The Best Coffee Machines

5 of the best coffee machines

Our all-star line-up of coffee machines entered into a grand battle to see which one juices the beans the best.

Coffee is the worlds best loved drink, just after water. It makes sense then that there are so many machines on the market to help us prep our favourite brew.

It can be rather intimidating to try and digest all the information out there about what’s best, so we’ve made you a shortlist of our bestsellers to help you along the way.

We delve into our top choices from our extensive range of coffee machines to see which one wins in each category.

The best coffee machine for the aspiring barista

The Breville Barista Express has been in production since 2011! It has remained one of the most popular bean-to-cup coffee machines in the USA and Canada year after year. In fact, it is an all-time @home bestseller too!

Even the experts say this Breville coffee machine is the best in the ‘prosumer’ category! By why is it so great?

• The experts love its tweakable features that allow you to experiment with settings like coffee amount and grind size.
• It has a very capable grinder and a super fine grind means more flavourful coffee.
• The powerful steamer is an industrial design capable of producing microfoam.
• A unique thermocoil heating element provides the optimal temperature for pressurised extraction in just 1 minute.
• It is designed to last with quality parts where it matters most: stainless steel heating elements made in Italy; stainless steel conical burr grinder; and stainless steel portafilters.

Overall verdict: 10/10 for those who wish to pursue hobbyist coffee making without being intimidated by an overly complicated larger machine.

The best coffee machine for slow brew

Drip-style coffee is back in vogue. It takes a little longer to make, however, it may surprise you to know that a single cup of drip coffee has way more caffeine in it than a simple espresso! Most drip coffee machines only work using ground coffee meaning sometimes filtered coffee isn’t as fresh as the brew from bean to cup machine. The integrated grind on the Philips Grind And Brew Drip Style Coffee Machine is the solution.

You’ll love this coffee machine because:

• It has a built-in dual compartment grinder – meaning you can make a custom blend 2 of your favourite types of beans or switch between flavours.
• You can wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee with the timer function.
• You can adjust the grind size to suit your flavour preference.
• It comes with a reusable, washable filter to save you from needing to purchase disposable alternatives.
• The heating plate keeps your coffee hot for up to 2 hours but you can select it to shut off after a shorter period of time.

Overall verdict: 10/10 for anyone who likes to make batch coffees to drink throughout the day but likes to be able to fine-tune settings to their taste.

Best Value For Money Coffee Machine

Beautiful, Instagrammable countertop appliances are a must-have and the Swan Retro Espresso machine is very on trend. This coffee machine is small, light and space saving. Inspired by Scandinavian design, it features wood-look and metal detailing to add an element of luxe to even the simplest kitchen. Looks aren’t everything and it’s a more than capable brew-master too.

Is the Swan Nordic Espresso Machine any good?

Yes! And here’s why:

• Features a whopping 15 bars of pressure which is as much as much more expensive machines resulting in excellent crema production.
• Dual porta filter means you can make 1 or 2 cups of coffee at a time.
• Features a capable milk steamer for that café barista finishing touch.

The machine comes with a tamper, porta filters and an instruction manual.

Tips for getting the most out of your Swan Retro Espresso machine:

• Use proper café type cups – large mugs will not fit.
• Invest in a good grinder with adjustable settings.
• Warm up all your equipment and cups before use to ensure you enjoy hot coffee.

Overall verdict: 10/10 for producing excellent quality coffee at a fraction of the price of other retro style coffee machines.

The best coffee machine for a quick fix

Your days are crammed full of all the things you need to do but you still want to enjoy fabulous coffee… Nespresso is has you sorted with coffee-on-the-go.

The Nespresso Gran Latissima is a best seller for good reason. It quite literally makes enjoying a great cup of coffee, effortless.

Is the Nespresso Gran Latissima any good? Yes it is, here’s why:

• Small but capable compared to other automatic machines of a similar caliber.
• Customisable options – but just with 1 touch.
• Lightning fast heating elements mean there is no waiting around.
• Powerful 19bar pump, that’s up there with some of the best machines.
• Built in milk frother.

Overall verdict: 10/10 for those who prefer the convenience single serving capsule machines.