How easy is achieving the perfect cuppa with these home coffee machines? We channeled our inner baristas to find out
How easy is achieving the perfect cuppa with these home coffee machines? We channeled our inner baristas to find out.
Whether you’re a true coffee connoisseur or just need your daily cup of joe, splashing out on a takeaway cup every morning can get really expensive over time. The good news is, you can now BYOB (be your own barista), simply by investing in a coffee machine that lets you customise your brews in minutes, and impress your friends. We put six to the test.
CAPSULES, PRE-GROUND COFFEE OR ROASTED BEANS?
Roasted beans with a small compartment for pre-ground coffee.
VARIETY OF DRINKS
Makes 20 types of hot drinks to cater to individual preferences, and goes a step further by being able to dispense the optimum hot water temperature for different types of teas too.
EASY TO USE?
You can easily customise your entire drink from start to finish via a touchscreen panel. Control the length of the pre-brew and the amount of water, coffee, milk and froth. We were especially impressed by the cup sensor that auto-adjusts the spout’s height to suit the size and rim of your cup, although ours was on the brink of overflowing. It efficiently autorinses the milk pipe, and there’s an auto-descaling function to save you time and energy.
LATTE TASTE TEST
While it certainly looked the part, with a good amount of froth, our coffee didn’t taste as strong as some of the others.
DESIGN AND SIZE
Quite hefty and large, making it more suitable for homes with a larger countertop space. We like its sleek, streamlined body (the grinder is neatly hidden away) and there’s a separate compartment for ground coffee, in case you want to prepare a decaf.
OVERALL
A high-end, fully automatic beanto- cup coffee machine that lets you tailor your drink to your liking with minimal effort and cleanup. Ideal for larger families, or those who love to entertain.
CAPSULES, PRE-GROUND COFFEE OR ROASTED BEANS?
Capsules.
VARIETY OF DRINKS
Makes a wide range of 20 hot and cold café-style drinks with Nescafé’s famous pods, from cappuccino to chococino and even peach tea! Simply push the lever left or right (you need to add ice for cold drinks).
EASY TO USE?
It’s very simple to operate. The control dial lets you adjust the strength of your brew, or you can simply follow the number of bars on each capsule. The drip tray can also be adjusted on three levels, to suit the height of the cup and reduce splatter. Alas, there’s no pod disposal container, so you’ll need to manually remove each capsule after use, and the pod holder compartment drips when we remove it to dispose of the capsule, so be careful.
LATTE TASTE TEST
Ours was light and palatable, without being too bitter. The foam layer (also known as crema) was consistently smooth and fluffy, without the need for an external frother.
DESIGN AND SIZE
Our first reaction was that it looks very futuristic and modern, and so tiny! It takes up very little countertop space, is easy to clean and light enough to carry around.
OVERALL
If you aren’t too particular about controlling every aspect of your coffee, this compact and affordable automatic coffee maker quickly dispenses a wide variety of coffee drinks, and is ideal for small homes.
CAPSULES, PRE-GROUND COFFEE OR ROASTED BEANS?
Roasted beans.
VARIETY OF DRINKS
Create virtually any kind of coffee you like, precisely the way you want it, from a full-bodied espresso to a super frothy latte macchiato.
EASY TO USE?
It took a bit of fiddling about to orientate ourselves with the many features of this machine, which has both auto and manual options. We like that it automatically grinds, tamps and steams, and you can adjust not just the milk’s temperature but also the texture of the froth. Its stainless steel milk jug makes you feel like an actual barista, and it automatically purges the milk nozzle after steaming, which is convenient and hygienic.
LATTE TASTE TEST
Coffee was very robust, acidic and yummy. We like that you can adjust the coarseness of the coffee granules via a knob in the bean hopper. Crema was consistently thick and fluffy.
DESIGN AND SIZE
It looks like a mini-sized version of the semi-automatic machines you see in cafés, with a stylish brushed stainless steel exterior, knobs and lever, but is so much easier to use. It’s quite heavy but has a lockable wheel so you can easily roll it around the countertop.
OVERALL
Great for coffee-making beginners, the stunning Oracle has the quality of a semi-automatic machine but the convenience of a fully automated one, and is worth the splurge.
CAPSULES, PRE-GROUND COFFEE OR ROASTED BEANS?
Roasted beans with a funnel for pre-ground coffee.
VARIETY OF DRINKS
Pick from a wide range of hot coffee beverages from its self-explanatory LED menu display, with physical buttons on the left and right. Also dispenses hot water for making teas.
EASY TO USE?
Simple and easy-to-navigate. There are two quick and convenient ways to get coffee: The central spout is solely for espressos, while the double spouts on the right elegantly deliver both espresso and frothed milk at the touch of a button. Steamed milk is transported from a chic glass jug via a detachable hose, and you can adjust settings to your desired froth level. We also like that you can tweak settings while in use, to prevent accidental spillage or to fill your cup to the brim.
LATTE TASTE TEST
Coffee tasted rich, robust, smooth and velvety, thanks to its pulse extraction technology, and the crema was thick and silky.
DESIGN AND SIZE
It fits best in larger homes as it’s quite big and bulky. Still, it’s very welldesigned with innovative and smart features, such as sensors that prompt you when it’s time to empty the drip tray and clean the machine.
OVERALL
This is a very modern, superautomatic and smart coffee machine that produces luxurious, top-notch coffee drinks for the whole family.
CAPSULES, PRE-GROUND COFFEE OR ROASTED BEANS?
Capsules.
VARIETY OF DRINKS
Choose from 24 high-quality Grand Cru capsules from Nespresso, from single origin to gourmet blends.
EASY TO USE?
Fuss-free and convenient, with an intuitive and clear display, and automatic steam pipe and programme settings that let you choose your preferred milk temperature and froth level (which is very useful for making latte art!). After steaming, the wand autopurges to rinse itself. Eject capsules without touching, thanks to a nifty used capsule system for up to 12 capsules. The drip tray fills up quite quickly after three or four rounds, but it’s a minor issue.
LATTE TASTE TEST
Coffee tasted delicious and not too acidic, just like what you’d expect from a good café. Crema was thick, ultra-light and long-lasting, and we like that you can choose how frothy you want your drink to be.
DESIGN AND SIZE
It’s surprisingly slim and streamlined, which makes it ideal even for smaller kitchens and countertops, and its glossy stainless steel body is truly a sight to behold. It also comes with a stainless steel milk jug!
OVERALL
Sleek, super compact and fuss-free with a reasonable price point, it’s the ideal appliance for fancy, custommade espresso drinks worthy of your favourite café.
CAPSULES, PRE-GROUND COFFEE OR ROASTED BEANS?
Roasted beans, with a small drawer for pre-ground coffee.
VARIETY OF DRINKS
Besides the usual range of espresso and milk-based coffee varieties, this coffee machine also dispenses hot water for tea and comes with an unique carafe dedicated for making hot chocolate.
EASY TO USE?
What’s special is that you can control the machine remotely via an app, which means you can order a fresh cuppa from your bed (you’ll still need to fill the milk container yourself if you’re making a latte, though). You can also programme it to turn on at a specific time, which is great for busy mornings. We like the intuitive touchscreen, adjustable grinding level and central spout to suit different cup sizes. It boils milk and water to the optimum temperature, so you don’t need to adjust settings.
LATTE TASTE TEST
Coffee tasted smooth and strong, although the crema didn’t last long at all and wasn’t as frothy as the others.
DESIGN AND SIZE
It’s fairly big, but very professionallooking and great for bigger homes. The milk spout juts out, so ensure your cup is placed precisely below the three spouts to avoid spillage. You also need a receptacle to catch excess water that’s purged when the steam nozzle is being cleaned.
OVERALL
An elegant, albeit large coffee machine that offers a great handsfree experience. Its user-friendly and convenient smartphone app also takes your coffee enjoyment to the next level.
Know Your Café-style Coffees
These eight coffees are made with different combinations of espresso, steamed milk and froth.
Espresso
A 30 ml shot of pure coffee, also called a “short black”, made by forcing a small amount of hot water through finely-ground coffee beans.
Ristretto
A more potent concentrated shot of espresso at 22 ml, made with half the amount of water but same amount of ground coffee as a regular espresso.
Americano
Also known as a “long black”, it’s made by diluting an espresso with hot water, which means you get a larger quantity of coffee to enjoy.
Cappuccino
A popular café choice made with equal parts espresso, steamed milk and froth for consistently rich flavour and smooth texture.
Flat White
Essentially a cappuccino, but with very minimal foam on top.
Latte
For those who prefer a milder coffee taste, this light and milky drink is typically made with a double shot of espresso with 300 ml steamed milk, plus a layer of foam on top.
Macchiato
A shot of espresso and a small amount of foamed milk, for a more intense coffee flavour and aroma.
Mocha
For those with a sweet tooth, this chocolate-infused beverage contains equal parts espresso and cocoa powder, and a bit of steamed milk.
TEXT: ELIZABETH LIEW/ ILLUSTRATIONS: 123RF.COM
