Anyone who knows anything about coffee has heard of Moccamaster. The Moccamaster (specifically the KGBV Select) is the most famous drip machine in the world, and there's very little competition. Few brands can go head-to-head with Technivorm's industrial, hardy stalwart, arguably the best coffee maker of all time.

Mostly unchanged since its 1969 release, the Moccamaster does what many other coffee brands wish their flagship could: it has the best reputation in coffee. Whether this is from the industry-leading after-purchase care or the indestructible machine itself, I'm not sure. But people seriously love this thing. It's irrefutably "cult".

So enter the zippy young upstart — Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer. This model launched at the end of last year and was rolled out in 2026. What's the Plastic-Free Brewer got that the Moccamaster hasn't then? Well, the clue's in the name — it's not about what it has, but what it hasn't. Simply Good Coffee uses zero plastic in the brewing process.

Sure, this is all well and good — but what about taste? Let's find out which one makes a better brew.

Moccamaster KGBV Select & Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer: What's the difference?

While at their cores, the Moccamaster KGBV Select and the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewers are both drip/filter coffee machines, there are a few key differences.

These differences reside in two main areas: design and accreditation.

Obviously, the SGC Plastic-Free Brewer is that: plastic-free (well, low plastic). No hot water touches plastic anywhere in the brewing process — but it does have medical-grade silicone tubing in the water lines. Even so, I don't class this as "plastic" as it's not the kind of polymer that leaches into water or breaks down over time.

The SGC has plastic on the exterior to prevent burns. Seriously, imagine if it were completely steel. You'd need to go to the ER if you accidentally brush up against it after brewing.

Now, the Moccamaster KGBV Select has a plastic filter basket and a plastic destratification tube in the carafe. I personally don't mind this plastic — Technivorm (which makes Moccamaster) is a Dutch company, and the EU has seriously strict regulations on plastic. It's high-quality, non-leaching, BPA-and PFA-free — all the adjectives.

So what else separates them? The SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) accreditation. Now, I don't think this is the be-all and end-all. There are more important things than an SCA accreditation. Taste, feel, emotional connection, secret ghosts inhabiting your coffee maker — whatever floats your boat (stews your brew? No. That's terrible. A career in stand-up comedy is clearly not for me).

If you do care about SCA accreditations, as I know a lot of coffee lovers do, you'll be more inclined to go with the Moccamaster. The KGBV Select has been SCA-accredited since the latter's advent in 2017, but the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer isn't yet accredited.

Moccamaster KGBV Select & Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer: So how does it taste?

The Moccamaster KGBV Select and Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer both make a rich, comforting, delicious brew with zero silt or bitterness. I would have no qualms recommending either of these machines for serious coffee lovers or newcomers alike.

There are a few main differences in flavor, though. Take a look at these two photos.

The SGC Plastic-Free Brewer has a "Bloom" function, whereas the Moccamaster does not. In simple terms, this function steeps the coffee in water before pushing more water through for a full brew. This allows the coffee to grow more complex and can bring out nuanced flavors in the beans.

As a result, the SGC flavor is a little more juicy and what I would describe as "coffee-snob" territory. The Moccamaster tastes divine, don't get me wrong, but it brews a cup I would associate with "I'm a real coffee drinker because I drink my coffee black" memes.

I know people take water distribution seriously, so here's a comparison shot of the Moccamaster and Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer filter baskets post-brew.

Honestly, there's no better or worse here. Both machines brew a delicious cup. I would be happy with either of these in my apartment. The Moccamaster is pure, classic coffee, and the SCG is a little more pure, classic coffee wearing a beanie hat and a flannel.

I would choose the Moccamaster over the SCG purely for the lifetime repairs (and, well, because the SCG isn't actually sold in the U.K. yet), but you wouldn't be disappointed with either.

Which brew appeals to you? Moccamaster or SGC? Let me know in the comments and stay tuned for next Monday's The Coffee Lab, on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

More from Tom's Guide

• Overwhelmed by coffee jargon? Here are the 5 key espresso terms you need to know
• 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

I’m a firm believer that having one of the best blenders is the easiest way to level up your cooking at home, and squeeze in some extra nutrients. That means you need a blender that can cope with even the toughest ingredients. The Nutribullet Power Core does just that.

The Power Core costs less than $100, yet provides incredibly impressive performance and is easy to use. The large capacity means you can work in large batches, and the maintenance of the blender is really simple too.

Unfortunately, it’s extremely loud, and the motor creates a lot of airflow in your workspace. The limited speed settings could also put some users off, but I think it’s more than enough for home use. To find out more, you can keep reading this full Nutribullet Power core review.

Nutribullet Power Core review: Specs

Nutribullet Power Core review: Price & availability

The Nutribullet Power Core is available from Amazon U.S. for $99 and Amazon U.K. for £99. This is an incredibly affordable blender, but that's not unheard of from Nutribullet. In fact, they make some of the most affordable high-performance blenders, including the Nutribullet Smart Touch for $99 and the Nutribullet Pro 900W for $84.

If you want the option of smaller capacity blends, look at the Ninja Detect Power Pro with BlendSense for $179, which, like the Power Core, holds 72 ounces but comes with a 24-ounce single-serve cup.

For more control over blend speeds, check out the Tribest Backspin for $499, which has 12 speeds, or the Vitamix Ascent X2 for $549 with 10 variable speeds. In short, if you want more control, you need to pay more because you only get three speeds with the Nutribullet Power Core. That said, for everyday use, this is enough.

Nutribullet Power Core review: Design

The Nutribullet Power Core is a blender that will look good in any kitchen. It only comes in matte black, so if color matching all your appliances is a dealbreaker for you, this may not be the one (unless everything you own is black). But for most people, the simplistic design will be a win.

The jug has measurements up the side, so I found it easy to measure my ingredients as I went. The lid also has a small measuring cap that can be removed to add more ingredients, such as seasonings, as you blend. This was great for making things like dips.

Because of the large handle, the jug is very easy to hold and pour even when it’s full and heavy. Also, the spout makes pouring accurate, and I didn’t have any issues with spilled smoothies.

The blender uses a six-point stainless steel blade, and this was very effective even on tough ingredients like dates and seeds.

Controls

The Nutribullet Power Core is very easy to use. All of the button controls are at the front of the machine, and since it’s so cheap, it’s very basic. For me, this is great because I don’t think blending needs to be complicated.

The power button is in the middle, and to the left you’ll find a smoothie preset and a pulse button. To the right, there are three buttons for low, medium, and high-speed blending.

Nutribullet Power Core review: Blending performance

To test the blending performance of the Nutribullet Power Core, I carried out my usual tests and made a smoothie, sorbet, and hummus. When blending, the noise level reached a high of 101 decibels. This is around the volume you can expect from a lawnmower, and according to Hearing Loss USA, “anything above 85 decibels can damage the small hair cells in your ears and affect your hearing health.”

This is very loud, even for a large blender. In comparison, the Vitamix Ascent X2 reaches about 81 decibels. I would seriously recommend using a pair of Loop earplugs if you’re using this blender often.

That’s not the only thing — the motor base also creates a lot of wind. If it wasn’t for the powerful suction cups keeping it stable on my countertop, I’m pretty sure this thing would have taken flight. It blew around containers and papers on my countertop, which was just plain annoying.

Also, since the jug is so big, it would have been great to have a tamper so ingredients could be directed toward the blades when it wasn’t as full. I ended up having to push the sides down with a spoon intermittently.

Smoothie

I added a bag of berry smoothie mix, dates, sunflower seeds and oat milk to the blender and used the smoothie preset for blending. This did a great job of quickly dealing with frozen ingredients and mincing the sunflower seeds finely.

I was most impressed by how the blender handled the dates, as their naturally sticky texture often clogs blender blades and leaves chunks behind. There was some texture from the fruit seeds, but I was left with a smooth drink, and the blades didn’t clog. For $99, this is an extremely impressive blender.

Sorbet

Next, I blended up a sorbet. This allowed me to see how the blender would perform with frozen ingredients without adding liquid. I added a bag of frozen mango that had been thawed for 10 minutes. I used the medium-speed setting, stopping to push the mango down from the sides intermittently.

Since this is a thicker consistency than the smoothie, I spent a lot of time getting the mixture off the side walls of the blender. The mixture was mostly smooth with a few rogue chunks of mango, but it was good enough for what I needed.

Hummus

Finally, I whipped up a quick hummus — and I mean quick. I added two cans of chickpeas, lemon juice and some seasonings to the blender and used the pulse setting as I slowly added extra virgin olive oil. This only took a couple of minutes.

I was very impressed with the results. I had a mostly smooth dip with only a few whole chickpeas. For the price, I couldn’t ask for more.

Nutribullet Power Core review: Storage & maintenance

Taking care of the Nutribullet Power Core couldn’t be simpler. Everything is dishwasher-safe apart from the motor base. This meant I could just pop the whole jug and lid into the dishwasher and give the motor base a quick wipe down with a cloth. To clean the jug by hand, use detergent and a soft sponge, but be very careful with the blades at the bottom.

You need to be prepared for it to take up a lot of space on your countertop, or potentially a whole shelf in your cupboard. It measures 15.5 x 7.8 x 7.5 inches and weighs 7.5 pounds. The 72-ounce jug detaches from the motor base for cleaning and easier storage.

Nutribullet Power Core review: Verdict

The Nutribullet Power Core is an incredibly affordable blender that delivers impressive performance for under $100. This easy-to-use blender made mixing up large batches of my favorite smoothies, sorbets, and dips an absolute breeze. It completely blended even the toughest ingredients like dates, seeds and frozen fruit, leaving no chunks behind. It’s a must if you need a big blender on a budget, and it’s dishwasher-safe, so very easy to maintain.

However, you’ll need to protect your hearing with some earplugs because it gets incredibly noisy. I’d argue it’s louder than should be possible for a blender. The motor also generates a lot of air, making the surrounding workspace insanely windy.

With only three speeds, some users may feel limited, but for casual blenders, this is more than enough. For reliable and impressive results on a budget, this blender is a great choice.

When I tested the original Casabrews Ultra last year, I was perplexed. It has a PID controller and a built-in timer for under $349? And it doesn’t look overly plasticky or feel flimsy? How? Some major boiler issues, that’s how. Thankfully, these issues have been sorted out on its successor, the Casabrews Ultra Pro, released in July 2026.

So is this enough to make it one of the best espresso machines? Hmm — not if you’re serious about your coffee. While it’s a good entry-level model with premium features like a customizable PID controller and has a built-in timer, its weak steam wand and habit of burning espresso holds me back from recommending it fully.

But might it be worth the $349 price tag? To get the full story, keep reading this Casabrews Ultra Pro review.

Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Specs

Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Price & availability

The Casabrews Ultra Pro is $349 from Amazon U.S. At time of writing, it’s not available in the U.K.

For a Casabrews machine, this is a pretty premium price. I mean, you can probably tell from the name, right? They don’t call it the “Ultra Pro” for no reason. I tested the original Ultra last year and liked it, but it had some flaws, like a weak steam wand and boiler issues. More on that later, but I didn’t experience the same boiler problems.

The $349 asking price is a little too steep for this machine. When you can get the $299 Breville Bambino, PID controller and customizable pre-infusion included, or the $499 Breville Bambino Plus, there’s not a lot of wiggle room.

Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Design

The new Casabrews Ultra Pro looks pretty identical to the original Ultra. I liked the original version, so I like the new version. I didn’t notice any tarnishing issues this time around, so I’m glad to see Casabrews has improved on that; however, there’s still no water tank alert on the screen.

Speaking of the screen, I love it, and it’s by far the best feature on this machine. You don’t have to scrabble with a coffee scale timer anymore. Of course, you still need a coffee scale to ensure you’re getting the proper 36g espresso out, but forget that timer function. It’s redundant to you now. The Ultra Pro times your shot for you — and it’s reliable, every single time.

The screen has a few more capabilities: it shows you the double or single shot, hot water, and steam wand functions. That’s it, but I’m not mad about it. All I need is that sweet, sweet timer function, and I’m happy.

Like the previous model, the Ultra Pro utilizes a steam button rather than a dial, which is good if you need a low-effort machine.

Also like the previous machine, there’s a nice little groove on the top so you can store your tamper. I liked this feature as much as I like the 58mm portafilter basket. This is the coffee-snob standard, so is ideal for getting higher-quality aftermarket accessories… which you will need to purchase, as the Ultra Pro doesn’t come with a milk jug. Many Casabrews machines omit the milk jug, which I’m not a fan of. It’s so stingy. It’s literally a milk jug. All Breville machines come with a milk jug, but the $149 De’Longhi Stilosa doesn’t.

Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Espresso

I didn’t experience any boiler issues while using the Ultra Pro. On the previous version, it took ages for the machine to switch between milk and espresso. The Ultra Pro makes strange clicking noises after brewing espresso, but I was always able to get the steam wand up and running in a few seconds.

Despite these successes, I have a few espresso-related qualms with the Casabrews Ultra Pro. Casabrews claim “this espresso machine ensures consistent 9-bar extraction”, which isn’t true. I know it isn’t true because the Ultra Pro has an LCD screen that literally displays the bar pressure during extraction.

Not once did the bar pressure number stay the same. It fluctuated from 3 to 7 to 9 to 15 at one point, and down and up again throughout extraction. I know pressure is supposed to increase from low to 9-bar during infusion, but it’s not supposed to go back down when only 5g has extracted.

This is not a consistent 9-bar extraction. Casabrews kind of shot itself in the foot here. Why include a digital “manometer” (quotation marks necessary there) only for it to tell on itself?

Despite what Casabrews says on its website, there also doesn’t seem to be a solenoid valve, as all my pucks came out wet. Now I’ve grown accustomed to my Bambino Plus’s solenoid valve, I’m not sure I can ever go back. Cleanup is so much easier with dry pucks.

Here’s a photo of an espresso I made on the Casabrews Ultra Pro.

I wasn’t a huge fan of this espresso. It tasted burnt and overextracted, despite extracting in 25 seconds. This is the “ideal” extraction time. It didn’t pour too quickly or too slowly, meaning it wasn’t over- or under-extracted.

However, perhaps I’m simply too picky. I gave my colleagues many coffees made on the Casabrews Ultra Pro, and the feedback ranged from “really nice actually” to “a nice fruitiness”.

There’s also the (customizable) PID controller (temperature controller to prevent burnt or weak brews) to mention. This is better than Breville’s entry-level models, which have a non-programmable PID. You can easily adjust the brew temperature in intervals from 194°F to 204°F. This is great to see on a cheaper machine.

Finally, there’s a cold brew mode. Here’s a photo of said cold brew.

The cold brew was bright and juicy, but quite astringent. It took 101 seconds to brew 160ml. I wouldn’t use this again, but it’s good if you like juicy, sharp flavors and you’re on a time crunch.

If you’re what you’d consider a “coffee snob”, this machine might not be the one for you. In that case, I’d recommend the aforementioned Breville Bambino or Breville Bambino Plus. You may even want to go for the $499 Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro, which has no PID controller but is a coffee nerd goldmine.

Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Milk

My biggest issue with the Casabrews Ultra was the weak steam wand. Seeing as Casabrews fixed the boiler issues, I hoped the steam wand weakness would have been fixed, too.

Unfortunately, I was wrong. It still takes a whole minute to steam half a jug of milk, and said milk is unevenly aerated. I found my milk separated into layers immediately after finishing steaming. I also struggled to obtain the ideal “vortex” while steaming, which is the marker of a low-quality steam wand.

As you can see, the latte art is squashed. This is because the foam wasn’t integrated into the milk, so when I poured, it separated into layers. This is not what I’d want to see.

The De’Longhi Stilosa, Breville Bambino, and Breville Bambino Plus don’t suffer from this issue, so I’d recommend grabbing one of those instead if you value latte art. Even the Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus ($499)’s auto steam wand is better, if you can afford the extra $150 (but you get a grinder).

Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Storage & maintenance

The Ultra Pro is just 13 inches deep and 12 inches tall, which makes it a mid-sized espresso machine. While considerably larger than the 7-inch-wide Breville Bambino and the 5-inch wide Casabrews 3700 Essential, it’s nowhere near as massive as the frankly Titanic Breville Oracle Dual Boiler ($3,000, 18 inches tall).

Obviously, still check it will fit in your kitchen, but it’s not a large model, as far as espresso machines go.

In terms of cleaning, well, Casabrews doesn’t provide you with any accessories, unlike Breville and De’Longhi. You’ll need to buy backflush tablets and descaler yourself, which is around $20 for a huge bottle on Amazon.

In terms of warranty, it’s also pretty slim pickings here. Casabrews offers just one year, while Breville, De’Longhi, and Ninja offer two as standard.

Casabrews Ultra Pro review: Verdict

I gave the Casabrews Ultra Pro 3 stars. Yeah, I know. “You gave the Ultra 3.5 stars, so how does that work?” The most egregious issue — the steam wand — has not been fixed. Even though Casabrews has had time to fix this, it didn’t, hence the lower rating this time around. Do I think the Ultra Pro is worth $349? No. No I do not.

When you can get the Casabrews CM5148 Pro for $199 — PID controller included — I really cannot see why the Ultra Pro is so much more expensive. The on-screen timer is a nice addition, but is it worth an extra $150? I think not.

So while I’m sure you won’t be majorly disappointed by the Ultra Pro, I simply can’t recommend it when there are similar machines for cheaper, or much better machines for a little extra. Treat yourself to the $499 Breville Bambino Plus or Gaggia Classic E24 Evo Pro, or save a little and get the Breville Bambino or Casabrews CM5418 Pro. It’s a no-brainer.

Ever since my dad got a fancy espresso machine, I’ve dreamed of brewing my own crema-topped coffee at home. But most at-home, coffee makers don’t offer this feature — unless you want to pay hundreds of dollars and sacrifice a large chunk of your kitchen’s counter space.

When I saw that Keurig was coming out with the K-Crema, I wondered if it could be a good lower-cost option to my dad’s top-of-the-line model.

Ultimately, the K-Crema brews a tasty cup of coffee with a layer of foamy crema on top. It might not stack up to an espresso shot from a pricier machine or a coffee shop, but for those of us who want to save money while still enjoying a delicious shot of coffee, the K-Crema is a decent pick.

Read this Keurig K-Crema review to find out how it performed over several weeks in my kitchen, and why I think this is a top pick in the Keurig coffee maker lineup.

Keurig K-Crema review: Price and availability

The Keurig K-Crema is available for $219 at Keurig and Amazon. You can also buy it at Target, Kohl’s, Walmart, and other major retailers. Plus, the machine is available in a single color: Black.

You can use any K-Cup pod in the K-Crema, though mine came with Global Trek medium roast pods. The machine doesn’t come with a reusable pod, but you could buy one and use your own coffee if you prefer. For this review, I stuck with the provided K-Cups.

Keurig K-Crema review: Design

After initially unboxing the Keurig K-Crema, the first thing I noticed was its size. It’s bigger than your basic Keurig machine, like the K-Slim or the K-Mini, yet smaller than most coffee machines.

The K-Crema has a removable water reservoir that sits to the right of the machine, making it wider than some other single-brew coffee machines. But the reservoir was easy to fill: simply pick it up using the handle, fill it with water, and pop it back.

The K-Crema has six size options, from a single shot to a 12-ounce brew. The “Pressure” button brews coffee at five times the pressure of a standard cup, resulting in a silky layer of crema. That’s what sets the machine apart from other Keurigs, but can it justify the higher price tag?

Keurig K-Crema review: Performance

To determine whether or not the Keurig K-Crema is a good buy, I put it to the test in my kitchen over several weeks. I timed each drink setting and took the temperature of multiple cups to gauge the average hotness of a cup of coffee.

Here’s how the Keurig K-Crema performed:

These brew times are comparable to other Keurig machines, though it was interesting to note that the machine brewed faster when I used the pressure setting. Coffee temperature was a little colder than I expected, especially for the shot and double-shot sizes.

I measured brew temps from a low of 163 degrees to a high of 174 degrees. Experts recommend a water temperature of 195 to 205 degrees for the best-testing coffee, but that’s not realistic from a single-serve machine like the Keurig K-Crema.

Noise-wise, I measured a high of 68 decibels for both the Classic and Pressure settings, with an average in the 50 to 60 decibel range. That’s considered to be in the moderate range — and since the machine brews most sizes in under two minutes, it’s unlikely to cause much disruption.

Now for the most important factor: taste. My only prior experience of a crema machine is in my dad’s kitchen, where he has a fancy (and expensive) espresso machine. I didn’t expect the K-Crema to measure up, yet I was still pleasantly surprised by the taste of the resulting cup.

In the past, I’ve found K-Cups to taste too weak or artificial, but the Global Trek pods I tested were just right. I liked the addition of the crema, though it didn’t quite hold up when I mixed in milk and sugar.

Keurig K-Crema review: Comparison

The Keurig K-Crema is a solid single-serve coffee maker, but how does it compare to other Keurig models? I have previously tested the K-Mini Mate, and the K-Crema definitely brews a superior cup. But it comes at a cost: The Keurig K-Mini Mate costs $59.99, compared to $219.99 for the K-Crema.

You might also consider the Keurig K-Cafe, which comes with a milk frother. This machine is ideal if you like coffee drinks, like lattes and cappuccinos. But if you prefer to drink straight shots of espresso, the K-Crema is the right choice.

Ultimately, you’ll want to consider what you want out of your coffee machine. If you’ve always wanted an espresso machine but don’t want to spend the money, the Keurig K-Crema is a good budget-friendly option.

Keurig K-Crema review: Verdict

If you’re looking for an affordable coffee maker that can brew a decent cup of coffee or a shot of creamy espresso, I recommend looking into the Keurig K-Crema. While it doesn’t quite measure up to the expensive espresso machines on the market, it’s available for a fraction of the price, and the resulting coffee is smooth and enjoyable.

It’s the ideal middle ground for someone who wants to brew coffee drinks at home, but isn’t ready to commit to an espresso machine.

As a tea-drinking Brit, I have big opinions on kettles, and the Dualit Design Series Kettle is a good option for most people’s homes. It has an aesthetic stainless steel design which is easy to maintain with regular cleaning. It has good heat retention and is easy and accurate to pour with.

Unfortunately, though, the window design makes it hard to read the measurements when filling the kettle. The boiling is also a little slow when compared to other kettles.

To find out more about the kitchen appliance, you can keep reading this full Dualit Design Series Kettle review.

Dualit Design Series Kettle review: Specs

Dualit Design Series Kettle review: Price & availability

The Dualit Design Series Kettle is available to purchase from Amazon U.S. for $178 or directly from the Dualit online store for $179. You can also purchase the kettle in the U.K., where it’s called the Dualit Architect Kettle.

The kettle has a stainless steel finish, but you can purchase interchangeable panels for the bottom section from the Dualit store to make it your own. These include the colors Shadow, Metallic Silver, Copper, Brass, Evergreen and Eucalyptus.

Dualit also sells the Classic Kettle for $249, which is more of a fashion statement than a standard kettle. Its curved shape is much more interesting than the Design Series — the irony is not lost on me.

But you don’t need to spend the best part of $200 for a good kettle. I have also tested the Cosori Electric Glass Kettle, which, while not as dashing, is a fraction of the price at just $27. And honestly, it does just as good a job as the Design Series Kettle — you just have to be willing to put up with the odd leak while pouring, which isn’t a worry with the Dualit.

While the Dualit has a Pure pour spout to ensure zero leaks when pouring, if you need even more precision for drinks such as pour-over coffee, you may want to consider a gooseneck kettle such as the Fellow Stagg EKG for $165. If you take your brews seriously, I’d recommend the Fellow over the Dualit.

Dualit Design Series Kettle review: Design & features

The Dualit Design Series Kettle is certainly eye-catching. It measures 9.4 x 8.6 x 5.5 inches, weighs 3.2 pounds, and has a reflective surface that will have you checking out your hair while the water boils.

It can boil a maximum capacity of 1.5 liters, enough for six cups. However, you’ll find yourself playing a guessing game when filling it because of the design and positioning of the measurement window. The window has a fish-eye effect, warping the water as you peer through, and it sits directly in line with the handle, so you need to look around that too.

The handle extends down most of the body, making it easy to hold. At the top of the handle there’s a button to release the flat, hinged lid. This means you can open it without touching it, but to close it you’ll need to push it down. If you’ve already boiled the kettle once, be wary as this part can get very hot.

The power switch is just below the handle at the base. This base is very cohesive with the rest of the kettle — it looks like one whole unit with the kettle on top. It has a three-foot power cord, so it is best set up near a power outlet. If you need to make this shorter, you can store the excess in the base.

Dualit Design Series Kettle review: Performance

I have to say, when testing the Dualit Design Series Kettle, I was a little confused. After testing the Dualit Classic Kettle, I was impressed at how fast it boiled the water. It boiled five cups in just two minutes and 35 seconds. The Design Series Kettle took three minutes and 11 seconds — a stark difference.

All of my testing conditions were the same, so if you want an appliance that won’t have you waiting around all day, spring for the more expensive Classic. You may be spending a little extra, but hey, you’ll get to enjoy life with your fresh brew instead of staring into your lifeless eyes in the kettle’s reflection as the water boils for an extra minute. Just me? Well, as a tea-drinking Brit, by the time I’ve made my daily quota, all of those minutes add up.

I measured the temperature of the water immediately after boiling and got a reading of 209.3ºF/98.5ºC. This was very slightly cooler than the 210ºF/99.3ºC reading I got from the Classic Kettle. But the Design Series holds heat pretty well. After an hour, I got a reading of 161.1ºF/71.7ºC. So, if you wanted to reboil the water, you won’t be waiting for the full *checks notes* three minutes and 53 seconds — yikes.

Pouring with the kettle is a dream. If you’re a little shaky when pouring, I would fully recommend this kettle. I encountered no spillages. And the water went exactly where I needed it to. It can be a little heavy when you fill it to the top, so I only ever filled it about halfway so I could still use it with ease.

The kettle isn’t too loud either, and gave me a reading of 76dB on the Decibel X app.

Dualit Design Series Kettle review: Storage & maintenance

The Dualit Design Series is a kettle, and as such, this is a generally straightforward affair. It’s easy to maintain; you’ll just find yourself wiping down the exterior more than your usual kettle given its reflective nature.

If you live in a hard water area, you’ll also need to descale the kettle regularly. You can purchase descaling tablets for this or use natural methods such as lemon juice or baking soda. The spout of the kettle also has a removable limescale filter which is easy to remove, clean, and refit.

Dualit Design Series Kettle review: Verdict

The Dualit Design Series Kettle is undeniably good-looking. The stainless steel finish is slick and will fit in with any kitchen. The kettle is also easy to maintain (if you don’t mind wiping it down a lot). It has good heat retention and is very easy to pour with. There were absolutely zero drips thanks to the Pure pour spout.

Unfortunately, it’s tricky to tell where the water has been filled up to because of the poor window design, and boiling is a little slow. It took a whole minute longer to boil the same volume of water as the Dualit Classic Kettle.

If sleek looks are your priority, this is a great kettle, but $178 is a lot of money to spend on a kettle that takes so long to boil.

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

Founded in 1956, Tefal is a major brand in the kitchen and dining market, renowned for its non-stick pots, pans and home appliances. More recently, though, Tefal has entered into the realm of floorcare with its wet-and-dry vacuums, otherwise known as the X-Clean line.

The latest entry is the Tefal X-Clean 7, which debuted earlier this year. The machine is touted as able to clean hard floors faster with 20,000Pa suction power and weighing just 1.9lbs / 0.9 kg in the hand.

I was particularly intrigued by the brand's foray into floorcare, as it is synonymous with great kitchen appliances and cookware — I swear by my Tefal Non-Stick Fry pan — so the move felt left-of-field. However, there are only so many pans, pots and cooking utensils one company can make, and the brand prides itself on innovation, so it's only fair to switch things up. (And spoiler alert: the X-Clean 7 adds another good impression on the brand's name.)

As someone whose home features predominantly hardwood floors, which are regularly covered in muddy pawprints and kitty litter, I am no stranger to floorwashers. And after reviewing a few floorwashers and consequently ditching my mop bucket for the wet-dry life, I knew I was well placed to take on this review. But could the X-Clean 7 tackle stubborn stains, puppy accidents and everyday maintenance of my hard floors? I tested it for three months to find out.

Tefal X-Clean 7 review: Price and availability

In Australia, where I'm based, the Tefal X-Clean 7 retails at AU$799. At the time of writing, it has been discounted at various retailers to AU$599, including on Tefal's website. In the U.K., it retails for £449. Unfortunately, it is currently not available in the U.S. The Tefal X-Clean 7 sits in the mid-range price bracket for floorwashers, fitting snugly between most Tineco and Dreame models.

Tefal X-Clean 7 review: Design

After reviewing several floorwashers, I can confidently say this is the lightest one I've ever used. Weighing only 1.9lbs / 0.9kg in the hand, the Tefal X-Clean 7 is easy to push around, carry up stairs and get under furniture with its 180° lay-flat design. However, when both water tanks are full (the dirty tank holds 17 fl oz / 500ml and the clean tank holds 22 fl oz / 650ml), the weight does, of course, increase.

Tefal's design mimics newer floorwashers of late, with a flush-sitting clean water tank atop the brush roller and the dirty tank located at the front of the machine. Tefal's machine eliminated a gripe I had while testing the Tineco S9 Artist Pro, as the opening for the clean water tank sits on top, rather than the side. This caused fewer leaks — you'll always have a small leak if the tank is too full when closing — but I had no issues with it leaking on the floor or during transit. Optionally, you can also purchase Tefal's cleaning solution for the clean water tank, but it's not necessary.

There's a round LED screen above the dirty water tank that displays battery life, cleaning modes and system alerts. The screen has an always-on setting and displays charging and battery life when on the dock. There are two accompanying buttons on the handle — the power button and the mode button, which cycle through the cleaning functions — above the LED screen, alongside the self-cleaning button at the very top of the handle. There's also a voice assistant — which can be switched on and off using a button on the back of the device — that provides alerts. I always knew which mode I was using, how much battery was left and when I needed to clean the dirty water tank.

However, I found the voice assistant was a bit limited in its responses (more on that later) and was rather loud during my first few uses. There is a volume button on the side of the device, and if you're sensitive to noise, I'd suggest cranking it down (or turning it off entirely).

There are three modes on the X-Clean 7: Auto, Max and Eco. If you're not sure which one to use, I'd suggest opting for Auto to begin with, as the X-Clean 7 will automatically detect dirt and adjust water flow and suction power to clean your floors. As per the manual, Max mode is for very dirty surfaces, with maximum suction and water flow levels, and Eco mode is for moderately dirty floors, with medium suction and water flow.

While cleaning in any mode, the X-Clean 7 uses 20,000Pa suction power and claims to deliver up to 50 minutes of runtime in Eco mode and up to 27 minutes in Max mode. Both of these claims are pretty standard for floorwashers. The X-Clean 7's roller also comes with an anti-tangle comb, which uses 164 metallic teeth to prevent any tangles.

The X-Clean 7 also offers great maneuverability, thanks to some seriously speedy self-propulsion. It's similar to an electric bike or e-scooter — it won't drive itself, but it can give you noticeable assistance when removing tough stains without overexerting yourself. The wheels are super durable and have a great range of motion for getting under furniture and into all the nooks and crannies of your home. Plus, when completely flat, it measures at 13cm high, so it'll easily fit under most couches or tables. It'll even light up any hidden dust bunnies, thanks to a strip of seriously bright LEDs on the front of the brush head.

Additionally, the box also contains the dock, a cleaning brush, an extra brush roller, and a new filter for the used water tank. You'll need to set up the dock before use, as it charges the device and runs the self-cleaning and drying programs. Do keep in mind that the dock requires a fair amount of floor real estate, so you'll need a dedicated room (or cupboard) for it.

Tefal X-Clean 7 review: Performance

Over the past three months, I've used the Tefal X-Clean 7 daily on my hardwood floors and tiles in my home. It's helped clean up everyday messes in the kitchen, including spilt coffees, as well as the occasional accident of my not-fully-housetrained puppy. The X-Clean 7 has excelled in every situation it faced.

Before the first use, I popped it onto the dock, and it took 3.5 hours to reach a full battery. After charging, I put it to the test with some (inconveniently) spilled coffee in my kitchen after missing my cup while making my morning brew. And sure enough, Auto mode easily sucked it up without worry. It left a slightly damp patch in its wake; however, it was much less damp than grabbing my mop and swirling it around (and making more of a mess).

After a few minutes, the floor was rather dry and fine to walk on, so I cleaned the rest of my kitchen and connected living room floors. These are the most high-traffic areas in my house, and my floors are often covered in muddy pawprints, crumbs and copious amounts of dog hair left behind by my two Border Collies. I easily cleaned the entire area within 15 minutes on Auto mode, and still had plenty of battery life to spare.

Case in point, our puppy, who hasn't fully taken to housetraining just yet, would have the occasional accident inside, and I found Max mode tackled pee puddles with ease. The maximum suction completely vacuumed up puddles without a trace. And if there was any dog hair lying around, the roller didn't tangle or have any blockages, with most stray hairs sitting in between the teeth of the metal comb. Not only that, I could easily take on any spilled liquids in two passes on Max mode and call it a day, which was very much a win in my book.

Sticky messes took some extra pushes, but overall, the Tefal X-Clean 7 could just as easily tackle a stuck sauce stain. It also did a commendable job of collecting kitty litter and smaller wet crumbs in all three modes.

That said, I didn't opt for Eco mode much — I largely used Auto or Max mode depending on what I needed to clean — but I did use it a few times on my tiled bathroom floors and in my shower when I didn't want to break out my mop. I didn't notice any major differences between Eco and Auto modes in this instance, but it's a nice mode to have if you're conscious of conserving the battery life.

I also don't own a mansion — rather a two-bed, two-bath apartment — and I could easily clean my hard floors in 15 minutes on Max mode, if not less. If you're mindful of which mode you use, you could easily clean your entire house on a single charge. That said, I did have to frequently refill the clean water tank after every second clean, as it is considerably smaller than other floorwashers I've used. This isn't a big drawback — even high-end models, like the Dyson Wash G1, have smaller water tanks — but if you have a bigger home, you may need to refill it more regularly.

The X-Clean 7 can leave a bit of streaking on darker floors, but it didn't bother me too much and would easily fade a day or two post-clean.

Tefal X-Clean 7 review: Ease of cleaning

Like other wet-dry vacuums, the Tefal X-Clean 7 requires regular cleaning and emptying of the water tanks to avoid odor and bacteria build-up. If you leave the voice assistant on, it will remind you to empty and clean the dirty water tank after each use and after a self-clean cycle.

However, I found the voice prompts aren't that detailed and will revert to using the same phrase for at least three manual cleaning tasks. In my case, the device would consistently alert me to empty the dirty water tank after emptying/self-cleaning, and wouldn't let me use the device. In most cases, I had emptied the tank, and the clean water tank was full, so in essence, it should have switched on just fine. However, some of these alerts meant I needed to clean the filter or the pipe underneath, rather than just empty the tank.

I'm not sure why the brand hasn't differentiated these tasks via the voice prompt — or at least provided a different alert on the LED screen — as they are completely different and largely separate from emptying the dirty water tank. Regardless, I just made sure to check all variables after each voice prompt from then on, as I couldn't rely on the machine just needing the dirty water tank emptied. However, this could be an issue with my particular unit and not impact all users.

Aside from this inconvenience, the self-cleaning and drying functions were easy enough to do by pressing the self-cleaning button on the handle. The self-clean function lasted about 3 minutes, and the dock rinsed the roller brush. Afterwards, the self-drying function dries the roller, and the whole process lasts around 30 minutes.

Tefal X-Clean 7 review: Verdict

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed by the Tefal X-Clean 7 for its powerful suction modes and lightweight maneuverability. It's easy to use, has speedy self-propulsion, and you won't wait long for your floors to dry after a clean. It can easily clean up spilled liquids, stuck-on stains and the occasional hair or crumb under its roller too, making it perfect for homes with pets or kids.

However, it could benefit from larger water tanks and an intuitive voice assistant with more detailed prompts. But if you regularly clean it and keep maintenance low by doing so, you'll have no trouble washing your hard floors with Tefal's X-Clean 7.

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.

The oil sizzled as I placed the scallops in the pan. On the counter next to me sat a tray of just-baked chocolate chip cookies, their aroma wafting through the air. In the oven, a tray of chicken thighs was slowly baking atop a mixture of Chinese vegetables, their juices infusing with the cabbage and boy choy beneath.

I was cooking it all on the Copper Charlie, an innovative induction stove that doesn’t require any special installation, thanks to a massive battery. And while it's an early adopter in the world of early adopters, it could represent the future of home appliances.

Renovation is the mother of necessity

I tested out the range in the Brooklyn apartment of Ted Booth, who switched from a traditional gas oven to the Copper about a year ago. At the time, his building was facing a million-dollar renovation bill to upgrade the ancient gas pipes leading into, and threading through, the entire 33-unit building.

Rather than forcing the entire building to front the cost of fixing each unit’s gas line, the condo board gave each owner an option to switch to an induction stove. However, most induction stoves require a 220-volt electric line — which would have meant an equally expensive bill.

But there was an alternative: the Copper induction stove. This range has a large battery in the bottom, where the warming tray would sit. Not only does this provide a steady source of energy, even when the power goes out, but it also allows the stove to use a regular 110-volt outlet, so you can plug it in almost anywhere.

“To me, it was an opportunity to get off gas,” Booth said. “And, you can call me a bit of an early adopter, so it appealed to me that way.”

Modern but retro

While the Charlie uses a very new type of technology, and has Wi-Fi and can be updated over the internet, it’s surprisingly low on connected features.

“I like how simple it is,” Booth said. “It's connected to the Wi-Fi, it has a battery, but it's the most analog experience I've had with a tech product. You have the little light indicator on the side, and the screen shows you what it's doing — it's 350 degrees. That's all you need to know. It's great. 
And then the two little switches for the light and convection.”

The cost of upgrading

The Copper Charlie isn’t cheap. The base model, with black plastic knobs, costs $6,000, while the model with black walnut knobs is $6,300. That’s more than twice as expensive as some popular models from LG and GE — though it should be noted the GE Cafe series can get up to $5,000.

The Charlie is not Energy Star-certified, so you can’t get any government rebates from that program, but there are several other local clean energy tax credits that can help ease the cost.

However, it did get the seal of approval from the New York City Housing Authority, which is installing 100 Copper Charlie stoves in apartments throughout the city as a pilot program for lower-income residents, as all city-owned apartment buildings get converted from gas to electric.

“There are so many families that haven't had the ability to cook for years because they had their utility to get the gas shut off,” said Lisa Pickney, a professional chef who created the Official Dessert of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, served on the Obama White House culinary team, and now works for Copper.

“And so they just gave them a hot plate and a rice cooker and a teapot.
And it's just not right. They can't make a Thanksgiving turkey. So that kind of broke my heart. And now they'll be able to have Thanksgiving and do proper cooking now.”

The Copper Charlie isn’t the only induction stove of its kind; a rival company, the Electra Induction Stove, works in much the same way. Rather than the lithium ion batteries you might find in your phone or electric scooter, these stoves use a lithium phosphate battery, which is more stable, and more suited for how it’s used with the stoves.

Now we're cooking

As I (well, mostly Lisa) were cooking, I was impressed with how fast the oven heated up. While I didn’t time it, the Copper Charlie seemed far shorter than my oven at home. Similarly, its cooktop element warmed up the pan in no time, and put a sear on the scallops as good as I’ve ever done on any range, gas or electric.

Booth said that his cooking game has improved since getting the Charlie. “I like to make a Spanish potato omelet,” he said. “I like it because you can get a really nice, low temperature, so it doesn't brown too quickly. With the gas, I could get a low flame, but then the heat doesn't distribute quite as well, and so it's like cooking more in one spot and less on the edges.”

Booth said he could no longer do the Mark Bittman trick of cooking a steak by placing a pan on the very bottom of the oven, but the Charlie proved its worth when the outlet behind the stove stopped working.

“At first, I was like, what are we gonna do?” he said. “It's gonna take a while to get an electrician to come, and then I was like, oh, no, wait, it's fine. We have an outlet behind that cluster of little appliances in the corner is a four-prong outlet with a GFCI. So I just plugged it into that.”

“That to me really proved to me how much power this draws, because we've got an Instapot, we've got a kettle, we've got an espresso machine. 
And we never had an issue, it never popped the GFCI.”

How it's working out

Ultimately, eleven owners in Booth’s building ended up getting a Copper Charlie. It proved to be more expensive than those who merely opted to replace their gas line, but Booth said it was worth the expense.

“We're gonna spend all this money for these pipes in the wall, and all I get is to get a blue flame?” he asks. ”I want something better than that.”

More from Tom's Guide

• I used an induction cooktop for the first time — here are 3 things I learned
• 5 mistakes I made when I switched to an induction cooktop
• We tested 3 portable induction cooktops from $50 to $1,500

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

The Gozney Arc XL is all the pizza oven most people will ever need. As you might’ve guessed from the name, it’s the larger variant of the Gozney Arc, which we’ve also reviewed and loved.

The Arc XL sits below Gozney’s Dome / Dome XL (Gen 2), which are enormous and can fit multiple pizzas on their dual stones. The Arc XL is intended for those without the enormous amounts of space and cash it takes to get to a Dome. Nevertheless, the Arc XL should be plenty for most home pizzaioli, and even small-time commercial ventures.

Running on gas, it offers high heat and stable temperatures, plus it’s easy to use thanks to the digital display and simple controls. It’s beautifully styled and made, and will be a complement to any patio or pizza shelter.

It isn’t perfect. The elephant in the room is the Arc XL’s high price. Gozney also makes its stones quite tricky to remove versus Ooni, which is a problem if you get the front of the stone (which doesn’t get very hot) messy.

But could this be the best outdoor pizza oven for you? Probably! Read my full Gozney Arc XL review to find out more.

Gozney Arc XL review: Specs

Gozney Arc XL review: Price & availability

The Gozney Arc XL isn’t cheap, costing $999 / £799, which is a sizable $300 / £200 more than the 14-inch standard Arc. Other than the extra 2-inch capacity, the ovens are pretty much the same, so it’ll just depend on how much larger pizzas mean to you.

Personally, I love cooking larger pies. It’s trickier, so more of a challenge, but when you get it right you can feed more people easily, so the XL will be better if you plan on cooking for multiple guests regularly.

The Arc XL’s main rival is the Ooni Koda 16, which cooks 16-inch pizzas, runs on gas and undercuts the Gozney by a healthy margin, costing $599 / £499. The Koda is lighter, uses Ooni’s folding leg system for easier storage, and features an L-shaped burner for wider flame dispersion and less rotating required during cooking. We awarded the Koda 16 our full five stars, and you can probably now see why — for the money, it’s difficult to beat.

Gozney Arc XL review: Design

The Gozney Arc XL looks beautiful, employing Gozney’s typically slick, neo-retro aesthetic. It looks straight out of a trendy London pizzeria, which is the point. It’s beautifully made and finished, with a high level of attention to detail, and feels built to last.

I wouldn’t say it’s any better or worse than an Ooni in this respect, so which manufacturer you pick will depend on whether you want the more luxurious styling of Gozney, or the more futuristic look of Ooni. That is unless you’re a commercial user — if you’ve got a pizza van or small kitchen to kit out, I think the round shape and flat base of the Gozney is more versatile than the Ooni Karu 16, with its oblong shape and tall legs.

The Arc XL is a behemoth, though, measuring 20.9 x 24.8 x 13.5 inches and weighing nearly 60 pounds, so you’ll want a second person on hand to help you set up. My wife was on vacation so I had no choice but to set the Arc XL up on my own, and very nearly put my back out getting it unboxed and onto the stand.

Colossal weight aside, setting the Arc XL up is very easy — you just remove the packaging and padding; pull the stone forward a fraction of an inch; put the metal flame guard in place; and put batteries (supplied) in the thermometer and digital dial. There’s a helpful quick start guide included to cover all this.

I was ready for the burn-in after about 10 minutes — burning in is something you must do with most pizza ovens before you can make pizza — although it actually took me around 5 days because I couldn't find any fuel in my area (it was peak summer).

Fuel

The Arc XL runs on propane gas. You can theoretically use butane, too, although Gozney doesn’t recommend it, and butane is less likely to work in colder temperatures. My Arc XL was supplied with a clip-on regulator for the patio gas canisters we get here in the U.K.

Something I love about multi-fuel ovens is that, if you’re out of gas, you can simply use wood or charcoal. It’s worth considering a multi-fuel oven like the Gozney Dome or Ooni Karu 2 Pro if you’d rather have that extra flexibility.

The Arc XL is fairly fuel-efficient and Gozney says a 28lb / 13kg canister should last around 30 hours. You’ll need as much efficiency as you can get, as the only way to easily clean the Arc XL is by burning it for three hours, which sucks, as I’ll touch on later.

Gozney Arc XL review: Accessories

Something many don’t understand before they buy their first pizza oven is that you need accessories. You can’t make a pizza without at least a launching peel and a turning peel. I tested Gozney’s 16-inch Pro Placement peel ($109) and Balance Turning peel ($89) and would highly recommend them both. Although, if you’re just starting out or are on a tight budget, you can find cheaper alternatives at Amazon, which will work just fine.

I would also recommend you buy an infrared thermometer for measuring stone temperature (the temperature on the Arc XL only measures ambient temperature, which won’t tell you precisely when the stone is ready for cooking). The Gozney infrared thermometer gun costs $49, which is similar to Ooni’s pricing.

Gozney also sells a variety of other accessories that I found exceptionally useful. Firstly, there’s the $49 dough tray, which I absolutely love. This tray features a thermometer to show you which type of proof (cold, warm, etc) your ambient conditions will result in, allowing you to tailor proof times. It also shows you when conditions are too warm, and features a bulk fermenting tray and a silicone insert for six dough balls (for up to 14-inch pizzas).

I’m also a huge fan of the Arc XL mantel ($119), which gives you a couple of inches of surface outside the oven mouth — enough space to safely turn food or leave your pizza to rest for a moment without burning while you find a board for it. And Gozney's $39 heat resistant gloves, which can stand up to 950F / 500C heat.

I also tested the Gozney Pizza Cutter ($44). My wife hated pizza cutters and always refused to use our other ones (choosing a knife or scissors instead). The Gozney cutter has converted her — thanks to its weight and sharp blade, it's much more stable and effective than cheaper cutters.

Gozney Arc XL review: Performance

The Gozney Arc XL performs like a professional pizza oven. The stone heats up to 750F / 400C in around 15-20 minutes, which is hot enough for Neapolitan-style pizza. Alternatively, you can cook other styles of pizza before then — low’n’slow pizzas like NY-style.

The thermometer gauge on the front of the oven is very useful to give you an idea of ambient temperatures, which dictate how quickly the upper sections of your pizza will cook (although the cooking of your toppings will also be affected by the size and intensity of the gas flame).

Annoyingly, the temperature gauge turns itself off after a while — on a few occasions I turned back to the gauge while cooking to check temperatures, only to find it switched off. I get that this is to save battery, but it’s really annoying.

The Arc XL is very predictable thanks to running on gas, and you have a high level of control over the flame size by twisting the control knob on the front.

You’ll need to cook a few pizzas and get used to the temperature of the oven, and to get a feel for how to adjust your flame while cooking. Once you’ve got it down, though, you can cook a Neapolitan pizza in just a minute or two.

I cooked a variety of pizzas, from 12-inch through to 16-inch bases, in Neapolitan and NY styles. On several occasions, I cooked for groups of six. The Arc XL handled it all beautifully. Thanks to the large 16-inch stone, you can cook bigger pizzas to feed multiple people, so you don’t need to spend the entirety of a pizza party churning out 12-inch pies for each person.

It’s very easy to burn larger 16-inch pies, as they sit so close to the flame. This means that you’ll want to turn them early, which can cause rips in the dough and an awful mess. This happened on a few occasions for me — to avoid this, ensure the stone is at least 750F / 400C before launching, so pizza bases cook very quickly.

I also cooked large garlic flatbreads, as well as sides like charred broccoli spears and caramelized roasted carrots. The stone also gets hot enough to sear steaks and meat, so it’s a highly versatile oven.

Gozney Arc XL review: Storage & maintenance

My one major gripe with the Arc XL is how difficult the stone is to remove. Without buying a removal kit, you’ll need to tip the oven on its side and support the stone out — a two-person job, which also involves removing the oven from any stand or base you have it fastened to.

This is infuriating if you make a mess. Gonzey’s advice is to burn the oven for 3 hours to clean it (wasting gas), which works, but only on the middle and rear of the stone. The front never gets hot enough to self-clean, so if you make a mess there when launching or removing a failed launch, you can’t clean it properly without a lot of hassle. You can scrape most mess off when cool, but not everything. And besides, food still gets stuck between the stone and the oven lip.

I love that Ooni’s stones are much easier to remove, so you can take them out and properly clean them up. As I mentioned before, this also means you don’t need to waste hours of gas just to clean. Gozney should include a stone removal kit with every oven.

Gozney also recommends burning the oven for several hours to clean soot from the roof, which is just ridiculously wasteful. I just waited for it to cool and cleaned with a dry cloth. Maintenance is otherwise very simple — just wipe down the exterior parts when cool.

Storage is as you’d expect for such a huge cooker: you’ll need a fair bit of space. I’d recommend Gozney’s Arc + Arc XL stand ($299), which features fold-away ledges, storage hooks, and wheels to move the oven to and from position. It’s also important to cover the oven and keep it safe from the elements — Gozney sells covers for this (including a cover that goes over the whole stand).

Gozney Arc XL review: Verdict

The Gozney Arc XL is a fantastic pizza oven. With its large 16-inch stone, you can cook big pizzas for multiple people and simplify your pizza parties. It’s easy to use, beautiful to behold and built to last. And most importantly, it makes fantastic pizza.

There are a couple of things to consider. First, it’s pricey — you can get the rival Ooni Karu 16 for much less money, which is better than the Arc XL in almost every way. Secondly, the stone is tricky to remove, which makes the Arc XL trickier to clean than Ooni ovens.

If you’re willing to overlook those flaws, though, as I have, then I’ve no hesitation in recommending the Arc XL to small commercial and home pizzaioli.

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

At the start of the year, I upgraded our household blender from a regular non-brand contraption we picked up at the local Aldi to a Nutribullet Ultra 1200. The benefits were that it was easier to clean, looked a lot nicer, and blends your ingredients straight into the shaker you can drink from.

Over six months later, I decided to return to the pair of them (we haven't got rid of the old one; it's good to have a spare) to put a little bit more testing on the table.

Part of this, I admit, is due to selfishly wanting to mix up my smoothie game. I'm guilty of going back to the same old recipe time and time again and, with summer here, I'm feeling the need for a change.

Secondly, although I swapped to the Nutribullet without a second thought — was I giving my old blender its due? What if I fed both machines the exact same ingredients and measured them directly in a head-to-head? Which would really come out on top?

There are a ton of things the Nutribullet does better: it's objectively smaller, lighter, simpler to use and comes with a better warranty. But I was surprised at a couple of outcomes from this experiment if I'm being totally honest. I'll spoil the big one for you now: I couldn't tell the difference when it came to tasting the final product.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Read on to discover just what I found out from my budget vs. premium experiment.

The recipe

The wonderful thing about smoothies is they're uncomplicated. Pick stuff you like, throw it inside one of the best blenders, and chances are it'll come out alright. But this test had to be scientific, so here are the exact ingredients I used with both machines:

100g strawberries (~1 cup, yields a thick texture and rich color)

50g ripe banana (~1/2 medium banana, sliced)

100g strawberry flavored Greek yogurt (~½ cup)

180ml milk (~¾ cup)

1 tbsp of honey

Note that both of these machines are blenders and not bespoke juicers. Here's a complete rundown of the differences, but in a nutshell, juicers squeeze and extract the juice from fruits and vegetables. A juicer breaks down the fruit by separating the pulp, peel/skin, and seeds from the fruit, as the juice flows out through a sieve.

Blenders, on the other hand, pulverize all of the ingredients together. Think of them as a sledgehammer rather than a scalpel.

The blend

Forget just throwing the above ingredients into the pot without a care. This is the process I followed with both blenders — just to make sure I did what I could to make the experiment fair.

• Add liquids and soft ingredients first: Pour in the milk and spoon in the Greek yogurt. Placing liquid at the bottom helps the blender blades turn smoothly without getting stuck on the fruit.
• Layer in solids and the fruit: Next in went the banana slices, chopped strawberries, and finally I added the honey.
• Blend on high power for 30 seconds (I used my trusty Casio stopwatch to make sure they each got the same time)
• Pour out and enjoy

The result

I appreciate you can't taste the results of my experiment through the screen, but as I said at the outset. I didn't notice any difference in taste in the final product. If pressed, I would say the $129 result was a fractionally smoother than the cheaper alternative. Maybe my smoothie chops aren't what they used to be, but my takeaway is that if all you're interested in is the consistency and the taste of the final result, the cheap option will do you proud.

Also despite costing more and supposedly being quieter (Nutribullet says 87dB), the more expensive blender was louder than the budget one. It's more powerful 1,200W vs 600W and that showed when the noise level just crested 100dB for the Nutribullet compared to 99dB for the Blaupunkt. I know this is nitpicking, but I still wanted to mention it.

The Nutribullet uses a 6-point titanium-coated extractor blade rather than a 4-point one in the $30 Blaupunkt. But it's also got a lower capacity (32oz vs 52oz), so if you're mixing smoothies for a family or to batch, that may play a factor. Those two elements come in clutch because there were definitely some lumps left in the bottom of the jug on the cheaper blender when I poured out the drink.

Whereas I put the contents into a glass for the sake of this article, normally I would just cap off the Nutribullet shaker and be on my way. Similarly, I cranked the Blaupunkt all the way to five on its antiquated knob rather than the simple on/off capacitive touch of the Nutribullet.

And, last but by no means least, cleaning the Nutribullet was a simpler, quicker affair than my old budget blender.

So, both got the job done — one just did it with a little more style than the other.

Final thoughts

This little experiment has reinforced what I felt about leveling up blenders back at the start of the year. When it comes to the nuts and bolts of the taste of the final product, there's no difference — at least for someone with my unrefined palate.

Moreover, I can put up with a bit of noise for 30 seconds, so the fact my Nutribullet was louder than advertised is also something I can overlook.

But, all the other aspects of using a blender were far superior with the more expensive model. I like that: a) it takes up less countertop space, b) it doesn't take as long to clean, c) it comes with a dedicated shaker for less fuss c) it genuinely just looks cooler and d) if it breaks, I can claim on the warranty for longer.

Are those advantages worth $100 more? For my current lifestyle: yes. If you'd have asked me years ago when I was a student watching every dime I spent, then probably no.

The lesson I learned here was that despite our constant fixation on the end result, there's more to choosing a product than what it delivers. Less destination, more journey.

Of course, what works for me might not work for you. I happen to value how easy and quick the Nutribullet is to use so that makes the extra $100 worth it. Do you agree or not? Let me know in the comments below.

More from Tom's Guide

• Masticating vs centrifugal juicer: Which is best?
• This is the best blender in the world, and two trusty, cheaper alternatives
• Juicer vs Blender: What's the difference?

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 Dualit Classic Kettle is a decent option for anyone looking to buy one of the best electric kettles and who wants a sleek design in their kitchen. It’s very quick to boil water and has great heat retention. The shape of the spout means that pouring is always reliable too, which is a real perk if you’ve ever experienced the annoyance of spilt boiling water.

However, it’s a bit pricey, and paying $249 for a kettle when you can pick one up for less than $30 from Walmart is a tall order. I also found the chrome finish picked up all kinds of watermarks and fingerprints, which was annoying, and it’s heavy to hold when pouring.

To find out more about my experience during testing, you can keep reading this full Dualit Classic Kettle review.

Dualit Classic Kettle review: Specs

Dualit Classic Kettle review: Price & availability

The Dualit Classic Kettle is available from Amazon U.S. for $249 and from Amazon U.K. for £159. The kettle comes in a variety of colors, including Chrome, Sandstone, Sage, Matt Black, Brass, Copper, Eucalyptus, Evergreen, Shadow and Damson. To check out all of these colors, you can head to the Dualit online store.

This kettle is on the pricier side, but it boils water impeccably quickly and has an undeniably sleek look. The Cosori Electric Glass Kettle is nearly ten times cheaper at $27, but it struggles with leaks while pouring, which the Dualit does not. I think it’s worth spending more on a kettle you know will be reliable to avoid any spillages.

If you want more control over your boiling to get the perfect temperature for your tea or coffee brewing, check out the Ninja Precision Temperature for $89. And for more control when pouring for things like pour-over coffee when using a Chemex, the $165 Fellow Stagg EKG gooseneck spout kettle is the way to go.

Dualit Classic Kettle review: Design & features

The Dualit Classic Kettle is more of a fashion statement than a home appliance. It’s incredibly eye-catching because of the intense shine from the polished chrome finish. But you need to love looking at yourself because while watching the water boil, I had a very clear reflection for company.

It measures 11.1 x 9.3 x 6.1 inches, so it’s the size of a traditional kettle, but a little taller than the Cosori Electric Glass Kettle. The Dualit weighs 3.5 pounds, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but when it’s filled with water, it gets heavy to hold.

The hinged lid at the top is very sturdy and takes a bit of a pull to open it. I didn’t experience any issues with leakage around the lid when pouring. The plastic window on the side is BPA-free and is clearly denoted with measurements in cups on one side and in Liters on the other.

The pour spout has a removable, washable limescale filter on the inside to make cleaning a little easier. There’s also a useful downward-facing lip to prevent drips from running down the body and making a mess.

The base of the kettle has a 3-foot power cord, which is a great length as it doesn’t get in the way on the counter. The base itself is quite chunky but looks very cohesive with the rest of the kettle. To prevent overheating, the kettle has a boil-dry safety cut-off.

Dualit Classic Kettle review: Performance

Overall, I was impressed with the performance of the Dualit Classic Kettle — you’d like to think so too, given the $249 price tag. The kettle has patented Whisper Boil for quieter operation, but at 63dB, it was around the same volume as the Fellow Stagg EKG and the Ninja Precision Temperature.

I was impressed by how quickly the kettle boiled water. When compared with the Cosori, it was much quicker. I tested the U.K. version of the Dualit Classic Kettle, which is rated at 3kW power, but the U.S. version is rated at 1.5kW, so boiling time may vary across the regions.

Immediately after boiling, the temperature read 210ºF/99.3ºC, just shy of the 212ºF needed for brewing a good cup of tea. I also took a reading of the water 30 minutes after boiling and was impressed by the 172ºF/78ºC result. This means the kettle can hold heat, so it requires less energy if you need to reboil soon after your initial use.

The kettle is accurate when pouring, and the shape of the spout avoids any drips or splashes. However, I found the kettle hard to hold when full, so it was a little difficult to manage when pouring, but when filled with only two or three cups, it wasn't too bad.

Dualit Classic Kettle review: Storage & maintenance

The Dualit is generally easy to maintain. You’ll often find yourself wiping down the exterior of the Dualit Classic Kettle with a cloth, since the polished chrome finish shows every fingerprint and watermark. I found this annoying as it made the kettle look a little unkempt.

If you live in a hard water area, you’ll also need to clean limescale out of the kettle regularly. You can use descaling tablets for this, or take a more natural approach with lemon juice. The limescale filter of the kettle is removable and washable, making it easy to clean regularly.

Dualit Classic Kettle review: Verdict

The Dualit Classic Kettle is a decent option for anyone with a modern kitchen looking for a fast way to boil water with a sleek design. The spout shape also means every pour is reliable with zero spills. I appreciate the heat retention of the kettle too, as it means I use less energy and spend less time waiting around if I need to reboil.

But some people (well, most people) are going to be put off by the $249 price tag when you can get comparable kettles that perform just as well for under $100, like the Cosori Electric Glass Kettle, so you’re paying for looks with the Dualit. Then again, those looks aren’t all that since you’ll spend a lot of time cleaning it because the chrome marks so easily.

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

Sometimes the best things in life are the simplest. Black coffee. A good cast iron. A classic kettle BBQ — maybe, say, the Weber Master-Touch. Do you need any more?

Where I live, in the U.K., with our tiny gardens, small houses and very reserved cuts of meat (the spirit of rationing lives on), at least compared to the States, the classic kettle is the default grill. Obviously, in the land of eagles, pick-up trucks and Traegers, everything is a little larger: bigger gardens, houses and, of course, grills. On the ‘freedom’ scale, the Weber Master-Touch might look like a “my first BBQ”.

But what if you only have a small amount of space and need a compact BBQ? Could Weber’s latest kettle, with its reasonable price and fairly small cooking surface, still be the best grill for you? I think so. Keep reading my full Weber Master-Touch review to find out more.

Weber Master-Touch review: Specs

Weber Master-Touch review: Price & availability

The Weber Master-Touch is a fairly affordable grill, starting at $289 / £289 for the base 22-inch (57cm) model. The larger 26-inch (67cm) model, meanwhile, starts at $499 / £475. So, if you can’t afford to splurge $2,000 on our favorite charcoal grill, the Kamado Joe kettle, the Master Touch will still give you the bare essentials at a fraction of the cost.

You do literally get the “bare essentials” though. There’s no app, no electricity, no automated temperature control, no temperature food probes included. It’s simple and honest, and I find that kinda fun. I actually prefer using the Master-Touch to my tricked-out Weber Searwood XL 600 ($1,199) precisely because I have to do everything myself — plan heat zones, keep tabs on temperature, and carefully manage grill space. It feels like actual cooking, not just waiting for something to do the cooking for you. Still, if you do want more features, the Masterbuilt AutoIgnite Series 545 is only a dollar more expensive than the 26-inch Master-Touch, at $500.

Customization

A neat feature of the Master-Touch is the ability to customize it at checkout. You can choose from a range of different colors, including slate blue (which I chose) and a gorgeous burnt orange, among others.

You can then customize the color of the ash tray (or “One-Touch” cleaning system, to give its glorified name), which is a waste of money if you ask me; add premium stainless steel grates with a 5-year warranty (I tested these); and bolt on some accessories like a low-n-slow kit, accessory hangers, chimney starters, and more. I like that you can make the Master-Touch your own, especially as Weber kettles are so common where I live. It’s not something we see from other brands, like Kamado Joe or Traeger (although, in fairness, those grills come loaded with everything in the first place).

Weber Master-Touch review: Fuel

The Master-Touch is a charcoal grill, so fueling is pretty simple. Load up some briquettes or lumpwood charcoal according to your desired heat zones, fire up, and 20-minutes-or-so later you’re cookin’. I’ve also been adding small wood logs for extra smokiness.

While it lacks the immediacy of gas/electric or the fancy-pants-ness of pellets, charcoal is much cheaper than both. But it has one other key advantage, especially here in the U.K. — it’s incredibly easy to source. If you run out of fancier fuels, it can be tough to get more at short notice. I’ve run out of pellets mid-cook before on long smokes, leading to a nervous wait for an Amazon next-day delivery. And, recently, I had to do a frantic dash around several local gas stations to get propane for an upcoming pizza oven review (there are often summertime propane shortages where I live).

Charcoal, meanwhile, can be bought from every gas station, large grocery store or garden center here in Britain. That means, if the sun comes out suddenly and you find yourself without fuel, you can quickly grab some from down the street for an impromptu BBQ.

Weber Master-Touch review: Design & features

The Weber Master-Touch uses the classic round kettle design. I tested the 22-inch / 57cm barbecue, which is fairly compact versus larger, rectangular grills and smokers. This means it’ll fit on a moderately-sized balcony or in a small yard. I was able to position the Master-Touch in a small space between my lawn and shed, where it fit perfectly and didn’t overload our already tech-filled patio. 22 inches gives you easily enough space for at least a family of four, although I’d buy the larger 26-inch model if you’re planning on bigger cooks.

The main kettle lid features a slide-back rail, allowing you to flip the lid 90 degrees while cooking, to turn food or let off some heat if things are too hot. In the lid is an old-school analog thermometer giving you ambient temperature readings, although for more accurate measurements (especially when smoking or grilling large cuts of meat) you’ll want to invest in food probes. The upper handle features a heat shield, which is a nice safety feature, while the front handle has inlaid notches for hanging accessories — very useful.

Under the main kettle sits an ashtray, which employs a sliding vent system. This is called a “One-Touch” cleaning system, although it’s far from single-touch. The vent has two benefits: it’s part of the ventilation system for controlling your heat and flames, but also helps sweep fallen ash into the tray below. Under that is a storage shelf that doubles as a brace for the legs and wheels — I put my weatherproof Weber storage box under there, where I keep my probes, cooking utensils and heatproof gloves.

Build quality is mostly pretty good. The kettle itself, handles and trim, grates, and ashtray all use premium metal and black plastics, which feels high-quality and sturdy. The legs are made from lightweight aluminum, but they don’t feel weak at all.

The only things letting the Master-Touch down are the wheels. They’re super light and cheap-feeling, and don’t attach as securely to the legs as I’d like. They shake and bend a lot when wheeling the grill, meaning the Master-Touch is actually quite difficult to move over anything but perfectly smooth terrain. I get this grill is in Weber’s budget range, but the wheels still feel way too cheap for me — like something from a crappy $30 grocery store grill.

Assembly

You’ll need to assemble your Weber Master-Touch once it arrives. Mine arrived well packaged — the grill was free of marks or damage even though the box had been dented and squashed by the courier.

The assembly took me around 45 minutes, although I was going slowly as I was constructing outside during a heatwave here in the U.K., in 102°F / 38°C. Everything was clearly labelled and the instructions were very easy to follow. There’s a plastic hex key included, which will essentially cover your whole build. It’s a bit slow, so I got out my motorcycle tool kit and used a ratchet. Weber advises against using power tools, as these make it very easy to overtighten and ruin nuts/bolts.

Weber Master-Touch review: Controls

The Master-Touch is a basic BBQ with equally basic controls, so it’ll suit newcomers to grilling. You’ve got a vent on top and a vent at the base, which you use to control airflow and heat. It’ll take a bit of trial and error to figure out how to use these for consistent heat, and a lot of that will be down to fueling, but that’s all part of the fun. As I mentioned above, there’s an ambient temperature gauge on top which is extremely useful for regulating heat. The temperature dial is very responsive too, and moves quickly as the internal heat changes.

Unlike other Weber grills, like my Searwood XL 600, the Master-Touch has no electrical components and therefore no wireless connectivity and heat control. This is the one thing I really missed. I love controlling my Searwood from inside the house or, yes, the pub, using Weber’s fantastic companion app. But the Master-Touch simply isn’t that kind of grill.

Weber Master-Touch review: Performance

The Master-Touch is a kettle grill, and it performs like, well, pretty much every other kettle grill. It’ll happily get up to 750F/400C or higher if you fuel it accordingly, making it a monster for those quick, powerful sears.

If you’re just cooking on high heat, it’s a very straightforward and competent grill. The 22-inch cooking surface was enough space for me to simultaneously cook around 2lbs of chicken wings, several slices of pork belly, two burgers, two veggie skewers and two corns. Admittedly, space was a little tight — I had 4.5lbs of chicken in total, which had to be done in two batches — but I managed.

I arranged the fuel half-and-half for direct/indirect heat underneath the cooking grill. I had direct heat on one half at around 480-525F / 250-275C, with a lower indirect heat on the other half to slowly cook through the riskier meats. The fuel grate is positioned at the ideal level below the main grate — you only need a single layer of charcoal to get to 480F / 250C and higher under the cooking grate, enough for strong sears.

22 inches is (just) enough cooking space to let you get creative with your charcoal layout and create different heating zones. This is especially important for smoking, where you can use various layouts (like the charcoal snake method) to channel the fuel burn along a route, creating lower heat and smoke for longer. If you’re going to be smoking more, the 26-inch model will give you more space for your layouts, and is what I’d recommend.

The ambient temperature dial on the top of the kettle is also a great help for smoking, letting you keep an eye on temperature, although again, you’ll want meat probes to smoke accurately.

For any serious smoking, though, I would advise investing in a dedicated smoker like the Searwood XL 600, Kamado Joe, or Traegar Woodridge Pro ($999). Although pricey, these have features to make smoking much more accurate and consistent, while giving more control over taste — I’m talking real-time handling of fuel burn, smoke levels and temperature, etc. They also have apps, so you can control everything from afar. However, if, like me, you only smoke food occasionally, but mostly use a grill for searing, the Master-Touch is more than adequate.

Weber Master-Touch review: Storage & maintenance

As I mentioned earlier, as far as grills go, the Master-Touch is fairly compact, making it easy to stash away in a neat spot on your patio, or under cover in your shed or garage. Weber gear is designed to withstand being kept outdoors, and indeed my Searwood has lived outside, uncovered for around a year, with only a modicum of rust showing up. Ideally, though, you’d want to store the Master-Touch (or any grill) under a cover to shield it from the elements.

The Master-Touch benefits from Weber’s generous warranty: 10 years on the bowl and lid; 5 years on the ash tray system and plastic components; and 2 years on everything else. Opt for the upgraded stainless grates, though, and those come with a 5-year warranty.

Maintenance is easy — another benefit of small grills. Clear the fuel out, dump the ash using the “One-Touch” system (which you’ll need to slide back and forth… around 10-15 times), then remove and clean the grills with BBQ cleaner, before repeating on the kettle and lid. I use Weber’s wire brush to remove large debris from the grill, then give it a good spray and wipe. For tougher-to-shift muck, I’ve put the grills in my dishwasher, which they can stand up to due to being stainless, but will discolor them over time (I don’t care, though, as they get blackened during cooking anyway). It took me around 10-15 minutes for a quick clean when I knew I was cooking again the next day, and around 30 minutes for a deeper clean.

Listen, I’m not moaning, because this was an easy grill to clean. But as you can see, to call it “One-Touch” is incredibly ambitious, to say the least.

Weber Master-Touch review: Verdict

Like I said earlier, there’s value in simplicity. The Weber Master-Touch is a simple kettle grill with a few quality-of-life features. That means it’s not going to wow you with modern features, but it also makes it difficult to go wrong.

The Master-Touch cooks great, is customizable, and easy to both store and maintain. It gives you just enough space to get creative with fueling, allowing different temperature zones and smoking. And it gets super hot to put beautiful sears on food. Sure, the wheels feel a little flimsy, but the rest of the grill is built extremely well, and besides, the Master-Touch is an affordable grill.

I've been using the Master-Touch all summer here in the U.K., where we've had a heatwave (reaching up to 102F). Cooking inside in such conditions is awful (we don't have AC in our homes here), and I've really appreciate having the Master-Touch — its small size, quick heat up and ease-of-cleaning has let me cook al-fresco quickly and easily.

If it’s a compact, affordable but quality grilling solution you’re after for this summer, the Weber Master-Touch comes highly recommended by me.

There's no denying it, we're having a heatwave heavy summer in the U.K. But, while we're all struggling to keep cool, there's something else we need to worry about in this heat — our fridges.

I do my weekly online shop at Tesco, but I recently noticed I wasn't able to get some items because the fridges weren't working. And I'm sure I'm not the only one that's noticed the melting chocolate bars on the shelves. So, if the supermarkets aren't coping, how are our fridges going to keep up at home?

Well, if you've got an older fridge, it might be bad news. According to Dr Alan Foster, a refrigeration expert who spoke with the BBC, a lot of appliances were: "designed decades ago in a much cooler world."

Most were manufactured to cope with temperatures of up to 32C, and with temperatures rising, they're struggling to function. Some owners may even find their fridges stop working entirely.

If the current weather has got you considering a replacement fridge, here are the three things you should consider, according to an expert.

3 things to consider when buying a new fridge

Buying a new fridge can be a pretty overwhelming purchase. There are so many to choose from and what works for your household might not work for someone else's. Fortunately, we spoke to Ilaria Castagnoli, Product Trainer at SMEG USA to find out her top tips for buying a replacement.

1. Check the energy efficiency

Unsurprisingly, if you're buying a replacement because your fridge can't handle the heat, you'll want to prioritise whether a newer model is Energy Star rated. Castagnoli says: "These units will be the most energy efficient options on the market, not only decreasing your energy use but also helping you save on your utility bill in the long run."

2. Look at different configurations

A fridge isn't one-size-fits-all and if you're combining it with a freezer, you've really got to think about what works for you and the other people in your household. "It's also important to think about the type of food you buy and the layout of the unit that will be easiest for you to manage on a daily basis," Castagnoli advises.

This means taking into consideration whether a bottom or top freezer works best for you, whether you'd prefer a side-by-side unit for easier access, or as Castagnoli also recommends: "Families who like to include ice in every beverage, or access filtered water regularly, should opt for a side-by-side or bottom freezer French door configuration." It all comes down to personal preference and needs.

3. Prioritise features for food freshness

If you're replacing an older fridge, chances are it hasn't got the features that are available on today's market, which are abundant especially when it comes to food freshness.

Castagnoli recommends: "Crisper drawers that offer independent temperature and humidity controls are an important consideration because fruits and vegetables often require higher humidity than the main cavity of the refrigerator provides, and different types of produce require different levels of humidity."

Additional features Castagnoli suggests looking out aside from food freshness include LCD lighting, adjustable shelving, and even whether a model offers a holiday mode.

More from Tom's Guide

• Fridge struggling in the heat? Homeowners urged to make one change to stop food from spoiling
• Beat the heat: How to stop your fridge from overheating this summer
• People are putting a piece of paper in their fridge to see if their home is heatwave-ready — and it makes more sense than you think

We just got a new puppy — her name is Nelly, and she’s not yet housebroken. That means we’re cleaning up puppy puddles pretty regularly. In the past, that would mean getting out the swiffer or the mop. But the Dreame Aero Pro Steam does a better job more quickly and with less fuss.

It’s not just for those easy little puddles either. The Aero Pro Steam can tackle sticky messes in the kitchen, like the maple syrup and honey I drizzled all over my vinyl plank flooring during testing.

While it’s a pricey unit, the Aero Pro Steam offers tons of versatility and an efficient, quick clean that makes it worthwhile. Plus, the long runtime means you can mop up the whole house, too — which are all the qualities needed in a best vacuum cleaner. Find out what happened when I put it to the test.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Price and availability

The Aero Pro Steam costs $600 and is available for purchase now on Dreame’s website. You’ll get free shipping within 2-5 business days of purchase, along with a 30-day return policy. Additionally, Dreame offers a 2-year warranty on the Aero Pro Steam, too.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Design

Visually, the Aero Pro Steam closely resembles the standard Aero Pro model. While the latter lacks the steam functionality, this steam-enabled version takes on a slightly more substantial profile, though it remains impressively compact given the added tech.

There are four modes: Smart, Steam, Suction, Turbo, and Eco. If you’re unsure which one to use, simply switch to Smart and let the Aero Pro Steam decide for you. It does not use cleaning fluid, just a clean water tank, and that water gets heated up for cleaning.

I was impressed at how quickly it heated up to 716 degrees Fahrenheit, thanks to the high-power instant boiler. When using the steam mode, that steam is powered through 6 outlets at 300mg/min. The SaunaClean design lends a 392-degree steaming temperature during cleaning.

That’s complemented by 28,000 Pa of suction, which Dreame says is industry-leading. Between those functions, the Aero Pro Steam provides a 100% allergen reduction in the rooms you clean.

To recognize various mess types, the Dreame Aero Pro Steam uses multispectral sensors, which identify gunk and goo through color temperature and brightness. Should hair get wrapped around the roller, the TangleCut 2.0 Resilient Scraper ensures you don’t have to get your hands dirty removing it.

The 3.88-inch Ultra-Slim Body is low-profile enough to get under the furniture or in tough-to-reach spaces. Plus, the Aero Pro Steame also has a 180-degree lay-flat body, so you can lower it all the way to the ground to get well underneath the trickiest chairs in the house. The body also features Triple Edge Coverage, which means the roller cleans all the way to the sides and front of the body.

Once you’re done cleaning, you can put the Aero Pro Steam back on the dock and engage the hands-free self-cleaning function. You can do a 5-minute quick dry of the roller after that, or a 30-minute deep-dry to ensure you get no odors emanating from the unit. The 203-degree hot wash removes all residues, and the steam function gets rid of other messes without hassle and in short order.

You’ll control the unit from the two-button LED display on top of the handle. It’s super easy to use and to navigate between modes. Plus, you can activate or deactivate a voice prompt that lets you know what mode you’re in, too.

Accessory-wise, the Aero Pro Steam comes with a cleaning brush and replacement filter.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Performance

The first time I used the Aero Pro Steam, I stuck with the Smart mode and gave the kitchen and living room a scrubbing. Those two rooms get the most traffic in my house, as well as the most messes.

With the new puppy around, the Aero Pro Steam got a lot of workouts, cleaning up accidents in the kitchen and living room and easily gobbles up wet messes. But unlike the Aero Pro, the Aero Pro Steam does not use any cleaning solvents.

During this use, using the Aero Pro Steam was akin to using the regular Aero Pro, which, in my mind, is a good thing. It’s simple to use, cleans effectively, and makes quick work of polishing up my vinyl plank flooring.

I don’t have to think about anything; I just run the vac and swab away. It’s easy to get underneath the kitchen table, and even the living room chairs, since the Aero Pro Steam folds down completely.

I did find the voice prompts annoying, though, and I ended up turning them off. I did the same thing when I tested the regular Aero Pro. For context, the voice is loud, but sometimes difficult to understand, and it’s just as easy to use this vacuum without it.

This is both a pro and a con. The pro is that you don’t need to use any harsh chemicals to get a deep clean. Just let the steam do the work. The con is that if you’re not using the steam setting, you’re relying only on water to do the cleaning, and that can leave some residues and odors behind.

Such is the case with the dog puddles I found myself cleaning. In the Smart cleaning mode, the Aero Pro Steam cleaned up the puddles easily and quickly, but sometimes there was a smell left behind.

This is, of course, easily solved by using the Steam mode. The high-temperature water does a deeper clean than the other settings, and I didn’t notice any smell after cleaning up dog puddles in this mode.

In fact, the Steam mode really makes this wet dry vac shine. It does a great job cleaning up all sorts of messes; we had used a puppy pad for early potty training, which uses adhesive strips to secure itself to the floor. When I removed the pad, the strips had left adhesive messes on the vinyl flooring that I couldn’t easily mop up by hand. The Steam mode on the Aero Pro Steam vac removed it with just one swipe forward and back.

Next, I dumped several condiments on the floor to see how the Aero Pro Steam stacked up. I used Hoisin Sauce, honey, maple syrup, and vegetable oil. The Aero Pro Steam gobbled it all up pretty quickly, though it did end up spreading around a bit before I got it all cleaned. The steam mode made sure to leave no stickiness behind, too.

Overall, the Aero Pro Steam cleaned up every mess I made with ease. It does leave some streaks behind, but the level of clean you get from it is pretty impressive, and it’s super easy to use.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Ease of cleaning

Perhaps one downside after cleaning is getting a pretty gnarly smell — but it wasn’t from the roller. It was from the dirty water tank. You’ll want to make sure you empty and clean that tank after every use, or every other use. Once you’ve sucked up enough muck and filth, the tank will start stinking even if the roller doesn’t.

Fortunately, if you leave the voice prompts on, you’ll be reminded to empty the tank after you perform a self-clean. That process takes about five minutes, but then the base will dry the roller for up to 30 minutes.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Accessories

There aren’t really any accessories to use with the Dreame Aero Steam beyond what’s included in the box — the base, the cleaning brush, and the extra filter.

However, you can order replacement parts, like rollers, but otherwise, everything you’ll need is already included.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Competition

There are several Wet/Dry Vacuums with steam functions, most of which easily best the Dreame Aero Pro Steam on price. But those competitors also tend to be larger, with more accessories to contend with, and with only middling self-cleaning results.

One such competitor is the Bissell CrossWave HydroSteam. It costs $350 and offers a steam cleaning feature. It also uses various detergents to clean, unlike the Aero Pro Steam.

But online reviews state that despite using the instructed cleaning procedures, the Bissell can still give off a musty odor, whereas the Dreame does not, as long as you use the self-cleaning mode and empty the dirty water tank regularly.

In terms of usability, the Dreame is also smaller and lighter, and will clean underneath furniture more effectively.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Verdict

Dreame has so far impressed me with their wet-dry vacs I have tested so far. The Dreame Aero Pro Steam is compact, easy to use, offers great run time, and picks up just about any mess I could throw at it with ease.

Plus, the self-cleaning function means no musty smells — as long as you’re mindful about emptying the dirty water tank regularly.

While it does leave some streaks after cleaning on my vinyl plank flooring, I was still impressed overall with the results. The steam cleaning function is ideal for tough stains, and the auto function is great for simple set it and forget it cleaning. It doesn’t use any detergents to clean your floors, but if you’re looking for a unit that can do that (or for a clean scent), I’d recommend the Dreame Aero Pro without the steam function.

Cleaning my oven is one of those jobs I always put off. It just seem so laborious that I end up delaying cleaning it at all, which only makes it so much worse. I've found myself staring at oven cleaning products, unsure which one to choose and worrying about how toxic they are or how much elbow grease I'll need to put in to actually achieve results I'm pleased with. Unsurprisingly with all this overthinking, I end up giving up before I've even started.

But, then I saw a TikTok hack that suggested I would only need to use two items which I already happen to own (and it's likely you do too). With just a bottle of Cif and some cling wrap to hand, it seemed like a very affordable way to get my oven clean and the video I saw also made it look so simple. But... is it really that easy? Here's what happened when I tried it.

How does it work?

TikTok page, @cleanipedia_uk, posts expert cleaning hacks and tips by Unilever to its almost 70k followerss. But, it's this specific oven cleaning hack (featured above) that really caught my eye.

Using just Cif and some cling wrap, both of which are budget-friendly, it demonstrates that your oven can go from caked in built-up grease to completely clean (apparently). And all it takes is just five simple steps.

To follow this hack, you can:

• Apply Cif Cream to your oven door
• Cover with cling wrap and spread the cream underneath
• Wait for around an hour
• Remove the cling wrap and scrub with a non-abrasive sponge
• Wipe away everything with a damp microfibre cloth

While users in the comments were worried that the Cif would leave a smell, Cleanipedia replied: "Just make sure you wipe and rinse properly!" And some users suggested you should just be cleaning your oven whenever you use it.

For me, as much as I want to be a person that remembers to clean their oven every time it gets used, I'll never remember to go back after it's cooled down. Inevitably, my oven just keeps getting dirtier. So, a hack like this seems like a good alternative.

Here's what happened when I tried it

Armed with my bottle of Cif, some cling wrap and a dream, I thought I'd give it a go. Now, I'm aware that my oven is a bit of a mess, hence needing a TikTok hack like this to hopefully save me. And following five steps seemed simple enough – and it was.

I applied my Cif Cream and covered it in cling wrap, which took about 1 minutes (2 when wrestling with the cling wrap tube) and I decided to leave it for an hour, as recommended.

After an hour, I went back to my oven and I was a little concerned that it didn't look like the Cif was infiltrating the grease the way the video had shown. As Cleanipedia suggests though, the longer you leave it the better, so I left it for another hour before returning to give it a scrub.

I'll start by saying I was surprised about how much elbow grease was still needed to clean off the grease, but I was ultimately still impressed that it took away a lot of the grease from the main part of the door.

As you can see from the picture above though, it didn't tackle the caked-on grease nearly as well as I'd hoped. But, I'm not done trying this method. I'll leave it on for much longer next time and I'll make sure my sponge is a little more ready to scour.

It's definitely something I'll be trying again and I loved how easy it was. I also felt more comfortable leaving the Cif on the oven door for a length of time when I knew it was covered up. It was easy to forget about and if I'd forgotten about it for longer, maybe I would've gotten better results.

More from Tom's Guide

• Skip the baking soda and vinegar — I used this non-toxic substance to clean through my oven's grime, and I'm speechless
• This vinegar steam trick will rid your oven of grease and grime — here's how to do it
• How to remove oven glass stains without leaving a single scratch using this one natural solution

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

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried this ridiculously cheap bean-to-cup espresso machine so you don't have to — and it's a total head-scratcher
• Non-plastic coffee makers are trending — and this low-plastic Ratio model is my favorite for coffee snobs
• I tried Lelit's brand-new 'entry-level' espresso machine — and I wish I had $2,000 so I could buy it

Of all the annual chores I have to perform around my house, one of my least favorite is installing window AC units in the early summer, and taking them out in the fall. While most of the ones in my house are fairly small, the one we use to cool the first floor — the LG Dual Inverter window air conditioner — is a monster. I always feel like I’m going to either throw my back out or somehow drop the entire unit out the window.

That’s why Dreo’s new 740S Portable Air Conditioner looked so intriguing to me — I wasn’t going to risk a herniated disc trying to keep my house cool. And, because this unit uses inverter technology, it’s a lot more efficient than older portable ACs.

So, I set up the Dreo 740S in my house to see how it compared to the best smart air conditioners, and if it could genuinely replace my trusted — but heavy — window unit.

Price and availability

Dreo has six portable air conditioners in its lineup; The 740S, which went on sale in the late spring of 2026, costs $699, and is the most expensive model. However, some of the other models in Dreo’s lineup are more powerful, have many of the same features, yet cost less. So why is that?

It’s because the 740S uses an inverter to cool air, whereas all of Dreo’s other models use older compressor technology. As a result, the 740S is far more efficient than Dreo’s other portable air conditioners.

While the 740S isn’t as efficient as, say, the Midea U or the LG Dual Inverter (15 and 14.7 EER, respectively), it’s pretty close.

Design

The Dreo 740S air conditioner itself looks rather sleek. It’s about the size of a mini fridge and has curved edges that taper gently towards the top which has two louvers. The front of the AC is clean, except for a large circular display and some touch controls beneath. The controls were easy to read and use, as was the display.

Even more clever: On the top of the unit, just behind the louvers, is a small flat surface that’s magnetized; here, you can place the Dreo’s remote, which will remain securely in place.

As someone who’s heaved their share of air conditioners in and out of windows, I really appreciated the casters on the bottom of the Dreo, which let me roll it wherever I wanted, as well as the handles on the side of the unit.

It’s around the back of the Dreo where things get a little messy. There are two large circular vents — one for exhaust air intake, and one to expel the hot air. To these vents, you connect large accordion-style hoses, which attach to a plastic insert that goes in your window. The insert can expand or retract to fit windows from 20 to 53 inches wide, and can be mounted either vertically or horizontally. Each hose is about six inches in diameter.

If I lived in a modern house with windows that extended all the way to the floor, it would be easy to conceal these hoses and have the AC sit closer to the window. However, because my window sits about two feet above the floor, I have to extend the hoses up and out. Not only is it far less attractive, but it also means that the air conditioner sits about two feet into the room.

Of course, this is a problem endemic to all portable air conditioners, so perhaps I might be knocking Dreo a bit too hard, but it's still a major consideration if you're choosing

By comparison, the window unit I’ve used for the past few years extends less than a foot into the room, making it far less obtrusive.

Like most air conditioners, the Dreo also needs to expel condensation; it has a built-in evaporator, so it should be able to handle most water on its own, but it does have two drain plugs on the back: one at the bottom, and one in the middle of the unit. The company includes a small drain hose, so if you’re in a high humidity environment, you can let the Dreo drain itself.

However, as with the vent hoses, I had no easy way to route the drain hose outside of my house. Fortunately, even though I live in a pretty humid area, I have yet to need to drain the air conditioner myself.

Performance