Our coffee machine testers have been well and truly spoiled this year. We’ve reviewed 11 different models so far, and there hasn’t been a dud among them. Below, I’ve rounded up all the coffee makers we’ve put through their paces, and if you hit the View Details button, you can see a summary of exactly what we thought of each one, plus a link to read the full, in-depth review. If you’re thinking of investing in a new machine (perhaps in the upcoming Black Friday sales?) this would be a great place to start your research.
There were three standouts, all scoring a perfect five stars. There’s a KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine that combines serious brewing skills with a stunning design (let’s not pretend that looks aren’t important here). For those hunting for their first bean-to-cup machine, the Philips Baristina is well worth a look — our resident coffee queen Cat Ellis insists it “makes brewing with whole beans as simple as using coffee pods”.
If your taste levels exceed your coffee-making know-how, the Philips Café Aromis espresso machine could be your new best friend: it has a chatbot-style assistant that listens to your exact preferences (however finicky) and adjusts the necessary settings to deliver the perfect brew for you.
Scroll down for a full roundup of the coffee machines we’ve tested so far in 2026 — plus exactly what we thought of them. Note: you’ll only be able to see product cards for the coffee machines available in your region.
Caffeine kings
Philips
Cafe Aromis 8000 Series Bean to Cup Coffee Machine
- Gorgeous design
- All components feel solidly made
- Consistent brewing results
- Prepares hot and cold drinks
- Detailed customization options
- Excellent mobile app experience
- Ground coffee hatch has a tendency to steam up
- Needs to cool down completely before preparing cold drinks
KitchenAid
Semi Automatic Espresso Machine With Burr Grinder
- Controls are easy to master
- Grinder is quiet in use
- Flat-bottom porta filter is a stroke of design genius
- Excellent espresso shots and frothed milk
- Very good looking
- Simple to use, even for beginners
- Much easier to clean than most bean-to-cup coffee makers
- Smart, sleek design
- Very reasonably priced
- Grind size can’t be adjusted
- No steam wand (although there’s an optional standalone milk frother)
- Makes coffee and espresso beverages to your specifications
- Very easy to use
- Grind iQ takes the guesswork out of your settings
- Create up to two user profiles
- Two separate bean hoppers
- Chute for pre-ground coffee
- Fairly expensive
- Big and heavy
- Coffee isn’t super hot
- You have to do regular maintenance
Meraki
Dual Boiler Espresso Machine with Grinder
- Stunning, pro-looking design
- High-end, sturdy accessories
- Smart features augment but don’t replace manual coffee making
- Extracts delicious, consistent coffee
- Undeniably expensive for a manual machine
- CoffeeSense only useful for Meraki beans
- Compact, at just four inches wide
- Effortless to use and clean
- Wide range of K-Cup pods available
- Rich, flavorsome brews
- Some dripping and splashback
- Water tank needs refilling after each brew
- Quick, flavorful coffees
- Various cup sizes available
- Pressure mode offers creamier, richer brews
- Easy to use and clean
- Wide range of K-Cups available
- Coffee splashes
- Less crema on light and medium roasts
- Very simple to control
- Exceptionally quiet
- Compostable capsules
- Capsules widely available
- Gloss finish attracts fingerprints
- Pods are compostable, but have to be taken to a collection point
- Simple to use
- Easy to produce consistent results
- Can brew small batches
- Sharp, attractive design
- Water tank is slightly odd-looking
- Decent flavor but not exceptional
- Not the cheapest for what it is
- Produces consistently delicious espresso
- Remarkably quiet at just 50dB
- Capsules offer a great choice of coffees at a very reasonable price
- Compact and lightweight
- Milk system works better with dairy than plant-based milk
- You can only make one milk-based drink at a time
KitchenAid
KF4 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine with Iced Coffee
- Brews consistently well-extracted espresso
- Smart-looking, compact design
- Clear interface
- Thick, silky foamed milk
- Easy to clean and maintain
- ‘Iced’ coffee is brewed at a lower temperature, but is still hot
- User profiles only support four custom drinks each
