Espresso Machines - The Best Espresso Makers in the UK
Espresso machines are the most effective way to get the ultimate coffee experience. They're a labor of love, but they give you complete control over your coffee.
They typically include an espresso tamper to flatten the grinds and a steamer to froth milk for lattes and cappuccinos.
1. Stovetop
There are 98 million cups of coffee consumed in the UK every day and we have a wide selection of espresso makers that can be used on stovetops to help you brew an excellent cup of coffee. Also known as moka pots, these devices make use of pressure to produce an espresso-like cup of coffee without the need for any messy filter papers. They are a simple and user-friendly device that can enhance any type of coffee and can be combined with milk to make cappuccinos and lattes.
Moka pots have a bottom chamber which is filled with water, and the coffee is placed in a basket between two pipes leading to the upper chamber where the finished beverage is served. As the water boils in the bottom, it pushes itself through the grounds under high pressure and seeps up into the upper chamber, where the aromas are released for you to enjoy. The end result is an aromatic strong, rich and robust coffee that can be enjoyed by itself or paired with sugar and milk.
When buying a mokapot, the most important factor to take into consideration is the unit's capacity. It is crucial to make sure the dimensions of the bottom chamber as well as the capacity of the basket are adequate for your needs since larger units will require a longer wait time while a smaller one may not be able to create enough pressure. It is also recommended to look at the materials the machine is constructed from, as stainless steel machines are sturdier and more durable but they also come with a higher price tag.
Other things to consider is how the appliance will function with the heat source you choose (gas or electric) and any additional add-ons that might be available like milk steamer wands that are used to heat and froth milk to make lattes and cappuccinos. You should also think about the amount of cups you are able to make in one go, as this is a great method to determine the best size unit for you.
We also suggest to check the base of the moka maker to ensure it will fit on your burner. We found that some models, such as the Stelton collar espresso maker had a base that was narrow and were difficult to put in the proper spot on a gas burner. However, wider bases, like those of the Bialetti Venus and London Sip stovetop espresso makers, provided better results. We also preferred those with thicker walls as they were found to conduct heat more efficiently and prevent it from sputtering too fast.
2. Capsule
Similar similar to stovetop models, there are capsule coffee machines which make cappuccinos, espresso and more by using pods. If you aren't a fan of making mess with grounds, cleaning and making coffee, this is the perfect alternative for you.
You'll need to purchase the coffee pods separately. There are several brands available, including Nespresso Dolce Gusto, and Tassimo. There are several sizes available and you can pick the size and type of coffee that is best for your taste. The smallest of these is the Nespresso Essenza Mini, which is ideal for small areas and makes one cup at one time. You can get a bigger model that can take larger cups too, but they're more expensive.
For a more sophisticated option that also yields better tasting coffee, the Illy Iperespresso is a chic alternative for coffee lovers. It's not the cheapest machine but it makes an excellent cup of coffee and is simple to use as well. It also features an intelligent feature that allows it to recognise the brand of coffee it's using and automatically adjusts its settings accordingly which makes it one of the most versatile machines in our opinion.
It is recommended to look for a model with a milk carafe if you are looking to test all the drinks you can make with a pod machine. This will let you experiment with lattes and cappuccinos. You can still make popular drinks with capsule machines, but it will be a than a hit-and-miss experience.
If you're interested in getting a capsule coffee machine be sure that it's marked as compatible with ESE pods. This will usually mean it has a basket or adapter to accommodate these smaller pods. Some of our machines in our collection have this feature, which means you can use them with Nespresso compatible pods as well as Dolce Gusto or Tassimo pods.
3. Manual
Like the name suggests, these are espresso machines that are for purists. They look like the original espresso machine, created in Italy in the early 1900s. They are operated by manually pumping the water into a filter, locking it, and then forcing the water under 9 bar of pressure to create a shot.
A manual espresso maker is typically more of a labour of affection than a capsule maker as they require you to heat the water in a separate manner from the coffee, pour it into the chamber above the ground coffee or pods and then press down on the plunger or lever to create the pressure and push the water through and into the cup below. This method of operation can be quite messy, time consuming and a bit frustrating to master, but the result is well worth the effort.
Some of the more modern models like the Flair 58 and the Sage The Barista Touch Impress have taken a different approach to make it easier to control, they have utilised an electronic temperature controller known as a PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative). This is a piece of technology that can be found in high-end immersion circulators and toasters and is designed to stabilise the temperature of the brew kettle. The benefit of this is that it eliminates a lot of the guesswork around the optimal temperature for brewing and allows you to dial in your espresso with accuracy.
There are espresso machine with frother Coffeee that make manual espresso makers, the likes of Rancilio and La Pavoni are familiar names to many who have worked in the cafe or coffee shop. They manufacture the huge commercial espresso machines that have three or two heads that you can see in coffee shops. However, in 1997, they introduced the Silvia semi-automatic manual espresso machine with some bells and whistles that can reduce the stress out of brewing.
Fully automatic espresso machines will complete all the work for you. They grind the beans and tamp them before pulling the shot, and some even steam your milk. But they are expensive so you will require a decent bank balance to be able to afford one.
4. Semi-Automatic
Semi-automatic machines are the best choice If the idea of re-creating the perfect espresso shot from the cafe you love at home is appealing to you. These machines allow you to adjust your preferences over time and also adjust the amount of the espresso you drink according to your mood at any time.
These machines are outfitted with a portafilter, and a steam wand. These machines have similar brewing processes to superautomatics, however they require manual processes like grinding the beans and putting in the portafilter. They also require more understanding and skills to operate as the brewing process isn't controlled automatically.
A semi-automatic machine that is good will have filters that can be removed and an tamper to compress the coffee grounds inside the portafilter prior to brewing. It also lets you to manage the amount of water and pressure used during the brewing process. This means that you can tailor the shots you drink according to your personal preferences and the type of coffee beans you are using.
A semi-automatic machine should have a temperature control that can be adjusted. This feature allows you to decide the brewing temperature for your coffee beans based on how they taste. It will also help you avoid temperature swings which is particularly important when it comes to the boiler for brewing. The brew temperature could vary by up to 20oF in a cup without a PID controller. With PID controllers this swing is limited to around 0.1oF.
Some of the higher-end models include a milk frother to make milk-based espresso drinks. This will help you create delicious lattes, cappuccinos and macchiatos. The frothing container should be able to be held comfortably and have an spout that makes pouring effortless.
It is also recommended to choose one with a removable filter basket, as well as a system that automatically doses the ground. You will be able to avoid the manual grinding and tamping yourself. It will also make cleaning the machine easier.