If you want to make one cup at a time with minimal effort, consider a capsule or pod machine. If you’d like more control over the brewing process, look at portafilter machines; and if your household regularly uses coffee beans, compare bean-to-cup machines. When you’re serving several cups of filter coffee at once and espresso isn’t essential, a filter coffee maker is also worth considering. In every case, check the drinks on offer, consumables, available space and maintenance requirements.
If some people prefer a short espresso while others like a long coffee or a milky drink, compare the drinks and settings available on the specific model. A milk function is only useful if someone plans to use and clean it.
If you’re making cup after cup throughout the week, consider how easy it is to restock coffee, capsules or pods, as well as the steps involved in making each drink.
If you want to make a cup between tasks, straightforward controls and easy cleaning after use may matter more than the number of recipes on offer.
Start with the drinks you make most often and how many cups you serve at once. Then compare the steps involved, consumables and practical considerations for each system.
| Criteria | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Drinks | Check the cup sizes, recipes and settings available on the model. For milky drinks, distinguish between a manual steam wand and a milk system. | Our household enjoys everything from short to long coffees; I want to check which drinks everyone can actually make. |
| Number of cups | Check whether the machine makes one or two cups at a time, or a quantity of long coffee to share. A filter coffee maker won’t meet your needs if you want short espressos. | If several people want a long coffee at the same time, I’d rather look for a clearly stated capacity than make each cup separately. |
| Preparation | Compare inserting a capsule or pod, using a portafilter and automatically preparing coffee from beans. Check the controls on the specific model you’re considering. | I want to know whether our household prefers to be hands-on with the brewing process or to make a cup with fewer steps. |
| Consumables | Identify the exact format accepted by a capsule or pod machine, and check which options are available at the shops you usually use. For a portafilter or bean-to-cup machine, check which coffee you can use and what accessories you’ll need. | Before settling on a system, I want to make sure I can find the right consumables for the drinks we enjoy. |
| Space and noise | Measure the space available, including access to the water tank and grounds containers. Que Choisir reports that bean-to-cup machines take up more space and make more noise than capsule systems or filter coffee makers. | The machine will stay on the worktop, so its footprint and the noise it makes while brewing matter to us. |
| Maintenance and waste | Check the instructions for descaling and cleaning parts that come into contact with milk. In France, ADEME advises putting aluminium or plastic capsules in the recycling for paper and packaging. | I’m looking for maintenance tasks we can keep up with, and a recycling option that’s suitable for the consumables we choose. |
The coffees and drinks you can make depend on the capsule or pod format accepted by the model.
Check which products are compatible and make sure they suit the drinks your household enjoys.
A grinder and a milk system add parts and maintenance steps to your household routine.
Check the instructions for rinsing, cleaning parts that come into contact with milk and descaling. Que Choisir recommends descaling every two to three months on average, depending on water hardness and how often you use the machine.
Making one cup at a time can be inconvenient if several people are waiting for a long coffee at once.
Count how many cups you serve together. If espresso isn’t essential, look at the capacity and features of a filter coffee maker.
A brand to consider if you’re looking at making one cup at a time with capsules.
A range of machines that use soft coffee pods to make coffee on demand.
The brand offers manual portafilter machines and automatic bean-to-cup machines.
A brand to consider if you mainly need to make several cups of long coffee.
These models showcase three ways to make espresso at home: a bean grinder, capsules and a portafilter. First choose the system that suits your household, then compare the models in that category.
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This bean-to-cup espresso machine is designed for households that want to make coffee from beans. If several people plan to use LatteGo, check the drinks available and the cleaning steps in the instructions.
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This automatic bean-to-cup machine is described as offering six types of coffee and a milk system, making it worth considering if people in your household enjoy different drinks. Check the recipes available on this model and the milk system’s maintenance requirements in the instructions.
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This bean-to-cup espresso machine is worth considering if your household wants to make coffee from beans. For milky drinks, check the accessories and preparation steps available with this model.
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This capsule machine with an Aeroccino milk frother is designed for people who want to make individual cups and are considering drinks with milk froth. Before choosing the Vertuo system, check which capsules suit the drinks you enjoy and how to clean the frother.
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This portafilter machine is for people who want to be hands-on when making espresso. Check which filters and accessories are included, how much room you’ll need to use the portafilter, and the water tank capacity of the model you choose.
According to ADEME, aluminium or plastic capsules should go in the recycling bin, bag or container for paper and packaging. If you use another type of capsule, check the relevant recycling guidance.
Follow the cleaning instructions and descale the machine as appropriate for your water and how often you use it. Que Choisir recommends descaling every two to three months on average. Before choosing a bean-to-cup machine or milk system, also check which parts you’ll need to clean regularly.