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Typically .css-1me6ynq{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#125C68;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color : #125C68;-webkit-transition:All 0.3 seconds are easy in and out;transition:All 0.3 seconds are easy in and out;}.css-1me6ynq:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:# 595959;} A coffee machine and an espresso machine are two different devices. One makes a good old fashioned coffee pot, and the other uses a dedicated espresso machine. But if you like both coffees and don’t want to choose, buy a combination coffee and espresso machine. They save counter space and in some cases allow you to prepare a variety of drinks (like regular drip coffee, latte, Americano, etc.) without having to go to a coffee shop, thereby saving money. For added convenience, some come with built-in coffee grinders, milk frothers, brew control apps, and more.
For decades, the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab has tested nearly every type of coffee maker. In addition to testing to find the best drip coffee makers, we also tested coffee makers with built-in grinders, pour over coffee makers, single serve coffee makers, cold brew coffee makers, French press coffee makers, and a portable camping coffee maker. and so on. We also test everything from super-automatic coffee machines to capsule coffee machines and everything in between. Over the years, we have tested over 100 coffee and espresso machines and brewed over 1,000 cups of coffee and espresso. The selection below is a mix of our top-tested items, machines we’ve tested in the lab or at home, and tried-and-true editor favorites.
After our picks, read on to learn more about how we test coffee and espresso machines and what to keep in mind when purchasing one. If you’re tired of regular coffee beans and want to try something new, check out our guide to the best coffee subscription boxes.
The De’Longhi all-in-one coffee and espresso machine comes with everything you need to make drip coffee, espresso, lattes and more. It has a dual heating system that allows you to brew coffee and a cup of espresso at the same time. There’s no need to buy a separate milk frother; you can use the built-in milk frother to prepare your favorite drinks at the café.
This machine holds a lot of stuff, and according to one of our testers, its footprint is only slightly larger than most drip machines and about the same size as some espresso machines, so you get the functionality of two machines. without taking up much space. The space counter is too large.
The drip coffee has a permanent filter on one side, which we found easy to replace, and the coffee brews quickly, in about five minutes. The keep warm time can be set up to 11 hours 59 minutes, but the default value is 2 hours. We found that not only does it keep coffee hot for 2 hours, but it also makes it hotter.
The espresso side has a removable water reservoir, which is very convenient, and the handle allows you to use pre-ground coffee beans or ESE capsules. Our professionals love great coffee and believe that espresso produces a delicious, smooth crema. The only downside is that it is recommended to run hot water through the espresso side before brewing, but if you hold the cup under the handle, the warm water will preheat it.
Like most Keurig machines, the K-Cafe Single-Serve is convenient and makes lattes and cappuccinos a breeze. Use any K-Cup in the machine and select the Brew button option to enjoy a fresh shot of espresso on its own or as a base for a latte or cappuccino. Although the espresso didn’t have enough crema, preheat time, brew time, coffee temperature, and volume were very consistent in our tests.
The built-in milk frother works great and froths the milk quickly. We found that it pairs well with whole, skim, almond or soy milk. If you prefer your drink ice-cold, there is a cold foam option. The remaining milk can be stored in the refrigerator using the lid that comes with the attachment. The aerator is also dishwasher safe, making it easy to clean.
This Philips machine makes it easy by offering a choice of five popular drinks at the touch of a button. Select espresso, coffee, cappuccino, latte macchiato or Americano, and the machine will automatically add the required amount of milk or water. The touchscreen is simple and allows you to select your drink directly without having to scroll through a ton of complicated options.
It brews coffee from whole beans, ensuring freshness every time it is ground. Our testers found these drinks to be delicious yet light, making them a better choice for people who don’t like very strong coffee drinks. Instead of using a frothing attachment, LatteGo has a frothing chamber that mixes air and milk at high speed and adds it directly to the drink. The frothing container can be removed and the remaining milk can be stored in the refrigerator or placed in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.
If you’re looking for convenience but don’t want to sacrifice quality, the De’Longhi Dinamica is your best choice. This machine does all the brewing and frothing for you, so there’s no need to make a shot of espresso, then froth the milk and add it to the drink. All you have to do is press a button to select your drink; it doesn’t get any easier.
In our testing, we liked the very responsive touchscreen, which offers 16 coffee drinks with one touch or customizable options such as espresso, cappuccino, latte, flat white, iced coffee, regular coffee and more. The machine is also equipped with smart features that recognize your preferences and display a list of your most frequently consumed drinks first. We found that it requires some setup, but once it’s up and running, using it is intuitive. Coffee lovers will appreciate hot milk and hot water, hot chocolate, tea, etc. It can also be added with ice to make iced coffee or other iced drinks.
When we tried the drinks, we found the coffee to be smooth, round and hot. When it comes to espresso, the crema is thin but creamy. We also enjoyed the cappuccino and latte, which were smooth and delicious. The built-in milk frother can also be removed, allowing you to store leftover milk in the refrigerator for later use. Cleaning is easy, but keep in mind that the machine flushes itself when you turn it off, meaning the drip tray will have to be emptied more often.
Nespresso Vertuo has a unique barcoding system that detects the exact capsule type and automatically adjusts to the correct size, temperature, pressure and brewing time. Unlike other machines, you don’t need two coffee capsules to make a double espresso or add water to make an Americano. Brew options: espresso, double espresso, gran lungo, mug and alto.
Every cup of coffee and espresso we make is hot, round and creamy. The water reservoir is removable and adjustable to three different positions, allowing you to maximize rack space in a relatively small footprint. And if you’re concerned about capsule waste, Nespresso will recycle the capsules if you send them back to the company.
You won’t want to hide the stylish design of the Jura ENA 4. It’s available in black or white, and the control panel is simple: just four buttons and four pre-programmed coffee types: espresso, espresso doppio, coffee and coffee doppio. We didn’t find the control panel intuitive at first, but once we got the hang of it, we found it easy to use. It has become one of the most popular machines in our kitchen lab for making delicious morning coffee.
We like it because it’s one of the few machines with a separate grind hopper, so you can make a cup of decaf coffee or choose a different roast without removing the beans from the hopper. It has a compact design for automatic machines and its slim profile is suitable for small spaces. However, it does not have a built-in milk frother. If you want to use the machine to froth milk, upgrade to the Jura E6, which can be connected to the Jura E6 Cool Control to hold the milk for frothing. This innovative container keeps milk at the correct temperature on the counter, so there’s no need to put leftover milk back in the refrigerator.
Not only does this sleek machine look great on your countertop, but it can make just about any type of coffee you want, including drip coffee, espresso, cold brew, and even nitro cold brew, all from the same manufacturer. coffee beans. This machine uses centrifugal force to spin at different speeds, making each coffee unique.
Our reviewers were impressed with Nitro Coffee’s creamy texture and said it mimicked Nitro Coffee very well. Our tasters were impressed by the taste of all the coffee options, with one saying it was the best coffee they’d ever tasted. In fact, we loved this machine so much that we included it in the 2022 Kitchenware and Coffee Awards.
The Spinn app helps you prepare a variety of cafe drinks, such as Americano, Longo, and Dopio. It also shows you how to make coffee drinks with milk, such as lattes, cappuccinos, etc. Keep in mind that it does not produce milk foam, so you will need a separate milk frother.
Besides all these great features, our professionals found it easy to use. It features a large funnel that makes it easy to pour in whole beans and a removable water reservoir that makes it easy to add water. It’s easy to use with just a few button presses or using the Spinn app, and drinks can be easily prepared in minutes.
Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this Bialetti Moka Pot. One of the most delicious and strong coffees is still prepared from it. It’s easy, quick, efficient and all done on the stovetop.
One of our employees rave about her Bialetti Moka Pot, saying it makes the best coffee and saves her $3,500 a year in coffee shop operating costs. We found it easy to use. Fill the base with water, insert the funnel and add coffee grounds. On the stove, as the water and steam heat up, the pressure pushes the water up and onto the coffee, and within minutes the coffee is ready. Just be careful, otherwise the coffee may burn. The result is a strong coffee similar to espresso, so if you prefer a more traditional coffee, you can make an Americano by adding hot water.
Moka coffee makers are available in a variety of sizes, with capacities ranging from 1 to 12 cups. Each size is relatively compact, making them ideal for those with little countertop or storage space. Unfortunately, it’s only hand washable without soap, but since it’s so small, rinsing it only takes a few minutes and only requires a deeper clean every now and then.
Our experts found this Miele espresso and coffee machine easy to set up and use. It has three bean containers, unlike most that only have one, so it can store dark roast, light roast, and decaf coffee – if you have a large family with different coffee flavors, this would be great. It has 22 preset drink preparation modes: from simple coffee to flat white and others. We tested settings for espresso, cappuccino and latte. The espresso was thicker but flavorful, the latte had a good balance of milk and espresso, and our tasters said the cappuccino tasted great.
It also has different brewing times for different teas such as white tea, green tea, herbal tea, etc. It is capable of brewing two drinks at the same time and you can program up to 10 custom profiles to customize your personal preferences.
We love that this machine cleans itself with a rinse cycle and has a large drip tray to catch water. However, this means that the drip tray must be emptied more often. We found that if we waited too long to empty the pan, the excess water could easily overflow. You won’t have to refill water frequently since the device has a 74-ounce water tank, one of the largest we’ve tested.
When we test coffee and espresso machines, we start by researching the best machines sold in stores and online, looking at bestsellers, popular brands and new models.
For drip coffee makers, we use a device that continuously measures the water temperature throughout the entire cycle. We also measure the temperature of the first cup of freshly brewed coffee and record the initial temperature. We also recorded the temperature at various times over a two-hour period to check any keep warm settings. Each coffee machine was also rated for ease of use, including ease of programming, accessing the brew basket, reading the control panel, filling the water reservoir, and cleaning. We noticed if it has a keep warm option and an auto shut off feature. We also check the operating instructions for clarity and completeness.
When it comes to espresso machines, we rate them on ease of use, brewing time, consistency, temperature, and noise level. Oil quality is also a concern. If the machine had a milk frother, we tested it on skim, whole and oat milk. Finally, for coffee and espresso machines, we have a team of tasters who taste a cup of fresh coffee or espresso and rate it based on taste.
✔️ COFFEE TYPE: When choosing a coffee and espresso combo machine, choose the type that best suits your preferences: ground coffee, whole beans or coffee capsules. Pre-ground coffee allows you to skip the grinding step, but it is not as fresh as grinding whole beans before brewing. Some machines have a built-in coffee grinder, so you can load whole beans into a cup and grind them fresh.
✔️ Manual or automatic. The biggest difference between manual and automatic machines is how much work goes into making coffee or espresso. Manual machines require the most effort and require you to carry out many of the steps in making coffee or espresso yourself. On the other hand, fully automated machines create cafe-style drinks at the touch of a button. There are also intermediary machines that automate parts of the process. For example, they can grind beans but not froth milk. ✔️ Space: Check if there is enough counter space and free space under cabinets to accommodate the machine.
✔️ WATER TANK CAPACITY: Choose a larger water tank if many family members use the machine or you want to fill it less often. Smaller containers take up less space and allow you to change the water more frequently to ensure fresh water.
Nicole Papantoniou is the Director of the Kitchen Appliances Laboratory and oversees all testing related to food and drink equipment, including drip coffee makers. She has tested many coffee machines over the years and continues to test different machines every day.
Jamie Kim’s first job at the Good Housekeeping Institute was testing various consumer products, and her first test was a drip coffee maker. Since then, she has tested and written about many kitchen and cooking tools, particularly drip and espresso machines, as well as coffee accessories. She is a passionate coffee lover and has completed rigorous SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) training in coffee preparation, barista skills and sensory tasting.
Jamie Kim is a consumer products expert with over 17 years of product design and manufacturing experience. She has held leadership positions at mid-sized consumer products companies and one of the world’s best-known and largest apparel brands. Jamie is involved in a number of GH Institute labs including kitchen appliances, media and technology, textiles and home appliances. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, traveling and playing sports.
Nicole (she/her) is the Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing for kitchen and kitchen appliances, tools, and equipment since 2019. She is an accomplished food tester and recipe creator specializing in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.
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Post time: Sep-23-2023