Best coffee machine: reviewed by coffee-lovers

The best coffee machine can unlock your caffeine fix for you at home, and make mornings that bit more bearable. Whether your caffeinated drink of choice is an iced latte or an espresso, there’s an appliance to help you get there, with features designed to secure the taste you want.

This guide features some of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines, the best pod coffee machines and more. There’s also a range of brands including De’Longhi, Sage, Nespresso, KitchenAid, and Breville, and a selection of prices and styles to choose from.

The one thing these machines all have in common is that we’ve tried and enjoyed each of our top picks from our own homes and our testing facility, using them for a prolonged period to see how easy they are to use and clean. Find all of our favourites below.

The quick list

Searching for the best coffee machine but short on time? Look no further than our quick lists which has all of our favourite machines in one easy view.

Best coffee machine overall

The caveat that we have to get out of the way with the Sage Barista Impress is that it’s a serious spend. At £729.95, this isn’t a coffee machine in most budgets, but it might be one to daydream about or save towards if not – thanks to just how incredibly good it is at making coffee.

The unique selling point of this particular machine is the in-built grinder to give you elevated control over your cup of coffee. For coffee lovers, it streamlines the process of getting your brew to exactly how you like it, with a lot less mess at the same time. During testing, our Head of Reviews Millie found the coffee she could make with this machine absolutely delicious, and she was extremely impressed by the steam wand too.

Our Sage Barista Express Impress review has the full details.

Best affordable coffee machine

With an RRP of £109.99, but with the opportunity to find this machine on sale for much, much less, we can whole heartedly recommend the L’OR Barista Sublime. In terms of cost per use, if you buy the XXL pods in bulk, it works out as around 30p per coffee. That’s true value if you still want to have coffee at home admist the cost of living crisis.

Sure, there’s also a small cost of running it added to your electricity bill, and the cost of buying a descaler once in a while, but overall we think it’s well worth it because coffee is one of those small but important pleasures.

Our reviewer Millie found this machine to not only be excellent value, but easy to use and extremely convenient. The quality of the coffee can’t be overlooked either, with Millie saying that this machine yields high-quality coffee, that wasn’t too strong but not bitter either, and with a decent amount of crema. All in all, it’s a certified bargain.

Our Phillips L’OR Barista Sublime review has the full details.

Best filter coffee machine

The Moccamaster coffee maker is perfect for those who rely on caffeine to see them through their workdays at home. Capable of making up to ten cups of coffee at one time, it can also keep your brew warm on a hot plate for when you finish the first mug off. The design is also a show-stopper, obviously with a retro feel that will complete the look of your quirky kitchen.

There’s a sustainable edge to the Moccamaster too; it’s made from recyclable materials and you chuck the filter bags from your brew straight into the compost at the end of the day, rather than the faff you have to go through with pods. Our reviewer found the taste of the coffee she brewed with the Moccamaster to be unparalleled in the realm of filter machines, calling it smooth and well-rounded.

During testing, we also found that it is lovely and quiet when brewing. The ability to make four large mugs of coffee at one time was a winner for our reviewer too, and the fact that the brewing process is so straightforward.

Our Moccamaster KBG review has the full details.

Best coffee machine under £100

If you value a good quality espresso and have less than £100 to spend the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie is a top choice. It comes in a range of dashing shades and sits pretty on any kitchen counter. The pods are recyclable, albeit through Lavazza’s slightly complicated scheme, and the machine is very easy to use. You simply pull up the lever, insert your pod, and push it back down to start the brewing process.

You press to start brewing, and then press again to stop the process. This has pros and cons, because while it’s nice to see a coffee machine that offers a fully adjustable length of coffee, you do need to stand by while it brews.

Our Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie review has the full details.

Best espresso coffee machine

Home baristas will love the Sage Bambino, which is Sage’s latest and most budget-friendly coffee machine. It’s not cheap (of course, it’s Sage) but it is decent value-for-money, with pre-infusion which very effectively extracts creamy and smooth crema for a luscious layer on top of your espresso. The preheat is only three seconds, which is very impressive, and the milk steaming wand also preheats very fast. It gives out 130-degree steam which was very effective at creating steamed milk in a jiffy.

When extracting we did find that the Sage Bambino rattles slightly, so it’s not the quietest coffee machine on the market. Cleaning is easy though, with a drip tray that simply pulls out for a rinse, and an easily flushed steam wand.

It also gives that classic Sage look, but in a machine that’s narrow without losing any features. It comes with the same cup holder on top, the sturdy backlit buttons and a removable water tank that makes it easy to fill up despite the smaller size. It’s a winner in our books.

Our Sage Bambino coffee machine review has the full details.

Best pod coffee machine

If you’re in the market for a pod coffee machine and you’re looking to splash some cash, this is our standout first choice. It looks the part, makes excellent-tasting coffee and actually has more adjustability than you could imagine, especially thanks to the numerous milk frothing settings. If you love coffee but you’re always in a rush, or you’re just looking for something that’s basically hands-free, you can’t go wrong here.

The downside is that you’re limited to Nespresso pods, which might mean budgeting your coffee addiction is a little tricky, as you’re tied into Nespresso prices. This is also a big amount of money to spend, about the same that you could splurge on our first choice, the Sage Express Impress which allows you to enjoy freshly ground coffee every day. The choice all comes down to how convenient you need your coffee making process to be.

Our Nespresso Vertuop Creatista Coffee Machine by Sage review has the full details.

Best affordable bean to cup coffee machine

The Beko CEG5311X Bean to Cup is guaranteed to deliver you great value whilst making coffee at home. With an RRP of £349.99 (though it’s often found for at least £100 less), this is an all-in-one system for everything from espresso shots to cappuccinos. You can adjust the height of the spout to pick whichever cup size you want to use, and save custom drink preferences for early morning coffees.

The machine runs an automated cleaning cycle after every drink, which only lasts a few seconds, but ensures that your coffee will keep tasting great. It also boasts an LCD control panel and integrated coffee bean grinder with 19 different settings. That makes this machine as customisable as it is value-friendly.

If you need a machine that can grind, brew and steam all in one, then you likely won’t do better for the price than the Beko CEG5311X Bean to Cup. While we’re not suggesting it’s cheap, it is a good price for the combination of functions it has.

Our Beko CEG5311X Bean to Cup review has the full details.

Best luxury coffee machine

The price of this machine is gulp-worthy. Anything over a grand (!) will always require a whole lot of consideration, but for what it’s worth, this is the sort of coffee machine we’d consider saving up for.

It combines everything people love about home brewing with the convenience of a smart machine that will take the guesswork out of every espresso you pull. And in the manual coffee machine market, the Sage Barista Touch Impress is surrounded by similarly-priced rivals.

During our tester Millie’s months of testing, she was consistently impressed by how well this machine steamed my milk and turned out some seriously tasty espresso.

If you’re someone who wants the best of the best, and doesn’t mind a more mindful process, you’ll love how finely the Sage Barista Touch Impress adjusts depending on your specific bean and brew type. If you like the idea of the Impress system and would like to steer clear of the £1000+ mark, the Barista Express Impress (our top-rated choice in this guide) is an outstanding alternative that’s just that little bit less clever.

Our Sage Barista Touch Impress review has the full details.

Best affordable espresso coffee machine

Make any type of coffee with the Breville Bijou Espresso Machine. It has a high-quality steam wand which is perfect for texturising milk, and there are two filters to choose from, which is great for having single or double shots of espresso. You need to wait for your coffee machine to heat up before twisting the dial to the left, which will continuously extract hot coffee until you switch it back. This will be good for some, and not so good for others. Some will prefer an exact espresso measurement, whereas others will just want a long coffee to fill up their favourite mug.

Using grounds, you can easily tamp and twist to secure your filter with the included scoop and tamper. There is no jug included, but it will be easy to buy one for cheap online. Just press the steam milk button and wait for it to stop flashing before twisting the dial to the right and clearing out the wand. Then, it’s easy to create that high-pressure whirlpool to achieve that perfectly hot milk with a creamy latte finish.

If we have a complaint, it’s that the filter hangs quite low and can get in the way of some taller mugs. We did have to fill up a smaller mug and then pour into a longer latte mug to make some drinks. For the money, this is a brilliant coffee machine.

Our Breville Bijou Espresso Machine review has the full details.

Best retro style coffee machine

The Swan Retro One Touch Espresso Machine is a retro-style coffee machine with all the modern touches you need to make your coffee shop favourites. The milk frother is very easy to use, and there are two sizes of beverage in three drink types.

You need to add and tamp your own grounds to use the Swan Retro One Touch Espresso Machine, and we found that it can get a little messy to work this way. The pressure gauge will help you to tell if your machine is ready to go, and it also makes sure you’re getting the most out of your beans.

The tamp drips slightly once your coffee is done pouring. We suggest putting a cup underneath it to prevent it from splashing into the plastic base. Many top espresso machines will set you back at least £300, so we think the RRP of this coffee machine really sets it apart. It’s cute, too.

Our Swan Retro One Touch Espresso Machine review has the full details.

Best smart coffee machine

The Lavazza Voicy is the best smart coffee machine we’ve reviewed. It has an Alexa smart speaker front and centre, which will make you a fresh brew if you simply command it to make you a coffee. You can also ask for a hot coffee, which will boost the temperature, and a long coffee, which will deliver a lungo instead of a cappuccino.

The Lavazza app can be used to customise your coffee, with several profiles to adjust the number of ounces that go into your favourite beverage. That means you won’t be limited by the two buttons on top of the coffee machine, and if you don’t drink much espresso, you can change the preset for both buttons to something more your liking.

If you pair your Lavazza Voicy with your Amazon account you can use it in the place of a regular smart speaker. This is ideal for playing your favourite podcast while you do the washing up, or checking the time when you are in a rush.

Our Lavazza Voicy review has the full details.

How we test the best coffee machines

It’s a tough job but someone has to do it, right? We like to get hands-on experience with as many products as we can before featuring in our buyer’s guide, and if we get to drink the rewards – even better! We understand that there’s A LOT of choice out there when finding the best coffee machine and, really, the only way to find out which one will be the most suitable for your lifestyle is to test one out for size. This is not always possible though, we get that, so luckily that’s where we can help…

Whenever we hear of a new coffee machine or we want to find out more about an already popular option, we call them in. We go for testing the pod coffee machines, espresso coffee machines, filter coffee machines or bean to cup coffee machines for a number of weeks (or months) to get a better understanding of how they work. Sometimes we can even keep the coffee machine on review, meaning that we’ll continue to use it and update you as we go. All the important factors such as ease of use, cleaning and maintenance and cost to run are all considered. We even take into account other user reviews we see on retailer and brand websites so no stone is left unturned when reporting back to you.

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We would never recommend a coffee machine that hasn’t been tested hands-on by one of our expert team members, or an experienced freelancer. Many of the reviews above have been written by our Kitchen Appliances Editor who tests everything from bean to cup machines to iced coffee makers at home and at our test centre. This allows us to compare between products, and because we try and test over a prolonged period of time, we can update our reviews to keep them as up-to-date as possible with any details of wear-and-tear.

FAQs

Is an expensive coffee machine worth it?

As with any home appliance, the truth is that you get what you pay for. Our top-rated choice, the Sage Barista Express Impress has a pretty eye-watering RRP but once it’s in your home, you’ll be able to make fresh coffee every day. It also has a built-in tamp and milk frother.

If you can afford to save or stretch to a pricier machine, and you’re a real coffee enthusiast, we’d say it’s worth it. But budget options are excellent for those who are less into their coffee, and are fine not being a connoisseur.

How much should you spend on a coffee machine?

The most affordable option on this list clocks in with an RRP of less than £100, whilst the most expensive is over £100. That gives you an idea of range when it comes to best coffee machines, with the central message being that how much you should spend depends on what you want out of your machine.

If you want a barista-style machine, then save up and splash out in order to get all of the features you need. Alternatively, if you just need a cup of coffee to function in the morning, then a pod machine for around £100 (or less if you wait for a good sale) will serve you well.

What pressure is good for a coffee machine?

When buying a coffee machine one term that will keep cropping up is the bar, or the pressure of the machine. Bar refers to the ‘barometric pressure’, basically how much pressure is being put on the coffee grounds or beans.

A rule of thumb is that 9 bars seems to make a good cup of coffee, however when buying a new machine don’t focus too much on the pressure unless you are very into the technical side of brewing coffee. If that’s the case, you may want to select a machine which has a pressure guage and adjustable pressure.