Brewing Options: Variety is the spice of life, so if you like to change up your coffee order depending on your mood (or depending on how much sleep you got last night), you could benefit from a coffee machine that offers plenty of flavorful brews. Many combination makers offer everything from classic espresso and drip coffee to even more modern features like iced coffee and pod compatibility. Though the price of these models tend to increase with the more you add on, many offer precise customizations that can elevate your experience, including adjustable strength, temperature, and cup size options.
Quantity: Speaking of cup sizes, not only do different machines have the capacity to make just the right amount of coffee for a tiny espresso cup or your favorite travel mug, but some have even more to offer. Many combination coffee and espresso makers have the capacity to make multiple cups of coffee at a time, with some options even being able to fill an entire carafe. However, this may be too much if you live in a smaller household or don’t have a lot of space in your kitchen. Luckily, there are also more compact options available that can make a few cups at a time instead. You can even opt for a single-serve model if you just want to drink one cup at a time and aren’t as concerned about authenticity and depth of flavor… or the monetary and environmental cost of constantly having to replenish your supply of coffee pods. Overall, be sure to take your lifestyle into account when making your decision, as well as how long you’re willing to wait before you get that morning cup of joe—after all, it takes a lot less time to produce one cup of coffee than it does 10 or more!
Features: For starters, you’ll want to decide exactly how much energy and cash you’re willing to spend. For beginners or busy bees who don’t want to do much more than grind and tamp your beans before pushing the brew button, an automatic maker is a solid choice. However, if you truly don’t want to lift a finger and money is no object, a super-automatic machine has all the functionality of an automatic maker and then some—including a wider range of programmable settings and the ability to measure, grind, and tamp your beans. Finally, semi-automatic options require a bit more of a learning curve, but they’re generally a good happy medium in terms of effort and price. (Plus, they offer the most consistency out of the three.) If you want to make espresso-based drinks efficiently, you might want to opt for a model that comes with a built-in milk frother or steam wand, but you can save both time and money if you pick up a separate tool and steam and froth your milk yourself.
Similarly, some machines come equipped with self-insulating thermal carafes that can conveniently keep your brew warmer and fresher for longer. However, if you live in a larger household where a refillable carafe would be ideal, but aren’t as concerned about temperature retention, you can find a happy medium with a model that has a glass carafe. At the end of the day, it all comes down to how much convenience you’re looking for, and then seeing which coffee and espresso maker offers the most for your budget.