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What could be better than a freshly brewed cup of coffee in the comfort of your own home?
Well, if that's something you love, a coffee machine could just be the perfect addition to your kitchen. However, there is so much choice out there that finding the best coffee machine for you can be difficult.
From well-known brands like Tassimo and De'Longhi, high-end brands like Jura, to niche brands like Francis Francis and Ascaso.
Not only that, each brand offers a plethora of models and types. There are traditional espresso machines, more expensive automatic bean-to-cup machines, and the increasingly popular pod and capsule type. Not forgetting the good old filter machine of course.
Once you've decided what kind of machine to go for you then have the headache of trying to find a model within your price range.
With such a lot to consider let's see if we can clear things up and look at some of the main brands and machine types in more detail in the following coffee machine reviews.
Espresso machines are still very popular despite being around for a long time now. Ground coffee is used in these machines, which means that you can brew an espresso just the way you like it, and to coffee shop standard, using your favourite coffee.
The problem with this is that you need to do everything manually from measuring the correct quantity of coffee to put into the machine, and tamping down the coffee just enough to get the desired result, to having to clean the machine after every use. So it really depends on what's important to you - if you want full control over the brewing process, including pressuring the correct amount of water through the coffee to extract just enough flavour in order to get the best possible espresso, then an espresso machine could be for you.
However, most modern espresso machines can accept coffee pods, which contain pre-prepared ground coffee that you just place in the machine. While this simplifies some of the issues above it does narrow the choice of coffee you have and the control over the brewing process.
Most coffee machine companies produce espresso machines, such as the De'Longhi Icona ECO310. In terms of price it really depends on what you're looking for. The Krups XP5240 might be a good choice if you're simply looking for a no-frills machine that delivers a good espresso. If build quality is key the Cuisinart EM200U is a good choice - it'll go forever and produce great coffee. Maybe design is the most important factor? Then how about the stunning Francis Francis range or Ascaso Dream - but you'll pay a premium for looks.
If you want your morning coffee quicker and with less fuss, a pod or capsule system could be the answer.
Whilst being simple and cheap to use these machines produce a good cup of coffee and are becoming increasingly popular in busy homes.
They also often offer a lot of choice as you can buy capsules that can produce an array of different drinks, from lattes and cappuccinos to teas and hot chocolate.
These machines have their own range of capsules which are specifically made for that particular system.
A sealed amount of ground coffee is contained in each capsule which is simply popped into the machine, which in turn usually reads a bar-code on the capsule and then produces the drink through a set of pre-programmed stages. All very clever, simple, and clean.
Each capsule is simply removed from the machine after use and disposed of.
There are many well known producers of this type of machine such as Tassimo (Bosch), Dolce Gusto (Krups), and Senseo (Philips). They all offer a more affordable option than the last type we'll look at - automatic bean-to-cup machines.
As the name indicates automatic bean-to-cup machines produce coffee directly from coffee beans. Also, as the name suggests, all this is taken care of by the machine. You simply have to feel the container on top of the machine with your personal choice of coffee beans, set the machine up with your individual settings, and the machine does everything else - it grinds the coffee beans, measures the correct amount of grounds, tamps the grounds, extracts the flavour from the grounds at a professional 15 bar (or higher) pressure, and also froths milk if required.
The great thing about automatic bean-to-cup machines is that they provide great coffee like an espresso machine and yet offer the simplicity of a capsule machine.
But that comes at a price. High-end machines like the Jura S can set you back a pretty penny, while the popular De'Longhi Prima Donna and Magnifica models, while still expensive, will cost considerably less. The Krups Espresseria EA8080 offers great value at a similar price to a top of the range espresso maker.
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