How Should You Choose a Home Coffee Machine?

Choosing a home espresso machine comes down to brand positioning and budget. De'Longhi, Philips, and Gemilai cover different price points, from a few hundred to a couple thousand yuan, and they differ in automation level, heating system, and how much hands-on work the user wants. Buying the machine is only the first step; the beans matter just as much.

Reviewers such as Stuff.com editor Sam Kieldsen tested many models before shortlisting four. Super-automatic machines handle grinding, tamping, and brewing with minimal effort, while semi-automatic models give more control. Pair the machine with freshly roasted beans suited to espresso, and follow a consistent routine of dose, grind, and tamp to get a decent shot at home.

Want to add an espresso machine to your home but don't know where to start? The market is full of brands—De'Longhi, Philips, and Gemilai each have their fans—with prices ranging from two or three hundred to two thousand yuan. Buying the machine is only the first step; the real key to what ends up in your cup lies in matching it with the right coffee beans. This article sorts out the mainstream home coffee machine models and their positioning, adds key points for selection and a complete operating procedure, and offers specific advice on the bean-selection dilemma beginners encounter most often, helping you avoid detours and consistently produce a decent espresso at home.

If you want to get an espresso machine for your home, how should you choose one?

There are countless ways to brew coffee, and no shortage of options. If you don't care about flavor, aren't concerned with coffee quality, and don't even mind the trans fats that creamer may contain, then instant coffee really is convenient. Of course, you can also use a percolator, a coffee pot, pour-over gear, or an AeroPress. But if you want a quick, invigorating black drink every morning while keeping your budget from ballooning, getting a coffee machine is probably the most practical solution.

There are hundreds, even thousands, of coffee machines on the market—some perform excellently, some disappoint, and most fall somewhere in between. To filter out the models truly worth buying, Sam Kieldsen, an editor at the well-known American review site Stuff.com, did extensive hands-on testing—and naturally drank a lot of coffee along the way—before finally recommending four products.

(1) Are coffee machines actually good to use?

The introduction of electronic technology has made coffee machines fully automated from grinding, tamping, loading, brewing, to cleaning out the grounds. Operation is convenient and hassle-free—no need to spend lots of time and effort on a tedious process, and you can still enjoy a rich cup of coffee. Nowadays many households have added a coffee machine, and brewing yourself a cup in the afternoon is a pleasure in itself. Brewing coffee is both a process full of particularities and full of fun. In many people's eyes, a coffee machine represents a pursuit of lifestyle taste—moving from tea drinking to fine tea appreciation is an upgrade, and moving from instant coffee to freshly ground and brewed coffee is likewise an upgrade in taste.

(2) Which brand of coffee machine is worth buying?

The well-known brands in the coffee machine field are basically dominated by foreign manufacturers. There's really no need to be hard on domestic brands about this—after all, the coffee machine originated overseas, drinking habits differ markedly at home and abroad, and the number of genuine coffee machine users in China is limited. The top ten brands currently on the market include De'Longhi, Philips, Electrolux, Siemens, EUPA, Panasonic, Saeco, Braun, Donlim, and ACA, among others.

Below, a few representative brands and models of home coffee machines are introduced.

NO.1: De'Longhi coffee machines

De'Longhi is an Italian brand, and Italy is widely recognized as the cradle of the coffee machine. In the home coffee machine field, De'Longhi is almost synonymous with high-end quality.

Recommended model ECO310, priced at 1,999 yuan, with a capacity of over 16 cups, using a pump-pressure structure, a semi-automatic coffee machine, suitable for enthusiasts who have a pursuit of coffee.

NO.2: Morphy Richards coffee machines

Morphy Richards is a British company that registered the Morphy Richards trademark in the Chinese market in 2006, focusing on high-end Western-style healthy home appliances for consumers worldwide. In mainland China, its main product lines cover British-style small appliances such as home bread makers, coffee machines, stand mixers, and electric kettles.

The Morphy Richards MR4677 coffee machine sells for just over 800 yuan, with a capacity of under 5 cups, a pump-pressure coffee maker, an Italian-style semi-automatic model—the capacity is on the small side, but the price is relatively friendly.

NO.3: Philips coffee machines

The Philips HD7450 coffee machine sells for just over 200 yuan, with a capacity of 6 to 10 cups, a drip coffee maker, belonging to the American-style fully automatic coffee machine category.

NO.4: EUPA coffee machines

The EUPA TSK-1826B4 coffee machine sells for about 400 yuan, with a capacity of under 5 cups, a pump-pressure coffee maker, an Italian-style semi-automatic coffee machine.

NO.5: Gemilai coffee machines

The Gemilai CRM3005 coffee machine sells for about 1,300 yuan, with a capacity of over 16 cups, a pump-pressure coffee maker, an Italian-style semi-automatic coffee machine.

(3) Key points for choosing a high-quality coffee machine

1. Heating system:

Fully automatic coffee machines heat up via a thermal resistance plate and heating unit, typically taking just 43 seconds to rise from brewing temperature to target temperature. Some fully automatic models are equipped with a dual heating system, the benefit being shorter waiting times.

2. Digital smart control:

Fully automatic coffee machines use digital smart control, with an LCD screen displaying the working status in real time. The digital display tells you what the machine is preparing to do, what it is currently doing, and what you need to do—such as when to add water or when to add beans—making operation quite intuitive.

3. Program settings:

The program settings of fully automatic coffee machines are broadly similar, including cup volume control, temperature control, pre-ground coffee function, coffee bean dosage adjustment (including grind coarseness adjustment), preset functions, and so on.

4. Cleaning function:

The parts of a fully automatic coffee machine are removable and can be easily taken off for cleaning after use, while the non-removable parts rely on the machine's self-cleaning.

5. Brand:

Brand choice is crucial for coffee machines. For this relatively new type of home appliance, ordinary consumers can easily run into various problems during use, and major brands have more complete systems for sales, customer service, technical support, and repairs, offering more reliable protection.

What coffee beans should a home coffee machine be paired with? This is the most essential question, and the one beginners care about most. Choose wrong, and you may run into plenty of trouble: either it's sour and astringent with faint aroma, or it's intensely bitter and hard to swallow. Beginners who have just gotten a coffee machine usually lack experience, so it's advisable to give priority to the entry-level Front Street espresso series coffee beans. If you prefer rich crema, choose Front Street Classic Blend; if you want balanced taste and good value, choose Front Street Dark Cocoa Blend; if you don't like too bitter a taste, try the medium-roast Front Street Strawberry Candy espresso blend, where you can taste notes of rose, grape, and dried blueberry.

Finally, let's share the operating method and procedure for the coffee machine:

Step 1: Prepare the coffee machine, grinder, coffee beans, coffee cup, grounds knock box, and tamper.

Step 2: Warm the cup—you can use hot water (not very recommended) or a cup warming rack.

Step 3: Remove the portafilter and clean it thoroughly.

Step 4: Grind, distribute, and drop the grounds, then tap the portafilter lightly to eliminate gaps.

Step 5: Let the grounds form a small hill shape.

Step 6: Level with your finger to get a consistent dose—don't press, don't tamp.

Step 7: Tamp with the tamper, in a light press and a heavy press.

Step 8: Tamp into a complete puck and wipe the portafilter clean.

Step 9: Turn on the extraction switch and flush the group head.

Step 10: Lock in the portafilter, turn on the extraction switch, time it, and observe the flow rate.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.