The Best Coffee Machines on Amazon UK in 2022
You can enjoy coffee at home that’s as good as your favourite cafe simply by buying the right machine.
We’ve compiled a list of the best espresso machines, drip coffee makers and coffee grinders on Amazon UK, with details on why we chose each one.
Make sure to also check out The Best Coffee on Amazon UK for a list of the freshest and most delicious whole and ground coffee beans.
Espresso machines
Top pick
Our favourite espresso machine in 2022 is the Barista Express by Sage (Breville). Within this one machine, you can grind, dose and tamp your coffee beans to make delicious espresso as well as steam your milk.
You’ll be amazed at how simple it is to replicate your favourite coffee drink from your local cafe. The hefty, all stainless steel Barista Express does all of the hard work for you.
Making great espresso all starts with grinding and dosing your coffee beans. The grinder hopper is large enough to hold an entire packet of coffee beans (225g/8oz).
The integrated conical burr grinder doses the exact amount of coffee you need directly into the portafilter. The adjustment wheel located on the side of the machine makes changing the grind size so simple.
The machine has its own tamper stored neatly by way of a magnet so you don’t go losing it. Once you’ve tamped your coffee, you just need to lock the portafilter in place to begin making your espresso. The huge 2 litre (68fl oz) water tank means you don’t have to keep refilling it every five minutes.
If you prefer to use pre-ground coffee, the machine has a dedicated portfilter basket specially designed for use with pre-ground coffee. If you think that you’ll never need the grinding facility for whole coffee beans, check out the cheaper version of the Sage without the grinder.
The machine has two presets depending on whether you want a single or double espresso. The water temperature is controlled with a state of the art system that ensures that the temperature remains consistent to within one degree, ensuring a perfectly extracted shot of espresso.
Once you’ve made your espresso, it’s time to steam some milk. The Barista Express features a powerful steam wand that can steam milk just as good as any commercial machine. Place your pitcher of milk under the wand and create your favourite drink. Whether you prefer a frothy cappuccino, or you want to make some cool latte art, this machine does the job.
Beneath where you place your cup is the large drip tray that catches any little drips or unwanted spills. To remove it, simply slide it out and pour any contents down the sink.
Neatly tucked at the back of the drip tray is a box that houses all of the machine’s different sized portafilter baskets. These little additions are why we like this machine so much. Everything is so well thought out, making for a nice, compact and aesthetically pleasing espresso machine.
Breville has really upped the ante with their line of espresso machines. They’re creating espresso machines that are getting the attention and respect of the likes of former World Barista Champion, James Hoffmann.
The allure of making espresso at home can quickly vanish with most cheaper machines as the effort involved becomes a real chore because they are such hard work. Things are made worse when your cheap machine doesn’t live up to the coffee you enjoy from your local cafe.
The Breville (Sage) Barista Express features absolutely everything you need in one compact machine. Automated dosing for your ground coffee and water, an integrated tamper that’s been custom-designed, digitally controlled water temperature, and a powerful steam wand that can produce milk that makes creating latte art a breeze.
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Best entry-level pick
The best budget espresso machine in 2022 is without doubt the De’Longhi Dedica. The Dedica has all the necessary features needed to produce great espresso at a very affordable price.
What we like so much is its small footprint and sturdy stainless steel construction. The Dedica is just 15cm (6 inches) wide, which means that you won’t have to sacrifice space in your kitchen or student dorm.
Although the machine has a small footprint, it doesn’t lack in power in any way whatsoever. It features a 15-bar pump that’s capable of producing true espresso as well as a 1.1L (37fl oz) removable water tank that’s neatly stored at the rear of the machine with a clearly visible water level indicator.
Unlike cheap machines, the water is dispensed evenly over the ground coffee, so there’s no worry of uneven extraction or channelling which causes undrinkable espresso.
The small size means that it only takes 30 seconds to heat up ready for making your espresso. The wait between switching between brewing your espresso and steaming milk is just a few seconds due to the Dedica’s powerful internals.
The steam wand is also very powerful for such a small machine. You can heat your milk quickly, creating frothy cappuccinos or delicious micro-foam for making latte art.
The machine’s simplicity means that there are just three buttons at the top. One for single espresso, another for double espresso and the third for steaming milk.
The De’Longhi Dedica comes with several portafilter baskets, depending on your drink preference. There are separate baskets for single espresso and double espresso. If you prefer to use pods, there is a dedicated basket that has been designed to be compatible with ESE pods.
The standard portfilter baskets that come with the machine are pressurized models. These have the advantage of being very forgiving when it comes to varying grind sizes, which is something that is essential for those buying pre-ground coffee.
Whilst pressurized filters have their place, what we really like is a non-pressurized basket. They’re the type used on commercial machines because the design makes superior espresso.
Fortunately, the Dedica is compatible with non-pressurized baskets, and the change takes under one minute to do so. If you are going to grind your own coffee beans, make sure to buy the Dedica compatible non-pressurized basket on Amazon. You’ll immediately notice the difference in the quality of your espresso.
Another great feature of this machine is that it has an automatic shut-off that gives you peace of mind should you forget to switch it off when you’re running out the door to work in the morning.
The machine also has a removable drip tray that catches any unwanted spills whilst making your favourite coffee drink.
Whilst there are definitely cheaper espresso machines available on the market, none come close to the quality of the De’Longhi Dedica. Other machines are made from cheap plastics that have a worrying amount of flex, are incredibly noisy, spurt water a high pressure in random places causing channelling and bitter coffee, and they all lack the capability for easily heating milk.
This is a really beautiful little espresso machine that will really add to your kitchen without the problem of having to make space for it. It has all the features any coffee-lover could want with its pressurized, non-pressurized and pod capability. Throw in its powerful milk-steaming capability and you’re good to go for making coffee that rivals your favourite cafe.
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Drip coffee makers
Top pick
Our favourite coffee drip machine in 2022 is the Precision Brewer made by Sage (Breville). The Precision Brewer gives you all the control you need to make a better cup of drip coffee.
The shower head (water dispenser) has been expertly designed to disperse water evenly over the bed of coffee, ensuring a consistent and even brewing extraction.
This most basic of features is something that is often overlooked on most drip coffee machines, causing the coffee to taste unbalanced and unpleasantly bitter.
Controlling your water temperature is hugely important when brewing coffee. You can set your desired temperature on the Precision Brewer, adjusting in one-degree increments. What’s impressive about this machine is how stable the temperature is. This is also something that can’t be said for most machines.
The Precision Brewer has a whole host of different serving size options for you to choose from. The machine comes with a cone-shaped filter basket for brewing up to 1.2L (40fl oz) and a flat-bottomed basket for making up to 1.8L (60fl oz).
And if you prefer to make smaller servings, the machine can be used as an automated pour over set-up for your favourite brewing apparatus such as the Hario V60 or Kalita Wave.
The brewing baskets can be used with its reusable metal filter or with paper filters for those that prefer a cleaner cup of coffee.
The Precision Brewer is programmable to start brewing at whatever time you choose, meaning that you can wake up to freshly brewed coffee every morning.
The machine also comes with five easy-to-use preset programs that each produce a different brew strength depending on how you like your coffee. If you like greater control, you can tailor-make your own brew program, too.
This machine has the all-important ‘bloom’ feature that’s so important when making percolated coffee. And again, the blooming feature is also customisable so that you can tailor it to your favourite coffee.
This machine can even make the very trendy cold brew coffee with its 14-hour slow-drip setting. Just leave the brewer running overnight and you’ll have delicious cold brew the following day – perfect for summer.
One of the best features is the machine’s dual-wall stainless steel thermal carafe. Not only will your coffee be kept warmer for longer, but you don’t ever have to worry about breakages when cleaning like you have to with glass.
The Precision Brewer is so good that it’s used at home by former World Barista Champion, James Hoffmann. James is fanatical about good coffee, which I’m sure you’ll know if you watch his YouTube channel.
There are so many options to choose from when it comes to drip coffee makers, so we know how difficult it is to decide. There are certainly a lot of cheaper offerings out there, and there are also many more expensive options too.
This Breville (Sage) Precision Brewer is the perfect combination of quality design and value for money. In actual fact, the machine exceeds its price point with its attention to detail and user-controllability. For something that’s going to see so much use, it’s worth investing that little extra. You’ll reap the rewards by enjoying great coffee every day.
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Best coffee grinders
Top pick
Our favourite coffee grinder in 2022 is the Baratza Virtuoso+. The grinder’s perfect mix of simplicity and functionality only makes grinding your own coffee beans all the more enjoyable.
The in-built digital timer adjusts to automatically grind anywhere from one to 40 seconds in 0.1-second increments. Just flick the switch and the Virtuoso+ will grind the perfect amount of coffee, shutting off once it’s finished grinding.
The dial on the Virtuoso+ has been updated from the older Virtuoso model. It now sits on the front of the machine and can be used for pulse-grinding too.
The Virtuoso+ features 40mm high-carbon steel conical burrs that run at 550 RPMs, producing a grind quality that is among the most consistent we’ve seen this price point. A uniform grind is the most important factor in unlocking a coffee’s flavour potential.
The grinder has 40 different grind size settings that range from fine to coarse. To adjust the grind, you simply turn the bean hopper to one of the pre-marked number settings. You’ll be able to enjoy any style of coffee drink from espresso all the way to French press.
The grinder’s internals are commcercial-grade components, which is something that isn’t usually seen at this price point. The external chassis also has a metal top and base, which makes the machine excellently sturdy.
The Baratza’s small size is one of the reasons it’s loved by so many for use in the home. You don’t have to sacrifice any space on your kitchen counter.
This grinder is so good that you’ll also find it used in cafes all over the world. You’ll get a ton of respect from the baristas at your local cafe when you tell them that you own a Baratza grinder.
Sure, there are cheaper alternatives out there on the market. But wouldn’t it be a shame to spend all that money on delicious coffee beans, only to muddle the flavours with a cheap grinder?
Do your coffee making routine a favour and show it the love it deserves with the Virtuoso+’s automatic timer, its wide range of grind settings and, most importantly, its incredible grind quality that will show you how good coffee can be.
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Best budget pick
The best budget coffee grinder in 2022 is the Baratza Encore. This entry-level grinder provides an incredible grind quality at a very affordable price.
The Encore’s grinding capability will open up a new world of fresh and fragrant coffee that you never knew existed.
The Encore has 40mm steel conical burrs that also run at 550 RPMs. Just as with the Virtuoso+ model, the Encore has 40 different grind settings that are adjustable by turning the hopper.
The machine features two power buttons: a power switch for continual grinding and a pulse button for the times you need that little extra control when dosing.
The Encore has the same small footprint as the other two on our list. This thing is easy to move around, and its small size makes cleaning and maintaining it so simple.
The Encore is simplicity at its finest. If you’re not interested in the bells and whistles, and you don’t mind the plastic finish, you can’t beat this grinder for overall quality and design.
The grinder is so highly thought of that former World Barista Champion, James Hoffmann, highlighted how good the Encore in his budget ‘Grinder Showdown’ video on YouTube.
There are one or two cheaper options available that could achieve something similar to the Encore, but is it really worth saving a few bucks for something that you’re going to be using every single day?
The Encore is so well designed with its easily adjustable grind settings, its superior conical steel burrs, its two power options, and its large, snugly fit grounds bin that leaves zero mess. There’s really nothing to rival the Encore in terms of entry-level grinders.
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Best upper-tier pick
Our favourite upper-tier coffee grinder has to be the Baratza Vario. This thing features 54mm flat ceramic burrs and a whopping 230 different grind size settings.
The large flat burrs create a consistent grind that is essential for unlocking all the flavours and aromas of your coffee beans. And with such a huge array of grind settings, you can really tailor your coffee to taste exactly how you like it.
Changing the grind size is as simple as sliding the micro and macro dials up and down on the front panel. The right slider adjusts the larger macro settings that are needed when switching between brewing apparatus, and the left slider enables you to fine-tune your grind size, making micro-adjustments to get the perfect cup.
The front panel has also two power buttons: one manual and one automatic. The automatic option features three different timers that you can program to grind the exact amount of coffee that you need, great if you enjoy preparing your coffee using different brewers.
The Vario has the option of the usual large-capacity grounds bin as well as a very well designed portafilter holder attachment for those that like to prepare espresso with minimal effort.
You really get what you pay for with the Vario in terms of design and durability. The grinder is extremely well-built and very sturdy. The Vario is regularly seen in cafes because of how it can comfortably go up against machines two or three times its price.
I admit that it’s not necessary to spend this much to achieve great-tasting coffee. But as you continue on your coffee journey, one day you’ll likely want to buy something that’s a step up.
By buying the Vario, you future-proof your purchase, avoiding having to upgrade in a few years’ time. After the Vario, the differences in grind quality really get less and less noticeable. Unless you’re an absolute fanatic, this is the last grinder you’ll ever need to buy.
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