Need to know
- Our experts tested over 30 manual and semi-automatic and 29 automatic coffee machines from popular brands like Sunbeam, Breville, DeLonghi, Gaggia, Jura and Smeg
- Our testing revealed cheaper models that performed well against models costing hundreds of dollars more
- We rate coffee machine performance on metrics like taste, temperature, milk frothing and ease of use
Do you want to espresso yourself but don't think you can afford it?
With some serious coffee machines costing well over $3000, having a home espresso machine might seem out of most people's reach.But we've found seven great semi-automatic, manual and automatic coffee machines that perform well in our tests and cost under $600 (making them a 'cheap' machine in our books) In some cases they've even scored higher than some expensive machines we've tested.
This just goes to show that you don't necessarily need to spend big bucks to get yourself a good machine.
Here we explain some pros and cons of different types of machine and, exclusively for CHOICE members, we reveal which affordable machines came out top in our tests.
If you just want to get straight to the best products, you can jump to the results now.
Are expensive coffee machines better?
Expensive coffee machines don't always deliver the performance results you'd expect in our expert tests. We've been surprised to see some cheap models outperform top of the range machines in our blind taste test, where a panel of experts taste a 30mL shot of espresso from each machine to rate them on colour, thickness of the crema, the aroma, flavour, mouthfeel and aftertaste.
However, expensive models are usually sturdier and made of higher quality materials. They often look fancy too, making a statement in your kitchen.
In our home espresso machine reviews six of the 11 manual and semi-automatic machines we recommend cost over $1000, up to as much as $4499. But there are other pricey machines that are outperformed by sub-$1000 models, highlighting the importance of checking our reviews before you buy.
Which type of coffee machine should you buy?
In short, the kind of machine that's right for you depends on how much involvement you'd like to have with the coffee-making process and how seriously you take your coffee (and many of us take it very seriously indeed).
The pros of buying a cheap coffee machine
Unless you're a coffee aficionado and want to splurge on a fancy machine that has all the bells and whistles, our testing shows that some cheaper machines can still produce a great coffee with the added bonus of being great value for money.
The best performing cheaper machines we highlight in this article:
- are generally basic with limited features which can make them easy to use
- are quite compact in size, taking up a small footprint on your kitchen bench
- heat up relatively quickly – under a minute
- have good to very good results in our taste test
- are generally very good at frothing milk.
Cheap machines can make a great cup of coffee, but they might lack certain features.
What you may miss out on with a cheaper machine
While price is no indicator of performance, the unfortunate fact is that certain features will just cost you extra. So what will you have to forego if you're buying a cheaper coffee machine?
"Cheaper manual machines may be smaller and take longer to build steam or froth milk," says Adrian.
"They may also be made of cheaper materials that can potentially break or wear out more easily during use.
Cheaper manual machines may be smaller and take longer to build steam or froth milk
Adrian Lini, CHOICE coffee machine expert
"The biggest factor may be forgoing control over your coffee machine. A cheaper machine might not give you the ability to change settings like grind setting, bean type, pressure of grinds in the group head or extraction."
Cheaper manual and semi-automatic machines also generally don't come with an in-built grinder, so you'll need to purchase one separately. The coffee grinders our experts recommend cost between $109 and $594.
There's no doubt, though, that in the long term, you'll save money making your own coffee instead of buying from a café.
We've crunched the numbers for you and found that it's definitely worth buying a home espresso machine – you could save yourself some serious cash by going DIY on your caffeine hit rather than buying from your local café. And if you shop smart, you could save even more by buying a cheaper machine, without sacrificing taste.
How to get a good deal on a coffee machine
The prices in our reviews are based on the RRP, but there are often good deals to be had so it pays to shop around.
Sales often occur at retailers like Harvey Norman, Bing Lee and The Good Guys where you can usually find popular brands like Breville, DeLonghi and Sunbeam. These retailers may be open to haggling and in some cases will price match a lower price found elsewhere.
The pricey coffee machines from brands like Profitec, San Remo, Bezzera and Expobar are often available at specialist coffee retailers but if you do your research you can also find these brands discounted.
What are the best cheap coffee machines?
We independently test and review dozens of new coffee machines each year in our onsite labs, and our experts know exactly what to look for to help you find the best product.
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