Automatic espresso machine reviews

03.Product profiles

Profiles - what to buy

Delonghi Magnifica Automatic Cappuccino ESAM3500.S (A)

Price $1999

Good points

• Excellent for ease of programming.
• Excellent controls.
• Digital display.
• Programmable On/Off switch.
• Cup warming plate.
• Warning when bean hopper is empty.
• Can use pre-ground coffee.
• Adjustable coffee strength and temperature.
• Very easy to empty the dregs container.

Bad points

• Grinder is not easy to adjust.
• Doesn’t produce fine milk foam.
• Doesn’t make two cups of coffee correctly.

Saeco Talea Touch

Price $1899

Good points

• Excellent for ease of programming.
• Excellent controls.
• Digital display.
• Good milk frothing (but only when the froth enhancer is removed).
• Programmable On/Off switch.
• Cup warming plate.
• Warning when bean hopper is empty.
• Can use pre-ground coffee.
• Adjustable coffee strength and temperature.
• Swivel base for easy access to sides and rear.

Bad points

• Grinder is not easy to adjust.
• Only borderline for making consecutive cups of coffee with even temperature.
• Exterior is not particularly easy to clean.

Delonghi Magnifica ESAM3000.B (A)

Price $899

Good points

• Cup warming plate.
• Warning when bean hopper is empty.
• Adjustable coffee strength.
• Can use pre-ground coffee.
• Very easy to empty the dregs container.

Bad points

• Grinder is not easy to adjust.
• Poor for frothing milk.
• Doesn’t make two cups of coffee correctly.
• Grinder is not easy to adjust.

Saeco Odea Go (A)

Price $899

Good points

• Good milk frothing (but only when the froth enhancer is removed).
• Cup warming plate.
• Warning when bean hopper is empty.
• Swivel base for easy access to sides and rear.

Bad points

• Grinder is not easy to adjust.
• Controls are not particularly easy to use.
• Exterior is not particularly easy to clean.

Profiles - the rest

Worth considering

Jura Impressa J5 (A) 

Price $2495

Good points

• Excellent controls.
• Programmable On/Off switch.
• Warning when bean hopper is empty.
• Can use pre-ground coffee.
• Adjustable coffee strength and temperature.
• Very easy to empty the dregs container.
• Cord storage.
• Large water tank.

Bad points

• Non-adjustable grinder.
• Doesn’t return to the last setting used after switching it off so you may need to program it every time.
• Doesn’t make two cups of coffee correctly.

Krups Espresseria Automatic XP9000

Price $2300

Good points

• Excellent controls.
• Programmable On/Off switch.
• Cup warming plate.
• Warning when bean hopper is empty.
• Can use pre-ground coffee.
• Adjustable coffee strength and temperature.
• Very easy to empty the dregs container.
• Cord storage.
• Large water tank.

Bad points

• Doesn’t make two cups of coffee correctly. Doesn’t make two cups of coffee correctly. Doesn’t make two cups of coffee correctly. Doesn’t make two cups of coffee correctly.
Doesn’t make two cups of coffee correctly.

Jura ENA5 (A)

Price $1295

Good points

• Excellent controls.
• Programmable On/Off switch.
• Warning when bean hopper is empty.
• Can use pre-ground coffee.
• Adjustable coffee strength and temperature.
• Very easy to empty the dregs container.
• Cord storage.

Bad points

• Non-adjustable grinder.
• Small water tank.
• Doesn’t return to the last setting used after switching it off so you may need to program it every time.
• Doesn’t make two cups of coffee correctly.

Not recommended

Krups Espresseria Automatic XP7200 (A)

Price $1000

Good points

• Best overall for ease of use.
• Cup warming plate.
• Can use pre-ground coffee.
• Adjustable coffee strength and temperature.

Bad points

• Poor for making espresso.
• Worst in the test for frothing milk.

Gaggia Platinum Vogue (A)

Price $1499

Good points

• Good milk frothing (but only when the froth enhancer is removed).
• Cup warming plate.
• Warning when bean hopper is empty.
• Adjustable coffee strength.
• Swivel base.

Bad points

• Worst overall for ease of use.
• Poor for programming/adjusting settings; the controls are not clearly marked to indicate their functions, and the indicator lights are hard see.
• Exterior is not particularly easy to clean.
• Grinder is not easy to adjust.
• Doesn’t return to the last setting used after switching it off so you may need to program it every time.

Sunbeam Intuitive Digital EM8910 (A)

Price $799

Good points

• Equal best for ease of programming.
• Best for milk frothing.
• Digital display.
• Cup warming plate.
• Warning when bean hopper is empty.
• Can use pre-ground coffee.
• Adjustable coffee strength and temperature.
• Easy to adjust the grinder.
• Very easy to empty the dregs container.
• Cord storage.

Bad points

• Worst in test for making espresso. We contacted the company in case the machine was faulty; they claimed there was nothing wrong with it and sent us different coffee to try, but this made no difference.
• Doesn’t make two cups of coffee correctly.
• Exterior is not particularly easy to clean.
• Doesn’t return to the last setting used after switching it off, so you may need to program it every time.

 

(A) Discontinued.