Find the right coffee machine for your counter
You do not need the most expensive machine. You need the one that matches how you actually make coffee.
Start with the questions below. In a few minutes, you should know which type of machine makes sense for you — and which features you can safely ignore.
1. How much control do you want?
I want the machine to do most of the work
Look at super-automatic machines. They grind, dose and brew with minimal manual work, and some models also handle milk drinks automatically.
I want convenience, but I still want to make the drink
Look at semi-automatic machines with helpful controls such as PID temperature control, built-in grinding or programmable functions.
I want to control the shot myself
Look at traditional semi-automatic espresso machines. They make the most sense if you want to learn grinding, dosing, tamping, extraction and milk steaming.
2. What do you drink most?
Mostly straight espresso
Prioritize temperature stability, brew control and a good group head. You may not need a large steam system.
Mostly cappuccinos and lattes
Steam performance matters more. If you make several milk drinks in a row, a heat-exchanger or dual-boiler machine can be more convenient than a basic single-boiler machine.
Mostly regular coffee
A drip brewer or another dedicated coffee system may make more sense than paying for espresso features you will rarely use.
3. How many drinks do you usually make?
One or two at a time
A compact single-boiler or entry-level semi-automatic machine can be enough.
Several drinks back to back
Look more closely at heat-exchanger, dual-boiler or higher-capacity machines that reduce waiting between brewing and steaming.
4. How involved do you want to be?
- Very little: start with super-automatic machines.
- Some involvement: consider assisted semi-automatic machines.
- I want the full espresso process: consider traditional semi-automatic machines.
5. Do not pay for features you will not use
Before buying, ask yourself whether you actually need features such as dual boilers, pressure profiling, app control, automatic milk systems or multiple bean hoppers.
Those features can be valuable, but only when they solve a problem you actually have.
A simple starting point
- Maximum convenience: Super-automatic
- Learning espresso on a smaller budget: Single-boiler semi-automatic
- Frequent milk drinks: Heat-exchanger or dual-boiler
- Advanced shot control: PID / flow-control / profiling machine
- Mainly brewed coffee: Drip coffee brewer
Still deciding?
Browse the collection and compare the machines by the way you actually make coffee, not by the length of the specification sheet.