If you regularly make several espressos, first decide how involved you want to be in the process and what type of coffee you’d like to use. A bean-to-cup machine or a portafilter gives you more choice over your coffee; capsules and pods make preparation easier, but you’ll need to check which portions are compatible. If your household mainly drinks long coffees served together, a filter coffee maker meets a different need from an espresso machine.
If you make several cups a day and don’t mind a few maintenance tasks, consider a bean-to-cup machine or a portafilter machine. The first automates preparation; the second requires you to handle the coffee each time you use it.
If you want to make the same portioned drinks with minimal effort, compare capsules and soft pods. Check which system the machine uses and how easy it is to find the portions you’ll need.
If you enjoy espressos, long coffees and milk-based drinks, check which recipes the machine actually offers and how to clean its milk system. If you mainly want to serve a pot of long coffee, consider a filter coffee maker too.
Start with the drink you make most often, then compare machines based on everyday effort, consumables and the space you have available. UFC-Que Choisir identifies four types of espresso machine; a filter coffee maker is also included here to help households that mainly drink long coffee choose the right option.
Worth considering: if you want to make a portioned espresso with minimal effort.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to keep your chosen system stocked with capsules and sort the packaging for recycling.
Worth considering: if you want a portioned drink without measuring out coffee by hand.
Bear in mind: your choice of drinks will depend on which pods are compatible with the machine.
Worth considering: if you want to choose your ground coffee and be involved in making your drink.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to fill, tamp and clean the portafilter. De'Longhi describes these steps for its manual machines.
Worth considering: if you regularly make espressos from beans without measuring out each cup by hand.
Bear in mind: the noise from grinding and the need to clean the containers and, depending on the model, the brew unit.
Worth considering: if several people mainly want to share long coffee made in one go.
Bear in mind: it won’t replace an espresso machine if espresso is what you’re after.
| What matters to you | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Making cup after cup | Water tank capacity and the steps needed between drinks; a two-cup function if that would be useful. | If several espressos need to be served one after another, I want to minimise refilling and handling. Around 27% of consumers prioritise this ease of serving. |
| Choosing your coffee | The formats the machine accepts and the availability of beans, ground coffee or compatible portions. | If I make coffee often, I want to be able to find my chosen format easily, without discovering after purchase that another type of portion won’t work. This freedom to choose what you buy comes first for around 33% of consumers. |
| Enjoying a variety of drinks | Available recipes and whether there’s a milk system, plus how it needs to be cleaned. | Whether it’s espressos, long coffees or milk-based drinks, I need the features my household will actually use. Around 20% of consumers say variety is their top priority. |
| Living with your machine | Dimensions and access to containers; maintenance, noise during preparation and sorting used portions for recycling. | If space or peace and quiet matters in my kitchen, I’d rather know about the everyday considerations before choosing. Maintenance, space, noise or waste is the priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Grinding, rinsing and accessing the containers all matter in an open-plan kitchen or on a narrow worktop. UFC-Que Choisir’s testing protocol for bean-to-cup espresso machines assesses noise during different stages of operation.
Measure the space you have in mind and check how to remove the tank and containers. If noise is a deciding factor, look for information about the machine while it’s making coffee, not just when it’s idle.
Limescale and residue mean you’ll need to carry out maintenance, which varies by machine and, where applicable, its milk system.
Read the manual before buying: check for alerts, removable parts and the descaling steps you’ll need to follow.
A filter coffee maker lets you serve long coffee, but it isn’t one of the four types of espresso machine identified by UFC-Que Choisir.
Choose a filter coffee maker if sharing long coffee is what matters most. If your household mainly wants several espressos, compare the four espresso systems instead.
A range of capsule machines for making portioned drinks.
A soft-pod system for making portioned drinks.
Bean-to-cup and portafilter ranges offer two distinct ways to make espresso.
Automatic bean-to-cup espresso machines, with maintenance information available for specific models.
Filter and bean-to-cup espresso ranges to consider based on the drink you make most often.
These models let you compare three ways to make espresso at home: bean-to-cup, portafilter and capsules. Compare their controls and everyday considerations with the way your household makes coffee.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for an espresso machine with a grinder and would also like to make milk-based drinks. Check how to clean the LatteGo system and how much space you’ll need to access the parts that require maintenance.
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An automatic bean-to-cup espresso machine to consider if you make coffee regularly. Before choosing a spot for it, check its dimensions, access to the containers and the maintenance required for this model.
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This bean-to-cup model is suited to households that prefer automated espresso preparation to using a manual portafilter. If you also plan to use ground coffee, check that this is possible with the ECAM220.21.WW model before choosing.
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Worth considering if you prefer a portafilter espresso machine and would like a steam wand. The product name mentions a pressure gauge and cup-warming tray; check the manual to confirm which coffee to use and how to prepare it with this model.
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A capsule option for households that prefer making espresso with pre-measured portions rather than handling ground coffee or beans. Its name specifies a 0.6 L water tank and 1200 W power; check which capsule format it accepts and how often you’re happy to refill the tank.
ADEME advises putting them in the recycling bin, bag or container for packaging. If you’re unsure what your capsule is made of, check its composition and the recycling instructions for your area.
Follow the manual and alerts for your model. How often you need to descale depends in part on the water hardness and how much you use the machine. As a general guide, UFC-Que Choisir suggests descaling every two to three months, depending on water hardness.
No. On its own, it doesn’t tell you whether a model can be repaired. Coffee machines aren’t included in the list of products covered, published by the ministry responsible for the ecological transition. Instead, check the documentation, parts available for the specific model and support options.
The statutory guarantee of conformity applies when a business sells a machine to a consumer. The French Ministry of the Economy states that you have two years to claim under it; any commercial warranty is in addition to, and does not replace, this guarantee. It covers faults with the product’s conformity, not simply a change of mind.