These Are the Best Coffee Machines of 2021 (So Far)
From Delonghi to Sunbeam, we’ve rounded up the best coffee machines to help you get your daily caffeine fix.
If you’re like me, you have a coffee habit. Actually, habit probably isn’t the correct term here, because it sounds like something a nun might take off at the end of the day, whereas I have no particular intention of quitting coffee any time soon at all, and you cannot make me.
For many of us, the cheery charm of the local barista has been replaced in 2020 by the stark realisation that we’re going to have to make our own damned coffee. Now, if you’re looking at saving the most money, then the worst coffee solution – yes, I’m talking Instant Coffee, a product which does have its own fans – is still open to you.
For many of us, however, instant is a poor substitute for properly ground, nicely prepared and actually fresh coffee. That’s where having a good coffee machine can make a huge difference.
Hang on. Aren’t proper coffee machines frighteningly expensive?
Look, if you wanted to go that full-on-Barista experience and buy a coffee machine the size of your kitchen bench, then… yes. The sky can literally be the limit when it comes to pricey café-style machines built for commercial use, but unless your family is very large, you probably don’t need one of those.
A more compact and more affordable machine can be yours for much less pretty easily. The $500 or more for a simple machine might still seem like a lot to pay for a coffee machine, but bear in mind that if your current habit involves a coffee on the way to the office each day, even if you were only paying $2/cup, that machine would pay itself off within a year pretty easily, even taking into account the cost of consumables like water, electricity and of course coffee itself. Nobody expects a premium machine to last only a year, so before long if your coffee habit is anything like mine, your machine will quickly be saving you money.
If you’re also in the interest of saving money, you can book mark some of our coffee machine recommendations ahead of Amazon Prime Day 2021 incase they go on sale. Prime day kicks off on Monday, June 21 and runs for a full 65 hours, so your chances of getting as discounted coffee machine are pretty high. You can sign up for a free 30 day free trial here.
You also gain a huge amount of flexibility when it comes to coffee preparation, whether you favour a simple espresso shot to get you going or something substantially more fancy.
Coffee consumption can be healthy if you control it and making your own is the first step on that journey.
With that in mind, here’s a selection of the best coffee machines available on Amazon Australia at the time of writing, taking in a range of brands and coffee preparation options:
Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine BES870BSS was $933.90, now $680 (save $253.88)
Amazon rating: 5/5
Number of reviews: 55
Breville’s Barista Express promises beans to cup in under a minute, so even if you do want a machine to get your coffee going as you fly out the door it could be a good match. Reviewers noted that it’s very easy to configure for your own personalised take on coffee, wherever your taste sits.
De’Longhi Automatic Coffee Machine ECAM22110SB $797
Amazon rating: 4.5/5
Number of reviews:675
De’Longhi’s ECAM22110SB doesn’t quite have a name that trips off the tongue, but reviewers appreciated its ease of use, especially in relation to consistently creating good cups of coffee, as well as how simple it was to keep clean.
Breville BES980BSS The Oracle Espresso Machine $2,383
Amazon rating: 4.5/5
Number of reviews: 29
Breville’s more expensive coffee machine in this list sells itself as “the world’s first automatic manual espresso machine”, and it’s that mix of automatic features – for convenience – and manual features – to get your coffee exactly right – that endear it to the folks who make the rather more expensive investment in one. If you’re making a lot of coffee for your housemates, its ability to knock out 2 cappuccinos in 90 seconds could also be a boon.
Sunbeam EM4300K Mini Barista Coffee Machine was $299, now $239 (save $60)
Number of reviews: 1
Sunbeam’s coffee machine isn’t fancy, but you wouldn’t expect that at a lower price point.
DeLonghi La Specialista Espresso Coffee Machine EC9335M (currently sold out)
Amazon rating: 4/5
Number of reviews: 35
Delonghi’s La Specialista is a semi-manual machine pitched strongly at the ease-of-use market, although some reviewers do note that this means some features such as the milk frothing wand aren’t as flexible as on more manual machines.
Gaggia Babila Fully Automatic Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine $2699
Amazon rating: 4/5
Number of reviews: 10
Gaggia’s automatic coffee machine is lauded by its reviewers as much for the striking and attractive design as it is its ability to push out a really great, café-quality cup of coffee.
Zulay Classic Stovetop Espresso Maker $36.55
Amazon rating: 4.5/5
Number of reviews: 2,096
If you want that authentic full coffee making experience and you’re not limited by time, you can of course opt for a more traditional approach, like this Zulay Classic Stovetop model. Sure, you don’t get the full “machine” part of “best coffee machine”… but then coffee was made to be savoured anyway.
Editor’s note: Descriptions and features are as taken from manufacturer/seller claims and user reviews on Amazon.
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