The best bean-to-cup coffee machines of 2024, tried and tested

If you want to produce the best barista-style coffee at home, you need a bean-to-cup coffee machine. These take whole coffee beans and grind them to produce the freshest most flavoursome cup of coffee you can get. 

“Grinding coffee is crucial; even the tiniest difference in grind size can significantly impact the final cup,” explains Howard Gill, head of coffee at coffee company Grind. “Bean-to-cup coffee machines allow you to control that process by grinding coffee fresh for each order, which is definitely the best way to get the most out of your coffee. The more advanced models utilise technology to customise the grind size to your preferences.” 

Bean-to-cup coffee machines can also be more environmentally friendly than other coffee machines, because beans require little packaging and there are no pods to dispose of. This can make them more fiddly to clean, so one of the things to look for in a bean-to-cup coffee maker is easy maintenance.

Prices for bean-to-cup machines range from just under £200 to over £2,000, but expect to pay between £500 and £800 for a machine that can make most of the coffee recipes you find on coffee shop menus, from an Americano to a flat white. Melitta and Gaggia are amongst the most well-known bean-to-cup coffee machine brands, because they only make coffee appliances, but general home appliance makers produce some great machines too. 

We’ve tried the latest versions of all the bestselling bean-to-cup coffee machines. You can read our reviews below, followed by answers to some frequently asked questions. But if you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at our top five:

Which are the best bean-to-cup coffee machines of 2024? At a glance

• Best overall - De’Longhi Rivelia Automatic
• Best value - Gaggia Magenta Plus
• Best looking bean-to-cup machine - Smeg BCC13
• Best compact bean-to-cup machine -Philips 4400 LatteGo
• Best budget bean-to-cup machine - Instant Grind & Brew

What to look for in a bean-to-cup coffee machine

If you always opt for an espresso, a latte or a cappuccino, there is no need to go for a machine that can produce more exotic recipes. If you do want a wide choice of drinks, including iced coffee and tea, then a more sophisticated machine is for you. If you also like to switch beans regularly, then a machine with more than one hopper will allow you to quickly change bean types.

Also, think about how much space you have in your kitchen to accommodate a bean-to-cup machine. Some have quite a small footprint; others will dominate the average kitchen and are quite tall too. 

Finally, ask yourself how much effort you want to put in. If you want to act like a professional barista, using a tamper and blade to press the coffee grounds to get an exact dose of coffee, a hands-on machine is what you need. If you simply want to press a button and have a freshly brewed coffee in minutes, then a fully automated machine is preferable. These also tend to have more thorough self-cleaning processes. 

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How we tested the best bean-to-cup coffee machines

To taste test each bean-to-cup coffee machine fairly, we used the same variety of Grind coffee beans for each machine. We then made all the key coffee drinks that could be made in each machine, testing out different grind sizes and shots of coffee and assessing how well they heated the water and foamed the milk. 

We rated each machine on its look and feel, how easy it was to use and the taste and aroma of the coffee. Finally, we considered how easy the machine was to clean and maintain.

If you’re upgrading your kitchen, by the way, you might want to read our guides to the best toasters, the best coffee grinders and the best kettles. 

Best bean-to-cup coffee machines 

1. De’Longhi Rivelia Automatic

£749, Amazon

Best overall, 8/10 

We like: easy to use, great range of coffee options, speedy

We don’t like: bulky shape

• 7 grind settings
• Makes 16 types of customisable coffee and milk-based drinks
• Capacity 1.4 litres
• H38.5cm x D43cm x W24.5cm
• Weight 9.7kg
• Steam wand: yes

This is a bean-to-cup machine for people who like to experiment with coffee. Espresso, cappuccino, flat white… it makes 16 different types of coffee drinks and adjusts to how hard or soft your water is. It’s assembled in seconds and the on-screen colour instructions are really easy to follow. 

Just fill the water reservoir, which is removable so you can take it to the tap, and one of the bean hoppers (there are two so you can easily switch between bean types). Then add milk to the milk frother if required. Next, choose your coffee type and size of drink from the on-screen menu. This machine can make two cups at once and it even does iced coffee, but you do have to fill your cup with ice cubes first. Whichever coffee recipe you select, this machine produces a noticeably smooth brew within a couple of minutes with minimal noise and very little effort on your part. 

Unlike some bean-to-cup machines, the milk frother is integrated into the machine to reduce the clutter on your worktop and it produces creamy frothy milk in seconds from dairy and plant-based milk.

Up to four users can create their own personal coffee profiles of their preferred coffee types and you can press the self-clean setting between drinks so no coffee gets infected with the residue from the last drink. It also comes with a water filter and de-scaler to keep the product as good as new for longer.

The De’Longhi Rivelia came out as our favourite overall bean-to-cup coffee machine because it produces several different types of great-tasting coffee with minimal effort on your part. At just under £750, it’s not cheap. But if you really make the most of all it can do (and stop buying takeaway coffees) it will pay for itself within a year.

2. Gaggia Magenta Plus

£549, Amazon

also available at Gaggia 

Best value bean-to-cup coffee machine, 9/10

We like: the results are consistent and good quality

We don’t like: you have to steam the milk yourself (even though the machine is automatic)

• 5 grind settings
• Makes 4 different types of coffee drinks
• Capacity 1.8 litres
• H35.7cm x D43.5cm x W22.4cm
• Weight 7.6 kg
• Steam wand: yes

Reviewed by Silvana Franco 

If there’s one thing Italians do well, it’s coffee. Gaggia was born in Milan of one man’s quest to improve the coffee-extraction process and create the perfect espresso. That was in 1948. Today, Gaggia sells everything from manual to automatic espresso machines and is perhaps best known for its nostalgic Gaggia Classic.

But it’s the Gaggia Magenta Plus which takes our spot for the best value bean-to-cup coffee machine. Functional in both appearance and performance, you can use beans or coffee grounds and choose to make an espresso, espresso lungo, Americano or coffee – which sits between the espresso lungo and Americano in size. 

The base plate can be raised and lowered, depending on the size of the mug, although it’s worth noting there was some vibration during the extraction process so you might need a heavier mug. The espresso it produced was smooth and rounded with lovely crema.

As for adding milk, it’s a manual steamer so you have to get the hang of what angle to hold the jug at and when to let air into the milk. You also need to manually purge the wand after use, with the hot water button. The LED screen prompts when cleaning and descaling functions are required.

3. SMEG BCC13

£799.95, Smeg

Best looking bean-to-cup coffee machine, 7/10 

We like: its compact stylish design

We don’t like: the dispenser has a tendency to spit

• 5 grind settings
• Makes 9 different types of coffee and milk-based drinks, plus hot water for tea or other beverages
• Capacity 1.4l
• H36.1cm x D25.6cm x W24.5cm
• Weight 9kg
• Steam wand: yes

If worktop space is limited in your kitchen and you want a compact, good-looking machine, but one which still has a decent capacity water tank, then the SMEG BCC13 ticks all these boxes. It’s quick to assemble, but not as high-tech as some other machines: there is no onscreen display that talks you through the steps and for the first few cups you will be referring to the instruction booklet regularly and producing an espresso when you want an Americano, but you soon get to grips with what it can do. 

What it can do is the main coffee shop ‘go-to’s very well. The SMEG machine also provides hot water for tea and the dispenser is height adjustable to accommodate different size cups. You just fill up the bean hopper and the water tank, press the button for the drink you want and within a few minutes your brew is ready. The automated cleaning function keeps manual maintenance to a minimum too.  

4. Philips 4400 Latte Go

£599.99, John Lewis

Best compact coffee machine, 7/10 

We like: it’s small and neat

We don’t like: it’s not particularly attractive

• 12 grind settings
• Makes 12 different types of coffee drinks
• Capacity 1.8 litres
• H37.1cm x D43.3cm x W24.6cm
• Weight 8 kg
• Steam wand: yes

Although not the best looking of machines, this is a great bean-to-cup machine for a compact kitchen. The milk frother even sits within the machine, to reduce its worktop footprint further. Yet, despite its size, it still holds a decent-sized water tank. 

There are 12 coffee drinks on the Philips 4400 LatteGo’s menu, including an iced coffee, although you have to supply a cup of ice for this one, plus a pure hot water programme for tea and other drinks. The touch-screen display is pretty intuitive and you soon find your way around all the different coffee options. Once you’ve settled on some favourites, you can save two user profiles and it will remember how you each like your coffee. So there is no need to programme it each time. 

Once the bean hopper, water tank and milk frother are filled, you select your type, size of drink, strength of coffee and volume of milk and press go. A smooth flavoursome golden coffee is delivered within minutes and it does it all quietly enough to earn a ‘Quiet Mark’ certification. This machine cleans itself, so it requires very little maintenance and the bits that require manual cleaning are easy to remove.

5. Sage The Barista Express

£629, AO

Best for a barista experience, 7/10 

We like: professional look and feel, compact size

We don’t like: demands a lot of ‘hands-on’ time

• 16 grind levels
• Makes 5 different coffee drinks
• Capacity 2l
• H40cm x D31cm x W33cm
• Weight 10.6 kg
• Steam wand: yes 

If you love coffee and want to replicate the full-blown barista experience in your own home, you need this machine. It takes a while to set up and there are a few manual processes involved in making the coffee after you’ve filled the bean hopper and the water tank, but that’s all part of feeling like a real barista. 

First, you slot the portafilter (the thing I’m holiding in the video above) into the dosing funnel . Then choose either a single or double dose and wait for the machine to grind the right amount of beans into the portafilter. You use the razor to smooth off the dose of ground coffee, then pack it with the tamper before moving the portafilter into the right-hand cradle. 

You then pop a cup underneath it, select whether you want one or two shots and how many cups you want filling – it can do two at a time – then wait for delicious steaming coffee. 

For micro foamy milk, you fill the jug and insert the steam wand, wait for it to heat up and steam the milk into a froth. This process takes a little longer than some of the other more automated machines we tried, but the jug makes it easy to produce great coffee art. The water tank comes with a filter and it is easy to keep this machine clean, but it requires a little more effort on your part than other machines. 

6. Miele Coffee Machine CM 7750

£2,399, Miele

Best high-end machine, 8/10

We like: range of drinks, sleek design and large water tank

We don’t like: heavy weight and fiddly grind dial

• 6 grind settings
• Makes 20 different types of coffee, milk and tea drinks
• Capacity 2.2 litres
• H39.7cm x D44.5cm x W31.1cm
• Weight 14.2 kg
• Steam wand: yes

If you’re very serious about all sorts of coffees and teas and want a top-of-the-range machine that will likely last a lifetime, because it’s so good at self-cleaning and descaling, this machine is an investment worth making. What makes it so expensive? It’s the attention to detail. 

There are three bean hoppers, so no need to keep loading up different beans to suit different preferences and no risk that they can cross-contaminate each other. It has a very large water tank that should last from morning to night and a very easy-to-use touch screen drink selector. 

Pop your cup under the spout, which will rise or drop to fit its size, attach the milk frother if using, check your grind setting – which is the only manual process and a bit fiddly – select your drink and within a couple of quietish minutes, you have a steaming rich and creamy coffee and your kitchen is filled with a heady coffee aroma. 

Should you want a tea, it will adjust the water temperature to meet the ideal heat for a black, green, fruit or herbal tea. This machine can be set to make two drinks at a time or to fill a large coffee or teapot. 

You can create personal profiles to store the drink preferences of regular users and you can operate the machine from your phone, so that you can have a drink ready for you every morning. Admittedly, at this price, you’d certainly expect that kind of level of service.

7. Jura C8

£895, John Lewis

Best remote-operating coffee machine, 8/10 

We like: stylish design

We don’t like: bulky, quite heavy 

• 7 grind settings
• Makes 6 different types of coffee drinks
• Capacity 1.6 litres
• H32.5cm x D43.7cm x W26cm
• Weight 10.3kg
• Steam wand: yes

This is a high-tech, good-looking, compact coffee machine for pure coffee lovers. It makes a lovely smooth standard black coffee, espresso, cappuccino and latte macchiato. But if you’re into the more gimmicky coffee shop-type coffee drinks, this isn’t the machine for you. What the Jura C8 does, is produce great coffee at three different strengths and seven different grind settings with very foamy milk to suit your taste preference. It does it all within a couple of minutes and it’s not too noisy either. It can also produce two cups of coffee at once and the spout adjusts to the height of your cups.

You just fill up the removable water tank, lift the lid, fill the hopper with beans and add milk to the container if you’re using it. Then, scroll along the easy to programme menu and select your drink. The machine automatically cleans itself between drinks, so there is no chance of the last drink infecting the latest one and it has an automated deep clean function for the coffee and milk compartments too.

And, if you’re lying in bed or on your way home and fancy a coffee, you can download the app and dial up your order via your smartphone and have a cup of coffee waiting for you as soon as you are ready for it. Lovely.

8. Melitta LatteSelect

£749.99 Melitta

Best for entertaining, 7/10 

We like: personalisation function, extensive menu

We don’t like: fiddly bean selector, bulky 

• 5 grind settings
• Makes 12 different types of coffee and milk-based drinks, plus hot water for tea or other beverages
• Capacity 1.8l
• H34.5cm x D47.5cm x W25.5cm
• Weight 9.25kg
• Steam wand: yes

If you’re big on all sorts of hot drinks and you entertain frequently, the Melitta LatteSelect is for you. You need to study the instructions to make the most out of everything it has to offer, but once you know your way around it, it’s easy to use. 

Just fill the bean hoppers, of which there are two, so you can have decaf in one and standard in the other or a bean that is best suited to espresso in one and a bean for a milder coffee in the other. Then fill the water tank and select your drink. You just have to remember which bean is in which container and to manually flick the switch to select the right one. 

The Melitta LatteSelect makes 12 different types of coffee drinks from the standard coffee or cappuccino to the more specialised espresso macchiato. It will also dispense hot or frothy milk, so you can get creative with coffee art and hot water to three different temperatures suited to different teas. 

You can make two drinks simultaneously and, thanks to its particularly large water tank and roomy milk container, you can make quite a few drinks before needing to top up, which is handy if you’re entertaining. Whichever recipe you choose, you will be wrapping your hands around a delicious, deep and creamy cup of coffee.

It also has a useful, easy-to-set, self-cleaning function and a filter that stops limescale building up, which won’t take long in a hard-water area. 

9. Instant Grind & Brew

£129.99, Instant

Best budget bean-to-cup coffee machine, 7/10 

We like: makes up to 10 cups, fantastic value for money

We don’t like: quite noisy, no milk frother

• 5 bean grind settings
• Makes three brew strengths, light, classic and strong
• Capacity 1.5 litres
• H43.2cm x D36.5cm x W21.6cm
• Weight 4.5kg
• Steam wand: no

When it comes to value for money, it’s hard to beat the Instant Grind and Brew. It is the best bean-to-cup coffee machine under £500 that we’ve tested. Admittedly, it won’t quite be able to match the menu of your local coffee house, but if your go-to is a simple cup of coffee, this machine is all you need. The instructions are online, which is a bit irritating, I had to watch the videos a few times to get the hang of how to use it, but once you know, you know. 

Scoop the desired amount of beans into the hopper, fill the water tank – which holds enough liquid for up to ten cups – and set your preferred grind size. You then programme in how many cups you want it to make – it can make up to 10 – and how strong you want the coffee and press start. Ten minutes later the carafe will have filled. All super simple. 

If you like more than one cup, or members of your home like their coffee at different times, the warming plate will keep the coffee jug hot for up to one hour and you can set it to stay at a low, medium or high temperature.

You can also programme the 24-hour timer so that it will deliver you a freshly ground coffee first thing in the morning or when you get home from work. The Instant Grind & Brew is easy to clean too, since all the regularly used parts are dishwasher proof. 

FAQs

What key features should I look for in a bean-to-cup coffee machine? 

Look for a machine that has at least five grind settings that will grind the coffee beans from coarse to fine and one that can make the coffee drinks that you prefer. 

If you don’t have a water filter on your kitchen tap, a machine with an integrated water filter will minimise limescale build up and last longer and one that largely cleans itself will also be easier to maintain.

How does grind size effect the taste of coffee?

“Grind size is often underrated, yet it’s crucial for the final cup of coffee due to extraction percentage. I know it sounds a bit geeky, but bear with me,” says Howard at Grind. “When brewing coffee, we extract flavour from the coffee grounds into the water. If we extract too much or too little, the resulting flavour can be unbalanced –  either overly bitter or too acidic.”

How many grind sizes should a decent bean-to-cup machine offer?

The finer the grind, the more flavour is extracted resulting in a stronger cup of coffee. Some machines will give you more than ten grind options, but five grind settings is sufficient for most.

Why do different coffee types require different beans?

“Different types of coffee beans have distinct flavours,” says Howard. “A good Ethiopian coffee, for example, can have amazing fruity, bright flavours, but these may not work well in a milky coffee. If I’m making a flat white, I might choose a rich, chocolatey Brazilian bean instead, saving the Ethiopian for an afternoon Americano.”