Whether it's a first purchase, a replacement, or the desire to get rid of pods and capsules, this is a question many coffee lovers ask themselves. Since it's difficult for us to give you a simple answer, we've decided to create a simplified questionnaire to give you some initial answers. If you'd like to delve deeper, you can read the rest of the article.
Which coffee machine
is right for you?
8 questions. Machine, grinder, and accessories included.
Do you need a grinder?
As you can see, our recommendation is to always have a coffee grinder at home, whether it's integrated into your coffee machine, electric or manual. You can always buy ground coffee, but you risk not fully enjoying the original aromas. If we draw an analogy to the world of wine, it would be like tasting a bottle that has been open for a week: probably safe to drink, but far from what the producer intended.
To delve deeper into this topic, we have dedicated a comprehensive article on choosing a grinder.
How many people and how often?
Beyond quality, we want to address actual usage. Two parameters to consider: the number of people using the coffee machine and its weekly usage. Some solutions are undersized for intensive use (Moka pot, Aeropress, V60, etc.), while others may represent too large a spatial and financial investment compared to their actual use (manual espresso machines, electric grinders, etc.).
What are your preferences?
If, like us, you enjoy both light coffees (like filter coffee) and concentrated coffees (like espresso), you'll unfortunately need to equip yourself with both filter and espresso equipment. To our knowledge, there isn't a truly high-quality "combination" machine for home users. Nevertheless, you can get very good quality long coffees from an espresso machine when you top it up with hot water. There are also versatile filter methods, such as the Aeropress or the French press.And if you've never really given filter coffee a chance, we have some good arguments to present to you.
If your tastes are not limited to coffees of different concentrations, and you also enjoy milk-based drinks, your choice should rather be an espresso machine, manual or automatic. In this area, there is a great disparity between machines and their steam wands, which will allow you to do latte art or not. In the meantime, our guide dedicated to espresso machines can help you see more clearly.
What is your budget?
We have tried to give a budget indication for each coffee solution, but within the same type of product, there are of course wide price ranges. In all cases, prioritize the quality of the grinder above all, as the quality of the extraction will be greatly impacted. Don't hesitate to ask us for advice directly; we will be happy to answer you, whether we sell the equipment or not.
New, refurbished or used: the three options
The world of used coffee equipment is richer than one might think. And sometimes wiser than buying new.
New offers warranty, original condition, and, in some cases, recent technological advancements. It's the choice for peace of mind, but beware of ephemeral trends.
Refurbished mainly concerns automatic espresso machines. The explosion of these models in recent years has allowed this secondary market to develop. Specialized resellers check them, restore them, and offer them at a significantly lower price. This is often a good option for renowned brands like De'Longhi or Jura.
Used is particularly relevant for simple mechanical machines: lever machines, French presses, V60s, Chemexes. This equipment has few or no electronic parts, is easy to clean, and can potentially last a very long time. The risk is measured. For more complex machines, used is an option, but ask for the maintenance history, check that the pump is working, and inquire about the availability of spare parts. A few points to watch out for before any used purchase:
- Ask to see the machine in operation if possible
- Inquire about the time it has been out of use.
- Check that the brand's after-sales service still exists (some have disappeared)
Understanding the numbers: what tech specs really mean
15 bars of pressure, 1450 W, Thermoblock or boiler. These terms appear on product sheets. They are reassuring, sometimes misleading, but here's what they really mean.
Pressure (in bars): the figure highlighted is the pump pressure, generally 15 bars on consumer machines. This is not the extraction pressure. An espresso is extracted at around 9 bars. The advertised excess is a margin. What matters is the regulation of this pressure, a criterion rarely displayed, yet crucial.
Power (in watts): This determines how quickly the machine heats water. A powerful machine is ready faster. This is not an indicator of extraction quality, but it does offer real convenience in daily use. Most high-end espresso machines require a minimum heating time of 15 minutes, which can make them cumbersome to use.
Thermoblock or boiler: A thermoblock heats water on demand, quickly, but sometimes with less thermal stability. A boiler maintains a constant volume of water at a consistent temperature, which is more stable but slower to heat. For intensive use or latte art, a boiler (or even a double boiler) is often preferable. However, for simple home use, a thermoblock is often more suitable.
Tank capacity: This is a practical, not qualitative, criterion. Choose a tank that is accessible and easy to clean rather than a large volume that is difficult to reach.
In summary: don't be impressed by marketing hype. Ask for advice, read comparative reviews on specialized websites, and focus on your actual usage.
Lever or pump espresso machine: two philosophies
The lever machine is experiencing renewed interest among enlightened enthusiasts. And for good reason.
On an electronic pump machine, pressure is generated automatically. You control the grind, dose, and extraction time, but the pressure is fixed. This is reassuring, repeatable, and it's the setup that suits the vast majority of enthusiasts, and professionals with a certain volume of coffee served.
On a lever machine, your arm generates the pressure. You have total control over the pressure curve throughout the extraction, which professionals call pressure profiling. It's demanding, variable, and that's precisely what appeals to enthusiasts – each cup is a conscious act.
What the lever offers:
- Artisanal control over extraction
- Often remarkable aesthetics
- Superior durability (less electronics)
- A sensory experience: the sound, the gesture, the deliberate slowness
What it requires:
- Technique and consistency
- Precise grinding (errors are severely penalized in the cup)
- Patience, or the desire to acquire it
Who is it for? Enthusiasts who want to go further in understanding espresso, who enjoy the manual and ritualistic dimension, and who aren't chasing after children when they prepare their morning coffee. To explore the criteria for choosing an espresso machine in detail, consult our dedicated guide.
What accessories are necessary?
If you've caught the specialty coffee bug, these accessories will be anything but optional, as most precise extraction methods require additional equipment, especially filter methods:
A precision scale to know the amount of ground coffee you're putting into your filter/basket, except for automatic espresso machines. Brands like Acaia, Felicita, and Timemore are good references.
A kettle with precise temperature control, ideally to the nearest degree. You'd be surprised at the difference between coffee brewed at 92 degrees versus 88. We'll come back to this in our article on the importance of water. We appreciate the Fellow and Brewista brands.
A timer: often integrated into specialized scales. Extraction time is a key parameter, both for espresso and gentle brewing methods.
Quality filters: if you opt for a V60, Chemex, or electric filter coffee maker, the paper filter influences the clarity of the cup. At Celsius, we use Cafec's Abaca filters.
Maintenance: the criterion we always forget
We buy a machine for what it produces. Rarely for what it demands in return. And then one day, your morning coffee stops flowing, and you find yourself facing your desperately empty cup, as empty as your soul on a Monday morning without caffeine.
Descaling is therefore essential for any machine through which water passes. The frequency depends on your local water and your usage. In hard water areas, expect to descale every 4 to 8 weeks for daily use. Some machines signal this automatically: this is a criterion to check when purchasing.
Cleaning the brew group: On a manual espresso machine, coffee oil residues accumulate in the brew group. Regular backflushing (with cleaning tablets) is necessary. On automatic machines, this cycle is often integrated.
Actual lifespan: a well-maintained machine can last 10, 15, or even 20 years. A neglected machine can give up the ghost in 3 years. Maintenance is not an ancillary cost: it's an extension of your investment.
Before buying, ask yourself these questions:
- Is the maintenance kit easily available and at what price?
- Are spare parts accessible?
- Is the brand's after-sales service known for being responsive?
- How much time am I willing to dedicate to it?
Some brands have openly embraced sustainability and repairability as a selling point. Others have clearly shown shortcomings in this area. This is a signal not to be overlooked.
The same equipment, a different coffee: why?
We sometimes hear how difficult it is to find the same taste in our coffee once we're home. Because indeed, the equipment isn't everything. It determines the extraction parameters: pressure, temperature, flow rate. But it cannot compensate for poor quality coffee, unsuitable grind, hard water, or an unbalanced ratio.
The variables that truly influence your cup, in order:
- The quality of the coffee: it's a cliché, but when in doubt. A specialty coffee carefully roasted and consumed at the right time changes everything.
- The grind: the right size and uniformity. This is often where it all comes together.
- The water: tap water without a filter is not an option. We'll come back to this right after.
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The dose: a few grams of difference radically change the extraction.
Water: overlooked yet significant
Water accounts for 95% of your cup of coffee. A figure worth noting. And yet, it's often the last parameter we think about. Water that is too hard alters the aromas, dries out the mouth, stains your dripper, and clogs the machine. Water that is too lightly mineralized does not have the necessary minerality to "carry" the aromatic compounds. The balance is precise: slightly mineralized water, with a neutral pH, between 75 and 250 ppm TDS (total dissolved solids). In practice:
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A filter carafe like Aarke® is sufficient for a good result. It removes most of the limescale that gives astringency to the cup. - If you have no other choice, there's bottled water. For gentle methods, Mont Blanc® or Mont Roucous® favor more acidic and fruity profiles. For espresso, Volvic® is a good option, as its sodium bicarbonate content provides an interesting "buffering" effect for intense coffees.
And don't forget the temperature. The SCA recommends 92°C as a reference. It's a good start, but most importantly, have fun experimenting based on the coffees and methods, if your equipment allows it. A few degrees too high, and you risk over-extraction, with too much bitterness. Insufficient temperature can lead to a bland, sometimes vegetal coffee. A precisely controlled kettle is not a geek's whim for filter methods: it's a precision tool just like a scale. Consult our full article on the importance of water, with detailed recommendations according to your usage profile.
Common mistakes when buying a coffee machine
Finally, a brief inventory of common mistakes we see, and that you can avoid.
Buying something too complex for simple use. A high-end automatic machine for two coffees a week means unused features and unnecessary maintenance. The suitability between actual use and chosen equipment is the first criterion to consider.
Neglecting physical dimensions. Height under cabinets, countertop depth, water tank size: measure before buying. Some machines are bulky. For example, if you're considering a lever espresso machine, think about the lever.
Underestimating noise. Grinders integrated into automatic machines are often noisy. Levers can clang. A V60 whispers. This is a daily life criterion that matters, especially if your kitchen adjoins a bedroom and your partner doesn't drink coffee.
Buying a machine without thinking about the grinder. An excellent machine with a mediocre grinder will produce mediocre results. The reverse is often less true. If you have to prioritize your budget, the grinder sometimes deserves priority. Our article on the subject will help you choose.
Falling for marketing hype. We can only advise you to scour geek blogs, ideally unpaid (like Reddit). Even if you don't want to "geek out" on the subject, it will at least allow you to know and make a reasonable choice based on your interest.
Not thinking about the coffee you'll put in it. The best machine in the world will do nothing with industrial coffee roasted six months ago. Also invest in coffee. To use the wine analogy one last time, it's like drinking cheap wine from a hand-blown glass, a bit of a shame.