Start by choosing the coffee system you are prepared to buy for and maintain each week: capsules for instant preparation, soft pods for straightforward coffee, a portafilter so you can dose your own ground coffee, or a grinder for using whole beans. Portafilter machines and grinders involve more steps, cleaning or space, while capsules and pods make preparation easier but tie you to their consumables.
You mainly prepare a short or long coffee without adjusting settings, want to keep the footprint to a minimum and prefer pre-dosed consumables. Capsules suit this scenario if you are happy with the ongoing cost and regular descaling.
You drink coffee regularly and are happy to weigh or adjust the dose, clear away the coffee grounds and compare coffee prices per kilogram. A portafilter or grinder lets you use ground coffee or whole beans, depending on your routine.
You prefer freshly ground beans or more manual control rather than maximum simplicity. A grinder automates preparation but requires the containers to be cleaned and alerts to be monitored; a portafilter involves more steps for every coffee.
UFC-Que Choisir identifies four types of machine: capsules, soft pods, portafilter and bean-to-cup grinders. Start with the coffee you want to prepare, then check the space, consumables and maintenance your household will realistically accept every day.
| Priority | What to check | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of preparation | Compare pre-dosed capsules or pods with the dosing and cleaning required by a portafilter. Check the available volumes, along with the capacity of the water tank and waste container. | I want to prepare my daily coffee without weighing, tamping or emptying a portafilter after every drink. |
| Consumables | Compare the price per capsule or pod with the price per kilogram for ground coffee or whole beans. Add the machine, water, energy, filters, descaler and wastage separately to your own calculation. | I want to compare the cost of coffee per drink using my actual dose, rather than assuming that one system is always cheaper. |
| Maintenance | Check the descaling light or programme, and access to the coffee-grounds container, drip tray and brewing unit where the model has one. Follow the frequency stated in the manual, which also depends on the water and how the machine is used. | The cleaning routine and time needed for descaling must remain realistic for my daily coffees. |
| Capsule waste | Identify the capsule material and check your local recycling instructions. ADEME states that aluminium or plastic capsules go in the paper and packaging recycling stream in France. | If I choose capsules, I want to know how to dispose of used capsules in my local area. |
The result depends on the coffee you choose, the dose, the number of drinks, promotions, maintenance and the model. The cost of coffee per cup therefore does not represent the total cost of ownership.
Calculate your annual consumption based on the actual number of drinks you make each day and the cost per portion, then add the machine and maintenance products separately.
Limescale can affect flow, temperature and pressure. UFC-Que Choisir recommends regular maintenance, while the frequency depends on the water and how intensively the machine is used.
Before buying, check the descaling programme and how long the procedure takes. Then follow your model’s manual and the appliance’s alerts.
Grinders require the coffee-grounds container and drip tray to be rinsed and, depending on the model, the brewing unit too. With a portafilter, you also need to dose the coffee, knock out the grounds and clean up after extraction.
If you mainly want instant preparation with minimal effort, compare capsules and pods first. Choose a grinder or portafilter if you are happy with the associated routine.
Instructions vary depending on the capsule material and the collection or composting facilities available locally.
Check the material of the consumable and follow your local recycling instructions before choosing a capsule system.
A capsule-machine ecosystem suited to households that prioritise a compact format and pre-dosed espresso or lungo drinks.
A soft-pod system for households looking for simple preparation of short or long coffee, with models for one or two cups.
A range that includes manual portafilters and automatic bean-to-cup machines, making it useful for comparing manual and automated preparation.
Joybuy options for daily coffee at home, including automatic machines with grinders and capsule machines for households that prioritise simplicity or using whole beans.
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For households wanting to prepare coffee from whole beans with adjustable grind, strength and volume settings.
Advertised features include a 1,8 L tank, 275 g bean container, 12 grind settings and two-cup preparation. Check the space required: 246 × 371 × 433 mm. The AquaClean filter is compatible but not included.
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For short coffees, coffee and milk-based drinks at home, with an integrated grinder and advertised one-touch selection.
Advertised features include a 1,8 L tank, 250 g hopper, 13 grind settings and a grounds container holding 14 cups. Measure your worktop: 240 × 440 × 360 mm. Clean the milk system after preparing milk-based drinks.
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For households that alternate between short and long coffees made from whole beans while wanting to customise the settings.
Advertised features include four direct recipes, a grinder with 13 levels, a 1,8 L tank, 250 g hopper and a grounds container holding 14 cups. Advertised dimensions: 240 × 440 × 360 mm. The steam wand must be cleaned after use.
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For a small kitchen and pre-dosed espresso or lungo, with simple controls.
Advertised dimensions are 8,4 × 33 × 20,4 cm, with a removable 0,6 L tank, a stated 25-second heat-up time and programmable Espresso 40 ml and Lungo 110 ml volumes. Check the availability of compatible Nespresso Original capsules.
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For switching between espresso and longer coffees without manual dosing, with advertised one-button operation.
Five advertised drink sizes, from 25 to 230 ml, with a 0,6 L tank and a container holding eight capsules. Advertised dimensions: 136 × 426 × 250 mm. Check compatible Vertuo capsules and how they can be recycled.
Follow the model’s manual and its indicator light, where available. Nespresso recommends descaling every three months or after around 300 capsules, more frequently if the water is hard. Philips recommends descaling Senseo machines every three months; models with a CALC light indicate maintenance according to their programmed cycle.
Yes. As well as descaling, you need to rinse the coffee-grounds container and drip tray regularly and, depending on the model, clean the brewing unit or brewing chamber. UFC-Que Choisir also states that machines with grinders are bulkier and noisier than capsule systems.
Compare the cost of coffee portions, the machine price and maintenance separately. For ground coffee or whole beans, apply the price per kilogram to the dose you actually use; for capsules and pods, compare the pack price with the number of portions. Then add filters, descaler, water, energy and wastage according to how you use the machine.
ADEME states that aluminium or plastic capsules should be placed in the paper and packaging recycling bin, bag or container. Paper capsules can only be composted where a suitable local solution is available.