2.5 billion cups a day sold worldwide says just one thing: the world loves coffee! Are you one of the people contributing to this huge multinational commodity’s sales? If you’re buying coffee every single day it can certainly add up to quite a bit of your pocket money.
Maybe you have decided it’s time to make great coffee at home instead of out, and so it’s time to buy a great coffee machine! If that is the case then please read on to find out our expert’s tips for what qualities you need to be looking for when you’re purchasing your own home coffee machine.
Types Of Machines & Skill Level
here is nothing more convenient and luxurious than being able to create perfect coffees at home and we couldn’t agree more. The only problem lies in the fact that there is so many choices. Let’s break down the most common type of machines and why they may work for you. It’s important to consider that with more complex coffee machines you will need more complex skills, or more desire to learn! So, simple or creative, let’s find out what suits you:
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Filter Coffee
You may have one of these in your office! A simple machine that requires a filter and ground coffee that can be sold in exact portion sized to fit each filter. These coffee machines are very simple to use and have very few moving parts. Simply replace the filter, pour in the coffee, and turn it on! You will, however, only be able to brew black coffee. So this machine is simple and easy to use but provides you with little flexibility.
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Pod or Capsule Machines
Another simple machine, and again becoming very popular in homes and offices alike. There are even fewer parts to play with on one of these machines. You simply have to refill the built-in water container and pop a pod in. The professionals behind PureBean.com.au say that there is certainly more variety here than there is with straight-up filtered coffee. You can get flavored or milky pods, strong or weak pods. The only drawback we can think of is that you can only make one cup of coffee at a time, so if you’re likely to be making a few every morning this may be a little slow!
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Espresso Machine
The espresso machine is getting a little bit closer to the coffee shop machine, but without a milk steamer. With this machine, you will buy ground coffee (or grind your own – more on that later!) and fill a group head, which is much like a metal filter. This is basically a single-serve filter coffee machine but with a short, strong espresso. So, if you’re into strong coffee and not much fuss or learning, this is great for you. If you’d like lots of variety, move on to our next point…
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Combination Machine
A combination machine combines an espresso machine with a milk steamer. This is much like what you’ll see your barista using but a home version. Accurately and properly steaming milk to a delicious silky smooth texture is a slowly learned skill, but if you’d like to take the time to learn then this is certainly the machine for you. Learn to create lattes and flat whites from your own kitchen!
Kitchen Size vs Machine Size
Obviously, each of these machines come in wildly different sizes. Filter coffee machines can come in varying sizes depending on your needs, for example, a 2-cup filter or a 12-cup filter. Espresso machines and pod/capsule machines tend to be tall and thin meaning they take up little counter space. Combi machines clearly are the biggest here, but again can vary massively. A classic home combination machine would be just a little bigger than an espresso machine, but they certainly could become just as big as the one you see in a coffee shop! Consider what you really need and what you can fit in!
Cost
Just as the size and technical ability of each machine increases, so does the cost. A very professional combination machine will certainly be more expensive than a simple one-cup filter machine. You can spend anywhere from $100-5000 on a good coffee machine. The best thing to do is look at mid-range machines in the category you are going for, and find some independent reviews of the products.
This should be everything you need to consider before going out and starting to look for a coffee machine! We very much hope these tips have helped, and have ignited your desire for brewing beautiful coffees at home. Happy roasting!
