You can find our top-rated bean-to-cup machines in our latest round-up. Most bean-to-cup machines will also allow you to personalise your drink, adjusting the size, coffee strength and sometimes even the strength of the aroma too, giving you room to perfect your tailored coffee recipe. As the name suggests, they are able to take you through an automated brewing process grinding the beans, tamping the grounds, extracting the coffee, pouring the shot and steaming the milk - if you’re after a latte or cappuccino.īy minimising the time spent transitioning from bean to cup, they ensure maximum freshness, and with that comes plenty of flavour. These tend to be the most expensive type of coffee machine, with top brands charging from £400 to nearly £2,000. Read our round-up on the best pod coffee machines for more information.

But they won’t offer you as many variable options while making your coffee, giving you less control to determine the qualities of the resulting drink. These are quick and convenient, ideal if you’re often in a rush in the morning. The pod is inserted into a designated slot, the lid of the machine is shut to pierce it and then water is pushed through the grounds to extract the coffee. They work in a similar way to the grounds used with espresso machines, although having the quantity pre-determined rather than having to measure it yourself and tamp it saves time and effort.

These make single-serve coffees from ground beans that are sealed inside pods or capsules.

As a result, each one has its own individual strengths and weaknesses, and it’s good to get your head around these before settling on the right type for you. While espresso machines use ground coffee to get the flavour for your favourite cuppa, pod and bean-to-cup machines take a slightly different approach. What are the differences between espresso machines, bean-to-cup machines and pod machines? Unlike bean-to-cup machines, there aren’t any fiddly grind settings to try and figure out on espresso machines, but they do require more upkeep as there are a lot of different parts that need to be cleaned regularly. And, though mastering your frothing technique will need plenty of practice, it is the best way to steam milk. Rather than frothing milk in an automatic frother, like you find on most bean-to-cup models, an espresso machine’s steam wand gives you total control over the temperature and texture of the steamed milk. To make a delicious drink, the key is balancing the amount of coffee you use and the pressure employed to tamp the grounds down.Įspresso machines offer a lot more control when it comes to making speciality coffees such as lattes and cappuccinos, too. If you want to use your espresso machine to make coffee from beans, you’ll need to invest in a separate electric coffee grinder, a food processor or a blender with a mill attachment.Įspresso machines usually look like miniature versions of the models you see in coffee shops, and tend to be a little trickier to use than other at-home models. Best espresso coffee machine for versatility: Dualit Espresso-Auto Coffee and Tea Machine 84516Įspresso machines use ground coffee rather than coffee beans or pods - used by bean-to-cup machines and pod machines respectively.Best espresso coffee machine for making coffee quickly: De'Longhi Scultura ECZ351 Coffee Machine.Best looking espresso coffee machine: Gaggia Carezza Style R18523/01.Best espresso coffee machine for automatic milk frothing: Breville One-Touch VCF109 Coffee Machine.Best espresso coffee machine for cappuccinos: Krups XP320840 Opio Steam and Pump Coffee Machine.Best espresso coffee machine for milk frothing: De'Longhi Dedica Style EC685 Traditional Barista Pump Espresso Machine.Best espresso coffee machine for colourful kitchens: Smeg ECF01 Espresso Coffee Machine.Runner-up espresso coffee machine: Breville VCF125 Barista Mini Espresso Coffee Machine.Best espresso coffee machine: Beko CEP5152B Espresso Coffee Machine.To help you find the best espresso coffee machine, we’ve tested top models from all the major brands including De'Longhi, Smeg and Breville. Not only that, but making your own morning brew is more cost-effective than a daily trip to a shop, in the long run. They require a little more know-how to operate than other models, such as bean-to-cup and pod, but tend to be one of the cheapest options when buying an at-home machine - case in point, our top-rated model below will set you back less than £100. Espresso machines are a great way to wake up and smell the coffee, offering both speed and control when making a morning brew.

Delonghi expresso machine