We went on the search to find the perfect blend (Picture: Getty)
Looking to step up your morning cup of coffee? Or maybe you’re bored of your 9am Starbucks runs?
Put down the dodgy old filter machine, as with the help of some nifty kitchen gadgetry you can get professional-tasting coffee from the comfort of your own home.
But with various specifications and price points to consider, how do you know which kind of coffee machine is right for you?
To help you make the right decision, we tested out different machines to bring you the best four for design, style, budget and luxury.
Here’s are our picks:
Breville Bijou Barista
Best for budget
Simple but effective (Picture: Amazon)
This model has an understated brushed chrome look and it doesn’t take up huge space on a kitchen work surface.
Users manually place pre-ground coffee into the portafilter handle and tamp it down, before fixing it to the machine’s group head (the bit where the pressurised water extracts the coffee).
Operated by a combination of three buttons and a dial, it’s simple to use and its 15-bar pressure pump produces a more than decent single or double espresso.
The steam wand is a tad loud but it offers solid performance. The wand is also articulated, so users can angle it into different sized jugs.
In a nutshell: An unfussy and dependable entry-level model.
Buy for £169 (was £219.99) from Amazon.
Dualit Bean to Go Machine
Best for minimalist design
Super sleek (Picture: Dualit)
Sleek and stylish, Dualit’s award-winning bean-to-cup model is a classy product. Users fill up the 1.2-litre water tank and add beans to the built-in hopper and… that’s it.
The grinding, brewing and 19-bar pressure pump mechanics are contained within the surprisingly compact black and silver outer shell.
Operation is controlled by a single power button and five touch buttons on the top of the unit. The latter offer single and double espresso, lungo shots (larger, more water), steam and hot water.
The texture, aroma and crème the machine produces are good.
In a nutshell: A superior product with a bargain price tag.
Buy for £299.99 exclusively from Dualit.
Smeg Bean to Cup Coffee Machine
Best for style lovers
1950s vibes with modern capabilities (Picture: John Lewis)
This bean-to-cup Smeg device boasts lots of 1950s chic with its curved lines, brush aluminium front and taupe finish.
A discreet power button on the side and five touch buttons on top provide ristretto, espresso, filter coffee and hot water, plus a second menu option offers light ristretto, light espresso, long coffee and steam.
Other functions include a control for adjusting bean grinding size, a design that makes it easy to clean, and warnings for empty water tanks and coffee bean hoppers, plus all manner of other controls. The 19-bar pump pressure delivers an excellent crème and the steam wand heats the milk in no time.
In a nutshell: An elegant piece of kitchen eye candy.
More: Shopping
Sage The Oracle
Best for money-no-object
Like an at-home barista (Picture: Sage)
This impressive unit wouldn’t look out of place in a high-end restaurant and it’s a doddle to use.
Place the coffee beans in the hopper and lock the portafilter into the dispenser… and you automatically have perfectly measured and tamped-down grounds every time.
Then lock the portafilter into the group head and select a single or double espresso, or a long black, with the press of a button.
A pre-infusion setting warms grounds before extraction, while a heated group head helps deliver added loveliness. The steam wand has a built-in thermostat and users can fine-tune wand settings for different milk textures and foam.
A dual boiler ensures you can heat milk and extract espresso at the same time.
In a nutshell: Professional barista results with internal tech doing the heavy lifting.
This article contains affiliate links. We will earn a small commission on purchases made through one of these links but this never influences our experts’ opinions. Products are tested and reviewed independently of commercial initiatives.
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SHOPPING: We went on the search to find the perfect blend.
