5 best coffee machines

5 Best Coffee machines

One drink – so many ways to make it. However you take your coffee, we’ve got gadgets that do the job brilliantly at a fraction of the cost of barista-made (there’s even one that turns instant granules into an indulgent mocha). Our Tech Editor spills the beans…

1 the instant WHIZZ

Can US brands such as Sudden and Voilà make instant coffee cool again? We’ll see, but for now, this machine can ‘upgrade’ your granules – add a scoop and some milk (it takes any kind), then twist a dial for a spot-on latte or cappuccino in less than a minute. It does a mean hot choc or mocha, too.

MOMENTS HOT DRINKS MAKER, £100, BREVILLE

2 the Scientific Siphon

In the crazy, mad-scientist world of coffee, siphon brewing is so hot right now. Your water goes at the bottom and grounds at the top. Then, as the water boils it’s forced into the upper chamber, where your drink brews before it’s sucked back down through a filter. The result? A coffee that’s aromatic, intense and utterly delicious.

SIPHON ARTISAN CO EE BREWER, £160, KITCHENAID

3 the BEAN-TO-CUP BARISTA

Making ‘proper’ coffee can be a faff, but not so with this does-it-all option. Fill it with beans and water (it’s got huge capacities for both) then pour milk into the carafe and it’ll serve any drink you fancy. It’s great at ‘texturing’ (frothing to you and me), and big buttons up front make using it a doddle.

ANIMA XL BEAN-TO-CUP CO EE MACHINE, £849, GAGGIA

4 the HAVE-A-GO hero

If you live for your Sunday morning coffee ritual, this hands-on machine is a dream come true. It’s as well-built as anything you’d find in a coffee house, with dual-boilers so you can steam milk and pour espresso at the same time. The cost equates to a little more than 500 Starbucks tall cappuccinos, but to an enthusiast, it’s worth every penny.

THE DUAL-BOILER CO EE MACHINE, £1,200, SAGE BY HESTON BLUMENTHAL

5 the One to WAKE UP to

Have a freshly brewed cuppa waiting for you in the morning with this app-controlled machine. Pop in a Nespresso pod the night before, then either schedule a brewing time in advance, or wing it and hit ‘brew now’ as you emerge from your duvet. The app also lets you pick the size and strength of your drink, check how many pods you have left and order more. PRODIGIO & MILK POD CO EE MACHINE, £200, NESPRESSO