What Is An Automatic Coffee Machine?
Many of us grew up with a pot of coffee brewing and its signature sound, drip, and hiss in the morning. The routine of scooping grounds into a bright white filter, pouring in the water, and letting the machine work its magic is familiar to all. These days automatic home coffee machines have evolved into programmable coffee makers that take the average cup of joe to the next level. They are simple, fast, user-friendly, and create the same perfect cup of coffee each time. Though they have many features, picking the right one for you depends on your needs. Last year we brought you the best coffee machines in 2018, check out our guide to see what’s even better this year!
Pros of Automatic Coffee Machines
- Perfect for the busy drinker, step away and let the machine do the work
- Enjoy a quality cup of coffee each time without the need for in-depth knowledge of manual machines
- Use any type of roast and blend you like
- Program everybody’s single favourite drink with the touch of a button
Cons
- For coffee snobs, automatic coffee machines might not cut it. You cannot have complete control over the temperature, grind, brew, steam process as the automatic machine does all of this for you
- While the automatic coffee machine makes great cups of coffee, it may be less full-bodied than traditional espresso from a cafe
- With all machines, they need to be maintained with quick clean after every use, and a deep clean of the drip tray, brew group, etc each week. Not a huge inconvenience but should be done to maintain the best quality brew possible.
- For some, the price tag can be offputting. Models can range from $899 up to $5,950 for higher-end models.
Who Is The Automatic Coffee Machine For?
- Someone who doesn’t have time to manually make coffee
- A household that has different coffee needs
- Someone who likes the flexibility of choosing any beans or roast
- Someone who may or may not have in-depth knowledge or desire using a manual drip coffee maker
Automatic Coffee Machine Features
Coffee machines have come a long way since just a steady water drip through grounds in a filter. Many options and types of machines are available at different price points. With a variety of functions and features available, what’s the best coffee machine for you? Find out below.
Temperature Control
As many baristas and coffee snobs will tell you, the temperature is everything when it comes to the perfect cup of coffee. Both the Moccamaster Classic and Moccamaster Thermal offer precise temperature control for balanced coffee.
These models have been tested, certified, and blessed by major speciality coffee associations, including ECBC, SCAE, and the SCAA. These automatic home coffee machines are popular because of their consistent temperature and ability to use any coffee grounds to produce incredible coffee each time.
They come in 11 colours, have 2 warming plate temperature options, and have the ability to brew up to 1.25L. Not feeling the bright colours offered? Check out the Moccamaster Classic Copper/Brass for a sleeker look. Sometimes less is more and we love a look that goes with any decor.
Programmable Touch Display
Line up coffee snobs! With a programmable touch display, you now have the ability to digitally adjust the bloom, heat, and coffee strength settings. All things essential for the perfect cup. See if your coffee snob can tell the difference, we’re sure they’ll claim to, but don’t believe’em!
The Melitta Cafina XT180 TMC can grind, bloom, and brew 1.9L or more in just six minutes at the touch of a button. Made from short-blasted aluminium, stainless steel and BPA-free plastics, this sleek brewer will work hard for years to come. This might be one of the best automatic coffee makers with a grinder out there.
Built-In Coffee Grinder
Save kitchen space and time by getting a machine with a built-in coffee grinder. Melitta XT180 GMC offers a grinder as well a programmable touch display which can control the bloom of the coffee as well which is vital for flavour. It is built from short-blasted aluminium, stainless steel, and BPA-free plastics guaranteeing a long life span and many delicious cups of coffee. It comes with a glass carafe for that classic feel. It holds 1.8L and is the perfect machine for a medium to high-volume cafes and restaurants.
Grind Adjustment
The grind of coffee beans is essential to the flavour of coffee and to the style of brewing. You may need to get the best coffee grinder in the right grind size for your needs. While some machines do not allow you to adjust the grind (insert gasp), that can be fixed with one of many quality coffee grinders available to purchase. Grinding right before brewing is also essential for the freshest and highest quality taste.
Auto Off Function
Holidays, brunches and afternoon gossip all require large amounts of coffee and a busy host. With the auto-off function, don’t worry about burning your house down while maximizing time with your guests.
The Moccamaster Thermoserve can suit all your needs with its ability to brew 1.4L at a time and shuts off once brewing is done or when the airpot is removed. It is built to hold up to the demands of a busy cafe but doesn’t compromise on quality. An added plus is its simplicity - pour medium ground coffee into the filter, make sure the water reservoir is full, and flip the switch! This model is so loved and respected that it is the official brewer at SCAE competitions and the World Tasters Championship.
For the host extraordinaire the Moccamaster CDT Grand can brew an even more at 1.8L in a zippy 8 minutes. Should you need to remove the airpot mid-brew (we won’t tell), or if the water reservoir is empty, the auto-off function will kick in to save you a mess and machine damage. The thermal carafe it comes with will keep your coffee hot at the perfect temperature for hours.
Auto Start
As automatic coffee machines improve over time one of the best features they include is being programmed to start at any time! This means a hot cup of coffee that took nearly no effort to make, especially on slow to start mornings.
Warming Plate
This sleek vintage style Moccamaster Jubilee Limited Edition Model 68 was created in celebration of 50 years making 1,000,000 machines for Moccamaster. Don’t let the vintage look fool you, it brews with the power of the modern machine. A heavy-duty copper boiler keeps coffee brewing at a precise temperature and you can brew a half carafe (~500ml) up to 1L which can be kept warm for up to 40 minutes on the warming plate.
While the look of this machine makes you feel cosy at home in the 70s, the power of the modern brew will keep you grounded in the present! Comes in green with off white or black with off white.
Single Cup Coffee Machine
For the person who is satisfied with just one cup or lives alone, the single cup machine could be the answer to their needs. The Moccamaster One Cup is a Nordic designed brewer that produces its cup in a bare 4 minutes.
Its excellent reputation is achieved by using a copper heating element that maintains the ideal brewing temperature with a cone-shaped basket. Minimal parts mean it is user-friendly and simple to clean. Auto shut off helps as the commuter rushes out the door with the mug included in hand. Comes in several different colours as well, rounding out this machine as one of the best single cup coffee makers out there.
Cold Brew Coffee Machine
Cold brews might be the most delicious coffee out there, especially on a steamy morning. The Nitro Cold Brew Coffee System is ready to use with the pull of a handle. It nitrogenases without the need for additional tanks by filtering nitrogen from atmospheric air, adding it to your coffee under high pressure for a silky ice cold brew.
Apart from being stylishly slim, easy to use and adjustable, this machine is easy to clean and boasts low service and maintenance needs. Not to mention, it is a cool use of science! Wow your friends with something different than old coffee left in the refrigerator overnight.
Best Automatic Coffee Machine For Home
If you’re wondering which home automatic coffee machine is best, look no further! While many of the machines listed above could be perfect for your home, we like to include the best home coffee machine for those on a budget. Machines come in a range of sizes, touchscreen display and programmable parameters, and abilities.
The Wega Mini Nova is perfect for a limited space, such as the bar or the office! It comes equipped with a touchpad that doses coffee automatically or the option to manually dose. Its sibling, the Wega Mini Nova Classic has a heat exchange boiler so you can make coffee and use the steamer simultaneously.
The Ascaso Dream Coffee Machine features an easy-to-use three button control system. You have the choice of using ground coffee beans of your choice or ESE single serving pods. It doubles as a very attractive home decor piece with its retro aesthetic and colours. Its three-way solenoid value allows for little wait time between brews and steaming.
If the other machines intimidate you, the Ascaso Basic Coffee Machine is perfect for barista beginners. It is easy to use and makes a delicious cup each time. The body is made from heat-resistant plastic so that it is durable with great insulation and will last you a long time. The Ascaso Kap Coffee Machine is another great choice for first-timers. With its maximum pressure of up to 20 bar, you’ll be able to pull some top-notch espresso shots. Its small size allows it to fit in the tiniest corner of any kitchen and it is equipped with a speciality steam wand for that perfect latte art.
Like the Ascaso Dream, the Ascaso Steel DUO PID is an excellent home coffee maker with all the whistles of a professional machine. It comes in sleek steel to keep that high-end barista look on your kitchen counter!
The ECM Casa V is a powerful machine that comes in a compact package. It’s ideal for kitchens tight on space and is easily operated by a few buttons. Another easy to use machine with a touchpad is the steel Bessera BZ16 Coffee Machine, it must be plugged into a water supply. Another stainless steel option that saves on space is the Bezzera BZ10 Coffee Machine. You can brew coffee and steam at the same time to save on preparation time and maximize enjoyment.
Affordable Home Coffee Machines
One of the best affordable home machines is the Quick Mill Pippa Coffee Machine. Its attractive stainless steel body is made for everyone, beginners and advanced baristas alike.
The Cafello Tutto Coffee Machine works hard so you don’t have to. It has a built in grinder on the top and built-in tamper that flattens the coffee grounds perfectly each time for a better espresso. It can be used through the touchscreen where you can set all your temperatures, grind time, steam for milk, to your specific requirements. If this machine is too big for your needs, check out its baby, the Cafello Tutto Junior Coffee Machine. It doesn’t skimp on the bells and whistles as it also comes with the built-in grinder and tamper, steam wand for milk, and a touchscreen display for programming all your needs right at home.
What’s The Best Automatic Coffee Maker?
The best automatic coffee maker is going to be the one that suits all your needs. Taking into consideration the method you desire, the temperature your coffee needs, if you’d like the option of programming it for a certain hour, style and size, and most importantly, how much coffee you need to make at a time, all factor into the right machine.
While there are countless options, only you can make the right choice. No coffee maker is perfect (yet) but with these choices, you can get really, really, close. Pull up a chair, pour yourself one of your last manually brewed cups of coffee, and make a list of automatic home coffee machines!