If coffees are made just minutes apart in your household, first decide whether you want to make one shared pot or prepare individual cups. A filter coffee maker works if several people are happy with the same coffee; pods make it easier to switch between different tastes, while a machine with a grinder can offer more settings but will need regular maintenance. If a ‘two-cup’ function matters to you, check which drinks it covers: it may be limited to espresso.
Two or more people make coffee within a short space of time. A filter coffee maker can serve the same coffee to several people; some machines make two cups at once, as noted by Gifam and Philips for the relevant models.
Users may not always want the same cup size, coffee or recipe. The type of consumables and the settings on the specific model matter just as much as its ability to make drinks one after another.
Rinsing, cleaning milk components, emptying trays and descaling all need to fit into your shared routine. Automatic functions don’t mean you can skip these tasks.
To choose a coffee machine for a shared household, decide whether you’ll mainly be making one pot of coffee to share or separate drinks for each person. Then consider the wait between cups, which formats the machine accepts and which tasks everyone will need to take care of.
Choose this if: several people are happy to share coffee from the same carafe.
Bear in mind: making one shared pot doesn’t let you customise each cup.
Choose this if: everyone wants to pick a drink from the options compatible with the machine.
Bear in mind: the system you choose determines which consumables you’ll need to buy and dispose of after use.
Choose this if: your household wants to choose its own ground coffee and is happy to prepare it manually.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to measure out the coffee and clean the accessories between drinks.
Choose this if: users want coffee beans and settings or recipes tailored to their preferences, depending on the model.
Bear in mind: the grinder and any milk components add to the upkeep.
| Consideration | What to check | What matters to shoppers? |
|---|---|---|
| Wait between coffees | Number of cups made per cycle and which drinks are compatible with any two-cup function. | When two coffees are wanted almost at the same time, I want to avoid making everyone wait their turn; around 33% of shoppers would make this a priority. |
| Tastes and formats | Capsule or pod system, drink sizes and settings that can be saved on the model. | If we have different preferences, I want everyone to be able to make the drink they want without imposing the same choice on others; around 27% of shoppers would prioritise this flexibility. |
| Maintenance and consumables | Components to clean, descaling instructions and how to dispose of used consumables. | In a household where the machine is used often, I want regular tasks to be easy to share; this would be a priority for around 20% of shoppers. |
| Space and access | Dimensions, clearance needed to fill the water tank and access to the trays. | If we share a worktop, I need to be able to install, fill and use the machine without moving other items; around 20% of shoppers would prioritise this. |
The function depends on the drink and the model. De’Longhi, for example, specifies that the two-cup function on the Magnifica Start is for espresso, so it won’t meet a request for two milk-based drinks at once.
Check the manual for the model you’re considering to see which drinks can be made two at a time.
Different systems don’t necessarily accept the same capsules. You’ll also need to decide what your household will do with used capsules.
Check which products each user wants and the sorting instructions for the material they’re made from.
Capsules and pods are an ongoing expense.
A machine with a grinder or milk drinks will still need cleaning and descaling. In a shared household, these tasks can easily be put off if no one takes responsibility.
Before buying, read the manual and agree who will empty the trays and clean the parts after use.
Allow time for cleaning, as well as for any filters or cleaning products specified for your chosen model.
According to the French Ministry of the Economy, in France, the statutory guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to a consumer. Any commercial warranty offered does not replace it.
Keep your proof of purchase and the product description, and check the terms of any commercial warranty separately.
Worth considering if your household wants SENSEO pods or, with the Switch, the option to alternate between pods and filter coffee.
Worth considering if you’re looking for a bean-to-cup machine with recipes and settings to suit different users.
Worth considering if several people want to share a pot of filter coffee.
Worth considering if your household is happy to use a capsule system and choose its drink sizes accordingly.
These models include a filter coffee maker for making a shared pot and machines for households that want to prepare individual coffees. Compare how each one works with your household’s habits, and don’t assume that they all make drinks simultaneously just because they’re featured here.
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Worth considering if several people want to make espressos within a short space of time. Check which drinks can be served two at a time, along with the dimensions and maintenance tasks to suit your household.
Set includes two DLSC310 espresso glasses.
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Worth considering if several people are happy to share the same filter coffee. Check how much coffee it makes per cycle and how much worktop space it needs: the tank capacity alone doesn’t tell you the carafe capacity.
Advertised power output of 600 W; advertised keep-warm function for 30 minutes.
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Worth considering if users want to switch between espresso and filter coffee with a single machine. Before relying on it for shared use, check how much it makes per cycle, whether it has a two-cup function and its dimensions.
2-in-1 model with built-in grinder. Check the milk-frothing system configuration for the appliance you choose.
Not necessarily: you’ll need to check the function for each recipe on the model in question. De’Longhi specifies that the two-cup mode on the Magnifica Start is limited to espresso, so having two outlets doesn’t mean it can make two different milk-based drinks at once.
According to ADEME, aluminium or plastic capsules should go in the recycling collection for paper and packaging. Paper capsules can be composted at home or put in a local food-waste collection scheme, where available.
Follow the maintenance steps and alerts in the model’s manual, then share the tasks between users. De’Longhi recommends keeping its machines clean and descaled, and suggests a service every one or two years depending on how often the machine is used. This is the brand’s recommendation and doesn’t replace the instructions for your appliance.
No. According to the French Ministry of the Economy, in France, the statutory guarantee of conformity applies in particular to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to a consumer. Keep your proof of purchase and the product description so you can report a machine that doesn’t match its description to the seller; check the terms of any commercial warranty separately.