from traditional to modern and is a true pleasure to use. The lever catapults used capsules into the receptacle that can hold up to ten large capsules.

The machine comes with a range of beverages, from tall travel mugs to short espressos. A barcode reader will also inform you of the pods you are using. It's not as customizable as the machine that grinds beans to cup, and you can't adjust the amount of coffee extraction.