The Smeg Retro Coffee Maker is certainly gorgeous enough to be on the catwalk model of coffee machines. As with seemingly everything else made by the Italian coffee brand, the Retro (DCF02) looks sleek, sophisticated, and effortlessly cool.

But is appearance enough to make it one of the best coffee makers? Thankfully, this time, the Smeg Retro Coffee Maker isn’t style over substance. I wasn’t a huge fan of the Smeg ECF02’s performance despite a premium appearance — but the Retro Coffee Maker can walk the walk and talk the talk. It brews clean-tasting, balanced coffee with minimal silt and zero bitterness. And all you have to do is press one button.

So, want to find out more about this gorgeous coffee machine? Spoiler alert: it’s an absolute treat. To get the full story, keep reading this Smeg Retro Coffee Maker review.

Smeg Retro Coffee Maker: Specs

Smeg Retro Coffee Maker review: Price & availability

The Smeg Retro Coffee Maker is $259 from Crate&Barrel in the U.S., regardless of color, and £199-£219 from John Lewis in the U.K. The Moonlight colorway, the model I tested, runs for £20 more than the standard colors: cream, navy, black, pastel blue, pastel green, silver, gray, red, and white.

In the U.S., though, Moonlight is the usual price of $259. Functionally, the “standard” colors and Moonlight are the same, so if you’re looking to save as much as possible, I’d go for the older colors. But isn’t the Moonlight oh so pretty? Just look at it!

In keeping with Smeg’s back catalogue, the Retro Coffee Maker is pretty pricey for what it is. This is a common theme with Smeg, though: you pay a premium for the style.

For $369, you could get the Moccamaster KGBV Select, which has a 5-year warranty and lifetime repairs. For $250, you could get the single-serve Moccamaster Cup-One, complete with the same after-purchase benefits.

I’ve also tested the SCA-accredited $329 Breville Luxe Brewer and the low-plastic $319 Aarke Coffee Maker, alongside the low-plastic Ratio Four ($259), an automated pour-over. Although it’s not available in the U.K., so I haven’t tested it, I can assure you that the budget $90 Ninja 12-Cup Drip Brewer is a crowd pleaser in Tom’s Guide’s New York office.

Bonavita and Braun have also mastered the budget drip coffee maker: Bonavita’s SCA-accredited 8-Cup Brewer is just $189, the 5-Cup is even cheaper, at $149. The 12-Cup Braun Drip Coffee Maker is $129. This is where I’d like to see the Smeg Retro Coffee Maker’s price due to its lack of SCA accreditation and mostly plastic build.

Smeg Retro Coffee Maker review: Design

As with everything else under Smeg’s belt, the Retro Coffee Maker looks really cool. Per the name, it’s certainly retro, and would look at home in either a diner on a cheesy high school drama (I’m thinking Riverdale, anyone?), or in any sleek, sophisticated home kitchen.

I tested the gorgeous Moonlight shade, which has the same muted gray buttons as the rest of the color line. The buttons control power, brew amount, auto start, and flavor intensity. The lever is solely for adjusting the machine’s time display and the auto start timer. At first, I thought this was an unnecessary use of space, but it’s actually really fun to use.

It’s worth noting that the Retro Coffee Maker is bigger than it looks online: it’s 14 inches tall, 10 inches wide, and 10 inches deep. If you’ve got a small kitchen, I’d measure your space before purchasing. Comparatively, the Moccamaster KGBV Select is 6.5 x 12.8 x 14 inches, the Breville Luxe Brewer is 14.7 x 7 x 16.1 inches, and the Ninja 12-Cup is 8 x 10 x 14 inches. The Moccamaster is the narrowest, but it’s longer and the same height as the Smeg.

As for accessories, the Retro Coffee Maker comes with just two: a scoop and a permanent mesh filter. You can use single-use #4 conical filters, but I tested with the reusable filter as provided.

Smeg Retro Coffee Maker review: Performance

The Smeg Retro Coffee Maker is supremely easy to use. All you have to do is put your coffee in the filter, add your water, and press go.

Smeg recommends a recipe of one scoop per cup, so if you’re making a full batch, that would be 10 scoops. A half-batch requires 4 scoops. Of course, you can adjust this recipe to your tastes.

A full batch sometimes took seven minutes, sometimes eight, and a half batch took around three minutes. This is a little slower than the Moccamaster KGBV Select, but not by much at all.

The water tank isn’t removable, so I poured water in using the carafe. I have two qualms with this: one, the carafe is angled in such a way that it’s tricky to get the final dregs of water, and two, the water tank opening is on the right side, so if you’re left-handed like me, this will pose an issue. Alas, this will only irritate 11% of the population, so it’s not enough to knock half a star off (but justice for us devil-worshippers [for legal reasons, this is a joke]).

Here’s how I made delicious coffee on the Smeg Retro Coffee Maker.

My go-to Smeg Retro Coffee Maker routine

Smeg recommends one scoop per cup. One scoop was between 8.5-10 grams depending on if I levelled it or not.

I used 87g of coffee (10 level scoops) for a full carafe, which works out to a ratio of 1:16.

1. Fill the water tank to max.
2. Grind your coffee to a medium size. I used my Mazzer Philos, the best grinder in the world.
3. Put your desired amount of coffee in the filter. I used 87g for a full batch, a 1:16 ratio.
4. Select your desired intensity level. I used level 1.
5. Press the power button to start your brew.
6. Wait 7-8 minutes!

And that’s it!

Here’s a photo of the grounds after brewing. As you can see, there’s very little funnelling here.

The Retro Coffee Maker brews clean, fresh-tasting coffee. You can obviously adjust the intensity using either the on-machine button or increasing the coffee dosage (or grinding finer), but the out-of-the-box flavor is great.

Smeg Retro Coffee Maker review: Storage & maintenance

I was pleasantly surprised to see the Smeg Retro Coffee Maker come with a 2-year warranty. This is better than Ninja’s 1-year warranty, but still not comparable to Moccamaster’s 5-year warranty (and lifetime repairs) or Simply Good Coffee’s new 5-year standard warranty.

To keep your Retro Coffee Maker lasting as long as possible, do not put the carafe in the dishwasher. I put the mesh filter in the dishwasher and it survived, but I’d recommend only washing by hand.

As mentioned earlier, the Retro Coffee Maker is pretty large — so make sure you’ve got enough counter space before buying!

Smeg Retro Coffee Maker review: How does it compare?

The Smeg Retro Coffee Maker looks just as cool as the industrial-chic Moccamaster, so I’d recommend either of these brands if you’re after that vintage vibe. I’d also put Simply Good Coffee’s Plastic-Free Brewer in this category — it looks sleek and effortlessly cool.

The Retro Coffee Maker isn’t as fast as the Breville Luxe Brewer, but it is $70 cheaper, so you win some, you lose some. It’s also considerably cheaper than the $319 Aarke Coffee Maker — but the Aarke is low-plastic, which is what a lot of consumers want these days.

But, and that’s a relatively big but, I would say the Smeg Retro Coffee Maker is a touch overpriced for what it is. The Moccamaster is $369 because it has lifetime repairs and is SCA-accredited. The SGC Plastic-Free Brewer is $469 because it’s made almost entirely from glass and metal. The Breville Luxe Brewer is $329 because it brews in three minutes.

As mentioned earlier, I’d like to see Smeg’s pricing fall more in line with Ninja’s, Bonavita’s, and Braun (or get SCA accreditation or improve the materials/after-purchase care). Ninja’s 12-Cup Drip Brewer is just $89, and Bonavita’s SCA-accredited 8-Cup Brewer is just $189. The 5-Cup is even cheaper — $149. The 12-Cup Braun Drip Coffee Maker is $129.

The Smeg doesn’t really have any USPs other than looking really cool. While I do objectively like this coffee maker, I’ll be the first person to admit it falls into Smeg’s main pitfall: it’s expensive for what it is.

Smeg Retro Coffee Maker review: Verdict

Despite being a little pricey for what it is, the Smeg Retro Coffee Maker gets a big thumbs up from me. I thoroughly enjoyed testing this machine and would recommend it for people who value style and ease of use.

Yes, it’s expensive considering its plastic build and lack of SCA accreditation, and no, it doesn’t have any unique features like a lifetime repairs warranty or an SCA accreditation. The auto-start timer is cool, but the $89 Ninja 12-Cup has this, too. However, just look at it. Doesn’t that speak for itself?

So, if you want a kitchen centrepiece that’ll have guests going “Ooh” and “Aah” and “Where did you get that from?” then you’ll get on just fine with the Smeg Retro Coffee Maker. It’s literally plug-and-play, and tastes as good as it looks.

Getting into coffee can feel impossible at first. But fret not! I'm here to help. I'm an ex-barista and now a professional coffee tester, so I can help you understand the most important parts of your espresso machine.

If you're a total newbie, forget everything you've learned so far. These five key terms are all you need to know right now. Of course, the more your confidence grows, the more you'll absorb and retain, but if you're pulling out your hair and stressing over niche jargon on the daily, you're doing yourself a disservice. You don't need to be perfect on the first try! All you need is an espresso machine and a clear head. I can take care of the rest.

So strap in as I teach you exactly what you need to know to start pulling shots like a professional barista. And, most importantly, have fun! Coffee is all about enjoyment. If you're doing things "wrong" but having fun, go you! That's all that matters.

What's a portafilter?

A portafilter is the handle of the basket. I've also seen this called a group handle.

A portafilter basket is where you put your coffee. This is where the espresso machine will send water to extract your espresso.

That's it! I told you it was easy.

What's a tamper?

The tamper is the circular accessory you use to tamp (press down on) the coffee grounds. If you hear someone say tamp the coffee, this is what they're referring to. You want to apply around 20kg of pressure — which basically means just push hard, but be mindful to keep the coffee level.

This is to flatten and compact the coffee grounds and create an even surface for the water to flow through (preventing channeling).

What's channeling?

Channeling is where water flows through channels in the coffee rather than saturating the entire portafilter. This is caused by an uneven grind, uneven tamp, or an uneven dose. When you put coffee in the portafilter basket, you want to make sure it's flat, evenly distributed, and there are no major clumps.

A channeled espresso will taste sour and bitter and generally unpleasant. Nothing you wouldn't be able to mask with syrups, though!

What's puck prep?

Puck prep is kind of a coffee snob term. It refers to everything you do to prepare your espresso. When people say, "Make sure you do your puck prep right," they're referring to the following:

• Grinding your beans evenly, using one of the best grinders
• Weighing out the right amount of ground coffee, using one of the best coffee scales
• Putting the coffee in your portafilter basket and making sure there are no huge clumps
• Tamping with proper pressure

What's overextraction/underextraction?

Both are bad!

Overextraction is where the coffee has spent too much time with water or pressure, resulting in a burned, bitter coffee. You have probably ground your coffee too coarsely.

Underextraction is where the coffee hasn't spent enough time with water or pressure, making a sour, acidic coffee. You have probably ground your coffee too finely.

If your coffee is coming out really slowly, that's overextraction. This will taste incredibly intense and burned, like charcoal.

If your coffee is coming out quickly, that's underextraction. This will taste like lemon juice. Nasty!

Did I answer all of your jargon-related questions? Let me know in the comments if you want me to explain anything else.

I release new episodes of The Coffee Lab every Friday, so be sure to check back next week for the next coffee adventure.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried the new Nespresso summer flavors — here's my favorite
• I'm an ex-Starbucks barista — you can make the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso at home for a fraction of the cost
• I tried Lelit's brand-new 'entry-level' espresso machine — and I wish I had $2,000 so I could buy it

As a kitchen appliance reviewer, some of my favorite and top-rated products hail from KitchenAid. I've owned an Artisan Stand Mixer for years now, and use many KitchenAid appliances and accessories on a daily basis, so it's no surprise that when the opportunity arose to review the brand's new fully automatic coffee machine range, I volunteered immediately.

Now, I'm no stranger to a manual espresso maker — I love my Ninja Luxe Cafe more than anything else — so I really wanted to switch it up to see how a fully automatic machine compares to the manual control I'm used to. After all, these automatic coffee machines claim to deliver the perfect espresso in one touch, without worrying about grinds, milk or the like, so my curiosity was definitely piqued. (And spoiler alert: the KF2 did not disappoint).

Launched earlier this year, KitchenAid's new machines — the KF2, KF3 and KF4 — each have different functions, prices and colorways to suit every kind of one-touch coffee-lover. The machine reviewed here, the KitchenAid KF2, is the most affordable option and offers some hands-on time for hobbyist baristas who want manual control over their milk.

Over the course of a month, I put the KitchenAid KF2 through its paces and used it to make hot, iced and milk-based drinks.

KitchenAid KF2 review: Specs

KitchenAid KF2 review: Price and availability

The KitchenAid KF2 in Australia, where I'm based, is priced at AU$1,099. For those in the UK, it's £699 and in the U.S., it's $799.99. When compared to the other coinciding releases of the KF3 ($999.99 / £749 / AU$1,349) and KF4 ($1,299.99 / £899 / AU$1,599), this is the "budget" or entry-level option in KitchenAid's new fully automatic lineup.

Now the word budget is a bit of a stretch — it's still pretty expensive — and it doesn't quite dazzle compared to similarly priced automatic machines. I’m talking largely about De’Longhi here, as you can often pick up one of the esteemed brand’s machines for less, in return for more extensive features, like one-touch drink presets and automatic milk-foaming systems. That said, the KF2 offers six drink presets and a steam wand (which some 5-star automatic machines neglect entirely). And, I won't lie, the KF2's sleek, matte black design is nice to look at.

KitchenAid KF2 review: Design

KitchenAid's newest fully automatic machines, including the KF2, have a much smaller footprint than their predecessors. Measuring just 14.2" x 7.7" x 18.5" / 36.07cm x 19.56cm x 46.99cm, the KF2 takes up very little counterspace, making it ideal for those with smaller kitchens. The KF2 has five function buttons on the front of its backlit LED screen, as well as a power button on the right side. It also features a 1.8L water tank at the back, a Pannarello steam wand, a drip tray and a concealed 250g bean hopper.

Unlike the KF3 and KF4, which are both available in matte black and KitchenAid's signature Porcelain white, the KF2 is limited to the former. I quite like the simplicity of the black colorway, but it isn't as visually appealing as the white or Juniper green colorways that the KitchenAid KF8 offers, in my opinion. The stainless steel accents in the drip tray and the steam wand are a nice contrast to the matte machine body, but I didn't love the feel of the function buttons.

A fun surprise discovered during set up were two wheels under the machine, making it easy to move around if you needed to fill the water tank. It's also not that heavy, at just 22lbs / 10.1kg, so I could easily lift it and move it into place.

KitchenAid KF2 review: Performance

Grinder

The KF2 uses KitchenAid’s Intelligrind technology, which aims to take the guesswork out of selecting the best grind size for your chosen beans. For most users, it allows for a hands-off approach, just pour your beans into the top-mounted hopper and select a drink. If you do want to make some finer adjustments, you can open the machine's side panel, where you’ll find a slider to make the grind finer (to the left) or coarser (to the right). However, for most users, I don't think any adjustments would need to be made, as the automatic function takes away any manual hand tamping or grinding.

Regardless of whether you make adjustments or not, the KF2's grinder is so quiet. That's largely due to its Quiet Mark certification, meaning it won't make too much noise while you're brewing your early morning coffee.

If you prefer decaf or coffee grounds, the KF2 also has a 250g ground coffee section next to the bean hopper. It is worth noting that when you add in ground coffee, the machine will switch into its ground coffee mode and exclusively use it over any beans in the hopper. To fix this, you'll need to toggle the bean setting before every use.

Espresso

The KF2 can truly customise your coffee to your liking, thanks to its drink, strength and dosage settings. Once you choose your drink recipe — e.g. either an espresso, coffee or over ice — you can make your coffee or espresso shot as weak or strong as you'd like using the strength and dose buttons. If you make adjustments to the strength, the KF2 will grind fewer or more beans, resulting in a dose that’s between 7g and 14g.

Regardless of the strength setting you choose, the KF2 excels at pulling a consistently well-extracted shot of espresso. For the test brew, I used the double strength on the espresso setting to extract a single shot, and it was perfectly balanced. Just look at that crema! This was using medium-dark roast beans with notes of rich caramel, butterscotch and sweet red fruits. I'm not one to drink straight espresso — I prefer iced coffee all year round — but I really enjoyed the deep caramelly notes I achieved with the KF2.

When extracting an americano, I used the coffee setting with double strength, single cup dose, and it was pretty spot on for a black coffee. There was a bit of trial and error — initially, I opted for triple strength, and it was too strong for my liking — but the second time around, it worked a charm.

Milk

If you have milk with your coffee, then you’ll likely want to know how well the KF2 can froth milk. You may also have an opinion as to the best method for foaming milk. For me, the fact that the KF2 uses a conventional steam wand as opposed to a hose system on the KF3 and KF4 is a huge plus point. While it might not be as hands-off as the other KitchenAid models — you have to pour the milk into the jug (sold separately) and then pour it into your mug — the result, in my opinion, is much better milk foam. Conversely, when using the KF3 and KF4, milk was silky in texture and did have some froth, but it paled in comparison to what the KF2 could achieve.

What’s more, having manual control means the KF2 inherently performs better with plant-based milks. This is because you can easily check the temperature whilst milk is heating up and turn it off when it reaches the optimal heat.

I am a big fan of manual control when milk frothing, so I was very eager to try the steam wand, and as a plant-based milk drinker, I preferred the wand to the milk jug/hose set-up. I could easily check the temperature and make sure my almond milk didn't burn, as most plant-based milks will burn at lower temperatures than dairy. The wand also has a side toggle where you can adjust the foam to your liking, so you don't have to second-guess too much when heating milk to your preferred foaminess.

Before using the steam wand, you need to wait a short while for the internal water system to preheat. It’s not a long process, just something to be aware of. When you’ve finished frothing your milk, you’ll want to purge the steam wand to remove any residue. The purge process can get quite messy as the wand is rather powerful and sits an inch or so above the drip tray. I resorted to purging it a few times inside an empty milk jug, just to avoid powerful steam explosions.

My first test was an Aussie staple, a flat white, which is typically made from steamed milk with very little foam. To do this, I flicked the foam setting to ‘less’ and put the wand in just below the surface.

The result clearly speaks for itself, as I made the most perfect flat white to ever exist. Even in my teenage barista days, I've never made glossy steamed milk like this, so it was a true feat to be admired for KitchenAid's steam wand.

Next up was a latte, so I moved the toggle to the highest foam setting and made sure to keep the wand under the surface of the milk. There were some bubbles initially, but after a few attempts, I ended up getting an equally perfect latte with some great microfoam. (My latte art definitely needs work, though.)

Iced coffee

KitchenAid has given its new compact trio of coffee machines the ability to make iced drinks, although the method in which they make them gave me a little cause for concern, as they’re made ‘over ice’. By this, it means you still need to put ice in your cup or glass first, and the KF2 will then pour a shot of espresso over it. The company says it brews at a cooler temperature than a ‘regular’ shot of espresso, but it’s not quite the same as the Ninja Luxe Cafe I use daily, for example, which has dedicated settings for brewing cold shots of espresso.

The results were interesting to say the least. I was a little anxious before making my first iced drink, because I'm picky about iced lattes, and if it's too watery, I don't want it. The fact that an iced latte made with the KF2 has to include a few ice cubes indicated that it may indeed end up being a bit weak.

Fortunately, my worries weren’t necessary, as the KF2 did a commendable job of making an iced coffee. When coupled with cold milk and ice, it was particularly delicious, although it was, admittedly, on the weaker side due to the melted ice.

After the first try, I tweaked the strength higher as the machine automatically selects the lowest setting, and it made a better improvement to the taste. I also opted most days to not brew it immediately over ice to avoid watery shots, and that made the experience much more pleasant.

KitchenAid KF2 review: Storage and maintenance

When it comes to everyday maintenance of the KitchenAid KF2, it was pretty straightforward and I didn't need any handholding to keep the machine running. The drip tray has a handy full alert sign when it needs emptying, and can be easily removed. And if you need to add more coffee beans, the backlit screen will give you a helpful alert.

The KitchenAid KF2 comes with a couple of cleaning tablets for cleaning the brewing group and water filter inside the box. It also comes with a handy water filter insertion tool, which doubles as a ground coffee scoop. As per the manufacturer, the water filters will last two months if using tap water, but could last up to 6 months if you use filtered water. You will need to buy descaling solution separately.

KitchenAid's routine cleaning and maintenance is pretty easy, as the machine rinses itself before and after each use. This also clears the system of any blockages as well as warm the internal pipes to the right temperature before making a coffee.

If you need to descale the machine, clean the steam wand, add beans or water, the screen will give you an alert and guide you through the process if needed. Now, during my review period, I didn't need to descale the machine at all; however, I am certain that the machine would let me know if it needed an extra clean.

KitchenAid does sell additional water filters and brew units if you need more, and offers a 3-year limited warranty.

KitchenAid KF2 review: Verdict

If you prioritise time in the mornings, then the KitchenAid KF2 is something to consider and add to your routine. It's easy-to-use, delivers excellent crema, and offers some hands-on control for your milk. All you need to do is add your preferred beans (or grounds), and you've got the perfect morning brew.

That said, it doesn't offer full one-touch convenience — you'll need to tweak your strength and dose settings with each use — however, that doesn't knock too many marks off for me. And iced lattes could be better, but that won't matter to most non-iced coffee drinkers.

That being said, if you're interested in a fully automatic, low-maintenance coffee machine, the KitchenAid KF2 is hard to beat.

The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic is an ambitious superautomatic coffee machine. It can make 38 drinks and is even app-compatible, so you can control it from your phone (in theory). Is this enough to make it one of the best espresso machines?

Yes and no. The PrimaDonna Aromatic is extremely pricey, at a whopping $2,500, and I’m… not really sure why. You can get 80% of the same performance with the $1,500 De’Longhi Rivelia and — checks notes — 99.9% of the same performance with the $2,000 De’Longhi Eletta Explore. I’m not saying don’t get the PrimaDonna Aromatic — I’m saying you might be able to save your money without sacrificing quality here.

But, I digress. The PrimaDonna Aromatic is a fun, consistent, and functional coffee machine. Want to find out more? Keep reading this De’Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review.

De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review: Specs

De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review: Price & availability

The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic is objectively expensive. You’ll find it for $2,499 from De’Longhi U.S. and £1,549 from Currys in the U.K.

If you’re wincing, you’re not alone. $2,499 makes the PrimaDonna Aromatic the most expensive fully automatic coffee machine made by De’Longhi. Yes, the most expensive. As you might already be able to guess, this is markedly more expensive than the De’Longhi Rivelia ($1,499/£749), De’Longhi Magnifica Duo ($999).

However, it’s only (only, she types, while wincing) $499 more expensive than the KitchenAid KF8, which I reviewed a couple of years ago and loved.

If you’re familiar with the world of superautomatic coffee machines, you might’ve come across Jura — its fully automatic models can go up to $5,499. I’ve tested the $2,699 Jura E8, and let me tell you — the PrimaDonna Aromatic is much better.

De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review: Design

Like other automatic De’Longhi machines, the PrimaDonna Aromatic is a somewhat narrow but incredibly deep machine. It stretches a whopping 18 inches deep, so you’ll need to check your kitchen countertops can fit this behemoth before purchasing.

Even so, the 10-inch width is pretty good, even with the water tank on the side. You shouldn’t need to clear too much space if your counters are deep already.

And the PrimaDonna Aromatic also looks like other De’Longhi superautomatics. If I didn’t read the name, I could believe it was the Magnifica Duo or the Dinamica or the Eletta. All these machines are effectively big shiny squares. They’re not massively gorgeous, but they’re functional, unobtrusive, and get the job done. It obviously works, because De’Longhi machines are everywhere.

There’s also a bright LCD screen on the machine. Here, you can select your desired beverage — 38 recipes, some of which I’d never heard of — and customize your intensity and volume. Two buttons on either side of the machine configure hot and cold, so you can view only cold or only hot drinks.

App

I like apps when they’re actually useful. I like the Fellow app. I like the Acaia Brewmaster app. I like the apps for all the earbuds I test. But I do not like the De’Longhi My Coffee Lounge app.

I was prompted to complete a “coffee taste profile”, which told me I should get fruity coffee with notes of citrus, forest berry, and florals. I already knew this, though. It’s why I buy the same Ethiopian beans every time.

I suppose this is helpful for complete newbies — but I wouldn’t recommend complete newbies spend $2,500 on a coffee machine.

The app was also riddled with connectivity issues: There’s a Spotify-Wrapped-esque “Statistics” setting. This never loaded for me. You’re also supposed to be able to make your own recipes, but, again, these never loaded for me. The app just said “Couldn’t load any drink”. Hm, maybe because you won’t let me make any recipes?

I like two parts of the My Coffee Lounge app: One, the “Health status” setting. Here you can see how many uses you have until you need to descale, how empty your water tank is, and how full your grounds drawer is. I love this. This is great for newbies. And “experts”. Everyone, actually.

And two: Suggested recipes. I got some super cool, super unique offerings here: Iced orange coffee, Iced raspberry tonic espresso, Iced espresso Mojito. Yes, please! I want more of this and fewer connectivity issues, thank you!

De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review: Espresso

The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic espresso tastes like an automatic coffee machine’s espresso. That’s neither a good nor a bad thing depending on your preference. If you know you dislike automatic coffee, this wouldn’t be for you. If you know you like it, then great!

Here’s a photo of a shot of double espresso.

As you can see, the coffee has a lovely bright caramelly color, and there’s a layer of fluffy crema. Did it taste like the most nuanced, complex, scintillating coffee in the world? No. It was a little weak, but it had enough of a coffee flavor to be devoured by straightforward coffee fans. I would not recommend this machine for coffee snobs or espresso lovers, but if you’re a general coffee drinker who prioritizes ease-of-use over messing around with doses and flow rates, this would get the job done.

I also made a cold brew, which was, in all honesty, pretty nasty. I wouldn’t recommend this for cold brew aficionados. The coffee was actually hot as it extracted, which means it’s also not “cold brew”. It’s more like an iced Americano.

De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review: Milk

Milk performance is what (mostly) separates the PrimaDonna Aromatic from other De’Longhi models. The PrimaDonna Aromatic comes with both a hot and cold milk frother, so you can have hot microfoam or cold foam.

The De’Longhi Eletta Explore ($1,999) also has this capability, so it might be worth checking out that model if you want to save some $$$. However, the Eletta Explore has a smaller water tank capacity. Again, not sure that’s worth an extra $500, but some food for thought.

Here’s a photo of a drink.

As you can see, the milk is smooth and evenly textured. Hot foam tends to deflate quite rapidly, so I’d recommend not leaving your cappuccinos around before drinking. Get ‘em while they’re hot!

This milk texture is around the same quality as the De’Longhi Rivelia, but that model doesn’t come with cold and hot — you’d have to buy the cool version separately ($129).

I really like the milk function on the PrimaDonna Aromatic. It has great texture, it’s easy to clean, and it comes with all the necessary accessories (unlike Jura).

De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review: Storage & maintenance

The PrimaDonna Aromatic is easy to clean. The app tells you exactly when to clean, and I would recommend cleaning out the drip tray every day at a minimum.

My only major qualm is that you have to empty the grounds drawer more often than you think. I emptied it after around 3-4 drinks each time, and the drawer was full of ground beans each time. I don’t think this machine is particularly economical in terms of coffee and water usage, but that’s true of almost all automatic machines.

In terms of longevity, you get a 2-year warranty as standard, which goes up to 3 years with registration. Comparatively, Breville offers a 2-year warranty, as does Ninja.

De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review: Verdict

The PrimaDonna Aromatic prioritizes simplicity and speed over coffee snobbery. It’s perfect for automatic machine users who want coffee and want it now. Would I buy it? Probably not. Would I recommend it for people who love Starbucks and Dunkin’ coffee and want to make drinks easily at home? 100%.

However, I’m still not totally sure what separates it from De’Longhi’s $1,999 Eletta Explore — it has Bean Adapt, De’Longhi’s My Coffee Lounge app connectivity, and 50 recipes compared to the PrimaDonna Aromatic’s 38. I think I’d recommend saving your $500 and getting the Eletta Explore — or save $1,000 and get the De’Longhi Rivelia.

But if you have $2,500 to spend, by all means, go for it. The PrimaDonna Aromatic is a great machine capable of making consistent espresso over and over. It’s just very expensive.

Starbucks is expensive. There's no getting around that. Some drinks can cost as much as $10 in certain states these days, which is simply ridiculous. If I were to order a Grande Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso at the Starbucks closest to Tom's Guide's Manhattan office, it would cost me $7.57. Yes, almost 8 bucks.

Fortunately, you can make it yourself, for far less.

I was a Starbucks barista for years, and learned how to make the delicious Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso at home. I've even done some coffee math down below to show you how much better this version is for your wallet (and your health, if you use homemade syrup).

You only need three ingredients (four if you count ice as an ingredient, and five if you include the optional cinnamon) to make a delicious iced espresso at home. And the best part? It takes about two minutes. Here's my step-by-step guide to making the Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso at home, using the Nespresso Vertuo Up, Oatly Barista oat milk, homemade brown sugar syrup, ice, and cinnamon.

The coffee math

I hate math, but I love coffee math. Let's see if making your own Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso actually is cheaper — and how many times you have to make it yourself to break even.

With a Nespresso machine

1. Nespresso Vertuo Pop+: $130 from Amazon
2. Oat milk: $3.32/52 fluid ounces from Walmart | 0.19 per drink
3. Brown sugar: $2.02/32 ounces from Walmart | 0.01 per drink
4. Coffee: Starbucks Blonde Nespresso Vertuo pods: $12.97 for 10 | 1.30 per pod

So that's $1.50 for the ingredients, $130 for the machine.

You’d need to drink 22 drinks to start making a profit. After that, it’s $6.07 in savings per drink.

With an espresso machine + grinder

1. Breville Bambino: $299 from Amazon
2. Baratza Encore ESP: $199 from Amazon
3. Starbucks Blonde whole bean coffee: $17.13/18 ounces | $0.57 per drink
4. Oat milk: $3.32/52 fluid ounces from Walmart | 0.19 per drink
5. Brown sugar: $2.02/32 ounces from Walmart | 0.01 per drink

This version has a higher initial cost but cheaper overall ingredients: $0.77 for the ingredients, $498 for the machines.

You'd need to drink 74 drinks to start making a profit. After that, it’s $6.80 of pure savings each time.

If you already have an espresso machine, you're saving almost 90% on every drink.

So, are you going to skip Starbucks and try making the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso at home? I only ever make it myself — I haven't been into a Starbucks in years.

Are there any other Starbucks drinks you'd like me to simplify? Perhaps the Pumpkin Spiced Latte in September? Or the Eggnog latte in December? Let me know in the comments!

I post new episodes of The Coffee Lab every Friday, so be sure to check back next week.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried the new Nespresso summer flavors — here's my favorite
• Non-plastic coffee makers are trending — and this low-plastic Ratio model is my favorite for coffee snobs
• I tried Lelit's brand-new 'entry-level' espresso machine — and I wish I had $2,000 so I could buy it

Very little comes close to the satisfaction I feel when I take my first sip of an expensive flat white from an equally expensive independent cafe. I love everything about frequenting coffeehouses: the adventure of actually going outside, deciding which of the plentiful bean varietals I fancy, then scrutinizing — ahem, watching — the barista as they make my oat milk flat white.

But patronizing cafes is costly, and I know I'm not the only one to say I don't have the money for it. But even if you want to make cafe-quality coffee at home, there's a catch. Many home espresso machines carry a staggering initial cost. Even the best-value stalwarts, like the De'Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo ($699) and my personal machine, the Breville Bambino Plus ($499), are objectively expensive. And don't even get me started on grinders.

But could you get away with a cheaper espresso machine, and instead invest in a grinder and high-quality beans? To find out, I pitted two of my favorite espresso machines against one another in a blind taste test: the gorgeous prosumer Lelit MaraX3 ($1,999) and the cheap Breville Bambino ($299).

So which machine won — and which machine should you buy?

The competitors

The control

I used the same beans — Carter Coffee's Two Trees Geisha, £21 ($28) for 200g. With tasting notes of passion fruit, white peach, and an aromatic finish, I knew my espresso testers were in for a treat. When I first opened the bag, it made my brain light up like I was seeing my long-lost dog for the first time in thirty years.

I ground the beans using my Mazzer Philos ($1,500), the best grinder in the world. I'll acknowledge that this grinder is blindingly expensive, and not reasonable for most people at all. You do not need to buy this grinder to achieve similar results. I would recommend the Baratza Encore ESP ($199) or Comandante C40 MK4 (usually around $300) for most people.

A brief disclaimer: I use the Mazzer Philos in all my espresso experiments, so if any issues arise, I know it wasn't the grinder.

Admittedly, I ground the beans to slightly different sizes: click 22 for the Lelit, and click 25 for the Breville. This is because anything under click 25 resulted in an overextracted shot on the Breville, and anything over click 22 resulted in an underextracted shot on the Lelit. I dialed in my beans for each machine before commencing.

The test

I ran three blind taste tests: Black Americano, oat milk flat white, and pure espresso.

Black Americano

I made the black Americanos identically: 18g of coffee for 36g out between 25-28 seconds. Topped up with 8 ounces of thirty-seconds-off-the-boil water.

For now, we'll call them Coffee A and Coffee B.

My colleague Pete said Coffee A tasted "sour and bitter with less nuance, but still delicious." Lucy said A didn't have "much flavor," which was supported by James and Caspar, who said A tasted "a little thin" and "quite watery," respectively.

Josh was the only tester to prefer Coffee A: he reported it had a "richer aftertaste" and "more flavor in the afternotes" than Coffee B.

Lucy said Coffee B had a "more nuanced flavor than A," which was supported by James: "tastes a lot fuller and stronger," and Caspar, who enjoyed B's smoothness. Pete noticed the crema was thicker on Coffee B, which he thought meant it had a higher-quality group head. He preferred B overall due to the balanced bitter, caramel, and sour notes.

Josh was the only person to criticize B: he said it tasted "slightly more muted" and chose Coffee A as his favorite.

Can you guess which was which?

Oat milk flat white

The second test: oat milk flat white. I had a few fewer testers due to other responsibilities for this one.

Again, I made the coffees identically: 18g of coffee for 36g out within 25-28 seconds. I steamed milk using my usual barista-taught method (I am an ex-barista, after all).

Let's give them their names: Coffee A and Coffee B.

Pete preferred Coffee A, saying, "Milk is better textured on A. It's less aerated; smoother and silkier." He also preferred the coffee flavor on A. "Slight bit more flavor poking through. But very difficult to tell."

James said Coffee A was "really nice," but he liked the "darker, more intense flavor" on Coffee B more, so that was his favorite. Josh agreed with James, choosing Coffee B due to its "smoother" and "more coffee-like" flavor.

Espresso

Now for the most important test: straight espresso. There's nowhere to hide here.

I actually made a single espresso for this one, using 12g of coffee for 24g of espresso out. I don't have two espresso glasses, so apologies for the unconventional container in the photographs above.

Again, I'll introduce the players: Coffee A and Coffee B.

Pete said Coffee A had a better crema and smelled "more potently of chocolate." When he took a sip, he said, "Oh, that's good." Not really much else for me to say, is there? Overall, he said Coffee A had "a lot of body and a bit of acidity." Spoiler alert, but after drinking Coffee B, he said Coffee A was, and I quote, "So much nicer."

James and Caspar also preferred Coffee A; James said it had "a lot more going on, with more levels to the coffee flavor."

Josh mostly agreed — he said Coffee A had more fruit notes with a richer mouthfeel. I'll note here that Josh had the most sips out of anyone and mulled on his decision for much longer than anyone else, so his decision was almost too close to call.

Lucy was the only outlier, saying Coffee A had a "nice" espresso taste but not as rich as Coffee B, which had a more diverse flavor, with more dynamism in the sip. Interestingly, I also agreed — is this female vs male taste buds in action? (I'm joking — obviously there's no difference in female vs male taste buds).

What do you think? Ready for the results?

The results

And now I get to crown the $299 machine the winner! I didn't expect the Bambino to win — and neither did any of my testers. They were all shocked when I told them.

Of course, I tried all the drinks before I offered them to my taste-testers... and I preferred the Lelit MaraX3 every time. But is that because I knew it was the more expensive one, therefore I assumed it should have been tastier? Or because I personally prefer an acidic coffee, so this appealed to my unique taste buds?

I suppose I'll never know.

But taste isn't the only thing you should consider

Although I love the Breville Bambino — it's my favorite budget espresso machine, and there's literally zero competition — winning the taste test doesn't mean it's the best espresso machine in every situation.

The MaraX3 and Bambino are (mostly) intended for a different audience. You're not just paying $2,000 for coffee. You're paying $2,000 for a dual boiler, meaning you can steam milk and pull shots at the same time. You're paying $2,000 for the all-metal (+wood) construction, which might last longer than the Bambino's plastic. You're paying $2,000 for the steam, milk, and pressure configuration tools.

We're all thinking it, so I might as well say it: You're paying $2,000 for the Lelit branding and the Lelit design.

The MaraX3 is a work of art, and you should treat it like one.

If I had $2k, I know which machine I'd choose. The Lelit would already be in my kitchen.

Despite all of this, though, Lelit and Breville are part of the same company. Lelit is literally Breville's prosumer brand. The Baratza Encore ESP grinder I mentioned earlier? Also owned by Breville.

So, at the end of the day, your money's going to the same pocket.

If you want more coffee content, don't fret. I've got bucketloads (cuploads?). Every week, I release new episodes of The Coffee Lab, my series dedicated to forgetting coffee snobbery and figuring out what actually matters in your daily brew.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried the new Nespresso summer flavors — here's my favorite
• Non-plastic coffee makers are trending — and this low-plastic Ratio model is my favorite for coffee snobs
• I tried Lelit's brand-new 'entry-level' espresso machine — and I wish I had $2,000 so I could buy it

I love my Moccamaster. It's one of the best coffee makers in the world, by a mile. It brews consistently delicious coffee with zero bitterness, minimal silt, and looks darn cool while doing it.

However, not everyone gets on with Moccamaster as well as I do — and that's the nature of life. Some issues are integral, which means those people would likely be better off with an alternative. But some are super easy fixes — and two of these three issues are incredibly easy fixes.

Last week, I troubleshot three other Moccamaster problems: "too much plastic," "horrible water distribution," and the "hot plate burning the coffee." This week, I'm teaching you how to prevent the Moccamaster from "scaling easily," dealing with the Moccamaster's "high price," and my favorite question of all: Does the Moccamaster come in a single-serve model?

You said the Moccamaster "scales easily"

I loved receiving this question — because it's so easily fixed! The Moccamaster will scale up. Everything that touches water will scale up. Pretty much all water contains minerals, which create limescale.

However, this is super easy to deal with.

And there you have it! Super easy. Didn't I tell you?

You said the Moccamaster is "too expensive"

I wasn't surprised when I received this question. The Moccamaster is expensive. Personally, I think the Moccamaster is the perfect example of "buy it nice or buy it twice". I would rather spend $370 on the Moccamaster than buy a $100 coffee maker three times — but I know that's not realistic for some people.

Moccamaster also offers a 5-year warranty and lifetime repairs, which no other coffee machine brand has matched yet. Again, personally, I would invest in the Moccamaster due to this after-purchase benefit — but I know that's not realistic for some people.

Here are some coffee makers with a lower initial cost.

But Moccamaster also make a cheaper alternative...

You said the Moccamaster should make a "single-pot version"

This was my favorite question to receive because I have a definitive answer for this: Moccamaster makes the Cup-One, too! I reviewed the Cup-One last year and loved it. It's exactly the same as the standard Moccamaster KGBV Select — but smaller.

I recommend the Cup-One to anyone who wants the consistent, stress-free performance of the Moccamaster without being obligated to brew an entire carafe.

So that brings us to the end! I've answered all the questions you asked me. Any more? Leave them in the comments and I'll get back to you shortly.

Stay tuned for the next episode of The Coffee Lab. I release a video every Friday on our Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried the new Nespresso summer flavors — here's my favorite
• Non-plastic coffee makers are trending — and this low-plastic Ratio model is my favorite for coffee snobs
• I tried Lelit's brand-new 'entry-level' espresso machine — and I wish I had $2,000 so I could buy it

The Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus does the one thing I know most new home baristas struggle with: dialing in. Ever wondered why nothing is coming out of your espresso machine, or it’s coming out like water from a newly unblocked pipe? It’s because you haven’t dialed your coffee in yet.

But Ninja said ‘No more!’ No longer do you have to waste precious coffee on figuring out optimal grind size’ The Luxe Cafe Mini Plus has auto-grind-size calibration that tells you the precise “click” you should grind your beans at. This is genuinely so helpful for newbies.

So, is this enough to make the Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus one of the best espresso machines? For beginners, totally. Say goodbye to coffee-related headaches (unless you’re slamming double espresso after double espresso, but that’s a completely different type of headache). Want to find out more? Why wouldn’t you? Keep reading this Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review.

Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review: Specs

Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review: Price & availability

The Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus is $499 from SharkNinja U.S. and £499 from Amazon U.K.. Although this looks like an objectively large amount of money, I can assure you this is actually reasonable for an espresso machine with a built-in grinder.

Ninja also makes the Luxe Cafe Mini ($459). The Mini doesn’t have automatic milk frothing. On the Luxe Cafe lineup is the Luxe Cafe Pro ($749), Luxe Cafe Premier ($599), and then you’ve got the eye-watering AutoBarista Pro ($949).

The cheapest setup I’d recommend is the Casabrews 3700 Essential ($129) and the Timemore C2s Chestnut ($60), which works out to $189. However, this is a hand grinder, so it might not be best for those who have no desire to spend ten minutes turning a crank (me included — I make my boyfriend grind my beans).

When you get into bean-to-cups, the price increases dramatically. You’ve got the Casabrews Marenza ($349), the cheapest bean-to-cup I’ve ever reviewed, but there’s a catch — the grinder hopper smashed after the second use, so I wouldn’t recommend it for longevity.

You’ve also got the Breville Barista Express ($699), one of the most iconic bean-to-cups ever made, and the De’Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo ($699), the best-value bean-to-cup I’ve reviewed. The Luxe Cafe Mini Plus undercuts both by some margin.

Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review: Design

Just like the Ninja AutoBarista Pro I reviewed last month, the Luxe Cafe Mini is effectively a big plastic square. The machine gets the job done, but I don’t think it’s as pretty as the Breville Barista Express, De’Longhi Arte Evo, Lelit Mara X3, or the Fellow Espresso Series 1.

Of course, though, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and you may totally disagree. That’s fine! Ninja knows what works, obviously; it wouldn’t keep releasing espresso machines with the same functional aesthetic otherwise. It must work.

What separates the Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus from the Luxe Cafe Pro or AutoBarista Pro is pretty obvious — its size. The Luxe Cafe Mini is 3 inches narrower, half an inch slimmer, and 1 inch lower than the Luxe Cafe Pro. I’d recommend it for small spaces any day.

There’s an LCD screen on the front of the machine: you can see your grind size and coffee settings here. It’s easy to change said settings: just twist the knob and press the buttons. They’re all labeled, and it’s practically impossible to go wrong here.

Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review: Espresso

As this is a bean-to-cup, I’ll discuss grinder and espresso here. I’ll go through milk performance later. The grinder operates at 71 dB, which is around the same volume as a running shower or a flushing toilet. As it only grinds for a few seconds, I’d say this is pretty quiet, all things considered.

Grinder

Unfortunately, you can’t set the grinder to whatever step you please. As the machine recommends you a grind setting, you can’t just go rogue and do what you want. As a result, I was only able to do a portion of my “normal” grinder testing. Obviously, if you’re making “drip”, the machine will suggest a much coarser grind size.

You get a dosing collar that slots into the grinder mechanism to prevent mess, too.

Normally, I would go through every fineness: Turkish all the way to cold brew. Here, though, I was only able to test the espresso-fine 12-step.

Here’s my standard uniformity testing. I’m looking for big jumps here: I want 0% to 90%. This proves the grinder is uniform, as all the grounds are the same size.

I would have liked to do more testing — but as I said, the machine only lets you grind on its recommended size!

As you can see, the grinder isn’t overly uniform. However, dialing in is super easy, as the machine does everything for you. No weighing or dosing or adjusting the grind. The machine takes care of all that headache.

Espresso

The Ninja’s espresso tastes fine. It’s not delicious, but it’s not disgusting, either. If you’re the kind of person who puts syrups or flavoring in your coffee, you probably won’t notice the taste flavor at all — but isn’t that kind of the point? The espresso tastes like coffee. Not massively nuanced or bright coffee, but coffee. It tastes like Starbucks.

As you can see, the shot is a nice caramel color with a layer of crema. The crema isn’t as creamy as I’d like, but it still tasted good. There was no nuance or complexity to the shot: it tasted like chain coffee. However, this is still good enough for most people — and without the dialing-in headache. It brewed 34g of coffee in 26 seconds.

I will note that the portafilter is tiny — just 53 mm. This means you likely won’t be able to get much aftermarket stuff in terms of accessories, but, again, I’m not sure that’s who this machine is aimed at. You do, however, get a dosing collar and a spring-loaded tamper as standard.

As I mentioned earlier, while the grinder isn’t “technically” perfect in the same way you’d expect from a standalone grinder, it’s fine for casual coffee drinkers who prioritize ease of use over coffee snobbery.

Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review: Milk

The Luxe Cafe Mini has two milk steaming modes: automatic and manual. You can choose from three levels of foam: low, medium, and high. Weirdly, the “medium” foam level is more like a cappuccino. It took 1 minute 49 seconds to heat a jug of milk to drinking temperature, which is longer than the Breville Bambino Plus’s auto milk frothing time.

Manual milk steaming works the same as any other espresso machine. I was surprised to see the Luxe Cafe Mini Plus has a super strong steam wand — much stronger than Casabrews alternatives I’ve tested. It’s around the same strength as a De’Longhi Arte Evo.

Here’s a photo of automatically frothed milk.

As you can see, the texture is okay. It’s not perfect, but it’s soft enough to achieve some latte art. There was a disconnect between the milk and froth, which resulted in a dodgy pour. I’d recommend serious home baristas foam their own milk, but newbies might find this super helpful.

Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review: Storage & maintenance

As the Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus is, well, mini, it’s a better option for smaller spaces. Although it’s not as small as a standalone espresso machine, it’s smaller than alternative bean-to-cups. Let’s get our comparison caps on! N.B.: the last model, Breville Bambino, is a standalone espresso machine. This is just for a baseline comparison as the Bambino is the small machine of choice for many. I’m aware they serve slightly different audiences.

As you can see, the Luxe Cafe Mini is considerably lighter than the other bean-to-cups. It’s also shorter and slimmer than all the others, but the De’Longhi Arte Evo is narrower.

I have no qualms about recommending the Luxe Cafe Mini to those who need a smaller espresso machine but don’t want to sacrifice a built-in grinder.

In terms of longevity, Ninja offers a 2-year warranty, which is the same as Breville and De’Longhi, so pretty standard. As the machine doesn’t come with cleaning products, you’d need to get backflush tablets and descaler yourself. These are $34 for a 4-month supply directly from Ninja. It does come with a water filter, though, which is nice!

Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review: Verdict

The Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus is a fantastic first espresso machine. I won’t impress coffee snobs, but it will hit the spot if you value ease of use, simplicity, and consistency. The automatic dial-in process is perhaps the best thing for newbies. No stressing over why no coffee came out or why your coffee tastes like sour bean water. You do get a decent shot of espresso every time.

No, there’s no nuance of complexity in the shot. I use the same beans for all my testing, and they tasted like Starbucks rather than the snobby shop down the road. But is that a bad thing? Starbucks is popular for a reason. People love coffee that tastes like coffee. I personally wouldn’t get this machine, but I’m a coffee snob. Take what I say with a pinch of salt.

If you’re reading this and nodding along, you’re definitely the target audience for the Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus. It helps you make consistent espresso and milk. Coffee lovers looking for a one-ticket route to consistently great coffee? Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus.

The Moccamaster is one of my favorite coffee makers. No, I'd actually say it's my favorite. It has everything I like: a cool vibe, easy functionality, and consistent taste. Oh, and the best part? The lifetime repairs and 5-year standard warranty. Honestly, there's nothing I don't like about the Moccamaster.

But I know some of you have questions about the Moccamaster, and I'm here to answer them! I got tons of comments on TikTok, so I'm answering the three most-commonly asked questions.

So, if you want to know how I'd fix the Moccamaster having "too much plastic," the Moccamaster's "horrible water distribution," or the Moccamaster "hot plate burning the coffee," buckle in.

1. You said the Moccamaster has "too much plastic"

I both agree and disagree! Yes, it has a lot of plastic, but due to E.U. regulations, the Moccamaster only uses virgin, BPA-free, phthalate-free plastic, so none of this plastic will leach into your coffee. You also need to remember that Technivorm makes the Moccamaster in the Netherlands, and shipping a completely glass/metal coffee maker across the Atlantic would cost a pretty penny... and the Moccamaster already costs a pretty penny.

However, if you want as little plastic in your kitchen as possible — I don't blame you — then you might be a little more interested in the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer. I reviewed this coffee maker a month or so ago and I loved it. As it has a bloom feature, it makes a juicier, fruitier coffee, more attuned to what I'd describe as "coffee-snob coffee".

Although the SGC Brewer still has silicone and plastic on the exterior to prevent burns, it's much less plastic than the Moccamaster.

2. You said the Moccamaster has "horrible water distribution"

I also agree and disagree with this one. The Moccamaster does tend to "funnel" — where the water goes down the center of the filter basket and the coffee grounds climb up the side, resulting in overextracted and underextracted flavors.

However, this is less a Moccamaster issue and more a drip coffee maker issue. If you want drip, it's an occupational hazard. I've yet to use a drip coffee maker with zero funnelling. Even the "coffee-snob-approved" SGC Plastic-Free Brewer doesn't manage to distribute the water as evenly as a well-poured pour-over.

You can easily mitigate this, though. You need to grind all your coffee evenly using a good grinder. I'd recommend something like the Baratza Encore ESP if you can afford $199 or the Timemore Chestnut C2s if you don't mind hand grinding and you only want to spend $60.

Next: make sure your grind isn't too fine or too coarse. A coarser grind may be more inclined to funnel as there's more surface area for the water to burrow under. Too fine will create blockages.

Finally, this is what I would do after exhausting all other options. When you brew, don't put on the filter basket lid. Manually "bloom" the grounds. This means add a little bit of water, then stir, ensuring the water has saturated the grounds. Then, let the machine drip as normal. See the difference?

You said the Moccamaster hot plate "burns the coffee"

And I agree with you! The hot plate does burn the coffee. I never use the hot plate feature on mine. I always make a half batch if I'm brewing just for me, or make sure everyone gets a cup while it's fresh.

If you want to keep your coffee hot without burning, I'd recommend checking out Technivorm's thermal carafe, which is $84 from Amazon.

So, that's everything you asked me this week! Next week, I'll be answering more questions about the Moccamaster.

I release new episodes of The Coffee Lab every Friday on our TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and also here on Tom's Guide.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried the new Nespresso summer flavors — here's my favorite
• Non-plastic coffee makers are trending — and this low-plastic Ratio model is my favorite for coffee snobs
• I tried Lelit's brand-new 'entry-level' espresso machine — and I wish I had $2,000 so I could buy it

The Nespresso Vertuo Up is the newest Nespresso machine as of July 2026. It brings back the iconic Nespresso plug-and-play brew style with an added “Over Ice” mode and app functionality. Yes, this coffee machine connects to my phone, and I’m actually not mad about it.

But is this enough to make it one of the best Nespresso machines you can get? Heck, yeah! I loved testing this machine. It’s as easy as pie — or, as easy as Nespresso — and doesn’t look particularly hideous while doing it. Of course, it’s not as premium as the Nespresso Vertuo Creatista, but it’s also $400 cheaper.

I had a great time testing this machine, and so did my colleagues. One of my colleagues drank four cups of coffee in one day during my testing period — that’s how good it is. Want to find out more about the new Nespresso machine? Why wouldn’t you? Keep reading this Nespresso Vertuo Up review.

Nespresso Vertuo Up review: Specs

Nespresso Vertuo Up review: Price & availability

The Nespresso Vertuo Up is $229 from Amazon U.S. and £179 from Amazon U.K.. Nespresso makes two lines of machines: original and Vertuo. Of the Vertuo collection, the Up is the most premium. If you want similar performance for less, you’d be looking at the $189 Vertuo Next or the $129 Vertuo Pop+.

Vertuo machines are generally cheaper than original Nespresso machines. This is because Vertuo pods are patented, whereas original Nespresso pods are not. Ergo, Nespresso charges less for the initial machine, but more for the pods… so you might end up paying more over time.

The Nespresso CitiZ ($265) is my favorite original Nespresso machine, but you can still get the three-year-old Nespresso Pixie ($229). Of course, neither of these machines have app connectivity, so you can’t adjust the heat or size of your drinks.

Nespresso Vertuo Up review: Design

The Nespresso Vertuo Up, like other Nespresso machines, is compact and ideal for small spaces. As it’s just 4.7 inches wide, I was able to fit it in my kitchen with zero stress.

However, it’s worth noting that it needs a decent amount of overhead clearance — the pod release comes up 5 inches, giving it an overall height of 15.9 inches. Because of this, I wouldn’t recommend putting it under low-lying cabinets.

One of my favorite design features is the rotating water tank. Unlike other Nespresso machines (CitiZ), the water tank can fit on the back or on either side, so you can adapt the machine to fit your space rather than the other way around.

Of course, the Vertuo Up is relatively plasticky. It is a Nespresso machine, after all. If you want a more premium aesthetic, I’d recommend checking out the eye-wateringly expensive Vertuo Creatista ($699).

Another “it is a Nespresso machine, after all” design feature is the minimal on-machine controls. Instead of levers, buttons, and dials you might find on espresso machines like the De’Longhi Stilosa ($149) or Breville Bambino ($299), the Vertuo Up has just two buttons: “Ice” and “Go”. Those aren’t the official names, of course, but they explain what I mean well enough.

If you’re using “Over Ice” pods (like I was), you’ll need to press the “Ice” button before “Go”. Otherwise, you’ll get a hot drink. Obviously, this is great if you want to stick it to the man and brew a hot coffee using “Over Ice” pods, but, as I experienced, pods designed for iced drinks don’t taste great hot.

Unlike Nespresso original machines, you can’t choose between an espresso or lungo shot. Each Vertuo pod has a specific dosage volume: for example, the Coconut & Vanilla is a 230ml “mug”, whereas the Yuzu & Vanilla is an 80ml “double shot”. You can kind of adjust volumes with the NespressoSmart app (more on that later), but you can’t do it on the machine itself. This is a little frustrating, and I’d like to see Nespresso utilize on-machine buttons to correct this in the future, as not everyone wants or needs the Nespresso app on their phone.

Nespresso Vertuo Up review: Performance

The Nespresso Vertuo Up is supremely easy to use. I’ll say it for the third time: it is a Nespresso machine, after all. These things are revered for their ease of use and simplicity.

All you have to do is insert the pod of your choice and press “Go”. That’s it. The pod starts spinning like an errant hair caught in a plughole, and thirty seconds later, you’ve got a fresh coffee.

I will say that the Vertuo Up is incredibly loud: it peaked at 70.9dB. It was so loud, in fact, I had colleagues come up to me and say things like, “Oh, that’s a bit of a screamer, isn’t it?” Yes. Yes it is.

Even so, this isn’t a dealbreaker for me. I’m using the machine for, what, a minute? I can put up with 71dB for a minute in exchange for fresh coffee.

Taste is tricky to evaluate because different pods taste different, and different people have different palates. I tested the Vertuo Up with the Yuzu & Vanilla, Coconut & Vanilla, and Oatly Barista Edition Over Ice pods. They all tasted great, with zero burned or bitter notes (except once).

Let me elaborate. I’ll preface this by saying this is purely user error. This is simply advice to you — not an issue with the Vertuo Up at all. I mistakenly brewed the Yuzu & Vanilla pod hot rather than “Over Ice”; it tasted super bitter, with a really frothy crema. It was, put simply, not good. So learn from my mistakes and follow the instructions on the pod packaging!

The only real con I have with the Nespresso Vertuo Up is its tendency to leak before extraction. After inserting a pod and pressing “Go”, the machine leaks around half a teaspoon of coffee into the cup, presumably leftover coffee stuck in the dispensing nozzle from the previous brew. Kinda gross. Although I’m sure this didn’t majorly impact the flavor of my subsequent coffee, it’s worth noting. I’d like to see Nespresso rectify this for the next model, whenever that may be. There’s no “clean” option between drinks.

Nespresso Vertuo Up review: App

I’m usually an app hater, but I really like the NespressoSmart app. It actually benefits the user experience.

As you can see, the app is clean, easy to use, and user-friendly. I can see even the most technophobic person on the planet being able to make the most of this app. You can change the volume of your pods, change water temperature, run cleaning cycles, run water emptying cycles, and look up instruction manuals.

Of course, I would like to see some on-machine controls for these settings as not everyone wants or needs to download an app to use a coffee machine, but as far as apps go, this is a decent one.

The only downside is that the app asks you for full contact information while signing up. You have to put in your full name, email, full address, and phone number. Why? Why does the app need this info for me to customize my espresso? I just wrote “No” in all the address boxes, put a random zip code, and a fake number and it let me make the account, but this is still annoying.

Nespresso Vertuo Up review: Storage & maintenance

As this is a Vertuo machine, replacement pods are only available from Nespresso’s official Amazon store and Nespresso direct. This is disappointing. I wanted to buy some extra pods and visited my local grocery store (a large store with tons of products, including Nespresso pods), but it only stocked original pods. After a quick Google, I discovered that I could only buy these specific pods online.

Therefore, you’ll need some pre-planning to ensure you don’t run out of pods. The price of pods is also quite different from original Nespresso pods. A 30-pack of OG Nespresso pods retails for $27, working out to $0.90 per pod. Vertuo pods are $40.50 for the same sized pack, $1.35 per pod. The pods I personally tested with were around $1.25-$1.55 per pod.

So while the Vertuo machines are cheaper from the off, you might actually spend more money over time. Let’s quickly do some coffee math. Say you’re spending $13 extra a month (if you drink one a day). There’s a $36 price difference between the Vertuo Up and the Citiz. After 3 months, you’ll have spent that extra $36 on Nespresso’s patented Vertuo pods.

Personally, I would always buy an original Nespresso machine for this reason, but of course, the decision is up to you.

Cleaning the machine is straightforward: there are detailed instructions in the app and you can start cleaning cycles from your phone. You can also buy cleaning kits directly from the app: a descaling kit is $10.99 for two sachets.

Alright, last but not least: pod recycling. Of course, not buying single-use pods is inherently more environmentally friendly than buying single-use pods, but at least you can recycle Nespresso pods. You can either get a recycling bag direct from Nespresso, return your pods to Nespresso stores, or drop off your pods at select convenience stores.

Nespresso Vertuo Up review: Verdict

The Nespresso Vertuo Up is a really great Nespresso machine. It’s beyond easy to use, looks pretty good, and the app is genuinely useful. While it’s not perfect, hence the 4-star rating, it’s bound to make any hands-free coffee lover happy. My colleagues all remarked on its ease of use and pleasant coffee flavor.

Sure, I’d appreciate some on-machine controls for the next gen and I’d appreciate more pod options, but if you want to save that initial cost with a Vertuo, this is a pretty good one to get. It can make iced and hot coffees in seconds, and never made a bad brew (except my experiment).

I recommend the Nespresso Vertuo Up for anyone interested in upgrading an old Nespresso machine, anyone who particularly likes having smart control features on their coffee machine, or, simply, anyone who wants hot (or cold) coffee and wants it now.

Nespresso always seems to be cooking up something exciting. So what's happening this summer 2026? Not only have we got the brand-new Nespresso Vertuo Up, one of the best Nespresso machines, we've also got...

Summer Nespresso flavors! I tried three of the new flavors — Yuzu & Vanilla Over Ice, Coconut Vanilla Over Ice, and Oatly Barista Edition. I didn't get a chance to try out the new decaf French Lavender & Vanilla, but this is a super fun flavor. Usually, decaf drinkers don't get as many options, so it's great to see Nespresso remember our non-caffeinated brethren.

So, which of the new Nespresso summer flavors is worth it? Does it actually taste like yuzu? Don't fear, because I'll answer all your questions and more. I made all of these drinks on the new Nespresso Vertuo Up.

Flavor 1: Yuzu & Vanilla Over Ice

First up is the one I'm most excited for: the Yuzu & Vanilla Over Ice. This pod makes 80ml, a "double espresso", and I served it both black and with milk. While milk brought out a creamy, almost cheesecake-like flavor, just water tasted light and clean.

The first photo is black, the second is with oat milk.

The flavor: The yuzu flavor is really subtle. If you're worried about it being a wall of citrus, don't be. The coffee, vanilla, and yuzu notes are complementary, rather than battling one another for dominance. It tastes more like a coffee with a whisper of lemon than anything else.

If you like juicy, fruity drinks, like African coffee beans or Starbucks Pink Drink, you'll probably like this a lot.

Flavor 2: Coconut & Vanilla Over Ice

Next is Coconut & Vanilla Over Ice. This pod is a little different as it makes a 230ml "coffee" rather than an 80ml "double espresso". You don't need to add anything except ice.

Here's a photo of the Nespresso Coconut & Vanilla Over Ice.

The flavor: Just like the Nespresso Yuzu & Vanilla Over Ice, Coconut & Vanilla is subtle and delicate. You might not even know it's supposed to be vanilla flavored without reading the packet. I like the caramelly mouthfeel — the drink is smooth and warming even though it's completely iced — and the coconut does well to round out the coffee.

I'd say this tastes more like an iced batch brew with a little brown sugar than a coconut milk coffee. I was worried it would be too coconutty, but it's not. This coffee is better for people who want a subtle toasty flavor rather than a coconut milk latte. I really enjoyed it, but I think I would prefer a bolder coconut taste.

Flavor 3: Oatly Barista Edition

As an oat milk fanatic, I was surprised and pleased to see an Oatly Barista Edition Nespresso pod. Those who know me will know I go through a carton of the stuff every few days.

This pod brews an 80ml "double shot" and is designed to be made iced.

Here are two photos of the Oatly Barista Edition over ice. The first photo uses oat milk and the second was made with dairy milk.

The flavor: This was my favorite of the three by far. This pod has a strong, malty coffee flavor. The beans are rich and caramelly with zero bitterness. There's no whisper of yuzu or coconut. It tastes like coffee — in the best way possible.

This would be the best pod if you like flat whites or cortados.

My rankings

Alright, after much deliberation, I've finally settled on my Nespresso pod ranking.

1. Oatly Barista Edition
2. Yuzu & Vanilla
3. Coconut & Vanilla

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• 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 tried Lelit's brand-new 'entry-level' espresso machine — and I wish I had $2,000 so I could buy it

The IKAPE Kapo K2 Pro is the best portable espresso maker I’ve tested so far. I’ve used pretty much everything Wacaco makes, and if you’re a camping aficionado who wants the best trail coffee possible, it’s gotta be the IKAPE Kapo K2 Pro.

While pricey, if you want the best of the best, you may as well invest. The Kapo K2 Pro can make six shots of espresso on one charge and has a customizable flow rate and pre-infusion time (if you get the app). If I were on a desert island with only the Pixapresso or the Kapo K2 Pro, I’d choose the latter.

Although you don’t get as golden a crema as my coffee-snob heart would like, you can’t really ask for the world from a portable espresso maker. If you want to find out more about this surprisingly excellent espresso maker — why wouldn’t you, it’s great — then keep reading this IKAPE Kapo K2 Pro review.

IKAPE Kapo K2 Pro review: Specs

IKAPE Kapo K2 Pro review: Price & availability

The IKAPE Kapo K2 Pro is $199 from Amazon U.S. and £170 from Amazon U.K. Curiously, the machine itself is embossed with ‘CERA+’, another coffee company. IKAPE’s representative has confirmed to me that Cera and IKAPE collaborated on this product, but they are two separate brands. Cera+ sells its own portable espresso machine for $139 at Amazon — and if the machines are manufactured by the same company, it might be worth getting the cheaper option.

However, Cera+ and Kapo K2 Pro differ in some key ways: the Cera+ can use both Nespresso pods and ground coffee, and the IKAPE only ground coffee. However, the IKAPE has an array of coffee-snob-approved features like a bottomless portafilter and comes with a grooved tamper.

$199 is pretty expensive for a portable espresso maker; the Wacaco Pixapresso is $159, the non-self-heating Wacaco Pipamoka and Wacaco Picopresso are $49 and $129, respectively. I see the OutIn Nano portable espresso maker everywhere — this is $159 from Amazon.

None of these alternatives have app compatibility, which means you won’t be able to customize pre-infusion and flow rates.

You can also buy the IKAPE stand, which is $42 from Amazon.

IKAPE Kapo K2 Pro review: Design

The Kapo K2 Pro looks pretty darn cool. It’s very simple, with a gray plastic exterior and a one-button system. You only have to press the button once for the machine to do its thing. Unlike Wacaco’s complex, convoluted portable espresso makers, the IKAPE is so easy that a toddler could do it (but obviously don’t give it to your toddler…).

There are only a few moving parts: the bottomless portafilter, the dosing collar, a tamper, a water tank lid, and a drinking cup. Each part feels well-made — the dosing collar has (relatively weak, but still present) magnets, and the bottomless portafilter screws smoothly into the maker body. The tamper is particularly impressive; it’s spring-loaded with a grooved circular impression, which just makes me feel so fancy.

I have nothing bad to say about the build at all. Sure, if you’re upset by plastic, you might want to go for the 9Barista Espresso Machine Mk.2, which is constructed from nickel-plated brass, stainless steel, anodized aluminum, silicone, PTFE plastic (Teflon), and PEI plastic. However, the 9Barista is… — checks notes — $699… At that point, just get a Breville Bambino ($299) and a generator. I jest, I jest, but that’s a lot of money for a manual coffee maker. Our reviews editor Pete Wolinski has also taken the 9Barista camping, and had this to say: “Honestly, it’s more trouble than it’s worth.”

IKAPE Kapo K2 Pro review: Espresso

It took 3 minutes and 21 seconds for the Kapo K2 Pro to make one shot of espresso. This is wildly faster than the Wacaco Pixapresso, which labored for 9 minutes before finally giving me an espresso.

The battery life on the IKAPE is also far superior — I made 6 shots of espresso before needing to recharge it, whereas the IKAPE died after 2 ½ (yeah, the half is the real kicker there, because not only have I wasted my time, but also my expensive coffee).

Alright, now let’s get into what really matters: espresso taste. I use the same Ethiopian beans for 90% of my coffee testing, which is what I used here.

Take a look at this espresso. This was made using 18g of finely ground coffee (using my Mazzer Philos, $1,500, of course) and 50ml of water.

As you can see, there isn’t much crema. The espresso doesn’t have the same gorgeous caramel you might expect, and it definitely looks worse than the Wacaco Pixapresso. However, quality of life on the IKAPE is far superior — it just depends on what you value.

Taste-wise, though, the espresso was good. It’s definitely better than drinking instant while on camping trips, but I’m not going to throw away my Breville Bambino Plus any time soon. The espresso was rich and satisfying, with some juicy notes in iced lattes. Americanos were balanced and not bitter, with a pleasant mouthfeel. It wasn’t the best coffee I’ve ever had, but it’s definitely good enough for camping trips.

I didn’t experience any scalding issues with the Kapo K2 Pro. It dispensed hot espresso into the provided drinking cup without spilling anywhere.

IKAPE Kapo K2 Pro review: App

I was surprised to find the Kapo K2 Pro came with an app, and I worried it wouldn’t be worth it. However, it’s actually got a huge range of niche features. It’s called ‘Happy Go Cera+’, and the eagle-eyed amongst you will realize that’s the same company that also co-manufactured the Kapo K2 Pro itself.

You can do a whole load of things on the ‘HappyGo Cera+’ app. You can customize pre-infusion time, customize “standby” time (I assume this means the coffee has been saturated before pressurized extraction), and customize flow rate. I played around with this and found that a long pre-infusion and slow flow rate provided a lovely juicy flavor profile for my Ethiopian beans.

IKAPE Kapo K2 Pro review: Storage & maintenance

As the Kapo K2 Pro is relatively small — just 10 inches tall and 3 inches wide — it will easily fit in backpacks for camping trips. At 1.8 pounds, it’s around the same weight as the Wacaco Pixapresso.

Cleaning was also super easy. All the main parts are removable, which I washed in warm soapy water. The only thing you can’t remove is the water tank, but as this only touches water, it probably doesn’t need soap anyway. If you’re worried, just run fresh water through before brewing up.

IKAPE offers a 1-year warranty, which is the same as Wacaco’s. Even so, I’m not entirely impressed by this — if I’m spending $199 on a coffee maker, I want at least two years.

IKAPE Kapo K2 Pro review: Verdict

The IKAPE Kapo K2 Pro is the best portable espresso maker I’ve ever tested. As much as I enjoyed testing the Wacaco Pixapresso, the IKAPE version is much, much better. For starters, it can brew six shots rather than two on one charge, it comes with really weighty, high-quality accessories, and it’s much easier to use.

Of course, the IKAPE is more expensive. You’re looking at $200 rather than $150. While I wish the IKAPE was cheaper, if you’re a serious coffee lover looking to upgrade your camping coffee setup and you don’t care how much you spend, then I’d recommend the Kapo K2 Pro over the Pixapresso.

For those looking for the best of the best, go for the IKAPE Kapo K2 Pro. It’s the best portable espresso maker I’ve ever tested, and, while pricier than alternatives, if you want the best, you gotta pay for it — right?

One day, I aspire to have a really, really nice espresso machine. Don't get me wrong, I love love love my Breville Bambino Plus, but at some point, I want a machine that pulls out all the stops. I'm talking dual boiler or heat exchanger, walnut flourishes, 58mm portafilter, commercial-level steam wand, custom everything.

So when I tested the Lelit Mara X3, I thought I'd died and gone to coffee heaven. This beautiful prosumer machine has it all, and more. Did you know you can customize water temperature, steam pressure, and pressure? And it looks that good while doing so? Oof, sign me up.

The Mara X3 is definitely one of the best espresso machines I've ever tested. And, luckily for the Americans reading this, it's finally out across the pond! As of July 1st, the Mara X3 is available for purchase from Seattle Coffee Gear and Lelit direct, for the very — checks notes — "reasonable" price of $2,000. So... is this $2k espresso machine worth it? Let's get into it.

Hidden coffee nerd settings galore

As you might expect from a machine that costs almost double my monthly rent, the Lelit Mara X3 is replete with high-tech coffee-snob-approved features.

The Mara X3 has three main standouts: 1) custom steam pressure, 2) Pagaia pressure paddle, and 3) water temperature control.

It doesn't take a genius to guess what all these features do. The steam pressure can be increased or decreased depending on your preference (so you could practice with lower pressure before ramping up to commercial-level pressure). I kept this on 'Max' to mimic commercial espresso machines.

There's also a temperature switch hiding under the drip tray — this is for different coffee roasts. Light roast requires a higher temperature, dark roasts a cooler, and medium, well, medium.

The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed I omitted the 'Pagaia' paddle — fear not, because that requires its own section.

Pressure paddle for perfect performance

When you start getting into espresso aficionado territory, you start hearing things like "pre-infusion". Pre-infusion is when you saturate the grounds at low pressure before ramping up the pressure for a normal espresso extraction.

Varying this pre-infusion can bring out different flavors in your coffee. If you're using great artisanal beans, you'll start noticing things you've never noticed before. Cherry, biscuit, whiskey, lime — coffee can and does taste like all these things. I promise you.

Of course, you need to experiment with this to get the best performance. No, you're not going to start tasting bubblegum in your coffee on your first try. You really need to play with it.

You can customize pre-infusion on Breville machines — Bambino, Barista Express — but the Pagaia paddle takes it up a notch. You can put the machine on low pressure, then high pressure, then low pressure again. It's what coffee is all about — having fun!

I had a whale of a time playing with different pressures and noticing all the unique flavors in my espresso. Trust me — you'll get obsessed. The Mara X3 makes seriously delicious espresso.

So... is it worth it?

Ugh, I hate this. But yes. Yes, it's worth it.

However, I know I'm never going to have $2,000 to spend on an espresso machine, and that's fine. I've made my peace with that. Although I want one of these gorgeous prosumer models, unless I win the lottery or fall into a pile of cash, I know it's not going to happen.

But if you do have $2,000 lying about and you're extremely into coffee, then you should definitely buy the Lelit Mara X3. You will not be disappointed at all.

Obviously, the Mara X3 is gorgeous. I mean, just look at it. Everyone in the office made oohs and aahs when they walked past. The walnut flourishes are eye-catching, the cream body screams high-quality, and the overall aesthetic is simply perfect.

I'll leave you with this: When you're scrolling coffee YouTube/TikTok/Instagram, just look at what machine most influencers have. Yep, it's the Lelit Bianca. This brand has a cult following for a reason — and the Mara X3 is one of the cheapest ways to be inducted.

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• 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

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.

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• 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

Right now, the U.K. is in the middle of a heatwave, and cold brew and iced coffee are all I can manage during weeks like this — it's one of the ways I've learned to manage a heatwave. But if you're worrying about how to make cold brew, worry not! De'Longhi's newest La Specialista models — the Arte Evo, Opera, to name a few — all have a surprising feature: instant cold brew. Instead of relying on traditional cold brewing methods — literally cold brewing coffee for 16+ hours — these machines use espresso pressure to steep coffee in a fraction of the time.

As much as I love and respect this feature, it does beg the question... if you're a cold brew drinker, and only a cold brew drinker, should you be spending $500+ on these espresso machines? No.

As an ex-barista and director of The Coffee Lab, I know exactly how cafes make cold brew. All you need is a French press, coffee, cold water, and some time. Instead of spending $$$ on a cold brew-slash-espresso machine, just get this $31 Espro French press. Espro's unique dual-filter basket means you get almost zero silt, too.

How can I make cold brew in a French press?

I know it sounds daunting, but I promise you, it's not! This is exactly how we made cold brew at Starbucks when I worked there.

All you need is: a French press (with a dual-lined filter, like the Espro P3 above), coarsely ground coffee, water, and time (preferably 16 hours).

1. Use either a 1:8 ratio or a 1:15 ratio. 1:8 means you will need to dilute the final drink, so it's like a cold brew concentrate. I always use 1:8.
2. The Espro P3 is 1000ml, so I use 125g of coarsely ground coffee. Put the coffee inside the French press.
3. Pour water to the top.
4. Let it steep for 16 hours, ambient or in the refrigerator if you live in a really hot area.

And it's easy as that! You don't need to spend $500 on an espresso machine/cold brew machine. All you need is a French press.

We're tracking all the best Prime Day home appliance deals

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.

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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.

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• 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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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 five-year warranties as standard and then lifetime repairs.

Simply Good Coffee has recently improved its two-year warranty to a five-year warranty as standard, which is fantastic.

I would recommend the Moccamaster if you want a machine with lifetime repairs — I wish Simply Good Coffee would offer this perk too, but a five-year warranty is still good going.

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.

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
• 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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• 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)
• 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!).

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• 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.

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• 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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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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