The best coffee makers take all of the fuss out of coffee, these machines can make a crema-topped espresso and aromatic cappuccino at the touch of a button.
Quick Menu
1. Best overall coffee maker
2. Best drip coffee maker
3. Best retro coffee maker
4. Best value coffee maker
5. Best French Press
6. Best programmable coffee maker
7. Best single serve coffee maker
8. Best automatic coffee maker
9. Best looking coffee maker
10. Best smart coffee maker
11. Best for cappuccino
Our team of coffee experts have tested the market-leading coffee makers to help you find the best for your home. We take them to our specialist test kitchen and use them in our homes, where we make sure to use and review all the features that each coffee maker has to offer. As a barista, I want them to be slick, quick, and as quiet as possible. More importantly, they need to make consistently café quality coffee.
We have been careful to feature machines of all shapes, sizes, and prices, but if you know exactly what type of coffee machine you're looking for, we also have more curated guides, including one for the best espresso machines if you're looking for authentic, barista-style coffee at home. If not, scroll on for everything from a push-button Nespresso maker to a 12-cup maker from Breville.
The best coffee makers of 2023
You can trust Homes & Gardens. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing the latest products, helping you choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Best overall
If you're after some coffee luxury, at the touch of a button, this is your perfect match. The LatteGo is a truly premium coffee maker, with the ability to make effortless, automatic barista-worthy brews. We loved the LatteGo milk frothing system, which has markings to show you how much milk to add for different types of coffee and froths the milk perfectly. This cuts down on waste, and you can put it through the dishwasher to keep it perfectly clean.
It's modern and understated, and while no bean-to-cup machine is small, this one is easy enough to store. It sits perfectly under cabinets with some extra clearance that makes it easy to top up on coffee beans. As with most bean to cup machines, this can get a little noisy when quiet. It's a worthy compromise for high-quality coffee.
Our Philips 3200 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine review has more information.
Best drip coffee maker
With its 8-cup coffee maker, OXO forgoes complicated settings, and instead focuses solely on the coffee. It still is one of a handful of home coffee makers that meet the Specialty Coffee Association's Golden Cup Standard and can brew a whole pot in less than six minutes.
The brewing process is extraordinarily simple, just indicate brew size and power on, and you'll have one of the best cups of drip coffee you've ever tasted. And if you want just a single cup, OXO incorporates an attachment that makes it simple to make single-serve coffee without pods. Once brewing is complete, OXO nixes the hot plate for a leak-proof double-wall, vacuum-insulated thermal carafe that keeps your coffee's temperature for hours.
Unlike other drip coffee makers, the OXO isn't programmable or customizable, so you'll have to manually adjust your coffee strength and keep an eye on the machine. The water tank isn't removable either, so it's tricky to clean.
Best retro coffee maker
This Dutch-made coffee maker is certainly easy on the eyes, with a large and striking build that puts function first. It's available in a selection of colors though, so you will be able to fit it into any kitchen design you wish. You'll find this coffee maker in our guide to the best drip coffee makers, where we noted that it's as close as you'll get to a pour-over coffee from a home machine.
The Moccamaster has a cone-shaped coffee filter to allow a full flavor profile to develop when you brew. It has a shower-style pour-over design that automatically works, and takes only a minute to come to the right temperature. This uses copper brewing technology to reach 196°F - 205°F, the ideal temperature range for the full extraction of ground coffee. We found that the entire process took around four minutes, and was whisper-quiet throughout.
For the price, this machine has pretty basic functions, making it feel quite expensive. However, what it lacks in a multitude of extra features, it more-than makes up for with smooth and speedy brewing, and a quality design that is backed by a five year warranty.
Our Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select review has more details.
Best value
De'Longhi's All In One Combination Coffee Maker does exactly what it says. With attachments for filter coffee and a portafilter for barista-style shots, you can make a range of different coffees from one machine. Even better, you can accomplish both at the same time. You can also use the steam wand to froth milk too. Recent additions to the latest edition include a digital touchscreen control, a Bold brew setting, an updated front-loading water tank, and a spillproof glass carafe. It's excellent value.
The trade-off for three machines in one is that this machine takes up a lot of countertop real estate. We think that it's worth making room for.
Our De’Longhi All-in-One Combination Coffee Maker and Espresso Machine review has more information.
Best French Press
For those all about exploring craft brewing methods, the Espro P7 makes a delicious cup of coffee, including cold brew, and is truly one of the most luxurious French Presses you can buy. With expert attention to detail, ESPRO's unique brewing system uses a two-stage filter with an extra tight seal that will leave you with a smooth sipping experience, you may have thought you're drinking pour-over.
The durable stainless steel body is shatterproof and can also keep beverages hot for longer periods of time, compared to glass. The brewing vessel is hefty, yet sturdy, with a handle that is comfortable to pour from, and a spout that doesn't dribble.
The tight seal is great for keeping your coffee well-filtered, but makes it difficult to pull the plunger out when you want to clean it. It's also more expensive than other French presses. However, compared to espresso machines, it's much more affordable.
Best programmable coffee maker
If you'll need to make lots of coffee at once, drip through machines are really useful. Breville's Precision Thermal Brewer offers coffee lovers the opportunity to experiment with their filter coffee. It has six pre-set brewing modes, including Strong, Gold (meets SCA requirements for a Golden Cup Standard), Fast, Over Ice, and Cold Brew, but the real magic is you can even customize (and save) settings for temperature, bloom speed, and flow rate. In addition, the thermal carafe keeps the coffee hot for a longer time.
Drip coffee makers almost never have milk frothing capabilities. If you tend to drink Americanos, or simple coffees, that won't be a problem, but if you're looking for cappuccinos, you're better off with an automatic machine or a separate milk frother.
Our Breville Precision Brewer Thermal Coffee Maker review has more information.
Best single-serve coffee maker
Nespresso remains one of the best pod coffee brands, with 16 standard coffee blends and dozens of specialty recipes, plus the countless third-party pods now available. Nespresso's latest iteration of its Vertuo line is made from sustainable materials and is slimmer, with more coffee options than ever. That's why it takes the top spot in our best single-serve coffee makers guide.
The one-touch brewing technology is how the machine is able to scan a capsule-specific barcode to deliver the optimal in-cup, taking into account cup size, pressure, brewing time, and temperature. Rather than utilizing bar pump pressure, the Nespresso Vertuo uses a Centrifusion brewing system to extract its flavor. Together, this technology helps develop a perfect, silky crema.
It's worth noting that the 37oz. water tank capacity is enough to get you through a few espressos before having to refill, but the pod capacity is 8, which is less than most Vertuo models.
Our Nespresso Vertuo Next review has more details.
Best automatic coffee maker
It would be quicker to list what we didn't love. This coffee maker can make 10 different coffee beverages at the press of a button. The LCD display screen is ultra-responsive and easy to use. Our head of reviews, Millie, was impressed with her coffees. She marvelled that they were 'never sour, never bitter, always quietly ground and luxuriously poured into my mug'. It's a really premium model.
The ENA 8 has a slightly smaller footprint than other Jura machines, making it more friendly for home use without compromising on any features. You can use beans or pre-ground coffee. The milk frother feature incorporates a tube design that can be dipped into a glass of milk or a Jura milk jug (sold separately) that then froths directly into your mug.
When you pay premium prices, you don't expect to need to purchase any extras. However, if you want the milk jug, which you probably do, you'll need to buy it separately. Aside from that, the bean container could be a little bigger, but it didn't limit our coffee capacity.
Our full Jura ENA 8 review goes into more detail.
Best looking coffee maker
The Café Affetto Automatic Espresso Machine is a treat to look at, with white, black or silver finishes and those bold rose gold accents that bring a uniquely modern take to the traditional espresso machine.
With a built-in grinder, the Café Affetto Automatic Espresso Machine has five different settings to allow you to adjust based on the specific beans. The controls are simply laid out on the top of the machine, with a pre-set mode for espresso, americano, steam, and hot water, as well as a custom 'my cup' setting that can be set up in the paired app.
Even though there are only five beverage choices, note that espresso should be made with much more finely ground beans than pour-over coffee. Limiting you to five settings makes sense for the range of ground sizes you could need to make espresso in this machine. If you want to adjust temperatures, you'll have to go on the app, which is a bit of a hassle if you prefer machine controls.
Our Café Affetto Automatic Espresso Machine review has more details.
Best smart coffee maker
The Morning machine is a dream to use. It's relatively quiet and compact, so is a good option if you're short on space. It's a single-serve machine with 10 presets, but you can also precisely tailor the length and temperature of your coffee to the exact degree you want. You can buy your pod top-ups through the app, where you can find out more detail about where your pods have come from and how they should be drunk..
When it comes to the coffee, our tester Alex found that 'compared to the mediocre coffee from other, cheaper machines, the short black espresso produced by the Morning was simply in a different league'. No matter the pods you use, you'll get delicious coffee out of this machine. While we love the modern Scandi look, it might be too space-age in country kitchens. It's also quite expensive too.
Alex's full Morning Coffee Machine review has more detail.
Best for cappuccino
We trust De'Longhi to make quality, luxurious appliances and this is no exception. Although this is one of the more expensive bean-to-cup machines, De'Longhi don't hold back on extras. They provide an integrated, easy-to-use milk frother and filters for your water reservoir.
Navigating the touchscreen was really simple and the Dinamica can make 16 coffees completely on its own. If you want more milk, or a stronger brew, you can manually adjust and save personal settings, which your coffee maker will remember and recreate every time. Once we were finished, cleaning the machine was easy too.
Even though, this has a higher upfront cost, but we think it's worth it. The only issue is how big and heavy the coffee maker is; you'll need to clear some room and work on your muscles to get it in place.
Our verdict
For every different style of coffee, there's a different machine. The French press is a really good place to start if you're looking for quality coffee at home. These tend to be low-cost, so you can test out the coffee-waters before committing to any bigger purchases. If you have a big household, drip coffee machines are really useful, but it's hard to get fancy and frothy milk with these. Once you know that coffee machines are your kitchen staple, it's well worth investing in an automatic coffee maker. Even better, and closer to my barista-heart, you can buy in an espresso machine for the ultimate coffee experience.
How we test
We put a lot of thought into how we test the best coffee makers before featuring them in our guide and have included a range of coffee makers from top brands like Breville, Nespresso and Technivorm to make sure that there is a coffee maker for everyone in our roundup.
We always test an espresso, Americano, and cappuccino, if possible. This will help us to understand the range that each coffee maker has. However, if a coffee machine claims to make sixteen different types, we will test them all and add them to the 'special features section'. We make sure to use the same coffee beans in each test, so that we can compare how well the flavors and aromas of the coffee has been extracted. If a machine can froth milk, we will test non-dairy milks too, as these can be temperamental.
Our experts are either trained or are training as specialist Customer Advisors, which means that they'll have experience across the coffee industry, from manufacturing to customer-facing roles. You can also click through to read more thorough reviews of coffee makers, including how easy they are to set up, our thoughts on the user experience, and that all-important cleaning process.
Meet The Experts
Laura is our eCommerce editor. Before Homes & Gardens she studied English at Oxford University. Alongside her studies, she qualified as a barista and trained as a master perfumer. This makes her our certified expert for all things coffee, candles, and fragrance. Laura has worked for luxury retail brands, reinforcing the importance of quality and style over quantity and fads. She looks for products which have been designed with thoughtful finishes. The secret to her heart is simplicity in products, in style and, of course, in your homes and gardens.
Millie Fender is Head of Reviews on the Homes and Gardens Ecommerce team. She specializes in cooking appliances like the best coffee makers, and also reviews outdoor grills and pizza ovens.
Alex is Head of eCommerce at Homes & Gardens. He has several years' experience as a product tester in the homes and gardening industries, especially with kitchen appliances like coffee makers.
Jaclyn was H&G's eCommerce editor where she tested a range of coffee makers and small kitchen appliances. She knows what good looks like, so we really trust her thorough reviews.
FAQs
What type of coffee maker should I choose?
There are a number of factors to consider before you buy a coffee maker. Different coffee drinkers will be better suit different machines. A large household might like batch-brew drip coffee, whereas specialist coffee drinkers might prefer espresso machines.
Bean to cup
A comprehensive bean-to-cup model will grind fresh beans for a single serving. You’ll notice the difference in flavor, trust us, These are very hands-off, but they tend to be more expensive.
Espresso machine
These are the machines that baristas use. They’ll require more precision and control, but the results will be top-quality.
Drip coffee
If you prefer classic filter coffee over espressos and lattes these machines will make fresh coffee and keep it warm without any fuss.
Pod machines
These are really useful, mess-free options for convenient, quick coffee. They create more waste than a bag of coffee beans would, but there are reusable pod alternatives.
Pour-over
If you want an option that is easy to store and noise free, pour over machines are a fantastic option. Buying filter paper is an ongoing cost, but it’s cheaper than a drip coffee machine, with similar results.
French press
This classic method is coming back into style. We have a guide on how to use a French press. It’s quiet, easy to store, and you can use your French press for more than just coffee.
What should I consider before buying a coffee maker?
Before jumping in to a specific model, it's worth considering some big-picture coffee questions. Look at your house and lifestyle and that will help you decide which coffee maker would fit neatly into your home.
Size
Some machines are smaller than others, just as some are designed to be displayed rather than stored away. Generally, espresso machines and bean-to-cup machines are heavy. This means that you’ll need lots of countertop space to accommodate them. The French press or pour over coffee makers are much more drawer and cupboard friendly.
Grinder
Bean to cup machines will have integrated grinders, but if you want to use fresh coffee, you’ll also want to consider a grinder. Pre-ground coffee can degrade quickly, so if you’re after fresh flavors, it’s a worthwhile investment.
Waste
Some of these machines will only produce coffee grounds as waste. You can use these in the garden as fertilizer or put them in with food waste. However, if you don’t have reusable pods, or a reusable filter, it’s likely that you’ll be creating waste with your pod and pour-over machines.
Noise
If you’re an early rise and morning coffee drinker, you’ll be very conscious of noise. Grinding and brewing can be very loud with some of the more substantial machines. We always include a comment and measurement of noise so that you’ll know what to expect. French press and pour over coffee makers don’t use grinders, so they’re really quiet. The high pressure in espresso machines and grinders in bean to cup machines can be a little less forgiving.
Cleaning
Some of these machines will be easier to clean than others. French press and pour over machines can either go in the dishwasher or the sink, whereas an espresso machine or coffee maker will need more care and attention. This is another factor that you’ll want to consider before buying a coffee maker.
Do I need a grinder?
If your machine isn't a bean to cup machine, you'll need to buy coffee grounds. As soon as a bean has been ground, it will start to degrade. If you are buying your grounds from the store, it's likely that these will have been ground weeks, if not months ago. For fresh coffee, we would recommend investing in a top-quality grinder, some good beans, and grinding them yourself. Make sure to keep your beans or left-over grounds in an airtight container, in a cool dark space.
How much should a coffee maker cost?
We’ve found excellent coffee machines costing anywhere from $100 and $3000, but as a general rule, the more you spend the better the machine will be, especially in terms of longevity, quality of parts – especially if it has a built-in grinder – and ease of cleaning. However, our barista tested a $6,000 machine and, although it was nice, she felt that you could have a much better machine for much less money.
Pod coffee machines are generally quite affordable, but the pods themselves tend to cost more per serving than using typical grinds.
If you want to make quality coffee at home, we think you should aim to spend at least $200, but given how much a flat white in a café costs, your machine could easily pay for itself in just a few months.
If you love real coffee, you’re going to need a quality coffee machine. If you love instant coffee or tea all you need is a spoon and a kettle, but for specialty coffees with Barista flair, a model that has a high-pressure boiler that can extract espresso with a lovely crema layer on top is a must.
Bean-to-cup designs offer the freshest brews. By grinding exactly the right amount of beans for your chosen drink you’ll extract more flavor from your favorite roasts.
What is the best coffee maker?
For those looking for a customizable cup of coffee, the Breville Precision Brewer is a beautiful machine with six brewing modes, including Strong, Gold (meets SCA requirements for a Golden Cup Standard), Fast, Over Ice, and Cold Brew, plus the ability to tinker with settings for temperature, bloom speed, and flow rate.
For the perfect cup of coffee every time, machines like the OXO Brew 8 Cup and the Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select pre-set to deliver consistent results every single time. OXO's version utilizes a thermal carafe and comes with an attachment to brew 1-4 cups as opposed to a whole carafe while Moccamaster with its striking design and numerous color options uses a glass design and hot plate that shuts off automatically after 100 minutes.
Which coffee machine can make the hottest coffee?
According to the Specialty Coffee Association, the optimal temperature for brewing a great cup of coffee is 197.6ºF – 204.8 ºF, while most coffee makers will brew a range of 195ºF- 205ºF. The machines approved by the SCA, many of which feature on our list, would fall within that optimal range.
Coffee brewed at too high of a temperature runs the risk of losing some of its flavors and tasting bitter or burned, just as coffee that is not hot enough comes out watery and weak.
For those that want extra hot coffee, look for machines that offer the ability to change settings and vary temperatures, such as the Philips 3200 Series or the Breville Precision Coffee Maker, while machines like the OXO Brew 8 Cup and the Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Selectare designed to deliver the best tasting cup of coffee and are optimized to do so within the ranges set by the SCA.
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