For many of us, coffee is our life’s blood. A morning without coffee is unthinkable. Whether it’s the ritual, the taste, the caffeine jolt, or all of the above, coffee makes daily life a little better.
With the variety of coffee machines on the market these days, it’s never been easier to make coffee at home. There’s nothing better than waking up to a fresh brew in the morning in your own home.
There are pretty obvious benefits to buying an at home coffee machine–you’ll save a ton of money, and it’s easy, accessible, and convenient. You can make your morning cup of joe exactly to your liking with your favourite coffee beans, sweeteners and milk.
Whether you want a quick and easy coffee pod machine for mornings when you’re half-asleep or a top-of-the-market espresso coffee machine for a perfect cup of coffee, we’ll help you decide which is the best home coffee machine for you.
Types of Coffee Machines
There are three main types of coffee machines–the pod coffee machine, the manual espresso machine and the automatic coffee machine. All offer plenty of benefits whether you’re looking for convenience or a specific taste. We’ll walk through the best coffee machines for home.
CAPSULE COFFEE POD MACHINES
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to make coffee in the morning, spring for a capsule coffee machine.
With a coffee pod machine, there’s no need to grind coffee machine beans. All that’s required is coffee capsules, which come in a variety of flavours and intensities. With its quick warm-up time, you’ll have a delicious coffee in just seconds.
Coffee pod machines are compact, easy to use and require little maintenance and cleaning. They’re fairly cheap to buy compared to manual coffee machines, but the downside is that coffee pods are on the pricier side.
It’s important to consider that a capsule coffee machine produces a lot of landfill. Plastic pods can take over 500 years to break down in landfill and aluminium capsules take between 150 and 200 years. There are more sustainable pods you can buy that are eco-friendly and recyclable to reduce the impact on the environment.
Pros
- Simple and easy
- No barista skills required
- Compact, portable and stylish
- Efficient
- Affordable
- Best compact coffee machine
AUTOMATIC COFFEE MACHINES
As the name suggests, automatic coffee machines don’t require you to do much of the work–the coffee machine will do it for you. Most automatic coffee machines come with an in-built coffee grinder and will grind your beans to perfection so you can get a great cup of coffee with the touch of a button.
With an automatic coffee machine, you’ll need to buy your own pre-ground or ground coffee beans. Fortunately, there is so much variety out there, so you can find coffee beans perfectly suited to your taste.
Pros
- Require no barista skills
- Uses freshly ground coffee beans, resulting in a quality cup of coffee
- Fast and efficient
- Little maintenance
MANUAL COFFEE MACHINES
Perfect for coffee enthusiasts, manual coffee machines allow you to control the coffee-making process, every step of the way. From choosing your coffee beans to the grinding process to the temperature and milk frothing, you have complete control over your cup of coffee.
Manual coffee machines tend to be more expensive and require more work, maintenance and cleaning. On the flip side, you’ll get delicious, fresh coffee. Coffee beans are not as pricey as coffee pods, and you can choose based on your taste preferences and buy in bulk.
Pros
- A range of models to suit both beginners and experts
- You control the process
- Your choice of beans and how finely they are ground
- Guarantees a fresh, quality cup of coffee
Other Types of Coffee Makers
If you’re not convinced a coffee machine is for you, you may want to look into the variety of coffee makers on the market.
FRENCH PRESS (PLUNGER)
The French press, also known as a coffee plunger, is a great alternative to coffee machines for a quick cup of coffee. A french press gently steeps grounded coffee beans in boiled water, giving you a strong, delicious coffee.
STOVETOP ESPRESSO MAKER (PERCOLATOR)
Stovetop coffee makers are pretty self-explanatory. All you need to do is heat coffee grounds and water on your stovetop. Stovetop coffee brews relatively fast and produces strong-tasting coffee, but you will have to monitor the temperature of your stove and how long it boils.
DRIP COFFEE MACHINE
Drip coffee machines are an easy way to make coffee, and they can make more than one cup at a time. As they are fairly popular, drip coffee makers are available in a variety of sizes and styles.
AEROPRESS COFFEE MAKER
Aeropress coffee makers are for those who love strong coffee and are happy making just one cup at a time. Coffee from an Aeropress coffee maker tends to be strong in flavour but requires a little more effort than automatic coffee machines.
Key Features to Look For in a Coffee Machine
So, you’ve decided you want to level up your morning coffee from instant coffee to a delicious brew from a coffee machine. Whether you’ve decided you want the convenience of a coffee pod machine or more control over your coffee with a manual coffee machine, there are a few key things to consider.
COFFEE MACHINE WITH A GRINDER AND MILK FROTHER
Some coffee machines will come with a milk frother attached. If not, you can buy a separate electric milk frother at an inexpensive price. There are three main types of milk frothers: automatic, handheld electric and automatic.
The same goes for coffee grinders. Manual coffee machines don’t always come with an in-built coffee grinder, so you may need to buy your coffee grinder separately. On the other hand, automatic coffee machines tend to have a built-in coffee grinder and coffee pod machines don’t require ground beans.
CONVENIENCE
If you want a quick, easy and hands-off coffee-making process in the morning, you’re better off buying an automatic coffee machine or pod coffee machine. Maybe you prefer to bask in the ritual of making your coffee in the morning, paying careful detail to every step–in this case, a manual coffee machine may suit you. Choose based on what is most convenient for you, while considering the taste and quality of the coffee you want.
It’s also worth considering if you travel often. Automatic coffee machines and coffee pod machines tend to be more compact and portable, so you can take your coffee machine with you when you go away.
KITCHEN SPACE
Take into account the size of your kitchen and the amount of bench space you have before purchasing your new coffee machine. Manual coffee machines tend to be bulkier, whereas coffee pod machines are small and compact. Keep in mind you may need extra accessories that will take up bench space, like a milk frother or coffee grinder.
BUDGET AND ADDITIONAL EXPENSES
Consider your budget for your new coffee machine, but also the additional expenses that come with it. For instance, coffee beans and ground coffee are usually cheaper than pods or capsules, and you can buy coffee beans in bulk to ensure you’re never without coffee.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Coffee grounds are easily compostable, whereas aluminium and plastic coffee pods end up in landfill, taking up to hundreds of years to break down. On the flip side, you can buy recyclable coffee pods, which are now widely available. Ultimately, you will minimise your environmental footprint by opting for fresh coffee beans.
ADJUSTABLE GRINDER
An adjustable coffee grinder allows you to customise your grind to fine, medium or coarse, depending on the consistency and flavour you like.
CLEANING
It’s essential to clean your coffee machine regularly, but coffee pod machines and automatic machines require much less maintenance. Manual coffee machines require the most cleaning, and you will need to disassemble and reassemble parts and clean the milk frother after each use. When purchasing your coffee machine, look into how easy the machine is to clean before you commit!
CONTROLS AND PROGRAMS
Some machines use only a few buttons and are very user-friendly, while others have more complicated displays. Evaluate what you need from your coffee machine–do you want coffee presets to make a long black or cappuccino and to determine strength level, and a self-cleaning button and timer? Maybe you would prefer a light to indicate your machine has heated up and a simple ‘go’ button. Choose based on what controls, presets and programs are most useful for you.
TASTE AND STRENGTH
It’s no surprise that the taste of coffee depends on not only the beans but the grinding and brewing process. Manual coffee machines give you more control over how your coffee tastes and how strong it is, and you’ll usually be using freshly ground beans. You can buy a wide variety of coffee pods ranging in taste and intensity, however, the rest is up to the manufacturer.
HEAT-UP TIME
If you like to wake up and have your coffee straight away, choose a coffee machine with a quick warm-up time. Check the product specifications to ensure it’s suitable for you.
SMART CONTROLS AND WI-FI
These days, advanced appliances have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities. If you’d like to, say, warm up your coffee machine before you get up or get home from work, this could be a feature to look for in your new coffee machine.
