Coffee machines: Choosing a coffee machine Which coffee machine?
Which? has tested more than 50 different coffee machine models – from brands including Gaggia, DeLonghi, Dualit, Lavazza and Krups – to help you make an espresso, cappuccino, latte or flat white just the way you like it.
But which coffee maker is right for you and your caffeine preferences?
Our interactive coffee machine tool lets you explore the features of traditional espresso, bean-to-cup and capsule coffee machines, as well as explaining the pros and cons of each type. Click on the 'i' icons to find out more about each feature.
Please install/enable Adobe Flash Player to view the interactive version of this content
Traditional espresso coffee machines
Coffee pod
An Easy Serving Espresso (ESE) coffee pod looks like a teabag and is coffee wrapped in filter paper. Each pod holds around 7g of ground coffee and is pre-tamped (compacted), ready for use. Most traditional espresso machines can take pods, and some come with filter basket adaptors to get the best out of them.
Controls
Coffee machine controls can be manual or digital and range from simple to complicated to operate. Some coffee machines automatically stop when a certain amount of coffee has been dispensed, but others require you to stop them manually. We rate each coffee machine for ease of use in our coffee machine reviews.
Cup warmer
This is an area above the coffee machine where you can store cups. They will be warmed when the coffee machine is in use.
Drip tray
Look out for removable drip trays as they tend to be much easier to clean. Avoid small drip trays that get full quickly, as they’ll need emptying more frequently. Some drip trays are height adjustable, so taller cups or glasses can be used.
Espresso spout
This is where the coffee will come out. We measure the speed of coffee machines and have found that time taken to produce an espresso can vary quite significantly from around 11 to 55 seconds. Our coffee machine reviews can help you choose a quicker model, if speed is important to you.
Ground coffee
There are a huge variety of coffee blends to choose from. It takes a little effort to clean up the coffee grounds after use, but they can be composted.
Porta filter and filter baskets
The filter basket is a flat-bottomed metal bowl (featuring hundreds of tiny holes) that sits in the porta filter and holds your ground coffee or coffee pod. The porta filter has a handle, so you can remove it for refilling and emptying. Before you buy a traditional espresso machine, see whether you can easily fit and remove the porta filter. They can be quite stiff and if you have weak wrists, you may be better off with a capsule or bean-to-cup machine.
Steam pipe
Most traditional espresso machines feature a steam pipe, which is used to heat and froth milk. This feature is particularly important for making cappuccinos and lattes. Some models also feature a hot-water dispenser.
Water tank
When choosing a coffee machine it’s important to check the capacity of the water tank, especially if you’d like to be able to make several coffees consecutively. The best water tanks will be easy to fill and remove, with a handle so they are easy to carry to refill at the sink. Some high-end models come with a built-in water filter.
Bean-to-cup coffee machines
Bean hopper and grinder
You pour your coffee beans into the hopper and they will be ground on demand when you want a coffee. The freshly ground coffee will be measured and tamped (compacted) for you, so you can get a fresh cup of coffee at the touch of a button.
Controls
Bean-to-cup machines often have digital controls rather than manual, and these range from fairly simple to quite complicated, with multiple options for coffee strength, temperature and volume. Most models are fully automatic and stop when a certain amount of coffee has been dispensed. We rate each coffee machine for ease of use in our coffee machine reviews.
Coffee beans
Using coffee beans will give you the freshest coffee possible, as the beans are only ground on demand. You can experiment with flavours and roasts to find the blend that suits your taste.
Drip tray
Look out for removable drip trays as they tend to be much easier to clean. Avoid small drip trays that get full quickly, as they’ll need emptying more frequently. Some drip trays are height adjustable, so taller cups or glasses can be used.
Espresso spout
This is where your coffee will come out. We measure the speed of coffee machines and have found that time taken to produce an espresso can vary quite significantly from around 11 to 55 seconds. Our coffee machine reviews can help you choose a quick model, if speed is important to you.
Ground coffee
Many bean-to-cup machines will also allow you to use ground coffee. This is a useful second option, especially if there are certain times that you don’t want to use the noisy grinder.
Ground coffee opening
Many bean-to-cup coffee machines allow you to use ground coffee as well as beans, and will have a special place to insert it. Usually, you will need to measure out the amount of ground coffee and can only make one cup at a time.
Steam pipe
Most bean-to-cup machines feature a steam pipe, which is used to heat and froth milk. This feature is particularly important for making cappuccinos and lattes. Some models also feature a hot-water dispenser.
Water tank
It’s important to check the capacity of the water tank before you buy, especially if you’d like to be able to make several coffees consecutively. The best water tanks will be easy to fill and remove, with a handle so they are easy to carry to the sink. Some high-end models come with a built-in water filter.
Capsule coffee machines
Capsule compartment
To make coffee using a capsule machine you simply pop in a coffee capsule and press a button, then the machine does the rest. It will pierce the capsule and force hot water through it to make your coffee.
Coffee capsule
Coffee capsules are pre-packaged pots of ground coffee. Capsule machines only take coffee capsules, and will typically only be compatible with one brand of coffee capsule.
Controls
Capsule coffee machines tend to have very simple controls and are easy to use. You can see how they compare to other machines in our coffee machine reviews where we rate each model for ease of use.
Drip tray
Look out for removable drip trays as they tend to be much easier to clean. Avoid small drip trays that get full quickly, as they will need emptying more frequently. Some drip trays are height adjustable, which is useful if you’d like to use tall cups or glasses.
Espresso spout
This is where your coffee will come out. We measure the speed of coffee machines and have found that time taken to produce an espresso can vary quite significantly from around 11 to 55 seconds. Our coffee machine reviews can help you choose a quick model, if speed is important to you.
Milk frother
Some capsule machines come with a milk frother, which is a removable container that heats and froths your milk for you at the press of a button. Other models feature a steam pipe, similar to those found on traditional espresso machines.
Water tank
When choosing a coffee machine it’s important to check the capacity of the water tank, especially if you’d like to be able to make several coffees consecutively. The best water tanks will be easy to fill and remove, with a handle so they are easy to carry to the sink. Some high-end models come with a built-in water filter.
Coffee machine shopping checklist
Once you know what type of coffee machine will best suit you, visit our coffee machines review, which lists current Which? Best Buys and allow you to filter by the type of coffee machine you're looking for.
Here's our handy checklist of things to look out for when choosing a specific model:
Size and weight
Before buying, consider where you'll keep the coffee machine. If you plan to stow it away, check that it’s light enough to lift easily. And, if you choose a particularly heavy model, look for a store offering home delivery.
Capacity
Consider how often you'll be using your coffee machine, and for how many people. Water tank capacity is important if you want to make lots of espressos, while machines with a single spout make only one cup of coffee at a time. We found that some double delivery spouts don't distribute the coffee evenly between cups – some can be out by 10ml, or a third of an espresso cup.
Coffee machine brand
A coffee machine is a luxury lifestyle product - so it's unsurprising that more premium brands including Lavazza, Dualit, DeLonghi, Gaggia, Kitchenaid and Cuisinart offer coffee machine ranges. But you'll also find coffee machine options from high street and supermarket brands like Argos and Tesco, too.
Coffee machine style and colour
Retro coffee machines, red coffee machines, blue coffee machines, stainless steel finishes... You'll find a plethora of coffee maker styles, colour and finishes to match your kitchen. Plus look out for coffee machines that also have kettles and toasters to match, like the DeLonghi Icona coffee machine range.
Ease of use
A coffee shop barista might make it look easy, but getting to grips with a coffee machine - complete with levers, buttons and filters - can be a daunting task. A key element of our coffee machine testing is around how easy a coffee machine is to decipher, and we award a star rating for ease of use to each of the coffee makers we test.
Espresso speed
Speed is important for time-stretched coffee lovers - and the average time it takes for your coffee machine to brew up isn't something you'll know until you try it out. Good coffee machines take less than 15 seconds to make 30ml and stop dripping, while poor coffee machines can take up to 30 seconds to release 30ml and a further 30 seconds before they stop dripping completely. We time each coffee machine during our lab tests - our coffee machines review reveals the winners and losers.
Coffee machine accessories
It's worth seeing which accessories, if any, accompany the coffee machine you're considering buying. Items like milk frothers, milk jugs, coffee grinders and matching coffee spoons and cups all add to the overall home coffee making experience - so if there aren't any complimentary accessories with your coffee machine it's worth seeing if you can haggle with the salesperson to throw one in.
Drip trays
These should be easy to lift and remove. Stainless steel trays require polishing as well as cleaning.
Porta filter stiffness
When you're in the shop, see whether you can easily fit and remove the coffee machine's porta filter (the porta filter holds the filter containing the coffee; it has a handle). If you find this tricky, a capsule coffee machine may be better for you.
Coffee blend and taste
There are countless coffee blends available from specialist retailers such as Whittard, supermarkets, or even coffee chains such as Starbucks. Owning an espresso machine means you can experiment with flavours and roasts to find the blend that suits your taste.
For an authentic espresso, Giles Hilton, a coffee expert from Whittard, recommends choosing a strong, dark roast. He favours Arabica, which offers warmth and richness. Some espresso blends contain around 15% of Robusta, which helps to develop a better crema (foam) and adds intensity. In our coffee machine tests, we use a Santos and Java blend of pure Arabica.
- Find out how we test coffee machines
- Get advice from our expert Giles Hilton on how to make a perfect espresso and cappuccino
- Read full Which? reviews for dozens of coffee machines
