The Ultimate Guide to Brewing the Best Coffee at Home
There is so much more to creating the perfect brew at home than discovering a blend you love. Here, our coffee experts take you on a journey to find exactly the right type of coffee maker to suit your taste and tell you how to get the most from it, so that you can add 'home barista' to your list of credentials
Not sure where to start on your journey to delicious coffee at home? Let me guide you through everything you need to start making barista-level coffee in your own kitchen.
We start with the right kit. If you are here for a real crowd pleaser, large brews, affordability, and easy mornings, you probably want the best drip coffee maker, which is what most of us look for when we search for a coffee maker.
However, there are many more options if you are looking to take your coffee-making up a notch, whether with silky long drinks or punchy espresso.
If you're not sure which coffee maker type to buy, check out our guide to choosing the best coffee maker for you, then find out how to get the most from it with our advice on making standard brews or the latest coffee recipes. Or simply scroll on for freshly-brewed inspiration.
I trained in cookery at Leiths School of Food & Wine and was previously Recipe Editor for Mindful Chef, so I am always looking for ways to create gastronomic experiences at home. Now, as our resident coffee expert, I have broadened my love of food to include our favorite hot beverages. My coffee of choice is a frothy, Italian cappuccino, but I have learned to master all kinds of brews while touring roasteries, shadowing professional baristas, and attending classes at Illy's University of Coffee. When I'm not testing coffee makers, grinders and milk frothers, I am scouting out the best coffee shops and putting their recipes to the test at home.
Which is the right coffee maker for you?
First time you've bought a coffee maker? As I mentioned above, it'll be more than worth reading our guide to choosing the best coffee maker for you before you buy.
But if you've nailed your favorite coffee machine type, these are our top picks, below.
It is the best-selling type of coffee maker in the US for good reason – simply spoon in your grounds, fill the water reservoir and fresh coffee is a button-press away. With programmable and set-and-forget options to choose from, we round up our favorites for every budget.
This one is for those who like their coffee strong, hot and reminiscent of mornings in an Italian piazza. Our testing has put hundreds of machines through their paces to compare what you get for every price point, and see how good they are for home use.
Plastics are not only a blight to our planet, but can impair the taste of a good cup of coffee too. That is one of the many reasons we have sourced and tested the best coffee makers made from low-toxin materials for a cleaner, tastier brew.
Shop the top 3 coffee makers we recommend today
No time to search any further? These are our top rated models from the most popular categories for you to shop right away.
This makes simply delicious coffee. Whether you want a single serving or enough for eight, the OXO delivers flavorful filter coffee in a matter of minutes. It's small, sleek, and easy to use. All our product testers loved it.
Read our Oxo 8-Cup Brew Coffee Maker review
The Breville Barista Pro is everything you need in an espresso machine. It’s the perfect balance of hands-on and automated. Our tester is an ex-barista, and she says it's the best espresso machine she's ever tested.
Read our Breville Barista Pro review
Pod coffee doesn't score top marks for flavor, but it will for speed. This can make tasty, black coffee in seconds. You can get a milk frother in one of Nespresso's bundles if you want lattes, and there are flavored Vertuo pods, too.
Read our Nespresso Vertuo Next review
Now, let's get brewing. Here's how to make the best coffee everyday
Our easy-to-follow guide will have you making delicious espresso, latte and French press at home in no time. We share baristas' tips and tricks for making lots of different types of coffee.
It is so much easier to make a beautiful coffee, when you have everything you need, close to hand. Here are our must-haves for a stylish and smooth-running setup.
The best coffee isn't possible if your machine is not well-kept. Read about how to clean and protect your coffee maker to make sure you get the most from every brew.
That's all you really need to know to turn your kitchen into your friends' favorite coffee spot, but scroll on for more. Here you can find the latest deals on top-branded coffee makers; fun new recipes to try; and our most recent appliance reviews.
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