How to Choose the Best Coffee Machine

This machine is a technical marvel. It regulates the water temperature precisely and evenly across the ground coffee in a filter basket. The machine is more flavorful than its less expensive competitors.

Unlike semiautomatic machines, which require you to load the portafilter manually and decide when to stop pulling, this fully automatic machine will do everything for you.

Filter coffee machines

A filter coffee machine makes filter coffee by passing hot, filtering water through coffee grounds. The grounds absorb the water, releasing flavor compounds that are later extracted into your cup of joe. They come in a range of sizes, ranging from 3 to 13 cups, and are available with a variety of options.

A few of the models we tried have insulated jugs to help keep your brew warm without the need for an energy-hungry hotplate. Other models have a 24-hour programmable timer so you can set it up at night and wake up to a jug of coffee waiting for you to drink. Other helpful features include a long-lasting, reusable filter that helps reduce waste paper and a clearly visible water tank that is easily visible.

Some filter coffee makers are small enough to fit on a tiny kitchen worktop, while others have bigger footprints. Some have a removable tank to make refilling and cleaning easy. Others have fixed tanks which may restrict the space you make use of.

If you are looking for a filter coffee maker with extra functionality choose one that has an integrated grinder, so you can choose to grind fresh coffee beans on demand and pour directly into the filter basket (though some offer this as an option). There are models that use pre-ground coffee beans.

We suggest a model with a bigger capacity for those who wish to make multiple cups at a time. We've tested a number of filter coffee makers that have this feature and found the Melitta Look V Timer to be among the top for making a fantastic cup of filter coffee at reasonable prices. It is simple to use and set up and comes with a huge number of user reviews, with many useful tips and guidelines. It's also sturdy and reliable.

Espresso machines

Taking a page from the manual coffee makers found in cafes Espresso machines are able to create a range of specialty drinks with just the touch of one button. They require a bit more effort to use than other types of machine as users grind their own beans and measure and tamp the grounds, and steam the milk separately - but our test participants discovered that the results made the extra effort worth it.

Espresso machines make use of hot water and pressure up to nine bars to make an intense, more concentrated drink. They can have built-in milk frothers 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 among those who want to recreate the cafe user-friendly coffee machines at home. They have an airtight tank in which the water is heated to boiling before flowing through a nozzle, and then into ground coffee. They can be quite slow to heat up, but once they are ready, they are able to produce a cup of coffee in four to six minutes.

Semi-automatic espresso machines are a good alternative for those who want a little more control. They allow the user to add their own beans but stop the flow of water halfway through the brewing procedure. This is to ensure the consistency of the espresso. It's not a great choice for those who are new and requires some patience to master, but for those with the ability to tamp, it can be the ultimate coffee maker.

The super-automatic machine works like a coffee maker from the industrial world and eliminates the guesswork from the process. The machine measures and grinds the coffee before pumping hot water through it. These machines are great for those looking to make a specific drink and not just the cup of coffee. They are among the most popular on the market.

The capsule and pod machines are easy to use, but they offer an uncustomizable experience when in comparison to their bean-to-cup counterparts. The Lavazza Jolie & Milk offers nine preset drink options including classics such as cappuccino and white coffee to more inventive concoctions such as ristrettos and macchiatos. It also can serve hot water and steam at the touch of the button.

Bean-to-cup machines

The best bean-to-cup machines crush whole roast beans on demand, and then make several drinks - typically at the press of a button. Some machines allow you to save your preferences for coffee, so that the machine will create the drink of your choice every time it's turned on. They can also be connected to apps or home tech networks to provide greater flexibility and automation.

Most of the time, you are able to alter the finer points of each beverage, such as the temperature and pressure of extraction, meaning you're in total control over what each cup will taste like. They're also often designed to deliver a better quality of coffee than capsule or pod machines. This is because a quality bean-to-cup grinder will grind the beans to a precise consistency, and then push hot water through them at the exact pressure and timing required to enhance the flavor.

There are many bean-to-cup machines that can also make milk frothy. This is great for automatic espresso machines creating the creamy, textural layers of the cappuccino and latte although there can be some learning curve to get the right recipe. However, once you get it down the machines can make drinks that would easily be at home in a specialized coffee shop.

Sage's Oracle Touch is one of the top examples of a modern bean to cup machine. It's a touch higher priced than the top pod or capsule machines, but it's worth the extra cost. It has a huge touchscreen that's color and will guide the user through each step of making a particular coffee. It also has a powerful steam wand that can create the perfect texture of milk and allows you to customize each drink to your tastes. It is also able to serve cold drinks as well as hot drinks, and the Oracle Touch will even keep your preferred drink in mind for school runs and will not require you to create a new order each time. If you're in the market for a top-quality coffee maker with a top-quality burr grinder and lots of unique features, take a look at our full review of this machine.

Pod or capsule machines

The best pod coffee machines take the guesswork out of brewing and deliver regular results with minimal or no fuss. These models dispense capsules of instant or ground coffee, tea and other beverages. They are a good option for those not as familiar with espresso machines or bean-to-cup machines and are seeking a quick fix on a workday morning.

These machines are a good option for those who don't wish to purchase large quantities of beans. They also work because they're cheaper even if you don't use them as often. However, they're usually less flexible than other models and will not give the same quality of brew that filters or bean-to-cup machines can offer.

If you're looking for a straightforward cuppa, this pod coffee maker from Illy is ideal. You just lift the flap on top (which automatically releases the old capsule) then put in a new one and press either the big or small cup button. The machine utilizes an exclusive two-stage extraction process to make delicious, rich coffee.

The milk frother included allows it to dispense hot drinks like herbal teas, hot chocolate and cappuccinos, as well as lattes. It's worth noting that pod-related milk tends to lack the lushly textured texture that you can get with a more expensive, manual frothers 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 when you're enjoying your caffeine fix. It's designed to look nice in any kitchen, from rustic to modern and is a true pleasure to use. The lever propels capsules into the container that can hold up to ten capsules.

The machine offers a variety of beverages, including tall travel mugs and short espressos. A barcode scanner will also inform you of the pods you're using. But it's not as adaptable as a bean-to-cup device in terms of customizing your coffee and there's no way to alter the amount of extraction.