Best Coffee Machines 2021: Our Highest-Rated Coffee Makers

The Barista Max is an espresso machine with an inbuilt conical burr grinder. This alone makes it quite unusual. But at this price point, for its quality, it’s extremely rare.

Beans go into the hopper on top and can be ground straight into the portafilter. It’s not quite as simple or convenient as an automatic bean-to-cup machine such as the Gaggia Naviglio, but if you enjoy the coffee making process – even a little bit – it’s very satisfying to use. 

As it comes with an inbuilt milk wand, plus milk jug and tamper, you won’t have to shell out for any other coffee-making accessories. That’s a good thing as this is a large machine that will require a dedicated spot on your kitchen counter. But it’s solid and well-made and should give you very good coffee for a long time to come.

Read our full Breville Barista Max VCF126 review

The Smeg espresso coffee machine is a manual coffee maker, which means it takes a bit more time and effort to use than a pod machine or an automatic bean-to-cup machine. In our opinion, it’s well worth it.

It takes ground coffee or ESE pods and has a number of adjustable settings, including water hardness and temperature, so you can get your coffee exactly the way you want it. The inbuilt milk frother doubles as a hot water dispenser, which means you can make anything from a Cappuccino to an Americano. 

This is a beautiful machine that’s a pleasure to use and we’d recommend it to anyone who wants to explore the art of coffee making at home.

Read our full Smeg ECF01 Espresso Coffee Maker review

It might not have upmarket features like a digital display, but the Gaggia Naviglio has enough functionality for the average coffee lover. Most importantly, it’s very high quality for its price.

This stylish machine is a little on the loud side and has an annoying blinking power light, but it makes excellent coffee with simple and intuitive controls. You can customise the strength and volume of the coffee, and there’s an inbuilt milk frother for cappuccinos and more. 

If you want great quality bean-to-cup coffee without breaking the bank and you don’t need extra features, then the Naviglio ticks all the boxes.

Read our full Gaggia Naviglio review

There are few smart coffee machines on the market – and with good reason. As yet, there’s no way to go completely hands-free. You’ll still need to pop in a coffee capsule and ensure the water tank is full.

But this Lavazza collaboration machine has an ingenious solution to make the most of its smarts. Instead of relying on limited app control, it has an inbuilt Amazon Echo device, including a speaker, so you’ll get full home assistant functionality alongside your coffee.

You can, of course, ask Alexa to make you an espresso and if the machine’s set up, it will. But really, it’s a clever way to incorporate an Alexa device into your kitchen counter set-up, and in this respect, it works. 

The machine is compact and easy to use but as there’s no frother or milk tank, it makes black coffee only. However, you can at least request some upbeat tunes while you enjoy your morning espresso.

Read our full Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy review

The Lavazza Deséa is certainly the best pod/capsule-based coffee machine we’ve tested so far, even though it’s not the most expensive.

It’s stylish and well-made but more importantly, it makes a wide range of coffees from espresso to macchiato. The complexity means it takes a little while to get used to, but it’s pretty much a one-touch operation once you get the hang of it.

The Deséa produces consistent coffee and with the option to boost temperature and foam if needed. It also operates more quietly than any other coffee machine we’ve used.

Read our full Lavazza Deséa review

For a very reasonable price tag, you’ll get a capable machine with the Russell Hobbs Chester Grind and Brew 22000. Whether you want to use beans or ground coffee, you can get a strength and smoothness to suit your taste.

It may not be smart – and may only be suitable for producing black filter coffee – but what it does, it does very well. It’s a great starter coffee machine. 

You can keep your coffee warm for up to forty minutes, and schedule the machine to start brewing at a certain time so you have a pot ready and waiting first thing in the morning. The fact that you can’t change the timer once it’s started was a minor annoyance, but it didn’t detract from the fact that this is a reliable coffee maker at a good price point. 

Read our full Russell Hobbs Chester Grind and Brew 22000 review

If you’re looking for a Dolce Gusto machine, this is the best one available. Not only is it as compact and straightforward as the other machines in the range, but it has more brewing options, so you can tailor your coffee to your preference.

It’s fully automated and easy to use. You can choose from three drink temperatures, precisely calibrate the amount of water in your beverage, plus there’s the option of an espresso boost.

Read our full Nescafe Dolce Gusto Genio S Plus review

If you’re after the convenience of a capsule-based coffee machine but also want to be able to make a ‘proper’ espresso from ground coffee when you have the time, Dualit’s 3-in-1 coffee machine is one of your only choices. 

It’s a decent machine, too, and not overly expensive. If you’re wondering why it’s called 3-in-1, it’s because it also accepts ESE pods as well as Nespresso capsules (and Dualit’s NX capsules, which are Nespresso-compatible). 

Read our full Dualit DCM2X 3-in-1 espresso machine review

If the main thing you want from a coffee machine is convenience, the Dinamica is for you. It’s conveniently sized, conveniently designed and convenient to use, offering you freshly ground espresso in less than a minute, with just a couple of button presses.

Serious baristas will want to look elsewhere for more in-depth controls and customisations, but if you just want to get a good cup of coffee without having to think too much at 7 in the morning, this is a great choice.

Read our full De’Longhi Dinamica ECAM 350.35.W Bean to Cup review

The Piccolo XS is a streamlined capsule coffee maker that can be used for both hot and iced coffee. It’s petite, sleekly-designed and inexpensive.

If you want a capsule coffee maker, you don’t want to spend a lot on it and you don’t mind a lack of features, this could be the machine for you.   

Read our full Nescafe Dolce Gusto Piccolo XS review

The Buckingham is a straightforward coffee maker that allows you to prep in advance, set a timer and wake up to fresh filter coffee.

The machine takes filter papers or a reusable filter basket and will prepare 1.25 litres of coffee. You also have the option to brew smaller amounts with the same strength – which again, you can adjust according to taste.

The carafe and filter are dishwasher-friendly, while the machine itself has a self-cleaning programme. 

Our only real criticism is that the hot plate will only stay warm for 40 minutes. 

Read our full Russell Hobbs 20680 Buckingham Coffee Maker review

Home espresso machines are expensive. If you’re looking for an espresso maker on a budget, this is a well-priced appliance. It’s an incredibly stylish, compact machine that makes a decent espresso and is easy to use. It’ll take ground coffee or ESE pods.

It looks every inch the the part, with a stainless steel-effect finish and good features. There’s a cup warmer on top, 1.1 litre water tank and a milk wand. It can brew one or two cups at a time and you can opt to add more water by holding down the brewing button.

However, because it’s largely made of plastic, it’s very light and wobbly and we worry that it won’t be the most robust addition to your kitchen.

Read our full Morphy Richards 172020 Espresso Coffee Machine review