Here at The Coffee Lab, I'm always trying to find the best coffee maker. With so many options out there now — Moccamaster, Ninja 12-Cup, Breville Luxe Brewer, Aarke Coffee Maker — it feels like finding a coffee granule in a haystack.

Thankfully, Simply Good Coffee literally put it in the name. This week, I've got the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer on the dissection table, so let's get stuck in. You guys hate plastic in your coffee. Personally, I'm not vehemently anti-plastic. While I was researching for this article, I discovered that BPA plastic is not banned in the U.S., which explains a lot. European food safety standards are pretty robust already — BPA plastic has been banned in the EU since 2025. Of course, minimizing plastic usage is the best course of action for the environment as a whole, so we should all be consciously choosing the eco-friendly option.

Simply Good Coffee is trying to make one of the first "truly" plastic-free coffee makers... and it's kind of succeeded? I say "kind of" because the Plastic-Free Brewer has a plastic-coated exterior (for health and safety to prevent burns) and silicone tubing in the water lines. Are these dealbreakers for you, or would you still get the Plastic-Free Brewer? Let's get into it.

Low plastic, not no plastic

Let's just get this clear: the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free brewer is not plastic-free. As I mentioned earlier, it has a plastic coating on the exterior to prevent burns and the internal water lines have medical-grade silicone tubing.

However, no hot water touches plastic at any point during the brewing process. The heating element, water tank, carafe, filter, and destratification tube are all made from stainless steel or glass. Water obviously touches the silicone in the water tubing, but this isn't hot yet. And, it's silicone. It's not plastic in the traditional sense. Do you consider silicone a dangerous plastic, or not?

There are some key differences between the SGC and Moccamaster: the latter has a plastic filter basket, a plastic destratification tube (yes, that's its real name), and a plastic water tank. Let's look at a side-by-side.

It would be completely inaccurate to claim the Moccamaster leaches plastic into hot water, though. Technivorm is based in the Netherlands, a country with strict plastic laws. Every Moccamaster is handmade in the Netherlands using "virgin plastics in key components". Technivorm uses virgin plastics rather than recycled to "ensure structural consistency, long-term durability, and full traceability of materials." Don't worry — even though BPAs aren't explicitly banned in the U.S., all Moccamaster's plastics are "BPA, BPS, phthalate, and BPF-free."

There's no one correct answer, and I'm not going to pretend there is, or tell you what to believe. You should get whichever machine you feel more comfortable with.

But how does the coffee taste?

The Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer makes delicious coffee. In my 4-star review, I wrote, "I never made a bad batch on the Simply Good Coffee Brewer. Every pot tasted clean, fresh, with zero bitterness and a pleasant, well-rounded finish. This coffee tastes just as good as the Moccamaster’s, and I’m sure any Moccamaster transplants will be satisfied with this flavor."

Of course, you can experiment with flavor by adjusting grind size, water-to-coffee ratio, and bloom time. The SGC Plastic-Free Brewer has a bloom button; you can switch it on or off depending on preference.

"I tried every dose from 56g (the minimum for a full pot) to 72g (the maximum for a full pot), and found anywhere between 60g-72g to be perfect," I wrote in my review. Usually, I'm a rigid ratio stickler, but I enjoyed the SCG flavor at pretty much every ratio.

Unfortunately, the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer isn't SCA-accredited yet, but the company claims the Brewer adheres to the SCA's guidelines.

What's your main takeaway?

Would you be willing to try the Simply Good Coffee (Mostly) Plastic-Free Brewer? Or would you rather stick with your old faithful Moccamaster, Ninja, Breville, and the like?

It's worth noting that Simply Good Coffee does not offer a 5-year warranty or lifetime repairs like Technivorm, but "a two-year warranty as standard and a five-year warranty if you enrol in the Coffee Quality Assurance Programme (costs $120…), which gives you free shipping, filters, and cleaning products."

I honestly think I would be happy with either the Moccamaster or the SGC Plastic-Free Brewer. Looks-wise, they're both a bit of me. I love that modern, functional, industrial, yet sleek vibe.

Let me know in the comments which machine you'd rather buy! Be sure to check back next Friday for the next episode of The Coffee Lab brewing on our TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried this ridiculously cheap bean-to-cup espresso machine so you don't have to — and it's a total head-scratcher
• Non-plastic coffee makers are trending — and this low-plastic Ratio model is my favorite for coffee snobs
• Do you need a WDT tool for barista-quality coffee at home? I put the controversial coffee tool to the test

It's not unusual for the Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select to be released in a new color. Earlier this year, the Dutch brand announced its Color of the Year with the Moccamaster in Sorbet. And there's plenty more where that came from with the Moccamaster available in a wide selection of colors all-year round.

What is a little unusual about this latest color drop is that it's launched for one reason in particular — Amazon Prime Day. Holding the overall top spot amongst the best coffee makers we've ever tested, I'm excited to see it in this new color even if the circumstances are unexpected.

So, to mark Amazon Prime Day 2026, Moccamaster has dropped this exclusive color for the annual sales event — Eucalyptus. And, for a little something extra special, it's offering a 33 per cent discount on the usual price during the sales period (23 to 26 June).

Why I'll be picking one up

While the Prime Day exclusive color is certainly alluring, it's not just the Eucalyptus hue that is swaying my decision to grab one. It's mainly down to the Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select's impressive features.

Not only did it secure a four-and-a-half star review from our testers, but it's held a spot in our coffee maker buying guide for five years now. We even recently revisited our review in 2026 to check if it was still the cream of the crop — and we ruled it most certainly is.

Handmade in the Netherlands, it boasts quality construction, dependable results and a sleek design. In fact, our reviewer Erin (who runs the Tom's Guide Coffee Lab) stated: "The Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select has stood the test of time, and for good reason. This is widely regarded as the best drip coffee maker ever invented. With SCA-approved functionality and a 5-year warranty (+lifetime repairs), I recommend the Moccamaster with every fiber of my coffee-addled being."

And new color releases bring a new aesthetic that may just make this machine even more appealing. Sure, Juniper and Pistachio are already available if you're looking for shades of green, but there's something about Eucalyptus that has really caught my eye.

Availability

While the Moccamaster in Eucalpytus is an exclusive launch for Prime Day — running 23 to 26 June with a 33 per cent off limited time deal — it won't be the last time you see it. In fact, I've been told that it'll return in the fall, which is great news for anyone eager for a new coffee maker but not quite ready to invest.

And despite this being an Amazon Prime Day exclusive, you can also pick it up at other retailers like Williams Sonoma and Crate & Barrel.

• 7 ways to create a barista-style coffee bar in your kitchen
• Coffee doesn’t have to be an expensive hobby — here’s my 5 favorite cheap accessories
• How to make coffee without a coffee maker — 5 easy techniques

The Ninja AutoBarista Pro is a curious automatic espresso machine. It can make a huge variety of drinks, including espresso, drip coffee, cold brew, and both hot and cold milk. So is this enough to make it one of the best espresso machines?

Hm… not really. The Ninja AutoBarista Pro is an ambitious machine, but I think it’s got its fingers in too many pies. It can’t decide what it wants to be. Does it want to be a drip machine or an espresso machine? Or a rapid cold brew machine? (The cold brew comes out warm…)

Even so, I gave this machine 3 stars for a reason — it’s unbelievably easy to use, perfect for the home barista who wants to click a button and get fresh coffee instantly, and is relatively cheaper than other automatic machines. Want to find out more? Keep reading this Ninja AutoBarista Pro review.

Ninja AutoBarista Pro review: Specs

Ninja AutoBarista Pro review: Price & availability

The Ninja AutoBarista Pro is $949 from Best Buy and £899 direct from SharkNinja. I hate that I’m writing this, but $950 isn’t actually that expensive for a fully automatic espresso machine.

I’ve also tested the $1,499 De’Longhi Rivelia, the $2,699 Jura E8, the coffee-only (yes, no milk) $999 Jura ENA 4, and the $1,999 KitchenAid KF8.

So, in comparison, the Ninja AutoBarista Pro is pretty well-priced. Although it doesn’t have totally hands-free milk — you still have to pour the milk into the jug and then pour it into your espresso — it does froth the milk for you.

Ninja AutoBarista Pro review: Design

I was surprised when I unboxed the AutoBarista Pro — it’s not as visually appealing as I’d expected. Ninja seems to always hit design out of the park, especially with the Crispi and the Creami, and even the Luxe Cafe.

But not the AutoBarista Pro. I’m not sure what about it rubs me the wrong way. Perhaps the sharp lines, the somewhat dim screen? The chrome buttons? It just looks like something that would have come out about ten years ago, not now.

The machine is almost entirely plastic, too: the water tank is relatively flimsy, the exterior is a shiny plastic, and the drip tray is mostly plastic. This is a shame, but, then again, you can’t expect perfection from a (relatively) affordable automatic machine.

The screen is nowhere near as clear as the Breville Oracle Dual Boiler ($3,000), but is, thankfully, easy to use and perfect for beginners. There are little graphics of all the different types of coffee, and then you can adjust details like coffee intensity, milk texture, heat, as much as you like. I suppose, though, it’s unfair to compare a $950 machine and a $3K machine — you would expect the quality to be different.

One thing I love is the steam wand. It looks almost identical to the Oracle Dual Boiler — it’s wider than most at-home steam wands, and has a single powerful spout rather than holes — and is incredibly powerful. I’ll talk about it more below, but this is one of my favorite aspects of the Ninja.

Don’t get me wrong, the AutoBarista Pro isn’t hideous or a plastic hunk of garbage — not at all. It just doesn’t look as premium as I would like. Even though it’s cheaper than other automatic machines, almost $1,000 is still a huge amount of money. As a result, I’d like it to look a little more premium.

Ninja AutoBarista Pro review: Espresso

In terms of ease of use, the AutoBarista Pro wins all the awards. It’s supremely easy to control. You don’t have to do any prep at all. You do have to wait, though — each drink took at least a minute to make. This was noticeably longer than the De’Longhi Rivelia and De’Longhi Magnifica Evo ($899).

When I first installed the hopper and poured in my beans, I used GrindIQ to adjust the grind. This took about six minutes and used a decent amount of coffee, so I’d only recommend using this if you tend to use the same beans over and over. I would hate to waste that much coffee for every 200g bag of specialty beans, for example.

Thankfully, like the De’Longhi Rivelia, you get two bean hoppers, so you don’t have to empty out the hopper if you want to switch beans.

But after the machine calibrated itself, it was beyond easy to use. I simply adjusted the intensity using the screen, adjusted the ratio (you can do anything from 1:2 to 1:6), and pressed go.

On medium intensity, the espresso is really weak, so I found I had to use the strongest level to get a normal-tasting espresso. Even the most intense mode isn’t as flavorful as a manual espresso machine — so I wouldn’t recommend this machine if you’re an espresso evangelist. I think most of these issues lie within the grinder, which you can't manually control.

Here’s a photo of an espresso made using Ninja’s default settings (so 1:2, medium intensity, double shot).

As you can see, the color is quite light. This was using artisan beans with notes of almond, fudge, and cherry.

The shot tasted a little juicy, a little nutty, but didn’t have the rich mouthfeel you might expect from a manual espresso machine. Again, this is a fine trade-off if you seriously value ease of use and can’t be bothered with grinding, tamping, and dosing at 7am, but coffee nerds might want to look elsewhere.

My colleagues reported that the coffee generally tasted quite weak, but was still drinkable, even on the most intense setting.

I would also advise against using this machine for cold brew. Take a look at this...

This tasted incredibly weak (if you couldn't guess that from the photo) — there was maybe a whisper of flavor. I honestly had to throw this away. I was impressed to see the machine automatically adjusted the grind for cold brew (it needs coarser than espresso), but the result was still poor and it didn't taste good.

Ninja AutoBarista Pro review: Milk

Even though the espresso functionality left me longing for more, I do really like the steam wand function on the AutoBarista Pro. It’s not as hands-off as other automatic machines like the Jura E8 or the KitchenAid KF8. You have to pour the milk into the pitcher and then pour it into your mug. You also have to clean and purge the steam wand as you would on a manual espresso machine.

As a barista who loves the ritual of making coffee and getting her hands dirty, this is much more my style than the fully automatic machines I’ve tested in the past.

You don’t get any control over the actual steaming, though, which is perfect for hands-off baristas who want consistently technically perfect coffees, but not ideal for someone like me.

You can adjust the milk texture settings from wet, to melted ice cream flat white texture, to cappuccino texture. You can even cold foam milk, which was super fun. Here’s a photo of a standard flat white using all of Ninja’s default settings.

As you can see, the texture is pretty good, but it’s not as soft or velvety as a human barista. Even so, my colleagues reported that the milk texture was “yummy” (direct quote), with a soft mouthfeel and a nice creaminess.

You can also toggle the “dairy milk” and “plant-based milk” setting. I’m not sure what difference this actually makes, as I forgot to turn it to plant-based milk when I was frothing oat milk and it turned out the same.

However, I would not recommend this for cold foam.

As you can see, the texture is a bit strange. It’s much too bubbly, not really stiff peaks like you’d expect from cold foam. And if you swipe to the second picture, you’ll see how it looked after a few seconds. Yep… that’s basically just an iced latte.

So, the long and short of it is: hot drinks, yes, cold drinks… no.

Ninja AutoBarista Pro review: Storage & maintenance

As you might expect from an automatic espresso machine, the Ninja AutoBarista Pro is pretty large. It’s 17.8 x 10.7 x 15.8, and took up a decent amount of space in my kitchen. Not a con, just something to be mindful of!

Now, a con: you will be refilling the water tank after about four drinks. And if you’re making cold brew, one drink.

No, that’s not an exaggeration, and yes, I’m quite sure. I had to refill the AutoBarista Pro after four drinks, every single time. I’m not sure where all the water goes, but it goes somewhere. It’s thirstier than an AI data center.

Alright, so now you know what to expect, we can move on. Cleaning the AutoBarista Pro is straightforward: Ninja provides you with a few months’ worth of cleaning tablets and a water filter (mandatory if you live in a hard water area). Running a cleaning cycle is as easy as following the instructions on the machine itself. Replacement cleaning products are around $14 from Amazon.

Ninja offers a 2-year warranty, which is the same as Fellow, De’Longhi, and Breville.

Ninja AutoBarista Pro review: Verdict

If you prioritize ease of use over anything else, you’ll be happy with the Ninja AutoBarista Pro. This is one of the easiest coffee machines I’ve ever tested. You literally just have to press a button, and the machine does the hard work for you, in the same way the De’Longhi Rivelia takes all the guesswork out of coffee-making.

However, I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone. It’s considerably bulkier than I expected, and the screen is nowhere near as bright as the aforementioned De’Longhi Rivelia. The coffee tends to be weak, even when extracted on the maximum intensity setting — and I wouldn’t recommend it for cold brew or cold foam at all.

All that being said, if you want a (relatively) affordable espresso machine and you’re the kind of person who drinks flavored lattes away — or you simply want a cold foam maker and you want it right now — then the Ninja AutoBarista Pro will do the job. It’s one of the most “brain off” espresso machines I’ve ever reviewed. I just wish it hit more of its marks.

Have you ever seen a coffee accessory that looks like it could be a Medieval torture device? Let's talk about it. So this little device is called a WDT tool. This is an accessory often seen in the hands of the most ardent coffee snobs, paired with things like a spring-loaded tamper and a coffee scale.

Here at The Coffee Lab, we take coffee back to basics. At the end of the day, as long as you're enjoying your morning (or afternoon... or evening) cup of java, who is anyone to tell you you're making it wrong? But I've been so intrigued by what is essentially a set of acupuncture needles on a stick that I knew I had to get a WDT tool in to test.

So, today we're going to answer the question: Do you actually need a WDT tool, or is it just a gimmick?

What is a WDT tool?

WDT stands for Weiss Distribution Technique. John Weiss, a passionate home barista, actually invented this technique while trying to eradicate channeling in his espresso. Frustrated by inconsistent extraction, Weiss used a needle to distribute grounds evenly, giving the water a flat surface to pass through. And, ta-da! WDT was invented. You can actually read Weiss's 2007 article on Home-Barista.

A WDT is essentially a device with lots of little needles. These needles cut through the coffee grounds, break up clumps, and distribute the particles. You can get WDT tools with anywhere from around five to ten needles.

The before and after

Take a look at these two photos: one is my portafilter basket before using the WDT tool, one is after. Can you see a difference?

As you can see, the first image shows clumpy coffee grounds, and, in the second image, you can see the evenly distributed grounds.

I made two identical espressos, one with the WDT tool, and one without the WDT. And if you haven't watched the TikTok video linked above... then I'm going to spoil it for you.

They tasted pretty much the same.

The verdict

Is having a WDT tool essential for good coffee at home? No, not at all. Don't let any coffee snob tell you you're not a real home barista until you have one.

But will having a WDT tool guarantee good espresso every time? Also, no. You don't need a WDT tool to get barista-quality espresso.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret — I've worked in three coffee houses, and not one of them had a WDT tool.

We just ground the beans into the portafilter basket, tamped, and pulled the shot. No messing around with needles.

But will having a WDT tool improve the flavor of your home espresso? Well, kind of. If you're using high-quality, artisan beans, a powerful grinder like the Mazzer Philos, and you know what you're doing, you might be able to get better-tasting espresso at home.

For the average home barista, though, it's not an essential purchase. Sure, it's fun, and I'm probably going to continue using mine now I've got it. Unless you're a die-hard coffee nerd, I suggest saving your money.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried this ridiculously cheap bean-to-cup espresso machine so you don't have to — and it's a total head-scratcher
• Non-plastic coffee makers are trending — and this low-plastic Ratio model is my favorite for coffee snobs
• I made two identical espressos with $5 coffee beans and $20 coffee beans — and yes, the coffee snobs are right

The Fellow Espresso Series 1 is one of the best espresso machines I’ve ever had the pleasure of using. I had high hopes, given all the hype around Fellow’s first-ever espresso machine, but it’s even better than I wanted it to be.

While it’s $1,499, this actually isn’t that expensive for a prosumer espresso machine. If you’re not initiated into the world of espresso machines, I’ll just give you a quick rundown: I’ve tested the $3k Breville Oracle Dual Boiler, the $1,999 Lelit Mara X3, and the $1,800 Smeg x La Pavoni EMC02. So yeah, $1.5k isn’t as outrageous as you may think.

But you get a lot for that $1,499. You get an app that literally teaches you how to make each coffee, you get so many customization options that I physically do not have the word count to detail them all, and you get a professional-quality steam wand for beautiful latte art. Want to find out more? Of course you do. Keep reading this Fellow Espresso Series 1 review.

Fellow Espresso Series 1 review: Specs

Fellow Espresso Series 1 review: Price & availability

The Fellow Espresso Series 1 is $1,499 from Amazon U.S. At the time of writing, it’s only available at Harrods in the U.K. — but it’s currently sold out.

This is pretty standard for a prosumer espresso machine, hence why I’ve not docked a star for being overpriced. The Espresso Series 1 walks you through making each drink, à la Breville Oracle Dual Boiler ($3,000), which has a built-in grinder but also costs double.

I recently tested the $1,999 Lelit Mara X3, which I loved. The Mara X3 makes pro-level espresso while looking a treat, much like the Espresso Series 1.

I’ve also reviewed the Smeg x La Pavoni EMC02, which is one of my favorite espresso machines ever, and will set you back $1,800.

If $1,499 is a little out of your price bracket (relatable), I’d recommend checking out the Breville Barista Express ($799) or De’Longhi Arte Evo ($699).

Fellow Espresso Series 1 review: Design

My goodness, the Fellow Espresso Series 1 is a sight to behold. As soon as I unboxed it, I had to take a step back and allow myself the privilege of ogling it like a starving lion might ogle an injured gazelle. This is a truly breathtaking machine. It perfectly combines modern innovation, functional design, and an eye-catching centerpiece.

If you’re familiar with Fellow’s other products, like the Stagg EKG, Corvo EKG, or the Aiden, you’ll know everything Fellow makes is gorgeous. The Espresso Series 1, thankfully, continues that trend. I have zero reservations about recommending this on looks alone, as superficial as that is. I want it just to stare at it.

The accessories are just as high-quality, with a weighty tamper, 58mm bottomless portafilter, and a milk jug engraved with fluid ounce and milliliter measurements so you don’t have to measure separately.

Like the Breville Oracle Dual Boiler, the Espresso Series 1 has a little screen that walks you through making each drink. Unlike the Oracle Dual Boiler, the Espresso Series 1 doesn’t have a full-color screen, but it’s still bright and luminous. If you’ve seen the Fellow Tally Pro scale, the screen looks like a brighter, bigger version of that. I’ll go into more detail in the ‘Espresso’ section below.

My only con regarding the design is that there’s no ‘Back’ button. If you scroll all the way down to the last customization option (there are a lot), you have to scroll back up. I wish there was a simple button to take me back to the home screen. Maybe on the next edition?

App

Yep, the Fellow Espresso Series 1 has an app. I’m not a huge fan of the concept of espresso machines with apps, so I did roll my eyes when I saw this. There isn’t really much you can do on the app that you can’t do on the machine itself, but as this is a pretty new model with firmware updates rolling out, you might want to get the app just so you can iron out those natural bugs.

As you can see, you can customize your espresso pre-infusion, infusion, and ramp-down settings based on roast level, and you can even cycle through various different types of shot. I’ve never heard of this ‘Turbo’ shot, so of course I had to try it. You have to grind your beans coarser for this shot, and it makes a more tea-like espresso. Very interesting, and good that the Espresso Series 1 has an option for it. As I said — perfect for both beginners and nerds!

Fellow Espresso Series 1 review: Espresso

As promised, I’ll discuss the LCD screen. This screen teaches you how to make tons of different drinks: cappuccino, espresso, Americano, latte, flat white, and so on and so forth. This is great for beginners who may not know the difference between each beverage, or simply may not want to activate their brains at 7am. Personally, I didn’t feel the urge to use this outside of testing purposes — I just selected ‘espresso’ for all my drinks and steamed my milk manually.

Of course, I tested this for the purpose of the review. It works as advertised. When I selected ‘flat white’, the machine told me how much coffee to dose, actually stopped extraction at 1:2 ratio as designed (although once or twice it dosed 35g rather than 36g… tut tut, Fellow). After espresso, the machine told me to pour 4oz of milk — and, yes, you can tell it which type of milk you’re using — and automatically stopped steaming when the milk reached the desired temperature of 140°F.

This is ideal for beginners, and one of the best parts of the machine if you’re the kind of home barista who needs a little more help. As mentioned earlier, I didn’t really use this outside of testing purposes, but it’s great to have.

If you’re a coffee nerd, though, you’ll love this machine. There are tons of espresso customization options. I physically cannot list them all here — this review would be tens of thousands of words long, and I’d lull you all into a stupor. Let’s just say: if you can imagine it, you can do it. Pre-infusion at 2 bars of pressure for 10 seconds? Go for it. Flow rate of 4ml/s? Yep! Ramp-down of 6 bars of pressure? You got it!

Although there’s no PID controller, the boiler is designed to control water temperature at every stage of the extraction, much like a PID controller. The Espresso Series 1 has a patented boiler system, “Boosted Boiler”, which has a precise temperature control. You can customize the temperature using the shot profile I discussed above, or using the app.

As with every espresso machine I test, I ground my beans using the Mazzer Philos, the best coffee grinder in the world (if you have $1,500).

For the purpose of this review, I followed Fellow’s recipes and made some of my own. This is a Fellow-default espresso using the ‘Medium roast’ profile and Square Mile beans.

There’s a little bit of spray, but that’s an occupational hazard with a bottomless portafilter. This shot was extracted at a 1:2 ratio over 26 seconds, safely within the ‘Golden window’ of extraction. The shot tasted gorgeous, with a strong sweetness and bright acidity at the back of the mouth. I guzzled this like a parched heron.

For the next shot, I experimented. I used the same beans and adjusted the settings to ‘Turbo’, as I’d never seen this style of espresso before.

As you can see, it’s quite larger than a standard shot. The Fellow app told me this is a 1:3 shot extracted using 6-bar pressure rather 9-bar. The flavor was interesting — quite sour but with a pocket of bitterness hiding at the back of the mouthful. I probably wouldn’t make this again, but it’s great to have options.

The only downside to this machine is that it makes quite wet pucks. Usually, if a machine has a 3-way solenoid valve, it sucks the water back out of the shot for a dry, biscuit-like puck you can knock straight into the bin. I did have to scrape these pucks out, which is strange, as the machine has a 3-way solenoid valve. I noticed other users on Reddit had this issue too, so it might just be a Series 1 bug. Either way, I’m not overly fussed about this.

The Fellow Espresso Series 1 is a fantastic machine for beginners and snobs alike. You can get seriously nerdy with all the customization options or you can just use it at face value — and it’s super easy either way.

Fellow Espresso Series 1 review: Milk

Ugh, I love the Espresso Series 1’s steam wand. And I say “ugh” like this: Ugh, it’s so good and I’m so sad that nothing else will compare now and every machine I test in the future will pale in comparison and my dreams will be filled with the Espresso Series 1’s steam wand until the end of time.

Alright, so that’s a touch exaggerated, but you get what I mean. This is a steam wand to end all steam wands. It looks very much like the Meraki — a long, thick steam wand with a ball joint and a wide tip.

Here’s a photo of a flat white I made with oat milk.

Although the latte art isn’t quite as good, this is the best plant-based milk texture I’ve ever gotten. My colleague Nikita — who has been a test subject of every single espresso machine I’ve ever reviewed — confirmed that this was the smoothest, velvetiest oat milk she’d ever drunk.

I got a little frustrated at the auto-purge function, but I easily turned this off in the machine settings. I like controlling purging myself so I can really clean it out.

Fellow Espresso Series 1 review: Storage & maintenance

Although the Fellow Espresso Series 1 is quite large — 23.1 x 14.6 x 12.6 — it fits nicely on my kitchen countertop. It’s quite short, but very wide and deep, so make sure you’ve got enough room. You’ll need to access the top to insert and remove the water tank.

I was surprised to find out it’s 21.7 pounds as I swear it didn’t feel that heavy when I was carrying it. Even so, it’s worth noting that you might need help setting it up.

As it’s large, the drip tray is roomy enough to hold a surprising amount of water, but I still emptied it after every use. I don’t know about you, but the idea of having stagnant nasty coffee-milk-water in my kitchen is gross.

Now, I know this is all written in the conditional tense and what has happened in the past may not occur in the future, but it’s still worth noting. I got a Fellow Stag EKG kettle a couple of years ago, and it stopped working after a couple of months. The replacement still works, but I know longevity is a known issue with Fellow gear.

The possibility of the Espresso Series 1 suffering from this issue isn’t confirmed. I can’t see the future — I’d be a lot richer if I could. However, this makes me a little hesitant to recommend the machine wholeheartedly. I didn’t experience any issues during my testing period, but I only had it on a 10-day loan.

Even so, Fellow offers a 2-year warranty with the Espresso Series 1, which is the same as Breville and Ninja, and pretty standard for espresso machines these days.

Fellow provides two sachets of cleaning products, which should be enough for around 400 shots (depending on how long that would last you!), and these cost $14.95 for 10. Descaling solution costs $9.95 per sachet, or $14.95 for an 8 fluid ounce bottle.

Fellow Espresso Series 1 review: Verdict

If you couldn’t tell from my waxing lyrical for 2,000 words, I love the Fellow Espresso Series 1. It’s got everything: looks, brains, brawns, ambition. I never made a bad shot and my milk was perfect every single time. This is the machine I dream about.

But, at $1,499, I’m realistically never going to own this machine, and I know that’s expensive for most people. Although most fancy espresso machines will set you back well over a grand, so this isn’t particularly overpriced; it’s just unobtainable for most people. I’d recommend waiting until a sale (Black Friday, maybe?) or getting something a bit cheaper, like the Breville Bambino.

Got $1,499, though? Yeah, you will not be disappointed by the Fellow Espresso Series 1. I’m not sure how I can go on after testing this absolute delight. If you’re in a position to spend 1.5k on an espresso machine, don’t walk — run to the checkout.

Smeg is one of my favorite brands for sheer style. Everything the made by the Italian company just seems to ooze cool, whether that be its classic retro vibe or the new sleek modern aesthetic.

The coffee collection is no different. The Smeg x La Pavoni EMC02 is one of my favorite espresso machines of all time; it combines sheer beauty with iconic Italian function, and helped me make some of the best coffees of my career. When I dream about espresso machines, many of them are EMC02-shaped.

But the newest thing catching my eye is the Moonlight colorway. This sleek, modern style is simply gorgeous — and I finally got to see it in real life. Moonlight combines low-key aesthetics with serious function. You can get it on the Smeg toaster, Smeg electric kettle, and the Smeg Retro Coffee Maker. I cannot wait to get my hands on the Smeg Retro Coffee Maker in Moonlight — and here's why.

Healing & harmonious

I could spend a thousand words waxing lyrical about the Moonlight colorway, but just look at it. When I first saw the coffee maker, I gasped and stroked it like it was a kitten. Trust me — not only does it look gorgeous, it feels super satisfying and matte as well.

Smeg designed the Moonlight colorway to "reflect the growing shift towards natural materials and calmer palettes, enhancing each appliance’s form while integrating into modern living spaces."

As much as I love the industrial-cool aesthetic of the Moccamaster and the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer, I know that look doesn't suit all homes. The Moonlight shade is intended to "work seamlessly alongside wood, stone and satin metals" and "create interiors that feel considered, cohesive and easy to live with".

What do you think? Do you think the Moonlight colorway would suit your kitchen? Or would you want something a bit more in-your-face?

Anti-fingerprints

As Moonlight is a matte shade, you shouldn't have to wipe off those pesky greasy fingerprints as much as with a chrome product. I swear, when I was testing the Aarke Coffee Maker, I was wiping off fingerprints more than I was making coffee. Don't get me wrong — that's a great machine that makes great coffee (it's just expensive), but those fingerprints...

Obviously, I didn't get a chance to use the Retro Coffee Maker as I would if it were mine, but I didn't notice any greasy fingerprints on the machine. I'll be getting it in the week after next for a full review, so watch this fingerprint-related space.

A full set

Like other Smeg gear, the Retro Coffee Maker, Electric Kettle, Toaster, and refrigerator are all available in Moonlight. In theory, you could get the whole set and have a completely matching kitchen.

Smeg is no stranger to full kitchen sets. Many of its appliances are available in harmonious colorways, like the Smeg x Porsche Shade Green set or the Smeg x Dolce Gabbana Blu Mediterranean set.

What sets the Moonlight collection apart, though, is its inconspicuity. As this is a muted, mellow design, just one item could suit a monochrome kitchen, or the entire lineup could mesh well with a brighter kitchen.

But still pretty plastic

Because of my series The Coffee Lab, I've been on an anti-plastic kick recently. You guys really hate plastic in your coffee machines. As a result, whenever I test a new coffee machine, plastic is all I can see.

The Smeg Retro Coffee Maker still seems to be pretty plasticky, especially the inside of the filter basket, where hot water will touch time and time again. I know this is a dealbreaker for a lot of coffee lovers — would this put you off?

As much as I'm trying to find a plastic-free coffee maker for the anti-plastic crew out there, I'm not personally super against plastic in my coffee makers. I think I'd still grab the Smeg Retro Coffee Maker. This plastic wouldn't totally put me off. Of course it wouldn't — I use an AeroPress!

I love the Moonlight colorway enough to look past the plasticky interior, too. I mean, come on. It's gorgeous. My kitchen needs this matte, celestial beige in its life.

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It was almost a year ago when I stumbled onto a rather incredible discount on my dream coffee machine, the Breville Oracle Touch. At the time, we were celebrating EOFY 2025, which had bargains aplenty, including a tidy AU$1,000 off the terrific coffee maker. However, I've just spotted an even better discount, and I'm definitely reaching for my credit card.

Right now, my most wished-for coffee machine, the Breville Oracle Touch, has been discounted by a massive AU$1,000 during Breville's EOFY sale. Across the sale, this is the biggest discount offered on any Breville product, let alone a coffee machine of its calibre.

That said, this discount gets even better when you apply an exclusive code, courtesy of Tom's Guide. With this code, found on our Breville coupons page, you can score an additional 10% off the Oracle Touch, bringing it down to just AU$2,249.10 — that's AU$1,249.90 off RRP!

While I was way off investing in this machine last June, I can confidently say I'm picking one up this year. So, if you're anything like me and had your eye on a Breville coffee machine for some time, you'll need to act fast. This killer price is only available until June 30, 2026.

Okay, I get it — you may be wondering how I know this coffee machine is the one for me and my home setup if I haven't used it before. Well, I can honestly say that I have, and it's one of the big reasons I regularly attend Tom's Guide AU office (other than to work, obviously).

The Breville Oracle Touch has made a fine home for itself in our office kitchen, and as soon as it gets to 11 am, you can always find me at the machine, crafting my latest coffee obsession — an iced long black with a dash of almond milk.

I'm not one to fuss around with grind and tamp settings, either, so the Oracle Touch has truly come in handy at perfecting my ideal cup. As the name might suggest, all you need to do is press the touchscreen display to select your grind size, preferred caffeinated beverage and hit start.

Plus, thanks to its dual boiler system, the machine is seriously speedy when making your morning brews, as it can foam and pull an espresso shot at the same time. And as someone who is constantly in a hurry, it's a pretty big win to have a coffee in hand as I'm flying out the door.

So if you have the means to nab this excellent machine, Breville's EOFY sale is the best time to act. And if Breville's coffee machines aren't up your alley, you can use our Breville coupon code across the entire site to score an additional 10% off. What a win.

The Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer is a coffee maker with a bold claim — and said bold claim is right in the name. “Plastic-free” is big talk. It’s the thing every brand seems to chase. How close to truly plastic-free can a coffee machine get? Well, I hate to burst this bubble, but the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer isn’t actually plastic-free. It has a plastic exterior and silicone water tubing.

A few years ago, I saw a meme that went along the lines of: “My grandpa full of lead, my dad full of asbestos, and me full of microplastics”. It made me laugh. Serious belly-laugh. Perhaps making light of it is the only way we can deal with our plastic-related predicaments. Consequently, I’m not overly fussy about plastics in my coffee machine. It’s in everything else. What’s a little more?

But I know a lot of coffee lovers are serious about minimizing those plastics — so is this low-plastic approach enough to make this model one of the best coffee makers? To find out, keep reading this Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer review.

Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer: Specs

Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer review: Price & availability

The Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer is objectively expensive. It’s $479 from Amazon U.S., and isn’t available in the U.K. at the time of writing.

This is $100 more expensive than the Moccamaster KGBV Select and $130 more expensive than the Breville Luxe Brewer. As the Simply Good Coffee Brewer is “plastic-free” (more on that in the ‘Design’ section below), you can expect to pay a premium. Metal and glass inherently costs more to produce than plastic. A similar price difference is mirrored in the AeroPress ($39) and the AeroPress Premium ($199).

Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer review: Design

So let’s just rip the Band-Aid off nice and fast: the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer isn’t actually plastic-free. The water lines are made from medical-grade silicone, and some exterior parts are actually made entirely of plastic.

The water lines are made from medical-grade silicone. I’m not going to tell you if this counts as plastic or not — some people think silicone is plastic, some people class silicone as rubber — so you can make up your own mind about this. Life Without Plastic recommends consumers to exercise caution, but ABC News Australia reports that if used conventionally, silicone is a food-safe material.

Regardless, there's no getting away from the fact that the exterior is clad liberally in what is, quite obviously, black plastic.

I’ll let you come to your own conclusions, but the fact of the matter remains: the Simply Good Coffee Brewer is not “plastic-free”. It’s low plastic. It’s a similar story with the low-plastic Ratio Four — considerably less plastic than the Moccamaster and the like, but still plastic.

Complaints about plastic aside, the brewer looks gorgeous. It’s like a stripped-back Moccamaster, super utilitarian and functional and industrial and cool.

I love the directions engraved on the water tank. The brewer tells you how much coffee to put in for a full batch, which is a great feature ideal for newcomers or coffee lovers who don’t have time to fuss over brewing ratios.

Another innovative feature is the drip stopper on the back of the filter basket. I love this feature. It’s very simple — effectively a piece of metal that covers the filter hole. This lets you pour coffee without having to wait for the brewer to finish each and every drip (lest you spill coffee all over the hot plate).

If you want a low plastic machine but miss that Moccamaster art style, don’t fret. You can get a color wrap for $29, available in pretty much every shade you can imagine. These color wraps are pre-cut vinyl (yep, more plastic!) and you have to stick them to the main body of the machine yourself. I love the idea of this in theory, but I am the least handy or co-ordinated person in the world — so I know I would majorly mess this up.

Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer review: Performance

As it’s a drip brewer, the Simply Good Coffee Brewer is super easy to use. All you have to do is grind your beans, put your beans in the filter, and press go. It’s as straightforward as that. The hot plate keeps the coffee warm for forty minutes, which is less than the Moccamaster’s 100 minutes, but still a decent chunk of time.

I never made a bad batch on the Simply Good Coffee Brewer. Every pot tasted clean, fresh, with zero bitterness and a pleasant, well-rounded finish. This coffee tastes just as good as the Moccamaster’s, and I’m sure any Moccamaster transplants will be satisfied with this flavor.

To show you how easy it is, I’m going to share my ideal Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer routine.

My go-to Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer routine

As the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer is a drip machine, it’s super easy to use — and here’s the proof!

1. Fill the water tank to your preferred line. There are notches for the minimum 2 cup, 4-cup, and the max 8 cup.
2. Grind your coffee to a medium grind size. I use my Mazzer Philos.
3. Put your desired coffee in the #4 cone filters.
4. Optional: Put the filter in the filter basket and press ‘bloom’. Bloom will saturate the grounds to release gases and, in my opinion, give you a cleaner flavor.
5. Not optional: Make sure the drip stopper is off (otherwise no coffee will flow into your pot).
6. Flip the on switch to start the brew.
7. After around 6 minutes, you’ve got a full pot of delicious coffee.

And that’s it!

Of course, you can experiment with dose and grind size, to achieve your ideal flavor. I tried every dose from 56g (the minimum for a full pot) to 72g (the maximum for a full pot), and found anywhere between 60g-72g to be perfect.

Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer review: Storage & maintenance

The Simply Good Coffee Brewer feels more compact than it is. At 13 x 14 inches, it’s the same size as the Moccamaster, so not a particularly small machine. Even so, I was able to fit this nicely on my kitchen countertop without making it feel cluttered.

Like the Moccamaster, the brewer uses #4 conical filters; Simply Good Coffee provides a pack with the brewer itself, then these cost around $8 for 100.

Simply-Good-Coffee-branded cleaning chemicals and descaler will set you back $22 for 6 months or $39 for a year. You could probably also use Durgol, $16 for 25 ounces, which is Technivorm’s recommended product for descaling the Moccamaster.

Ironically, Simply Good Coffee reassures users that the plastic parts are dishwasher safe (even though it’s “plastic-free”). I just washed mine by hand though.

Finally, I’ll address warranty and repairs. Technivorm is famous in the coffee world for being the only company to offer 5-year warranties as standard and then lifetime repairs.

Simply Good Coffee offers a two-year warranty as standard and a five-year warranty if you enrol in the Coffee Quality Assurance Programme (costs $120…), which gives you free shipping, filters, and cleaning products.

I would recommend the Moccamaster if you want a machine with lifetime repairs — I wish Simply Good Coffee would offer this perk too.

Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer review: How does it compare?

Simply Good Coffee also makes a Plastic-Free Programmable Brewer, which is exactly what it sounds like. You can program the machine to come on at certain times, which would be ideal if you’re the kind of person who loves waking up to a fresh pot of coffee. This is a huge $519, so $30 pricier than the one I’m reviewing here.

The cheapest model under Simply Good Coffee’s belt is The Brewer Glass, which has a plastic filter basket (like a Moccamaster) and a glass carafe (like a Moccamaster) for $199.

I would probably buy the Moccamaster for the lifetime repairs, but if you’re serious about minimizing your plastic usage, you might want to consider the Ratio Four and the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer.

Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer review: Verdict

The Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer is a great coffee machine — with one major caveat. I love the look of this machine; it’s modern, it’s utilitarian, it’s stylish and sleek. It has a bloom setting, can keep coffee warm for forty minutes, and does all that without breaking a sweat.

However (and this is a big however)... it’s just not plastic-free. There are plastic elements all over the body and the inner lines use silicone. Whether or not this is a dealbreaker is up to you. My main issue is with Simply Good Coffee using “Plastic-free” in the name when that’s not the case at all — it could be seen as false advertising.

But as someone who is already full of microplastics (“What’s the harm in adding a few more,” I think to myself as I microwave Tupperware and bemoan the state of the world), I’m honestly not too fussy about plastic tubing or sealant in my coffee machines. The Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer makes delicious coffee quickly, and looks gorgeous while doing it. This is more than enough for me to wholly recommend it — I just wish Simply Good Coffee would adjust the name slightly.

The best espresso machines are expensive. That's just a fact of life. The cheapest espresso machine I've ever truly loved is the Breville Bambino ($299), and I've always recommended the De'Longhi Stilosa ($149) and cheap-and-cheerful Casabrews 3700 Essential. Of course, though, many of these cheap machines have drawbacks — well, the De'Longhi Stilosa and Casabrews 3700 do — because corners have to be cut to keep the price down.

But when I tested the Casabrews Marenza recently, I couldn't quite believe my eyes. What do you mean, it's a bean-to-cup espresso machine for just $349 — and often on sale for $299? What do you mean, it's got a tamping collar, a 58mm portafilter, and a built-in timer? All this for just $50 more than the Breville Bambino?

So where's the catch? Well, it breaks my heart to tell you this, but quite a few corners have been cut. The materials and build are pretty flimsy, the steam wand is quite weak, and the grinder is relatively poor. But might all this be a worthy trade-off for a machine that costs literally hundreds of dollars less than the next-cheapest alternative? Let's find out.

The pros

Don't get me wrong, the Casabrews Marenza has a lot going for it. The main one? The price. At just $349, this is one of the cheapest espresso machines with a grinder I've ever seen. The other one is the Gevi Espresso Machine with Grinder, which I wouldn't recommend due to its very weak steam wand and long boiler heat-up time.

If you have $349 to spend on a coffee machine, I'd go for the Casabrews Marenza over the Gevi. The Casabrews offers far superior espresso brewing. Take a look at this photo of an espresso pulled on the Marenza.

When I tested the grinder, I got pretty poor results. Because grind size is arguably the most important factor when making espresso I had low expectations — but I was genuinely really impressed by every shot I made on the Marenza.

If you're not the kind of home barista who desires a coffee scale, you'll love the built-in grinder on the Marenza. This is the most unique design feature on the machine.

I'm sensing a trend here, but was also disappointed by the Marenza's steam wand... on paper. In reality, I got beautiful milk texture and even more beautiful latte art, as you can see here.

So surely all these features make the Marenza a 5-star product? Espresso, check. Steam wand, check. Shouldn't I be singing this machine's every praise?

Yes and no — as much as I was impressed by these features, it's not all perfect. Now onto the cons.

The cons

While I was eventually won over by the milk function and espresso function, there are some major downsides to the Marenza.

The main one is the flimsy, plastic-heavy build. The grinder hopper actually broke (yep, broke itself...) while I was cleaning it. I removed the hopper to clean the burrs, it fell off my kitchen counter... and smashed all over the floor. You can see the broken hopper in the video above.

This plasticky, low-quality build is present over the entire machine, from the drip tray to water tank. I would proceed with caution to not accidentally damage it.

I'm not a huge fan of how the Marenza looks, but beauty is subjective. You may love it. In an ideal world, the Marenza would be a little more brushed silver, a little less black-cube-in-the-2000s.

But what do you think? Are you willing to put up with an inconsistent grinder and a slightly frustrating steam wand to save serious $$$ and get a bean-to-cup for about half the price of competitors?

Personally, I'd probably stick with my Breville Bambino and get a hand grinder like the Timemore Chestnut C2S ($60) — but what do you think? What would be your ideal home coffee setup? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to check back next Friday for the next Coffee Lab!

More from Tom's Guide

• I'm an ex-barista but I'm not great at latte art — and this is my cheat code to perfect art every time
• Non-plastic coffee makers are trending — and this low-plastic Ratio model is my favorite for coffee snobs
• I made two identical espressos with $5 coffee beans and $20 coffee beans — and yes, the coffee snobs are right

This week in the Lab, I'm answering the age-old question: Are coffee beans actually that important? Do you need to buy $20 coffee beans grown in treacherous, remote mountainside farms and massaged every day by angels? Or can you get away with the oil-coated shells seen at Starbucks, Dunkin', and the like?

Well, I'm going to give you a little spoiler — yes. It does matter which beans you use. Although we try to forget coffee snobbery here at The Coffee Lab, in this case, coffee snobs are actually correct. If you want genuinely delicious, barista-beating brews at home, unfortunately, it's gotta be those fancy premium beans. But — they'll cost you, and, for that reason, I don't even buy expensive beans often.

Even so, it's not about the destination; it's about the journey. So buckle up as I take you through exactly which beans I used, exactly how I made the espressos, and my overall thoughts. Coffee snobs — you're actually right on this occasion (but here's why I don't buy $20 coffee, and why you don't need to either).

The beans

I live in the U.K., so I went to my local grocery store, Sainsbury's (which I would say is closer to Trader Joe's or Target than Walmart), and bought the cheapest beans on offer. £3.60 ($4.85 at time of writing) for 227g, espresso blend, with tasting notes of "STRONG". They are Fairtrade, though!

Then, I went to a local independent coffee shop and bought some guest roastery beans, £16 ($21.55) for 200g, with tasting notes of tropical, lime, and mango.

This works out to 1.58 pence per gram versus 7.1 pence per gram — making the fancy beans almost five times the price.

The machine

As always, I ground the beans to espresso-fine using my Mazzer Philos ($1,500) and used my Fellow Tally Pro ($189) to weigh out 18g of espresso.

Then, I used my Breville Bambino ($299) to pull two identical shots of espresso.

Both have a lovely, thick crema, although the expensive bean is lighter in color — you would hope, as it's medium roast. Now, it's time for the most important part: the taste test!

The taste test

I tasted both espressos immediately after brewing. No milk, no water, just espresso. I wanted to get the full depth of flavor without any interference.

The cheap espresso just tasted like coffee. I know, I know, I got a degree in Creative Writing just to describe something as tasting like coffee? But seriously. There was no nuance. No exciting juiciness at the back of my tongue. No caramelly richness to round it out.

In a latte, with some vanilla syrup, though, it would be delicious. It's the perfect baseline espresso flavor to build out a Starbucks-style cup.

Now, the expensive espresso. It had a lovely, bright zinginess that made my mouth water. I could taste the lime notes, and I could drink it straight. Usually, I drink Americanos or flat whites, but this espresso was delicious. Not too intense at all.

The bottom line

If you have the money to spend on artisan coffee beans, you won't be disappointed. There's a whole world of fancy, jargon-loaded coffee for you to discover — anaerobic, washed, natural, so on and so forth.

But it doesn't come cheap, and when you have to "dial in" espresso (effectively waste a shot or two while finding the perfect grind size), it's a lot to ask. I very, very rarely buy coffee this expensive. Usually, I grab the £8 ($10.78) bag from the grocery store — I know, I know. Please don't take away my coffee snob badge.

If you can afford it, sure, get the artisan beans. But in this economy, I know it's a big ask. I'm happy to continue buying my generic £8 beans and wishing I could indulge in the £16 nuggets of delight — and I wouldn't judge you if you do the same.

More from Tom's Guide

• I'm an ex-barista but I'm not great at latte art — and this is my cheat code to perfect art every time
• Non-plastic coffee makers are trending — and this low-plastic Ratio model is my favorite for coffee snobs
• Nespresso gets a bad rap in the coffee world — but here's why I think it's perfect for some people (from a coffee snob)

You've been asking, and I've been listening — you are sick of plastic in your coffee makers. Coffee lovers desperately want a plastic-free coffee machine. The plastic-free SimplyGoodCoffee Brewer is your answer if you want a drip machine, and the AeroPress Premium is a glass-and-metal manual gadget.

The SimplyGoodCoffee Brewer has arrived at The Coffee Lab — it's due on the dissection table as soon as possible — and I'm super excited to get testing. But you want plastic-free coffee makers now... so, please, let me introduce you to the Ratio Four.

The Ratio Four is a delightful coffee maker. There's nothing else quite like it. Although it's not entirely plastic-free, hot water never comes into contact with internal plastic — with a caveat that the filter basket is plastic, but you use a paper filter, or use a metal Kalita Wave or Hario V60. The carafe is made from borosilicate glass, not plastic. And the joint-best part is that it makes delicious, nuanced, complex, coffee-snob-approved coffee with zero effort — just like any other drip machine.

Perfect for plastic haters

I'll cut to the chase: the Ratio Four isn't completely plastic-free. In no way am I suggesting this is a non-plastic alternative. The Four is low-plastic, which has a slightly different meaning.

Let's compare the Ratio Four to a truly plastic-free brewer, the SimplyGoodCoffee Brewer.

Here, you can see that the Ratio Four isn't completely plastic-free. Even so, hot water only touches the filter basket, and the Ratio is designed so you can switch out the default filter basket for a Hario V60 or Kalita Wave. As you can see in this week's The Coffee Lab video, you can easily fit a V60 into that filter space.

Pour-over taste with zero effort

If you're more concerned about taste and ease of use than plastic, I'm sure you'll be familiar with the Moccamaster KGBV Select, or another low-plastic option, the Aarke Coffee Maker. These are two revered drip machines, and I'll recommend the Moccamaster for its 5-year warranty and lifetime repairs until I'm blue in the face.

But they're drip machines, right? The Moccamaster makes delicious coffee, but, at the end of the day, it's drip. It's not pour-over, and pour-over delights my coffee snob heart.

That's where the Ratio Four leads the way. The Four is an automated pour-over, not a drip machine, with separate bloom and brew modes. The result is a more defined, complex, and lighter taste than your traditional drip.

Of course, you can experiment with grind and dose to adjust this flavor, but at its heart, the Four is for coffee snobs who don't have time to mess around with concentric circles and flow rates at 7 A.M.

Would you try the Ratio Four? Or are you happy with your Moccamaster? How about the plastic-free SimplyGoodCoffee Brewer? As always, stay tuned for my full review.

I post new episodes of The Coffee Lab on Tom's Guide's Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube every Friday, so be sure to check back next week for more!

More from Tom's Guide

• I'm an ex-barista but I'm not great at latte art — and this is my cheat code to perfect art every time
• I love my Moccamaster, but $370 is a lot for drip coffee — this Ninja brewer is the best alternative (and it's under $90!)
• Nespresso gets a bad rap in the coffee world — but here's why I think it's perfect for some people (from a coffee snob)

Here at The Coffee Lab, we're all about making coffee easy. And what's the main thing I see new baristas struggle with? Latte art. And you know what? Latte art is actually super easy if you follow these simple steps.

I also have a confession... even after three-and-a-half years behind the bar in various coffee houses, and a decade of tinkering with at-home espresso machines, I'm not actually that good at latte art. I can't do the tulip, I sure as heck can't do the swan, but I can do the rosetta — and that's what I'm going to teach you today.

So buckle up, strap yourself in, get your thinking caps on, because I'm going to show you exactly how to get the rosetta every single time. You'll need one of the best espresso machines, an angled spout milk jug (like Breville's), and some high-quality milk. Let's get stuck in!

It's all about the milk texture

When it comes to latte art, before you get the actual art down, you need to perfect your milk texture. If your milk is too thick or too thin, you won't get latte art — it's as simple as that.

You want milk that looks like melted ice cream. It should be textured, smooth, and velvety. There should be no bubbles and it should not look like microwaved milk. The "art" comes from the foam.

Follow these easy steps to get perfect milk every time.

Now you're ready to go and make perfect latte art every time! Please, spread your wings and fly!

Let me know in the comments if you need any more help figuring out the overwhelming world of coffee, and I'll see you back here next Friday for more from The Coffee Lab.

I post new episodes of The Coffee Lab every single Friday, so be sure to follow our TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube pages to never miss out.

More from Tom's Guide

• AeroPress is so much easier to use than you think — here's why it's my favorite manual coffee maker
• I love my Moccamaster, but $370 is a lot for drip coffee — this Ninja brewer is the best alternative (and it's under $90!)
• Nespresso gets a bad rap in the coffee world — but here's why I think it's perfect for some people (from a coffee snob)

The Lelit Mara X3 is, hands down, one of the best espresso machines for coffee nerds. As it’s surprisingly easy to use for a prosumer machine, I’d even recommend it as your first heat exchanger, or first foray into the coffee snob world.

And… just look at it. The Mara X3 looks like it knows what it’s doing. It looks like it struts rather than walks. It looks like it’s never late — everyone else is simply early. The wood flourishes and chrome accents make this an espresso machine and an art piece at the same time. I just can’t get over how beautiful it is.

Thankfully, it also works a treat, too. Although it took me around thirty drinks to finally get some latte art, I’d put this down to user incompetence rather than the machine itself. Want to find out more about this gorgeous new machine? Why wouldn’t you? To find out, keep reading this Lelit Mara X3 review.

Lelit Mara X3 review: Specs

Lelit Mara X3 review: Price & availability

The Lelit Mara X3 is brand new, and, as a result, isn’t yet available for purchase in the U.S., but it will be $1,999 direct from Lelit. You'll also be able to get it from Seattle Coffee Gear. You can get the Mara X — the original version — for $1,359 from Seattle Coffee Gear, which is a nice $350 off its original price.

The Mara X3 will be available to buy in the U.S. on 1st July for $1,999. In the U.K., the Mara X3 is £1,499 from Lelit direct. While this might seem pretty pricey, for a prosumer model like the Mara X3, this is pretty standard. The triple-boiler Smeg Mini Pro EMC02 is $1,800, the dual-boiler Diletta Mio is $1,400, and the Fellow Series 1 is $1,499. The revered La Marzocco Linea Mini is an eye-watering $6,600. If you want a Lelit for a fraction of the cost, the $599 Lelit Anna has a PID controller and a manometer for pro-on-a-budget performance.

The Mara X3 is a heat exchanger and has a 1.8L single boiler that lets you steam and brew at the same time.

The Mara X3 also has some more prosumer features, namely a 58mm-L58E group (Lelit’s proprietary version of the E61), and a near-commercial steam wand.

The main difference between the X and the X3 is the flow control system, Pagaia. Pagaia lets you control the intensity of the flow using a little paddle on the side of the machine — this is for pre-infusion. There’s also a temperature configuration button (so you can change the water temperature depending on your beans, as light roast beans need hotter water), and a steam boost.

Lelit Mara X3 review: Design

As you might expect, the Lelit Mara X3 is a sight to behold. I knew it would be, because the Lelit Bianca ($2,999) is, hands-down, the most beautiful espresso machine in the world. If I were to describe my ideal espresso machine, in terms of looks alone, it would be the Bianca.

Thankfully, the Mara X3 has the same wood finishes as the Bianca. You could almost describe the steam and water knob placement as anthropomorphic, like the machine is watching me, judging how I make my coffee. Hey, Mara X3, enjoying the show?

I jest, I jest, but enough people in the office commented on the almost ocular knob placement, so I’ll let you be the judge of it.

Another thing you might expect is that the Mara X3 is built incredibly well. The drip tray slots into the machine perfectly, the cold-touch steam wand is fluid and flexible, and the knobs are easy to twist. The L58E group looks divine, with shiny chrome and a non-removable “CAUTION: HOT” sticker.

Looks aside, let’s get into the real meat: things that actually make the coffee. The Mara X3 has three unique features: the Pagaia flow control paddle, the steam button, and the temperature control switch.

The Pagaia paddle is for customizing your flow, so, effectively, it gives you complete control over your low-pressure and high-pressure infusion. Want a 20 second pre-infusion? Go for it with the Pagaia. Minimal pre-infusion? Again, you can do it. I found that a few seconds of low pressure before ramping up the flow to the max provided me the best flavor.

The steam button is hidden on the right side of the machine: either flick it up for max pressure, or down for less pressure. I preferred mine on the max.

Lastly, the temperature control switch is under the drip tray. You can change this from low, medium, and hot, each setting correlating to different roasts. As I only really drink light roast, I kept the temperature on the hottest setting.

Lelit Mara X3 review: Espresso

Alright, let’s get into the good stuff. I tested the Mara X3 for around four weeks, making up to ten coffees per office day. It got through about four bags of the same Rwandan coffee — and every single one tasted divine. I ground all my coffee using the Mazzer Philos, the best grinder in the world (if you’ve got $1,500 to spare!).

After a 15-ish minute heat-up, I was ready to brew. While the Mara X takes 25 minutes to preheat, the Mara X3 takes closer to 15. The temperature button flashes while it’s heating and stays solid white once it’s ready, so it’s easy to know when the machine is good to go.

Unlike cheaper machines, the Mara X3 has a real manometer. This displays the pressure — you want it around 9 — so you can easily see if your coffee has been ground too fine or too coarse. Of course, experienced baristas can tell this from looks alone, but it’s great for beginners. There’s also a steam manometer so you can see if the steam wand needs to be on “Max” mode.

Take a look at this espresso. This extracted in 28 seconds at a 1:2 ratio, so just on the higher end of the “golden window” of extraction.

As you can see, the crema is rich, decadent, and a beautiful caramel color. This espresso tasted perfect, with delicate roasted sugar notes and a nice juicy sweetness to round it out. I had this in an oat milk iced latte. There was zero bitterness or staleness.

I obtained this flavor consistently. I never made a bad shot on the Mara X3.

Of course, you can adjust the flavor of your espresso using the Pagaia paddle and customizing pre-infusion. You can literally experiment to your heart’s desire with the X3. It’s the ideal machine for coffee lovers who want to get a little bit nerdy about their extraction.

Lelit Mara X3 review: Milk

As touched upon earlier, I used the steam wand on max power (adjustable via a switch on the side of the machine). I was gobsmacked by how fast the steam wand heated a full jug of milk — around thirty seconds. You really have to be quick with it, and you really have to know what you’re doing.

I thought I knew what I was doing, but, reader, the Mara X3 humbled me. It took me about thirty drinks to get a flat white with latte art. Usually, I can wrangle latte art from any machine — even $350 Casabrews Marenzas — and there’s visual proof of this on all my espresso machine reviews, including my best-ever latte art on the De’Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo ($649).

But, no, the Mara X3 taught me to think again. I am not the coffee god I thought I was. I had to really lock in and concentrate my butt off while using this steam wand. Maybe it was my fault for using it at max power, but I found that lower power was even more difficult to obtain an optimal texture. Also, I used to be a professional barista! I used to use commercial-standard machines day in, day out, hundreds of cups of coffee with perfect latte art every time.

This is the best latte art I achieved on the Mara 3.

It’s fine, but it’s not symmetrical enough for me to like it. This is the Mara X3’s only downside: its steam wand is a little tricky to use. With practice, I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out and master it, but just be warned that it takes more time than, say, a Breville Bambino Plus. I was able to get the all-important vortex easily thanks to the Mara X3’s extreme power, so it’s just a game of acclimatizing to the wand.

The Mara X3 also doesn’t come with a milk jug, so you’ll need to buy one separately. I personally love Sage’s angled spout jugs, or you could splurge on the Subminimal FlowTip ($39), the Fellow Eddy ($39), or the Lelit Jug ($39).

Lelit Mara X3 review: Storage & maintenance

The Mara X3 is quite large, but it looks so good while it’s out on the counter, so I don’t really mind. It’s a chunky 21 inches deep and 15 inches wide, so make sure you’ve got enough space in your kitchen for this monster. It’s bigger than the Breville Oracle Dual Boiler, which is the biggest machine I’ve tested thus far.

Lelit offers a 12-month limited warranty as standard, which is a little disappointing. I’d expect at least two years for a prosumer machine — Diletta, Meraki, Rocket, and Fellow offer two years. Profitec only offers one year, though, too.

Cleaning is easy — just wash the drip tray at the end of each day, make sure you’re descaling as necessary (your location’s water hardness will dictate this), and use a water filter if needed. I had no issues maintaining this machine.

Lelit Mara X3 review: Verdict

The Lelit Mara X3 is a dream first prosumer machine. It’s surprisingly easy to use — once you either make peace with no latte art or spend enough time to perfect said latte art — and makes delicious espresso without breaking a sweat. Once, I made eight flat whites in a row, and the Mara X3 brewed with a smile on its face.

Although the steam wand requires a little more practice than any other espresso machine I’ve ever used, this is fine if you’re the kind of barista who enjoys finessing your skills. The Mara X3 is made for you — not those who’d rather get a fully automatic machine and call it a day.

Would I buy the Mara X3 for myself? 100% yes. This is a beauty. It’s a talking point. I’d invite people round to my house just to show it off. If I had $2k, the Mara X3 would already be in my kitchen.

I can’t live without my morning coffee fix. It’s an essential that gives me a boost and signals the start of my day. I’m not alone in how I enjoy this daily ritual, and I, like many others, would feel lost without it.

However, you may notice that your coffee has been tasting a bit “off” lately, even after trying new beans and adjusting the grind. But before you splurge on a fancy new coffee machine, try these expert cleaning tips. They might just fix your coffee’s flavor.

Upgrade the taste of your coffee

Improving the taste of your coffee doesn’t always require new equipment; it can simply come down to maintenance habits, according to Sarah Dewison, cleaning expert at North West Commercial Cleans Ltd, who’s partnered with Redrow.

Give it a daily clean
“To maintain optimal performance, your coffee machine should be cleaned at the end of each day,” says Dewison.

Before you start cleaning your machine, she says switch it off and allow it to cool. Then she says, “Remove and rinse all detachable components such as the portafilter, drip tray, and water reservoir using dish soap and warm water.”

The next step is to clean the exterior. “Wipe down external surfaces with a clean, damp cloth with washing up liquid and warm water to remove coffee residue and spills. This prevents build-up and keeps the machine looking professional.”

Don’t neglect the grinder and filter

There are other parts of your coffee machine that shouldn't be ignored. “For machines with built-in grinders or filters, empty and clean these components regularly. Coffee grounds left in the system can become stale and impact flavor,” says Dewison.

She also suggests using a soft brush, such as a clean makeup brush or a paintbrush, to remove residue, while also being careful to avoid water contact with electrical components.

Apart from giving your coffee machine a daily clean and checking the grinder and filter, there are a few other areas that could be impacting the taste of your brew.

Don’t skip descaling

Limescale and coffee oils can build up inside the machine, affecting both taste and performance. Use a manufacturer-approved solution or a natural mix of water, white vinegar and lemon, followed by a thorough rinse to remove any remaining residue.

However, before you clean your coffee maker with vinegar, always check the manual for your machine, as different manufacturers have different guidelines for cleaning their products.

How often should you descale your coffee maker? It can be quite hard to tell, but Tom's Guide’s Coffee Lab host, Erin Bashford, judges when her kettle needs descaling, and she cleans her coffee machine at the same time.

Check the milk

To avoid bacterial growth, keep the milk system clean. Purge and wipe the milk frother after each use and soak any removable parts daily. You really don’t need to be spending out on coffee shop lattes to get a premium coffee taste. By making a few tweaks to your coffee machine cleaning routine, you can savor the taste of flavorsome at-home brew.

Better tasting coffee without buying new

Cleaning your coffee machine is one way to ensure your coffee tastes its best. But you can also make a few other tweaks to improve its flavor.

1. Keep your beans and grinds fresh. Store your coffee in an opaque, airtight container at room temperature; a dark pantry is ideal. Beans stay fresher for longer than grinds, so grind just what you need. If you buy ground coffee, keep it well sealed and use the date on the pack.

2. Use a coffee scale to measure your beans accurately; it will eliminate the guesswork and help you achieve consistency across your brew, including the flavor.

3. Grind your coffee correctly to achieve the perfect grind for your choice of brew. The grind size should depend on your brewing method. Espresso requires a fine grind to cause resistance against the machine's high pressure, while French press needs coarser grinds for a slow brew.

Coffee essentials we love

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The Moccamaster is revered in the coffee world, and for good reason. It's one of the few SCA-certified (Specialty Coffee Association) drip brewers, it has a lifetime repair promise, and is so good that it's remained mostly unchanged since the '60s. But it's also $369... yes, $369. This price is simply unattainable for most of us.

If you're looking for a drip brewer for less, let me introduce the Ninja 12-Cup Coffee Brewer. This little workhorse is just $89 — but often discounted to $69 — and is a fantastic budget option. We've got this in our New York office and it's a crowd pleaser (and then some).

So, no, you don't have to spend $400 to get one of the best coffee makers. Let me tell you exactly what the Ninja 12-Cup Coffee Maker is capable of. Spoiler alert: it's an absolute steal if you can snag it for $70.

Choose your brew

Just like the Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select, the Ninja 12-Cup puts you in the driver's seat. You can choose to brew either a full batch or a small batch (1-4 cups vs 12 cups), so you never waste coffee. And when you have guests around, everyone gets a cup of hot coffee at the same time.

If that's not enough, there are also two brewing modes: Classic and Rich. Classic makes that smooth and full-bodied cup, whereas Rich is more intense. Of course, you can still adjust this flavor based on how much coffee you put in the filter basket — you're in control, after all.

Wake up to a fresh pot every day

Now, this is something my Moccamaster actually can't do. With the Ninja 12-Cup, like the Smeg Retro Coffee Maker, you can program a delayed brew start. Essentially, you can set your coffee maker up before bed, then it will come on before you wake up so you get a fresh pot of coffee as your alarm clock.

Honestly, how cool is that? I want to wake up every day to the smell of coffee. Maybe it'd make that early-morning alarm more palatable.

But there are some sacrifices for the $90 price tag

Of course, you're not going to get the same performance in a $90 coffee maker as you would in a $370 coffee maker. The Ninja doesn't have SCA certification, and it doesn't have a 5-year warranty or lifetime repairs.

Ninja only offers a 1-year warranty, which obviously pales in comparison to Technivorm's. If you want an SCA-approved machine, you'll unfortunately have to fork out a bit more for something like the Moccamaster, the super-speedy Breville Luxe Brewer, or the gorgeous Fellow Aiden.

One of the cheapest SCA-certified models I've seen is the $149 Bonavita 5-Cup. Of course, though, this is only a 5-cup brewer — the Ninja does double that!

You're always going to have to weigh up pros and cons when choosing a new coffee maker — but the Ninja excels in the price department. You get a surprising range of features for your $90, which is why the Ninja 12-Cup is my go-to for a great drip machine that won't break the bank.

Have you tried the Ninja 12-Cup, or would you try it? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to check back next Friday for more from The Coffee Lab. I post new videos on Tom's Guide's TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube every single week.

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• AeroPress is so much easier to use than you think — here's why it's my favorite manual coffee maker
• You don't have to spend $1k on espresso — my pro setup is under $650 (trust me, I'm an ex-barista)
• Nespresso gets a bad rap in the coffee world — but here's why I think it's perfect for some people (from a coffee snob)

Nespresso machines get a bad rap in the coffee world, and there's no hiding it. Coffee snobs love to hate on anything that doesn't have a triple boiler, quadruple E61 group head, quintuple-hole steam wand.

I jest, of course, but I can jest because I used to be a Nespresso hater, too. I used to turn my nose up at these little plastic pod machines. I used to say, "It's not real coffee," and drink the petty taste of nothing at all. But now? Now, I love Nespresso.

I accept that even the best Nespresso machines can never replace the best espresso machines, like the Breville Bambino Plus (which is my one true love), but I also accept that there's a time and a place — and a person — for pods. Every time I go to an Airbnb, I squeal with joy when I see a Nespresso machine. If you love coffee but are low on time, or you want to simplify your morning brew, there's nothing better than a Nespresso machine.

Tiny kitchen? No problem. No time? No problem!

Picture this: you're waking up at 6am for work, you have a tiny, apartment kitchen, and you have never watched James Hoffman. You just want hot, caffeinated coffee, and you're not fussed about flow rates or tamping pressure.

You are perfect for a Nespresso machine. They don't take up a lot of space — the CitiZ is 7.4 inches wide, heats up in five seconds, and makes genuinely delicious coffee in fifteen.

Not only does my CitiZ take up very little space, but it also heats up in seconds. This is great if you don't have time to wait for your machine to heat up in the morning — let alone dose and grind your beans.

For those short on space or time, Nespresso machines are a sure-fire win.

Coffee varieties galore

I adore getting different types of coffee and trying them all out. I love single origins, blends, washed, naturally processed, light roast, medium roast — the list goes on. I just love them all. However, if I want to try all these different types of coffees, I need to buy $20 bags at a time.

With Nespresso, sure, you don't get artisanal or specialty beans in the same way you do with wholebean, but you can try out different pods and flavors much more easily.

For example, you can get fifty Starbucks pods for $28, or you can get forty Atlas single-origin pods for $26 on Amazon. This works out much cheaper per drink — and you get to try a variety of beans without breaking the bank.

But it's not for everyone

In no way am I claiming that Nespresso machines are the best coffee machines in the world, because that would be incredibly wrong. For people who really care about coffee perfection and flow rates, a Nespresso machine would not be ideal.

However, in a pinch, or in an Airbnb, there's really nothing as easy as Nespresso. I really don't think Nespresso tastes half as bad as I've seen it get dragged for online. The flavor depends on the pods you're using, but I've never had a bad coffee from my Nespresso CitiZ. In defense of Nespresso machines — you're not actually that bad.

I'm sorry I was so mean to you, Nespresso machines. It won't happen again.

I post new episodes of The Coffee Lab every Friday here on Tom's Guide, on our TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. Stay tuned for next week's episode!

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• You don’t need a $1,000 espresso machine: This $299 'budget' model makes barista-quality coffee at home

As someone who writes about all things Homes for a living, I'm always looking for ways to switch up my interior style or upgrade my decor for each season.

Be it scrolling through Instagram feeds or Pinterest, or taking inspiration from my fave designers like Joanna Gaines, I love nothing more than giving my interiors a makeover. I’ve also realized that it can take money (and time) to achieve my dream, 'instagrammable' home.

However, if new, costly furniture replacements aren't within your budget, there are simple, money-saving alternatives that you can try without buying brand new. Not only will this be a fraction of the cost, but it will also instantly refresh your furnishings just in time for summer. I came across a smart fix for my tired-looking dining chairs that saves me from buying new ones — slipcovers.

I gave my drab chairs an instant makeover

My old dining chairs have been with me for as long as I can remember, serving their purpose well. However, after all these years, they were definitely showing signs of wear and tear and in need of a replacement.

Plus, since I’m always hosting dinner parties, I really needed a summer refresh immediately. Trouble was, my dream dining chairs cost around $200 per chair (yes, each), so I realised I had to wait a bit longer.

That was until I stumbled across this easy, quick ‘makeover’ hack on Pinterest that caught my eye — simply add a removable slipcover to transform them.

Not only did they easily fit over my chairs, but I was impressed by the overall look. Additionally, its stretch-fit material is super soft, making it comfortable to sit down on. I love how versatile this simple hack is, and it instantly gave my old chairs an upgrade in seconds.

Be sure to check the measurements first, though, but you can usually find slipcovers of any size, color, and design. What’s more, these are super easy to maintain as you can remove and throw them into the washing machine, just read the care instructions beforehand. And you don’t have to stop at dining chairs— you can also find stretch-sofa removable covers.

In fact, I've become a huge fan of slipcovers that I've bought several sets in different colors, allowing me to easily switch up my chairs to match my style (or suit the occasion).

Even better, these were an absolute bargain — $20 for a set of six. Making this my new budget-friendly alternative to buying new chairs or even paying for costly re-upholstery. Which is the ultimate win-win for my bank account (until I finally get my dream chairs!).

More from Tom's Guide

• Plus, check out these 7 paint colors that make a room look bigger
• Or these 7 hacks to make a small bathroom look bigger
• Just avoid these 9 decor mistakes that are making your home look smaller

Is the Nespresso CitiZ & Milk one of the best Nespresso machines you can get? Yes. Totally. I love this little machine, and I’m not sorry about it.

At $379, the Nespresso CitiZ & Milk isn’t the cheapest Nespresso pod machine you can get, and not by a long shot. However, it is the cheapest Nespresso with built-in milk frothing capabilities, and that’s super important for serious latte lovers. If you don’t feel like splurging $699 on the Nespresso Vertuo Creatista (no, that’s not a typo), then you would love the Nespresso CitiZ & Milk.

On top of being mind-numbingly easy to use — in a good way — the CitiZ looks better than a Vertuo Pop and can make you a latte with two presses of a button. To find out more, keep reading this Nespresso CitiZ & Milk review.

Nespresso CitiZ & Milk review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? Easygoing coffee drinkers who want to take the stress out of morning espresso
• What does it do well? It’s beyond easy to use and looks sleek
• What are its weaknesses? The machine looks good, but is very plasticky

Nespresso CitiZ & Milk review: Specs

Nespresso CitiZ & Milk review: Price & availability

The Nespresso CitiZ & Milk comes in two versions: just the Nespresso machine, and with a built-in milk frother. I tested the model with the milk frother attached. Just the CitiZ will set you back $319 on Amazon, but the CitiZ + Aeroccino will be $379. Similarly, the CitiZ is £175 from Amazon in the U.K., and £225 for the CitiZ + Aeroccino.

If you want to find out more about the CitiZ, check out our review. This review is of the Nespresso CitiZ & Milk model. The standalone Aeroccino 4 is $119, but the CitiZ uses the Aeroccino 3, which has been discontinued.

The Vertuo line — such as Nespresso Pop+ ($129), Nespresso Next Vertuo, $189. Nespresso Vertuo machines use centrifugal force rather than traditional espresso pressure, which creates an airier, frothier foam. If you’re after that traditional espresso crema, I’d recommend a standard Nespresso (like the CitiZ or the Pixie, which is $179).

To save as much money as possible, you could check out the Casabrews Pod Machine, $99, which is compatible with Nespresso pods.

Nespresso CitiZ & Milk review: Design

The only difference between the Nespresso CitiZ and the Nespresso CitiZ & Milk is, well, the Aeroccino. If you only drink black coffee, you needn’t worry yourself with the milk frother. But, if you’re the kind of coffee drinker looking to match your daily Starbucks latte, you’ll definitely want the Aeroccino model.

There isn’t much size difference between the CitiZ and CitiZ & Milk models: the Aeroccino adds an extra four inches to the width, but other than that, they’re identical. You can’t move the Aeroccino: it’s connected to the side of the machine.

If you’re the kind of person who values a sleek, modern-looking coffee machine in your kitchen, I’d recommend getting the CitiZ over a Vertuo. In my opinion, the Vertuo machines tend to look more like a plastic lump. Sure, the CitiZ is still 100% plastic — or, at least, looks that way — and is my biggest con with the machine, but there’s something to be said for the scallop-like design.

As you might expect from a Nespresso machine, there are two buttons: lungo and espresso. Lungo is a long shot, whereas espresso is, obviously, a small shot. You can customize both of these default volumes (40ml and 100ml) by holding down the shot button and releasing when you reach your desired volume.

Using the Aeroccino is just as simple: press the power button, and it’s good to go!

Nespresso CitiZ & Milk review: Performance

As the CitiZ has a built-in Aeroccino, I evaluated both coffee and milk performance. I used Nespresso pods and third-party pods.

Coffee

I’m a self-professed coffee snob, but I genuinely devoured the coffee made by the CitiZ. It was so delicious, and I’m not even sorry about it.

Take a look at this crema.

Of course, this is not ‘real’ espresso in the same way that the Breville Bambino Plus or Smeg EMC02 brews ‘real’ espresso. But for Nespresso, this is darn delicious. You can also make long coffees, which, as mentioned earlier, are customizable up to 150ml, but I’m an espresso (and Americano) lover so I mostly drank espresso.

The flavor will obviously depend on which pods you’re using. I tested a variety, from ristretto, to lungo, to rich Italian blend. No coffee I tasted was burned or stale; every drink was lively, fresh, and full-bodied.

Vertuo and original use different pods. Vertuo pods are patented, so you can only get Nespresso Vertuo pods. However, original pods are widely available, even from smaller roasteries (like Grind, which I use!), so if you’re a fellow coffee snob, I’d recommend getting the original for that specialty-ish coffee flavor.

Please don’t take away my coffee snob hat, but I think I’d rather drink Nespresso CitiZ coffee than poor-quality ‘real’ espresso. There, I said it.

Milk

Alright, so milk frothing capabilities are the USP of the Nespresso CitiZ & Milk. The Aeroccino offers an 8-ounce capacity, enough for one latte or cappuccino. Here’s a photo of milk frothed on the Aeroccino. It took 2 minutes and 34 seconds to heat the full 8 ounces of milk.

Of course, the texture isn’t as pro-level as the Subminimal Nanofoamer Pro Gen 2, but that costs $159. I think the Aeroccino is more than good enough for the average Nespresso user.

If you want a Nespresso machine with a top-notch milk frother, you might want to check out the Nespresso Latissima One ($429) or the Nespresso Creatista ($699). Obviously, though, these machines are eye-wateringly expensive.

Creatista has an actual espresso-machine-style steam wand, and you can pick from different textures and frothing styles. It also pours directly into your cup, so it’s easier and better for completely hands-off baristas. If that sounds like a bit of you, you might want to consider investing.

Nespresso CitiZ & Milk review: Storage & maintenance

I am obsessed with the used pod compartment of the Nespresso CitiZ. It brings me such indescribable joy to lift up the pod compartment and watch the pod tumble in what I like to call “pod prison”. There’s something absurdly hilarious about seeing Nespresso pods behind bars.

Anyway, this feature isn’t just to entertain small-brained people such as I. This is so you can easily throw your used pods into your recycling (or compost if you use compostable third-party pods, like I do). Then, you just have to clean the pod drawer with some warm soapy water and you’re ready to go again.

If you live in a hard water area, I’d recommend descaling your Nespresso CitiZ once a month. You can get a descaler for $11.99 on Nespresso’s website. This is cheaper than Breville and De’Longhi’s descaler — but then again, the use-cases are completely different.

Nespresso CitiZ & Milk review: Verdict

If you want a Nespresso machine with a built-in milk frother — and you don’t want to invest over $400 on the Latissima One or the $700 Vertuo Creatista — then it’s gotta be the Nespresso CitiZ & Milk. This is the best all-rounder Nespresso machine. You don’t have to splurge on an almost espresso-machine-price pod machine, but you get a built-in milk frother.

While I wish it had some more premium-feeling, metal materials to help justify the $379 price a little more, I loved testing the CitiZ. It’s obviously the easiest espresso machine to master — just press a button, and you’re good to go.

Would I ditch my Bambino Plus for a Nespresso machine? No. But if I didn’t have one of the best espresso machines already, I’d seriously consider this Nespresso CitiZ & Milk— as should you!

I know AeroPresses can look a little daunting, but please don't let the plastic contraption put you off! AeroPress is so much easier to use than you might think — and it's my favorite manual coffee maker. I love my gorgeous pink AeroPress, and I'm sure you will too.

This is The Coffee Lab, where we do away with snobbery and focus on what's important: helping you get the best cup possible, without spending your life savings on the fanciest equipment. And the AeroPress is perfect for me, because it combines that sophisticated coffee taste with an affordable coffee maker.

Yes, the AeroPress starts from just $39, but it makes full-bodied yet aromatic coffee. AeroPress doesn't require tons of fancy equipment or pro know-how to master — AeroPress is actually way easier to use than you think. Here's why the AeroPress is my favorite manual coffee maker.

Unbeatably portable and storable

At just 5 inches tall with a 4-inch diameter, the AeroPress is uniquely portable and storable. If you get the AeroPress Manual Grinder, it even fits inside the AeroPress, so you don't have to lug around a huge bag just for coffee accessories. The AeroPress stacks inside itself, too — the plunger is hollow, so you can fit your stirrer and scoop inside.

The AeroPress is only 8 ounces, so you can easily stuff it in your backpack for camping trips, overnight bag, or, honestly, even in your purse. This is much lighter than any portable espresso machines I've tested, like the Wacaco Picopresso (12 ounces), Wacaco Minipresso GR2 (10 ounces), or the Wacaco Pixapresso (30 ounces).

I literally leave my AeroPress in my cutlery drawer between uses, where it fits just fine. I love this little contraption.

Unique flavor

Alright, now for the most important thing: flavor.

And, boy, what a flavor. It's difficult to describe just how good the AeroPress tastes, but I'll do my best. Let's put this Creative Writing degree to good use.

While your beans will — obviously — affect the flavor, AeroPress brings out different tasting notes. My usual testing beans are Ethiopian beans with notes of citrus and bourbon biscuits (chocolate), but AeroPress amplifies delicate cherry notes absent on other brewing methods.

AeroPress creates a rich, full-bodied cup, but with soft aromatic notes that round out the mouthful. It's like all the best parts from espresso, French press, and pour-over in one satisfying mouthful.

There's seriously nothing else like it. AeroPress is patented for a reason.

Remarkably affordable

This last one may be the most important feature for most people. Yes, the AeroPress starts from just $39 for the AeroPress Original. It goes all the way up to the $199 AeroPress Premium, a glass-and-metal version of the plastic model.

When you consider the Chemex is $48 for the 8-cup model and the Kalita Wave is $44, you're actually saving five bucks with the AeroPress OG. Obviously, this isn't a huge amount in the grand scheme of things, but think about it like this: you could buy a $20 bag of coffee, and it would only cost you $15. That's girl math — and also coffee snob math.

I do think the AeroPress Clear Color is a little overpriced — it's $49, not $39 — but if you really want a pink AeroPress, you're gonna have to pay that $10.

Let's look at the bigger picture, though. I'm not saying the AeroPress is the most affordable manual coffee in the world, because that would be untrue. The cheapest coffee snob dripper is the Hario V60, just $11-13.

As much as I love V60 coffee, I just can't forget about the AeroPress. The flavor is unlike anything else I've ever tasted. It's rich, strong coffee, with a super-delicate floral aroma that drifts across your tongue with every sip. You just have to try it.

Do you still have doubts about trying the AeroPress, or is it next on your list now? Let me know in the comments!

I post new Coffee Lab videos every Friday on Tom's Guide's TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, so be sure to check back for next week's video!

More from Tom's Guide

• Your espresso machine is the least important part of your coffee setup — here's why it's all about the grinder
• You don't have to spend $1k on espresso — my pro setup is under $650 (trust me, I'm an ex-barista)
• You don’t need a $1,000 espresso machine: This $299 'budget' model makes barista-quality coffee at home

As the weather warms up, it’s the perfect time to enjoy your outdoor space or start entertaining outside. And if you're dealing with a small patio and need a coffee table, or if maximizing storage and decluttering are priorities, then I've discovered IKEA's perfect answer to those tricky small-space issues.

The IKEA LÅGASKÄR is a modern outdoor coffee table that transforms into handy storage beneath the removable tabletop. This versatile table is just the right size for smaller areas and will instantly uplift any space. Plus, it comes in a neutral yet appealing beige colorway — and just costs under $50. Here’s why I’ll be adding this to my shopping list for my patio right away.

Why I love the IKEA LÅGASKÄR Coffee table

I’m a big fan of unique, multi-purpose furniture, and this coffee table does just that. Not only is it a practical and modern coffee table for enjoying coffee, snacks, or summer drinks outdoors, but it's also a stylish storage solution.

This is particularly the case since I'm already limited in space, and struggling to keep everything in one place. You can simply lift the round tabletop to reveal hidden storage underneath. I plan to use this deep compartment to keep my chair cushions, throws, and outdoor lanterns all neatly together.

What’s more, these versatile tables can also be used anywhere in the home, such as for storage in children’s playrooms or even in the home office. Not bad for just $50, which is a good 2-in-1 buy — and just in time for the summer.

More from Tom's Guide

• I’ve just found 12 IKEA storage ideas that are perfect for my tiny entryway — all under $20
• I just found this clever IKEA hack that turns a classic storage staple into a stylish coffee bar
• 5 IKEA outdoor essentials for your yard this summer that are so underrated

The Casabrews Marenza is the newest super-affordable espresso machine with a built-in grinder from Casabrews. At just $349, I can’t quite believe how cheap this machine is. What do you mean, it’s only $50 more expensive than the Breville Bambino, and you get a grinder?

But is a low, low price enough to make it one of the best espresso machines? Actually, yes. At this price point, you’re genuinely not going to get any better. I’ve tested other $350 bean-to-cups that fell at every hurdle (Gevi Espresso Machine with Grinder), so I was so relieved and impressed by the Marenza. The Marenza makes delicious espresso (despite a non-uniform grinder), pro latte art (despite a weak steam wand), and, likely due to its flimsy plastic build, is just $350.

If you’re on a super low budget, I recommend the Marenza wholeheartedly. Of course, you can get much, much better machines if you’re willing to spend more, but for those on a budget? Marenza all the way. To find out the full story, keep reading this Casabrews Marenza review.

Casabrews Marenza review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? Baristas on a budget
• What does it do well? There’s really nothing cheaper and it makes genuinely delicious coffee
• What are its weaknesses? The grinder is a little inconsistent, and the steam wand could be more powerful

Casabrews Marenza review: Specs

Casabrews Marenza review: Price & availability

The Casabrews Marenza is $349 from Casabrews and Amazon U.S.. This is a very, very reasonable price for a bean-to-cup — the second-cheapest (good) bean-to-cup I’ve tested is the De’Longhi Arte Evo ($699).

I’ve tested the Gevi Espresso Machine with Grinder, $349, but I wouldn’t really recommend it. I would stick with the Marenza if you’re on a tight budget.

If you’re not crazy about having a built-in grinder, I’d recommend checking out the De’Longhi Stilosa ($149), Casabrews 3700 Essential ($99), or Breville Bambino ($299), the latter of which is the cheapest coffee snob-approved model I’ve ever tested.

Casabrews Marenza review: Design

I’m in two minds about the Marenza’s design: half of its features I love, half I don’t so much love.

I love that it has a 58mm group head, which creates a more faithful, well-rounded espresso. I love that it has a grinding collar, as it prevents mess. I love that its tamper is weighty and well-made.

However, I do not love the aged-looking LED screen, the flimsy water tank, or the flimsy grinder hopper. I actually broke the hopper after dropping it once. The plastic shattered all over my kitchen floor — I didn’t throw it… just fell off the counter.

This machine also doesn’t come with a milk jug. You need to pay $19 for Casabrews’ milk jug on top of your $349 for the machine itself.

I really don’t understand why Casabrews does this, because Breville, De’Longhi, and even Gevi ship their cheapest espresso machines with milk jugs.

You can, however, fit a coffee scale and a (small) mug/shot glass on the drip tray, which is great to see on such a compact machine.

Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and just because I don’t like how something looks doesn’t mean everyone won’t like how something looks. My colleagues said they liked the Marenza’s appearance, so to each their own. If you like what you see in the pictures illustrating this review, then you’re gonna love it!

Casabrews Marenza review: Grinder

Bizarrely, the Marenza’s grinder has 30 grind settings, from espresso-fine to French press-coarse. I have no idea why. It makes zero sense to me. If you are making a grinder for an espresso machine, it only needs to grind finely.

As this is an espresso machine grinder, I tested its capabilities at grinding coffee espresso-fine. Here are my results.

As you can see, the grinder isn’t overly uniform. I look for huge jumps when I test grinders: think 0% to 100%, not 40% to 60%.

I wish Casabrews had put more energy into finessing the grinder’s espresso range rather than inexplicably giving it coarse grind settings. Why does the built-in grinder on an espresso machine need to grind coarse enough for French press? It doesn’t make sense.

You’ll probably only ever use grind 1-5. I never went above click 5 during my testing, and even that was pushing it for espresso. Despite the lower-uniformity grinder, my colleagues and I enjoyed every espresso shot made on the Marenza, so I think as long as you’re using high-quality beans on grind 1-5, your shots should taste good.

Casabrews Marenza review: Espresso

The Marenza has quite a few shiny features. The built-in shot timer is quite nice should you forget to grab your scale, and it can make ‘ristretto’ and ‘lungo’ and ‘cold brew’. Personally, I always manually start and stop espresso extraction, but these are nice options if you’re a hands-off barista. You won’t find a PID controller or customizable pre-infusion, though.

Espresso is where the Marenza really excels. Thanks to the 58mm group head, you can get a whole horde of aftermarket accessories like WDT tools, tampers, and puck screens. 58mm is the “coffee snob” standard.

I was able to get some seriously pro-level espresso on the Marenza. Here’s a photo of an espresso at a ratio of 1:2, 22g in and 44g out.

Not only did this espresso look great, but it tasted divine, too. I used natural-washed Rwandan beans with notes of mango, creme brulee, and shortbread. Everyone who tasted these espressos said the biscuit and creme brulee notes came through clearly. Without milk, this espresso had a delightfully juicy aftertaste that made the sides of my tongue light up.

I will say that the default volume doses are a bit skewed — the ‘double shot’ pulls 66g of espresso, ‘ristretto’ 17g, and ‘single shot’ 30g. If you’re looking to finesse your espresso, I would manually stop extraction when you reach your ideal weight (which you will know by using one of the best coffee scales, of course).

I would also never use the ‘Americano’ mode, as pulling shots for this amount of time can wear out the pump of the machine itself.

Casabrews Marenza review: Milk

Even though it’s a budget espresso machine, which means I cut it a bit more slack than I would a super-expensive espresso machine, I still have to say that the Casabrews Marenza suffers from a slow steam wand.

The steam wand also takes a while to preheat after pulling a shot. I found myself waiting between 30 seconds to a minute. This meant my crema had cracked or shrunk while I waited. While this is a symptom of a conventional single-boiler Thermoblock machine, you don’t have to wait for the boiler to heat on the Breville Bambino or Bambino Plus.

This is a recurring issue with Casabrews gear. I’ve only ever tested one Casabrews machine with a decent steam wand (and no weird preheating or boiler purging) — the 3700 Essential. I don’t know how it’s possible for a $99 machine to have a better steam wand than a $349 machine, but here we go.

I was still able to get decent milk quality and pretty latte art, but if you’re a beginner, you’ll likely need to practise a lot to get a similar milk texture. Here’s a photo of a latte I made on the Casabrews Marenza.

As you can see, the latte has delicate microfoam and nice latte art. However, this is after years of professional and consumer practice. This milk also took 66 seconds to heat to drinking temperature, which is a long time. Usually, a powerful steam wand will be able to heat a full jug in around 40 seconds.

This is a major shame, because the espresso performance was so good. Even so, the steam wand isn’t weak enough for this to be a major, deal-breaking drawback, but it’s worth noting if you’re searching for barista perfection.

Of course, this is the best performance you’re going to get at this price point — and there is quite literally zero competition — but I would personally save up a bit longer and get a De’Longhi Arte Evo for the powerful steam wand.

Casabrews Marenza review: Storage & maintenance

Considering the Marenza is a bean-to-cup espresso machine, it’s actually surprisingly compact. At just 8.6 inches wide, it should be able to fit in tight kitchens better than, say, the 18-inch Breville Oracle Dual Boiler.

I found cleaning the Marenza to be straightforward. The drip tray was easy to remove and didn’t leak. I’d recommend cleaning it every day, lest you want nasty stagnant coffee-milk-water in your kitchen.

Thankfully, it comes with a bellows to clean out the inside of the grinder. Do not use water to clean a coffee grinder, as it will damage the burrs.

You will need to backflush and descale when the machine reminds you — I do not recommend ignoring these messages, as it can damage the internals.

Unfortunately, Casabrews only offers a 1-year warranty on its espresso machines, which isn’t as good as Breville, De’Longhi, and Ninja’s 2-year warranty.

Casabrews Marenza review: Verdict

The Casabrews Marenza has probably been my biggest surprise of 2026 thus far. I’ve learned to expect little from bean-to-cup espresso machines under $500 — and the Marenza has taught me that I was very wrong. This is a surprisingly excellent espresso machine.

Of course, the grinder isn’t overly consistent and the steam wand is quite slow, but I still managed to get delicious espresso and barista-level latte art using said inconsistent grinder and weak steam wand. If I can do it, I’m sure you can, too!

If you’re verging on coffee snob territory, you might be better off with a De’Longhi Arte Evo, Breville Barista Express, Breville Bambino/Bambino Plus, but for an espresso machine with a built-in grinder, you’re seriously not going to get better for this price.

My morning routine usually consists of two things —a perfect cup of coffee from my bean-to-cup De’Longhi machine and a regular scrool of home inspiration and affordable finds from IKEA. So I was thrilled, to find these clever IKEA coffee bar hacks that combine the best of both.

Having your very own coffee bar at home is becoming a popular trend on social media, and if you want to create a barista-style coffee bar in your kitchen, you don’t even have to spend a fortune.

I recently discovered this simple yet brilliant IKEA HAGAAN hack. This clever idea instantly turns the classic storage wall bathroom cabinet into a chic coffee bar, perfect for showcasing all your coffee essentials and keeping everything in one dedicated spot.

Best of all, this requires zero effort, and you can repurpose this versatile piece of storage across different rooms, earning its place as the ultimate IKEA essential. Here’s how to make a fuss-free coffee bar station.

The IKEA coffee bar corner hack

Before you start, first decide on an empty corner or space in your kitchen that is suitable to place the storage unit, keeping its dimensions of 18 inches wide by 37 inches tall in mind.

The easy ‘IKEA Coffee Corner hack’ was shared on Instagram by @pieceofhayel. Here she simply places the HAGAAN storage cabinet on a clean and empty spot on her kitchen countertop, flush against the wall.

She then places her coffee machine at the bottom, before using the above shelving to store her coffee mugs and essentials. To complete the look, a potted plant was placed at the top of the cabinet as a finishing touch.

I really liked the simplicity of this, especially the fact that it requires no effort or complicated installation at all. With that said, comments were a mixed bag. While many users praised how ‘beautiful’ and great it looked, others mentioned the practicality of it in order to fill the water in the coffee machine. However, another user suggested: “If the first level is removed, would it be easier to refill water?”

Of course, you can customize this to suit your needs and kitchen, and I’ve even seen some similar hacks where the user has turned the HAGAAN horizontal instead of upright.

Needless to say, this is a super easy (and lazy) way to create a stylish coffee bar that can spruce up your kitchen — and charm your guests when they visit.

Our favorite coffee maker picks

More from Tom's Guide

• Here’s how to make pour over coffee
• Plus, learn these 5 ways to froth milk without a milk frother
• Just avoid these 9 coffee brewing mistakes that are ruining your cup of Joe

When I get asked, "Which is the best coffee maker to buy?" I only have one answer. The Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select.

The Moccamaster is famous in the coffee world for a reason — it looks gorgeous, makes delicious, intense, rich coffee, is a delight to clean, and the best part? It has a 5-year warranty as standard, and Technivorm offers lifetime repairs. Yep. Lifetime. Repairs.

If you've been struggling to figure out which coffee maker to buy, struggle no more! Get the Moccamaster. I know it's a little pricier than the competition — $369 from Amazon right now — you won't have to buy another model again. Think of it like investing in the future of your coffee maker.

And, yes — I've seriously reviewed 44 coffee makers. I've added another one to my belt since publishing my last roundup.

SCA-approved

SCA stands for "Specialty Coffee Association," which basically means the Moccamaster has got a nice shiny medal from serious coffee snobs. To achieve this accreditation, machines must meet the SCA's requirements for "proper water temperature, brewing time, and ability to brew within the SCA Golden Cup recommendations."

According to Bonavita, another SCA-accredited manufacturer, the "Golden Cup" involves the following criteria: "Coffee volume, brewing time, water temperature, beverage preparation, consistent performance, uniform coffee extraction, beverage clarity, holding temperature, instruction manuals."

Of course, an SCA accreditation isn't the be-all and end-all of coffee makers, but if a coffee is good enough for some seriously knowledgeable coffee nerds, it's good enough for me.

Built to last

You've heard me say this before and you'll definitely hear me say this again, but the Moccamaster is a coffee maker that'll survive the apocalypse. Technivorm offers a 5-year warranty as standard, and lifetime repairs (for a fee after 5 years). This after-purchase care is better than Breville, Ninja, Krups and Bonavita... combined.

As you can see, Technivorm is just leading the crowd here. There's very little competition. If you want your coffee maker to last you a lifetime, it's gotta be Technivorm.

This is not to say all other-brand machines will break within a few years, not at all. But, if your Breville Luxe Brewer were to break after 366 days, you'd be stuck with it. Moccamaster breaks after 3,666 days? Technivorm'll fix it.

And, of course, taste

Moccamaster coffee is frustrating, because once you try it, you won't be able to go back to the $50 drip machine you got off Amazon. There truly is nothing like it. It's dark and intense and rich — all those adjectives I associate with diner coffee — but it's much more complex than you might think. It's juicy and flavorful with zero bitterness.

Of course, you can adjust flavor based on ratios and grind size. If you want it stronger, use less water/more coffee and a finer grind size (but not too fine, otherwise it'll take ages to brew and get clogged). If you want it weaker, use a coarser grind, or more water/less coffee.

That's the beauty of the Moccamaster — you can experiment on it and customize it as much as you like. It makes consistently excellent coffee, and it's my favorite drip machine for a reason.

Have you tried the Moccamaster before? Is it right for you, or do you prefer something else? Let me know in the comments!

Don't forget to follow along with The Coffee Lab — I release new episodes on our TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram every single Friday.

More from Tom's Guide

• Your espresso machine is the least important part of your coffee setup — here's why it's all about the grinder
• You don't have to spend $1k on espresso — my pro setup is under $650 (trust me, I'm an ex-barista)
• You don’t need a $1,000 espresso machine: This $299 'budget' model makes barista-quality coffee at home

There’s a surprising overlap between coffee lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, so you’d expect there to be a plethora of camping-focused coffee gear on the market. And you’d be right. The VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set is one of those coffee-enthusiast-slash-camping-equipment products, and I’m all here for it. It’s definitely up there with some of the best pour-over coffee makers.

Although pricey, at $55/$80 (for two mugs), you also get a lifetime warranty. Yes — Lifetime. Warranty. So, although $55 feels quite expensive for what is essentially a smaller Hario V60 + thermal travel mug, you will literally never have to buy another camping pour-over kit ever again. The clue’s in the name: lifetime warranty.

So, could the VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set be the perfect product for you? Are you a camper who can’t live without fresh coffee, even in the wilderness? Then it just might be. To find out, keep reading this VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set review.

VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? Coffee + outdoor lovers = VSSL enthusiasts
• What does it do well? It’s so portable and has a little sleeping bag
• What does it cost? $55 / £54
• What are its weaknesses? Might not impress extreme coffee snobs, but it impressed me (a medium coffee snob)

VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set: Specs

VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set review: Price & availability

The VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set is $55 from Amazon U.S. and in the U.K. it can be bought for £54 from Amazon U.K. or VSSL or Wildbounds (both £54). This is pretty pricey — but you do get a lifetime warranty (more on that later). Similar outdoor-focused options would be the $60 Yeti Rambler Pour-Over, $26 Stanley Perfect Brew, and the $34 Wacaco Cuppamoka.

For $80 / £80, you can get the VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Kit, which includes two 10oz mugs. If you’re often on camping trips with another person, I might recommend getting the ‘kit’ over the ‘set’ for the double mugs. However, you still only get one dripper and one filter.

As I touched on briefly above, $55 for what is essentially a conical piece of metal and a travel mug is quite pricey. However, you’re getting a lifetime warranty. The Yeti Rambler Pour-Over is $60 for a mug and a dripper (no lifetime warranty), and the Stanley Perfect Brew and Wacaco Cuppamoka are less for coffee fanatics and more for everyday users. I’d probably recommend the Yeti and VSSL if you’re more snobby about coffee (relatable).

VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set review: Design

As you might expect from an outdoor-focused pour-over, the VSSL Nest is both rugged and gorgeous. It’s constructed from 80% recycled stainless steel — nicely aligned with the general ethics of many outdoor lovers — and stacks into one 7-inch cylinder between uses.

You also get a carry bag that looks way too much like a sleeping bag for it to be a coincidence. I inadvertently anthropomorphized the VSSL Nest every time I tucked it into its little bed.

Cute sleeping bag aside, the VSSL Nest works hard and plays hard. Everything stacks into itself (like the Wacaco Minipresso GR2 or Wacaco Picopresso), which means it’s perfectly portable. The screw threads felt a little gritty at first, but after a few uses, they loosened up.

As you might expect from an outdoor-focused pour-over, you get a reusable mesh filter rather than the (albeit compostable) single-use filters you might be familiar with. This mesh filter is considerably smaller than the standard V60 #2 or Kalita Wave filters. The filter’s compact size means there’s a smaller chance of funnelling — but you still have to pour carefully if you’re seeking perfection — but I didn’t get on with it as well as I’d hoped to.

The filter is pre-folded, but I found the stitching around the seams meant that the filter folded awkwardly when placed inside the dripper. Even so, this didn’t result in a bad coffee, but it’s just something to think about if you’re that aforementioned person seeking perfection.

If you want more than one, you can buy additional reusable mesh filters for $28 on Amazon. The pour-over kit and set both come with just one filter, so if you wanted to double brew with the two 10oz mugs in the ‘kit’, you’d need to buy more filters (and dripper). Of course, you could just use the same filter for both mugs, but you’d need to wait.

VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set review: Performance

As the VSSL Nest Pour Over is an outdoor-focused product, you’ll be pleased to know that it has a sturdy, weighty metal bottom so it’ll stay upright even on bumpy surfaces. The dripper itself screws into the cup, so don’t worry about errant hands knocking your drink into the campfire.

Again, as the VSSL Nest is a pour-over, it works just as any other pour-over. I will note that while it has the controlled grooves you might expect from a V60 or the Yeti Rambler, the filter is so thick that these may as well not exist, so perhaps this is less for perfectionists or coffee snobs and more for genuine enthusiasts.

This isn’t to say the VSSL Nest makes a bad coffee, not at all. It might not have the same snobbish complexity as you might expect from a V60, or the same intensity as a Kalita Wave, but the VSSL Nest makes a delicious brew with zero bitterness. I used medium-roast Colombian beans for this test; I could taste the delicate fruitiness at the top of my tongue, a satisfying amount of sourness around my tongue, and a pleasant richness rounding it all out.

The double-walled insulation mug also keeps coffee warm for hours. I enjoyed my coffee slowly — and the final sip was just as warm as the first.

To show you how easy the VSSL Nest is to use, I’ll share my go-to routine now.

My go-to VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set routine

As the VSSL Nest is a pour-over, it’s very easy to use. There are no centralized grooves like in the Hario V60 to force water through the middle of the filter, but the small dripper means there’s little room for error. Just be sure to pour slowly and ‘tuck’ the water behind the coffee, to prevent funnelling. This just means you should pour the water behind the coffee, in between the grounds and filter, rather than on top of the coffee.

1. Grind 16g of coffee beans to a medium coarseness for 295ml of coffee. I used my Comandante C40 MK4, a great hand grinder perfect for camping trips.
2. Heat water to at least 196°F, no hotter than 210°F.
3. Pour around 50ml of water to ‘bloom’ the grounds.
4. Once the grounds have expanded and released their gases, pour in another 100ml of water in a slow, controlled, circular motion.
5. Once this water has passed through, repeat until you reach 295ml. Ensure you are tucking the water behind the coffee to prevent funnelling.
6. Enjoy!

And that’s it! Of course, you can adjust the grind size and ratio to suit your tastes. If you want it stronger next time around, just add more coffee at the first stage!

VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set review: Storage & maintenance

Now, let’s get into arguably the most impressive spec: the lifetime warranty. Yes, I’m serious, and no, that’s not a typo. The VSSL Nest has a lifetime warranty. In VSSL’s world, this is called ‘Geared for Life’.

VSSL offers Geared for Life on the Nest Pour Over Set and the Kit, so worry not if you want to get the $80 Kit instead of the $55 Set.

Comparatively, Yeti offers a 5-year warranty, which is still impressive — but obviously not as impressive as a warranty that’ll expire when you do. VSSL confirmed to me that lifetime means lifetime. There are no time limits on this warranty, so as long as VSSL is in business, it’ll repair or replace your Nest.

Even so, Yeti replaces parts, should you need to do so (like the sippy slider) and has detailed instructions on how to care for its products on its site.

And, as I’ve already gushed over, the VSSL Nest comes with a cute little sleeping bag for storing your Nest between uses. Everything (including the filter) stacks inside neatly.

Finally: cleaning. VSSL recommends you only hand-wash the Nest, so no dishwasher adventures, please! The mug, dripper, and mesh filter are all perfectly easy to clean, although be prepared to get your hands dirty when you scrape out coffee grounds from the inside of the filter. If you’re on a long camping trip, you might want to check out compostable single-use U-shaped #1 filters to avoid needing to clean on the trail.

VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set review: How does it compare?

The VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set is a great product for outdoor lovers or simply coffee lovers who are short on space and need a portable, stackable coffee maker. I’d recommend the Yeti Rambler for sticklers — if you can’t live without grooves in the dripper — but for coffee lovers who aren’t fussed about said grooves, the VSSL Nest will be great.

I’d recommend the VSSL Nest over the Wacaco Cuppamoka — which probably wouldn’t impress serious coffee nerds — and the Stanley Perfect Brew. But, if you want to save as much money as possible, check out either of those cheaper options.

I was able to get a delicious, easy pour-over with very little stress. The screw threads ensured the pour-over was steady, even on uneven surfaces, and the reusable mesh filter is better for the planet than single-use paper filters.

VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set review: Verdict

If you want an outdoor-friendly manual coffee maker that’s not afraid of uneven ground and comes with its own sleeping bag, I wholeheartedly recommend the VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set. This functional and stylish coffee maker combines usability with finesse for a versatile, enjoyable brewing experience.

Although yes, it’s pretty pricey at $55/$80 for two mugs, you do get a lifetime warranty, so… You win some, you lose some. You’re kind of futureproofing yourself with the splurge. And, while some serious coffee perfectionists might turn their noses up at the thick filter covering the directional grooves, this was a non-issue for me.

For campers and coffee lovers, the VSSL Nest Pour Over Coffee Set is a great option that’ll see you through every camping trip for the rest of your life — literally.

AeroPress finally released its own grinder last year, solving a problem no one had even realized existed — you can fit the grinder inside your AeroPress like a Russian doll. Talk about convenience.

When you go on trips, you can still pack light. Forget trying to fit your grinder, beans, and AeroPress into your camping backpack or fighting with an overstuffed carry-on. But is this portability enough to make the AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder one of the best coffee grinders on the market? If you’re an AeroPress addict, without a shadow of a doubt.

However, I’m not going to claim the AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder is the most uniform grinder in the world. It performed best at medium-fine coarseness — the optimal grind for AeroPress, funnily enough — but I wouldn’t recommend it for French press or cold brew. If you want to find out more, though, keep reading this AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder review.

AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? AeroPress aficionados
• What does it do well? Fits inside my AeroPress and is super easy to use
• What does it cost? $199 / £199
• What are its weaknesses? Not as uniform as some Timemore or 1ZPresso alternatives

AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder: Specs

AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder review: Price & availability

The AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder is $199 from Amazon U.S. and £199 from AeroPress U.K.. You may be thinking this is expensive for a coffee grinder, but you’d be wrong. This is firmly in the budget-midrange category for burr grinders.

If you want to spend as little as possible, I’d recommend checking out the Timemore Chestnut C2s, just $79. You might also want to check out the ceramic-burred Hario Mill Grinder ($40) or the 1ZPresso Q-Air ($60).

At the premium end of the spectrum, we’ve got the Comandante C40 MK4, my personal grinder and my highest-recommended hand grinder. If you’ve got $300 to invest in pro-level coffee, it’s gotta be the Comandante. You might also want to check out the 1ZPresso J-Ultra, $199, which is surprisingly functional for its midrange price.

AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder review: Design

As with everything else AeroPress makes, the Manual Coffee Grinder is gorgeous. The silver-and-gray exterior is sleek, modern, and stylish, and the grooves on the grinder body make it easy to hold.

Besides being beautiful, the AeroPress Grinder is also teeny-tiny. Its diameter is just 1.9 inches, and it stands at 7.4 inches tall, so it’s considerably slimmer than the 1ZPresso J-Ultra, although the 1ZPresso Q-Air is 0.1 inch smaller (but its capacity is only 15g-20g).

The handle packs down to sit flush with the grinder body, which is fantastic for portability. This is definitely one of the smallest grinders I’ve ever seen.

But the most impressive aspect is this: the AeroPress Grinder fits inside an AeroPress. If you’re going camping or on vacation, you can take your AeroPress and your grinder without taking up double the space. This is one of the biggest selling points, and makes the grinder a must-have for serious AeroPress fanatics.

While it doesn’t fit inside the $199 AeroPress Premium, it’ll slip into the AeroPress Clear Color, Go, XL — and the OG AeroPress, of course.

Although this means the grinding chamber is quite small — it fits just 25g of beans — if you’re making an AeroPress, you probably wouldn’t need to grind any more than that, anyway.

AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder review: Performance

To test the performance of the AeroPress Manual, I evaluated four main aspects: ease of use, static/clumping, uniformity, and retention.

Ease of use

As it’s a manual grinder, the AeroPress grinder is very easy to use. To adjust the grind, you simply twist the dial on the underside of the grinder body. As with every other grinder I’ve used, clockwise is finer and counterclockwise is coarser.

After putting coffee in the grinding chamber, all you have to do is twist the handle, and you’ve got it working. It’s so easy a toddler could use it (although you shouldn’t let your toddler use this).

I will say that if you’re going at superspeed, the handle sometimes flies off. I wasn’t sure if this was a skill issue on my part, but I’m inclined to believe it is — the knob of my Comandante C40 MK4 also flies off when I’m going too fast. Maybe it’s the grinder gods working together to try and save my bicep from exhausting itself.

Static & clumping

The AeroPress Manual Grinder has incredibly low clumping. I was amazed by the even distribution of the grounds. This is ideal for using with an AeroPress, where you don’t want the water to get clogged in certain areas.

The grinder also generates supremely low static. Sure, there’s a bit of static, but this is expected when you’re turning organic solids into even smaller organic solids. A static-free coffee grinder is nigh on impossible. If someone’s invented one, I have yet to see it. Static is worse when a grinder is new, and typically decreases over time anyway — often after a few kilos of beans.

Here’s a photo of the static so you can see what I mean.

As you can see, there’s a small ring of husk around the adjustment dial, but this is really not that deep. If you keep reading, you’ll be able to see my retention tests that back this up.

Here's a photo of the lack of clumping so you can see.

There are literally zero clumps in this bowl — this is best clumping performance I've ever seen.

Uniformity

Alright, I’m going to rip the Band-Aid off nice and fast: the AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder isn’t the most uniform grinder in the world.

In general, it performed much better when grinding medium-fine, which is the optimal grind setting for AeroPress, anyway. If you’re only using this grinder for AeroPress, it’ll be perfect. However, if you wanted to dabble in French press or cold brew, your brew may not taste as consistent as you’d like.

Take a look at my results. We’re looking for big jumps here: think 0% 300upm to 100% 500upm. A result like that would mean all the coffee grounds are between 301-500upm, which means a more consistent flavor in the resulting brew.

This is around the same level of uniformity as the Timemore Chestnut C2s, and unfortunately, not as uniform as the Comandante C40 MK4, whose least-consistent test saw jumps from 20%-90%-100%.

This is not to say the AeroPress Manual is a bad coffee grinder, just that it performs best between clicks 10-20 (the optimal setting for AeroPress). If you’re deep in the AeroPress ecosystem, there’s nothing like the grinder.

Retention

In general, manual grinders have lower retention than electric grinders. This is effectively due to the difference in burr position: in a manual grinder, the burrs are right there, just above the catch chamber. There’s a smaller area and fewer places for coffee to get retained. Even so, it’s still essential to test average retention.

The lowest-retention grinder I’ve ever tested was the Timemore Chestnut C2s, which had an average retention of 0.1%. However, the Comandante C40 MK4 had a high retention rate of 2.75%. In the middle, you’ve got the 1ZPresso K-Ultra ($249) with an average retention of 1.8%.

While you can get “better” grinders for cheaper or the same price — the $79 Timemore Chestnut C2s and the $199 1ZPresso J-Ultra — if you’re an AeroPress lover looking to upgrade your setup intelligently, I’d recommend the AeroPress grinder. Come on — it fits inside your AeroPress! How perfect is that?

AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder review: Storage & maintenance

Like Comandante, AeroPress offers a lifetime warranty on the burrs. This means if your burrs are defective, you can get a replacement burr set forever (assuming AeroPress still exists as a business, of course).

This is fantastic, and just goes to show how high-quality the burrs are — AeroPress wouldn’t offer this if it weren’t confident in the burs themselves. Other brands like Timemore and 1ZPresso just offer the basic 1-year warranty.

It goes without saying, but do not use water to clean the grinder. You must never use water to clean a coffee grinder — the provided brush will be sufficient day-to-day, but investing a few dollars in a rubber air blower is a good idea, to give it a good clear out if and when needed.

As the Manual Grinder is so tiny, you can easily store it in a drawer or cabinet between uses. Mine fits perfectly in the small cutlery drawer underneath my coffee unit.

AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder review: Verdict

Despite not being the most affordable or uniform grinder in the world, I can’t help but love the AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder. It fits inside my Clear Color, and looks so cool while doing so. If you’re an AeroPress fanatic like me, I wholeheartedly recommend this grinder. It’s just so convenient.

You’d get better uniformity with the Comandante C40 MK4, but that’s $100 pricier than the AeroPress (and can go up to $200 pricier in certain colorways). Again, if you’re only using this grinder for AeroPress, the medium-fine setting resulted in the best uniformity, anyway. Don’t fret, though — I was still able to grind espresso-fine. I just wouldn’t recommend it for French press or cold brew.

For serious AeroPress enthusiasts, there’s nothing like this grinder. It’s cool, easy to use, and can be packed away. Let me say this one more time: it fits inside the AeroPress!

As an ex-barista, I know how to pull cafe-quality espresso at home — and spending $1,000 on an espresso machine and $10 on a blade grinder is not the way to do it. I can make barista-quality espresso drinks with just a $299 Breville Bambino and a $299 Comandante C40 MK4.

But how is the Bambino a budget model yet the Comandante is a premium model — aren't they the same price? Yes... and no. Although the same price, the Comandante is a hand grinder, and it's the best hand grinder on the market — so, relatively, it's a premium product. Hand grinders are inherently cheaper than electric motor grinders, and you can get pro results without the price tag. Electric motor grinders can go for up to $1,500 for a similar quality (Mazzer Philos, the best grinder in the world... if you've got the money).

My entire pro setup is under $650 — but here's why most of that should be invested in a high-quality grinder.

What does a coffee grinder actually do?

Knowing how to grind coffee is a skill in and of itself — I recommend you take time to learn optimal grind size and texture before going any further.

A coffee grinder turns whole beans into the coffee grounds you can actually use in brewing. There are two main types of coffee grinders: burr and blade. Burrs crush the beans, whereas blades slice the beans.

I would only ever recommend using a burr grinder. Blade grinders have low uniformity, meaning all the coffee grounds are of inconsistent sizes. You might struggle to make a high-quality drink with uneven grounds.

Different brewing methods require different grind sizes: espresso needs fine, AeroPress and pour-over medium-fine, French press goes coarse, and cold brew requires the coarsest grind. But regardless of which brewing method you're using, you want all these grounds to be the same size.

Why does my coffee grind need to be consistent?

Consistency is key for one major reason: extraction and flavor. Let me explain.

Bitter tasting coffee is likely over-extracted, and sour or weak tasting coffee is likely under-extracted.

Coffee ground too finely is often over-extracted, and coffee ground too coarsely is often under-extracted. See where the issue might be?

If your coffee grounds are all different sizes, some will be over-extracted, whereas some will be under-extracted.

For example, if you are making espresso, your coffee should be around as fine as baker's salt — all your coffee. Not most of it, not half of it. All of it.

However, if you use a blade or low-quality burr grinder, the coffee grounds will be different sizes. Water will pass over the larger granules without extracting properly, resulting in a sour or bitter shot — or, in some disastrous cases, sour and bitter all at once.

What happens if I use a blade grinder?

Using a blade grinder is one of the biggest no-nos I can think of. Blade grinders use an electric motor to cut coffee grounds. What happens when your coffee gets stuck to the side of the grinding chamber, or the blades make a well in the middle of the grounds?

You get over-sliced grounds and under-sliced grounds, that's what. Look at this picture of coffee ground on the Cuisinart Blade Grinder.

In the foreground, you have huge chunks of coffee, and in the background, you have tiny, espresso-sized granules. What do you think would happen if I tried to make espresso on this?

It would be a watery mess, that's what.

Burr grinders don't even have to be expensive — I've tested some decent sub-$200 models. Obviously, none of these will come close to the Mazzer Philos in terms of uniformity or longevity, but could be a decent option if you're short on dollars.

More from Tom's Guide

• I've tested 43 coffeemakers in two years — but I’d only spend my own money on these nine
• You don't have to spend $1k on espresso — my pro setup is under $650 (trust me, I'm an ex-barista)
• 'This is the key to unlocking barista-quality coffee': I'm a coffee expert and you should never use pressurized baskets

Brew aficionado, De'Longhi, is no stranger to bean-to-cup coffee makers. But, its newest release just dropped and it promises to be "the next generation of personalized, café-quality coffee at home."

Called the PrimaDonna Aromatic, it joins an existing lineup of premium coffee machines, with a twist. For the first time ever though, De'Longhi has created a fully integrated, bean-to-cup machine that'll automatically recognize your beans and fine-tune your grind, dose, and temperature to give you the ultimate brew.

For this, there's a crazy amount of smart tech packed in, which I'll jump into more about below. While the De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic launched in the UK last year, it's now hit the US for $2499.95 at De'Longhi.

Fully automatic

De'Longhi is well-versed in bean-to-cup machines from the best-value espresso machine we've ever tested, the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo, to the small, but mighty De'Longhi La Specialista Touch. And the new PrimaDonna Aromatic takes some of the features we've enjoyed about both of these coffee makers and levels it up.

Like the Touch, the PrimaDonna Aromatic uses the brand's Bean Adapt tech to help you streamline the grinding and brewing setup. It also adopts the interactive touchscreen, this time measuring up at 5-inches.

For this premium machine though, there's so much more. From the Adaptive Grinding tech, to three extraction technologies for espresso, drip coffee, and cold brew working over a curated menu of 38 recipes, as well as LatteCrema Hot and Cool technologies to automate milk textures from dairy to plant-based milks.

A modern approach

If you thought that was it for smart features, we're not done yet. The De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic can also whip up a cold brew in under three minutes, give you personalized profiles to match your brew preferences, and learn your coffee habits — adjusting accordingly throughout the day.

Ultimately, there's a lot of tech packed into this impressive machine. And you don't even have to be at the machine to make those brews with the fully automated process available remotely via the De'Longhi My Coffee Lounge App. Want a coffee, but don't want to get up from the couch to make it? No problem.

While all these features aren't necessarily new for a De'Longhi automated coffee maker, they're all packed in together with extras on top. But, you'll have to spend a bit of cash to secure all these features. At $2499.95, it's a jump up in price compared to the $999.95 for the La Specialista Touch or the $699 for the La Specialista Arte Evo.

It's what the brand is calling the "next generation of personalized, café quality coffee at home." So if that's what you're looking for, then the PrimaDonna Aromatic might be the perfect fit. I'm excited to try it out, but I'll reserve my full judgement until I do.

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• I made a life-changing shot of espresso in this De'Longhi coffee maker — and now I want to buy it
• 7 ways to create a barista-style coffee bar in your kitchen
• Coffee doesn’t have to be an expensive hobby — here’s my 5 favorite cheap accessories

In my two years at Tom's Guide, I've tested a whopping 43 coffee makers. Yes, seriously. Forty. Three. And this number is ever-expanding. Next week, I'm going to test out some new budget bean-to-cups, and I'm super excited.

But let's take a retrospective look at these past two years. I've tested everything from the $1,600 Semi-Professional Smeg and La Pavoni powerhouses to the $12 Hario V60 — and both are on this list. You can get incredible, barista-quality coffee on the Smeg EMC02, just like you can get coffeehouse-approved pour-over with the $11 Hario V60. It's all in you, the barista.

As there's no single "best" coffee maker, I'm going to walk you through the nine I would actually buy with my own money. I'm covering everything from said $12 Hario V60 all the way up to said $1,800 Smeg x La Pavoni espresso machine, so buckle in, kick back, and relax.

The manual coffee makers

Alright, here are the non-electric coffee makers I'd recommend. I've tested everything: the Hario V60, AeroPress, Chemex, Kalita Wave, Clever Dripper, Espro P7, Aarke French Press, Stanley pour-over, Yeti pour-over, Wacaco (all of them...), and more. Although I liked all of them, here are the three I would buy with my own money.

Hario V60

In my 4-star review of the Hario V60, I discussed its affordability, its compact footprint, and its inimitable ability to make coffeehouse-quality coffee for extremely cheap. With a little practice, you'll be slinging out barista-level black coffee like you own the shop.

Sure, you need some finesse to impress coffee nerds online, but if your pour-over tastes good, who cares if you're doing it right or wrong? Coffee doesn't have hard and fast rules in the same way math does. Coffee + water = whatever you want.

AeroPress

In my 4.5-star review of the AeroPress Clear Color, I highlighted its striking appearance and surprising ease of use. Don't be put off — AeroPresses are way easier to use than you might think. It's kind of like a sped-up French press.

Seriously, nothing else tastes like AeroPress. It's delicate, floral, fruity, yet also intense like a French press. And the best part — they're so tiny you can hide them in your cutlery draw between uses.

Chemex

When I reviewed the Chemex in 2024, I gave it the coveted Editor's Choice, 4.5-star rating. A year and a half later, we still use the Chemex regularly in the office. It's so much easier to use than you might think — simply put coffee in a paper filter and pour over hot water.

That's literally it — and the coffee tastes amazing. Chemex is like an even more delicate AeroPress. You get floral, aromatic notes with zero bitterness.

The espresso machines

I've tested 24 espresso machines, ranging from the $3,000 Breville Oracle Dual Boiler to the $139 Casabrews 3700 Essential. Here are the four I would buy with my own money.

Breville Bambino

The Breville Bambino is the only budget espresso machine I would buy for myself. Although super-cheap models like the De'Longhi Stilosa and Casabrews 3700 Essential are really great for under $150, if you want to make seriously pro-level espresso, you will have to spend a little more on the $300 Bambino.

I love the Breville Bambino because it combines high-end features like a PID controller (temperature controller) and a customizable pre-infusion time (so you can choose if you want your coffee to be more saturated). On top of all that, it's just 6 inches wide and perfect for small kitchens.

Breville Bambino Plus

I love my Breville Bambino Plus. It's the perfect combination of coffee-snob-style espresso machine finesse with user-friendly, beginner-compatible style and function. With a 3-way solenoid valve that sucks out excess water from your coffee puck, a PID controller, and customizable pre-infusion time, you'll be feeling like a barista in no time with this machine.

It's not just about espresso, though. The Bambino Plus has a 4-hole steam wand that is capable of making coffee-shop-quality microfoam. I continue to get some of the best latte art of my life on this machine — my barista days included.

If I had to go back and choose my personal espresso machine again, of course, I would stick with the Breville Bambino Plus.

De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo

What makes the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo so good is its affordability. Although, yes, I know it's $699, this is an unbelievably reasonable price for a bean-to-cup. If you want to make reliably delicious coffee at home and you're not overly crazy about becoming a coffee snob, I'd always recommend a bean-to-cup like this or the Barista Express.

The Arte Evo even has a cold brew setting, you can make cold brew in five minutes right from your espresso machine. Of course, it looks a treat and has a powerful steam wand, too.

Smeg x La Pavoni EMC02

If you're unfamiliar with La Pavoni, no biggie, it's just the company that invented espresso. Way back in the early 20th Century, this Italian coffee company manufactured the very first espresso machine and changed coffee forever.

The EMC02 is La Pavoni's collaboration with Smeg. It has a triple boiler system for controlled (and customizable) temperature, an electric E61-style group head (not a "real" E61), and a steam wand so powerful I thought I was back in my old coffeehouse job.

And also — look at it. Just look at it. Ain't she a beauty? My colleague, Harry, repeatedly says that the EMC02 made the "best coffee" he's ever tasted. Big ol' boots to fill, right? No wonder I gave it 4.5 stars in my review.

The drip machines

Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select

I tested the revered Moccamaster KGBV Select recently and, of course, adored it. I've tested it before, but it's true — it's still my favorite.

On top of looking like an industrial, eye-catching, effortlessly cool machine, the Moccamaster also comes with a 5-year warranty and lifetime repairs. Yep, so if your Moccamaster breaks in 2036, Technivorm will still repair it. How cool is that?

This is definitely the last drip machine you'd ever have to buy (because it will last a lifetime). For that reason, I'd buy this with my own money.

Ratio Four

Oh, the Ratio Four. This is one of two coffee makers I've awarded five stars. If you love pour-over but can't be bothered to make it every day, you'll love the Ratio Four — it's effectively an automated pour-over machine.

While it doesn't have a keep warm function, I don't mind. It's not that kind of machine. This is for serious coffee lovers who want finesse without the stress of making pour-overs again and again. Coffee snobs will love it (and hopefully, so will everyone else).

I would love to buy this machine for myself — it's gorgeous, makes aromatic, delicate coffee, and is from an independent business.

More from Tom's Guide

• I'm an ex-barista and I use these essential accessories to get cafe-quality coffee at home
• You don't have to spend $1k on espresso — my pro setup is under $650 (trust me, I'm an ex-barista)
• Your espresso machine is the least important part of your coffee setup — here's why it's all about the grinder

As a coffee lover, I'm always trying to find new ways to make my daily brew even better. Whether that's finessing my grind, bossing the extraction, or simply taking care of my espresso machine, I'm always trying to level up.

I have the Breville Bambino Plus — the best espresso machine, in my opinion — and I want it to last as long as possible. Espresso machines are expensive, and you don't want to have to drop $500 more than once every five years to get barista-quality coffee at home. In general, vibratory pump espresso machines should last at least five, if not eight, years.

So I spoke to John Holmquist, Customer Experience Manager at Seattle Coffee Gear, to ask him about the most common barista mistakes he sees — and how to avoid them. John said there are three main errors: not descaling or backflushing, using vinegar for cleaning, and extracting espresso incorrectly. Here's how you can stop making these mistakes.

Mistake #1: Not backflushing or descaling

The first mistake John mentioned was a lack of proper maintenance. You should be intimately familiar with your espresso machine's cleaning process. After how many shots should you backflush? After how many months should you descale? If you can't answer these questions, you might want to reread your machine's user manual!

My espresso machine requires backflushing after 2 months, and because I live in an extremely hard water area, I should descale once a month. I use Breville's descaler and Breville's cleaning tablets — but I might switch to Urnex, as advised by John.

If you don't know your area's water hardness level, you can use your espresso machine's test strip to figure it out, or look it up on the USGS's website. John advised me to "dial in the water quality and then make sure you’re following maintenance, and be aware that you don’t have to buy the manufacturer-branded cleaning equipment."

If you don't descale or backflush, your machine's internal pipes might clog with limescale or coffee oils, damaging it in the long term.

Mistake #2: Using vinegar for cleaning

You should never, ever use vinegar to descale or clean an espresso machine. John said that using vinegar on non-coffee-specific cleaning products will "definitely cause some harm".

This doesn't mean you have to buy brand-specific coffee cleaning gear, though. John actually recommended you not use Breville/De'Longhi cleaning tablets, because they're relatively overpriced.

Instead, John recommended Urnex Cafiza cleaning powder, which is $11 for a big, 20-ounce container. One container of Cafiza should last as long as your machine. One of my many ex-barista jobs was at Costa Coffee, which is a major coffee chain in the U.K.. We used to use Cafiza to clean the commercial machines.

Mistake #3: Extracting espresso incorrectly

Now, I'm an ex-barista and a home espresso fanatic, but even this mistake was news to me.

John said some home baristas extract espresso like drip coffee, which both damages the machine and doesn't taste good. If you're reading this with question marks stamped on your face, let me (and John) explain.

"Something that I have seen people do is they will use those machines just to make a cup of coffee. So instead of using [espresso machines] to pull shots of espresso, they’ll run the pump for two minutes every time they use the machine," John said. This means some home baristas are making an ultra-long lungo shot on their espresso machine, which wears out the pump and will damage the machine.

Thankfully, John said he hasn't heard about this happening as much recently, but it was a major issue a few years back. Hopefully, this means people have been made aware of how destructive this practice is.

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I'm Erin, and welcome to the second episode of The Coffee Lab, the series all about finding the perfect brew without the headache.

Today, I'm going to tell you why you don't need to spend thousands of dollars just to make a decent latte. Ignore all the noise about WDT tools and spring-loaded tampers and the 58mm vs 54mm debate. You only need three things to make barista-quality coffee at home: a simple coffee scale, a good espresso machine, and an even better grinder. I should know — I'm an ex-barista!

My complete coffee setup is just $648, and I can pull back-to-back shots of pro-tasting espresso without breaking a sweat. Come here — let me tell you my secret. It's the Breville Bambino, Comandante C40 MK4, and the Wacaco Exagram Pro. That's it. That's all you need to start pulling cafe-quality espresso at home.

Why the $299 Breville Bambino is perfect

There are so many things I love about Breville's cheapest model, but I'll just go through the most important here. For a full, comprehensive analysis, check out my Breville Bambino review. Spoiler alert: it's the only espresso machine I've ever given a 5-star rating.

The Bambino combines coffee-snob-approved features like a PID controller (temperature controller) and a customizable pre-infusion time (low pressure to control saturation of grounds) with an affordable $300 price tag and a small 6-inch footprint.

It's the perfect espresso machine for small spaces, and comes with both single-walled and dual-walled portafilters. Don't know the difference? Don't worry — I've got you covered on the differences between pressurized and non-pressurized portafilter baskets.

Although more serious coffee nerds might want to invest in the $499 Breville Bambino Plus, which has a stronger steam wand and a 3-way solenoid valve that releases pressure and sucks water out of the puck post-brewing, the Bambino is the best cheap espresso machine you can get, and there's literally no competition.

Why the Comandante C40 MK4 is the best affordable grinder

The Comandante C40 MK4 is my go-to grinder. There's nothing I dislike about this grinder, sans its cringey military branding. No, I'm serious — that's the only reason I awarded this grinder a 4.5-star rating rather than a 5-star rating. If Comandante did away with the military aesthetic, this would be a perfect grinder.

If you want the full story, check out my review of the Comandante C40 MK4. But for a shortened version, stay here.

The Comandante C40 MK4 has martensitic steel burrs — this is the same high-nitrogen steel used in surgical instruments — and extremely high uniformity. During my tests, I saw huge jumps from 0% >300upm to 100% >500upm. In real terms, this means all the coffee is ground to the same size, so will result in a better drink.

Your coffee grinder is actually the most important part of your brewing journey. With a grinder as reliable and effective as the Comandante C40 MK4, you'll be making barista-approved lattes in no time. I can help if you're not sure how to grind your coffee correctly.

Why you only need a $50 coffee scale

Coffee scales? I've seen them all. I've tested the Acaia Lunar, Acaia Pearl S, the Fellow Tally Pro. What do all these coffee scales have in common? They're almost as smart as your iPad (slight exaggeration), but they're all ridiculously overpriced.

Sorry, who's got $200 to drop on a glorified kitchen scale? Not me. I'm of the opinion that your coffee scale should be the cheapest one that does the job well.

And what is that coffee scale, I hear you ask? The Wacaco Exagram Pro, of course. This $50 scale does it all — weighs, times, fits on my drip tray and under my pour-over — without costing me a small fortune.

I'd also recommend even cheaper options like the MHW-3BOMBER Cube Coffee Scale 2.0, or the MHW-3BOMBER Mini Coffee Scale, or the Maestri House Mini Coffee Scale.

All these scales basically do the same thing — weigh, time, weigh. That's all you need from a coffee scale, so unless you want to enter the World Barista Championships, you probably don't need the $300 Acaia Lunar.

Altogether, my coffee setup is just $648. You don't need to spend any more to get fancy coffee at home — and don't listen to anyone who tries to convince you otherwise!

What coffee gear do you have at home? Let me know in the comments!

More from Tom's Guide

• You don’t need a $1,000 espresso machine: This $299 'budget' model makes barista-quality coffee at home
• Our readers' favorite espresso machine is the Breville Bambino Plus — and I couldn't agree more after testing 43 coffee makers
• I've tested 43 coffee makers — and this is the last one you'll ever need to buy

The Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select is the last coffee maker you'll ever need to buy. If you want the richest, smoothest coffee of your life for your entire life, I recommend the Moccamaster over any other drip coffee maker.

I've tested my fair share of the best coffee makers by now — 43 and counting — and I recommend the Moccamaster time and time again. Why, I hear you ask? Because you'll only need to buy it once. Technivorm offers a minimum 5-year warranty... and then lifetime repairs. Yes, lifetime repairs.

"Buy it nice or buy it twice" is trending, and I couldn't agree more. I'd rather invest in high-quality appliances — or clothes, or laptops, or heck, even groceries — than be forced to buy cheap stuff over and over again. I'm not saying this is the only way to buy — I'll be the first person to admit that sometimes saving up for a really nice product is darn near impossible. However, if you can, you should definitely invest in a Moccamaster.

Technivorm will repair the Moccamaster... forever

No, that's not a typo. Technivorm offers lifetime repairs on all Moccamasters. On top of the standard 5-year warranty — which is over double the length of the next-best offering — Technivorm will also repair your coffee maker for as long as you want.

Sure, after the initial five years, Technivorm charges a small fee for said repairs, but this isn't as expensive as buying a whole new machine. Technivorm can switch out broken parts, replace faulty heating elements, and fix other issues like switches and carafes.

I compared Technivorm's warranty and repair policies against Breville, Fellow, OXO, and Krups. The bottom line is this: you get a heck of a lot more post-purchase care with Technivorm than any other manufacturer.

Although the Moccamaster KGBV Select (the model I just reviewed) might seem pricey, $369 is a pretty reasonable MSRP for the last coffee maker you'll ever need to buy. The Breville Luxe Brewer is $349, the KRUPS Essential Brewer is $159, and the Fellow Aiden is $399... but none of these manufacturers offer the same post-purchase care as Technivorm.

But how does the Moccamaster taste?

Probably like metal. I wouldn't recommend gnawing on the Moccamaster itself unless you're the Iron Giant.

But how does the Moccamaster's coffee taste? In a word, it tastes like — now, fellow coffee snobs, allow me this indulgence, for I will explain — coffee.

Moccamaster makes coffee that tastes like pure, undiluted, unashamed coffee. It's rich, it's smooth, it's strong, and it's full-bodied. There's zero bitterness, thanks to the optimal water saturation time and the even shower arm, and there's no stale aftertaste.

If you just want good, old-fashioned coffee, the Moccamaster is the machine for you. Of course, you can experiment with it — maybe you want to add less ground coffee or more water, or you want to grind your beans coarser — but if you follow Moccamaster's recipe, you'll get traditional, proper coffee.

For me, the Moccamaster is the perfect starter and enthusiast drip machine. You'll only need to buy it once, and you'll be able to use it for years and years. There's a reason why the Moccamaster has remained mostly unchanged since the '60s — if it ain't broke, why fix it? If you want to find out more, head to my full review of the Moccamaster KGBV Select.

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I love playing with the best espresso machines. Every time I unbox a new model, I can barely hold back my excitement. Making flat whites and Americanos and lattes for my colleagues is one of my favorite things to do — it reminds me of my barista days.

As a result, I write a lot about espresso machines. I recently asked you to tell me your favorite espresso machine — and it brings me great pleasure to announce the winner of the poll.

Drum roll, please....

The Breville Bambino Plus!

Yes, the Breville Bambino Plus is your favorite espresso machine. It took a huge 27% of the vote, 6 percentage points higher than the runner-up, the Breville Bambino. Casabrews came in third, the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo and De'Longhi Stilosa joint fourth, and the $3k Breville Oracle Dual Boiler in last place.

Even after testing 43 coffee makers (yes, 43...), the Breville Bambino Plus is my favorite, too. Here's why I agree with you.

The results

Why I love the Breville Bambino Plus too

The Breville Bambino Plus is the perfect espresso machine for both coffee enthusiasts and coffee beginners. Despite being incredibly easy to use and boasting an automatic milk frothing mode for total newbies, it's also stuffed with features that'll please even the snobbiest of coffee nerds.

I have the Bambino Plus at home, and it's perfect for my household — me, the coffee snob, and my boyfriend, the give-me-hot-bean-water-and-give-it-to-me-now coffee drinker.

You can customize pre-infusion time — when the machine soaks the coffee using low-pressure water — to unveil new subtle notes in your beans. You also benefit from a PID controller, which is a nifty piece of tech that controls water temperature at every stage during the extraction.

This all combines to make a barista-quality espresso that'll whet the appetites of coffee snobs, coffee connoisseurs, and coffee casualists alike.

It's not just espresso that makes the Bambino Plus a near-perfect machine, though. The 4-hole steam wand is intensely powerful and can make barista-level latte art without breaking a sweat.

Despite being such a tiny machine, the steam wand packs a major punch. You can easily create the all-important 'vortex' to texturize the milk as skilfully as a professional barista.

But if you can't be bothered to make your own milk — don't fret! The Bambino Plus has an auto-milk frother that steams your milk hands-free. All you have to do is fill the jug, put the steam wand inside, and press 'go'. The machine starts and stops the entire process.

Personally, I never use this mode, but my boyfriend only ever uses it. It just depends on your barista style.

Another feature I love is the auto-purge. On most other espresso machines, you need to manually purge the steam wand after use, and it's quite easy to forget if you don't have this drilled into you from over three years working in coffee shops.

But not the Bambino Plus. As soon as you turn off the steam wand, it purges into the drip tray. Sure, this means you have to empty the drip tray more often, but you don't want to be leaving nasty stagnant coffee/milk water in your lovely, expensive espresso machine, do you?

Finally, we have the accessories. As much as I love the $299 Breville Bambino — and it is by far the best espresso machine in its price class — the tamper doesn't have the same sturdy heft as the Bambino Plus's.

The Bambino Plus comes with a weighty, mostly metal tamper and weighty, high-quality portafilters. No flimsy plastic accessories here. Breville's milk jugs are the best milk jugs I've ever used, too — the angled spout helps with latte art so much.

You get this angled spout with the Bambino, too, but you don't get the weighty tamper or weighty portafilters with the $300 machine.

What do you think about the Breville Bambino Plus? Is it your favorite espresso machine? What would you recommend instead?

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I'm Erin, and I'm Tom's Guide's resident coffee expert. With my three-and-a-half years of experience in busy cafes, both independent and chains, and my two years of experience reviewing the best espresso machines, I know my way around the Java juice.

Welcome to the first episode of The Coffee Lab. I'm on a mission to simplify the world of coffee for complete beginners. Forget about things like flow rate and tamping pressure and bloom for now — the only thing newbies need to worry about is taste. If you like how your espresso tastes, that's all that matters.

All elements of espresso are important — you need a good espresso machine, one of the best grinders, and high-quality beans — but let's start with the most obvious one: the machine. My favorite entry-level espresso machine is the Breville Bambino, and here's why.

Premium features at a budget price

The Breville Bambino may be just $299, but you get two premium, coffee-snob approved premium features for that relatively low price.

You get a PID controller and customizable pre-infusion setting. If you're looking at the screen and your eyes are falling out of your head, let me explain.

A PID controller is an invisible piece of tech that controls water temperature throughout extraction, making sure your espresso is never burned or weak. This is one of the key components of a high-quality espresso machine, and I would never buy one without this (or equivalent).

Customizable pre-infusion time is a little more nerdy — it's a hidden setting that lets you adjust how long the machine steeps your coffee in low-pressure water before ramping up the pressure for traditional espresso extraction. You can play with this to find a time that suits your beans and your tastes. Not a lot of espresso machines have this — especially not at this price — so is great if you want to take coffee a little more seriously.

Powerful steam wand

As you can see from the image above, you can easily get barista-quality latte art on the Bambino. I made both of these flat whites with just the Bambino, specialty beans, and some 2% milk.

Even though the steam wand only has one hole, it's immensely powerful. The wand itself is super flexible, meaning you can adjust the angle to whatever suits you. As much as I love the Bambino Plus, I wish the steam wand was a little more flexible. This is not an issue on the Bambino at all — you can hold the jug at any angle and the steam wand will follow you like a loyal Labrador.

Of course, the Bambino doesn't have the auto-milk-steaming function seen on the Plus version, but it's all swings and roundabouts. It just depends on what you personally want more — flexibility or hands-free steaming?

Blows competition out of the water

And, arguably, the most important factor: how does the Bambino compare?

The answer is simple: it's heads and shoulders above the rest of the $200-300 crowd.

You've got the Casabrews CM5418 Pro ($199), the De'Longhi Dedica Duo ($299), the De'Longhi Linea ($229), and the Casabrews Ultra ($249).

And the Breville Bambino obliterates every single one of them. The CM5418 Pro has a PID controller, but its frustrating boiler issues prevent me from recommending it. Similarly, the Linea is an easy-to-use machine, but its Panarello steam wand (thick, only for frothing milk) means you can't make latte art. The Dedica Duo only comes with dual-walled portafilters, and the Casabrews Ultra has a pathetically weak steam wand.

The Bambino will win every single round. Espresso? Bambino. Steam? Bambino? Accessories? Bambino. Looks? Bambino.

No matter what angle you look at it from, the Bambino wins. For this reason, it's the only 5-star rating I've ever given an espresso machine. It's my go-to recommendation for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

The only real competition is another Breville: the Bambino Plus. Should you buy the $299 Bambino or invest in the $499 Bambino Plus? If you are just starting out, I'd go Bambino, but enthusiasts might want to splurge on the more powerful Plus.

What do you think? Which machine would you choose? Do you have a Bambino? Let me know in the comments, and stay tuned for the next episode of The Coffee Lab!

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The Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select is widely regarded as the best coffee maker for a reason. This iconic drip brewer has remained mostly unchanged since the 1960s — why fix something that ain’t broke?

With a rapid-heating copper boiler and removable (read: cleanable) shower arm, filter basket, and carafe, the Technivorm Moccamaster is the machine to beat. You can brew an entire 10-cup carafe in around 6 ½ minutes and a half-batch in 4. Not only is this industrial coffee maker quick, but it’s also delicious. The optimal brewing time (and temperature) brings out the coffee’s rich and intense aromas without making it bitter.

But I know $369 is a lot for a drip brewer, so is the Moccamaster worth this steep price tag? In short, yes, but to find out more, keep reading this Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review.

Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? If you want a coffee maker-slash-design statement
• What does it do well? It’s SCA-approved and has a 5-year warranty + lifetime repairs
• What does it cost? $369 / £290
• What are its weaknesses? No “modern” features like delayed brew start

Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select: Specs

Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review: Price & availability

The Technivorm Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select is $369 from Williams Sonoma in the U.S. and £290 from Currys in the U.K. The Amazon price varies from color to color — between $309 and $389 — so you’ll see more stable pricing at Williams Sonoma.

While, yes, $369 is quite expensive for a drip coffee maker, this is the coffee maker. There’s a reason why Moccamasters are so revered — because they really are that good. You could save some money with the $119 Ninja FreshBrew, the $119 Cuisinart 14-Cup Coffee Maker, or even the $49 Black+Decker 12-Cup Coffee Maker.

If you want a Moccamaster for less, I’d recommend checking out the Moccamaster Cup-One ($249). I tested it last year and adored it. It’s effectively identical to the KGBV Select, but, if you hadn’t guessed by the name, it brews single-serve only.

However, none of these machines are Specialty Coffee Association-approved, and none of these machines come with a 5-year warranty. If you want an SCA-approved coffee maker, you might want to check out the $349 Breville Luxe Brewer. I do genuinely love the Luxe Brewer — it makes delicious coffee in just three minutes — and it’s like a more modern, sleeker, minimalist version of the Moccamaster.

But for me, the Moccamaster just has that je ne sais quois, the little something extra. I love coffee makers that are both a design statement and a beverage machine, which the Moccamaster KGBV Select is.

Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review: Design

If you’re even vaguely familiar with the world of specialist coffee, you’ll have seen the Moccamaster before. This iconic coffee maker has stood the test of time — since the 1960s — and it looks like it.

The industrial, retro aesthetic is what makes the Moccamaster so widely appealing. As you can see from the photos, this is a gorgeous machine. I tested the pink version, but it comes in pretty much every shade of the color spectrum: red, gold, blue, green, yellow, white, silver; the list goes on.

The body itself houses two buttons: half/full capacity, and on/off. These buttons illuminate orange when switched on, which adds to the industrial aesthetic.

There are three main parts: the water tank, the filter basket, and the carafe. The water tank and carafe hold up to 40 fluid ounces (1.25 liters), and I found the filter basket easily fit the ~70g of ground coffee required for a full batch. There’s also a metal-look shower head and a plastic water tank lid.

Most of these parts are removable for cleaning (more on that later, though). You have to attach them in a certain order, so I’d practise a couple of times before actually making a brew. These parts are predominantly plastic, but I’d like to see them made from metal at some point in the near future — I know a decent chunk of coffee drinkers (in my comments, anyway!) are looking to minimize plastic use in their coffee makers.

Even so, you can’t deny that the KGBV Select is a gorgeous machine that is both a functional coffee maker and a design piece. I would be more than happy to display this permanently on my kitchen countertop.

Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review: Performance

The Moccamaster utilizes a copper boiling element capable of heating water to 196-208°F in seconds. Watching the bubbles form almost instantly is actually really satisfying (pictured above — please tell me I’m not alone in being mesmerized by something as pedestrian as bubbles).

This heating element means you get a full, 10-cup carafe in about 6 ½ minutes and a half batch in around 4 minutes. The Breville Luxe Brewer does this in 3 minutes — which is faster than my Ninja Precision Temperature kettle boils, FYI — so could be a better option if you’re super short on time.

Although the Moccamaster doesn’t have any “smart” features like a delayed brew timer, the aforementioned Breville Luxe Brewer or $290 Smeg Retro Brewer could be good options if this is a must-have feature.

What the Moccamaster does have is a one-press functionality that takes all the stress out of brewing coffee. Forget worrying about pressure or bloom or plunging times with espresso, pour-over, and French press, respectively. The Moccamaster takes all guesswork out of your brew, and you still get a specialty-coffee-approved drink.

Flavor is, of course, subjective, but the Moccamaster strikes the balance between rich, intense coffee and a pleasant mouthfeel and aftertaste. This depends on what beans you use, but when I use medium-roast, medium-intensity beans, the Moccamaster brings out the full-bodied flavor you associate with drip brewers without being bitter or overly strong.

Of course, you can adjust this strength by grinding coarser or using less coffee. Even so, when brewing at a ratio of 1:18, the coffee tastes both strong and complex, without bitterness.

My go-to Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select routine

To show you how straightforward the Moccamaster is, I’ll share my go-to routine for a full batch of coffee.

1. Grind 70g of coffee beans to a medium coarseness. I use my Mazzer Philos for this, which is my favorite coffee grinder.
2. Fill the water tank to the maximum level by filling the carafe and pouring it into the tank.
3. Attach the lid and shower arm.
4. Make sure the switch is set to full batch.
5. Turn on the Moccamaster.

And that’s it! In around 6 ½ minutes, you’ll have delicious, hot coffee. The Moccamaster is perfect for busy households who need a constant stream of coffee.

The KGBV Select can stay warm for 100 minutes in the U.S., but the U.K. model I tested stays warm for just 40. This is likely due to the difference in coffee culture here — drip coffee isn’t really a “thing” in the U.K..

Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review: Storage & maintenance

One of the best aspects of a Moccamaster is its warranty. Yes, Technivorm offers a 5-year warranty with every single Moccamaster. No, that’s not a typo. I’m serious. 5 years.

This is the best warranty of any coffee machine I’ve used so far. This encompasses all machines: espresso, manual, and drip. You also get a lifetime repair warranty, so if your Moccamaster croaks in 2035, Technivorm will repair it (for a small fee, of course).

As I mentioned earlier, almost every part of the KGBV Select is removable for cleaning. You can clean the shower arm, filter basket, and carafe by hand in the sink. The water tank isn’t removable, but I find just running it through with clean water after long periods of disuse effective.

If you live in a hard water area, Technivorm recommends descaling the Moccamaster KGBV Select every 3 months or so. It recommends you use Durgol, $16 from Amazon.

Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review: How does it compare?

If you’ve been sniffing around the coffee world for a while, you’ll know that the Moccamaster is so famous because nothing really compares. Nothing comes close. The Moccamaster has been topping “best-of” lists before best-of lists were even a thing — it’s reigned supreme since the ‘60s.

However, the coffee landscape is heating up (pardon the semi-pun), and there are some more SCA-approved products on the map now. You’ve got the Breville Luxe Brewer, OXO Brew 8-Cup, Fellow Aiden, and the KRUPS Essential Brewer, just to name a few.

Let’s talk about what Technivorm offers that these brands don’t: reliability.

If you want a coffee maker that you only have to buy once, I’d recommend the Moccamaster over any competition.

Sure, the Breville Luxe Brewer has a cold brew mode, but are you really using that? I would rather continue to make cold brew in my Espro P7 French press and use a drip machine for drip.

In terms of coffee flavor, a lot of these machines are going to taste the same. Of course, different shower arms and different brewing speeds greatly affect overall flavor, but you can practise with each machine to achieve a flavor you like. I tend to go for a 1:18 ratio with a Moccamaster, but with machines that brew for less time, you might want to go up to 1:16.

Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select review: Verdict

If you want a reliable, functional, and stylish drip coffee maker that may as well be a statement piece in your kitchen, the Technivorm Moccamaster KGBV Select is the one for you. On top of oozing cool, the Moccamaster makes delicious, consistent coffee that any coffee lover will devour.

Although there are no “modern” features like delayed brew start or different functions like cold brew, I don’t think this is enough to detract from how excellent the Moccamaster is. Serious coffee lovers won’t miss a thing.

Fine, I’ll admit that the Moccamaster is expensive, but when you factor in the 5-year warranty + lifetime repairs, it feels worth it. I’d rather spend $369 on a Technivorm than $349 on a Breville, because that extra $20 guarantees you coffee for longer.

If you love the art of coffee as much as I do, you'll of course want to know how to take care of your espresso machine. While most of the best espresso machines — De'Longhi, Breville — are intended to last around five years, you can extend that lifespan to up to a decade with proper care.

But "proper care" isn't exactly helpful — what does that actually mean? Should I be descaling every week? Backflushing twice a day? What does it all do? Even as an ex-barista, there are still some things I'm not totally sure about.

So I decided to ask John Holmquist, Seattle Coffee Gear's Customer Experience Manager. John has more than a decade of specialty coffee expertise and is a walking espresso machine encyclopedia. He told me exactly how home baristas should be maintaining espresso machines.

The mistake: Improper maintenance

Maintaining — or not maintaining — their espresso machine is the biggest pitfall John sees home baristas fall into.

John advises that home baristas should consistently clean their machine. This encompasses following the backflush guide and using real products. By this, John doesn't mean espresso-machine-brand products — just real coffee-specialist products rather than multi-use cleaners.

Each espresso machine has a different backflush system. If you have a Breville Bambino Plus — like me — your espresso machine will alert you every 200 shots. However, to keep your machine in tip-top shape, you might want to run a water "cleanse" every day. This means using the cleaning disc but no cleaning tablet to remove any excess coffee oils from inside the machine.

If you're not sure what I mean by cleaning disc and cleaning tablet, don't worry. Every espresso machine should come with one. If it didn't, or if you don't know what you're looking for, Google your espresso machine name "cleaning disc", and aftermarket options will pop up.

If you've run out of the cleaning tablets, again, don't worry. John actually recommended that you not repurchase those provided tablets. Instead, John suggested Urnex Cafiza cleaning powder, which is $11 for a big, 20-ounce container. One of these containers will likely last the lifetime of your espresso machine.

But it's not all about cleaning — water quality is also a big maintenance issue. If you live in a hard water area, you'll need to descale more regularly, or you'll need to purchase a water filter. Similarly, you shouldn't use distilled water in your espresso machine, as the machine needs minerality to function. You can use bottled mineral water or filtered water.

Some espresso machines come with a water hardness test strip, but if you lost it or forgot your results, you can buy a new one for about $5 on Amazon (which is still too expensive, really — just try not to lose your original one!).

If you have hard water, you must use a water filter. You can buy brand-compatible water filters from Amazon and Seattle Coffee Gear. Even with a filter, you must descale regularly. I descale my electric kettle at the same time as my espresso machine, so I can physically see when I need to descale the latter.

If you follow this advice, you might be able to get a few extra years out of your espresso machine. Just remember: be consistent with cleaning, backflush, and descale.

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Coffee grinders come in all shapes and sizes — price "size" included. As an ex-barista, I've used countless commercial-level grinders, and now as Tom's Guide resident coffee expert, I've reviewed tons of home-barista grinders.

But the most premium grinder I've ever reviewed is the revered Mazzer Philos. Just the slightest utterance of this name will send fellow coffee nerds into frenzies. And it's $1,500. While yes, expensive, the Mazzer Philos is also a beauty. Just look at it (scroll up, on your left). With a 0.8% average retention, the Philos is also the lowest-retention motorized grinder I've ever tested.

And now let me introduce its competitor: the brand-new Baratza Encore ESP Pro. The Breville-owned brand is renowned for the Encore ESP, a $199 grinder that has been recommended as the "best for beginners" more times than I've burned myself on steam wands (many times). And I wasn't overly enamored with the Encore ESP Pro when I tested it, which is... well, weird, because I loved its predecessor.

So it got me thinking: coffee grinders are important, sure, and the Encore ESP Pro isn't a terrible grinder (I gave it a decent 3.5-star rating for a reason)... but what would happen if I made two identical drinks, using the same espresso machine and the same beans, and held a blind taste test? Which grinder would actually come out on top?

Meet the competitors

Affordable vs premium grinder taste test 1: flat white

For the first test, I made my favorite drink: a flat white. I used my Breville Bambino for both drinks, the same Ethiopian beans, and the same 1:2 ratio shot in the "golden window" of 25-28 seconds. I made an obscene amount of espresso to get identical shots (I lost count at 20).

Take a look at the photos above. From the images, can you tell which one used the Philos and which the Encore ESP Pro?

If you guessed left: Mazzer Philos and right: Baratza Encore ESP Pro, you'd be correct. Now let's get into the meat (or the crema?) of the story: the results.

I labelled the Philos as coffee A and the Encore ESP Pro as coffee B.

I had six taste testers, varying from serious coffee enthusiasts: Pete, my colleague on MusicRadar, and Pete (confusing), our Reviews Senior Editor here at Tom's Guide, coffee appreciators: my colleagues Harry on TechRadar and Matt, our photographer, and self-described coffee novices: my colleagues Simon and Stu on MusicRadar.

Pete (MusicRadar) immediately identified coffee A as the Philos, as coffee B was a little bitter and coffee A had more juicy, floral notes. Philos = 1.

Simon said coffee B was sourer and preferred coffee A, but the difference wasn't as vast as he'd expected. He guessed coffee A was the Philos. Philos = 2.

Pete (Tom's Guide) said he thought coffee B was the more expensive grinder. Encore ESP Pro = 1.

Stu said he preferred the richer flavor of coffee A; consequently, the Philos was used on coffee A. Philos = 3.

Matt said coffee A was milkier, but also richer. However, he guessed coffee B was the Philos as it tasted more full-bodied than coffee A. Encore ESP Pro = 2.

Harry said coffee B had more of that archetypal "coffee" flavor, but was quite bitter at the end of each mouthful. He said coffee A was creamier and more pleasant to drink, and guessed coffee A was the expensive grinder. Philos = 4.

The results: coffee A received the most votes, so the Philos was correctly identified.

Mazzer Philos wins the flat white round.

Affordable vs premium grinder taste test 1: Americano

As with the flat white round, I made both of these Americanos on the Breville Bambino with as close-to-identical espressos as possible. Both espressos were extracted at a ratio of 1:2 within the "golden window" of 25-28 seconds. I used the same amount of 200°F water to top up the double shots.

Can you tell which was ground using the Mazzer Philos and which was used by the Baratza Encore ESP Pro?

I switched it up for this round: left (coffee A) was Encore ESP Pro, and right (coffee B) was Philos.

Let's get into the results. Remember, coffee A = cheaper grinder and coffee B = expensive grinder.

Pete (MusicRadar) said coffee B was a little astringent and dried out his mouth. He said coffee A was a little bitter, but due to its softer mouthfeel, he guessed coffee A was the Philos. Encore ESP Pro = 1.

Simon found coffee B smoother overall, but preferred the richness of coffee A, so guessed coffee A was the Philos. Encore ESP Pro = 2.

Pete (Tom's Guide) said coffee B was a little watery, and coffee A was fuller-bodied, so he thought coffee A was the Philos. Encore ESP Pro = 3.

Stu said coffee A was bitter, whereas coffee B was a little softer in flavor and had more bloom. However, he thought coffee A was the Philos. Encore ESP Pro = 4.

Matt immediately guessed coffee A was the Philos and coffee B was the Encore ESP Pro, as B had more depth. Encore ESP Pro = 5.

Harry didn't like coffee B at all, saying it tasted overwhelmingly bitter, and said coffee A was much more drinkable. He guessed coffee A was the Philos. Encore ESP Pro = 6.

This round was unanimous: everyone thought coffee A was made with the Philos. However, coffee A was actually made with the Baratza Encore ESP Pro — $1,200 cheaper.

The Baratza grinder matched the Mazzer Philos overall

As the Philos won the flat white round and the Encore ESP Pro won the Americano round, this blind taste test resulted in a draw.

I was really surprised by these results. I honestly expected the Philos to win every round with very little contention. The Philos is way more uniform than the Encore ESP Pro — big jumps from 0%-100% in my lab testing. Essentially, this means all the coffee grounds are the same size, which is what you want.

In contrast, the Encore ESP Pro struggled to grind consistently: 0%-20%-50%-70%-80% in coarser grind settings. This means the coffee granules were all different sizes. Zero grounds were >300μm, 20% were 300-500μm, 50% were 300-800μm, 70% were 300-1100μm, and 20% were larger than 1400μm.

However, in real-world testing, it looks like uniformity might not be the be-all and end-all of enjoying your coffee. Maybe saving $1,200 is actually worth it — you probably won't be able to taste the difference.

Price isn't the only thing to consider, though

Although this blind taste test was for espresso-based drinks, there are loads more coffee brewing methods. The Mazzer Philos is more consistent across the entire grind size spectrum: espresso grounds were just as uniform as cold brew grounds in my testing. If you tend to use a wider range of methods, the Philos might be worth the splurge.

This also calls into question the longevity of the two grinders. Baratza grinders are good, yes, but they are mostly plastic. The Philos is 100% metal, and you can clean the entire grinding system without tools (or risking breaking anything).

For under $300, though, Baratza has fantastic aftercare. Baratza offers a repair program for a flat rate charge; a Reddit user reported that Baratza repaired a 10-year-old grinder. You also get a 2-year warranty with both grinders, so the Mazzer isn't exactly the winner here.

However, the Philos and the Encore ESP Pro are built for entirely different purposes. The Philos is a home-slash-commercial grinder, whereas the Encore ESP Pro is solely a home grinder. As Mazzer built the Philos to withstand the demands of a cafe environment, you likely wouldn't be wrong to think it would outlast a Baratza.

But what do you think? Do you think the $1,500 asking price of the Mazzer is too much? Do you think it's something worth saving up for, or would you be happy with a Baratza or Baratza-adjacent grinder? Let me know in the comments!

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The coffee world is both overwhelming and exciting. What one person claims is the best product in the world, another will discredit until the cows come home.

But if you own one of the best espresso machines and your espresso still doesn't taste as good as your favorite coffee house's, it might not be the machine. If you want to brew consistently top-notch shots, you need to understand what makes good espresso.

Espresso is a pressurized form of coffee — it's literally in the name — but too much pressure can destroy delicate aromas in the drink. You also need to put the correct amount of coffee in your machine and extract for the right amount of time — this is why I recommend everyone use one of the best coffee scales. You also need one of the best grinders, which is why I've suggested three models here.

Questions? Of course. Ex-barista at your service. If you have specific enquiries, just comment them below and I will reply to you.

Why should I get a coffee grinder?

Most coffee lovers agree that the most important aspect of espresso brewing is the grinder. You can make barista-quality espresso with super-cheap espresso machines — like the $149 De'Longhi Stilosa — as long as you have a good grinder, great beans, and a little patience.

Trust me — I've made Starbucks-beating flat whites on the Stilosa, and it was all down to the Eureka Mignon Specialita (and my barista knowledge).

Essentially, you want a coffee grinder that grinds all your coffee the same size, so you get a consistently pleasant flavor. You don't want your beans too small or too large, as that will result in an overextracted (bitter) or underextracted (sour) espresso. You also don't want your grinder to heat the beans as it crushes them.

I have full faith that when you understand the key principles of espresso, you will never need to go to a coffeehouse again. Unless, of course, you love the ambiance, which is the only reason I really go to cafes now — to support independent businesses and soak up the atmosphere.

I've written loads of articles on how to grind your coffee correctly, so please do read thoroughly if you want to brew like a pro!

Why should I get a coffee scale?

So, a good coffee grinder is the key to getting uniform, high-quality coffee grounds. But what about once you've got said uniform coffee grounds?

To get a cafe-quality espresso, you should follow cafe recipes. Most coffeehouses use 18-21g of coffee for a double espresso, and around 12-14g for a single espresso. I've worked at cafes that used 14g, and some that used 12g. Double shots were always at least 18g, but never more than 21g.

It does depend on the type of bean — lighter roasts can be ground finer, and, therefore, you can fit more of them in the portafilter basket — but for the most part, I'd recommend 18g. This is what results in the best flavor on my Breville Bambino Plus.

But how do I know the precise measurements of my espresso? I use my Wacaco Exagram Pro, of course. This coffee scale tells me exactly how much coffee I'm using; it then tells me exactly how long the espresso takes to extract, and, finally, the total weight of my espresso.

You generally want to aim for a ratio of 1:2 coffee:water extracted in 25-28 seconds, and with a coffee scale, you can achieve consistently delicious results.

Why should I use a bottomless portafilter?

All right, you don't have to use a bottomless portafilter. As long as it's single-walled/non-pressurized, you can use a spouted portafilter, and you'll get the same results. Bottomless portafilters just look really cool.

If you've got a bean-to-cup or a great grinder, you will only get professional-quality espresso if you use a single-walled portafilter — I recommend bottomless portafilters over pressurized portafilters. Dual-walled portafilters create way too much pressure for freshly ground beans and can destroy delicate notes in coffee.

Think about the espresso made on super-automatic machines (like those at car dealerships and offices). Do you like that flavor or not? If not, then you definitely want to be using single-walled portafilters. Those automatic machines mostly use dual-walled as it lets the user/machine get away with a lower-quality grinder.

All espresso machines have different styles of portafilter, though, so you'll need to make sure you're using the correct one for your machine. I've included third-party portafilters for De'Longhi's La Specialista range and Breville's machine further up, but if you just go onto Amazon and search your machine name + bottomless portafilter, tons of options should come up. Don't spend more than about $70 on these — you can get great ones for around $40.

Let me know if you have any more tips or if you have any questions below — I will reply to everyone.

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If there's one thing that the last 12 months or so have taught me, it's that you need to start the day with a good cup of coffee. Whether it's iced, piping hot or somewhere in between, nothing is better than enjoying every sip and letting your energy respawn for the day that lies ahead.

That said, even the best coffee machines we've reviewed here at Tom's Guide will cost you a motza — and that's not including the cost of bagged beans, pods or ground coffee. Thankfully, Amazon is here to save the day.

Right now, during its annual Big Smile Sale, the e-retailer has slashed prices on automatic, manual and pod coffee machines, and coffee-making accessories such as milk frothers. With up to 50% off, there are plenty of options to choose from, but to make it even easier, I've handpicked some of my favourite machines below.

From brands like Breville, Sunbeam and even my go-to Ninja, I've compiled these 9 coffee machines and accessories below. If my choices don't quite meet your artisanal coffee brewing needs, you can check out Amazon's complete list of coffee, tea and espresso items that are discounted for the weeklong sale — hurry, these deals are likely to end Sunday, March 22.

It’s often a cliche that journalists guzzle coffee almost non-stop throughout the day, but it’s a cliche for a reason. I fit well into that well-worn trope, but in recent years I’ve upped my game to a beautiful, fully manual espresso machine, its chrome glinting in the sunlight streaming through my kitchen window. So when Terra Kaffe’s Demi automatic espresso machine landed on my doorstep, I gave it the typical sniff of derision common among us coffee snobs.

But the Demi has proven me wrong these last several weeks with its consistently high brew quality, ease of use, and attractiveness on the kitchen counter. It’s a wonderful unit that does the hard work for you, which is vital if you’re not the type to enjoy packing your own grinds and monitoring your brew like a mad caffeinated scientist.

It has a few drawbacks, but none so serious that you’ll regret buying this unit — at a much lower price than most mid-tier and high-end manual espresso machines. Here’s why it could be one of the best espresso machines I’ve tried.

Terra Kaffe Demi: Price and availability

The Demi costs $795 and is available for purchase now on Amazon and Terra Kaffe’s website. It comes with a 1-year warranty, and it ships free. You can choose from four different colors to suit your kitchen’s aesthetics.

Terra Kaffe also offers a rental program that allows you to get a new or lightly used unit for a payment plan. Plus, you can also add a coffee subscription so you’re always stocked with fresh beans.

Terra Kaffe Demi review: Design

The Demi consists of only a handful of parts that the user needs to worry about. The water tank is situated at the back of the unit, and you’ll need to refill it frequently. The lid on the top of the unit comes off easily, and you can pour in your coffee beans there. The Demi has a built-in grinder, and you can adjust the grind setting by turning the dial in the bean hopper. It’s a conical burr grinder, too; those coffee snobs among us know this is the preferred type, as it produces better grind consistency.

On the front of the unit, you’ll find the drip tray. Any excess water will drip here, and the machine self-rinses regularly. That water also drips into the drip tray. You can pull on the drip tray frame to pull it out of the machine for emptying, which, again, you’ll want to do frequently.

When you pull out the drip tray, you’ll also find the waste bin within. This is where the used coffee grinds will end up after you make your coffee. The Demi will give you messages to indicate when you need to empty the drip tray and the waste bin. Terra Kaffe says the waste bin should hold seven waste pucks before you need to empty it.

The brew unit is also removable. Just pop off the magnetic side panel, flip the lever, and pull the entire brew unit out. You can clean this often to ensure proper working order and maintain the quality of your espresso shots.

The spout on the front of the unit adjusts up and down so you can tailor how much space is between the spout itself and your cup. You can fit a 5.7-inch-tall mug in there, or pull the spout lower to accommodate a small espresso cup.

On the lower left-hand side of the Demi, you’ll find the push-button power switch. And on the top right, you’ll find the adjustment dial. This is the dial you’ll use to cycle through the various types of espresso drinks you can make. You can also dive into the menu to adjust the water temperature, strength of the shot, and volume of the finished shot.

Start to finish, pouring yourself a shot of espresso takes only a few seconds. And there’s no waste for you to contend with — at least not until it’s time to empty the waste bin and drip tray.

Terra Kaffe Demi review: Ease of use

As I mentioned, I love my manual machine, with all its chrome and loud clangings and temperamental nature. But that’s largely what most folks who would buy the Demi seek to avoid. And the Demi makes it easy to do exactly that: Get a high-quality shot in just a few seconds, with no fuss and faffing about.

In fact, I was genuinely surprised at how consistent the shots are. Once I had my temperature, strength, and volume dialed in, the shots were as close to perfect as you could expect every time I hit the button. The first time I used the machine, the shot came out very weak, but that ended up being a good benchmark for adjusting my grind and espresso settings.

The Demi can make basic espresso shots, an Americano, a Lungo, a drip coffee, and other variations, depending on how fancy you want to get with your milk frothing. (The Demi does not have a milk frothing feature. More on that in a moment.) My experience with each setting has been exceptional and consistent.

My manual machine is capable of pulling stronger shots than the Demi, however. It’s a small sacrifice, though, since the Demi is so easy to use. It’s a true set it and forget it option for folks who appreciate an excellent coffee but don’t want to put in the labor to get it at home.

I haven’t gone through the process of cleaning the brew unit yet, but I did pop it out to see how easy that would be. It took just seconds to pop it out, and everything is accessible for basic cleaning. There’s not much else maintenance to speak of, since the Demi self-rinses periodically.

You will need to empty the drip tray often. There’s a gauge on the front of the drip tray to indicate when it’s full. But you’ll want to empty the tray before this button indicator rises all the way up. Otherwise, you’ll have to do a balancing act to get the drip tray to the sink without the water slopping over the low edges of the tray. I wish the drip tray had higher walls to prevent this problem.

The waste bin sits within the drip tray and will come out when you pull out the tray from the front of the unit. The Demi will display a message to empty the waste bin when it senses it’s full. Strangely, I often got this message when there were only three or four pucks in the waste bin, so I ended up having to empty it more often. The waste bin is quite large, but I’ve never seen it even close to full when I’ve gotten the warning message. It would be nice if the machine could allow for more waste build-up before flashing that warning.

The water tank is easy to remove and fill. But it is quite small, so you’ll find yourself refilling it frequently. I work from home and indulge in coffee drinks most of my morning. Between my somewhat embarrassing coffee habit and the machine’s routine rinsing, the small tank empties more quickly than I’d like.

As I mentioned, the one drawback to the Demi that makes it non-competitive with my manual machine is the milk frother. On my manual machine, the steam wand sticks off one side and a water dispenser for tea sticks off the other side. You can get tea water from the Demi, but there are no milk frothing features.

Fortunately, Terra Kaffe will be launching the Aero Milk Frother in May of 2026. This small companion is ideal for the Demi; its diminutive size means it doesn’t take up much counter space, and you can make any milky coffee drink you like with it. There’s even a cold foam option and a Matcha attachment.

Overall, the Demi does an excellent job of producing consistent and tasty espresso shots. For those looking for a high-end machine without the hard work, the Demi is it.

Terra Kaffe Demi review: Accessories

The Aero Milk Frother ($149.95, currently on sale for $99.95) is available for pre-order now and will ship in late May. I would highly recommend this accessory if you don’t already have a frother at home. The pitcher fits nicely under the Demi’s spout, and there are plenty of frothing options to cover whatever kind of drinks you like to make.

Terra Kaffe also offers other accessories like descaler solutions, glassware, carafes, tumblers, and even merch like t-shirts. These aren’t specific to the Demi, though. You can also get a coffee subscription from Terra Kaffe if you don’t already have a favorite bean of your own.

Terra Kaffe Demi review: Competition

The automatic espresso machine market is massive. There are options at just about every price point, some integrated into larger drip coffee machines, some as small as a water bottle.

In terms of size and general price, some direct competitors include Cafe Affetto’s Automatic Espresso Machine ($630), which includes a milk frother. While it’s less expensive than the Demi, users have reported quality issues, like peeling finishes and complete failures within a couple of years of use.

Jura’s E4 Piano ($1,399) gets sterling reviews across the board. It offers many more features and adjustments, and it’s even compatible with an app using WiFi connectivity. But it’s a larger footprint and a much higher price than the Demi. It’s also not as user-friendly as the Demi is.

Terra Kaffe Demi review: Verdict

I’m a big, big fan of the Demi. It’s super simple to use and surprisingly consistent from shot to shot. Setup is quick and easy, drinks are tasty, cleanup is a breeze, and it doesn’t take up much space on the countertop.

While I wish the water tank were bigger and there was some sort of built-in milk frothing option, the Demi is an awesome option for anyone looking for high-quality espresso without any of the hassle of a home manual unit.

The Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew is a bit of a weird one. While priced at $649, it doesn’t have the looks — or the functionality — this MSRP suggests.

Many of the best espresso machines will set you back over $600, so $649 isn’t considerably cheap or expensive. This is smack dab in the middle of the road for espresso machines. However, at this $600-$700 price point, you’re competing against your Brevilles and your De’Longhis, not your Casabrews and your Gevis. The Grind, Tamp and Brew is 100% Cuisinart’s attempt at a Breville-killing bean-to-cup.

To find out more about this head-scratcher, keep reading this Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew review.

Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? People who don’t want Brevilles or De’Longhis
• What does it cost? $649 / £449
• What does it do well? The steam wand is great!
• What are its weaknesses? It’s very overpriced, and it’s ugly
• What should you use it for? Beginners might like it, but everyone else look elsewhere

Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew review: Specs

Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew review: Price & availability

The Cuisinart Grind Tamp and Brew is priced at $649 on Amazon U.S. and £449 on Amazon U.K.. This puts it within the realm of premium De’Longhis and Brevilles rather than the budget Casabrews and Gevis which the Grind Tamp and Brew’s appearance suggests.

Cuisinart makes three other espresso machines: the Cuisinart Slim ($249), Cuisinart Espresso Machine ($379), and the Cuisinart Fully Automatic (£399), the latter of which is only available in the U.K.

These prices are a little baffling to me. Cuisinart feels more like a budget brand than, say, Breville or De’Longhi, yet the prices match premium options. I’ve tested the $299 Breville Bambino — only $50 pricier than the Cuisinart Slim — which has premium features like customizable pre-infusion and a PID controller.

In comparison, the Cuisinart Grind Tamp and Brew is a whopping $649. You can get the Breville Barista Express for $50 more! You could also get the 4.5-star De’Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo for an extra $50. And why wouldn’t you? It does everything the Grind, Tamp and Brew does and looks a heck of a lot better.

Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew review: Design

Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but in the eyes of this beholder, the Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew sure is something.

At $649, there’s no room for failure. And the Grind Tamp and Brew is a design failure. It’s bulky. It’s plasticky. It’s square. Like, who signed off on this? Especially when similarly priced Brevilles and De’Longhis look how they look. I’m completely baffled.

On top of looking cheap, the machine feels cheap. The accessories — tamping collar, tamping disc, baskets, group handle, and milk jug — all scream “I cost $200” not “I’m the same price as a Breville”. The tamping collar is made of flimsy plastic and has rough edges. The group handle is, again, overly plasticky, and the machine only ships with dual-walled portafilter baskets.

At this price, there’s simply no excuse. De’Longhi and Breville’s accessories are made of weighty, high-quality metal. Cuisinart should be the same.

It’s not all bad, though. The on-machine buttons are tactile and easy to use, and the machine is relatively straightforward to use. But is it easier to use than the Barista Express or Arte Evo? No, and no. I would recommend both of those machines 100 times over before recommending the Cuisinart.

Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew review: Grinder

The Grind, Tamp and Brew has a built-in conical stainless steel burr grinder. You’ll find 16 grinding settings, ranging from espresso-fine to coarse enough for French press. Now, I’m a little perplexed why the Grind, Tamp and Brew can grind coarse enough for French press when it’s an espresso machine, but I suppose if you have multiple brewing methods, you could use the grinder on this machine for everything.

Even so, I’d rather Cuisinart have perfected making an espresso grinder rather than including grind settings up to French press.

As this is an espresso machine grinder, I tested the grind settings for espresso. Using my Kruve coffee sieves, I sifted coffee ground on setting 1, setting 8, and setting 16 through the 500um sieve. You want to see big jumps — so 0% to 100% — as this shows a consistent, uniform grinder, where all the coffee granules are the same size.

Here are my testing results.

As you can see, these results suggest an inconsistent grind. The non-uniform grind size of the Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew’s grinder will result in a lackluster coffee. If the granules are all different sizes, some coffee will be overextracted, while some will be underextracted.

The grinder also doses way too much coffee. The default ‘double’ dose is 23g — 5g over the optimal dose of 18g — and the coffee doesn’t actually fit in the basket. You can reprogram this by holding down the grind button and releasing when you reach your ideal dose. But, ideally, Cuisinart should ship the machine with the optimal dose volume preprogrammed.

Thankfully, Cuisinart provides you with a grinding collar and a tamping puck, which are both easy to use. You simply put the collar around the portafilter basket to prevent splatters while grinding, then twist on the tamping puck, slot it back in the machine, and pull the smart tamping handle down. The machine effectively tamps for you (once you remove the overflow from the grinder dose).

This is great for beginners, and similar to the De’Longhi Arte Evo’s assisted tamping and the De’Longhi Opera’s smart tamping system. Even so, I’d recommend the Arte Evo over the Cuisinart due to its premium features like PID controller and pre-infusion. The Cuisinart has neither.

Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew review: Espresso

Alright, now onto the good stuff. Well, mediocre stuff. Ahem.

I’ve mentioned this briefly already, but the Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew only comes with dual-walled baskets. If you’re looking at your screen and thinking I may as well be speaking Klingon, let me explain.

There are two types of basket (the metal basket where coffee goes): single-walled/non-pressurized, and dual-walled/pressurized. If you’re predominantly using pre-ground coffee, you’ll want dual-walled/pressurized, as these baskets force the espresso through a tiny hole, which aerates the coffee to create fake crema, and overall looks better.

If you’re using freshly ground coffee, you’ll want single-walled/non-pressurized baskets. These use the pressure of ground coffee to create the right environment for espresso, resulting in a more nuanced, complex, and overall barista-quality espresso. These are the baskets to use if you grind your own beans.

‘Bottomless’’ simply refers to the cover on the bottom of the portafilter, below the basket — is it open and showing the basket or does it have a bottom with a spout? Bottomless portafilters are generally considered ideal if you’re a coffee snob like me, as you can watch your espresso extract to check texture and color. But single-walled baskets (bottomless portafilter or otherwise) are what you’ll want as an espresso enthusiast.

Unfortunately, the Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew only comes with dual-walled baskets. This is baffling because the machine literally has a grinder. I’m not sure why Cuisinart would shoot itself in the foot by giving users a grinder and then supplying them with portafilter baskets that will destroy all nuance and complexity in the resulting shot.

Anyway, here’s a photo of an example shot. You have to customize shot volume: the default is a huge 54g. Instead of reprogramming the machine to the optimal 36g (you physically cannot program the double-shot button to dose any less than 50g), I just pressed the shot button again to stop extraction.

As you can see, the top of the shot (crema) is way too foamy, and the body of the shot is mostly dark. The espresso tasted strong, with a lasting bitterness and none of the nuanced juicy notes I know are present in my testing beans. I was really disappointed by this shot. I actually threw away half of my flat white.

Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew review: Milk

For all its grinding-related and espresso-related flaws, I will say that the Grind, Tamp and Brew has a gorgeous steam wand. Despite being only a single-hole wand, the 20 bars of pressure provide a pleasant steaming experience.

The steam wand takes thirty seconds to heat up once you finish espresso extraction, which is frustrating, but once it gets going, it’s pretty impressive.

This is a flat white I made with dairy milk. The milk texture is pretty perfect. You can see the velvety texture on top, the pretty latte art, and the lack of uneven bubbles. This is what you want.

I also made an oat milk flat white, and I was pleasantly surprised by the texture.

Again, this milk texture is all you can ask for with plant-based milk. I’m an oat milk lover, and I struggle to achieve texture like this on the majority of machines I test.

So for all its espresso-related issues, I can’t find fault with the Grind, Tamp and Brew’s steam wand. I know you don’t spend $649 on an espresso machine for it to be good at steaming milk and pretty meh at everything else, but there’s a silver lining here — and it looks like a milk moustache.

Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew review: Storage & maintenance

As the Grind, Tamp and Brew is effectively a 16 x 16 x 16-inch cube, it’ll take up a decent amount of space in your kitchen. This size isn’t unheard of for espresso machines, though. The Breville Barista Express is 13 x 12 x 15 inches, and the De’Longhi Arte Evo is 11 x 14 x 16 inches. The largest espresso machine I’ve ever tested is the $3,000 Breville Oracle Dual Boiler, a whopping 18 x 17 x 15 inches.

Compared to the Oracle Dual Boiler, the Grind, Tamp and Brew doesn’t seem so oversized now, does it?

If you’ve got enough space for it, Cuisinart offers a 3-year warranty, which is much better than the 1/2-year warranty offered by De’Longhi, Breville, and Ninja.

Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew review: Verdict

If you couldn’t already tell, I think the Cuisinart Grind, Tamp and Brew is horrendously overpriced. It looks like a Casabrews or Gevi, but priced like a Breville or De’Longhi. At $649, you can’t really get away with a budget appearance.

I would never buy this machine for myself or recommend it in good faith. When you’re spending $650, I would just save up an extra $50 and get a Breville or a De’Longhi. With both of those brands, you get a PID controller, customizable pre-infusion, a powerful steam wand, and a gorgeous design — for just $50 more.

If you want to upgrade your home cafe with a bean-to-cup manual machine, go for the De’Longhi Arte Evo ($699) or the Breville Barista Express ($699).

I'm an ex-barista, and now I'm Tom's Guide's resident coffee expert. I've reviewed tons of coffee machines — everything from the $3,000 Breville Oracle Dual Boiler to the $129 Casabrews 3700 Essential — and I know my way around the mighty bean.

One thing I will not stop talking about is portafilter baskets — namely, the vast difference between single-walled and dual-walled portafilter baskets. These two things are also called non-pressurized and pressurized, which you might've seen in your espresso machine's manual.

Dual-walled/pressurized baskets are primarily for pre-ground store-bought coffee and people without their own grinder (or without a grinder that's capable of grinding espresso-fine). If you're using high-quality coffee that's freshly ground to espresso-fine, you should use the single-walled/non-pressurized basket to get the best out of your pricey coffee.

Wondering why? Don't worry, I'll tell you absolutely everything you need to know.

What's a portafilter basket? What's a portafilter?

Coffee is confusing because there are loads of different words for the same thing, and people love arguing about what all these synonyms actually mean. What Johnny at your local coffeehouse might call a group handle, your favorite coffeefluencer might refer to as a portafilter. The same can be said for single-walled and dual-walled baskets — these are also called non-pressurized and pressurized.

Bamboozling, right? Don't worry — that's why I'm here.

The portafilter/group handle is the handle you hold. It often has a spout, but bottomless/naked portafilters are gaining popularity among the coffee enthusiast community.

The basket/portafilter basket refers to the sieve-like metal bowl that goes inside the end of the portafilter/group handle.

Need a break? Me, too. Here's something I made earlier that might help you visualize.

The photo above is a portafilter (also known as a group handle). This is where you put the baskets (which is where you put the coffee).

So, in the photo above, the circular basket on the right has been fitted to the portafilter and is where you put the coffee. You'll either have a single-walled/non-pressurized, dual-walled/pressurized basket. Either will act as a filter to stop coffee grounds going through the portafilter into your drink.

Above is a disassembled portafilter and portafilter basket. You can see the portafilter/group handle at the top of the image, then the dual-walled/pressurized basket on the left, and the single-walled/non-pressurized basket on the right.

Alright, time for some audience participation. I want you to go to your espresso machine, grab your portafilter, and pop out the basket. Does it look more like the left basket or the right basket? Does it have one tiny hole, or does it have many holes (like a sieve)?

Did your espresso machine come with any more options? Cheaper machines, like the Casabrews CM5418 and the De'Longhi Dedica Duo, only come with pressurized baskets. Pricier options, like all Brevilles and most <$300 De'Longhis come with non-pressurized baskets too.

If your machine only came with pressurized baskets, don't fret. You can buy plenty of aftermarket single-walled baskets. Simply type your espresso machine name into Amazon with single-walled/bottomless/naked/non-pressurized basket and tons will come up. It's also fine to use a pressurized basket, depending on what coffee you're using (but if you want to get more serious about espresso, you'll need to move onto single-walled).

So what's the difference between pressurized and non-pressurized baskets?

The clue's kind of in the name: the difference is pressure. That's not to say that single-walled/non-pressurized baskets brew with zero pressure — espresso is a pressurized brewing method, it's literally in the name — but the two baskets are designed to create pressure in different ways.

A single-walled/non-pressurized basket uses the fineness of your ground coffee to create back pressure, delivering the correct environment to extract flavor from your grounds. To achieve this pressure, you'll need to have your coffee ground fine enough, using one of the best coffee grinders for espresso.

Conversely, a dual-walled/pressurized basket forces the water through a teeny-tiny hole to create that pressure, meaning you can use pre-ground coffee that isn't fine enough to create its own back pressure. This can destroy gentle, nuanced notes in the espresso.

I use the same Ethiopian medium-roast beans for every espresso I make, and I notice a huge difference between single- and dual-walled portafilter espresso. The single-walled shot always has a juicier, fruitier mouthfeel, whereas the dual-walled shot tastes like your automatic machine coffee.

Dual-walled/pressurized portafilter baskets aren't inherently bad, though. There are some important use cases. If you're using pre-ground or stale coffee, pressurized baskets will allow you to extract espresso, whereas a single-walled basket would just produce a watery mess. Pressurized baskets also create a "fake" crema, which is better for visuals and latte art if you don't have the knowledge of equipment to make "authentic" espresso.

However, if you're using a bean-to-cup or you have one a good grinder, you'll 100% want to use single-walled/non-pressurized baskets to get the best taste out of your espresso.

All that being said, if you're not following the "rules" of coffee, but you still like the coffee you make? Then ignore everything I just said and keep doing what you're doing! There's no "right" way if you're happy.

But if you want to nerd out, I'm so here for that. Espresso is a dark art and a science (and a slippery slope into knowing terminology like "puck screen" and "dial it in"), but with a little experimenting, you will be crafting barista-quality espresso in no time.

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The Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select takes pride of place amongst the best coffee makers we've ever tested. This iconic drip coffee maker is a real classic for a reason, holding its spot for well over four years. But, while it's incredibly low-tech with straightforward controls, the Moccamaster also loves to have fun when it comes to color.

And for the brand's 2026 Color of the Year, it's gone vibrant and incredibly bold with a coral shade that screams the sun is finally shining. And it has been given an appropriate name to boot – Sorbet.

So, if you fancy adding a splash of color to your morning cup of coffee, this limited edition colorway is available to buy now for $369 at Moccamaster.

Why I'll be picking one up

This is the third year in a row that the iconic coffee maker brand has released an annual, limited edition Color of the Year, which it has coined: "A warm, energetic shade that radiates optimism and cheerfulness without being too flashy." And that is music to my ears.

While the brand is no stranger to color (far from it), it's lovely to see a new shade that fully embraces spring and summer trends and offers something a little different from the previous years' Ocean and Apricot, or the other 22 colors it's available in all year round.

Of course, it's also the features that the Technivorm Moccamaster KBGV Select has that make it seriously appealing, like its innovative brew features and a heated carafe base. With the new Sorbet shade, I think it's finally time to move this drip coffee maker from my 'to buy list' to my home.

Availability

The Moccamaster is certainly setting a trend, releasing its Color of the Year models in limited quantities without being repeated. And if there's anything that will make me jump on a trend, it's the idea that if I don't act fast, I'll miss out entirely.

So, if like me, you're considering picking it up before it's too late, you can grab it for $369 at Moccamaster, while stocks last.

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If you think French presses can’t be fancy, you’ve clearly never seen the Aarke French press. If looks were everything, this gorgeous stainless steel model would be taking the #1 spot on our list of the best coffee makers, and there’d be very little competition.

Come to think of it, if taste were everything (which it kinda is), the Aarke French press would probably be taking the top spot there, too. This premium French press brews utterly decadent, rich, flavorful coffee with little effort. Have you ever had coffee so bitter it makes you shiver? Yeah, the Aarke French press is not for those kinds of coffee drinkers. This is for those who enjoy tasting the complexities in the brew.

However, at $149, this is not a cheap French press by any means. I’ve tested other French presses with similar — or superior — filtration styles, which makes me wonder if the Aarke French press is worth $149. Need help deciding? To find out, read this Aarke French press review.

Aarke French Press review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? Serious coffee lovers who want an aesthetically pleasing French press
• What does it do well? Looks a treat and is super easy to use
• What are its weaknesses? It’s not as innovative as other premium French presses
• What should you use it for? Well, it’s a French press — so French press

Aarke French Press Brewer review: Specs

Aarke French Press review: Price & availability

The Aarke French press is available for $149 at Williams Sonoma and £99 from Amazon U.K.. This makes it fairly expensive for a French press — you can get basic presses from the grocery store for around $20. For example, this Bodum French press is just $19 from Target.

If you’re really into your coffee, then I presume you want the best of the best, right? Of course. In that case, the Aarke French press would be worth the splurge. I’ve also tested the Espro P7, which is $129/£110.

The P7 is a fantastic French press, and the one I use at home. Due to its dual-walled mesh filter, it brews rich, full-bodied coffee without any bitterness. Considering that it’s $20 cheaper than the Aarke version, too, I think I know which one I’d go for — even though the P7 is a pain to clean.

This doesn’t mean the Aarke French press is a bad coffee maker — quite the opposite, actually — but it depends on your preference. Do you want a French press with a better filtration system, or would you rather a more basic model that’s easier to clean? Only you can answer that.

Aarke French Press review: Design

As with everything else Aarke makes, the French press is gorgeous. It’s constructed of polished stainless steel, feels much lighter than you might expect, and is completely plastic-free. All sought-after features in the premium coffee world.

Apart from one reason, which I’ll discuss just below, I can’t really fault the Aarke’s design. On top of the plastic-free construction, the coffee maker also sports a dual-walled design that genuinely feels cool to the touch even when filled with hot water. This dual wall also keeps the coffee warm — after 2 hours, the coffee was still at 150°F, which is hotter than the Espro P7’s 134°F.

One impressive feature present on the Espro P7 but absent on the Aarke French press is the Espro-patented “AirLock”. This feature creates a vacuum as soon as you plunge, stopping the brewing process and preventing the final cup from tasting overly strong.

As a result, I’d recommend the P7 for coffee lovers who want a more innovative French press. Yes, it’s a little annoying to clean, but that’s a price I’m willing to pay for delicious coffee.

Aarke French Press review: Performance

Considering this is a French press, it’s very easy to use. You grind your beans using one of the best coffee grinders, weigh your beans and water using one of the best coffee scales, and you’re good to go.

However, you might need to do a little research or experimentation to get the best flavor. Unlike Espro, Aarke doesn’t ship an ideal brewing recipe with the French press. As a result, I went with the standard 1:18 ratio with coarsely ground beans.

I used my Fellow Tally Pro — its “Brew Assist” feature is perfect for French press and pour-over — and weighed out enough coffee for the full 1-liter capacity. This ended up being 55g of coffee for a ratio of 1:18.

The 1-liter capacity made enough for four small coffees. I was really impressed with the flavor profile. The coffee tasted smooth, rich, full-bodied, rounded with a subtle hint of bitterness. Although it lacked the gentle fruity and juicy notes I tend to enjoy when I drink pour-over, this isn’t an Aarke French press issue — more of a general French press issue — so it would be unfair of me to mark it down for that.

Of course, you can adjust the recipe to suit your taste. If you want a coffee that is so bitter it makes you shudder, then you would just increase the coffee dose, or grind finer (obviously not so fine that the grounds clog the filter). One of the best aspects of manual brewing is that you can play with the recipe until you achieve your desired results.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of a vacuum seal, the last coffee was always very bitter and silty. I ended up throwing the last portion away after a few sips. Despite the Aarke’s ability to stay hot for two hours, I couldn’t actually drink this final brew. This is the only major flaw.

Aarke French Press review: How does it compare?

Considering the Aarke French press is $149 — so $20 pricier than the Espro P7 — it doesn’t have as many innovative design features as I would have liked. While this doesn’t majorly impact the functionality of the Aarke, it’s worth noting that you get more for less with the Espro P7.

While you won’t be disappointed with the Aarke — it makes a lovely coffee and is a treat to use — if you want the best of the best, I’d recommend the Espro P7.

Aarke French Press review: Verdict

Although pricey, the Aarke French press works pretty hard to justify its $149 MSRP. By “works pretty hard”, I mean it looks beautiful. Stunning. Iconic. Show-stopping. This is a French press that needs to be left out on the countertop — not out of laziness, but to show it off.

However, the French press is quite overpriced for what it is. Don’t get me wrong — it’s an easy-to-use, functional brewer that makes delicious coffee — but there are similarly priced alternatives that just do a little more. The Espro P7, for example, has a patented vacuum design that prevents silt and bitterness down to the last drop.

If you prioritize looks over innovative features, or if you just want a high-quality yet expensive French press, you won’t be disappointed by the Aarke. It truly does make delicious coffee.

We all need a bit of joy in our lives at the moment, and the AeroPress Clear Color is a one-stop shop for all my happiness-related needs. Coffee? Check. Barbie-pink design? Check. Fun? Check. It’s a hat trick tonight, folks, and the AeroPress Clear Color is walking away as MVP.

AeroPresses look like a snobby coffee-nerd product, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. All types of the best coffee makers have their place: V60s are for quiet mornings of coffee and contemplation; espresso machines are for pizzazz; and Chemexes are for the most delicate coffee you ever did taste. AeroPress, though? Heck, I think it gets top marks for all three.

Available in seven colorways, the AeroPress Clear Color is a step-up from the black plastic OG model. Want to find out more? Keep reading this AeroPress Clear Color review.

AeroPress Clear Color review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? Coffee lovers short on space or time
• What does it do well? Nothing else tastes as good as AeroPress
• What are its weaknesses? I guess $50 is a bit pricey for what it is — when a Hario V60 is $11
• What should you use it for? It makes coffee like no other

AeroPress Clear Color review: Specs

AeroPress Clear Color review: Price & availability

The AeroPress Clear Color is $49 from Amazon U.S. and £45 from Amazon U.K.. You can buy it in the following colors: pink (pictured), red, green, purple, clear, black, and blue. The $49 MSRP makes it around $10 pricier than the AeroPress Original, which is $39 from Amazon. I’ve also tested the AeroPress Premium, which is a completely plastic-free model that’ll set you back an eye-watering $199 at Amazon.

Personally, I think the extra $10 for a color AeroPress is reasonable. I wouldn’t say it’s really worth it — as it’s effectively the same product as the $39 OG model (which comes in transparent gray), just yassified — but in the grand scheme of things, $10 isn’t a bucketload of money. I would happily pay $10 extra for this gorgeous pink option.

You can also get an XL AeroPress for $79 at Amazon, which is basically the AeroPress but bigger. Also available is the AeroPress Go travel kit, $89 at Amazon, which is an AeroPress and travel mug in one.

All AeroPresses basically do the same thing, so the version you get will depend on your tastes and desired use case. Personally, though, I think the $200 Premium is a little out of my price range, so I’d probably get the pink Clear Color model pictured here.

AeroPress Clear Color review: Design

As you can see, the Clear Color looks divine. I jumped at the chance to grab the pink colorway: just look at it. It’s the girlypop coffee maker of my dreams. If you’re not a fan of pink, though, don’t fret: as I mentioned in the section above, you can get the Clear Color in six other shades.

The body itself is made from Tritan plastic, which is shatterproof plastic used in loads of home products like water bottles, blenders, Tupperwares, and so on and so forth. For some, though, no plastic is better than plastic, so if you’re truly concerned, AeroPress has you covered with the $199 Premium. Tritan is BPA-free, though, so it doesn’t contain the hazardous chemical Bisphenol A, if you were worried about toxicity.

I know AeroPresses look a little daunting, but they’re seriously not as scary as you think. The coffee maker comes with five moving parts: the body, the plunger, the filter basket, the scoop, and the stirrer. All aspects of the Clear Color are well-made, with no sharp edges or unfinished seams. Annoyingly, the scoop doesn’t fit into the grounds container of my Comandante C40 MK4, but that’s not AeroPress’s (nor Comandante’s) fault.

I’ll discuss exactly how to use the AeroPress just below, but from a design perspective, the Clear Color is a winner.

AeroPress Clear Color review: Performance

Now, as promised, I’ll go through exactly how to use the AeroPress. I swear, it’s so much easier than you think!

My go-to AeroPress Clear Color routine

1. Place an AeroPress filter paper into the black filter basket. Twist filter basket onto the body. Place the AeroPress on a mug.
2. Scoop 15g of medium-fine roasted coffee into the body. Tap it to flatten it.
3. Pour in 185°F (as recommended by AeroPress) water to number ‘4’ and stir quickly.
4. Insert the plunger just enough to create a vacuum. The coffee should stop dripping into the mug.
5. After thirty seconds, plunge slowly into the mug.
6. To remove the puck and filter, twist off the filter basket and push the plunger down further. The grounds and filter paper should come out as one directly into your compost bin.

See! It’s so easy. Altogether, the process takes about a minute. It’s so much faster than pour-over and espresso, and results in a lovely, floral, delicate flavor profile.

When following AeroPress’s recipe (1 scoop of coffee, number 4 on the brewer), you get a delicious, nuanced, complex coffee without destroying any of the delicate aromatic notes. I used the Ethiopian medium-roast beans I use for all my testing and I could taste a note of cherry that I hadn’t noticed before.

The paper filter does a pretty good job of removing the oily sheen you might be used to when brewing French press. Some people don’t like removing the oil (as it can have a lot of flavor) but it unwrapped an extra level to my brew, letting me focus on the notes of cherry, chocolate, and a tart orange all at once. AeroPress is one of my favorite ways to make coffee.

As with every other manual coffee maker I’ve tested, there’s no one-and-done way to use an AeroPress. These manual brewers are perfect for experimenting with. Like it stronger? Grind your beans finer or use more beans than directed.

Like it weaker? Do the opposite. That’s the beauty of AeroPresses: you can make the beans do whatever you want.

AeroPress Clear Color review: How does it compare?

As AeroPresses use patented technology, there’s not really anything else that compares directly. However, I can compare to other manual coffee makers like Hario V60, Kalita Wave, Chemex, and French press.

Although French press is the easiest way to brew coffee, I personally much prefer the finesse of any other manual brewers. I have the Espro P7 and I recently tested the Aarke French press, both of which are superior to your standard grocery-store presses. Even so, there’s something about the delicate flavor of AeroPress and pour-over that means I can’t bring myself to use anything else.

Pour-over is more about the ritual: it’s a slow, considered type of brew that you have to learn how to do (if you want to do it “properly” or in a way that CoffeeTok would have you believe is “proper”, anyway). True, pour-over is just as easy to clean as AeroPress — simply throw the compostable filters into the food bin — but you do have to baby it a bit more.

AeroPress looks a little more daunting at first, but after a few goes, you’ll be plunging your hot bean water like a pro.

AeroPress Clear Color review: Verdict

I’m all for AeroPress. I am in a very lucky position that I have literally every coffee maker under the sun, and I rotate between them as I please. It’s like a benevolent coffee deity is secretly controlling me to ensure I give every type of coffee maker a fair choice. Right now, I’m in an AeroPress mood.

As the AeroPress brews an inherently lighter, more delicate coffee than your French presses or your espresso machines, it’s the ideal brewer for those looking to dive deeper into the flavor profile of their coffee. If you’re sick and tired of all those ‘coffeefluencers’ telling you that the brew tastes like lavender or citrus, please grab yourself an AeroPress. You won’t be disappointed.

The Clear Color model is the perfect model for those who take style and substance seriously. My pink AeroPress looks divine in my kitchen — and the coffee it makes is basically ambrosia.

There’s no shortage of single-serve coffee makers on the market. And while the Chefman Caffeinator doesn’t have the name recognition of a Keurig machine for instance, it can brew a hot, tasty cup of Joe in under two minutes.

The Caffeinator is compatible with any K-Cup pod, and you can also brew ground coffee with the included reusable filter. This is a bonus if you didn't want to splurge on pricey pods, and the reusable filter is much more eco-friendly than disposable ones. But one of the Caffeinator’s most standout features is a simple one: a movable mug lift that lets you raise or lower your cup while brewing, reducing splatter and eliminating clean-up.

I drink at least two large cups of coffee daily, so I was more than ready to put the Chefman Caffeinator to the test. After using it at least twice a day, I can easily recommend this machine for anyone looking for a mid-range single-serve coffee maker. Here's everything you need to know.

Chefman Caffeinator review: Price and availability

The Chefman Caffeinator currently retails at $129.99 on Amazon, and also available at Walmart, Kohl’s, Costco, and Best Buy, as well as Chefman’s website. The machine comes in two color choices: Midnight, a classic black, and Concrete, a stylish matte off-white.

The Caffeinator is compatible with your favorite K-Cup pods and ground coffee, thanks to the reusable single-serve filter included in the box.

Chefman Caffeinator review: Design

The Chefman Caffeinator arrived neatly packed. When I removed it from the packaging, my first impression was its size — it’s larger than I expected, but still smaller than a traditional coffee maker. The machine is well-made and sturdy, though not bulky. It was easy to move around my kitchen while I searched for the best testing location.

The box also includes a removable water reservoir, a water filter with a replaceable cartridge, two receptacles (one for capsule pods and one for coffee grounds), a reusable coffee filter, and a removable drip cup and trivet for easy clean-up.

The most unique aspect of the Caffeinator’s design is the adjustable mug lift, which lets you lift and lower the mug. That way, if you’re making a 4-ounce cup, you can adjust the lift and prevent splatter. When lowered, the mug lift will fit up to a 16-ounce travel mug.

Apart from this neat feature, the Caffeinator has five size settings (4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 ounces), three strength options (light, classic, and strong), and three brew temps (warm, hot, and piping hot). There’s also a setting called “over ice,” which lowers the brewing temperature to chill your cup of iced coffee without melting the ice.

Finally, there are four programmable “favorites” settings, so you can brew your preferred cup of coffee with one touch, without having to adjust the settings each time.

Chefman Caffeinator review: Performance

I put the Chefman Caffeinator to the test over a week to see how it would perform. To do this, I noted the brewing time and the temperature of the brewed coffee. I then tested each size and temperature setting and programmed a favorite to test that function.

This is slightly less than the average Keurig machine; for example, the Keurig K-Slim takes between one minute 12 seconds and one minute 46 seconds to brew a cup of Joe.

What's more, I did need to refill the water tank quite frequently, which could be an issue if you’re brewing several cups in a row.

Now for the important part: the taste. I brewed several cups of coffee, using Kroger-brand peppermint mocha K-Cups and my own Costco French roast coffee grounds. I was surprisingly impressed by the coffee's flavor profile, having been a little underwhelmed in the past when drinking coffee from a single-serve machine.

The ground coffee, which I brewed using the Caffeinator’s reusable filter, tasted the same as it does when brewed in my everyday drip coffee maker. The K-Cup was a little bland, but I prefer coffee on the stronger side, and I’ve always found K-Cup coffee to be weak.

Using the 'over ice' setting

The “over ice” feature uses hot water to extract flavor from the coffee grounds, then reduces the temperature to minimize ice melt. When I tested this feature, I noticed that most of the ice in my glass melted, while the coffee coming out of the machine remained very hot.

Despite that, once the brewing cycle ended, the liquid in the glass was cold, with some ice still remaining. However, the coffee was a little watered down. Overall, I was impressed by the Chefman Caffeinator. I found it brews flavorful coffee quickly — especially if you save your preferred brew as a favorite.

Brew temperature

How about brew temperature? The Caffeinator has three temperature settings (warm, hot, and piping hot) so you can brew your cup at your desired hotness. I tested each brew size with the three temperature options.

The 'warm' setting was 160 to 167 degrees F, 'hot' was 161 to 173 degrees F, while 'piping hot' was 173 to 178 degrees F. Experts say that the optimal temperature for a cup of coffee is 195 to 205 degrees F.

Although the Caffeinator doesn’t quite measure up to a hot cup of coffee from a drip coffee maker or espresso machine, it does nicely for a single-serve coffee maker.

Noise

Noise-wise, I also measured the Caffeinator's noise level. It’s not whisper-quiet, but definitely not as loud as some other kitchen appliances. During a brew cycle, the noise level ranged from 43 to 52 decibels, which is comparable to that of a household refrigerator.

How does the Chefman Caffeinator compare?

There’s no shortage of single-serve coffee makers on the market. Let’s explore how the Chefman Caffeinator compares to several of our top picks: the Keurig K-Mini Mate, the Keurig K-Cafe, and the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima.

Each of these options brews a single cup of coffee in minutes. The Keurig K-Mini Mate is a more basic option for those with a limited budget or counter space. It’s the slimmest Keurig and can even come along on your travels. But its features are much more limited than those of the Chefman Caffeinator.

The Keurig K-Cafe costs more than the Chefman Caffeinator, though it comes with a milk frother that the Caffeinator lacks. The K-Cafe can also brew smaller, 2-ounce shots of coffee with a similar flavor profile to espresso. But the Caffeinator has many of the same features, as well as a more budget-friendly price point.

Finally, the Nespresso Vertuo Lettissima is the priciest option but includes a milk steaming unit and a milk frother for cappuccinos, lattes, and other coffee drinks. If you want to break your habit of buying fancy coffee out, this machine could be a great pick. But at over $500, it’s a much bigger splurge than the Chefman Caffeinator, which costs less than $200.

Should you buy the Chefman Caffeinator?

If you’re in the market for a single-serve coffee maker, the Chefman Caffeinator is a smart choice. With five brew sizes, three temperature choices, and three strength options, it’s a versatile machine in a small package.

Additionally, you can brew a full 12-ounce cup in less than two minutes, and a 4-ounce cup in less than one. The flavor is similar to that of a regular drip coffee maker, with the added option to brew a “strong” cup if you need that extra boost.

Overall, I would recommend the Caffeinator as a solid mid-range option — it’s fancier than your most basic Keurig but much less fancy than a Nespresso machine. If you enjoy coffee but don’t need to brew an entire carafe, the Caffeinator will more than meet your needs.

The Mazzer Philos is, hands down, one of the best coffee grinders you can buy. Heck, I’d even go so far as to say it’s the best coffee grinder I’ve ever used.

However, it’s also mighty expensive. At almost $1,500, the Philos is the grinder for serious coffee enthusiasts, and I’m not sure who else. If I could keep one grinder in my kitchen for the rest of eternity, it’d be the Philos. Even so, I don’t have $1,500 to spend on a coffee grinder, and I don’t really know anyone who does.

If money isn’t a problem for you, then you won’t be disappointed by the Philos. It offers beautiful Italian craftsmanship, premium materials, and vertical 64mm stainless steel Mazzer I200D burrs. What’s not to love? If you want all the details, read this Mazzer Philos review.

Mazzer Philos review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? Serious coffee lovers with money to burn
• What does it do well? It’s the ‘be-all, end-all’ of grinders
• What does it cost? Look away: $1,495 / RRP of €995, converts to around £900
• What are its weaknesses? I know premium products come with premium price tags, but this price is just unrealistic for 99% of the population

Mazzer Philos review: Specs

Mazzer Philos review: Price & availability

If you couldn’t tell from the photos, the Mazzer Philos is a premium grinder, with a premium price tag to boot.

You’re looking at an eye-watering $1,495 from Mazzer U.S. or €995 (converts to around £900) from Mazzer in the U.K.

This makes the Philos the most expensive grinder I’ve ever tested — but it’s also the best (electric) grinder I’ve ever tested. If money is no object and you want to buy your last-ever grinder, I wholeheartedly recommend the Philos.

However, most casual coffee drinkers might want to check out alternatives. $1,500 for a coffee grinder is simply out of reach for most people. In that case, I’d recommend checking out the Baratza Encore ESP ($199), Varia VS3 ($299), Eureka Mignon Specialita ($699), or the Comandante C40 MK4 hand grinder ($329).

Mazzer Philos review: Design

The Mazzer Philos is truly a work of art. It looks somewhat reminiscent of the Acaia Orion ($950) and the Acaia Orbit (which I haven’t technically ‘reviewed’, but I have used thoroughly). These are compliments of the highest degree, as Acaia gear is beautiful enough to be exhibited in a museum.

The Philos is no different. It’s beautiful, with high-quality craftsmanship and groundbreaking design. No stone has been left unturned here: it’s got a brushed black metal or silver metal exterior, with a polished silver hopper and a magnetic silver catch canister. Hearing the canister click into place every time I used the grinder was so satisfying.

The stepped grind adjustment dial is smooth and a delight to use. You don’t have to use any manpower to get it down to the finest grind setting, and it’s not tight at all.

After you grind your beans, you can use something called a “Dose Finisher”, which is basically just a cylindrical poker that you put inside the chute post-grind to remove all leftover granules.

I genuinely have nothing negative to say about the Philos’ design: this is a marvellous piece of tech that will look perfect on any home coffee setup. It’s surprisingly compact — just six inches wide — and you can remove the hopper if you need to slot it under low-lying cabinets.

Mazzer Philos review: Grind adjustment

Although the Philos is a stepped grinder out of the box, you can easily switch it into a stepless grinder. For beginners or those who prioritize convenience over precision, I’d recommend keeping it at its standard stepped design.

Using the Philos with a stepped grind adjustment is the simplest way; you literally just twist the dial to whichever ‘click’ suits your brewing method, and you’re good to go.

If you have a solely stepless grinder, like the Eureka Mignon Specialita, it’s sometimes difficult to alter the grind between markedly different brew types without wasting a fair amount of coffee in the process. If your household has varying brewing methods — for example, if one person prefers espresso and the other drinks only French press — it can be really frustrating to have to dial in your beans after each use. With a stepped design, you can just readjust to the previous click number.

To switch to a stepless design — which will give you more fine control over your grind — simply remove the pins at the back of the grind adjustment dial. As I’ve already said, this is a really straightforward and non-permanent process, so don’t feel pressured to stick to one design. Most premium coffee enthusiast grinders have similar functionality, so although this design is expected on a $1,500 grinder, it’s also nice to see.

Mazzer Philos review: Performance

The Mazzer Philos is an excellent-looking grinder with equally excellent performance. There’s no beating around the bush here: if you want to get your last-ever grinder, it’s got to be the Philos. On top of being easy to use, it has enviable uniformity, very little retention, and minimal static.

Ease of use

As you might’ve guessed from the ‘Grind adjustment’ section above, the Philos is beyond easy to use. Some prosumer stepless grinders can be quite frustrating to use if you regularly switch between brewing methods or beans. As the Philos can be stepped or stepless, this issue is nonexistent, but you get similar performance.

All you have to do is weigh your beans — ideally, using one of the best coffee scales — and put them in the hopper. Then, you press the on switch, and your beans are ground. It’s really that easy.

Static & clumping

There was a little clumping when testing the Philos, but nothing extreme or that a WDT tool wouldn’t be able to fix.

Here’s a photo of clumping when grinding espresso-fine.

As you can see, there are a few small clumps to the left of the image, but, for the most part, this is a clean grind that’ll produce an excellent coffee.

Static was also minimal: take a look at this photo of the catch canister after grinding.

You can see a small rim of grounds clinging to the side of the canister, but other than that, the static was mostly nonexistent. When I was grinding for my uniformity and retention tests, I was pleasantly surprised by how clean my hands were.

Uniformity

As with all grinders I test, I put the Philos through a series of uniformity challenges. I ground medium-roasted beans to espresso-fine, fine, and so forth, all the way to French press-coarse. Then, I sieved the grounds using my Kruve coffee sifters, $89 on Amazon.

You want to see large jumps: 0% to 100% is the optimal metric here. If you see, for example, 5%-30%-50%-80%-100%, that’s a non-uniform grinder and will result in a poor coffee. Espresso and pour-over require particularly uniform grinds, so the water doesn’t get clogged or pour too quickly.

As you can see, the Philos has enviable levels of uniformity. The jump from 0% to 100% at click 50 is ideal, meaning that this grind will produce a technically perfect pour-over. Similarly, the 5% to 100% jump for espresso will create a gorgeous, balanced espresso with no burned or weak notes.

I can’t fault the Philos: Mazzer’s burrs are famous for a reason, and the reason is right here.

Retention

I also put the Philos through a series of retention tests. I weighed out 20g of coffee beans with my MHW-3BOMBER Cube 2.0 coffee scale, then ground them to espresso-fine. After, I used the chute knocker to remove any grinds stuck in the chute.

For the last test, I used the ‘Dose Finisher’ accessory, just to show you how well it works. As you can see, the Dose Finisher resulted in literally zero retention.

This is the lowest-retention grinder I’ve ever tested (Baratza Encore ESP: 1.6%, Breville Dose Control Pro: 2.1%, Comandante C40 MK4 2.7%), and I recommend it completely if you want to get every last granule out of your burrs.

Mazzer Philos review: Storage & maintenance

As I said in the ‘Design’ section, the Philos is surprisingly compact. It’s just six inches wide, and while, yes, it’s 14 inches deep and 14 inches tall, you can remove the hopper to fit under low-lying cabinetry.

Cleaning is straightforward, too: like other grinders, just don’t get it wet. You can use a cleaning brush to clean the grounds off the body. The only annoyance I have is that sometimes ultra-small grounds can get trapped between the magnetic silver panel and the metal body, but this is just a nit-pick. You can easily look past this.

If you want to clean the burrs, Mazzer recommends removing the magnetic back plate and taking out the burr carrier. Clean with a brush, reassemble, and you’re done.

Surprisingly, Mazzer only offers a 12-month warranty on its grinders, which is markedly less than Comandante’s lifetime warranty on its Martensitic steel burrs.

Mazzer Philos review: Verdict

As I’ve said many times throughout this review, the Mazzer Philos is for serious coffee lovers. This is your “last grinder” — in that once you have it, you won’t want to buy another one again, because this one is so perfect.

Or it’s your “last grinder” because once you’ve bought it you won’t have enough money left to even think about getting another one. $1,495 is a hefty price tag for any piece of tech, especially for one that only does one thing. I’m so conflicted, though, as the Philos truly is worth it for some serious coffee enthusiasts. This is a premium grinder, in every sense of the word.

The Mazzer Philos is what it is, and it’s not ashamed of it: the grinder to end all grinders. I’m not sure who else might be able to drop $1.5k on a grinder, but for serious enthusiasts, this is the ultimate piece of coffee tech.

Weekday mornings are a struggle in my household. Not only do I have to get myself up and moving, but I have to gather enough energy to motivate my two kids out of bed to get ready for school. My morning routine is just about impossible without a nice, hot cup of coffee to energize me. But my previous coffee maker wasn’t programmable, so I had to stumble into the kitchen each morning and manually make a pot of coffee. Who has the time or energy for that at 6 a.m.?

Enter the Ninja Fresh Brew 14-cup programmable coffee maker. I was thrilled to get my hands on this machine, if only for the fact that I could set it up the night before so it would automatically begin brewing before my alarm went off. Plus, with a huge 70-ounce capacity, I could brew enough coffee for me and my husband to both have seconds.

I tested the Ninja Fresh Brew over two weeks and was pleasantly surprised by the rich flavor of the resulting coffee. I brewed full carafes, small batches, and everything in between to see how the Ninja measured up. By the end of my testing period, I honestly couldn’t imagine going back to a non-programmable machine. Read my Ninja Fresh Brew review to see why I’m a total Ninja convert and why I think it’s one of the best coffee makers for the price.

Ninja Fresh Brew Review: Price and Availability

The Ninja Fresh Brew 14-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker is available on Amazon in the U.S. for $119.99, and is not available in the U.K. at this time. You can also buy the coffee machine directly from Ninja’s website, as well as from big box stores like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target.

Ninja Fresh Brew Review: Design

The Ninja Fresh Brew is sleek and stylish, featuring a stainless steel finish, a glass carafe, and a removable water reservoir. It matched nicely with the other appliances in my kitchen, and its medium size was the perfect fit on my countertop.

The machine comes with a reusable filter, but you can also use disposable filters if you prefer. I stuck with the reusable one, mainly because the paper filters I had wouldn’t fit in the basket. If you prefer paper filters, you’ll need to buy #4 cone-shaped filters rather than the typical basket filters.

The removable water reservoir is huge — 70 ounces — so you can easily make enough coffee for a large family or for you and your guests. But the Fresh Brew also has a Small Batch setting that lets you brew up to 4 cups without compromising on taste. No matter how much you brew, the glass carafe pours smoothly with no drips, minimizing mess. And the warming plate is adjustable, so you can keep your coffee hot for up to four hours across three temperature settings.

Ninja Fresh Brew Review: Performance

The Ninja Fresh Brew is easy to use and comes with a well-written instruction booklet to help you brew your first carafe with ease. The machine has several settings to familiarize yourself with — Classic, Rich, and Small Batch — and I tested out each one to see how they measured up.

Classic and Rich settings

Brewing a Classic or Rich pot of coffee is quick and easy. Simply fill the reservoir to your desired level (up to 14 cups or 70 ounces), scoop ground coffee into the filter using the Ninja Smart Scoop (Ninja recommends one scoop per two cups), select Classic or Rich, and hit the Brew button.

The Classic setting brews coffee with a smooth, well-balanced flavor, while the Rich setting has a more intense flavor. I preferred the Classic setting — it brewed a richer coffee than I was used to, so I decreased the amount of coffee grounds accordingly.

I measured a maximum noise level of 65 decibels and an average of 47 dB. This is comparable to the hum of a refrigerator or the buzz of a quiet office.

The variable warming plate is programmed to keep a partial carafe of coffee warm for 2 hours, though you can still taste the difference when drinking a cup brewed several hours ago. A fresh cup was full-bodied and flavorful, while a two-hour-old cup tasted a bit stale. My previous coffee machine had a stainless steel thermal carafe, which helped the coffee retain its freshness for longer, and the difference in taste after switching to a glass carafe machine with a warming plate was definitely noticeable.

You can adjust the warming plate's timing to keep a carafe warm for up to four hours, though I wouldn’t recommend it unless you enjoy the taste of stewed coffee.

Small Batch setting

The Small Batch setting is intended for brewing one to four cups. I used it several times when I needed a quick coffee fix but didn’t want to brew an entire pot. The setting is optimized for the best flavor in smaller drinks, and I thought the taste was comparable to the Classic setting for a larger pot.

A four-cup carafe took just over five minutes to brew using the Small Batch setting, which seemed a bit long.

Delay Brew setting

I hate getting out of bed in the morning, but knowing there’s a freshly brewed pot of coffee waiting for me makes the process less painful. I used the delay setting every weekday, setting it to 6 a.m. and waking up to the glorious smell of brewing coffee.

Setting the time for your brew is simple. First, you’ll need to set the current time by pressing the hour and minute buttons beneath the time display. Then, press the Delay Brew button. The time display will flash, and you’ll set the time for your desired brew the same way you did to set the current time. Your coffee will begin brewing at the set time, simplifying your morning routine.

Coming from the OXO Brew 8-Cup Coffee Maker, which doesn’t have a delay brew setting, this was one of my favorite features of the Ninja Fresh Brew. I do love my OXO, but I’ve always wished I could set it to brew coffee automatically each morning. This setting was an absolute game-changer for my mornings.

Ninja Fresh Brew Review: Storage and Maintenance

The Ninja Fresh Brew is about the same size as any drip coffee maker and fits nicely on my counter without taking up too much real estate. After each use, I washed out the carafe and reusable filter with hot, soapy water. Both the carafe and filter are also dishwasher-safe. The carafe’s lid comes off completely, and it’s easy to rinse without leftover bubbles lingering inside.

The machine also has a cleaning function that Ninja recommends running if a full carafe classic brew cycle takes more than 25 minutes or a rich brew cycle takes more than 30 minutes. To clean, simply add a descaling solution or 16 ounces of white vinegar to the reservoir and fill with water. Then, press the “clean” button. The cycle takes about 75 minutes, so don’t run it if you need to brew coffee anytime soon. Once the cycle has finished, run a classic brew cycle with water only to flush out any remaining cleaning solution from the machine.

How Does the Ninja Fresh Brew 14-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker Compare?

The Ninja Fresh Brew has a much lower price than our top coffee maker, the Fellow Aiden, making it a better option if you’re on a budget. Although the Ninja’s glass carafe and warming plate don’t quite measure up to the Fellow Aiden’s double-walled thermal carafe, they do the job nicely. If you’re a coffee snob, you might prefer the flavor of the Aiden’s brew, but for the average coffee drinker (like me), the Ninja Fresh Brew is ideal.

Another top pick, the Breville Luxe Brewer, has a much sleeker design than the Ninja Fresh Brew, but that design comes with a hefty price tag. Both machines have removable water tanks for easy filling, though the Breville comes with a choice between a glass and metal carafe, while the Ninja only has a glass option. The Ninja also has a larger capacity than the Breville, so you can brew coffee for a larger group.

Should You Buy the Ninja Fresh Brew 14-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker?

At just shy of $120, the Ninja Fresh Brew is a solid option if you want a large coffee maker that can brew a decent cup of Joe. Its 14-cup capacity is ideal for large families, while the small batch option lets you make smaller amounts without sacrificing flavor. Although there are fancier machines out there that can brew barista-worthy coffee, you can’t beat the Ninja Fresh Brew at its price point. If you’re looking for a reliable machine that you can pre-program to brew a fresh carafe for you every morning, you can’t go wrong with the Ninja Fresh Brew.

When I unboxed the new-ish De'Longhi Linea Classic, I was a little stumped. "Huh," I thought to myself as I pinched the wide steam wand between my fingers. "Well, I'll be."

This type of steam wand is called a Pannarello wand. These wands are aimed at beginners. As you might be able to tell by looking at it, Pannarello wands are thicker and wider. These styles of wands force air into the milk continuously, so you don't have to do any fancy-schmancy vortex-making or aeration.

While this may be good for some types of home baristas, a Pannarello wand is my worst enemy. As a former barista turned coffee snob, I'm a sucker for the thinner, commercial-style steam wands. For an espresso machine to be crowned one of the best espresso machines, it needs to be usable for beginners and semi-pros alike. As easy to use and attractive as the Linea Classic is, it's just not for me. If you're a bit of a coffee snob yourself, I'll tell you exactly what you should get instead.

What's wrong with the De'Longhi Linea Classic?

As I said earlier, the Linea Classic isn't an inherently awful machine. Actually, if you value a sleek, modern appearance and usability over fancy coffee, then it might be perfect for you.

As per my coffee snob status, I need an espresso machine that can help me relive my coffeehouse days. A powerful steam wand, single-walled portafilters (or compatible third-party accessories) and premium features like pre-infusion and PID controllers are my non-negotiables.

Unfortunately, the Linea Classic just isn't for me. It falls at the first hurdle: its steam wand.

Take a look at these two images below. The first image shows the steam wand on the Breville Bambino (just $70 more than the Linea Classic): the second shows the steam wand of the Linea Classic.

As you can see, the steam wands look completely different. You might think this is just a superficial aberration, but you'd be wrong. The Bambino has a powerful jet of steam that aerates milk delicately. However, the De'Longhi Linea Classic can only froth the milk violently.

If you're a cappuccino addict, you might not even notice the difference. Historically, cappuccinos are made with drier (frothier) milk, so I know that's what the Linea Classic's steam wand is designed for. However, it's not for me. It's just not versatile enough.

When I'm at home, I don't just make flat whites on my Breville Bambino Plus. I make chai lattes, matcha lattes, and hot chocolates using my Bambino Plus' steam wand. If I had the Linea Classic instead, I wouldn't be able to do this.

So what do I recommend instead?

Thankfully, there are loads of other espresso machines available. I've reviewed every single one of these, so you know my recommendations are genuine. Personally, I'd go for the Bambino if you can spend a little more but want a barista-worthy machine, or you could splurge on the $499 Bambino Plus or La Specialista Arte Evo.

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Nespresso and Keurig machines do what the best espresso machines cannot: take all the guesswork out of your daily brew.

As a former barista and a self-professed coffee snob, I'm the ideal candidate for a fancy, confusing, temperamental espresso machine. I love dialing in fresh beans, adjusting the grind one micron at a time to get my perfect shot. I love steaming milk by hand, creating a mesmerizing eddy within my milk jug. I love sipping the golden crema of a perfect, honey-colored espresso, savoring the fruits of my labor.

Which, unfortunately, means that I've been pretty cruel towards pod-and-go machines in the past. I've poo-pooed Nespresso and Keurig, brushing them off as machines for people who don't really like coffee. But, boy, I was wrong. I went on vacation a couple of weeks ago, and my Airbnb had a Nespresso Pixie tucked away in the minuscule kitchen. I found my worldview utterly shattered. Nay, destroyed. I guzzled that bean juice like it was the last bean juice on Earth. Dear Nespresso machines, this is an apology.

Nes-press-go

The beauty of a pod machine is its simplicity. You can go from no coffee to full-cup-coffee in literally fifteen seconds. You can't say the same of an espresso machine.

Of course, espresso and Nespresso/Keurig are completely different brewing mediums, and I'm not saying I would ever replace my Breville Bambino Plus and Comandante C40 MK4 grinder with a Nespresso machine.

I am, however, saying that I shouldn't have been so harsh on Nespresso machines. True, their coffee isn't "technically" espresso, but that's fine. They're not supposed to be real, Italian, coffee-snob-pleasing espresso machines.

Even so, the coffee didn't even taste bad. I bought super-cheap pods, and, yes, while the coffee was a little weak, there was no bitterness or burned notes. Every espresso was rich, flavorful, without those nasty scorched flavors you expect from diner drip coffee.

A Nespresso machine is pure convenience. They're the perfect coffee machine for hotels, Airbnbs, and vacation rentals.

When you're on vacation, you want to get out of the hotel and start exploring, right? So why would you want to spent fifteen minutes dosing, grinding, and pulling espresso, when you could just spend fifteen seconds preparing a pod coffee?

Again — fellow coffee snobs, please don't come at me. I know Nespresso/Keurig isn't "real" espresso. If you're that addicted to the grind (pun intended) that you're willing to sacrifice precious vacation time to make specialty espresso every morning, be my guest. But when I'm on vacation, I'm in vacation mode. I want to be at my first museum of the day at 9:00am sharp — if that means I have to sacrifice a barista-quality flat white, then so be it.

So, Nespresso/Keurig: I'm sorry. I'm sorry I said you were trash and nasty and only for people who don't like coffee. I take it back. You are perfect for vacations.

But pods will never replace good ol' espresso machines

Despite how easy and convenient Nespresso/Keurig machines are, I'll never give up my Breville Bambino Plus in favor of the pod.

For starters, pods are inherently wasteful, even though many of them can be recycled these days. U.K.-only brand Grind makes compostable Nespresso-compatible pods, so these would be my first choice if I were to get a Nespresso machine, but the pods are still being made in the first place, which kind of contradicts their "cyclical" nature. The most sustainable thing of all is straight-up not consuming coffee — think of the air miles! — but, obviously, that's not going to happen. As a result, buying Fairtrade, ethically sourced, small-farm beans with recyclable packaging is the way forward, without the need for processing and pod factories in the mix.

Secondly, I'm a coffee snob. What can I say? I love watching my espresso pour like honey. I love weighing my beans using my Wacaco Exagram Pro, one of the best coffee scales. I love choosing my small-batch roasted beans from my local snooty coffee house. It's all part of the lifestyle, right?

So, even though I had a wonderful time using the Nespresso machine in the Airbnb, I don't see myself purchasing one any time soon. But I emerge from my vacation a changed woman — one who is much more open-minded and tolerant of the world of pod coffee.

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The De’Longhi Linea Classic is a bit of a conundrum. It’s attractive, well-priced, and compact, ideal for beginners and coffee enthusiasts alike. Is this enough to make it one of the best espresso machines, though?

Well, it depends on what kind of home barista you are. Are you happy with a steam wand that can only do one thing: froth? Personally, I love making velvety microfoam and pouring barista-worthy latte art. If this isn’t your bag, then the Linea Classic might be fine for you.

Although it doesn’t come with premium accessories, I expect this from sub-$250 espresso machines, so I’m not overly perturbed. But should you spend a little extra on the Breville Bambino, get the even-cheaper De’Longhi Stilosa, or stick with the one-trick-pony Linea Classic? To find out, read my De’Longhi Linea Classic review.

De'Longhi Linea Classic review: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? Beginners or non-fussy coffee lovers
• How much does it cost? $229 / £159
• What does it do well? It’s very easy to use
• What are its weaknesses? I don’t know why you wouldn’t just get the $149 De’Longhi Stilosa
• What should you use it for? Quick-hit coffees, no finesse

De'Longhi Linea Classic review: Specs

De'Longhi Linea Classic review: Price & availability

The De’Longhi Linea Classic is $229 / £159 from Amazon. This makes it a mid-range affordable espresso machine — not the cheapest, but also not as pricey as the $499 Breville Bambino Plus or $299 Breville Bambino.

You can get an espresso machine of similar performance for much cheaper. The Casabrews 5418 Pro is $199 and comes with a PID controller; the Casabrews CM5418 will set you back just $139, and the super-cheap Casabrews 3700 Essential costs just $129.

If you have a bit of brand loyalty, though, you’re still in luck. The De’Longhi Stilosa is my personal favorite budget espresso machine. At a mere $149, you’d save $70 over the Linea Classic and get better performance.

I don’t think the Linea Classic is a terrible espresso machine, but I do think serious baristas would be better off with the Stilosa. The Linea Classic is easier to use straight out of the box, but its resulting coffee doesn’t taste as fancy as those made on the Stilosa (+practice).

De'Longhi Linea Classic review: Design

Even though the De’Longhi Stilosa makes better coffee than the Linea Classic, the latter takes the medal for best-looking budget machine. At 8.9 inches wide, it’s a little larger than the Stilosa’s 8.1-inch width, but this is negligible unless you’re super tight on space.

While the Stilosa has a shiny plastic exterior, the Linea Classic sports a reflective metal-plastic chassis instead. Although both are predominantly plastic, the Linea Classic certainly looks more premium.

As with the Stilosa, the Linea Classic has a knob on the side to control steam, which I love to see on budget machines. I don’t know why, but having a physical steam knob makes the machine feel that much fancier. Turning that knob is fun. Prove me wrong.

Another premium-feeling design feature is the “pressure gauge” on the front of the machine. Now, I put speech marks there for a reason. This is not a manometer, and is not a scientifically accurate display of actual, physical PSI. This is merely a visual guide for new users. More seasoned baristas will be able to gauge pressure from simply looking at the espresso flowing.

The Stilosa doesn’t have a faux-manometer, so I’d recommend the Linea Classic over the cheaper version if you really want this feature.

Unfortunately, the Linea Classic comes with a flimsy tamper, dual-walled portafilters, and no milk jug (just like the Stilosa), so I’d recommend purchasing a proper tamper, a bottomless portafilter (Casabrews’ 51mm model works), and a milk jug. Depending on quality, this additional equipment would run you back around $50-$150.

Seeing as the Breville Bambino ($299) comes with all this as standard, it might be worth just grabbing that machine instead.

De'Longhi Linea Classic review: Espresso

As the De’Longhi Linea Classic comes with dual-walled/pressurized portafilters rather than single-walled/unpressurized portafilters, it’s physically incapable of making ‘real’ espresso. If you’re not sure of the difference between these, here’s a photo.

On the left, you’ve got the dual-walled/pressurized portafilter. On the right, you can see the single-walled/unpressurized portafilters. Ideally, you want to make espresso with unpressurised portafilters.

Pressurized portafilters basically force the espresso through a tiny little hole, therefore ruining delicate flavors in the coffee. This process also aerates the crema, which destroys a lot of the aromatic coffee oils.

However, if you’re using pre-ground store-bought coffee, dual-walled portafilters can help create a crema that otherwise wouldn’t exist. Even so, pre-ground store-bought coffee also won’t impress serious coffee lovers.

So, the absence of a single-walled portafilter may bother you, or it may not. Are you concerned about becoming the best home barista this side of the millennium? Then you need a single-walled or bottomless portafilter.

Do you just want coffee, and you want it with little stress? Then this performance would be just fine. It’s all relative.

Anyway, here’s a photo of the Linea Classic’s espresso. This pulled at a 1:2 ratio in 20 seconds, which is way too fast. However, when I adjusted the grind size finer, the machine struggled to pull anything at all.

As you can see, the crema is very thick and aerated. The coffee tasted weak with a little bitterness at the back of the flavor profile, but was drinkable and pleasant. Again, this won’t impress coffee aficionados, but beginners or less picky drinkers would be fine.

As I have a drawer full of various coffee accessories, I whipped out my Casabrews bottomless portafilter and puck for the next part of my testing. If you want to get these same results, unfortunately, you’ll need to spend $40 or so on additional accessories. Ensure your machine is compatible before purchasing!

Here’s a photo of the espresso I managed to get with the Casabrews bottomless portafilter.

Just look at the difference between these two shots. It’s like night and day. Apples to oranges. Monkeys to fish. The bottomless portafilter espresso tasted much better, with no bitterness at all, and a well-rounded nutty finish.

In general, the Linea Classic doesn’t make ‘technically’ correct espresso. However, if you’re a beginner or aren’t concerned with perfection, this could be a worthy trade-off for an affordable espresso machine.

The Casabrews CM5418 ($139), the Casabrews 5418 Pro ($199), and the Casabrews 3700 Essential ($129) only offer dual-walled portafilters, so the Linea Classic isn’t alone in this. However, the Linea Classic is $30 pricier than the 5418 Pro, which has a PID controller.

If you’re looking to seriously save your money, I would recommend purchasing the De’Longhi Stilosa or the Casabrews 3700 Essential instead. At just $149 and $129 respectively, you’d get better performance for even less.

De'Longhi Linea Classic review: Milk

The milk performance is one of the weakest aspects of the De’Longhi Linea Classic. This steam wand — if you could even call it that — just baffles me. It’s physically incapable of making barista-quality microfoam.

You can tell this steam wand is subpar just by looking at it. It’s weirdly wide — half an inch thick — and has a “collar” for ‘hot milk’ and ‘cappuccino’. Basically, you’re supposed to flip the collar up if you want steamed milk, and pull it down if you want frothy milk. When pulled down, this collar releases more air into the milk.

However, you can achieve the same texture by… simply aerating the milk manually. I’ve been able to get very dry cappuccino milk on my Breville Bambino Plus and Bambino ($499 and $299). With just a little practice, you would be able to do this, too.

The current iteration of this steam wand means you cannot physically make soft, velvety milk. It’s impossible. The steam wand cannot create the all-important ‘vortex’ to make microfoam, and the milk goes from wet to too-frothy in seconds.

Here’s a photo so you can see what I mean.

This was with 2% milk. As you can see, there’s still latte art, but it’s incomparable to the milk texture I was able to achieve even on the $149 De’Longhi Stilosa.

Don’t even get me started on non-dairy milk. Here’s a photo of the best oat milk texture I managed.

As you can see, the milk is both too frothy and too wet at the same time. There’s no structural integrity to the foam; it’s overly bubbly on the top and thin on the bottom. This simply isn’t good enough for an espresso machine of $229. $99, and I might be able to have an attitude of “some sacrifices were made to keep the price low.”

But when the $129 Casabrews 3700 Essential makes milk ten times better than this, it’s unacceptable. I don’t think you should get this machine if you want to make barista-quality milk drinks. It’s not possible.

De'Longhi Linea Classic review: Storage & maintenance

As the De'Longhi Linea Classic has a deep drip tray, you don’t have to empty it after each use. Even so, I’d recommend cleaning at least every day. Do you want nasty stagnant water hanging out in your kitchen? I know I don’t.

The water tank is also easy to clean as the opening is wide enough to get a sponge in. Some compact machines are really tricky to clean deeply here.

A benefit for being a compact machine, though, is it’s easy to fit pretty much anywhere. The Linea Classic is a small machine, so would work best in a small kitchen. Although you can get other compact machines for cheaper — the Casabrews 3700 Essential and De’Longhi Stilosa are my top recommendations — the Linea Classic has a certain je ne sais quois that’s missing from the Stilosa’s all-plastic construction.

As with other De’Longhi machines, the Linea Classic comes with a one-year limited warranty, which is the same as Breville, Ninja, and Casabrews.

De'Longhi Linea Classic review: How does it compare?

As I’ve said many times throughout this review, the De'Longhi Linea Classic is a good, standalone espresso machine. However, it struggles to keep up with other machines in its price range.

Spend just $70 extra, and you can get the $299 Breville Bambino, which is the only espresso machine I’ve ever awarded a 5-star rating to. The Bambino has a PID controller (to ensure coffee is never burned or weak), a powerful steam wand, and a gorgeous, all-metal design.

If you want to spend even less, then the Casabrews 3700 Essential ($129) and De’Longhi Stilosa ($149) offer similar performance. You can make a much better milk texture on both of these budget options — although you’d also have to buy an additional bottomless or single-walled portafilter if you want to make ‘technically’ correct espresso.

De'Longhi Linea Classic review: Verdict

Overall, the De'Longhi Linea Classic is a bit of a conundrum. Yes, I’d recommend it for beginners or those who just want quick coffees and don’t really care about nuance in espresso or making latte art.

However, if you’re after a little finesse in your morning brew, then you’d probably be better off elsewhere. I’d definitely check out the Breville Bambino, which is seriously the best affordable espresso machine I’ve ever used. It might be $70 pricier than the Linea Classic, but it definitely won’t disappoint you. If you’re on a tighter budget, the $149 De’Longhi Stilosa or $129 Casabrews 3700 Essential will suit you better.

At the end of the day, if you want an easy-to-use espresso machine that looks a little fancier than the De’Longhi Stilosa, and don’t mind subpar milk texture, the De’Longhi Linea Classic could be a worthy option. Me, though? I’d save up an extra $70 for the Bambino. You might actually end up saving money with the Bambino, as you won't have to buy additional accessories.