There are four main kinds of coffee machines, each of which is appropriate to different Requirements:

Manual espresso machines

If you would like the complete flexibility to create anything from espresso into ristretto to cappuccino, a manual espresso maker, similar to that which you see in coffee shops, would be the ideal choice. The downside here is that you’ll want to manually grind and then insert the coffee, steam your own milk, and repeat for every cup.

Bean-to-cup machines

If that sounds like a bit too much effort, but you still like the notion of using coffee beans, then a bean-to-cup system is the right choice, as it melts and melts coffee mechanically. Simply pop water and coffee beans in the machine, also you’re able to get a shot of coffee at the press of a button, with no cleanup required between shots. Spend more, and machines include integrated milk frothers that do the work of heating the milk to exactly the correct temperature for you and offer a white or cherry coffee with virtually zero effort.

Pod or Capsule machines

These cost more per coffee compared to the other types of coffee machines here, but the benefits are ease. Each capsule or pod includes the perfect quantity of coffee, and you can just buy the type with the potency (that is normally rated from 10) and flavour you like best. For instance, no-mess coffee, they’re hard to beat.

Filter coffee machines

If you just want plain and easy coffee to fill a mug, or want to be able to make enough coffee for many people at once, a filter coffee maker is a great choice. These generally require you to use ground coffee (although some do have integrated grinders), but they’re a good bet for making easy unfussy black coffee.