Best coffee machines in the UK: Best options for espresso machines, coffee pods, filter coffee, and more

What coffee machine is right for you?

The right coffee machine depends on your priorities, budget, and coffee consumption habits. If you value convenience and speed, pod machines like Nespresso or Keurig are ideal for quick single servings.

For coffee enthusiasts who want control over every aspect of brewing, manual espresso machines or pour-over setups offer maximum customisation. Bean-to-cup machines provide a middle ground with freshly ground coffee and programmable settings.

Consider your daily consumption (single cups vs. multiple servings), available counter space, maintenance tolerance, and whether you prefer espresso-based drinks or regular coffee.

Are bean-to-cup machines better than pods?

Bean-to-cup machines generally offer superior coffee quality since they grind fresh beans immediately before brewing, preserving maximum flavour and aroma. They're also more cost-effective per cup and environmentally friendly, avoiding single-use pods.

However, pod machines can excel in convenience, speed, and consistency with minimal cleanup. Bean-to-cup machines require more maintenance, including regular cleaning of the grinder and internal components.

The "better" choice may depend on whether you prioritise coffee quality and long-term value (bean-to-cup) or convenience and simplicity (pods).

What's the difference between espresso and coffee?

Espresso and regular coffee differ primarily in brewing method, concentration, and serving size. Espresso is made by forcing hot water through finely ground coffee under high pressure, creating a concentrated 1-2 ounce shot. This process extracts flavours quickly, resulting in an intense, rich taste.

Regular coffee (drip, pour-over, French press) uses coarser grounds and longer extraction times with gravity or steeping, producing larger servings (6-12 ounces) with a different flavour profile. Espresso serves as the base for drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, and Americanos, while regular coffee is typically consumed as-is.

How often should you descale your coffee machine?

Most coffee machine manufacturers recommend descaling every 1-3 months, but frequency depends on your water hardness and usage patterns. Hard water areas require more frequent descaling (monthly), while soft water areas can extend to every 2-3 months.

High-usage machines may need more frequent maintenance. Many modern machines have built-in descaling indicators that alert you when it's time.

Signs you need to descale include slower brewing times, unusual noises, reduced water flow, or changes in coffee taste. Regular descaling removes mineral buildup that can damage internal components and affect coffee quality, so it's essential for maintaining machine performance and longevity.

Best all-in-one coffee machine

If you've never shopped De'Longhi before, it's an Italian home-appliances company founded in 1902, based in Treviso, Italy. It makes a wide range of small appliances — everything from coffee machines, kitchen gadgets and air conditioners to heaters and cleaning devices, and it's most well-known for combining stylish Italian design with strong engineering.

In recent years, De’Longhi has pushed even more into the coffee world, acquiring other premium brands like La Marzocco and Eversys.

What sets this machine apart from the rest is not only the ease of use with a touch of a button, but you can also customise every aspect of your brew down to the exact milk frothing temperature. In fact, the brand uses the technology called Bean Adapt, which fine-tunes grind size, dose, and extraction temperature based on your beans. You also get 15 grind settings, three infusion temperatures, an easy-dose tamper, and automatic milk texturing with multiple foam and temperature options.

Warranty

2-year guarantee

Weight

14.5 kg

Capacity

1.8 litres

Best home coffee machine

The Ninja Luxe Café Premier Espresso Machine boasts a generous 2-litre (2,000 ml) transparent and removable water tank, so you won't have to constantly refill it. This ample capacity allows for multiple espresso shots or several cups of drip coffee, making it ideal for households or small offices. The water tank is also equipped with a low-water sensor, ensuring you’re alerted when it's time to top up.

This feature-rich machine combines espresso, drip coffee, and even cold brew capabilities, all in a compact design. It includes a built-in conical burr grinder with 25 settings to customise the strength of your brews, a scale that doses by weight, and programmable milk frothing settings to get your preferred style of drink.

Warranty

Two-year guarantee

Weight

17 kg

Capacity

2 litres

Best value coffee machine

The Nespresso CitiZ is a compact coffee pod machine designed for simplicity and style. Its 1-litre removable water tank lets you brew multiple espresso or lungo servings before needing a refill, making it perfect for everyday use at home or in small offices.

The machine heats up quickly, delivering café-quality coffee in just 25–30 seconds, and uses Nespresso’s original coffee capsules for a wide variety of flavours. Its minimalist design fits easily on any countertop, while the removable drip tray accommodates larger cups or travel mugs.

If you've never shopped for Nespresso machines before, it's a brand owned by the Swiss company Nestlé. The brand is known for selling coffee pod-compatible machines, cutting down the time it takes to make a traditional cup of coffee.

Warranty

Two-year guarantee

Weight

4.08 kg

Capacity

1 litre

Best filter coffee machine

The De'Longhi filter coffee machine may be a great option if you're looking to brew your coffee in batches for family members or other larger groups. It features a 1.25-litre removable water tank, allowing you to brew up to 10 cups of coffee in one go.

The machine also boasts an anti-drip system, ensuring no spills when removing the carafe mid-brew, and an auto shut-off function for safety and energy efficiency. Its unique aroma function enhances the coffee's flavour, while the non-drip jug and water level display add to the convenience.

One thing to note is that you will need to purchase coffee paper filters separately with this machine.

Warranty

Two-year guarantee

Weight

1.7 kg

Capacity

1.25 litres

Best bean-to-cup coffee machine

The SAGE Barista Touch SES880 combines professional-grade features with a user-friendly design. It features a 2-litre removable water tank, allowing you to brew multiple cups without frequent refills. The machine also features a 250g bean hopper capacity, ensuring you have enough beans for several servings before needing to top up.

If you don't want to make a hot cup with whole beans, you also have the option to add in your favourite type of ground coffee. The machine also features five easy brew settings, including espresso, long black, latte, flat white, and cappuccino.

Plus, if you're worried about descaling, the machine comes with its own descaling and cleaning kit to help keep everything in top shape for as long as possible.

Warranty

Two-year guarantee

Weight

10.6 kg

Capacity

2 litres

Best espresso machine

The De'Longhi Magnifica S is a fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine designed to bring café-quality espresso into your home with ease. It features a 1.8-litre removable water tank, allowing you to brew multiple cups before needing a refill. The machine is also designed with a 250g bean hopper capacity, ensuring you have enough beans for several servings without frequent refills.

Equipped with a 15-bar pump pressure, this ensures the delivery of rich and aromatic espresso. The integrated conical burr grinder offers 13 adjustable grind settings, allowing you to customise the grind size to your preference. The manual milk frother also enables you to create creamy cappuccinos and lattes, adding a touch of barista flair to your coffee routine.

With its compact dimensions of 23 x 43 x 34 cm, the machine is also designed to fit into most kitchen spaces.

Warranty

Two-year guarantee

Weight 

9 kg

Capacity

1.8 litres

Best coffee pod machine

The Nespresso VertuoPlus is a versatile coffee machine that features a 1.2 litre removable water tank, allowing you to brew multiple cups before needing a refill.

The machine can brew up to five different cups of coffee, including a ristretto, espresso, double espresso, gran lungo, and traditional mug.

However, it's important to note that this machine is only compatible with VertuoPlus pods, meaning smaller pods built for Nespresso's other machines won't work. This is because the brand utilises Centrifusion™ technology, which reads the barcode on each Nespresso Vertuo pod to adjust brewing parameters such as temperature, cup size, and extraction time, ensuring optimal results for each blend.

Warranty

Two-year guarantee

Weight

4.3 kg

Capacity

1.2 litres

Best French press

If you're travelling, the YETI French press may be a great portable option to throw in your bag. This device acts as a French Press and a portable insulated container.

Made with double-wall vacuum insulation, it keeps your coffee hot for hours long after it's brewed. It's also designed with kitchen-grade stainless steel for durability, and it's dishwasher safe.

The twist-to-lock lid provides a secure seal to prevent spills and maintain heat.

If you've never shopped YETI before, the brand was founded in Austin, Texas, in 2006 and designs, markets, and distributes innovative products built for the outdoors, including coolers, drinkware, gear, and accessories

Warranty

Five-year guarantee

Capacity

1 litre

Weight

1202 grams

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