A Coffee Machine Buying Guide

There is a diverse assortment of coffee machines available on the market from many manufactures with an amazing variation in price. If you are looking to buy a coffee machine, think about the kind of coffee you would like to make and drink and how often you plan to use the machine.

Filter Coffee Machines

Filter coffee machines work by cold water being poured into the water reservoir which is then heated to boiling point and drips through the loose ground coffee and filter into the jug below. The jugs are either made of glass and sit on a hot plate or are vacuum flasks.

A basic filter coffee maker; the Delonghi ICM2B retails for around £19. It makes a maximum of 10 cups of coffee at any one time and saves you money by including a permanent coffee filter to eradicate the need of using the disposable filters.

The Siemens TC911P2GB is a top of the range filter coffee maker which retails for around £145. Making a maximum of 8 cups at any one time it includes a vacuum flask to keep the coffee hotter for longer and prevents the coffee tasting stewed. It also includes an aroma retaining lid enabling the coffee to be poured without fully opening the lid and preventing the loss of flavour or heat. Beautifully styled and engineered by F.A. Porsche this coffee machine is finished in brushed steel.

Espresso Coffee Machines

Espresso coffee makers work by either pump or steam and therefore bar pressure is an important factor - the higher the pressure the better the coffee. Pump machines produce a better quality, nicer tasting drink and therefore tend to be more expensive; however there is still a variation in prices between the different models. Only the pump machines are able to produce a Crema.

The Magimix 11259 retails at around £120. With 19 bars of pressure the Magimix uses the increasingly popular Nespresso capsules and innovative technology to ensure a higher quality cup of coffee every time. It can make 20 cups of espresso and includes an aeroccino ideal for making cappuccinos and lattes.

Retailing at around £365 the Francis Francis XI has a lovely unique retro finish it is available in light blue, almond, red and black. With 15 bars of pressure it makes a maximum of 50 cups of espresso and includes a milk frothing arm for making cappuccinos. For optimum versatility this machine can either take freshly ground coffee or espresso pod coffee.

Combination Coffee Machines

Combination coffee makers are able to brew a traditional pot of coffee as well as make espressos and cappuccinos. These units are normally slightly larger and more expensive than a single use machines.

The Morphy Richards 47010 retails at around £59. This machine produces a cup of coffee in 8 minutes using fresh loose ground coffee only. To suit all tastes you can manually customise the strength of your drink. The milk frothing arm uses fresh milk from the carafe to make cappuccinos and lattes. The carafe can be cleaned at the touch of a button and stored in the fridge when not in use.

A bean to cup coffee machine - the Krups XP2000 retails at around £137 but it also includes a pod system for a no mess, no fuss easy coffee making option. The cost of making a cup of coffee with this machine varies between 8p and 26p. The 15 bars of pressure ensure that a quality cup of coffee can be made in less than 1 minute - with no fuss. A nice little extra is the cup warming tray - helping to keep your coffee warmer for longer.

There are a considerable number of coffee machines on the market so make sure that you identify the features and functionality that you consider most important early on. This will help you vastly reduce your shopping time.

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