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How to a Choose Coffee Machine

Here are some hints and tips on what to look for when choosing a coffee maker

When trying to decide what type of machine you wish to buy, you will need to ask yourself several questions:

• Which type of coffee you drink the most?
• How often are you likely to use an espresso coffee maker?
• What features do you want your coffee machine to have?
• How much money are you prepared to spend?

Types of Coffee: Espresso and Cappuccino

Let’s look at what you should be looking for when buying an espresso coffee machine to make your favourite type of coffee:

• Espresso: A more expensive, high-quality, semi-automatic pump machine would be most suitable for this purpose. Although it will take longer to create espresso with a pump machine than it would with an automatic machine, a piston machine is considered by coffee purists to be the best type of espresso maker. Steam driven coffee machines are considered to be unable to provide the pressure required to produce quality espresso.
• Cappuccino & Latte: If you prefer the frothy taste of cappuccino, a mocha or a latte made with steamed milk, and the quality of espresso is not important to you, choose a less expensive machine. A super-automatic may be just the ticket for you.

Frequency of Use

If you are going to use your coffee machine for the occasional dinner party, then a cheaper model will suffice. However if you are likely to use it daily, then it’s worth considering a high quality model with a 3-way solenoid connector.

Features

Here is a list of some of the more popular features available on espresso coffee machines and cappuccino makers:

• Hot Water Dispenser: Useful for topping up, or when using the machine to make tea and other beverages instead of using the kettle.
• Cup Warmer: Usually a flat area on the top of the machine that’s warm. Simple but useful nonetheless.
• Frothing Wand: This steam wand is a real bonus when making lattes and cappuccinos. Cheaper machines may just have a wand, but higher end machines may have an actual canister for milk.
• Water Filter: This takes out any chlorine or iron tastes that may be present in your tap water. Bear in mind that you will need to buy replacement filters.
• Pre-moistening cycle: Moistens the ground coffee prior to the shot of espresso being pulled. Brings out more aromatic oils to improve the taste.
• Pod Compatibility: Pods are pre-packed discs of ground coffee which reduce the preparation time quite dramatically. Newer models of coffee machine can take both pods and normal loose coffee.
• Strength Controls: Quality espresso machines have controls which let you vary the amount of water used for each pull, giving the exact taste that you are looking for.
• Integrated Bean Grinder: Coffee makers with this feature tend to cost more, but the bean grinder will grind enough coffee for the best brew.
• Bypass Doser: Used in conjunction with an integrated bean grinder. This lets you use a different coffee to in the one that’s already in the grinder.

Brewing Components

Brewing components (boiler, filter holder and tubes) tend to be made of steel, brass or aluminium. Brass components are the most popular among espresso aficionados as they are heavy and retain heat well. Stainless steel is next in popularity as it retains heat and is non-corrosive.

Power Rating & Water Capacity

The general theory about power is that the greater the wattage, the better performance and endurance of the machine. This is because more power may let the boiler brew the coffee faster. However a larger water capacity in a boiler gives more endurance, making the heated coffee last longer.

If a built-in grinder is used then you’ll need a model with a higher wattage, but the manufacturer will usually fit an adequate power supply anyway, so a large enough boiler is actually the real priority.

Budget

Make sure that when you choose your machine, you have set a limit on the amount of money that you are prepared to spend. You’ll find many good deals on espresso/cappuccino machines online, so by shopping around you may get a better model than your budget would normally allow.

Further Information

You can find out more about the different types of machine available on our Types of coffee makers page.

You can find out about specific brands and models of espresso/cappuccino machine in our Brands section and on our Top Models page.

For information about some of the top online suppliers, including details of their delivery times and post and packaging costs, visit our Where to Buy section.