A coffee machine doesn’t have to set you back a fortune. And, when you’ve calculated exactly how much your daily Pret fix is costing you (something we wouldn’t recommend doing), you’ll probably realise that investing in your own machine could actually be cheaper.
That’s not to say that all coffee machines are cheap. A quick scroll and you’ll find machines costing into the thousands. But the best budget coffee machines don’t have to set you back more than £200, regardless of whether you’re looking for a pod-based machine or a bean-to-cup option.
Admittedly, it’s a gamble. Invest in your own coffee machine and you’ll likely find yourself buying up espresso cups, unique bean blends, differing strength pods and all of the other now-deemed-necessary accessories. But there are worse things to be addicted to.
If it’s time to break away from your favourite barista and quit the daily strolls to your coffee shop of choice, read on.
Best budget coffee machines at a glance:
- Best for effortless barista-grade coffee: De'Longhi EC230 Espresso Coffee Machine - £89, Argos
- Best for a value-for-money route into the Nespresso club: Nespresso Vertuo Next - £79.99, John Lewis
- Best for a family full of espresso lovers: Salter EK3131 Espressimo Barista Style Coffee Maker - £39.99, Amazon
- Best for coffee-pod fanatics with a desire for clear countertops: Tassimo by Bosch Suny Pod Coffee Machine - £39.99, Amazon
- Best for hipster coffee geeks: Swan Cream Retro Coffee Machine - £135, Currys
- Best for simplicity, ease and quality: Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie - £64.99, Amazon
- Best for an American-style cup o’ joe: MELITTA Look IV Therm Timer Filter Coffee Machine - £14.99, Currys
- Best for the illy-obsessed: illy 60417 Coffee Maker Machine Y3.3 - £110, Amazon
- Best for a fuss-free, permanent filter: KitchenAid 5KCM1209BOB Drip Filter Coffee Machine - £139, Argos
- Best for coffee for the whole crew at the tap of a button: Morphy Richards Accent Filter Coffee Machine - £69.99, Amazon
- Best for Gen Z interiors: Tassimo Finesse Lupine Blue Coffee Machine - £44.99, Tassimo
Keep scrolling for an in-depth look at the best budget coffee machines for 2023.
Best milk frothers for perfect at-home coffee
Best coffee machines with milk frothers for perfect cappuccinos and more
Best bean-to-cup coffee machines to kickstart your day in style
Best espresso machines for the ultimate caffeine hit
Best filter coffee machines for minimum effort, maximum caffeine
Best manual coffee machines for a truly top notch brew tried and tested
De'Longhi EC230 Espresso Coffee Machine
Best for: effortless barista-grade coffee
The De'Longhi EC230 Espresso Coffee Machine isn't just a coffee machine: it also comes with a "milk steaming wand" - something you'll probably have lived a life without up until now but, once implemented into your daily routine, quickly threatens to become a necessity.
Producing accessibly priced coffee at professional coffee-loving levels, this machine offers espressos, cappuccinos and lattes and works with ground beans. It's dishwasher safe, includes a cup warmer and fits mugs of all sizes: drinking coffee literally couldn't be more effortless. It's the next best thing to having your own barista.
Buy now £89.00, Argos
Nespresso Vertuo Next
Best for: a value-for-money route into the Nespresso club
The Nespresso Vertuo Next has pretty much all of the features you could desire from a coffee maker and a few of the extras that you may not have anticipated - namely WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. While neither of those will actively make your coffee tastier, they do help to create a seamless experience around brewing your next mug.
This budget-friendly coffee machine is quick and easy to use, promising a zero-fuss experience that allows you to have a coffee in hand in less than a minute. Despite its tiny size, it's a well-packed machine, capable of brewing up to 18 oz. of pour-over coffee. Bonus: it also comes in a range of colours.
Buy now £79.99, John Lewis
Salter EK3131 Espressimo Barista Style Coffee Maker
Best for: a family full of espresso lovers
This Salter coffee machine looks far more expensive than it actually is, with seemingly never-ending mechanisms to twist and turn. In reality, it's actually less than £50, which means you'll definitely make back the money quickly from your daily coffee habit.
Creating authentic barista flavours, this coffee maker has five bar pressure and can produce up to four shots of espresso at a time. With its built-in milk frother function and high-quality stainless steel finish, you'll kick yourself for not investing in this coffee machine sooner.
Buy now £31.99, Amazon
Tassimo by Bosch Suny Pod Coffee Machine
Best for: coffee-pod fanatics with a desire for clear countertops
The Tassimo Suny Pod Coffee Machine doesn't take up much room on the counter - something you'll point out approvingly each time your guests compliment your coffee. As one of the most versatile coffee machines in the industry, it's well equipped to handle plenty of different pods including popular brands like Costa, Cadburys and Twinings.
Your coffee options include espresso, cappuccino, latte, ristretto, and latte macchiato or you're free to branch out with pretty much any other drink that could feasibly be served hot. It takes the stress away from the more technical machines by handily pre-selecting the optimum temperature, amount of water and brewing time required for each drink.
Buy now £39.99, Amazon
Swan Cream Retro Coffee Machine
Best for: hipster coffee geeks
With its retro-esque design and cream finish, this budget-friendly coffee machine deserves an equally stylish backdrop to display it on. A coffee machine for those who value looks just as much as performance, it's beautiful aesthetically and produces top-notch coffee at the same time. It's marketed as an espresso maker but also has the ability to produce americanos, cappuccinos, lattes, flat whites and mochas. As far as coffee machines go, it's definitely the full package.
Buy now £135.00, Currys
Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
Best for: simplicity, ease and quality
You'll often find great deals on Lavazza machines and they're definitely deals to snap up as and when they do appear. Our favourite of the bunch, the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie, is almost as pleasing to look at as it is to use.
Renowned not only for its ease of use but also its blending power, flavour and price tag, it's an essential piece of equipment for any self-respecting coffee lover. The Jolie is also the smallest and quietest Lavazza A Modo Mio mode: perfect if you're usually the first one up in the morning.
Buy now £64.99, Amazon
MELITTA Look IV Therm Timer Filter Coffee Machine
Best for: an American-style cup o’ Joe
If you're someone who pops into a coffee shop at least once a day, you could feasibly make your money back in a week or two with Melitta’s coffee machine.
Known and loved for producing smooth, rich coffee for up to 10 cups at a time, it's one of the best options around for ticking off all of the essentials. Just swap out the filters each time and you're free to make and pour as much drip coffee as your heart desires.
Buy now £59.99, Currys
illy 60417 Coffee Maker Machine Y3.3
Best for: the Illy-obsessed
Brew up Illy's staple coffee from your own home with this vibrant red machine. Designed to work with Illy's capsules, it promises to create full-bodied espresso with a rich aromatic aroma that you'll fall in love with first thing in the morning.
It's fair to say that Illy, being a household coffee name, is one of the best in the business when it comes to coffee machines and this cheerfully priced option promises to keep you happy on the daily. Available in four bright colours - all you have to do is choose your favourite.
Buy now £110.00, Amazon
KitchenAid 5KCM1209BOB Drip Filter Coffee Machine
Best for: a fuss-free, permanent filter
We'll get one thing out the way: you may struggle to reel off this KitchenAid model's number if requested (especially before you’ve had a coffee) but it's worth remembering for the deliciousness that follows. This sleek coffee machine steps things up a notch with a fresh, almond colour scheme and a slightly retro design to match.
One of the most impressive parts of this machine? Its permanent filter provides a cheaper, fuss-free option than changing filters every time you fancy another cuppa. Even more impressively, it makes up to 12 cups in one go. But maybe reserve that challenge for the most stressful of stressful days.
Buy now £139.00, Argos
Morphy Richards Accent Filter Coffee Machine
Best for: coffee for the whole crew at the tap of a button
You could feasibly run to Morphy Richards for almost all of your homeware needs and the brand’s Accent coffee maker is no exception to its top-quality reel of products. With the capacity to produce up to 12 cups of coffee per refill, it’s one designed for the heavy drinker or to be used by the whole family.
It’s also incredibly straightforward to use and comes with a programmable timer - the cherry on top of the cake. Available in black, red or white, it produces authentic flavours and works seamlessly with all kinds of ground coffee.
Buy now £69.99, Amazon
Tassimo Finesse Lupine Blue Coffee Machine
Tassimo Finesse has a slick, modern design to suit any kitchen aesthetic. Your first thought may be how cute the blue hue is, but there is much more to this compact machine. It has a new feature called IntensityBoost which helps you adapt the coffee to your personal palate. For the coffee buffs, push the button for three seconds and you get a more intense flavour. Caffeine rush pending.
Take yours to university for a post-night out pick me up or use it to stay fuelled during all-nighters.
Buy now £44.99, Tassimo
Verdict
The best budget coffee machine for ease of use, delicious taste and a few little extras has to be De'Longhi's EC230 Espresso Coffee Machine. Treat yourself to this coffee machine and you'll never look back.
