Best Coffee Machine 2017
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The 9 BEST coffee machines of 2017
Here’s a list of the Best Coffee Machines you can buy in the UK in 2017. Below you’ll find a mixture of capsule/pod, bean-to-cup, espresso, and filter coffee machines. We’ve included the best coffee machines suitable for all budgets here, so have a browse through the list. You’re certain to find something that’s right for you.
1. Krups Nespresso Expert Coffee & Milk Machine
Price: £249
Pros:
- Unique design
- 1-litre water tank
- Makes cold drinks
Cons:
- Large dimensions
- Bright red power cord
- Doesn’t automatically shut
With a respectable price of £249.99 for what you get, the Krups Nespresso Expert Coffee & Milk Machine is Nespresso’s best yet. Combining sophisticated design, ingenious functionality and high-quality coffee makes this the best on the market. Read our full Krups Nespresso Expert Coffee & Milk Machine.
2. Nespresso Krups Prodigio
Price: £126
Pros:
- Can prepare coffee remotely
- 800ml water tank
- Heats quickly
Cons:
- Milk frother is an added cost
- Cannot make other hot drinks
- Connected via Bluetooth not Wi-Fi
The sleek Nespresso Prodigio pours one of the best capsule coffees around. If you want bean-to-cup quality but from a no-mess capsule, the Prodigio delivers. However, it’s gimmicky connected functionality which drives the cost up to £160 is its biggest downfall. Read our full Nespresso Krups Prodigio review here.
3. Melitta Caffeo Barista TS
Price: £985
Pros:
- 16+ different coffee options
- All drinks can be customised
- Grinds beans, pours coffee and steams and adds milk at the touch of a button
Cons:
- Difficult to understand instructions manual
- Waste tray fills quickly and is tricky to empty
- Milk temp can be tepid
The Melitta Caffeo Barista TS is one of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines money can buy. It’s completely customisable, high-quality drinks, along with its 15,000 cup guarantee means if you’re serious about coffee, it’s worth every penny.
4. Gaggia Brera
Price: £985
Pros:
- Sleek, unobtrusive design
- Can use with coffee beans or ground
- Very easy to use and maintain
Cons:
- Small water container
- Shallow drip tray
- Takes one hour to descale
The Gaggia Brera is a solid “first-starter” bean-to-cup machine. For a cool £399, its reliable, simple to use and makes great coffee. It’s dual-capability to use both beans and ground coffee is also a selling point.
5. Sage by Heston Blumenthal
Price: £539
Pros:
- Inbuilt, manual grinder
- Not as simple to use as competitors
- Produces extremely good coffee
Cons:
- Have to steam milk manually
- Large dimensions
- Takes several trial runs to determine best grind setting
Sage by Heston Blumenthal: the Barista Express Coffee Machine is up there with the best bean-to-cup coffee machines, but almost half the price. While a little tricky to use at first, once you find your ideal settings, you’ll never need to buy a coffee from the high street again.
6. De’Longhi ECZ351.BG Scultura Traditional Pump
Price: £149
Pros:
- Attractive, retro design
- Easy Serving Espresso (ESE) pods means no mess
- User-friendly
Cons:
- Pour doesn’t stop automatically
- Flimsy, plastic feel
- Hot-plate only heats to lukewarm
The Delonghi Scultura ECZ351 is basic in use but delivers on expectation. It’s sleek, retro design will compliment any kitchen and the coffee it produces delivers above expectations for its price.
7. SMEG ECF01
Price: £318
Pros:
- Unique, 50’s design
- 1-litre water tank
- Heats up and pours extremely fast
Cons:
- Expensive
- Large dimensions
- Thermoblock technology can result in heat inconsistencies
If cost is of concern, then you can find cheaper machines that produce as good quality coffee, However, the Smeg ECF01’s stylish design, simple accessories and inbuilt steam wand tips it from a one-purpose utility to an admired accessory.
8. KitchenAid Nespresso Artisan
Price: £448
Pros:
- High-quality coffee
- 1.5l water tank
- High-impact design
Cons:
- Expensive machine
- Only compatible with Nespresso pods
- No milk function
The Nespresso KitchenAid Artisan coffee capsule machine is all you’d expect when combining these two powerhouse appliance brands. This machine guarantees style and quality coffee. However, it’s not cheap and there’s no milk wand.
9. De’Longhi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse Touch
Price: £448
Pros:
- Unique design
- 1-litre water tank
- Makes cold drinks
Cons:
- Large dimensions
- Bright red power cord
- Doesn’t automatically shut
The De’Longhi Nescafe Dolce Gusto Eclipse Touch is a trailblazer in unique, artistically designed coffee capsule machines. While making high-quality coffee, it will also make a large and loud statement in your kitchen.
WE ♥ COFFEE
A little bit about Best Coffee Machine .co.uk
This is the ONLY website dedicated to the World’s Best Coffee Machines. This blog is all about helping you find the best coffee machine. That’s it. Above you’ll find a list of the best coffee machines on the market right now, as well as a detailed product guide that will break down what’s good/bad about each coffee machine, in plain English, for you.
What’s the best coffee machine for me?
The first thing you should know is that there are four main different types of coffee machine.
- Capsule machines
- Bean-to-cup machines
- Manual Espresso Machines
- Filter coffee machines
Here we’ll take you through how each of these coffee machines work.
Capsule Coffee Machines
If you’re looking for an easy to use, no hassle, coffee machine – then capsules are the way to go. There’s no mess. Just put your coffee capsule into the machine, place your cup under the nozzle and press a button. That’s it. The machine will grunt and moan and in a few seconds, you’ll be drinking hot coffee. The downside to capsule machines is that you’re tied into buying coffee that comes in capsules that fit your machine.
Bean-to-cup Coffee Machine
These are our favourite coffee machines. They’re almost as easy to use as the capsule machines, the main difference is you have to fill the machine with coffee beans and empty the grind after you’ve made a dozen or so cups of coffee. But, the benefit is worth it. You can buy coffee beans from anywhere and put them straight into your machine. This means you can experiment and find the coffee bean that suits your exact tastes. Plus, buying coffee beans is more cost efficient than buying individual capsules.
Espresso coffee machines
Another option is getting an espresso machine. These are more similar to what you’ll find at Starbucks or your local coffee shop, but on a much smaller scale. An espresso machine means you have to use pre-ground coffee beans – you can buy pre-ground coffee from the supermarket or grind up your own beans at home with a separate machine/device. Once you have the ground coffee you need to measure the right amount and then scoop it portafilter (this gets messy) and attach it to your machine. Hot water is then forced through your ground coffee and portafilter into your cup. Like I said, it’s a bit more hassle than a bean-to-cup machine, but these machines are usually more compact in size, so could be a good option if you don’t have much space in your kitchen.
Filter coffee machines
Finally, you have filter coffee machines. These are the most basic of all and you’ve probably got one in your office. Filter machines work by pouring hot water over ground coffee and then forcing the liquid through disposable paper filters. The brewed coffee is caught in a glass jug that sits on a hot plate – meaning your coffee will stay warm for hours. Filter Coffee is great for when you want to make a batch of coffee in one go and not let it get cold. Ideal for small offices.