The best coffee machine can unlock your caffeine fix for you at home, and make mornings that bit more bearable. Whether your 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. Our top-rated coffee machine of all time is the Sage Barista Express Impress and though we've tested dozens of others since, we haven't found anything yet to knock it off its perch.
The one thing that all of the machines below have in common is that we've rigorously tried each of our top picks in our own homes and at 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.
I'm Molly, and I've been testing a range of coffee machines for three years. That includes an extensive line-up of pod machines, many bean-to-cup products and filter machines in between. To compile this guide, I've also spoken to baristas and coffee experts for their insights into how to choose the right machine.
Best coffee machines
Best overall
This is the machine to beat out of everyone I've tested. It has a huge range of grind sizes, options for manual or pre-dosed grinding, in-built tamping and an excellent milk steaming wand. The one-armed bandit design makes it a very enjoyable tactile user experience too. It's not the most expensive bean-to-cup machine ever but it is not cheap. That's our only gripe.
Best affordable
The L'Or is often found on sale for under £100 and our tester Millie loved that it can dispense two coffees at once and that it fits neatly in her small flat. It took her 1 minute 28 seconds when using this machine to get from an empty water tank to a hot coffee and she was impressed by the amount of crema each pod dispenses. It's by no means a machine with frills, and it can be a touch noisy but for a budget buy it's our absolute favourite.
Best filter
Our expert tester Helen loved this Moccamaster so much that she didn't want to send it back. That's thanks to its ability to brew 10 cups of delicious coffee in 6 minutes, with a keep-warm setting that lasts up to 40 minutes on top of that. The design, which has stolen the hearts of the entire Ideal Home team, is also crafted from sustainable and recyclable materials. Though this is a large and expensive machine, we can't help but love it.
Best under £100
This Lavazza machine is perfect for those who want Italian espresso on a budget, with a range of different coffee varieties to use. It has a basic pod coffee machine design, but our reviewer Millie was impressed by the taste of the coffees she made with it and she liked the lightweight and straightforward design. For under £100, it gives you access to a perfectly tasty coffee.
Best espresso
If you'd love a Sage machine, but don't want to pay the big bucks then buy the Bambino. If you have a grinder already, then you're onto a winner with this espresso machine and if not, you can use ground coffee instead. Our tester Millie found it made amazing espresso and that the steam wand is very quick to heat. It's small, unobtrusive and is speedy to pre-heat too
Best pod machine
I was blown away when I tested this machine by how much it elevates using coffee pods. It has an incredibly intelligent automatic steam wand that takes the fuss out of making lattes or cappuccinos, and when making coffee, it's still as simple to operate as a classic pod machine. You'll pay a premium for it, but this really is the top-rated pod coffee machine I believe you can buy.
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Best affordable bean to cup
Everyone would probably choose a bean-to-cup coffee machine if they could afford it, but this type is seriously pricey. That's where this great value Beko machine shines, with a fair price point, sleek look, range of adjustable settings and one-touch operation. The milk wand could do with some tweaks but on the whole, our reviewer Millie was impressed by its quiet capability.
Best luxury
If you're splashing the cash, this Sage machine is a real treat with outstanding automatic milk frothing, recommended grind adjustments for different drinks and simple, touch-screen controls. You do have to recalibrate the machine every time you change beans, but we trust our tester Millie when she says the difference in the quality of coffee is worth it.
Best affordable espresso
If you want to level up from pod coffee, this Breville machine is a good place to start. It uses ground coffee and offers up great extraction and tasty resulting espressos. It also has a mightily powerful steam wand given the RRP of this machine, and the controls are foolproof. For two coffees at once, it's also a winner. The spout under the tamper is annoyingly quite short and it's hard to do specific coffee measures but for beginners, it'll fit the bill.
Best retro style
If it's a colourful addition to your kitchen you're looking for, this capable Swan machine is a great pick. It is affordable, available in 10 shades, and you can use either pods or ground coffee. Our reviewer found this machine was a little prone to leakages, and that the dripping continued after each use, but she was still a fan of its coffee-making ability overall.
Best smart
Smart home fans listen up, as this machine doubles as a handsfree barista. All you need to do is ask it to make you a coffee via the built-in Alexa speaker, and your morning is sorted. Our tester Millie was surprised by how high quality this machine feels to use, and found that it made using coffee pods easier than ever. It's pricier than a bog standard pod machine, but it's a fun product.
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
As part of our commitment to you about how we test products at Ideal Home, we've tested every coffee machine that features on this list extensively. That involves trying out each machine for several weeks (or months) to get the best possible understanding of how it works.
To get granular, the process begins when the machine arrives boxed up at our door. We judge the packaging on how sustainable it is and how easy the machine is to wrestle out of the box - if it's a two-person job, we'll let you know.
Setting up a coffee machine can be confusing, especially for a beginner, so we also get into the detail of how straightforward set-up is and give our first impressions on the design of the machine once it's sitting on our worktop.
We've tried machines of all different varieties in this guide, so each review goes into how easy it is to brew a coffee either using a pod, beans or ground coffee. We start with brewing an espresso on every machine, and then if a product can create long, milk-based drinks (lattes, cappuccinos) we move through the menu to show it off to you.
But the testing process doesn't end when we finish up the last coffee. We then zone in on how easy each machine is to clean, maintain and to keep on your worktop long-term.
The bottom line is that 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.
How to choose a coffee machine
Coffee machines are one of the trickiest appliances to buy, given just how many there are on the market and how many methods there are to make a brew. This is a guide on how to choose the right machine for you, if you're feeling a little lost in all the caffeinated options.
Should you buy a pod machine, a bean-to-cup machine, an espresso machine or a filter machine?
Pod coffee machines are by far the simplest type of coffee machine to operate. Most take the touch of one button in day-to-day life to operate, so if you're just getting started with coffee or want to avoid faff for life, a pod machine is the way to go.
Opting for a pod machine doesn't necessarily mean that you have to opt for a budget pick either - the Nespresso Creatista, which features on this list, is a high-end and low-stress option.
Bean-to-cup machines are typically the most expensive and advanced type of at-home coffee machine you can buy. That's because they deliver you the freshest coffee possible, straight from the bean thanks to a (usually) integrated grinder, which is also the element that makes these machines so pricey.
There are two main types: manual and automatic. A manual bean-to-cup machine, like the Sage Barista Express Impress, will involve you grinding and tamping your own beans to your liking, whilst an automatic machine does that work for you after you initially program it.
Coffee lovers will get along very well with a manual bean-to-cup machine, as most allow you to tweak the specifics of your brew down to a fine degree. Those who want the best taste without the fuss will likely prefer an automatic option.
Espresso machines require you to use pre-ground coffee. If you want the freshness of beans but need your purchase to be more affordable than a bean-to-cup machine, an espresso machine will work well for you when paired with a separate coffee grinder.
Alternatively, if you prefer using ground coffee altogether, an espresso machine will tick all your boxes. They look the part and generally produce espressos with a lovely crema.
Filter coffee machines don't tend to have much traction here in the UK, but they can yield excellent tasting results and are perfect for the many-cups-a-day drinker. These machines use ground coffee, which is then passed through a filter to get to your cup. Lots of filter machines can use a large amount of hot water to brew large quantities of coffee, which is then ready for the rest of your day. Our top-rated filter pick on this list, the Moccamaster, will then keep that coffee warm for 40 additional minutes.
FAQs
Is an expensive coffee machine worth it?
Why you can trust Ideal Home Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
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, supported by George Warner, a barista at Jaunty Goat (who has 10 years worth of experience in specialty coffee) is that 9 bars of pressure are optimal.
'Having 9 bars of pressure is an industry standard. Most home machines are not automatically set to 9 bars but can easily be adjusted if they have an OPV Valve. This feature controls the amount of pressure being exerted through the machine for great flavour extraction, so it is highly recommended to look out for this.'
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