With many types of coffee machines out there, all with their unique and quite often unnecessary settings, it’s easy to lose sight of which are the important qualities to look for. This is why we’ve invested our time in creating a list of essential qualities to look for in a good coffee machine. We will focus on different types of coffee machines available on the market as well as what makes some better suited to your needs than others. Furthermore, we’ll discuss how to narrow your search by knowing which type of coffee brew you like the most, how much time you have to prepare it, and how much available space is there for the machine.

General Word of Advice

Before you invest in a brand new coffee machine, you should consider all the functions and attributes it has to offer. For example, you should check the temperature increments as the ideal temperature for a good coffee maker to store coffee at is around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Most of the coffee machines will measure the temperature at the point where it exits the appliance to drip into the cup. If you’re looking for an incorporated coffee grinder too, it should not have less than 1000W of ground power.

Another thing you should pay attention to is that coffee grounds need to be in about 7 mm of water to reach maximum temperature. Furthermore, some of the more modern models have programmable features that can brew coffee at a preferred strength. If you’re after filter coffee machines, make sure that your filters are reusable, or that you use disposable paper filters that are environmentally friendly.

Types of Coffee Machines

Finding a good coffee machine for you also means you pick the right type of machine too. This will depend entirely on your preference based on your favorite type of brew. As the specialists from the coffee solutions company over at PureBean.com.au suggest some of the most typical types of coffee machines or appliances are pod/capsule machines, bean-to-cup machines, and filter coffee machines. The first type of coffee machine is considered a good investment if you don’t have a lot of time on your hands and there is an endless number of capsules to try out.

However, the pods and capsules are more expensive and less friendly for the environment than ground coffee. Bean-to-cup machines are the choice for people who expect the very best from their morning brew. These machines have a built-in coffee grinder with a variety of settings so you can decide how fine you want your beans to be ground. Filter coffee machines are for those who prefer this tried and true way of brewing coffee.

Speed Is Important

Another very important aspect of a coffee machine is how fast it can land brewed coffee in your hand. You could have the most technologically advanced coffee machine but what good will it do if you need your coffee in a rush and it takes ages to brew it. Furthermore, more people end up investing in coffee machines that end up being too slow or they require additional work such as grinding the beans which most people just choose to omit and don’t use altogether.

The typical answers include that they didn’t have the time to prepare, wait for it to brew, or the cleanup process was too long. This is why it’s all the more important to invest in a coffee machine that best suits your needs. Don’t invest in an espresso machine if you don’t have plenty of time in the morning, however, if you can spare a couple of moments and invest a little bit of your time, it can guarantee great results.

How Easy It Is to Use

Another aspect that usually makes a coffee machine a bad investment is that people overestimate their skills and don’t end up using the appliance because they aren’t willing to invest the time to learn how to use it. To make it easier for you to narrow down the controls one coffee machine should have as a bare minimum we’ve come up with the following: if you don’t have plenty of time go for the ones that have a brew start timer so you can set it to brew in advance.

If you’re not intent on spending too much time cleaning, go for the ones who have a self-cleaning option that can help control the build-up of calcium. If you don’t need a lot of coffee, you should aim at coffee machines that have 1-4 coffee cup settings. Last but not least, a very helpful asset is an auto-off button which will ensure that you can leave your house without having to worry about coming back to switch the coffee machine off.

The Size

Ultimately, if you’re still unsure which coffee machine you should buy, the space you have available will significantly narrow your search. If you’re after a professional espresso machine but have just a tiny corner available in your kitchen, better give up sooner than later. However, if you’re willing to invest an extra buck, there are specialized espresso machines that are very small in stature and can fit almost anywhere.

If you don’t prefer espresso (or don’t have that buck to spare) opt for a coffee machine that operates with pods or capsules as they are often very narrow since there aren’t many tiny details and water supplies attached to them. Implementing the size of your future coffee machine early in your search for the perfect appliance might save you a great deal of time, not to mention the nerves since there are so many good coffee machines out there.

Remember to look for all of these qualities in a coffee machine before your next purchase. It will ensure you end up with a coffee maker which best suits your needs or the needs of your company, and ultimately, it can save you a lot of money on unnecessary features. Not only this but it will also help you get that perfect coffee machine in your kitchen as soon as possible.