Time to choose a coffee machine? If you’re looking to make a delicious coffee at home, it is time to steer away from the instant and consider a way to brew something a bit more tasty.
The market for home coffee makers has grown so much in recent years, and everything from filter coffee makers to bean-to-cup coffee machines have grown massively in popularity as people search for the perfect brew. Whether you work from home and need your daily fix, or you just want a way to make a beautiful drink for guests after dinner, a coffee maker can help.
So, how do you choose the best brew maker for your home?
What Kind of Coffee Do You Like?
This is the first consideration. If you love barista-style drinks like latte and cappuccino, but you aren’t keen on a filter coffee or batch-brewed coffee, then there is no point in buying a filter coffee maker.
Of course, when you buy something like a fully automatic coffee machine you might well get the best of both worlds, allowing you to enjoy filter coffee as well as drinks like latte, without having to learn much about preparing coffee.
The way many people open up new ways of brewing at home is to use a pod or capsule coffee machine, which can sit in your kitchen, and when you are ready, you just put a capsule in and tweak the settings ready to make the coffee you fancy. Capsules can make a good approximation of the styles of coffee you want to drink, and even barista-style coffees.
Types Of Coffee Machine 
It can be overwhelming when you look at the market and see just how many coffee machines are actually available, and the fact that there are so many different types.
Capsule coffee machines are a great way to get started as they require very little knowledge of coffee. However, they may not produce the most ‘authentic’ coffee tastes, as the preparation methods are limited and they may not use fresh milk.
Filter coffee machines are great for those who just want a really simple preparation method, but they can be a little limiting as you won’t usually be able to prepare drinks like lattes.
Bean-to-cup coffee machines do a lot of the barista-work for you. You can choose the type of drink you want, and the machine uses coffee beans, water, and a milk supply to make the drink for you. Some of the machines out there can make dozens of different types of coffee.
Espresso coffee machines. These vary from small models to prepare an espresso without a milk steamer, or barista machines that have a steam arm to let you froth or steam milk ready for making a superb variety of drinks. You will have to learn more skills this way, of course.
What Else to Consider
Other considerations when choosing a brew maker are essential if you are going to buy something that is suitable for you.
Budget
You could easily go out and spend thousands on a coffee machine. If you are just looking for something to make you one cup of coffee in the mornings or you are on a restricted budget then it does not make sense to splash the cash.
Fortunately, there are coffee machines available for virtually every budget, from around $50 up to thousands of dollars. Before you make your purchase, consider how much you want to spend.
Beans Vs. Capsules and Pods
A lot of people like to choose a coffee machine that takes beans, such as a bean-to-cup coffee machine or a filter coffee machine with a grinder. This means that you can experiment far more when it comes to different varieties of coffee and explore whether you prefer a certain variety or region for coffee.
Manual Vs. Automatic Methods
Do you want to do any of the brewing yourself? If you buy something like a filter coffee machine or a pod coffee machine then the chances are you will do very little, but an espresso machine with a steamer might be quite an involved process. How confident do you feel? If you’ve worked as a barista you will have no problems, but if you don’t want to learn then using a more automatic method is preferable.
Warranty
Ultimately, this is a lot like buying any other appliance, so it makes sense to ensure you get a warranty in the process to protect your purchase. If the machine unexpectedly goes wrong then a warranty may mean you are covered for replacement or repair.
Conclusion
Everyone has a slightly different relationship with coffee, and whether you choose to buy a top-of-the-line coffee machine will largely depend on how passionate you are about coffee.
Whether you consider yourself a real aficionado or you just want to upgrade from the instant coffee you tend to have in the morning, there is a brew maker for you.
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