Coffee Machine Buying Guide

+ How do I choose a coffee machine for home?

I am here to help you to choose the best coffee machine for your home and in most cases you will find that this will be one of my recommended machines.

I have drawn upon 15 years of experience to select a small range of exceptional machines. My general principle is to keep things simple. I value high quality coffee machines that can brew quality coffee with minimal tech.

+ Why are manual coffee machines a great choice?

When looking for a coffee machine you will probably start with appliances. These can look attractive because of their low upfront cost. However, when you consider the differences in performance (in-your-cup results), quality (build quality and durability) and experience (looks and feels) it will soon become clear that manual coffee machines are the best choice for home.

Manual coffee machines bring a premium coffee experience to your home and they are built to last. A well cared for machine should last 20+ years. During the machine’s lifetime some simple servicing will be required, and occasionally components will need to be replaced, but the machine will never be discarded. Another great thing about manual coffee machines is that maintenance is simple and servicing is inexpensive, as these machines are easy to fix and parts are easy to find.

+ Why are manual machines best for espresso?

Let’s start off with fully automatic coffee machines that grind the beans, feed them into the machine, and then run the water through the grounds.

Although high end automatic coffee machines can make decent coffee, they are unable to make café quality coffee as they are unable to create a puck of coffee like a barista can, and without a solid puck you can’t build the pressure needed to squeeze oils from the ground coffee.

So what about automatic coffee machines that allow manual coffee grinding and tamping followed by push button extraction? Again, these aren't the best choice for home as the optimal way to control an espresso extraction is by watching colour as the espresso pours out, not by controlling time or volume.

Manual control and is the key to exceptional espresso. To learn about manual control and "extracting by colour" see Understanding Espresso

+ Are manual coffee machines easy to use?

It's surprisingly easy to use a manual coffee machine and many home baristas are self taught. You will find all that you need to get started on the K Bean Coffee Machines website under the "Guides" and “Learn” tabs ...and if you are in Melbourne you get free home barista training with me, Paul, one on one.

I have run many hundreds of training sessions and have no problem taking anyone from "pod novice" to home barista. It's just so easy. I have even trained up my own kids so they can make coffee for Mum and Dad on weekends. To find out how you can make great coffee at home with a manual coffee machine start with my Training Page then move onto Understanding Espresso and Home Barista Workflows

+ Which coffee machines warm up quickly?

The typical heat up time for boilers in most of my coffee machines is 5 minutes. After the boilers heat up it takes a little time for heat to transfer to the brass group and to the brass portafilter.

Generally, this heat tranfer takes 10-15 minutes for machines with boiler mounted brew groups and 15-20 minutes for coffee machines with E61 brew groups.

If you are in a rush you get always speed up the heating time by running water through the group. This is known as a warming flush. I can make an emergency coffee with any of my coffee machines after just 10 minutes if I use a warming flush.

Of course, you can always get a power point timer to switch your coffee machine on as you wake. You can even use a Wi-Fi timer if you want to make your coffee machine smart.

+ Which machines can make back-to-back coffees?

Single boiler coffee machines can make back-to-back espressos all day long but they are a little slow when you add milk based coffees into the mix.

This is because of the need to toggle the boiler between brew temperature and steam temperature. This issue goes away when you move up to any of the heat exchanger or dual boiler coffee machines in my range. All of these are capable of making back-to-back coffees all day long without any waiting. Even with my own quick workflow I can’t outpace any of these coffee machines.

+ Should I choose a machine with a rotary pump?

Manual coffee machines come with a choice of either vibration or rotary pumps. Traditionally, machines with rotary pumps were quieter. However, many new coffee machines with vibration pumps have closed the noise gap with some clever engineering.

Vibration pumps have an advantage when it comes to coffee extraction. Vibration pumps take a few seconds to build pressure, which means a more gentle pressure ramp up on the coffee puck.

It's important to note that most coffee machines with vibration pumps cannot be plumbed in, so if you want to plumb in, you will need to choose an espresso machine with a rotary pump.

+ Should I choose a coffee machine with dual boilers?

I’m often asked for a dual boiler coffee machine and I always ask “why do you want one?” I’m a big fan of heat exchanger coffee machines.

If you are a milky coffee drinker then look to heat exchanger coffee machines for big steam pressure and big steam volume, along with the ability to brew coffee and to steam milk at the same time. For milky coffee drinkers there is no need to stretch further.

Heat exchanger coffee machines are also a great choice for black coffee drinkers looking for great espresso, day in, day out. I would say that 9/10 espresso drinkers would be more than happy with a high end heat exchanger coffee machine.

The only people who need to consider dual boiler coffee machines are black coffee purists and espresso aficionados who treat espresso like fine wine. This is because dual boiler coffee machines allow you to tweak espresso flavour profiles by changing brew temperatures.

It's important to note here that you should never compromise quality. A high quality heat exchanger machine is always a better choice than a low quality dual boiler machine.

+ Should I buy a machine with a stainless steel boiler?

In the past manual coffee machines had copper boilers. Over recent years many manufacturers have moved to stainless steel boilers for cleaner water without disolved copper and other impurities.

A disadvantage of stainless steel is that it is not as conductive as copper. This can be a problem if a manufacturer switches from copper to stainless steel without making other changes. It isn't a problem when machines are designed from the ground up to have stainless steel boilers.

+ Are PIDs useful on manual coffee machines?

If you are looking at an entry level single boiler coffee machine with a non-e61 group then a PID (digital temperature controller) is essential. This is because the brew temperature can vary by circa 5 degress from shot to shot. A 5 degree variation in brew temperature will have a significant effect on an espresso.

A PID isn't necessary on a single boiler machine or a heat exchanger machine with an e61 group. This is because an e61 group is made with 4kg of brass, and this brass acts as a thermal mass, regulating brew temperature by adding or removing heat to water travelling through it. This is the old school, low tech approach that has made the E61 brew group legendary. With this type of coffee machine the temperature variation from shot to shot is circa 2 degrees. A 2 degree variation isn't noticeable to most people, including me.

Of course, a PID is useful if you are keen to play with different brew temperatures, so if you are an espresso aficionado I do recommend that you choose an espresso machine with a PID.

+ Should I choose a coffee machine with a shot timer?

I don't recommend using a shot timer. The reason is that to get the best results from a manual coffee machine you should extract by colour, not by time. This involves stopping extraction as the stream changes from thick and dark to thin and watery. This transition is known as blonding. With a little experience you will be able to extract by colour to get the results that you want in your cup.

To learn about espresso extraction and to understand the point where you stop extraction visit my About Espresso page.

+ How effective is pre-infusion?

Pre-infusion is the gentle application of water (at low pressure) to a coffee puck immediately prior to the application of water at full extraction pressure.

There are 2 types of pre-infusion - passive and active. Every coffee machine with an E61 group has passive pre-infusion. Passive pre-infusion is one of the advantages of these machiines. Active pre-infusion refers to either electronically or manually controllable pre-infusion.

Although pre-infusiuon is nice to have, if you have a quality coffee grinder and a good workflow it is unnecessary. My advice is to keep it simple and forget about pre-infusion. Just partner you coffee machine with a premium coffee grinder and follow the steps in my Espresso Workflow to get great coffee in your cup.

+ How effective is pressure profiling?

Pressure profiling coffee machines are able to control water pressure to enable a controlled “push” onto the coffee puck. There are automatic (electronic) and manual (paddle or lever) options for this.

My advice to most people is to keep it simple. With an effective espresso workflow you will be able to get great espresso on any coffee machine without pressure profiling. This is what I do day in, day out, and you will be able to do this as well with my Free Training

Of course, if you are an espresso aficionado, and you are keen to play and experiment, you may want to choose a machine with manual pressure profiling capbility.

+ Is high steam pressure important?

It's a great time to become a home barista if you enjoy steaming milk. Until recently the typical steam pressure for domestic Italian coffee machines was 1 Bar and to get commercial steam pressure at near 2 Bar you needed to spend over $6k. This all changed with the recent upgrades to many high end dual boiler machines.

Is high steam pressure important? Not really. You can make great milky coffees at home with any premium domestic coffee machine and all machines that I sell are capable of great steaming.

Is high steam pressure nice to have? Yes. There’s something very cool about squirting the steam wand and seeing steam blast out.

+ What drinks can I make with an espresso machine?

Espresso isn’t just for espresso drinkers as most drinks that you make with a manual coffee machine are espresso based. This is why manual coffee machines are often called espresso coffee machines, or simply, espresso machines.

The range of drinks that you that can make with a manual espresso machine includes:

• Espresso - the drink of the coffee connoisseur
• Ristretto - espresso cut short - the first 2/3 of an espresso
• Long black / Americano – hot water with an espresso shot
• Flat white - espresso shot with steamed mik and 2-5mm of microfoam
• Latté - espresso shot with steamed milk and 5-10mm of microfoam
• Cappuccino - espresso shot with steamed milk and 10-20mm of foam
• Macchiato - espresso shot with a touch of microfoam
• Piccolo latté - espresso shot with a small volume of steamed milk and 5-10mm of microfoam
• Mocha – hot chocolate dissolved in an espresso shot with steamed milk and 10-20mm of foam
• Babychino (little cup of milk foam for the little one)
• Hot chocolate - dissolved hot chocolate with steamed milk and 10-20mm of foam
• Iced long black - iced water and ice cubes with an espresso shot on top
• Iced coffee - iced milk with an espresso shot on top
• Affogato - ice cream with an espresso shot on top

+ Are manual coffee machines easy to maintain?

Manual coffee machines are very easy to maintain. Prevention is always better than cure and there are a number of simple maintenance tasks to run through to keep your machine in tip top shape. By simple I really do mean simple.

The most important aspect of maintenance is to keep your espresso machine clean by regularly rinsing and wiping. To learn more please make sure that you take a look at my coffee machine Maintenance Guide

+ Are manual coffee machines easy to service?

Manual coffee machines are easy to service. I don't recommend periodic servicing. Wait for a problem then take action. Squeaks, leaks and changes to performance are signs that your coffee machine may need a service or a repair.

Most servicing and repairs are simple so you can do-it-yourself if you are willing and qualified (electrical). The internet is packed with handy guides to servicing and repairs. If you are not willing and qualified to service and repair your coffee machine you can take it to a local technician or you may be able to find a mobile technician for an in-home service.

It's handy to choose a technician who specialises in the brand that you have, but it isn’t necessary. Most technicians can service any of the coffee machines that I sell as they are all similar inside. Parts are easy to find and most share a number of common parts from the same Italian supply chain. For advice on recommended technicians in your local area please get in Contact

+ How much should I spend on a coffee machine?

Premium coffee machines start near $2k. Add a grinder and accessories and you will get to near $3k. Stretching to near $4k will get you to a premium heat exchanger coffee machine, a quality coffee grinder and a full range of accessories for a home barista experience without compromise.

The payback period is fast. For 2 people buying 2 coffees each per day at Melbourne cafés, a $4k home barista setup can pay itself back in 9 months. At 10 years the savings exceed a staggering $50k.

Some customers have mentioned time to pick up and queue for café coffees as another motivator for getting a home coffee machine. If you take 15 minutes per coffee, at 10 years the time saved reaches 150 days and 150 nights.

Although the decision to head down the home barista pathway is rarely driven by finances and time saving alone, the business case is a strong one. It can certainly be useful to have the business case at hand to convince a hesitant partner to join you on your home barista journey.

+ Will spending more result in better coffee?

Coffee in-the-cup will definitely improve as you move from an appliance coffee machine to even an entry level (circa $1k) Italian coffee maachine, and quality will improve again as you head towards $2k.

As you move up from here the answer is generally no. With a little training you will be able to make café quality coffee on a circa $2k coffee machine (when paired with a quality grinder).

So why not stop at a $2k machine? Reasons for spending more include improvements to build quality, design, fit and finish, durability, noise, mess, speed, ergonomics, etc. Italian coffee machines can last 20-30 years so it's really worth spending a little more to get a setup that will make you smile every day.

+ Do I need to get a coffee grinder?

Every manual coffee machine needs to be partnered with a coffee grinder that can accurately control grind particle size. This is because control of coffee extraction speed is essential, and speed is controlled by adjustment of grind particle size.

Remember to factor a quality coffee grinder into your total budget. To learn more see my Buying Guide