Are you thinking about buying a coffee machine and don't know where to start? Before looking at brands or prices, the key question is how you drink your coffee: espresso or long coffee?, black or with milk?, do you want to get involved in the preparation or do you want the machine to do almost everything? In this guide, we explain the main types of coffee makers, who each one is for, and which models we recommend.
1. Manual espresso machine (with portafilter)
This is the option for those who want the best possible espresso at home and café-level milk drinks. You control the grind, the dose, and the extraction, and in return, you need a good grinder and a bit of practice.
Within this type, what most changes the daily use is the heating system:
- Thermoblock: heats up very quickly and is simple. Examples: Sage Bambino Plus, which also textures milk on its own, or the Ascaso Steel UNO PID.
- Single boiler: excellent espressos and the occasional coffee with milk. Examples: Profitec Go 2.0 or the classic Rancilio Silvia.
- Heat exchanger: extracts and steams at the same time with a single boiler. Example: Rocket Appartamento 2.0, with E61 group.
- Double boiler: one boiler for coffee and another for steam, perfect if you prepare many milk drinks in a row. Examples: Profitec Move 2.0 or Lelit Bianca, with flow control.
You can see all the models in our espresso machines collection.
2. Automatic espresso machine (with built-in grinder)
If you want real espresso but without the hassle, there are machines that grind, dose, and guide you through every step, and they keep the portafilter so the result is similar to that of a manual coffee maker.
- Sage the Barista Pro: integrated grinder and 3-second heating.
- Sage the Barista Touch Impress: touchscreen that guides you step-by-step and assisted tamping system.
- Sage the Oracle Jet: grinds, doses, and tamps on its own in a 58 mm portafilter, and automatically textures the milk.
Automatic or manual?
Choose an automatic if you value convenience, want consistent results from day one, and don't feel like learning to adjust every variable. Choose a manual if you enjoy the process, want total control over the extraction, and would like to improve your technique (and your equipment) over time. Manual machines usually last longer and are easier to repair; automatic ones save time and have a shorter learning curve.
3. Automatic filter coffee machine (drip)
For those who drink long coffee, several cups at once, or want the coffee ready without needing to watch over it. High-end ones control temperature and contact time with precision, and produce high-quality filter coffee. The three we recommend have certification or extraction control designed for specialty coffee:
- Moccamaster KBG Select: handmade in the Netherlands, simple and very durable.
- Fellow Aiden Precision: dynamic temperature control and an app to save recipes.
- Sage the Precision Brewer Thermal: 1.7L thermal carafe and customizable brewing modes.
All are in our filter coffee machines collection.
4. Manual filter methods
If you like the ritual and want to discover the nuances of each coffee, pour-over methods are the most economical way to prepare excellent filter coffee. You just need the device, a scale, a kettle, and freshly ground coffee.
- Hario V60: clean and aromatic cup, with lots of control. To get started, the acrylic V60 kit or the ceramic V60 kit. Recipe in how to prepare coffee with the V60.
- Chemex: its thick filter provides a very clean cup and is perfect for several cups. See the Chemex Coffee Maker.
- AeroPress: versatile, fast, and almost unbreakable; it combines infusion and gentle pressure. The AeroPress XL prepares up to 4 cups.
5. Moka pot or Italian coffee maker
The traditional one: a concentrated and intense coffee, without electricity and for very little money. With good coffee and the right technique, the result improves significantly. We recommend the Bialetti Moka Express, the original; the Bialetti Brikka, with a valve that gives a creamier coffee; or the E&B Moka Classic, with an IMS competition filter. All the tricks in how to make coffee in an Italian coffee maker.
6. Portable coffee makers
For travel, the office, or the mountains. The AeroPress Go stores the entire kit inside its own cup, and the Outin Nano prepares espresso without cables, heating the water itself. You have more options in portable coffee makers.
Do you like cold coffee? Cold brew doesn't need a special coffee maker: we explain how to prepare it in cold brew at home.
Summary: which coffee maker to choose
| If you want… | We recommend |
|---|---|
| The best espresso and milk drinks, with total control | Manual espresso with portafilter |
| Easy espresso, without learning to adjust | Automatic espresso with grinder |
| Long coffee for several people, without constant supervision | Automatic filter coffee machine |
| Discovering the nuances of each coffee, on a budget | V60, Chemex or AeroPress |
| Intense, traditional coffee | Moka or Italian |
| Coffee away from home | AeroPress Go or Outin Nano |
Don't forget the grinder
Except for automatic ones with built-in grinders, all these coffee makers perform best with freshly ground coffee. For espresso, the grinder is just as important as the machine; for filter, a quality manual one is enough to start. Take a look at our collection of coffee grinders and check out how to choose the right grind for each method.
And when you have your coffee maker, break it in with good beans: choose between our espresso coffee and our filter coffee, roasted in Barcelona. If you have any doubts about which model fits you, write to us and we will advise you.
