Our selection of the latest and greatest, comprehensive coffee machines. These are the devices designed for bean bores and espresso evangelists, all offering the ability to tweak and manipulate your daily intake exactly the way you like it – as the best coffee machines should. All the models below can make a variety of brews starting out with raw beans, from compact countertop coffee makers through to high-end built-in machines.
Small and sleek: Smeg BCC02
Smeg BCC02 Bean to Cup coffee machine in Matte Black, Matte Taupe, Matte White and Matte Red, £679.95
Smeg’s BCC02 is the company’s first foray into bean-to-cup coffee machines. Compact and streamlined, the BCC02 offers a push-button experience with the ability to customise the strength of your brew, and the ability to create ristretto coffee, espressos and americanos, together with frothy milk. The 1.4-litre water reservoir holds enough for six cups. Traditionally, a full-service coffee machine takes up a lot of counter space, but the BCC02 manages to cram everything into a minimal footprint. The brushed aluminium exterior and prominent logo match it up to the company’s other retro-tinged products, and it’s available in four different colours.
Two for one: Melitta Purista
Melitta Purista Series 300, £400
Another ultra-compact coffee machine, Melitta’s Purista Series 300 boasts twin nozzles for serving up two cups at once, and promises a near silent operation thanks to a ‘super quiet steel cone grinder’. That same component can be adjusted for five different types of grind, and coffee intensity can also be easily varied. The machine incorporates Melitta’s own water filter system for good measure.
Digital delight: De’Longhi Maestosa
De’Longhi Maestosa, £2,699
De’Longhi’s top of the range Maestosa is a sizeable device that brings all the coffee shop trimmings to your home. Operated by a 5in touch screen, the Maestosa promises one-touch operation to serve up a variety of coffee, milky coffee and even hot chocolate drinks. With a black mirrored glass front and a ribbed metal frame, it has all the retro charm of a Soho bistro.
A history of creating coffee: Gaggia Naviglio
Gaggia Naviglio, from £349
Gaggia is a pioneer in automatic coffee machines, having been set up in 1947 by Giovanni Achille Gaggia to commercialise his innovative high-pressure approach to brewing. The heyday of deco-inspired machines has passed, but the current range runs from the simple Brera all the way to the one-touch Accademia cappuccino maker. For our money, the Naviglio Bean to Cup Coffee Machine is a sweet spot between style and function.
Glass act: Jura ENA 8
Jura ENA 8, £999
Another compact machine that won’t crowd the countertop, Jura’s new ENA 8 serves up one cup at a time courtesy of its touch screen interface. Ten specialty coffees can be selected on the 2.8in screen and the company has made a special feature of the 1.1-litre water tank, with its crystalline facets.
Sleek but sensible: Siemens EQ.9
Siemens EQ.9, £16,99
Capable of serving up two drinks at once, the EQ.9 continues Siemens’ tradition of no-nonsense industrial design, with the added benefit of app connectivity and a colourful touchscreen interface. The EQ.9 is for eager entertainers who like the idea of plugging in preferences to the accompanying app and then watching as the machine automatically makes its way through the various orders.
Dial it in: Sage Barista Express
Sage Barista Express, £629.95
If you’re not quite ready for espressos conjured up by an app and poured via touchscreen, Sage’s Barista Express is a far more traditionally styled machine. You’ll need to put more initial effort into mastering the arts of grind and pressure, but the end results will no doubt be more satisfying. One for those who savour the ritual of the coffee making experience.
For the minimal kitchen: Neff N90
Neff N90, £2,119
Built-in appliances take coffee making to another level. Although they’re best incorporated at the outset of a kitchen remodel, the standard fit and minimal trimmings ensure this high-end coffee machine from Neff will fit into most domestic schemes. The entire unit swings open for maintenance, with a 2.4-litre water tank, and twin nozzles for faster preparation.
Thinking ahead: Fisher & Paykel Series 9
Fisher & Paykel’s Series 9, £2,600
Fisher & Paykel’s Series 9 is another built-in option, offering 13 different drink options, a self-cleaning system, and the ability to be pre-programmed to deliver a shot of coffee at the same time every day. Available in both black and stainless steel.
