Cosori may be better know for making some of the best air fryers we've tested over the years here at TechRadar, but now its engineers have taken on a new challenge: pour-over coffee. Getting a perfectly-extracted pour-over coffee calls for just as much skill and care as espresso, and the new Cosori Juni aims to replicate that technique mechanically with a system that mimics the movements of a trained barista within the brewer.

Unlike most drip coffee makers, which shower water over the basket of ground coffee in an attempt to achieve an even extraction, the Juni uses a rotating basket and an extendable nozzle to recreate the movement and speed of a barista wielding a goose-neck kettle.

According to Cosori, this mechanical process creates a 360-degree spiral flow that evenly saturates the coffee grounds while avoiding creating channels that would cause uneven extraction. Better yet, the process is consistent and repeatable, so once you've found the ideal brew settings for your preferred beans, you can be sure you'll get exactly the same flavor profile every time.

"The physics weren't the difficult part," says Pierce Barnard, Head of Product Innovation at Cosori. "The real work was understanding the human element: spending 18 months studying and mapping how skilled baristas move across the coffee bed and translating that motion into a system that can deliver the same result, every single morning."

The Cosori Juni can handle as much or as little of the brewing process as you like, whether you want to keep things simple of refine the brewing technique and temperature to suit your chosen coffee. The Juni can even use AI to help you pick the optimal settings, and warn you if you've not picked the ideal brewing profile. Just scan your bag of coffee beans, and the machine will generate a brewing profile based on the bean type and your chosen cup-size, then invite you to tinker with factors like agitation, temperature flow rate, and pause time.

It's not yet clear whether the Juni will only be able to scan a particular brand of coffee, as is the case with the Lavazza Assoluta espresso machine I tested earlier this year, which can only adapt its brew settings to Lavazza's own beans.

Alternatively, manual mode lets you take control yourself, though if you want a little guidance then the machine's AI can still warn you if any of the settings you've picked are likely to result in an under- or over-extracted drink. For simplicity, there are also one-touch presets for different coffees and roasts.

If you don't like the idea of such tinkering first thing in the morning, don't worry. Like most of the best drip coffee makers I've tested, the Juni has a timer, but Cosori has gone one step further by letting you set different times for each day of the week, and even allows you to set a reminder to prepare the machine the night before.

Despite its complexity, the Cosori Juni costs a reasonable $299.99 (about £220 / AU$430), which is significantly less than the similarly technical Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker, which has a list price of $365 / £365 (about AU$580). I'm hoping to put it to the test soon, to see how the two advanced brewers compare.

If you’re truly serious about coffee in Australia and looking to introduce a coffee maker into your kitchen, then Breville is a brand you’re likely to consider.

It’s easy to see why — not only is Breville a regular feature in my guide to the best coffee machines in Australia, but it also makes reliable, easy-to-master machines that, most importantly, brew a great cuppa.

The Barista Express is one such machine, and while it is a few years old now, it’s still an easy recommendation, especially now that it’s available for AU$595 on Amazon.

The Breville Barista Express has all the necessities of a great coffee machine: an integrated grinder, adjustable settings — grind size, dosage and water volume — and a powerful steam wand for texturising milk, whether it’s dairy or non-dairy. There’s no assisted tamping as you’ll find in the Barista Express Impress, for example, but a manual tamper is provided, along with single-wall and double-wall baskets, along with a razor tool for levelling ground coffee in the portafilter.

However, while Breville might provide all the tools you need for a great coffee, our Breville Barista Express review does admit that it can take a bit of time to find the best settings for the beans you use and for your personal preference. This does mean you’ll need to sacrifice a few espresso shots, but the results are more than worth it.

What’s more, the Barista Express is a relatively compact coffee machine that should cause little issue in even smaller kitchens, and it’s eligible for Breville’s free Barista Gift Pack promotion, which includes a 1kg bag of coffee beans and a Bean Keeper canister to keep them fresher for longer.

The AU$595 price on Amazon only applies to the Charcoal model, while other colours cost at least AU$100 more. Do note that Amazon has a list price of AU$999, which was the case when the machine launched in 2022, but Breville has since revised it to AU$719.

Want more suggestions?

The Breville Barista Express isn’t the only talented espresso machine with a discount on Amazon right now. Other options include the unique Philips Baristina and Philips LatteGo 4400 Series, both of which I’ve spoken highly about before.

Here are some other standout deals for you to consider:

• Philips Baristina – was AU$559 now AU$444
• Ninja Luxe Cafe (Oat Milk) – was AU$849.99 now AU$677
• Breville Bambino Plus – was AU$729 now AU$487
• KitchenAid Semi Automatic – was AU$999 now AU$799.20
• Philips LatteGo 4400 — was AU$1,199 now AU$787.99

As TechRadar's homes editor, I test a lot of coffee makers — over a dozen each year — and I'm always surprised by how many automatic espresso machines struggle with the essential task of foaming milk. That's not the case with the Philips LatteGo series, though, and I'm delighted to see one of the best models in a range, the Philips LatteGo 2300, is available for just $499.99 on Amazon for Labor Day (was $699.99).

The LatteGo system is extremely clever and easy to keep clean as well. The milk never enters the body of the machine, so there are no lines or pipes that can gather milk residue and bacteria.

Instead, you pour the milk into a carafe attached to the front of the machine, with measuring lines that mean you only need to add enough for the drink you're currently brewing — which means no waste and no need to store an open container of milk in the fridge.

Your milk will be foamed to perfection and poured directly into your cup, then when you've finished making your drink, the carafe detaches and disassembles into just three pieces of hard plastic. All of these are safe to wash in the top rack of your dishwasher.

Today's best Philips espresso machine deal

Naturally, all coffee makers in the Philips LatteGo series make excellent espresso as well, handling all the complex parts of brewing for you, so you can just add beans and water, pick a drink, and start enjoying it within a couple of minutes.

This particular model has a relatively small menu of four different drinks, but in my opinion that's no bad thing — some other coffee makers can overwhelm you with choices, whereas the 2300 Series focuses on doing the essentials well. You can still customize your drinks, choosing the volume and strength, but you won't need to spend ages scrolling through endless options.

It's one of the best coffee makers on offer this Labor Day, and it comes highly recommended by me.

Shop more of today's best Labor Day sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $99
• Appliances: up to $1,200 at Samsung
• Best Buy: 60% off appliances, TVs, laptops & more
• Casper: up to 30% off mattresses
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• DreamCloud: up to 60% off mattresses, 66% off bundles
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lowe's: $1,000 off appliances, patio & tools
• Nectar: up to 50% off mattresses, deals from $349
• Saatva: up to $625 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off 4K, QLED & OLED TVs
• Target: 45% off clothing, tech & furniture
• Walmart: 58% off back-to-school, furniture, & clothing

Another sales event is here, and so there's another chance for me to mull over the idea of buying a fancy coffee machine for my home. This time I'm considering the Breville Barista Express Impress on Amazon for $649.95 (was $799.95), as that's the lowest price it's been all year — outside of Prime Day.

• Browse the full Labor Day sale at Amazon

I'm just thinking about all the coffee I buy on the days I commute to the office or while I'm out of the house, and while the odd treat is nice, it does seem more sensible for me to make coffee at home to save money. Yes, this would be a considerable upfront investment, but it will surely make its money back in the long run.

Even though it was $50 cheaper during Prime Day, this is still a tempting offer that I'd strongly consider before this year's Labor Day sales come to an end.

Today's best espresso machine deal

What's convincing me even more is that we awarded the Breville Barista Express Impress an impressive 4.5-stars in our review. Our main takeaway is that it "makes it easy to achieve great-tasting coffee in the comfort of your home." So, if that's what you're after, then there's little reason to look any further.

With its ability to make all sorts of hot drinks with ease, a vast array of adjustable settings, a handy integrated grinder, and a powerful steam wand for milk texturing, it stands out as one of the best espresso machines we've tested.

Sure, there may be simpler, smaller, and potentially less expensive coffee machines out there that may suit my needs as well, but I do like the idea of learning how to use this slightly more advanced option. If you're also still a little put off by the price, some other espresso machine deals that are currently available are below.

As TechRadar Australia’s resident coffee connoisseur and gatekeeper of our guide to the best coffee machines, I’m constantly on the lookout for exceptional coffee machine deals on the most talented models. This week’s search was made easy, thanks to a 26% saving on the Philips Baristina, bringing it down to AU$444.

The Baristina is my pick for the best budget coffee machine in Australia in the aforementioned guide, thanks to its ease of use, clever features, tasty espresso and, of course, its low price. Its full price of AU$599 can easily be considered affordable compared to other models that typically carry a four-figure tag, but this solid discount makes it all the more tempting.

My colleague Cat Ellis — who is also a trained barista — couldn’t have been more positive in her Philips Baristina review, loving the fact that it combines the best of bean-to-cup machines with the convenience of capsule models.

It handles all aspects of the coffee-making process — grinding, dosing, tamping and brewing — all the while putting on a show. Once you’ve inserted the portafilter into position, the Baristina will automatically move it across to the brewing position when it’s finished grinding and tamping. It’s this feature alone that makes it unlike any other coffee machine Cat or I have previously tested.

It’s not without its limitations: it can only brew a 40ml espresso or a 110ml lungo, for example — there’s no extensive menu of drink options to choose from here — and you can’t adjust the grind size. This need not be a deal breaker, however, as you may just need to conduct some trial and error with coffee bean varieties if you find your espresso tastes over- or under-extracted.

There’s also no way to steam milk, although a colour-matching Philips Baristina milk frother is available separately — or you can buy this as a complete bundle for the same cumulative price.

In my mind, these are minor niggles that are either non-issues or which can be easily resolved. The combination of good looks, intuitive features and consistently well-extracted espresso more than makes up for them. If your kitchen is crying out for an affordable coffee machine, the Philips Baristina is ideal.

Want more suggestions?

If you’re in the market for a coffee machine, but the Philips Baristina doesn’t seem like it will fill your caffeine void, Amazon AU currently has a number of other wonderful models on sale, with up to 53% off.

Terra Kaffe Aero: two-minute review

The Terra Kaffe Aero does what it does well. There are four settings: Cold Foam, Hot Froth, Hot Milk, and Matcha. Just spin the dial and press it to make your selection. In just a few minutes, your beverage will be ready to drink. Cleaning it is super easy, just remove the whisk and hand-wash it, the pitcher, and the lid.

I found that all of the settings worked well. I tested each of the milk settings with skim milk which worked great. I also tested them all with a barista-style pistachio milk which came highly recommended in my research, and that also worked really well. I did try a low-calorie almond milk (not specifically made for frothing, and not recommended, but I had it in the house) and that was a fail, though I can't blame the Aero for that.

I made matcha in the Aero several different ways. Though I'm new to matcha, I thought it turned out just as yummy as the $7 matcha latte I got at my local coffee and tea shop.

Just for kicks, I also made a simple salad dressing. I just put together some olive oil and balsamic vinegar and used the Cold Foam setting. The Terra Kaffe Aero emulsified the dressing beautifully.

If you're looking for a dedicated pitcher-style frother, I don't know how you could really do better than the Terra Kaffe Aero.

Terra Kaffe Aero: price and availability

• Available at Amazon and on Terra Kaffe's website
• Retails for $149.95 (£110.73 GBP/$210.85 AUD)
• Choose Matte Black or Stainless Steel

The Terra Kaffe Aero milk frother is currently available on Amazon and on Terra Kaffe's own website. The retail price is $149.95 (£110.73 GBP/$210.85 AUD). It comes in two different colorways, Matte Black or Stainless Steel, though both color options refer only to the pitcher itself. The base is matte black on both models.

Terra Kaffe Aero: specs

Terra Kaffe Aero: design

• Attractive and simple design
• Interchangeable whisks for milk or matcha
• Four settings

The Terra Kaffe Aero is an elegantly designed multi-use milk frother. It's nice-looking and it's something you won't mind having out on your kitchen counter.

The Aero comes with two different whisks, one for milk and one for matcha. Place your whisk of choice in the bottom of the pitcher until it clicks into place. Add your liquid, the minimum and maximum fill lines are clearly printed on the inside. Place the lid on top and the pitcher on the base. Spin the dial on the base until you get to the one you want and then press it. The base is magnetized, which is how it controls the whisk from inside the pitcher. Progress lights show you how your beverage is coming along and a series of beeps let you know it's complete.

There is a "hidden" settings menu on the Terra Kaffe Aero. To access it, turn the dial to select the drink setting you wish to adjust. Double click the dial (press twice within .7 seconds) to enter that drink's settings menu. The selected drink will flash and the current setting will be indicated by the number of LED lights. For the Hot Milk and Matcha settings, turn the dial to adjust the temperature. For the Cold Foam and Hot Froth settings, turning the dial will adjust the amount of froth.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Terra Kaffe Aero: performance

• Couldn't be easier to use
• Takes just over three minutes
• Beautiful foam from both dairy and plant milk

I put the Terra Kaffe Aero through its paces, and overall I think it did a great job. The foams held up nicely, even after stirring. I tested each of the settings, Cold Foam, Hot Froth, Hot Milk, and Matcha several times. I tried out both dairy milk and plant milk, and learned some things along the way.

Hot froth (dairy milk)

I prefer skim milk, so that's what I used. A dairy milk with a bit of fat in it will likely foam up even better, but I was happy with the results I got using skim. Surprisingly, whole milk and cream are not the best milks for frothing, as they have too much fat. Two percent is the ideal frothing milk.

I started with the Hot Froth setting, pouring in skim milk up to the minimum fill line. I thought the foam was just lovely, as you can see in my series of photos below. The foam held up fine to stirring.

Cold foam (dairy milk)

The Cold Foam setting with skim milk also came out great. It's perfect for iced coffee and other cold beverages.

Hot milk (dairy milk)

The Hot Milk setting with skim milk turned out fine, though it perhaps produced more foam than I was expecting. If you hate foam and just want the milk hot, you're better off using a different method of heating your milk. If you don't mind a bit of foam, this will work for you.

Plant-based milks

First I tried frothing a random low-calorie almond milk I had in the house. Don't bother with this. After that complete fail, I did some research about the best plant-based milks for frothing, and the one I had just tried was at the bottom of the barrel.

There are a few exceptions, but the easiest way to choose a plant milk that will froth properly is to pick one that says "barista" right on the label. The barista milks are made for frothing and they have enough fat (or gums or other additives) to do so. I chose a barista-labeled pistachio milk without gums but with a good amount of fat in it. I picked this one for its mild, milky flavor, but you could also use other nut milks or soy, oat, or pea milk. As long as it says barista on the label, you're good to go. If you can't find one with the barista labeling, at least look for a full-fat plant milk. Oat and soy are supposed to be particularly good for this.

I used the barista-style plant milk to make both hot froth and cold foam several times. It worked really well, in fact it was just about the same as the dairy milk.

Matcha

I had never actually had matcha before, so my son suggested that I try one a coffee/tea shop before reviewing the Terra Kaffe Aero. That way I'd know what it's "supposed" to taste like before making it myself. I did so and was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked it. I don't really like green tea or even black tea all that much, but matcha has more of a mild taste in my opinion.

Matcha is traditionally made with a fair amount of equipment, including a sieve and a bamboo whisk. Enthusiasts will also use a scale to measure out the amount of matcha powder and water with precision.

I made matcha in the Terra Kaffe Aero a bunch of times, using instructions I found online specifically for using a milk frother as opposed to using all of the "proper" equipment. I purchased some ceremonial-grade (which is a higher grade than culinary) matcha powder, which came with a measuring scoop. I used that for measuring the powder rather than a scale. I did not sift the powder through a sieve, though my results might have been better if I had: I usually had a bit of powder at the bottom of my cup.

At any rate, I found two different basic recommended methods in my research: make the matcha in water and then add milk, or make the matcha directly in the milk. I found I preferred the former method, because the latter resulted in a too-milky beverage for my taste. However, both methods worked just fine in the Terra Kaffe Auto.

I will note that I did get a bit of powder left at the bottom of my matcha drinks. So it's not a perfect system, but it's a heck of a lot easier than doing it the traditional way.

And more

Just for fun, I decided to make a simple salad dressing. I don't know about you, but I hate salad dressings where the oil and vinegar elements are separated. I prefer my dressings totally emulsified. So, I poured a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar into the Aero and started the Cold Foam cycle. Not that I was looking for foam, but I definitely didn't want it hot. The results: a perfectly emulsified and delicious salad dressing. There was a tiny bit of foam but it disappeared when I poured it onto my salad.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Terra Kaffe Aero?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Terra Kaffe Aero: also consider

How I tested the Terra Kaffe Aero

I tested all of the settings: Hot Froth, Hot Milk, Cold Foam, and Matcha multiple times. I tested skim dairy milk and two different plant-based milks. I made matcha in water and tried it straight, added frothed milk to it, and made the matcha directly in milk. I tested it both hot and iced. I also made a simple salad dressing on the Cold Foam setting.

First reviewed August 2026

Terra Kaffe Demi: two-minute review

I've reviewed a lot of coffee and espresso machines over the years, and the Terra Kaffe Demi is one of my favorites. It's dead simple to use, and the results are incredible. Before the caffeine from my morning cup of coffee hits my bloodstream, I don't have the wherewithal to weigh and grind beans, put them in a filter, set up the machine to brew, and brew the coffee. I just want my coffee and I want it fast. But I like my coffee black, so it's important that it actually taste good. The Terra Kaffe Demi Compact Fully Automatic Espresso Machine hits all the marks. Plus it looks sleek and gorgeous in my kitchen while taking up very little space.

Pour fresh whole beans into the hopper and fill the water tank. Turn the dial on the side to scroll through your options: espresso, lungo, americano, and drip. Press once to select your pick. The conical burr grinder grinds your beans just right, and then brewing begins. In just seconds, you have your drink.

This lovely slice of tech doesn't come cheap, and it doesn't have the bells and whistles of some other similarly priced machines. If you want a machine that automatically froths your milk, or has a menu with dozens or even hundreds of drink options, this isn't the one for you. You must use whole beans; there's no pre-ground coffee option. But if the four drinks offered are sufficient for you, then keep on reading.

Terra Kaffe Demi: price and availability

• Available on several websites including Amazon
• Retails for $795 (about £590 / AU$1,100)
• Comes in four colorways

The Terra Kaffe Demi is sold on a number of websites, including Amazon, Sur La Table, Nordstrom, Seattle Coffee Gear, and Terra Kaffe's own website. It retails for $795 (about £590 / AU$1,100) or can be rented from Terra Kaffe for $39 (£30 / AU$60) per month. There are four color options: Slate (black), Cloud (pale gray-blue), Forest (dark green), and Dune (tan).

Terra Kaffe Demi: specs

Terra Kaffe Demi: design

• Small footprint
• Sleek, minimalist aesthetic
• Four brew styles

The Terra Kaffe Demi is a compact, sleek design with a minimalist aesthetic, perfect for a modern kitchen. A dot matrix style display screen shows on the front of the machine. The left side of the machine has the power button, but you'll use that only rarely. On the right side of the machine is the simple dial that controls everything. You can scroll through the menu by twisting the dial, and select by pressing it. A long press of the dial puts the machine to sleep. On the back of the machine is a 46.5 ounce (1375 ml) water tank. The 4.6-ounce (130-gram) bean hopper sits atop the machine.

The Terra Kaffe Demi's spout can be raised and lowered to accommodate different sizes of cups and mugs. The maximum height is 5.7" (14.5 cm), which is high enough for many travel mugs. You'll want to lower it when you brew into smaller cups in order to minimize coffee spatter.

The menu dial on the right side of the machine controls everything. The display on the front lets you know what's going on, whether the machine is rinsing, heating up, or ready to brew. You can choose your brew: Espresso, Lungo, Americano, or Drip.

Espresso is a concentrated brew, and the default is 1.6 ounces. Lungo is a longer extraction, and the default is 2.8 ounces. Americano is espresso plus water, and the default is a 1.6-ounce espresso shot plus 2.8 ounces of water, totalling 4.4 ounces. Drip is usually made with a drip machine, but the Terra Kaffe Demi makes a brew that tastes like drip coffee by pulsating the water through the grounds rather than applying the consistent high pressure needed to make espresso. The default Drip cup size is 5.6 ounces. There's even a Hot Water option, in case you want to make tea or hot cocoa.

You can turn the dial to dig into the Menu option if you want to change the brew temperature, strength, or amount. You can also adjust the number of espresso shots in your brew. When you're deep into the menu changing the settings, just press and hold the dial for a couple of seconds to bring you back to the drink menu. Or just wait about half a minute, and it will go back by itself.

Cleaning the Terra Kaffe Demi is pretty simple. The machine regularly rinses itself, so it's probably a good idea to keep a cup under the spout when not in use. You'll want to empty the used coffee ground "pucks" from the waste bin, give the bin a rinse, and pour out the water that's collected in the drip tray pretty regularly. I do those simple tasks pretty much every day, but if you don't drink much coffee, you could spread it out to every few days.

Once a week, Terra Kaffe recommends that you remove the brew unit and rinse it thoroughly. That sounds like a hassle, but it's actually quite easy and takes only a few seconds. I like being able to get into a machine and get it really clean. Many automatic coffee machines don't have that option, so I wonder how gunky they are getting over time.

Additionally, you'll need to run cleaning and descaling cycles on occasion, probably once every couple of months, depending on your usage. The machine will prompt you when you need to run those. The Terra Kaffe Demi does come with one packet each of cleaner and descaler. Once you use them, you can buy those products on their website.

There is also an internal clock, though that's not visible from the outside of the machine. It can be accessed in the settings menu. The reason for having a clock is that you can set the machine to automatically wake up, warm up, and be ready to brew at a specific time of your choosing. Warmup is pretty quick anyway, so I don't see much reason to do that, but if you're a rushing-out-the-door-every-morning sort of person, those seconds might count.

Another cool feature is that you can fully drain the machine, in case you won't be using it for a while or plan to put it into storage. Most coffee automatic coffee machines have water just sitting in the machine which ... can't be good.

• Design score: 5/5

Terra Kaffe Demi: performance

• Incredibly easy to use
• Use default brew styles or create your own
• Great results

As mentioned above, the Terra Kaffe Demi makes four different brew styles: Espresso, Americano, Lungo, and Drip. Each of them can be brewed at the default settings if you want to keep it simple. However, if you want to dig into the menu options, you can make all kinds of adjustments to each of those options. You can change the number of shots, the strength of the brew, the shot volume, and the brewing temperature. I used the default settings in my testing unless otherwise noted.

Espresso

I found the espresso quite smooth, strong, and delicious. The Terra Kaffe Demi gives it a lovely crema. I also tried brewing it over ice to make an iced coffee, which turned out great. The default shot volume is 1.6 ounces, or 50ml. The strength is "High" (.39oz/11g) and the brewing temperature is 205°F (96°C). All of those can be adjusted in the settings menu.

Lungo

A lungo is made by brewing more water through the coffee grounds than you would for an espresso. While the same amount of coffee is used for a lungo as it would be for an espresso shot, the higher water volume makes a taller, less concentrated drink. The default Lungo is 2.8 ounces, or 83ml. Everything else is the same as the Espresso settings listed above: "High" strength (.39oz/11g) and brewing temperature of 205°F (96°C). Again, those can be adjusted in the settings menu. I thought the Lungo was very good, nice and smooth but still plenty strong. It produces a lovely crema. I also tried this one iced, which diluted it a bit much for my tastes (though it might be perfect for someone else's.)

Americano

An Americano is a regular espresso shot with water added, which is different from a lungo where the extra water is brewed through the coffee grounds. Coffee connoisseurs will be able to taste a difference between extra water brewed through the grounds and extra water added after. I can't really tell, but both options are offered in case you have a preference.

The default Americano is the same 1.6-ounce (50ml) espresso shot plus 2.8 ounces (83ml) of water, totalling 4.4 ounces (130ml). The espresso is brewed with the same strength and temperature as the above cycles, and again, all of this can be adjusted in the settings menu. Frankly, all this extra water made it a bit weak for my tastes, but it was nice and smooth. Even with all the water added, the crema remained intact.

Drip

Technically, this is an espresso machine, so it can't make "drip coffee" the regular way. However, the Terra Kaffe makes a pretty good impression of a drip coffee by using a slower, pulsating water flow to lower the pump pressure. Continuous high pressure steam is used to make Espresso, Lungo, and Americano, but the Drip setting pauses and restarts the water flow as it brews, increasing the amount of time the water has contact with the coffee grounds.

The results were really quite tasty, though it does take longer to brew than it might with a dedicated drip machine. The default settings are actually the same as the Espresso: 1.6 ounces (50ml) shot volume, "High" (.39oz/11g) strength, and is 205°F (96°C) brewing temperature, all of which can be adjusted in the settings menu. More water is added to make Drip, so the total default volume is 5.6 ounces (166ml). It does produce a crema, which isn't expected in a drip coffee, but it works.

I fiddled around with the settings a bit, increasing the strength to "Max" and it still isn't a super strong cup of coffee. This is down to personal taste, I thought it was just strong enough but my husband thought it tasted weak.

I did put some in the fridge overnight to make iced coffee the next day. It was drinkable, but it did pick up a little bit of bitterness. The better way to make iced coffee is to use the Espresso setting (or Lungo if you like it less strong) and add ice.

Hot Water

The Hot Water option is great for making tea or other hot beverages. The default volume is about seven ounces (200ml) and the temperature is 201°F (94°C), but of course they can be adjusted in the settings menu.

Notably, the Terra Kaffe has a separate water nozzle, so it's not pulling (potentially bitter) coffee leftovers on its way through. You won't get stale coffee notes in your tea. It's close enough to the coffee nozzle that you wouldn't notice that there are two unless you look closely.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Terra Kaffe Demi?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Terra Kaffe Demi: also consider

How I tested the Terra Kaffe Demi

I brewed and drank every drink on the menu: Espresso, Lungo, Americano, and Drip. I tried the Espresso, Lungo, and the Drip (pre-chilled) over ice. I drank many cups of my favorites, Espresso and Drip. I drank all of them black and lightly sweetened. I tried the iced coffee with frothed skim milk as well. I cleaned and emptied the waste bin and drip tray every day or two. I pulled out the brew unit and cleaned that once as well.

First reviewed July 2026

I’ve used and reviewed a number of the best coffee machines in Australia in the last few years, from simple one-button pod options through to more involved models offering plenty of refinement. For my money, one of the standout espresso machines I’ve had the pleasure of using is the Philips LatteGo 4400 Series, and it’s now down to AU$763 at Amazon.

This compact model from Philips is a fully automatic machine, meaning you only need to touch a few buttons to be rewarded with a well-made cuppa. It also means you can start the brewing process and walk away to complete other tasks, which is an excellent use of time if you ask me.

The Philips LatteGo 4400 Series isn’t the first automatic espresso machine I’ve used — and it certainly won’t be the last — but it’s left a lasting impression on me for a number of reasons. Firstly, it’s just so darn easy to master. Touch-enabled buttons are clearly labelled and the small colour screen is easy to read.

Then there’s the main event: the coffee. As I said in my Philips LatteGo 4400 Series review, it consistently brews a great-tasting coffee. I did have to adjust the grind setting for the best results, but thankfully that’s an easy process that shouldn’t scare newbies.

What you’re also getting here are 12 drink presets, two customisable user profiles and an automatic milk-foaming system, which is where it gets the LatteGo name. The user profiles are particularly useful if you have more than one person in your household using the machine: just enter a profile, select a drink and then the start button, that’s it.

Where I found the LatteGo 4400 falls a bit is with its headline feature — the LatteGo milk-foaming system. This sees a milk carafe being attached to the machine, for it to then deliver hot foamed milk into your cup or mug. I personally wasn’t all that thrilled with the level of foam produced, and it certainly won’t appeal to hardcore cappuccino fans, but flat white drinkers might actually prefer it. I found I achieved much better results using the Philips Baristina Milk Frother separately, and that’s not an expensive addition to add to your coffee routine, costing just under AU$120 on Amazon.

As for the actual coffee-making part though, I simply cannot fault the 4400 Series. Navigating through the menus is as easy as can be, and I’m consistently satisfied with the results.

While the price did go lower recently (and it's gone even lower before) the current price of this highly capable machine still beats Prime Day back in July (when it was AU$878). I can’t be sure how long this discount will last, so this could be one to jump on ASAP if your kitchen is crying out for a coffee machine.

Want more suggestions?

Amazon has a few other coffee machines at discounted prices at the time of writing, including the Philips Baristina and Ninja Luxe Cafe, both of which claim spots in my guide to the best coffee machines in Australia.

Here are some other standout deals for you to consider:

• Philips Baristina – was AU$559 now AU$449.25
• Ninja Luxe Cafe (Stainless Steel) – was AU$799 now AU$585
• Breville Bambino Plus – was AU$729 now AU$497
• KitchenAid Semi Automatic – was AU$999 now AU$777

Want to make delicious lattes and cappuccinos at home without using a steam wand? You need an electric milk frother — and as TechRadar's resident barista, I've put together the top three I recommend, whether you enjoy plant milk or dairy.

Before we get started, I should note that electric milk frothers and steam wands both have their pros and cons. A manual steam wand works much more quickly than an electric milk frother, and once you've got your eye in, it allows you greater control over the texture of the milk (more creamy for lattes, and 'drier' for a cappuccino, for example).

Electric frothers, however, can usually whip up cold milk foam as well as hot, and make it easy to prepare other drinks including hot chocolate and protein shakes. The inside of an electric milk frother usually has a non-stick coating, making it a breeze to clean. An electric frother is also a great option if you have limited mobility, often featuring just one or two physical buttons that can be operated with one hand. Sounds good? On with the recommendations...

Dreo Baristamaker

If you enjoy plant-based milk, the Dreo Baristamaker is the electric milk frother for you. While the other two in this guide are optimized for dairy, the Baristamaker also has settings for soya, almond, coconut, and oat — as well as half-and-half if you want something richer in your coffee.

The base of the unit contains the heating element and motor, and the two whisking attachments are held in position (and spun) using magnets. One attachment looks like your standard milk whisk, while the other has large blades to pull the milk in towards the center, where a mesh screen breaks up large bubbles and turns them into fine foam.

During the foaming process, the Baristamaker will alternate between stirring and foaming, which is intended to create an even texture. It's also the only electric milk frother here whose pitcher has a fine spout, which is essential for creating latte art, though in my tests I found that the foam was less smooth than milk steamed the old-fashioned way, and I couldn't achieve the same results when pouring it.

Nevertheless, for sheer versatility, the Baristamaker is my number one pick if you're looking for an electric milk frother, provided your budget can take the hit. If you're looking for something a little more affordable (or just smaller), read on for two more options.

Read our full Dreo Baristamaker review

Smeg Mini Milk Frother

The Smeg Mini Milk Frother is an ideal companion to the Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg capsule coffee machine, but its clean, minimalist design would look right at home anywhere (particularly since it comes in a wide array of colors, including black, white, and pastels).

Its controls are extremely simple: just one button on the front, which you press once, twice, or three times to choose your preferred setting (hot milk foam, hot milk, or cold milk foam). There are no options for different milk types, and according to Smeg, it's intended to be used with chilled full-fat dairy milk, which it turns into quite a thick foam. I also tried it with barista-style oat and almond milk to see how it compared with the Baristamaker; oat milk produced similar results to dairy, while almond was 'drier' and less creamy.

Whether I used the hot milk or hot milk foam option, the milk was always heated to exactly 140F / 60C, which is optimal for coffee. However, it's a shame the milk vessel doesn't have a fine spout like the Baristamaker; the milk pours cleanly without drips, but the lack of fine control combined with the thick texture means it's impossible to create latte art.

Read our full Smeg Mini Milk Frother review

Philips Baristina Milk Frother

This smart-looking electric milk frother is available on its own, or bundled with the Philips Baristina coffee machine — one of my all-time favorite espresso machines. When my colleague Max Langridge tested this frother, he found it "consistently produces thick milk foam, whether hot or cold", but as with all the devices we've tried, the foam it produces tends to be on the stiffer side and not ideal for pouring latte art.

Unlike the other frothers here, the Baristina doesn't use a heating element underneath the pitcher to heat your milk. Instead, it has a heated coil, which needs to be removed first if you want your milk cold. There's no audible beep to tell you that your milk is ready, but there is an LED indicator, and at just 40dB the while heating and whisking process is very quiet.

There are no options for tweaking the texture of your finished froth, but unlike the Smeg Mini Milk Frother above, Philips says that the Baristina frother is designed to be used with all types of milk — plant and dairy. However, Max noticed that whatever type of milk he used, the foam was always on the thicker side, and like the Smeg frother, there's no spout for pouring patterns onto your coffee.

If you're considering the Baristina coffee maker and milk frother bundle, you should also be aware that Philips has recently launched the Baristina Latte, which bundles both into one compact package. I've not had the opportunity to test it yet, but I have high expectations.

Read our full Philips Baristina Milk Frother review

You might have a small kitchen, but that doesn't mean you can't make cafe-quality coffee at home. I test over a dozen coffee makers every year in my own small space, and I've found that when it comes to preparing delicious espresso, size really isn't everything.

If you want a machine that will prepare 40 different beverages at the press of a button then, yes, you'll need to dedicate a significant amount of space on your kitchen counter to a hefty fully automatic machine. However, if you just want to make delicious espresso, there are far smaller options that will do a superb job.

Here, I've picked out my all-time top-three compact coffee makers for small spaces, including one bean-to-cup brewer, one capsule coffee maker, and one more traditional manual brewer. I'd happily use any of the three myself — and they're all very reasonably priced as well.

Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie Evo

I tested this coffee maker just a few days ago, and it's the smallest I've ever used, measuring a mere 4.9 x 8.3 x 13 inches / 124 x 210 x 330mm (W x H x D).

If you're looking for a compact coffee maker that will brew a good espresso with minimum fuss, this is the one for you. It takes Lavazza's own A Modo Mio pods, which you drop into a slot on top of the machine, before pushing back the large lever and hitting the "brew" button. Once you're satisfied with the quantity in your cup, tap the button again to stop the flow. Done.

You don't get Nespresso-like fancy flavors with Lavazza's pods, but I'd argue that's no bad thing. Coffee laced with added aromas often tastes unpleasantly sweet or artificial, and while Lavazza offers plenty of choice for beans and roasts, all the aromas come from the coffee itself, rather than from additives.

The only downside for me is that A Modo Mio pods are plastic, and can be difficult to recycle if you don't have a collection point near you. I'm lucky to have one quite nearby, but you can't send your pods in the mail — if there's no drop-off spot nearby, your only option is to start one yourself.

In all other respects, this is a superb little coffee maker. It's affordably priced, too, and its pods are some of the cheapest around.

Read our full Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie Evo review

Philips Baristina

The Philips Baristina makes brewing espresso with fresh coffee beans just as simple as using pods. It measures 7 x 13.6 x 15 inches / 18 x 34.5 x 38cm (W x H x D), which is a fraction of the size of most bean-to-cup machines, and it's half the price too.

Pour your coffee beans into the hopper located on the top surface of the Baristina, fill its water tank, and slide the portafilter handle into place. Choose whether you want a single or double espresso and the machine will grind just the right quantity of coffee. Tamp it down, then slide the filter underneath the brewing group, and dispense a perfectly extracted drink directly into your waiting cup.

It's refreshingly simple, and cleanup is a piece of cake. Most bean-to-cup coffee machines do all the brewing inside a closed case, and the moist conditions combined with any leftover coffee grounds create the perfect conditions for mold to grow – unless you open everything up, clean it thoroughly, and leave the case open to dry overnight. With the Baristina, this isn't a problem.

The only drawback of the standard Baristina is that there's no steam wand for preparing milk. However, you can find the coffee maker bundled with a standalone milk frother, and Philips has recently launched a new machine called the Baristina Latte, which has a milk system built in. I've not had the opportunity to try it yet, but I have high hopes.

Read our full Philips Baristina review

De'Longhi Dedica Duo

We've had a capsule machine and a bean-to-cup coffee maker – now we have a traditional espresso machine, with a choice of portafilter baskets (both pressurized, making it easier to achieve a nice thick crema) and a manual steam wand. It measures 5.5 x 12 x 12.6 inches / 14 x 30.5 x 32cm (W x H x D), allowing it to slot onto even tiny kitchen counters.

The Dedica Duo has a list price of $299.95 / £279.99 (about AU$600), which is very affordable for a manual espresso machine, and would usually sound warning bells — espresso machines in this price bracket are usually pretty bad, and incapable of sustaining the steady temperature and pressure necessary for consistent brewing. That's not the case here, though; this is a De'Longhi machine through and through, with no compromises on build quality or performance. Everything feels solidly made, and it's a pleasure to use.

The "Duo" in the name refers to the fact that this little coffee maker can also make a cold-extracted espresso using water directly from the tank (bypassing the boiler). This takes longer then brewing hot, but works very well and produces a pleasingly mellow-tasting drink that's an ideal foundation for iced drinks. A superb little all-rounder.

Read our full De'Longhi Dedica Duo review

AeroPress coffee makers are going cheap right now, in a whole rainbow of colours, and you'll find the complete set right here. Almost every colour is 20% off at Rave Coffee right now, except for the rare green model, which is out of stock at most retailers but available with a slightly more modest 16% price cut at Coffee Omega.

These colourful coffee makers are super lightweight, and even more versatile than you might have realised. Did you know that you can use them to make cold brew coffee in just two minutes, for example? No need to spend 24 hours waiting for your drink to brew, and then make a mess straining it through a cheesecloth. Just follow the instructions from AeroPress's official site — and don't forget to stir.

Want to get even more creative? How about using your AeroPress to make an Irish coffee, a carrot cake latte, or a matcha coffee fusion? Once you've picked up your new coffee maker, the sky's the limit.

Colorful AeroPress deals

There are three things guaranteed in life: death, taxes and me seeking out the best coffee machine deals during major sales events such as Afterpay Day. Yes, I love a hunt for discounts on the givers of life that are coffee machines, and this week there are plenty to shop.

Admittedly, some stores’ discounts aren’t quite as good as other events such as Black Friday, and some retailers don’t have any discounts at all! But I’m confident that the models I’ve picked out for you below will fill the coffee-machine-void in your life kitchen.

My selections cover automatic, manual and capsule coffee machines to suit a variety of budgets, so there really is something for everyone. And based on my experience reviewing coffee machines, they deliver the true crema de la crema (see what I did there?) of at-home espresso.

KitchenAid KF2 two-minute review

The KitchenAid KF2 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine is the entry-level model in the company’s six-strong range of automatic coffee machines, and was launched in mid-2026 alongside the KF3 and KF4.

It adopts the exact same slim build as its two siblings, making any of them ideal for smaller kitchens. It also benefits from the exact same Intelligrind coffee bean grinder, which automatically determines the best grind size depending on the beans you’ve put in. The brewing unit is the same also, and in my taste tests, I couldn’t notice any obvious difference between the three. That means you’re going to get a wonderful, tasty espresso with each use.

What sets the KF2 apart — and where KitchenAid has made cuts to bring the cost down — is its feature set regarding drink presets and general usability. It’s also the only model in KitchenAid’s entire fully automatic coffee machine range to rock a steam wand for foaming milk — the others all use a hose-based system. While this may seem like a drop down in specification, I personally found the steam wand to perform the best when making foamy lattes and cappuccinos. What’s more, a steam wand is inherently going to perform better with non-dairy milk as it allows for greater control over temperature.

As with the KF3 and KF4, the KitchenAid KF2 is capable of making iced-coffee drinks, although as I found in my KitchenAid KF3 review, the results are a little underwhelming. This is because the brewed espresso is hot enough to quickly melt the ice in your cup or glass, despite KitchenAid claiming it’s brewed at a lower temperature.

Where the KitchenAid KF2 loses points slightly is the fact it doesn’t offer user profiles. I’ve been used to having profiles for some time at home, as I currently use the KitchenAid KF4 and have previously used the Philips LatteGo 4400, which offer four profiles and two profiles, respectively. Having them makes brewing a coffee incredibly quick and simple: just select a profile, select a drink and that’s it.

The fact the KF2 doesn’t have profiles means that brewing a variety of coffees will take longer, as you’ll have to select the drink and adjust any settings each time. It therefore might not be the best option for larger households, but for households of one or two people it’s still worthy of consideration.

The other slight niggle I have, which affects the KF3 and KF4 also, is that the unit can go through water relatively quickly due to it running a rinse cycle on start up and shutdown. The shutdown cycle I can understand, but I find the start-up cycle to be a little redundant.

All things considered, the KitchenAid KF2 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine is another fantastic option from the brand. It brews a well-extracted espresso each and every time and the steam wand works wonders for milk-based drinks.

KitchenAid KF2 review: Price & availability

• Launched in UK and US April 2026, Australia in July 2026
• List price $799.99 / £699 / AU$1,099

The KitchenAid KF2 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine launched in the US and UK in April 2026, before making its way to Australia in July 2026. It has a list price of $799.99 / £699 / AU$1,099, making it the company’s most affordable fully automatic machine.

The step-up KF3 adds a small color display to improve navigation and usability, four customizable profiles and a larger menu of drink presets, with a list price $999.99 / £749 / AU$1,349.

The top-tier model, the KF4 ($1,299.99 / £899 / AU$1,599) offers much of the same functionality as the KF2 with regard to grinder and brewing unit. It gains even more recipes, a large color touchscreen and KitchenAid’s hose-based milk-foaming system, complete with milk carafe.

I’m of the opinion that the KF2’s steam wand is the best option for expertly-frothed milk and for using with non-dairy milk varieties, instantly giving the machine a leg up over its siblings. And, since the actual coffee-brewing process is the same across all three machines, the KF2 represents excellent value.

That being said, the Ninja Luxe Cafe Premier offers more in the way of features, including a dedicated cold brew setting and cold-extraction for improved iced-coffee results, along with intelligent grind and dosage settings. Its list price is less than the KF2’s at $599.99 / £549.99 / AU$799.99, although it too doesn’t offer user profiles either and requires more hands-on input.

• Value score: 4 / 5

KitchenAid KF2 review: Specifications

KitchenAid KF2 review: Design

• Compact size will suit smaller space
• Steam wand suits plant-based milks
• No dishwasher-safe components

Of the three new compact automatic models, the KitchenAid KF2 sticks out the most for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it’s only available in a matte black finish (the KF3 and KF4 also come in Porcelain White, which I’m personally a fan of), and secondly there’s no color display.

The matte black finish is still sleek and smart-looking, it must be said, although there is a shiny, fingerprint-loving panel on the front at the top. You’ll want to keep a cloth nearby to keep it looking its best.

I don’t consider the lack of a color display to be a huge negative against the KF2, as the backlit panel is bright and clear when selecting a drink and adjusting settings. The color screens on the rest of KitchenAid’s espresso machine range do offer useful assistance with features like images of the drink you want to make, but it’s not something I missed when testing the KF2.

Physically the KitchenAid KF2 is the same as the other two compact models released in 2026, measuring 14.2 x 7.7 x 18.5 inches / 361 x 196 x 470mm (H x W x D). This compact form makes it easy to place the unit on a kitchen counter, and should be especially ideal for those with smaller kitchens. A couple of built-in wheels on the bottom at rear of the machine aid with manoeuvring into position.

Interacting with the KF2 is done via five buttons on the front panel. These select the drink type, dosage and strength — each of which can be pressed multiple times to cycle through options — one to activate cleaning cycles and a final button to initiate and cancel brewing. Each button press reveals a different backlit symbol on the front panel which are relatively self-explanatory.

Drink type cycles between espresso, coffee and over ice, dose lets you choose between one or two servings (either two cups under the dispenser or one for a double serving), and strength is a scale of one to three. This refers to how much coffee is ground into the brewing unit, from 7g (setting one) to 14g (setting three).

The bean hopper recessed into the top of the KF2 is large enough to hold 250g worth of coffee beans, which is accessed via a removable lid. While this does mean there’s no visual indication as to how many beans are left, it does at least mean the beans are kept airtight and away from light, helping to retain their freshness. There’s also a small chute for pre-ground coffee, and a scoop is included in the box.

The 1.8L water tank slides in and out the rear of the machine and has an integrated handle to make the process simple, although I personally prefer a side-mounted tank like the one found on the Philips LatteGo 4400 as I find it makes refilling that little bit easier. However, the KF2’s tank does at least feature a hinged lid, allowing you to fill it up from a jug if you wish.

KitchenAid supplies a water filter with the KF2 that it claims lasts up to two months when used with standard tap water. If you use filtered water, its life can extend to up to six months. The filter can seem to be a little fiddly to install due to the water tank being so tall. Thankfully the included coffee scoop doubles up as a tool that clips onto the filter, giving you the extra length needed to screw it into place.

The drip tray is deep and extends virtually the full depth of the KF2, and has a large spout integrated into its rear for easy emptying. However, as I found with the KF3 and KF4, when you pour water out it can occasionally spill onto the front panel section as it can’t be removed. It’s not a huge dealbreaker, just prepare for a little extra clean up. Used coffee grounds are deposited into a removable bin in the center that can be tipped out when full. An icon will light up on the front panel to let you know when it’s time.

One of the standout features of the KitchenAid KF2, in my opinion, is its Pannarello steam wand used for milk foaming. I was surprised to find one used, not only because KitchenAid uses a proprietary hose-based system in the KF3 and KF4, but also because other brands such as De’Longhi and Philips have also turned their backs on steam wands (in general) in the pursuit of an entirely automatic coffee-making process.

Personally, I appreciate KitchenAid's choice to include a steam wand here, as it enables you to create genuine milk foam, even when using non-dairy alternatives. In my experience, the hose system on the KitchenAid KF3 and KF4, the LatteGo system on the Philips 4400, and the LatteCrema system on the De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Next all fell short of producing a satisfactory level of milk foam for my taste.

The use of the steam wand does mean there’s some hands-on input required, as you need to hold the jug (which isn’t included in the box) under the steam outlet until the foam reaches your desired level. There’s also no built-in thermometer, so unless you use a third-party thermometer, you’ll have to judge when the milk is ready based on touch.

Whether you are crafting a flat white or a cappuccino, the wand features a small slider for 'more foam' or 'less foam' to ensure you get the perfect texture. By opening and closing the integrated air intake, this slider regulates the airflow: increasing the intake pumps more air into the milk, which creates a more voluminous and aerated foam. Keeping it closed is ideal for texturizing milk for lattes that don’t require as high a level of foam.

The KF2 features thorough cleaning cycles, including the ability to completely evaporate the internal system of water. There are also programs for descaling and cleaning the brewing unit, which require you to press a variation of buttons to initiate. A complete set of useful instructions is included in the box. Do note that none of the removable parts are dishwasher safe.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

KitchenAid KF2 review: Performance

• Consistently well-extracted espresso
• Steam wand delivers silky, well-foamed milk
• Lower brewing temperature for iced drinks still too hot

Having already reviewed the KF3, and knowing it uses the exact same brewing unit, I was expecting the same excellent results from the KitchenAid KF2. Fortunately my expectations were realised, as the compact KF2 produced a great-tasting espresso with each use.

Much of its success can be attributed to the IntelliGrind system that automatically determines the ideal grind size depending on your chosen beans. You can’t see the grinder at work, nor does the unit tell you what grind setting it’s chosen, you just have to put your trust in it to deliver optimal results. Your trust is rewarded.

However, if you're not completely satisfied with the crema or taste of your espresso, then the KF2 does offer the ability to manually adjust the grind to a finer or coarser level by way of a lever behind a compartment on the right-hand side of the machine. A finer setting is recommended for light-roast beans, while dark-roast beans benefit from a coarser setting. Since I was using medium-roast beans, I left the slider at the default setting in the middle.

Before you consider adjusting the grind level, you’ll first want to experiment with the strength of either the espresso or coffee drink presets. As mentioned earlier, there are only three coffee-based drink recipe presets: espresso, coffee and over ice. If you move up to the KF3 or KF4 you’ll gain recipes including latte macchiato, flat white and caffe latte, to name a few.

You can also adjust the volume of water used for each drink type, and the temperature it’s brewed at, by pressing and holding a specific set of buttons. You’ll find the full details in the supplied user manual. I was perfectly satisfied with the default settings, but it’s good to know KitchenAid offers the ability to personalize each drink.

Do note that if you do adjust any default settings, they will become the new norm until you change them again. Since there are no user profiles, you may want to consult with other people in your household before you make any tweaks.

If you want milk with your coffee, then the Pannarello steam wand is capable of producing thick, velvety foam that’s perfect for lattes, macchiatos and cappuccinos. It’s semi-automatic in use, as all you need to do is hold a milk pitcher under the wand and press the start button on the main unit (once you’ve cycled the ‘drink type’ menu through to ‘steam’). A word of warning, make sure you already have the steam wand submerged in milk. I pressed start with the pitcher still on the drip tray and ended up with milk all over the counter and myself.

A small slider on the side of the steam wand housing can be used to adjust the level of foam you achieve, either ‘less’ or ‘more’. In my tests this worked a charm, with the ‘more’ setting aerating the milk to such a high level that it nearly overflowed from the pitcher.

I much prefer the use of a steam wand compared to the hose systems used on the KF3 and KF4, as it’s capable of producing a much better level of froth. It’s also a hell of a lot easier to keep clean, as it doesn’t require constant rinse cycles to ensure the hose is free of residue. I actually wish the steam wand was featured on the company’s other machines.

Do note however that there’s no built-in thermometer to automatically detect when milk reaches your desired temperature. You’ll either have to invest in a dedicated one, or go off touch to determine when to shut the steam off. Also note that a milk pitcher isn’t included in the box. You can buy one directly from KitchenAid for $19.99 / AU$29. I wasn’t able to find a listing on the company’s UK store, but in all honesty, the pitcher available is relatively basic, so you could always get one from Amazon for the same or less money.

Where the KitchenAid KF2 falls down slightly — in a similar fashion to the KF3 and KF4 — is with its iced drinks function. KitchenAid has designed the KF2 to brew an espresso shot at a lower temperature compared to a regular shot when you select the ‘over ice’ drink type.

For starters, iced coffee fanatics will likely prefer a genuinely cold shot of coffee as opposed to having to pour a cooler shot of espresso over ice. Admittedly KItchenAid isn’t the only company to employ this function, as the Philips LatteGo machines also ask you to put some ice into a cup or glass before brewing an espresso.

However, I can’t agree with KitchenAid’s claim that the iced coffee espresso shot brews at a lower temperature, as I used a thermometer to check the temperature of a regular shot and iced shot, and both returned a measurements between 45ºC/113ºF and 50ºC/122ºF, which was hot enough to quickly melt the ice I had in my glass. It’s not necessarily a huge dealbreaker, but the fact remains there are other machines such as the De’Longhi Dedica Duo and the Jura J10 that are able to pour proper cold-extracted espresso for longer-lasting iced drinks.

It is, however, pleasing to find the KF2, like other KitchenAid espresso machines, is QuietMark-certified, signifying it should be whisper-quiet when grinding and brewing. And in reality, that’s certainly the case. I was able to record an average of 70dB while the machine was grinding and an average of 60dB when brewing. That, perhaps expectantly, puts it on par with the KF3 and KF4. That being said, we found the flagship KF8 to be quieter still with an average of 44dB during the entire coffee-making process.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the KitchenAid KF2?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

KitchenAid KF2 review: Also consider

How I tested the KitchenAid KF2

I used the KitchenAid KF2 over a one-week period. I was confident knowing how to use the machine, having previously reviewed the KF3 and from using the KF4 on a daily basis at home.

I prepared all of the available drink recipes — espresso, coffee and over ice — and used a thermometer to test the temperature of the ‘over ice’ espresso shot to determine if it was actually brewed at a lower temperature, as KitchenAid claims.

I also used the integrated steam wand in both its ‘less foam’ and ‘more foam’ settings to determine if there was indeed a difference in results. I also tested it with dairy milk and a barista-style oat milk to find out if it worked well with non-dairy milk varieties.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed August 2026

Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie Evo: one-minute review

The Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie Evo is an exceptionally small capsule coffee maker, which brews espresso using the company's own A Modo Mio pods. These vacuum-packed capsules are available in a wide variety of coffee types, roasts, and blends, but unlike Nespresso capsules, there are no elaborate brews with added flavors to choose from.

That's no bad thing in my opinion, because the Jolie Evo produces some of the best espresso I've had from a pod machine, and flavored coffees often tend to taste artificial.

The Jolie Evo is very reasonably priced too (considerably less than the A Modo Mio Smeg and A Modo Mio Deséa), though you'll need to pick up a standalone milk frother too (I recommend either the Smeg Mini Milk Frother or Philips Baristina Milk Frother) if you want to make lattes and cappuccinos.

The controls are extremely simple, with just a single button and a large lever. However, bear in mind that there's no timer, so you'll need to manually tap the button to stop the flow once the machine has dispensed the right amount of coffee.

Overall, it's an excellent compact espresso machine. For me, the only real drawback is that the plastic pods aren't particularly easy to recycle. They can only be dropped off at designated collection points, which can be scarce outside big cities.

Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie Evo: specifications

Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie Evo: price and availability

• List price £99 / AU$129 (about $190)
• Widely available in UK and Australia
• Listed on Lavazza's US site, but not available at the time of writing

The Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie Evo has a list price of £99 / AU$129, which is about $133, but at the time of writing the machine doesn't seem to be available to actually buy in the US — even though it's listed on Lavazza's site. So it may become available in the future.

If you're in the UK, you can get the coffee maker for £49 if you subscribe to Lavazza's coffee capsule delivery service.

Even at full price, that's very reasonable for a good quality capsule coffee maker. For comparison, the Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is £249 / AU$349 (about $350), while the Lavazza A Modo Mio Deséa is £249 / AU$349 (about $330) — though the latter machine also has a built-in milk-frothing system.

If you want to make lattes and cappuccinos with the Jolie Evo, you'll need a standalone milk frother like the Lavazza MilkEasy Plus, which is priced at £79 / AU$119 (about $150) — or the Smeg Mini Milk Frother or Philips Baristina Milk Frother I mentioned earlier.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie Evo: design

• Ideal for small kitchens
• Only two controls (lever and button)
• Lever is ergonomic and easy to use

The Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie Evo is easily one of the smallest coffee makers I’ve tested, measuring a mere 4.9 x 8.3 x 13 inches / 124 x 210 x 330mm (W x H x D). That’s even tinier than the diminutive Nespresso Vertuo Pop, which is 5.3 x 9.8 x 16.7 inches / 136 x 250 x 426mm. It’s ideal for slotting into small spaces, and you can even route the power cable right or left underneath the machine if you need it to sit against a wall.

The Lavazza machine looks classier than its Nespresso counterpart as well, with a smart matte finish and a large chrome handle on top. Pulling this handle up opens a slot on top of the machine. so you can slide a coffee pod inside.

Pushing it back down closes the drawer and pierces the pod, and pulling it up a second time will drop the used capsule into a small bin behind the Jolie Evo’s drip tray. The bin has a grille at the bottom that allows the pods to drain so they’re dry when you remove them for recycling, which is a thoughtful touch.

The large lever is easy to grip and requires barely any force to move, which makes this a particularly good option for people with limited strength or mobility in their hands.

The drip tray has a plastic grate that can be removed for easy cleaning, and is just the right height for an espresso cup. A standard size cup or mug will fit neatly under the dispenser with the drip tray detached.

Other than the handle, there is just one control on the Jolie Evi: a button on top of the machine, with a white light to indicate the machine’s current status: blinking means heating, and white means ready to brew.

It’s available in black and white in Australia, with a gray option also offered in the UK. It was sold in green and red too when it launched in the US.

• Design score: 5/5

Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie Evo: performance

• Extremely simple to use, but there's no timer for the coffee dispenser
• It makes delicious espresso in moments
• Its pods can be hard to recycle compared to Nespresso aluminum ones

What makes the Jolie Evo different from all other capsule coffee makers I’ve tested to date is its lack of a timer for brewing different sized drinks. Once you’ve pressed its single button, the little machine will continue dispensing coffee (or hot water, if there’s no pod inside) until you either tap the button again or the tank is empty.

This isn’t ideal if you want to leave your coffee maker to handle itself while you’re preparing the rest of your breakfast, but making a double espresso takes less than a minute so it’s no real hardship.

I would recommend using a measuring cup as your recepticle, though, at least until you’ve got your eye in, because it’s easy to under or over-estimate the output. You could use a coffee scale to a perfect measure, but it would be overkill; this entry-level machine makes a very good espresso, but it’s not intended for real aficionados.

It uses Lavazza’s own A Modo Mio capsules, which are excellent value compared to most coffee pods. Different types command different prices, but you can pick up 80 Qualità Rossa pods direct from Lavazza for £24.50 (about $30 / AU$50). That’s just over 30p per drink, compared to 49p for the cheapest Nespresso Vertuo pods.

Unlike Nespresso, the Modo Mio selection doesn’t include elaborate flavored drinks; there are various beans, blends and roasts to choose from in Lavazza’s store, but each pod contains only ground coffee with no extras. That's no bad thing, in my opinion — coffee capsules with added flavors can taste unpleasantly artificial.

I tested the Jolie Evo with three of Lavazza’s coffees: Qualità Rossa, Passionale, and Qualità Oro. Each comes in a box of 16, and is marked with an intensity score out of 12 to give you an idea of what to expect. The first is a blend of robusta and arabica beans, while the other two are 100% arabica.

My personal favorite was the Qualità Oro, which produced one of the best-tasting espressos I’ve had from a capsule machine and is described as “Sweet and delicate taste, with an intense and fragrant aroma”.

It goes particularly well with milk in a white americano or (if you also pick up a milk frother) a creamy latte.

The problem with these pods, delicious though they are, is that they can be difficult to recycle. Nespresso pods are made entirely from aluminum, which is relatively easy to process once the coffee grounds are removed, and there’s almost certain to be a location nearby where you can drop off the used capsules. If not, you can mail them off for recycling with a pre-paid bag.

By contrast, Lavazza A Modo Mio pods are mostly plastic and can be recycled in the UK through the company’s partnership with Terracycle, but collection points are few and far between.

If there’s nowhere to drop off your pods, your only option is to start your own collection point, accepting pods from other people and sending them for processing yourself. Individuals can’t send their pods in the mail.

South England is relatively well-served, but at the time of writing there are only four drop-off points in Scotland, and none at all in Wales or Northern Ireland.

• Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie Evo?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie Evo: also consider

If you're not sure whether the Jolie Evo is the right espresso machine for you, here are two others to think about.

How I tested the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie Evo

I used the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie Evo in place of my usual espresso machine for two weeks. I used three different types of A Modo Mio capsules (Qualità Rossa, Passionale, and Qualità Oro), drinking it neat as an espresso, and using the Jolie Evo to add extra hot water to make an americano.

I set up and cleaned the machine following the directions in the instruction manual, and allowed the components to air-dry before reassembly.

• For more details, see how TechRadar tests, reviews, and rates products.
• First reviewed: August 2026

Ninja Luxe Café Mini Espresso Machine: two-minute review

The Ninja Luxe Café Mini Espresso Machine is a compact version of the Ninja Luxe Café. It doesn't require an enormous amount of counter space, especially considering that this single machine grinds your whole beans directly into your filter, weighs your grinds, brews your espresso or drip coffee, and froths your milk. You won't need any other coffee accoutrements on your counter.

While I did brew some absolutely delicious coffee with the Ninja Luxe Café Mini, there is definitely a learning curve. In fact, I wouldn't say I have mastered the espresso settings yet, even after brewing many cups. Even with the identical espresso settings, sometimes I get just an ounce or so and sometimes I get a lot more. Drip coffee comes out consistently well; no issues there. I also had some trouble frothing the milk; with just a minimum amount of milk in the jug it overflowed onto the counter.

Note that even though this is a semi-auto machine, you do need to have some manual strength and dexterity to get the portafilter properly into place. Be ready for some trial and error. If you're prepared to take on a project, I think you'll be well-rewarded for your efforts.

Ninja Luxe Café Mini Espresso Machine: price and availability

• Widely available both in store and online
• Retails for $449.99 USD (£338.50 GBP, $643.73 AUD)
• Only sold in the black and chrome colorway

You can find the Ninja Luxe Café Mini Espresso Machine at many brick and mortar stores and websites, including Amazon, Best Buy, Kohl's, Target, and Ninja's own site. It retails for $449.99 USD (£338.50 GBP, $643.73 AUD) and comes in just the one color, black and chrome.

Ninja Luxe Café Mini Espresso Machine: specs

Ninja Luxe Café Mini Espresso Machine: design

• Efficient design gives it a smaller footprint
• Aesthetically pleasing, goes with any decor
• Five brew styles

The Ninja Luxe Café Mini is efficiently designed to house everything you need to make just about any sort of coffee drink in a relatively small package. When you first unpack it, you will need to determine your water hardness with the enclosed test strip and set your machine accordingly. Run a flush cycle and then you're ready to start brewing.

The machine has a conical burr grinder, a brewing system that makes both espresso and coffee, and a steam wand. It comes with two filter baskets:, a smaller 'double' and a larger 'luxe' basket (unlike most espresso machines, there's no basket for pouring a single shot).

Place the basket into the portafilter, the funnel on top of that, and then slide it into the grinding cradle. Choose your brew style. The machine evaluates your beans and determines a recommended grind size. Turn the grind dial to meet the recommended number and hit the grind button.

Once your ground coffee is the basket, remove the portafilter and tamp down the grinds with the assisted tamper. It has a spring inside so you'll apply just the right amount of pressure.

Then you can remove the funnel, place the portafilter under the Ninja Luxe Café Mini's group head and turn it until it locks into place. This takes some manual strength and dexterity, and the machine's relatively light weight means you have to brace it in place so it doesn't slide around, though it does get easier with repeated use.

You can manually select your level of strength (represented by one, two, or three beans) and temperature or just use the default. When you're done brewing, dispose of the puck of used coffee grounds, and clean the dirty components.

There is also a milk jug and steam wand. To use it, turn the manual valve on the side from brewing mode to frothing mode. The owner's manual includes detailed instructions of how to get the most froth from your milk of choice.

You'll need to clean the tamper, funnel, basket, portafilter, steam wand and jug after each use. You'll also need to empty and clean out the drip tray every few brews, and every time you froth milk. Additionally, you'll need to descale the machine periodically. However, there is no obvious way to get in and clean the grinder. That part never gets wet, but coffee oils will build up there over time.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Ninja Luxe Café Mini Espresso Machine: performance

• There is definitely a learning curve
• You need manual strength and dexterity
• Brew amounts are not consistent

Overall, I think you'll find that the Ninja Luxe Café Mini will make you some great coffee and espresso drinks. There's definitely a learning curve, but if you have the patience you'll figure it out. Of bigger concern was that sometimes the brewing seemed to just stop short of a full yield, and I'm not sure why. The same beans brewed at the same setting just didn't always yield the same size espresso. This only happened to me while brewing espresso; all three of the drip coffee settings yielded perfect results every time.

There are five different brew settings: Espresso (which is actually a double espresso), Triple (espresso), Classic (drip coffee), Rich (a richer drip coffee), and Over Ice (drip coffee brewed at a lower temperature). I tested all five of them multiple times.

Espresso

The smallest drink you can make is a double espresso, there is no single espresso setting on this machine. The owner's manual says to throw away the first espresso you brew each time you put new beans into the hopper because it takes a couple of brews for the machine to dial in correctly. I tasted it anyway and yes, you should toss it. After that first one, the espresso tasted good though sometimes it would randomly give me a shorter brew. I did notice that I consistently got a beautiful crema.

Triple espresso

The experience of brewing the triple espresso is just like brewing the regular (double) one, only you use the Luxe basket instead of the smaller one. Again, the machine would sometimes give me a tiny brew. Pictured below is one of the smaller triples; other times it was much larger. Otherwise, the espresso was good and always had a lovely crema.

Classic

The Classic drip coffee setting yielded consistently good results. In addition to adjusting the grind size, brew temperature, and strength if you like, you can also choose to brew 6, 8, 10, or 12 ounces of coffee. The user experience of brewing the drip coffee is the same as brewing espresso, except that you skip the tamping step. The machine does something totally different on the inside. You get no crema. And when you go to throw the puck away, it's very wet, as opposed to the drier, crumbly puck you get with espresso.

Rich

The rich drip coffee setting works just like the classic, only it yields a richer brew. I find I prefer the classic, as I found it a bit smoother and less bitter, but your tastes may differ.

Over ice

The drip coffee over ice setting might have been my favorite. I found it very smooth and it didn't taste too diluted from the ice.

Steam wand

I found that it took some practice to get the milk frothing just right. I tried just leaving the jug in place and frothing it from there, and it works ok but doesn't produce much foam. I tried following the instructions about angle and movement in the owner's manual, and got too much foam.

The wand will purge itself right after frothing, and you'll want to wipe off the milk from the outside of the wand right away. Otherwise it sticks on there pretty good, requiring a bit of scrubbing to get it off.

• Performance score: 3.5/5

Should you buy the Ninja Luxe Café Mini Espresso Machine?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Ninja Luxe Café Mini Espresso Machine: also consider

How I tested the Ninja Luxe Café Mini Espresso Machine

I brewed and drank every drink on the menu: (double) Espresso, Triple (espresso), Classic (coffee), Rich (coffee), and (coffee) Over Ice more than once. I used two different kinds of beans for each beverage, first going all the way through the menu with a dark french roast and then again with a medium-dark roast. I frothed two different kinds of milk (almond and skim dairy) several times and added the milk to espresso shots. I cleaned all of the parts that touch the coffee after each use.

First reviewed July 2026

If you love coffee, you’ll be very aware of the impact of factors like grind size, water temperature, and infusion time, but there’s something else that’s often overlooked. A double espresso is at least 90% water, and the minerals and other substances it contains can have a huge impact on the overall taste.

I’m a big coffee-drinker (which is just as well, since I test over a dozen coffee makers every year for TechRadar), and I’m planning to buy a water filter to take my brewing to the next level — but what should I look for — and what should you consider if you’re thinking of taking the plunge into filtered water too?

To find out, I spoke to Andy McPhilbin, Head of Aquaphor Professional for UK and Ireland, and Genevieve Upton, beverage industry expert and Head of Water Filtration at Our Taap.

Why does water matter?

“Water quality can have a considerable impact on how coffee tastes, with chlorine, mineral composition, alkalinity and pH all influencing the final flavour profile,” says Upton.

“Most tap water supplied to UK homes is disinfected using chlorine-based compounds. Residual chlorine can react with components in coffee and tea, contributing bitter, medicinal or chemical notes that may overwhelm the more delicate characteristics of the coffee. Boiling water can reduce the levels of chlorine, though it can also create other unwanted flavours, such as by reacting to a plastic kettle.”

She explains that the mineral composition and pH of the water also play an important role when it comes to how your coffee tastes.

“Slight differences in acidity, together with the concentrations of minerals and buffering compounds, influence extraction efficiency and the balance of flavors in the final cup. As water companies vary their supply sources throughout the year, you might notice that the same beans, brewed in exactly the same way, taste different from season to season.”

In fact, using unfiltered water doesn’t just mean your coffee tastes sub-optimal - it could cause your expensive coffee machine to break down — and it won’t be covered by the manufacturer's warranty..

“The warranty only covers manufacturing defects, and unfortunately, hard water is not a manufacturing defect,” explains McPhilbin. “So you can turn something that is a very efficient espresso machine into something very inefficient within a matter of weeks. You get a millimeter of scale forming within a matter of six weeks.

“Now, is that important? It is, because you want the life of the machine to be good, but also you've got little injectors which put the right amount of water into that espresso. If they're blocked, you're not going to get the right amount of water. You're going to have the wrong taste. It's got to be precise.”

What types of filtration are there?

Our Taap specializes in home water filtration Its latest system is the Our Taap Home Water System II — a countertop unit that connects to your mains water supply, and uses a triple filtration system with UV purification to remove contaminants while retaining minerals.

Aquaphor makes water filters for commercial and home use, including under-sink systems, pitchers, and even water bottles. Its most advanced systems for home users are the RO-101, RO-102, and RO-202, all of which use reverse osmosis (RO).

This involves forcing water through a semi-permeable membrane that removes chlorine, bacteria, viruses, pesticides, and microplastics. Standard RO filters also strip out minerals, but Aquaphor’s systems can optimize the concentration of calcium and magnesium so they’re just right for coffee — something McPhilbin says “really is a science”.

“The mineral content is measured in TDS [total dissolvable solids], and we want that TDS to be somewhere in the realms of between 80 and 120 [parts per million],” he explains. “We have a couple of ways in which we do it, but generally we can either feed more minerals in it by making it tuneable, or we can take them out as well by turning it the other way. But if you have too little, you can cause corrosion, and if we have too much, we're going to get limescale. So we try to hit that sweet spot, which is 100 parts per million in the middle there.”

Our Taap’s filters use granular activated carbon filtration, which Upton says “is particularly good at removing chlorine and some of its by-products, which can mask the more delicate flavour notes in coffee.”

“By reducing these compounds, the water has a cleaner, more neutral taste, allowing the natural characteristic of the coffee beans to come through. Whether you’re brewing with a cafetière, pour-over or espresso machine, using filtered water can help create a smoother, more balanced cup with greater flavour clarity.

"It's worth remembering, however, that activated carbon filters are designed primarily to remove chlorine and certain organic compounds rather than minerals,” she adds. “As a result, they have little effect on the calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate levels that influence water hardness, alkalinity and extraction.”

Under-sink or countertop?

So which type of filter is right for you? Do you need an under-sink reverse-osmosis system, or would a countertop filter be better? McPhilbin says the decision will mostly depend on how much filtered water you need.

“I think it's down to capacity more than anything,” he says. “Our jug filters have twice the capacity of the competition because we use a unique media called Aqualen, which is a patented media based on ionic exchange and carbon, so you're getting a dual-purpose piece of filtering equipment there. Reverse osmosis has a massive capacity, and [the filter] is not something [you’re] changing all the time.”

Upton says your choice of filter will also depend on the problem you want to solve.

“If your tap water has a noticeable chlorine taste or smell, a filter with activated carbon is usually the best place to start,” she says. “This technology is available in everything from filter jugs to more advanced under-sink or countertop systems, with plumbed-in options offering great convenience for households that use filtered water regularly.

“If you’re dealing with limescale build-up in kettles or coffee machines, it’s important to choose a filter that specifically reduces water hardness, as not all filtration systems are designed to do this.”

I know I live in a hard water area (the limescale in my kettle is proof) but even if your tap water is soft, McPhilbin says a water filter is still a good investment.

“Most of the water in the UK is chlorinated, and that can affect the taste quite a lot,” he says. “And it might be that you've not got enough minerals in it to get the best taste.”

If you’re not sure about the type of water you’re working with, there are online tools that can help you understand its composition.

“The Our Taap Water Confidence Index is a great way to look up your postcode and understand what’s in your local water and how this impacts taste, scent and quality, so you can find the best filter for your needs,” says Upton.

According to the Confidence Index, I’m lucky - my tap water is better than 93% of UK postcodes. However, it is moderately hard (as I expected), with a normal level of chlorine and an elevated level of overall minerals. I’m still deciding exactly which type of filter to choose, but considering these results and my penchant for espresso, I’m leaning towards under-counter reserve osmosis with mineral balancing. What about you?

KitchenAid KF3: Two-minute review

The KitchenAid KF3 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine is the middle child of the company’s 2026 release of a trio of compact bean-to-cup coffee machines, sitting below the KitchenAid KF4 and above the KF2. Because of its slim build, it’s a great option for smaller kitchens, but it can easily service a larger household thanks to four customizable user profiles and a solid selection of over 15 coffee-based drink recipes.

It benefits from KitchenAid’s IntelliGrind system — also featuring on the company’s larger machines like the KF8 and KF6 — that automatically determines the best grind size depending on the beans you pour into the top-mounted hopper. During my testing, I found it consistently delivered a well-extracted and tasty espresso.

The KF3’s automatic milk system uses a hose that you need to place into your own container (the KF4 uses a similar system but includes a container), letting you make a variety of drinks including lattes and cappuccinos. Despite not claiming to work with non-dairy milks, I found it delivered a good level of foam when using a barista-style oat milk.

KitchenAid has given the KF3 a couple of iced coffee recipes too. As with the KF4, and other machines I’ve tested such as the Philips LatteGo 4400 Series, you need to put some ice cubes in your glass or cup first, and KitchenAid claims that the machine will brew espresso at a lower temperature. However, when checking the temperature of a regular shot at 'medium' temperature and an iced-espresso shot with a food-grade thermometer, both registered at around 40ºC / 104ºF, meaning the iced espresso was still hot enough to melt the ice, resulting in a lukewarm and diluted drink.

The other slight niggle I have with the KF3 is that it goes through water quite quickly as it performs a rinse cycle on startup and shutdown. I can understand the latter process to clean out the internals, and the rinsing of the milk hose to keep everything hygienic, but the start-up rinse cycle seemed unnecessary. Fortunately the rear-mounted water tank is quite large at 1.8L, but if you have a larger household or you drink a lot of coffee each day, you'll be refilling it regularly.

Overall, however, the KitchenAid KF3 is a fantastic mid-range automatic espresso machine that’s well made, brews delicious drinks and is ultimately easy to maintain. In fact, I'd say that it does more than enough to compete with the best coffee makers.

KitchenAid KF3: Specifications

KitchenAid KF3: Price and availability

• Launched in UK and US April 2026, Australia in July 2026
• List price $999.99 / £749 / AU$1,349

The KitchenAid KF3 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine launched first in the UK and US in April 2026, and eventually made its way to Australia in July 2026. It has a list price of $999.99 / £749 / AU$1,349, meaning it’s one of the company’s more affordable machines, while being classified a mid-range option in the grand scheme of things.

Only the lower-spec KF2 is cheaper at $799.99 / £699 / AU$1,099 if you want an automatic machine, while the Semi Automatic Espresso Machine is cheaper still, although that naturally requires a bit more hands-on involvement.

The top-tier model in this latest series, the KF4 ($1,299.99 / £899 / AU$1,599) offers much of the same functionality as the KF3, albeit with a wider selection of recipes, a bigger touch display and ships with a milk carafe.

The similarly specced Philips LatteGo 4400 Series is also worth considering in this price range, with its list price of $799.99 / £599.99 / AU$1,199.

• Value score: 4 / 5

KitchenAid KF3: Design

• Compact size makes it great for smaller spaces
• Milk system is simple to use and clean
• No dishwasher-safe components

At first glance, the KitchenAid KF3 looks very similar to other models in the company’s lineup, from the KF4 and up to the KF8 (there’s currently no KF5). It’s more compact than the KF6-8, but the same size as the KF4 and KF2, at 14.2 x 7.7 x 18.5 inches / 361 x 196 x 470mm (H x W x D), making it easy to slide onto a kitchen counter. And slide it you can, as there are two small wheels on the bottom at the rear, so you can lift from the front and move it forwards and backwards with ease.

Looks-wise, it adopts a similar aesthetic as the rest of its siblings. It’s boxy, with rounded corners, and is available in either Porcelain White or Matte Black. To cut manufacturing costs, KitchenAid has ditched the predominantly metal build of the larger models, replacing it with plastic. It still looks and feels very much a premium product though.

The clearest indicator that lets you know this is the KF3 is the small 2.4-inch / 6cm color display. The KF2 doesn’t have one at all, while the KF4’s color screen is larger and touch enabled. It’s a relatively low-resolution screen compared to the likes of the Philips Café Aromis, but is still bright and clear, and the use of color helps to identify the drink you want to make.

The KF3's display is flanked by 10 touch buttons: four that provide quick access to user profiles, drinks menu, rinsing cycles and machine settings; two to initiate and cancel brewing; and four to cycle forward and back through menu options, return and select.

The top-mounted hopper is large enough to accommodate 250g of coffee beans and, as with the other compact machines in the series, it features a removable opaque lid with a silicone seal. This means you can’t easily see the amount of leftover beans (there’s a clear audible indication if it doesn’t have any to grind) but, then again, the beans aren’t exposed to light and air, keeping them fresher for longer.

Furthering its benefits for smaller kitchens, the lid is removable rather than hinged means it’s easy to fill the hopper if you have the KF3 positioned under a wall cabinet. There’s also a small chute for pre-ground coffee, and a scoop is included in the box.

The 1.8L water tank slides in and out the rear of the machine and has an integrated handle to make the process simple, although I personally prefer the side-mounted tank on the Philips LatteGo 4400 as it makes refilling a little bit easier. However, the KitchenAid’s tank features a hinged lid, so more often than not I would leave it in place and pour water in from a jug.

KitchenAid supplies a water filter with the KF3 that it says is good for around two months of use. It was initially a little fiddly to install, but the included coffee scoop doubles up as a tool that clips onto the filter, giving you the extra length needed to screw it into place.

The drip tray is deep and extends virtually the full depth of the KF3, and has a large spout at the back for easy emptying. Used coffee grounds are deposited into a removable bin in the center that can be tipped out when full — you'll see a notification on the display when it's time to do so.

The KF3’s milk system uses a silicone hose that connects to the side of the dispenser located on the front of the machine. You need to insert one end of the hose into a small socket, while the other end drops into a tall glass or bottle. KitchenAid offers a sealed container with a double-ended hose as an optional extra for $59.99 / £39 / AU$59, which is included with the KF4 by default.

The KF3 features a thorough rinsing cycle for the hose to ensure it’s kept clean, but note that none of the removable parts are dishwasher safe.

Lastly, the height of the coffee dispenser can be adjusted to suit a variety of cup sizes, including large mugs and tumbler glasses. I found I needed to use a little bit of force to move it, but this is a minor niggle.

• Design score 4.5 / 5

KitchenAid KF3: Performance

• Well-extracted espresso time after time
• Good, but not great, milk foaming
• ‘Iced’ drinks still hot
• Four customizable user profiles

The best thing about the KitchenAid KF3 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine is that you can confidently rely on it to deliver an excellent espresso with every use. The IntelliGrind system automatically determines the best grind size depending on your chosen beans to ensure it brews a tasty shot with good crema. I used medium-roast and dark-roast beans during my testing period and I was more than satisfied with the results in each case.

The fact that you don’t have to worry about grind size makes this a fantastic option for coffee novices who aren’t sure how to get the best results. If you're not entirely satisfied, then you'll find a lever hidden behind the side compartment (which provides access to the brewing unit) that you can use to adjust grind size to a finer or coarser level. I ultimately left it at the default setting in the middle.

That being said, the KF3 does give you the option to adjust the strength and body of the espresso. Strength is denoted on a scale of one to three, with the difference being the dose of coffee that’s ground into the brewing head — 7g being the lightest strength and 14g being the strongest.

You can also select light, medium or strong body, which relates to the rate at which water flows during extraction. A strong-bodied coffee, for example, takes the longest, as the water flows through slowly to extract the most amount of flavor.

You’re also able to adjust the volume of coffee delivered for each drink and the water temperature.

Auto Milk is KitchenAid's milk-foaming system and it works well, although I’m of the opinion that a steam wand will always produce superior results. I was, however, pleased to find that it worked well with plant-based milks, despite not having a dedicated option. Coffee machines that cater specifically to plant-based options, such as the KitchenAid KF8, will heat it to a lower temperature compared to dairy for optimal results.

When I made a cafe latte using a barista-style oat milk, I found the KF3 produced a good level of foam with a silky texture, and at a drinkable temperature. I achieved similarly good results with full-fat dairy.

There are four user profiles on the KF3 for you and your household to store their own drink preferences. While the KF4 lets you name them, they’re fixed at User Profile 1, 2, 3 and 4 here.

KitchenAid understands that iced drinks are popular, even at home, and has given the KF3 dedicated presets for cold coffees. In theory, the shot the machine dispenses is brewed at a lower temperature, although you do still need to put ice in your cup or glass, but that didn't seem to be the case in reality.

I used a thermometer to measure the temperature of both a regular espresso shot and an iced espresso shot and found them to be similar. The regular shot was around 50ºC when brewed at a medium temperature, while the iced shot was around 45ºC. I conducted this test twice, with the same results both times.

As such, the iced espresso shot was still too hot and melted the cubes in my cup relatively quickly, resulting in a diluted drink. If you like your cold coffees, you'd be better off considering other machines like the De’Longhi Dedica Duo and the Jura J10 that offer proper cold-extracted espresso.

The KF3, like other KitchenAid espresso machines, is QuietMark-certified, indicating it should be whisper-quiet in use. That’s something I can certainly attest to, as I recorded around 70dB while grinding and 60dB when brewing, using the decibelX app on my iPhone and standing next to the machine in a relatively quiet space. That puts it on par with the KF4, although we found the flagship KF8 to be quieter still with an average of 44dB during the entire coffee-making process.

Keeping the KitchenAid KF3 clean is incredibly simple. Not only does it automatically complete a rinse cycle on startup and shutdown (which, as I mentioned does mean the water tank can empty relatively quickly), but it will also prompt you when it’s time to empty the ground container and drip tray. It will also ask you to rinse the milk system after every use. You can skip this process at first, but when you turn the machine off — or it automatically shuts down after a predetermined amount of time — it won’t do so until the hose has been flushed.

There are further and more thorough cleaning procedures within the settings menu for washing the brewing unit with special cleaners, and a couple of tablets are included in the box. You will need to buy descaler and a milk system cleaner separately.

There’s also an option to evaporate all the water from the system entirely, which my colleague Cat Ellis has previously expressed as being a feature she wishes all automatic espresso machines had. This is particularly useful if you know you’re not going to be using the machine for an extended period of time and keep it hygienically dry for the duration.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the KitchenAid KF3?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

KitchenAid KF3: Also consider

If you're not sure whether the KitchenAid KF3 is the right espresso machine for you, here are three other options to keep in mind.

KitchenAid KF3: How I tested

I used the KitchenAid KF3 for two weeks, and having already spent time with the KF4, I was well versed with what to expect from the slightly lesser-specced machine. I prepared a wide range of drinks with and without milk, and used two different styles of coffee beans to test the IntelliGrind feature on the KF3.

I used a barista-style oat milk and full-fat dairy milk to test the automatic milk-foaming system, and ran the machine’s recommended cleaning cycles.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed July 2026

I test over a dozen of the best coffee makers every year here at TechRadar, but having a small kitchen means I have to be very picky about which I choose to buy myself. The problem is, I love both drip coffee and espresso equally. I'd happily pick up a compact espresso machine and a quality drip coffee maker such as the Breville Luxe Brewer Thermal, but that would mean sacrificing valuable food prep space and, potentially, not having enough work surface available for rolling pastry and kneading dough.

Of course, a kitchen with no space in which to make pies or bread would be tragic — but, thankfully, it doesn't have to come to that because the Ninja Prestige DualBrew System can handle all my espresso and drip coffee-making needs in one convenient package.

I first tested the DualBrew System (known as the Ninja Espresso and Coffee Maker Barista System in the US) about nine months ago, and it's still the most impressive two-in-one coffee system I've ever used. It isn't a particularly glamorous appliance to have sitting on your counter — it's designed for function rather than looks — but it's enormously practical and has clearly been designed by people who know and love their coffee.

On the left of its roughly cuboid-shaped body, you have a fully featured drip coffee maker, with a standard-sized brew basket and toughened glass carafe. It has all the features you'd expect from a good-quality standalone brewer, including different intensity settings (regular, rich, or over ice) and a timer to start brewing when you wake.

However, there are also some great additions, such as a drip-stop system that means you can safely remove the carafe partway through brewing without making a mess, as well as a fold-down drip tray so you can brew directly into a travel cup rather than the carafe if you want your coffee to-go in the morning.

Some drip coffee makers use of a double-walled insulated carafe to keep your drink at the ideal temperature after brewing, whereas others use a hotplate. The DualBrew System is in the latter camp, but unlike any other drip coffee maker I've tested, it has a smart hotplate that doesn't just heat your coffee consistently, but instead turns on and off to help maintain the right temperature without stewing your brew. It also turns off automatically when you take the carafe away.

Espresso is handled on the right-hand side of the machine. The DualBrew System uses Nespresso Original-style coffee capsules, which means there's a huge array of different beans, blends, and roasts to choose from. Nestlé no longer owns the patent to this type of capsule, so any company is free to package its own freshly ground coffee in these little pods.

Personally, I like to use capsules from my local roastery, and an espresso made using these pods in the DualBrew System tastes almost identical to the same beans prepared with a manual coffee maker.

There's a choice of three drink sizes, and the espresso machine has an adjustable-height drip tray so you can use any cup you want. When you're done, the spent pod drops into a bin, ready to be emptied later.

The only downside of the DualBrew System is the lack of a steam wand (which makes sense, since there's no pressurized boiler here). Instead, there's an electric whisk that folds out from the rear of the machine. This doesn't heat your milk, but the DualBrew System offers a handy guide that advises how long to heat your milk for in the microwave, and how to whisk it for different espresso drinks. It's not the same as steam, but it's fine in a pinch when you don't have much space.

If that's a deal-breaker, a standalone milk frother such as the Dreo BaristaMaker or Smeg Mini Milk Frother will deliver more authentic results, and is small enough to tuck into the corner of a cabinet when it's not in use.

If you love coffee in all its forms but don't have acres of countertop space to spare, the DualBrew System provides everything you need in a single, neat package — and it's affordable, too. At the time of writing, it's available for $249.99 / £179, down from a list price of $279.99 / £249.99. You'll find all today's best deals at the bottom of this article.

Can't decide what kind of coffee you'd like in the morning? De'Longhi has just launched a new coffee maker that can prepare both hot and cold espresso drinks — and even drip coffee if you're in the mood for something different. The De'Longhi Magnifica Duo offers a menu of 20 preset drinks, which you can choose with a quick finger-tap.

If you want to fine-tune your coffee, there are three user profiles, which let you save drinks with custom size, intensity, and temperature settings.

The Magnifica Duo is a successor to the Magnifica Evo Next, which our reviewer Josephine Watson awarded four stars out of five. The Duo has a similar look, and should be just as simple to use, but with the ability to prepare authentic cold-extracted espresso as well.

Unlike some other bean-to-cup coffee makers, which pour a shot of hot espresso over a cup of ice, the Magnifica Duo extracts espresso using cool water directly from the tank and passes it through the freshly-ground coffee beans more slowly to achieve a mellow, but still well-rounded flavor without bitterness.

Not only that, the Magnifica Duo also has a pair of swappable carafes for preparing hot and cold milk foam, so you can easily make iced lattes and cappuccinos. It's the same LatteCrema Hot and Cool system used by the De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic, and is quite ingenious.

With the Hot and Cool system, milk never enters the machine itself, so you don't need to worry about any buildup inside, and each carafe can be disassembled into a few dishwasher-safe parts for quick and hygienic cleaning. It works with both and plant-based milks too, and in my experience testing the Primadonna Aromatic it delivered excellent results with both.

The De'Longhi Magnifica Duo is available now for $999.95 in the US, and £699.99 in the UK. That's about AU$1,350, though it hasn't launched in Australia just yet. I'm hoping to test it soon to see whether it can earn a place in our roundups of the best coffee makers and best espresso machines.

• The Jura E10 is a new premium espresso machine from the Swiss brand
• It offers hot and cold brewing, syrup-infused foam, and Light Brew mode
• It's available now for £1,425 (about $1,910 / AU$2,720)

Jura, known for its luxury espresso machines, has just launched a new coffee maker that packs a staggering array of advanced brewing features into a surprisingly compact package. The new Jura E10 offers hot and cold brewing, syrup-infusion for flavored drinks, and a new timer that means the machine can start brewing when you wake so your favorite coffee is ready and waiting the moment you wake up.

The feature set sounds very similar to that of the Jura J10 I tested last year, which is still one of the most advanced coffee makers I've ever used. It poured a perfectly-extracted espresso, and its cold-brewed espresso was mellow and flavorful.

Its milk system was excellent as well, whether using hot or cold milk, but what impressed me most was the Sweetfoam system that mixes the syrup of your choice into the milk as it's dispensed.

Flavored coffees are usually made by pumping syrup into the cup before adding coffee and milk, which means the flavor is concentrated at the bottom. With Sweetfoam, the syrup is evenly distributed throughout the whole drink, which means you get the full flavor with every sip, and only need to use a very small quantity. You can use regular or sugar-free syrup, and during my tests I found it had the added benefit of stabilizing the milk foam so it lasts and lasts.

Perfect for small kitchens

Like the J10, the new E10 offers a huge menu of hot and cold drinks, but now they're organized into a color-coded menu that makes it easier to find the one you want.

These options now include Light Brew — a new feature not available in the J10 — which uses a smaller dose of coffee and a lower brewing temperature to prepare a drink with a less intense flavor that's ready to enjoy straight away.

The coffee-timing feature means the machine will start brewing your coffee automatically exactly when you want it to — a feature you'd normally only see on drip coffee machines. However, it's worth noting that this is only available if you also pick up the Jura Wi-Fi Connect V2 module, which adds wireless connectivity to your coffee machine and costs an additional £49.95 (about $70 / AU$100).

All of these brewing functions are packed into a surprisingly slim package that will slot more easily into small kitchens:

The Jura E10 is available now direct from Jura and a handful of third-party stores for £1,425 (about $1,910 / AU$2,720). It's currently only sold in Europe, but the rest of the E range is available in the US, so I'm expecting it to launch there in the coming months.

I start my day in the office, as I normally do, with a large latte from the nearby coffee shop. It's become a ritual now for my in-office days — a little treat I can look forward to after the commute that sets me up for the day. But with the amount I spend on this each month, I'm starting to wonder if what I really need is a better coffee machine at home.

That's why the Breville Barista Express on Amazon for $549.95 (was $699.99) has caught my eye. It's one of the many times I've seen the 4.5-star-rated espresso machine on sale at the retailer, and I feel myself getting closer and closer to buying it all the time, especially as it's one of the best espresso machines we've tested.

With its ability to make all sorts of hot drinks with ease, a vast array of adjustable settings, a handy integrated grinder, and a powerful steam wand for milk texturing, it has everything I could need to encourage me to skip the coffee shop and make a brew at home to take to the office.

This may not be the same record-low price I saw during the recent Prime Day sale. However, at only $50 more than that offer, it's still a tempting buy. And while the upfront cost might be high, I think it'll pay for itself fairly quickly with the amount I spend at coffee shops.

Today's best espresso machine deal

What also makes me think that this could be the right coffee machine for me is our very positive Breville the Barista Express review. It was awarded an impressive 4.5 stars out of five for its ease of use, the variety of adjustable settings, and great results.

I'm a bit of a coffee machine newbie, having only had a pod machine and a drip filter coffee maker before, so I think I'd appreciate that the Barista Express isn't too complicated. I also quite like the idea of being able to experiment with different settings and options to get my drinks just how I want them.

Yeah, it's true, the price is a little tough to stomach, but the sensible person in me appreciates that it will be cost-effective in the long run. Plus, it should be a fun new thing to learn — although I'm sure it'll be some time before I rival our on-team trained barista, Cat Ellis.

• The Rivelia Start is De'Longhi's smallest automatic coffee maker
• It has a menu of 10 coffee drinks, including cold brew
• It's on sale now in the UK for £599.99 (about $800 / AU$1,160)

De'Longhi makes some of the best espresso machines I've tested here at TechRadar, and as the owner of a small kitchen, its latest model has particularly piqued my interest. The De'Longhi Rivelia Start is the company's smallest fully automatic coffee maker.

The Rivelia Start is a successor to the 2024 De'Longhi Rivelia, which our tester Josephine Watson gave a full five stars thanks to its consistently well-extracted espresso, clever Bean Adapt technology that optimizes brew settings to suit your preferred beans, and LatteCrema Hot system, which creates thick and creamy foam for milky drinks.

The Rivelia Start offers all that in an even smaller package, and adds the ability to prepare authentic-tasting cold brew. De'Longhi promises that your cold brew will be "ready in under five minutes", which tells me that it's not just pouring a shot of hot coffee over ice, like some other machines I've tested recently. Instead, the coffee is extracted using ambient temperature water, which results in fewer bitter compounds being dissolved for a more mellow flavor.

The Rivelia Start's standard menu contains 10 drinks, but if you like the idea of an iced latte or cappuccino to help you stay cool in the summer months, you can upgrade your Rivelia Start with the optional LatteCrema Cool set, which lets you create chilled milk foam for six further drinks.

Personally, the feature I'm most excited about is the pair of swappable bean hoppers. My job sometimes involves drinking a lot of lattes, and I always prefer to switch to decaf in the afternoon so I can still sleep after a day testing drip and espresso machines. With the Rivelia Start, there's no need to purge one type of coffee from the hopper before refilling with another; just unscrew the whole thing and swap it for one filled with a different type of bean.

It's simple to operate too, with an interface of clearly-labelled buttons rather than a touchscreen, making it extra accessible for new users.

Its small size isn't the only thing that sets it apart from other coffee makers, either — it also comes in a palette of earthy colors that fit with the current trend for natural shades and textures, which makes a refreshing change from the stark black, white, and chrome that once dominated kitchen appliances.

It's available to buy now direct from De'Longhi in the UK for £599.99 (about $800 / AU$1,160) in two colors: maple brown and jade green. More hues will be available from third-party stores from September, and we're currently waiting for details of its international launch.

Looking for a coffee machine that serves up a delicious espresso but won’t break the bank? Look no further than the Philips Baristina. This adorable, cost-friendly bean-to-cup machine currently holds the spot for the best budget coffee machine in Australia, and it’s now even cheaper in the Prime Day sales — just AU$418.99.

My colleague Cat Ellis couldn’t have been more positive in her Philips Baristina review, and she loved the fact it combines the best of bean-to-cup machines, with the convenience of capsule machines.

It handles all aspects of the coffee-making process — grinding, dosing, tamping and brewing, so you barely need to lift a finger. What’s more, it puts on a bit of a show, as it will automatically slide the portafilter into position once it's finished grinding and tamping. It’s unlike any other coffee machine I’ve come across.

• Follow our live coverage of the best Prime Day 2026 deals, many of which ship to New Zealand as well

When Philips announced the Baristina, it certainly piqued my interest. My colleague Cat was able to get her hands on a unit first though, inflaming my jealousy.

What drew me to the compact machine was its simplicity. Once you’ve loaded in some beans and filled the water tank, just push the portafilter handle into its slot and slide it to the right. Select which drink you want — it can only brew a 40ml espresso or a 110ml lungo — and the machine will get to work grinding the perfect quantity of coffee into the filter basket and tamping it down.

Ensuring the whole process is as hands-off as possible, the machine will then slide the handle to the left and dispense the coffee into your cup.

It even helps with cleaning, as once your coffee has finished pouring, the handle will release so you can pull it free and knock out the grounds.

I also love the look of the Baristina, in either its white or black guises it’s very modern. Do note that there’s no steam wand on this machine, but there is a matching Baristina Milk Frother. I do have this and use it daily to froth oat milk, perfect for lattes and cappuccinos. It’s also on sale right now during Prime Day.

The only negative Cat could find with the Philips Baristina is that it doesn’t let you adjust the grind size, so you'll have to choose beans that work with the machine's default settings. There’s no real guidance on this in the user manual, so it may require some trial and error. If your coffee tastes under- or over-extracted then you'll need to try a different bean.

Otherwise, there’s very little to find fault with the Baristina. It looks great, works a charm and brews a delicious espresso, all for an affordable price. What more could you ask for?

I test a lot of espresso machines here at TechRadar — over a dozen a year — and so far 2026 has delivered a particularly impressive crop. Whether you're looking for your first ever coffee maker or are a seasoned pro hunting for the perfect premium brewer, there's an option for you.

There are so many new espresso machines, in fact, that you might be spoilt for choice, which is where I come in. To help make your decision easier, I've rounded up this collection of the three best machines we've tested this year. Each one has been through our rigorous review process, and received a score of at least four and a half stars out of five.

If you can't see something that quite suits your needs, take a look at our complete roundup of the best espresso machines you can buy today, and the best Nespresso machines if you prefer your morning brew in pod form.

Philips Café Aromis

Release date: March 2026

Score: 5/5

This espresso machine (the Philips Café Aromis 8000 Series, to give it its full name) is a premium coffee maker that looks stunning, makes sublime coffee, and is fun to use as well. It has a menu of 50 drinks — hot and cold — and is astonishingly quiet in use too thanks to cleverly designed noise shielding.

Its milk system is particularly impressive, producing different textures to suit the type of drink you're making, and because the milk never enters the body of the machine itself, it's a piece of cake to keep clean. Just detach the carafe, disassemble it into its three hard plastic components, and wash them in the top drawer of your dishwasher. There are separate carafes for hot and cold milk, and they both work equally well with dairy or plant-based equivalents.

Espresso machines with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity are quite common, but after connecting your phone, usually all you get is a simple instruction manual. Not here. The Philips Home app is styled like an AI chatbot, and asks you a series of questions about your beans and taste preferences to help tailor the brew setting to your liking. It's certainly not cheap, but it's a superb espresso machine that earned a full five stars.

Read our full Philips Café Aromis review

Philips Baristina

Release date: February 2026

Score: 5/5

Philips has been really nailing it when it comes to espresso machines this year. The Baristina is very different to the Café Aromis, but if you're new to the world of speciality coffee, or just want something reasonably affordable, it's the better choice.

This is the smallest and cheapest bean-to-cup coffee maker I've ever tested, and it's so easy to use, it's a great option for anyone thinking of making the switch from coffee capsules. Just load your beans in the top, fill the water tank, push in the empty portafilter handle, and slide it to the right. The Baristina will grind the perfect dose of coffee into the basket, tamp it down, then slide the whole handle to the left and pull the shot for you.

It's a piece of cake, and much easier to clean than a typical automatic espresso machine because there's no moisture or debris building up inside an enclosed case. The only drawback is that it can't steam milk (unless you pick up a bundle with the standalone milk frother), but Philips has just launched an updated version — the Baristina Latte — that solves that particular issue. I'm very much looking forward to testing it

Read our full Philips Baristina review

Meraki Espresso Machine Gen 2

Release date: March 2026

Score: 4.5/5

The Meraki Espresso Machine Gen 2 (available direct from Meraki in the US, and from Bella Barista in the UK) is the most stylish coffee maker we've tested so far this year, with its satin finish, chrome and wood accents, pivoting touchscreen display, and separate 'towers' for its twin boilers, water tank, and bean hopper. It's huge, but if you've got the space, it's worth every centimeter.

This is a manual espresso machine, but is packed with thoughtful features that make achieving a delicious brew that little bit easier. For example, there are built-in scales beneath the grinder and grouphead to help you grind exactly the right dose of beans, then weigh your extracted coffee and stop the pump at precisely the right time. There's a temperature sensor to help you avoid scalding your milk, and if you really want a helping hand, you can scan a code on a bag of Meraki's own coffee beans, and the machine will adjust its own settings accordingly.

The standout feature, though, is its dual boiler, which is something we rarely see in a home espresso machine. "Not only does it produce exceedingly well-extracted espresso over and over again, it easily froths a range of milks without losing pressure or cooling down," said our reviewer Josh Russell.

Read our full Meraki Espresso Machine Gen 2 review

The AeroPress Steel has sold out twice, but now it's back in stock in the UK, just in time for your summer camping trips. It's a super-tough, travel-friendly coffee maker that lets you make a tasty brew with fresh beans on the move, and it's available now direct from AeroPress for £159.99.

I've put the AeroPress Steel to the test myself, and was surprised by how little it weighs considering its all-metal construction. Although it probably won't be your go-to coffee maker for backpacking adventures where every gram counts (for that you'd be better with an AeroPress Go), it's not going to weigh you down unnecessarily.

Its accessories have received the stainless treatment as well; rather than the plastic stirrer and scoop provided with a standard AeroPress coffee maker, the AeroPress Steel comes with metal versions, which should give you many years of happy brewing.

If you're worried about the metal chamber conducting heat, you'll be pleased to know that it has double-walled insulation that keeps your coffee hot and hands safe. When using the steel brewer, I found that the outside was never more than pleasantly warm to the touch, and never uncomfortable to hold.

The only thing to watch out for is the metal filter cap at the bottom, which will heat up when you're extracting your coffee, so make sure you allow it to cool before unscrewing it and ejecting the used coffee grounds.

Find your grind

The AeroPress Steel is a great partner for the AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder, which I also had the opportunity to try recently. Unlike most travel-friendly coffee grinders I've tested, which use blades that chop coffee beans into shark little chunks, the AeroPress grinder uses stainless steel burrs that deliver consistent, even results.

You can experiment with different extraction times by adjusting the grind size, with an impressive 60 settings available, and the hopper holds up to 25g of beans at a time, which is enough to prepare two espresso-style drinks on the move.

The grinder has an easy-turn handle with a large, circular handpiece that's comfortable in the hand, but also comes with an attachment for a power drill (yes, really) if you'd rather spare the elbow-grease. Small magnets hold the handle against the side of the grinder when not in use, and the whole package is compact enough to slide neatly into your AeroPress (whether it's the Steel or a traditional plastic) for easy storage.

The AeroPress Manual Grinder is available direct from AeroPress for £199.99.

Amazon Prime Day is now live in Australia, and I’m spending the majority of my time seeking out the very best Prime Day coffee machine deals. Fortunately, I’ve not been disappointed, with huge savings on many of our favourite machines here at TechRadar.

The highlight, however, has to be a mega saving on the superb Ninja Luxe Café Premier espresso machine, which drops to a new all-time low in Australia of AU$497.99 for the stainless steel model.

That smashes a previous low price of AU$629 that I spotted during Black Friday last year, and means that if you’ve been holding out on getting the viral-hit coffee maker, this Prime-exclusive deal presents the perfect opportunity.

If you have yet to come across this popular Ninja machine, it is essentially a versatile three-in-one bean-to-cup system designed to cater to a wide range of coffee preferences. It is capable of extracting a quality espresso, preparing cold brew, and delivering classic drip coffee.

An automatic steam wand is also included for those who favour milk-based drinks. Ninja describes it as “the ultimate guided experience,” with its Barista Assist Technology offering step-by-step support throughout the process.

In practical terms, whatever your coffee of choice, the Ninja Luxe Café Premier espresso machine is equipped to handle it. It also encourages experimentation with different recipes, without the need for proper barista training.

A selection of single-, double-, and quad-shot filter baskets is included, making it equally suited to preparing multiple coffees at once or a stronger, more concentrated serve when needed.

While it's sensibly priced in the world of premium coffee machines, AU$1,049.99 is still a hefty purchase. That said, our reviewer identified only a few reasons not to buy it: if you need to brew large batches of coffee, want a dedicated hot water line or are looking for a compact machine.

If this doesn’t sound like you, or you’re simply swayed by the AU$552 saving, then you’ll likely want to be quick to snap one up, as they tend to sell out fast.

Well there we have it, Prime Day Australia 2026 has come and gone, leaving a trail of sensational coffee machine deals in its dust.

Or has it?

I've had a look through all of the discounts that were live during the annual Amazon sale and have found many of them still available to shop. Granted, some prices have increased, but that's to be expected. The good news is that where there have been increases, they've been relatively small — around AU$20 to AU$100.

And in a few other cases, there has been no change at all to the Prime Day price, meaning if you happened to miss out, you still have plenty of opportunities to secure a top-rated espresso machine for an affordable price.

You'll likely need to hurry though, as experience tells me that the deals that are still live are unlikely to hang around forever.

Best Prime Day 2026 coffee machines deals in Australia still live

Automatic coffee machines

Manual & semi-automatic coffee machines

Capsule coffee machines

Portable

Coffee machine accessories

Prime Day 2026 in Australia: all you need to know

Before I tested and reviewed the Ninja AutoBarista Pro, I had tried every kind of coffee brewing method over the years. I ground my own beans with a high-end 20-setting electric burr grinder. I researched how to get the ideal grind for each type of bean and brewing method. Grind size is important, because it determines the speed that water flows through your coffee grounds and therefore the amount of extraction.

As a general rule, you'll want a coarser grind for a French press or for cold brew made in the refrigerator. Medium-coarse works well for pour-over. A typical automatic drip machine works best with a medium grind. A moka pot works well with medium-fine. The finest settings are best for espresso machines or Turkish coffee.

How your beans are roasted also plays a part in how coarsely you'll want to grind your beans. Darker roast beans work best with a slightly coarser grind, while lighter roasts work better when ground slightly finer.

When grinding your own beans, you'll have to account for both your roast and your brewing method. If your coffee comes out more bitter than you'd like, you'll want to grind your beans more coarsely. On the other hand, if your coffee comes out sour or weak and watery, you'll want your beans ground a bit more finely.

Figuring all this out and adjusting the grinder (known as 'dialing in') doesn't require a chemistry degree, but it does require some some trial and error on your part. Then along comes the Ninja AutoBarista Pro with Grind iQ, which removes the need for guesswork. Just pour in your whole beans, and Grind iQ takes it from there.

The first time you put new beans into the Ninja AutoBarista Pro's hopper, Grind iQ will determine the ideal grind size based on your particular beans. This process takes about five minutes or so, and it does expel a bit of coffee, but then it's good to go.

Whether you're making a regular cup of Drip Coffee, Espresso, Iced Coffee, or Cold Brew, the built-in stainless steel burr grinder grinds your beans just right for every cup. The machine automatically determines which of its 50 grind settings to use. No guessing or trial and error. It's just one less thing you need to think about before you've had that first cup of coffee in the morning.

I test over a dozen of the best coffee makers every year, but sometimes you just can't beat a good pour-over — and a large part of that comes down to the dripper you use. Lots of factors can change the way your coffee tastes (grind size, ratio of coffee to water, water quality, and temperature being just a few), but the design of your dripper has a big impact as well.

• See all coffee dripper deals at Amazon

For example, the size of the opening at the bottom affects the flow rate, the material (plastic, glass, metal, or ceramic) determines heat retention, and channels on the inside of the brewer can channel water over the whole bed of coffee.

Also bear in mind that different brewers take different filters, some of which are easier to find than others, or cost more. With all that in mind, here are 15 of the best coffee drippers to level up your brewing, with prices starting under $25.

The best brewers

• New blue, oat and green colors for the Ninja AutoBarista Pro
• It is an automatic espresso machine with separate user profiles
• Its list price is $949.99 / £899.99 (about AU$1,735)

The Ninja AutoBarista Pro Fully Automatic Espresso Machine is a new, multi-talented coffee maker that delivers excellent espresso, drip coffee and a kind of rapid cold brew for making cold drinks — and now it's available in three new colors.

The original black and stainless steel finish has been joined by versions in Midnight Blue, Oat Milk and Vista Green. They're all fairly sober colors, so for example the Vista Green is a dark, slightly metallic jade green, and that means they look subtle and classy rather than garish — which is fitting as these are premium products.

The big benefit of the new shades is that they don't have stainless steel's fingerprint magnetism: I've had many stainless steel appliances and they've all been a bit of a pain to keep shiny and pristine.

Other than the colors, the new models are identical to the original, and that's no bad thing. This is a clever coffee maker that solves a particular pain point for couples and shared kitchens.

A machine of many talents

As my caffeinated colleague Karen Freeman wrote when about the Ninja AutoBarista Pro, it's ideal for people who have completely different tastes in coffee. You can easily switch between beans and ground coffee, and you can create two different user profiles to store your brewing preferences. And setting up profiles is really simple.

We like this coffee machine a lot. In our Ninja AutoBarista Pro review we praised its "one-touch simplicity", good looks and of course, its coffee. "The espresso is the real deal," we wrote. "A true 9-bar espresso brew with crema."

The only real downside is its size: it's a pretty hefty appliance, coming in at just under 18 x 11 x 16 inches and weighing nearly 40lbs / 18kg. It's very solidly built, however, so it's likely to last a very long time.

I don't have this particular model but I do have a similarly multi-talented coffee maker from Philips, the LatteGo 5500. I think with machines like these there's an initial novelty period where you want to make all the coffees, but after that you tend to settle for a couple of favorites unless you're entertaining. And that's why we're so focused on the quality of the Ninja's espresso, because of course that's the core of all your coffee creations. In our tests the AutoBarista Pro delivered excellent espresso every time, and now it does it while matching your kitchen decor too.

The Ninja AutoBarista Pro currently retails at $949.99 / £899.99 / about AU$1,735.

I'm still yet to invest in one of the best espresso machines, but if there was ever a deal to tempt me to do so, then this might just be it. It's for the Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine, which is on sale at Amazon for $499.95 (was $692.99).

This is a machine that allows you to hone your coffee skills to make drinks exactly how you like them. Whether that be a flat white, cappuccino, or a simple espresso, the Barista Express can do it all. The whopping discount brings the highly-rated coffee machine down to the lowest price it's ever been.

Today's best coffee machine deal

If you've been looking for a TechRadar review of this coffee machine, then I wouldn't be surprised if you couldn't find it. We actually reviewed it under its UK name, Sage the Barista Express. Whatever US or UK readers call it, it's the same machine, and we rated it an impressive 4.5 stars.

In particular, we loved how simple it was to use, the many adjustable settings to get your drink exactly right, and the "tasty espresso" that the machine is a pro at making. One of the downsides that our reviewer highlighted was the price, something that is made significantly more palatable with this deal.

If you're open to other machines, then take a browse of the best coffee makers for lattes and the best coffee makers. We've collated all our favorites based on features and budgets.

I live in a two coffee-drinker household, and my husband and I don't always agree on what makes a perfect cup of coffee. Luckily, with the Ninja AutoBarista Pro, we don't have to come to a compromise. This machine lets you easily swap out two different kinds of whole beans plus whatever pre-ground beans you like. In addition, you can set up two different user profiles for each kind of coffee beverage you make.

The Ninja AutoBarista Pro is a fully automatic coffee and espresso machine. You put whole beans in, and the machine brews your perfect cup of Espresso, Lungo, Drip Coffee, Americano, Cold-Pressed, Over Ice, Cortado, Flat White, Latte, Cappuccino, Iced Latte, or Cold Brew. In my Ninja AutoBarista Pro review, I mentioned that it comes with two interchangeable coffee bean hoppers and that you could set up two different user profiles for each type of coffee beverage.

He likes extra dark roast whereas I prefer more of a medium-dark roast. Thanks to Ninja's two-hopper system, we can each have our own beans and easily swap them out as needed by just switching hoppers. It's that simple.

The first time you put each hopper in place, Grind iQ will run a cycle to determine the perfect grind for each set of beans.

Additionally, there is a pre-ground coffee chute. You can choose to bypass the whole bean hopper if you prefer to use pre-ground beans at any time.

My own personal espresso

In addition to changing out the beans, you can also save two different user profiles for each type of coffee you can make with the Ninja AutoBarista Pro.

To set up the first user profile, you select a drink, choose the brew strength, temperature, and number of shots. Press the user profile button and the User One indicator will light up. Press and hold that button for a couple of seconds until you hear a confirmation beep. Now you're all set! Do the same thing for User Two, only you'll need to press the button twice so the second user profile is indicated before doing the long press.

Once you've set up user profiles, the Ninja AutoBarista Pro will always default to User One. If you're User Two, just press the user profile button twice, so the light above User Two is lit up. Then start your brew.

This makes a heck of a lot more sense than having two different coffee machines in one kitchen in order to accommodate two different coffee drinkers' preferences. It couldn't be easier to set up and use; frankly it probably took you longer to read this article than it will take to actually do it.

Ice cream for breakfast? Well, sure, why not, especially when it's a wholesome and nutritious high-protein ice cream you make in your Ninja Creami. It might even be healthier than the breakfast you had this morning.

There are several different models of the Ninja Creami, including the Swirl, which I used. You can read my Ninja Creami Swirl review here. Any model will do for making delicious and healthy breakfast 'ice cream', the Swirl can just make it into soft serve if you like. You must freeze your ingredients in the provided container for 24 hours, so be sure to plan a day ahead.

Protein shakes

I've made a number of different protein-forward Creami recipes, but it might take some experimentation to find the ones you like the best. The simplest option is just to freeze a protein shake (or your milk of choice plus protein powder.) If those taste too plain or icy, you can doctor them with extras like vanilla extract, cacao powder, xanthan gum, pudding mix, collagen powder, cottage cheese, or fruit. You can process them on the CreamiFit setting if your Creami has that; if not, the Light Ice Cream setting will work. Personally, I’m not a big fan of protein powders and shakes. But if you do like them, you’ll like them even better as ice cream.

Just yogurt

Another very simple high protein option is to simply freeze a tub or two of your favorite flavored yogurt. That won't need any doctoring to produce a perfectly textured frozen yogurt treat. I used the Frozen Yogurt setting and sometimes also put it through the Swirl mechanism for a true frozen yogurt shop experience. Of course you can skip that step if you have a regular or Deluxe Ninja Creami and not the Swirl model. Either way, you'll probably want to experiment with mix-ins and toppings. Granola, fruit, and/or a drizzle of nut butter make nice breakfast frozen yogurt toppings. I’ve frozen a number of yogurts; my favorites have been apple pie, tiramisu, and creme brulee.

High protein base

Honestly, I have not yet found the perfect 'healthy vanilla Creami base', but I tried this concoction of vanilla greek yogurt, skim milk, and cottage cheese. Sure, it was healthy, and the texture was great, but it didn’t taste like much. The mangoes on top helped! There are so many recipes online, I’ll have to keep searching.

Simple frozen fruit sorbets

I often eat chia pudding for breakfast, a simple concoction of chia seeds, almond milk, and Greek yogurt. I recently made my usual chia pudding, but instead of topping it with fruit, I topped it with seeds, granola, and a few scoops of simple Ninja Creami sorbet. The one-ingredient sorbet was simply a can of peaches in juice, dumped into a Ninja Creami container. I processed it on the Sorbet cycle. This is delicious and works with any kind of fruit. Pears, mangoes, and pineapple are particular favorites. Of course, you can just make simple fruit sorbet for a light, refreshing breakfast.

Açai bowls

I made my own açai bowl with store-bought frozen açai cubes. I blended them with some fruit, milk, and sweetener and used the Lite Ice Cream setting. I topped mine with fruit, granola, hemp seeds, and almond butter, but you could also add coconut flakes, honey, yogurt, other seeds, nuts, or anything you like. This was tasty.

Yogurt, milk, and fruit

A simple cherry vanilla Creami, basically just equal parts milk of choice, vanilla yogurt, and cherries came out quite nicely. You could do this with any kind of fruit you like.

Just the tip of the icecreamberg

I keep thinking of more recipe ideas I want to try, there are so many breakfast-appropriate Ninja Creami recipes out there. And if you want to make a real full-on whole-milk-cream-egg-sugar ice cream and eat that for breakfast? No judgement here. Life is short — eat dessert first!

If you want to up your coffee game at home, the Breville Bambino Plus is a fantastic addition, being compact enough to fit into any kitchen, while also being more than capable of brewing a delicious shot of espresso.

And right now it’s received a huge discount of AU$230 at Amazon, bringing it down to AU$499. That’s a great price, and normally I’d be singing its praises from the rooftops, but you can save even more by getting yourself an exclusive code from our dedicated Breville coupon page, then head directly to the maker and apply that unique one-time code at checkout.

Follow those steps and you can get the Bambino Plus for the even lower price of AU$449.10. Do note that the biggest saving only applies to the Stainless Steel, Black Truffle and Sea Salt colours. You can still get other colour options from Breville for AU$494.10 using the same discount code.

If you’ve ever thought going hands-on with an espresso machine would be too difficult to master, then the Bambino Plus is here to bust that myth. While it may look like a manual machine, it’s realistically a semi-automatic model.

You will need to adjust the grind size depending on whether you want a single or double shot, and then tamp the coffee grounds yourself, but Breville has preset the machine to grind the optimum amount each time.

To make things even easier, it benefits from the company’s Auto MilQ system to automatically foam milk, whether it be dairy or plant-based. To be honest, I was a little surprised to learn it had this feature, as I thought it would have been reserved for Breville’s more expensive models.

Our Breville Bambino Plus review gave it a strong 4.5 stars out of five when we originally put it through its paces. We called it a “fantastic machine that’s packed with smart features to help you make the smoothest and professional-looking coffee around”. We appreciated the fast heat-up time and the level of customisation on offer.

As with any coffee machine, you’ll need to keep on top of maintenance to keep it working at its best, and it won’t suit pod users, but that’s all there is to criticise. For many people, it’ll be one of the best espresso machines you can buy if you want a capable and more affordable choice compared to some premium options.