Best coffee machines 2023: Which? Best Buys and expert buying advice

This round-up of the best coffee machines from our independent tests will help you find the right type of coffee machine for you.

When you choose a Which? recommendation, you can be sure you're getting one of the best coffee machines around. That's because we assess every coffee machine in detail in our labs. We look at how easy they are to set up, use and clean, how quickly they make coffee and how hot the coffee they make is.

Our coffee machine tests also include a coffee taste test by an expert tasting panel, who rate each machine's coffees for taste, appearance, aroma and consistency. There's no better way to choose a new coffee machine.

To browse all the machines we've tested, see our coffee machine reviews.

Best coffee machines for 2023

The following machines are the very best coffee machines of all the appliances we've tested – to see more high-scoring machines of each type, just follow the links.

Unlock our recommendations below by logging in or, if you're not a member, join Which? to get access to all our reviews.

Best pod coffee machine

To see more recommendations, visit our guide to the Best pod coffee machines or the Best Nespresso machines. 

Best espresso machine

To see more machines that use ground coffee, go to the Best espresso machines. 

Best bean-to-cup coffee machine

To see more bean-to-cup models, see Best bean-to-cup coffee machines. 

Video: How to buy the best coffee machine

Watch our video to discover more about how we test coffee machines and get tips to help you find your perfect machine.

Coffee machine types explained

The type of coffee machine you choose will depend on the type of coffee you like to drink, your budget and how hands-on you want to get when making your drinks.

Pod coffee machines

Pod or capsule machines are the most popular type. They're likely to suit you if you're looking for a quick and easy way to make coffee at home.

Pros:

• Usually quite compact, so won't take up too much space in your kitchen.
• Cheap to buy – some cost as little as £40.
• Quick, simple and consistent results, with little clean-up required.
• Some also make drinks such as hot chocolate and tea.
• Good for occasional coffee drinkers, as the sealed pods keep coffee fresh.
• Can have a range of coffee flavours and styles on the go at once.

Cons:

• More expensive per drink than ground coffee or beans.
• Coffee pods create waste, as many pods are plastic – although some are greener than others.
• You're usually tied into using a specific capsule type (eg Nespresso pods), limiting your choice of drink and where you can buy the pods. Some are only available online.

For more buying advice, see Best pod coffee machines. 

Traditional espresso machines

A traditional espresso machine will suit you if you want to have more control over your coffee and don’t mind getting hands-on with your drinks prep. They also offer a good compromise between upfront costs and the ongoing cost of coffee.

Pros:

• Can use any ground coffee provided it's the right grind level (fine espresso coffee).
• Some can also use ESE pods (like coffee tea bags), a mess-free option.
• Cheaper per cup than pods.
• More control over the strength and size of your drink.
• Can make two drinks at once.

Cons:

• Might take a bit of time to get the hang of making your coffee, and there's more room for error.
• More manual preparation and clean-up than with other types.

For more buying advice, see Best espresso machines.  

Bean-to-cup coffee machines

A bean-to-cup coffee machine will suit you if you want to make the freshest coffee possible and have more to spend.

Pros:

• Grind beans on demand for a fresh brew.
• Most automate the coffee-making process, but there are some manual models around too.
• Can use a variety of coffee beans, and in some cases ground coffee too.
• Some have extensive customisable settings, so you can tailor drinks and save preferences.
• Some can make two drinks at once.

Cons: 

• Tend to be much more expensive.
• Some models are very large and bulky.
• Can be difficult to clean and prone to clogging.
• Can be noisy when grinding.

For more buying advice, see Best bean-to-cup coffee machines. 

Best coffee machine features to consider

Whatever style of coffee machine you choose, these are some of the important machine features to consider:

Milk frother

If you’re a fan of milky drinks, such as cappuccinos and lattes, choose a coffee machine with a milk-frothing function. 

There are several options: you'll need to decide whether you want your drink made for you, or if you're happy to froth the milk and add it to your coffee.

• Steam wand – the traditional option, mostly found on ground coffee and some bean-to-cup machines. You froth milk in a separate jug using a burst of steam, and you can then add it to your drink. Some premium versions are partly automated, so you just need to stick the wand in a jug to create your froth.
• Standalone frother – a separate gadget that whisks and heats milk for you to add to your coffee. Often sold with Nespresso and Lavazza pod machines.
• Automatic built-in frother – found on bean-to-cup and some ground coffee/pod machines. Just add milk to a dedicated container and a built-in frother sucks it up and dispenses foamed milk directly into your cup.
• Milk pods – pre-prepared UHT or powdered milk pods dispense froth directly into your cup. Used in Tassimo and Dolce Gusto pod coffee machines.

To find a good stand-alone milk frother, go to Best milk frothers to see all the models we've tested.

Personalisation/memory function

Some coffee machines let you adjust pre-set drink settings to suit your preferences. This means the machine will automatically dispense just the right amount of coffee, at the perfect strength, every time.

Large water tank

If you tend to make a lot of coffee at once, look for a model with a larger water tank of around 1.5 litres, otherwise you’ll find yourself having to constantly refill it. Some pod machines have very small tanks.

Descaling program

Regularly cleaning and descaling your machine will help to keep it working well for longer. Look for automatic cleaning programs to make it less of a hassle. If it needs to be cleaned manually, check to see if the parts can be removed easily for cleaning and whether they're dishwasher safe.

Smart controls

Some coffee machines can be connected to your smartphone via an app. You can control the machine from the app, as well as accessing troubleshooting advice and maintenance alerts.

At the moment only a small number of brands make smart coffee machines. When we asked brands how long they'd support their coffee machines with important security updates after launch, only Miele was willing to tell us that it would support its Smart Home app with security updates for up to 10 years.

While you may not be at immediate risk if you're using a device that's unsupported, it's obviously desirable to buy and use a device that you know will receive update support for a good period of time.

For more information, read our guide to smart devices and security.

What type of machine offers the best value for money?

Based on drinking two espressos a day over five years, and factoring in the upfront cost of the cheapest relevant Best Buy machine, we've calculated how the costs of each machine type add up over time.

The result? At £773, the traditional espresso machine is the cheapest over five years, followed by the bean-to-cup machine at £1,033, and coffee pods at £1,153. The most expensive option is buying a takeaway coffee twice a day – it comes in at a staggering £7,118!

Longevity is also important. To see which brands make machines that remain trouble-free for longer, see Which coffee machine brand to buy in 2023.

Where to buy a coffee machine

Popular online retailers that sell coffee machines include:

• Argos stocks pod coffee machines, as well as bean-to-cup and espresso models. The retailer's selection is predominantly made up of Nespresso, De'Longhi and Tassimo products. If you're shopping for a pod coffee machine, expect to spend anywhere between £30 and £350. Opt for Click and Collect and Argos will hold the item for 7 days.
• John Lewis lists Sage, Tassimo and Nespresso among its most popular brands. Its list of products includes the Krups Nespresso Pixie (£150) and the retailer's own line-up of pump coffee machines, starting at £70.
• Currys sells a large range of coffee machines. One of its cheaper pod coffee machines is the Bosch Tassimo Style TAS1102GB (£35), which uses Tassimo T-discs to make a wide range of drinks. Currys provides next day delivery for £5.
• Amazon has hundreds of coffee machines for you to pick from and regularly offers models at a discount, with savings guaranteed around Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday.
• Aldi has a small selection of coffee machines, the cheapest of which is the Ambiano Espresso Maker (£30). If you have a bigger budget, you can also consider the DeLonghi EC 260.BK Stilosa (£127), which uses ground coffee or E.S.E pods.

To see which retailers are rated highly by Which? members, check in with our expert guide on the best and worst shops.

Can a broken coffee machine be repaired?

We've had a look at some of the top coffee machine brands to see what they offer in terms of repairs, servicing and spare parts: 

• DeLonghi will service and repair your coffee machine, even outside the warranty period. It offers different price bands depending on the level of repairs or servicing that's needed. You can buy a limited selection of extra accessories online such as milk jugs and filters, but there isn't a wide range of spare parts available to buy directly. 
• Krups offers repairs and spare parts, but this is easier to access if you are within the guarantee period. There are a few select locations that you can get in touch with if outside this period. 
• Sage doesn't offer repairs outside of its guarantee period, but there are a wide range of spare coffee machine parts available to buy on its website. 
• Bosch provides repairs within the guarantee period but outside of this will charge £99. There aren't any spare parts directly available to buy from Bosch online. 
• Siemens will cover the cost of repairs and spare parts within your coffee machine's guarantee period. Outside of this repairs start from £99 depending on your location. Using the model number of your coffee machine, you may also be able to buy spare parts online. 
• Lavazza doesn't directly offer a repair service or sell spare coffee machine parts online. 

Is your machine unrepairable? Find out How to recycle electrical items.  

Coffee machine guarantees

Most coffee machine brands offer product guarantees of one to two years as standard, but there are a handful of brands that offer longer cover, including:

• John Lewis – three-year guarantee as standard.
• Lakeland – three-year guarantee as standard.
• Melitta – five-year guarantee as standard. This can be extended to 10 years if you register your product.
• Sage – between a one and five-year guarantee, depending on the model.

For advice on returning a faulty appliance, see Faulty product? How to get a refund, repair or replacement.  

Other types of coffee makers

The coffee machines we've covered aren't the only way to prepare great coffee. We've also tested the following alternatives:

• Cafetiere or French press – if your budget or storage space is tight, or you prefer weaker coffees, a cafetiere or French press is a good option. We recently tested 10 cafetieres for ease of pressing and pouring, coffee granule filtration, heat retention, durability and ease of cleaning – see the results in our round-up of the Best cafetieres and French presses. 
• Filter coffee machine – our guide on Best filter coffee machines explains the difference between standard, pour-over and 'grind and brew' models and how to choose the best one for you.
• Portable coffee maker – discover the best way to take great coffee with you with our guide to the Best Aeropress and other portable coffee makers.

How we test coffee machines

Which? is independent – we work for you, so you can be sure our coffee machine recommendations are influenced only by our test results. We're not influenced by third parties and we don't accept freebies from product manufacturers or retailers. We buy all the products that we test ourselves, so our advice helps you to make the right choice first time and avoid costly mistakes. 

Read how we test coffee machines to discover the lengths we go to to find our Best Buys.