Are you looking for a budget-friendly coffee machine for your home? Perhaps you’re now working from home and you don’t want the annoyance and expense of going to a coffee shop, or the taste of instant coffee (let’s face it, this isn’t usually as good as a proper barista-style coffee).

In this guide, we explore your options for budget-friendly coffee makers for home use and the styles of coffee machine that you should consider. There are so many different options that it can quickly get confusing.

What sort of machines can you buy, and how do you work out which is the most appropriate for your own needs?

● Barista coffee machines. If you can operate and clean one of these machines it can be a good option, but they aren’t likely to be cheap. ● Filter coffee machines. A simple way to make filter coffee, and often an affordable option for making a simple coffee at home. ● Pod or capsule coffee machines. These have become really popular in recent years with brands like Nespresso. ● Bean-to-cup coffee machines. These machines do a lot of the hard work for you, you simply add the ingredients (coffee, water, and milk) and it will create barista-style drinks for you.

● Espresso machines. These can be used to make espresso, or as a basis for espresso- based drinks. You can make Americano style drinks or with a milk steamer make other

Now you know a little about the types of coffee machines, let’s explore some cheaper options you may wish to get for your own kitchen.

This is a really simple and affordable coffee maker that allows you to create big batches of filter coffee at home.

In spite of the low price tag, there are some very appealing features.

The ComfortLine has an Aroma+ function so you can make a much more aromatic coffee, as

the water flows slower to extract more from the coffee. The simple filter uses paper filters and you just need to add ground coffee (grind this to a filter level) and you’re ready to brew.

The coffee pot can actually be taken off its stand before the brewing is totally finished, as the machine will detect this and remain safe, without spilling any coffee.

The tank is easy to refill, and the inbuilt descaling coffee machine helps you to stop limescale building up.

If you don’t want the option to brew barista-style drinks like latte or flat white, then this can prepare simple filter coffees at a great price.

If you are happy making your coffee using capsules then you can find some affordable options on the market including the Genio S Plus.

This model is very sophisticated for the price, and allows you to adapt your coffee to your own needs. You can adjust the intensity of the coffee as well as the temperature, so on a hot day you can make colder coffee drinks.

The quick pump extracts coffee in under 30 seconds and you can choose between loads of different types of coffee, including cappuccinos, latte, and even some other drinks like tea and hot chocolate.

You can make an XL coffee and use a larger, travel cup, something you can’t do with every pod or capsule coffee machine. It also has a top rating for energy use, and turns itself off between uses.

A semi-automatic espresso machine takes pre-ground coffee beans and this model comes with a milk frother, too, so you can make barista drinks as well as simple espresso drinks. This is a really small model which is ideal for putting in your home kitchen, even if you don’t have that much space.

The boiler is made out of great materials in spite of the fact that it is relatively affordable. This is better than an aluminium option which can taint the flavour. The steam wand is easy to use, so you don’t need to be a fully-trained barista to get the most out of the EC230.

This coffee machine does require a bit more work and understanding of the coffee, and it is best if you combine it with a grinder so that you can use an espresso grind to make a delicious espresso shot.

We have more choices than ever when it comes to preparing coffee at home. You don’t have to sacrifice the quality, and a lot of people fancy themselves as home baristas.

Luckily, you don’t have to spend a huge amount of money to vastly improve your coffee-making ability at home. If you’re already spending a lot of money on coffee, and visiting coffee shops, having a machine at home that can make you a delicious drink can even save you money in the long run.