Food and Drink

The best coffee machines to buy if you want to take your fancy Cappuccino game in-house, from Nespresso to Smeg

A coffee machine is a guaranteed hybrid working game-changer.
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Investing in one of the best coffee machines is a total game-changer when it comes to hybrid working. The majority of us don't have our lives together enough to make it to a coffee shop and back to our desks in time for the first meeting of the day, so, we settle for those sub-par instant brews that just DO NOT cut it in terms of flavour, consistency or quality. 

Adding a top-rated coffee machine to your kitchen appliance troupe – alongside your kettle and fancy breadmaker – is a guaranteed way to supercharge your mornings again and get that fancy latte fix you've been craving. You can brew it in your favourite coffee mug or reusable coffee cup, and mix strength and flavour combos up on the reg with a fun and ethical coffee subscription service. So, our search for an excellent at-home coffee machine began. 

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What kind of coffee machine should I buy?

Bean to cup coffee machine? Pod coffee machine? As a first-time buyer, the sheer selection of coffee machines stocked at the likes of John Lewis and Amazon can be overwhelming. Here's everything you need to know.

1. Pod coffee machines

If you're looking for an easy, quick brew in the morning, a coffee pod machine is your best bet. You can choose from a variety of different coffee strengths and flavours to get your morning cup of joe exactly as you like it, and you don't have to grind your own coffee. The only downside? There's the expense of having to buy capsules. At least you can get compostable coffee pods, these days, though. 

2. Bean to cup coffee machines

For a true, barista-worthy caffeine fix, a machine that uses beans over capsules is preferable. With a bean-to-cup coffee machine, you simply pour your beans of choice in, choose how finely you'd like them ground and allow the machine to whip something up.

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Which brand of coffee machine is best?

Nespresso and Sage come out top time and time again as the best brands for coffee machines, but, at a glance, here's our pick of the best coffee machines from different brands, broken down into categories. Plus, if you're after a bit more of an in-depth research, keep scrolling…

The best coffee machines at a glance
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After more kitchen content? Head this way for the best juicers and smoothie makers to create your own immune-boosting breakfast drinks, and over here for the best cookware sets for curating post-lockdown dinner party dishes to perfection. We've also found the best dinnerware sets (presentation is key), the best casserole dishes, the best drinking glasses and the best vegan cookbooks for ultimate inspiration. Happy eating.

For more from Glamour UK Commerce Writer Sophie Cockett, follow her on Instagram @sophiecockettx.

Here are the best coffee machines to kickstart your morning. To-do list, we’re coming for you.

  • Best coffee machine pod

    Nespresso Vertuo Plus Coffee Machine by Magimix, £150, John Lewis

    Why we love it: With a 1.2L capacity, this Nespresso coffee machine serves up freshly brewed Coffee with crema as well as delicious, authentic Espresso. 

    Pros: Uses three different capsule sizes and makes a range of four cup sizes that include a large 414ml full-brew Alto, a 230ml coffee, a 150ml Gran Lungo and a 40ml Espresso - all at the touch of a button. 

    Cons: Not compatible with supermarket coffee capsules. 

    Customers are saying: The range of coffee is great and it's super easy to use.

    Buy It Now: John Lewis
    Buy It Now: Amazon

    Save when you shop for the best coffee machines with these John Lewis discount codes and Amazon discount codes. 

  • Best coffee machine bean to cup

    Sage Barista Express Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine, £599, John Lewis

    Why we love it: The ever-popular Sage Barista Express is one of the most popular coffee machines on John Lewis, and for good reason. It's a bean-to-cup coffee machine, and the Barista Express system prevents degradation of the quality of beans by grinding them directly into the filter for you, to extract their full flavour. 

    Pros: The entire bean-to-cup process takes less than a minute and the warming tray will keep up to six cups nice and toasty while you brew.

    Cons: Stainless steel will scratch if not handled with care while unboxing. 

    Customers are saying: Makes high-street/artisan level coffee at a fraction of the cost longterm.

    Buy It Now: John Lewis
    Buy It Now: Amazon

    Save when you shop for the best coffee machines with these John Lewis discount codes and Amazon discount codes.

  • Best coffee machine with grinder

    Sage Oracle Touch Fully Automatic Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine, £1,985, John Lewis

    Why we love it: The Sage Oracle Touch coffee machine boasts a colour touchscreen and once programmed, you swipe once to select your coffee of choice. And the taste? It might even be better than your favourite coffee shop.

    Pros: The machine lets you adjust the coffee strength, milk texture and temperature, it cleans itself and you can save your ideal blend. 

    Cons: Auto-shut off timer doesn't appear to be adjustable. 

    Customers are saying: It takes a little while to get used to but, once you do, it's a great espresso maker.

    Buy It Now: John Lewis
    Buy It Now: Amazon

    Save when you shop for the best coffee machines with these John Lewis discount codes and Amazon voucher codes.

  • Best coffee machine under 1000

    De'Longhi Magnifica S Smart Coffee Machine, £365, Amazon

    Why we love it: This De'Longhi coffee machine has a capacity of 1.8L, which is roughly the same as 60 (!) cups of espresso. It produces Espresso, Flat White, Cappuccino, Latte and Espresso Macchiato, and is a bean to cup coffee machine - meaning you can expect deliciously ground coffee from the coffee beans of your choice. 

    Pros: Built-in De'Longhi Thermoblock system for the ideal temperature control.

    Cons: Doesn't fit mugs taller than 10cm under the spout. 

    Customers are saying: Amazing machine, but make sure to clean it in hard water areas.

    Buy It Now: Amazon
    Buy It Now: Delonghi

    Save when you shop for the best coffee machines with these Amazon discount codes.

  • Best coffee machine for strong coffee fans

    Siemens TQ503GB1 EQ.500 Bean to Cup Coffee Machine, £499.99, John Lewis

    Why we love it: The aromaDouble Shot function on this Siemens machine means you can get a stronger type of coffee, brewing two single espressos as opposed to one large espresso so your coffee won't have a bitter aftertaste - we're big fans.

    Pros: autoMilk Clean system which activates after every drink.

    Cons: Drip tray is quite small and will need frequent draining. 

    Customers are saying: Super great for frothing milk and brews coffee at the perfect temperature.

    Buy It Now: John Lewis
    Buy It Now: Amazon

    Save when you shop for the best coffee machines with these John Lewis discount codes and Amazon discount codes. 

  • Best home coffee machine

    Lavazza Idola, £169, Lavazza 

    Why we love it: With its sophisticated design, maximum simplicity and serious innovation, the Lavazza Idola is the ideal machine for coffee connoisseurs. 

    Pros: The Boost temperature button produces a piping hot espresso for buyers who are pernickety about temperature.

    Cons: None of note!

    Customers are saying: Runs quietly, you can buy compostable pods and makes great coffee.

    Buy It Now: Lavazza
    Buy It Now: AO

    Save money on coffee pod-to-cup machines with these AO discount codes. 

  • Best coffee machine pod

    Lavazza Capsule Coffee Machine by Smeg, £249, John Lewis & Partners

    Why we love it: In a design as sleek as they come, the Lavazza x Smeg pod coffee machine makes the most delicious espresso and is just the pick for the stylish caffeine addict. 

    Pros: Doesn't take up too much space on the countertop and you can buy eco-friendly pods. 

    Cons: No milk frother attachment. 

    GLAMOUR tested review: Creamy, rich and flavourful espressos all round, the Lavazza x Smeg capsule coffee machine is a no-fuss device that doesn't cost the world to use (with the pods available in most supermarkets) and won't have you stressing over an instruction manual. We're big fans.

    Buy It Now

    Save money on Lavazza coffee machines with these John Lewis voucher codes 

  • Lavazza coffee machine

    Jolie & Milk Coffee Machine, £168.99, Lavazza

    Why we love it: If you're after a coffee machine that works in almost silence, this is the coffee machine for you. 

    Pros: It's accessibly priced, looks sleek, and can make anything from a an authentic espresso to the real Italian cappuccino in one fell swoop. 

    Cons: No professional steamer wand, but the frother is 10x easier to clean.

    Customers are saying: Good value for money and doesn't take up much space on the countertop. 

    Buy It Now: Lavazza
    Buy It Now: Amazon

    Save money on the best coffee machines with these Amazon discount codes 

  • Best small coffee machine

    Krups XP320840 Opio Steam and Pump, £93.96, Amazon 

    Why we love it: This coffee machine is great for smaller kitchens that don't offer up tonnes of work-top space. It's a ground-coffee espresso machine which makes a smooth, strong and delicious coffee with ample foam on the top. 

    Pros: You can make more than one cup at a time thanks to the 1.5-litre water reservoir and its adjustable manual settings mean you can choose exactly how long or short you’d like your drink. 

    Cons: Not a top of the market milk frother but you can't complain for the price. 

    Customers are saying: Easy to clean, drip tray doesn't fill quickly and it's easy to make a good cup of coffee.

    Buy It Now: Amazon
    Buy It Now: Very

    Save money on coffee machines from our buying guide with these Amazon discount codes and Very discount codes.

  • Best coffee machine for latte

    De'Longhi Dedica Style, Traditional Barista Pump Espresso Machine, £169, Amazon

    Why we love it: With a pressure basket to create a substantial crema no matter your barista skill level, the De'Longhi Dedica machine is a top notch all-round pick for novice and mid-level coffee fanatics. 

    Pros: Small enough for little kitchens. 

    Cons: Steamer wand requires frequent descaling if using lots. 

    GLAMOUR tested review: A great entry level machine, the Dedica makes delicious coffee and steams milk with a good amount of foam. Our one gripe? The steam wand did start to malfunction a little after around a month, though this was fixed with a bit of descaling.

    Buy It Now: Amazon
    Buy It Now: Argos

    Save money on De'Longhi coffee machines with these Amazon discount codes and Argos discount codes. 

  • Best home coffee machine

    JURA E6 Coffee Machine, £875, John Lewis & Partners

    Why we love it: Certainly a pricy one, but a high-quality pick all the same, the Jura E6 is the pick of the bunch for buyers on the hunt for a machine that will do it all with minimal effort required on their part. 

    Pros: Includes a two-year guarantee and features 11 pre-prepared drink options which can be made from bean-to-cup with just the tap of a touch screen button. 

    Cons: Takes a little while to get the hang of all the procedures from emptying the grounds to changing the filter etc.

    Customers are saying: Makes delicious drinks and lasts forever.

    Buy It Now: John Lewis

    Save money on Jura coffee machines with these John Lewis discount codes 

  • Nespresso coffee machine

    Nespresso CitiZ Coffee Machine by Magimix, £175, John Lewis

    Why we love it: With the ability to make three types of velvety coffee to perfection, this pod coffee machine is one of the more advanced Nespresso machines.

    Pros: Comes with 16 capsules of roast and ground coffee so you can test out all of Nespresso's coffee pods immediately.

    Cons: Is quite loud. 

    Customers are saying: An all-round durable and high-performance espresso coffee machine.

    Buy It Now: John Lewis
    Buy It Now: Amazon

    Save when you shop for the best coffee machines with these John Lewis discount codes and Amazon discount codes.

  • Best coffee machine UK

    KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine 1.4L 5KES6503B, £343.20, Lakeland

    Why we love it: In a sleek design that promises instant hot water, two sizes of espresso shot and a barista-style milk wand, the KitchenAid automatic coffee machine is a step up from entry level machines, without the professional price-point. 

    Pros: Generously sized water tank and a milk frother that's great for generating a silky foam. 

    Cons: Separate hot water comes out of the steamer wand, which is a little bit more of a faff if you just want an Americano quickly. 

    GLAMOUR tested review: Looks great and does the job, we love the professional feel of this KitchenAid machine and our latte art was on point as a result of the high-quality wand. One thing we wish we could change would be the drip tray, which is a little bit hard to empty without making a coffee spill mess. 

    Buy It Now: Lakeland

    Save money on KitchenAid coffee machines with these Lakeland discount codes 

  • Best coffee machine for latte

    Breville All-in-One Coffee House, £211.45, Amazon

    Why we love it: If you like mixing it up, you'll love Breville's All-In-One coffee house which allows for filter coffee, espresso and pod coffee brewing. 

    Pros: Comes with a pot to create up to 10 cups of filter coffee in one go.

    Cons: Be prepped to do a bit of cleaning after you've used the machine's "clean function", 'cos it sprays water everywhere. 

    Customers are saying: Doesn't include a bean-to-cup coffee grinder but still makes a great espresso crema and the filter drip coffee pot keeps liquid hot for two hours plus.

    Buy It Now: Amazon
    Buy It Now: AO

    Save money on electricals and coffee machines with these Amazon discount codes and AO discount codes.

  • Best coffee machine bean to cup

    Beko Bean To Cup, £233, AO

    Why we love it: This is a great coffee machine for a first-time coffee machine owner, thanks to the fact that it's easy to use and boasts no frills. 

    Pros: You can choose to have it grind your coffee beans as fine or coarse as you like. 

    Cons: It's easy to clean, although the instructions are a little basic.

    Customers are saying: Instant hot water feature is great and it makes a brilliant strong espresso.

    Buy It Now: AO
    Buy It Now: Robert Dyas

    Save money on one touch coffee machines with these AO discount codes and Robert Dyas discount codes 

  • Best budget coffee machine

    Bosch Tassimo Vivy Hot Drinks and Coffee Machine, £59.99, Amazon 

    Why we love it: One of the most accessibly-priced coffee machines out there is Bosch's Tassimo Vivy. The best part about this machine (besides its price) is that it makes 35 varieties of hot drinks including hot chocolate and tea. 

    Pros: The quality of the coffee is great, you don't have to refill the water tank too often and it has a built-in cleaning system for easy maintenance. 

    Cons: The “milk” in the milk coffee pods doesn't taste the same as fresh milk. 

    Customers are saying: Simple and does what it says on the tin. 

    Buy It Now: Amazon

    Save money on coffee machines to rival your old fashioned cafetiere with these Amazon discount codes 

  • Best coffee machine for coffee connoisseurs

    AeroPress 82R08 Coffee Maker, £30.99, Amazon

    Why we love it: The AeroPress coffee maker is loved far and wide by coffee connoisseurs - it's a nifty little gadget which allows you to make a cup of coffee within 30 seconds. Simply put a scoop of your favourite coffee blend in the tube, add hot water, stir and press the plunger. 

    Pros: Great for camping and taking on holiday when you don't know what facilities your hotel/rental will supply. 

    Cons: No great for making coffees for a big group. 

    Customers are saying: Ideal for taking to the office and easy to clean.

    Buy It Now: Amazon
    Buy It Now: Pact Coffee

    Save money on Melitta and Aeropress coffee devices with these Amazon discount codes. 

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