Which coffee machine do you prefer?

Coffee pod machines are designed to capture and convert the hearts of instant coffee lovers as well as those who value ease of use. With a variety of brands available at a range of prices and the emergence of coffee pod machines for sale in supermarkets, this category has gone from strength to strength. These machines use a coffee pod or capsule filled with enough coffee for a single shot. Simply insert the pod, press a button, and the machine pierces it to allow hot water to flow through and make the shot. 

Manual and semi-automatic coffee machines are for people who want the hands-on experience of making their own coffee exactly how they like it. Semi-automatic coffee machines will automatically cut off the flow of coffee once a pre-set amount has been poured into the cup, while with a manual coffee machine you have total control and need to cut the flow of coffee yourself – as is usually done by a barista in a cafe.

How we test coffee machines

Taste test

Three experts test the freshly made espressos in a ‘blind’ tasting, checking the colour and thickness of the crema (the tan-coloured foam on the top of an espresso shot), aroma, flavour, mouth feel (for example, creaminess or wateriness) and aftertaste. Our expert taste testers include brothers David and Matthew Gee from Barista Basics, and Anee Sampath of Samson Coffee House (Beancraft roasters).

Ease of use testing

We try all of the coffee machine controls, fill the water tank and the bean hopper, adjust the grinder, make a coffee, and clean inside and out to see how easy each machine will be to use and maintain.

Coffee temperature consistency

We measure the consistency of four consecutive coffees for each coffee machine after warming it up for five minutes. We add five minutes for thermoblock and small boiler machines, and 30 minutes for heat exchanger.

Frothing milk

We experiment with each machine to find how it best froths milk, looking for fine, pourable froth.

For full details on our testing criteria, check out how we test coffee machines.