How we test coffee machines

Spending more on a coffee machine doesn't guarantee great coffee. We've tested some that cost less than £100 and make a better espresso than others costing five times as much.

We know this because we independently test all the coffee machines we review in a lab, not a kitchen, conducting around 250 individual checks and assessments on every single one. 

Our testing uncovers some brilliant models that are quick, user-friendly and (most importantly) able to make superb espresso. But others produce lukewarm and uninspiring coffee or are needlessly complicated to use. 

We’re funded by Which? members and buy every machine direct from retailers, which not only prevents manufacturers from influencing our reviews, it also ensures we test exactly the same standard of machine that you would buy. 

Nobody goes to the lengths we do to find the best coffee machines

Quality of espresso: How well does the coffee machine make an espresso? 

A Which? test score is made up of hundreds of individual tests and checks, from key factors such as the taste of the coffee and dispensing speed, to ease of use, quietness and energy efficiency.

To keep things simple, the most important scores are shown as star ratings out of five on each coffee machine’s Test Results tab as an easy-to-compare list of strengths and weaknesses, so you can quickly work out whether a machine is right for you.

Our coffee-tasting panel blind-taste espresso coffee from each coffee machine. Their expertise means they can tell the difference between coffees made by different models using the same coffee. 

Taste is a big part of the test, but we also assess appearance and aroma. We test the temperature of each espresso by inserting a digital thermometer into the centre of each cup. We look for an average temperature no cooler than 60°C and no hotter than 88°C, as this is the ideal range for espresso coffee. 

For machines that can produce two cups of espresso simultaneously, we record the temperature and amount of coffee in each cup to make sure it’s even – so there’s no bickering over who gets the biggest brew first thing in the morning.

What separates a good result from a poor one?

A good machine will take up to 30 seconds to make a standard 30ml espresso and stop dripping. Poor machines can take more than 30 seconds to make your espresso, and a further 30 seconds or more before they stop dripping completely. 

We time how long you have to wait for a standard 30ml espresso, including the time the machine takes to heat up, and how long it continues to drip for afterwards so you won't have to hang about getting your morning coffee or clearing up the mess.

Natalie Brown, Which? coffee machine expert, says:

'The Which? overall score is a percentage, taking into account only the results of our tests and ignoring price. This means all our coffee machines are tested on exactly the same scale, so you can compare any model at any price and know how it measures up against its rivals in all the key areas. All our coffee machines are tested in the same way, regardless of any manufacturer claims.'

Quality of cappuccino: How good does a cappuccino made by the machine taste?

If a coffee machine comes with a milk-frothing system, our panel of experts rate the quality of cappuccino, taking into account its taste, aroma and appearance, as well as how thick the froth is and how well it blends with the coffee.

We test how well the milk-frothing system works – whether via a steam pipe, automatic milk frother or milk pod. Our milk froth rating will tell you how good the froth is and how it combines in the machine's coffee. We also time how long it takes for the milk to froth and record the temperature and amount of froth.

What separates a good result from a poor one?

A five-star machine will reliably produce dense, creamy foam for delicious cappuccinos, whereas a three-star machine means we struggled to get good results, with our test cappuccinos watery or lacking in foam.

Ease of use: How easy is it to set up, clean and use the coffee machine?

Some machines are a cinch to use, while others are unnecessarily complicated. 

We rate each for ease of use to ensure you don't end up with an appliance that goes straight to the back of your kitchen cupboard.

We check how simple the instructions are to understand and follow, and how easy it is to prepare and set up the machine. We also look at how straightforward it is to clean and descale the machine.

What separates a good result from a poor one?

A machine awarded one star for ease of use might have lots of nooks and crannies to navigate when cleaning, or a complicated descaling process. 

Models that achieve five stars are delightfully simple to use and often have clever features to help make cleaning easy.

Energy efficiency: Is the coffee machine energy efficient? 

We measure the amount of energy the machine uses to heat up and make coffee. 

We also check how much energy it uses in standby mode.

What separates a good result from a poor one?

A machine awarded one star for efficiency uses more energy than necessary, whereas three stars is about what we'd expect in terms of energy consumption. 

If a model is rated five stars, that means it's really efficient and won't unduly add to your bills.

Quietness: Is the coffee machine annoyingly noisy?

All coffee machines are a little noisy when running, but some are far louder than others. Whether the sound of a particular machine bothers you is subjective. 

That's why we use a panel of three experts to assess how intrusive and annoying they find each machine's noise when preparing an espresso.

This subjective assessment is paired with an objective measurement of the decibel level.

What separates a good result from a poor one?

A very quiet coffee machine will earn five stars, while a very noisy machine will only get one.

Personalisation: Can you adjust the settings to produce drinks that suit your preferences?

We know not everyone likes their coffee the same way, so we check whether there are customisation options and how easy they are to use. 

We look at adjusting the grind setting, coffee temperature, coffee strength and the volume of the drink.

What separates a good result from a poor one?

Machines that score well here will have a range of customisable options, while you'll have to take what you're given from the machines scoring just one or two stars.

Which? members can filter all our coffee machine reviews by overall taste, ease of use, energy efficiency and more.

How we calculate the scores

Jacob Compton, Which? scientific advisor, says:

'To make sure our reviews reflect real-world priorities, we continually survey Which? members to find out exactly what they value most in a coffee machine. These insights directly shape how we design our laboratory test programmes and evaluate the resulting data. Since members said the taste and quality of the coffee matter most, this carries more weighting than other testing elements when calculating the score.'

Here are the weightings for each element of the test:

• 40% quality of espresso
• 25% ease of use
• 10% energy efficiency
• 10% quietness
• 10% quality of cappuccino
• 5% personalisation

How we choose the products

To make sure our reviews are 100% independent, we never accept free product samples from manufacturers or brands. Instead, we invest thousands of pounds a year buying coffee machines directly from major retailers.

We test more than 20 new coffee machines a year, with scope to include more if there are products we simply can't ignore. And we test products almost every month of the year, so that we can deliver our verdicts as quickly as possible.

We also cater to a range of budgets, from less than £50 to over £2,000. Everything from basic, no-frills machines to all-singing, all-dancing models will make their way through our test lab in any given year. This means we can showcase premium Best Buy models alongside Great Value machines that punch above their price.

Sarah Hiscock, Which? senior market analyst, says:

'To ensure the most appropriate products are selected for testing, I continuously track industry trends and new releases, selecting models across every price point. I cover the full spectrum of brewing methods – from pod systems to manual espresso machines and fully automated bean-to-cup machines for a comprehensive line-up.'

Is it a Best Buy coffee machine? What our verdicts mean

Our recommendations should help you to narrow down your shortlist, but it's always best to read our reviews in full to check for any dealbreakers before parting with your hard-earned cash.

Best Buy recommended coffee machines

Best Buys typically do well in most, if not all, of our tests.

Our Best Buy recommendations consider the pros and cons of each machine type, so the Best Buy score threshold differs by type.

The percentage scores mean you can easily find the best bean-to-cup, pod or traditional espresso machine – or compare them to find the best machine overall.

Best Buys are likely to quickly produce tasty and hot espressos (and creamy cappuccinos if they're designed for that), have easy-to-use controls, be simple to clean and descale, not make too much noise and be energy efficient.

Great Value recommended coffee machines

If you're after a coffee machine, but don't want to pay too much, our Great Value recommendation is for you.

Great Value coffee machines are at least 20% cheaper than the average price of the machines we've tested (based on type) and, most importantly, score pretty well in our tests – 70% or more if they're bean-to-cup or pod machines and 60% or more if they're traditional espresso machines.

Some Great Value picks even score highly enough to be Best Buys, too.

Don’t Buy coffee machines

Coffee machines that score 45% or less are Don’t Buys and should be avoided at all costs.

Don't Buys will literally leave a bitter taste in your mouth. From poor, lukewarm espressos that take ages to fill your cup through to laborious descaling routines and awkward controls, Don't Buy coffees are a huge letdown.

Why are there no Eco Buy coffee machines?

You may have seen our Eco Buy recommendations for other appliances, and wondered why we haven't any for coffee machines. 

It's partly because we're yet to see a huge amount of separation in energy efficiency between coffee machines. But it's also to do with the fact that the greatest environmental impact along the chain from coffee bean to cup comes from the production of the coffee itself.

If you're looking to reduce the environmental impact of your coffee habit, choosing coffee that's fairly and sustainably produced is the way to go. If you're using capsules, make sure they're recyclable or compostable.

Discover which models impressed in our lab in our coffee machine reviews – use the Best Buy and Great Value filters to help find the right model for you.

Our coffee machine experts

Running our test projects is a group effort, with several members from across the team contributing to each one. 

We thoroughly re-evaluate our testing processes every year to ensure they're useful to you, and we ask the Which? community to tell us what matters the most when choosing a new coffee machine.

Here's the team that makes it happen:

• Senior researcher and writer, Natalie Brown: Natalie translates technical laboratory data into in-depth, unbiased product reviews and advice to separate the top-notch coffee machines from the tepid duds. She cuts through the marketing hype to ensure you invest in a machine that actually delivers on its promises.
• Home content editor, Jackie Gallego: Jackie makes sure what you’re reading is exactly what you want to know about coffee machines. This means keeping a close eye on what’s trending, seeking out key consumer questions we can help answer and finding new stories from our data to help empower our readers.
• Scientific advisor, Jacob Compton: Jacob helps shape our test programme, meticulously converting hundreds of data points for each coffee machine into easy-to-digest product scores and star ratings. His rigorous analysis ensures that only the cream of the crop are awarded our Best Buy recommendation.
• Senior market analyst, Sarah Hiscock: Sarah keeps her finger on the button of what’s happening in the world of coffee machines to curate our testing line-up, ensuring we only review what’s relevant to you. From models by major household brands to rising stars, we look beyond the marketing hype to test what you want to buy next.