When you’re looking for the best coffee maker to put in your kitchen, there is surprisingly little to consider. The single biggest factor is likely to be the type of coffee you prefer, and that’s going to be whatever you choose on your visit to Costa. The most popular choices tend to be Espresso for the real die hard coffee fans, and for the more leisurely members of cafe culture, lattes and cappuccinos. There are also various other types that we come across from time to time, most commonly americano and mocha.
Each machine on the market aims to cater for particular types of coffee, with some of them being all rounders. If you like one type in particular, go for a specialist machine, as most experts agree that the generic machines that are able to do a wider range don’t excel in the same way for any one specific drink. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a machine to use when entertaining, the all rounders are a great choice.
Spend a good amount of time doing your research, as the purchase can be relatively expensive, so you’re not going to want to replace the machine in the next couple of years, it’s the kind of thing that you want to get right first time. Common brands include Sage, De’longhi and Melitta, and that last one has stormed through the ranks to take the top spot in many consumer tests recently, as you’ll learn in many of the Melitta reviews focusing on the machine. Their charm is as much in terms of looks as it is in taste, with their machines coming in a stylish design both in black and stainless steel finishes to suit almost any kitchen.
That’s not to say that it’s the best coffee maker for you, though, and as we said, we highly encourage a good amount of research to be completed before you buy. If you like coffee with milk, be sure to look for a good frothing arm, as they can make a huge difference by heating and giving a light foam effect to finish things off when making drinks. A good milk froth will really make it look impressive, and if you really want to go to town (figuratively speaking), you can get some ‘sprinkle stencils’ to add the chocolate powder patterns to the foam on your cappuccinos!
Finally, remember that practice makes perfect. Too many people expect to get the perfect cup of coffee right out of the box, and it just doesn’t work that way. You need to learn how to use the machine, develop your technique and choose the best coffee beans. It does mean you’ll need to drink plenty of coffee in the meantime – maybe just one more practice!