Still expensive, but a budget-friendlier* option that delivers the goods when it comes to taste, functionality, and style. Straight of the box we were pleasantly surprised to see just how compact this machine is. Unlike many other bean to cup machines the Avanza comes in at a 353 x 200 x 455mm. Those dimensions combined make it a perfect size to have on any countertop without it looking overbearing.

The unit offers limited programmability and you do not have so many variables to play with. While this may be a shame for some, most will love its hands-off and easy to use appeal. It’s got an LCD display and programmable features that allow you to customise your drinks to your exact specifications, and its sleek stainless steel design is a real showstopper. If you love the taste of barista style coffee, whether that’s full bodied espresso, latte, cappuccino, or many more and want to achieve the same results at home, a fully automatic bean to cup coffee machine will fit in perfectly on your countertop.

Next to the pour buttons you’ll find another opportunity to tailor your espresso exactly how you like it, this time in the strength of the coffee itself. 3 beans for a more caffeinated serving and one for a slightly weaker one. We used this feature often for our post 2pm cups to balance our caffience intake (or at least attempt to)

Dimensions 40.59 x 35.39 x 40.49 cm, capacity is 2 liters, made with stainless steel, dishwasher safe parts, wattage is 1680w. Melitta specialises in bean to cup, filter and pour-over coffee machines so the brand has you covered depending on how you like to take your coffee. If you’re a Man Utd fan, then there’s even a co-branded dedicated machine for you in line with their sponsorship of the club. When a clean or descale is required the Melitta Avanza will alert you, ensuring optimum performance of the machine is maintained. Automatic cleaning and descaling is accessed via a service button which also allows you to alter brewing temperature, water hardness settings and the auto-off feature. If a Melitta Pro Aqua Water Filer is used (available separately) this automatic coffee machine may only need to be descaled once a year (depending on water hardness and the amount the machine is used). As well as cutting down on limescale the filter wil l improve the quality and flavour of your coffee.The De’Longhi Primadonna S Evo looks amazing, it’s a big silver machine that surprisingly isn’t as big as we thought. There are several great features in this bean to cup coffee machine but we were delighted to see the Coffee Link app that helped in making coffee brewing more exciting. There are a lot of customization options available as well, you can adjust the milk quality, amount of coffee, the temperature, and the aroma levels.

The machine also includes a pre-infusion function which ensures that coffee is brewed evenly and at the optimal temperature. With a built-in grinder, users can enjoy freshly ground coffee every time. The grinder has 5 different settings which allows users to choose the perfect grind for their preferred type of coffee. The water tank is a bit small, so you’ll have to refill it frequently. And the milk frothing wand isn’t the easiest to use, so you might need some practice to get that perfect microfoam. Our fully automatic bean to cup coffee machines are made to bring coffee enjoyment into your home, we offer both single and double cup coffee machines so you can enjoy alone or together without needing to wait. Many of our coffee machines also have super silent grinders, so you can prepare a cup of coffee any time of the day or night without waking up any other household members. Automatic Cleaning and Descaling We would have liked the machine to made out of stainless steel, instead every panel and button is made out of plastic. It doesn’t look like the most premium machine out there but what it loses out for in materials, one could argue it makes up for in features. This option is easy to use, with simple controls that let you customise your coffee just the way you like it. And with its built-in grinder, you can ensure that your beans are freshly ground every time, giving you the best possible flavour.

For further personalisation, the Avanza 600 actually allows you to change the grind of your coffee. If you open the panel on side there will be a small lever. Move it left and you’ll have a fine grind and all of the way to the right you’ll have a coarse grind. You can change this suit the type of bean you’re using or type of coffee you’d like. The De’Longhi Magnifica Coffee Maker allows you to make the perfect cup for your tastes. You can select the length and strength of your cup. Two drinks can be made at the same time or if you are into bigger cups, you can make just one. The water tank on this machine is also big enough for 5 drinks. One thing we love is that the machine makes round tablets of used coffee. The only downside is that this is a loud machine, but the killer coffee makes it an easy budget recommendation. The only downsides to this machine are that you have to buy Nespresso-compatible pods which is a bit of a pain in the bum and I’d also say that the Vertuo kind of produces a little bit too much foam although, fortunately, that doesn’t really detract from the taste. Keeping your bean to cup coffee machine clean has never been easier with our automatic cleaning and descaling programmes. Each of our bean to cup machines indicate when they are due to be cleaned or descaled, taking the guesswork out of “when did we last clean the coffee machine?”. The step by step instructions then guide you through the process keeping things as simple as possible. A clean coffee machine prolongs the machine's life, and keeps your coffee tasting as good as it should. Stylish Design In terms of heat retention, the Barista Express is a champ. Its thermocoil heating system ensures that your coffee is brewed at the optimal temperature, and its warming tray keeps cups nice and toasty.