What type of coffee machine is right for me?

Whether you’re experimenting with your first latte or are a seasoned espresso drinker, you’ll always have questions about how best to enjoy your drink. At the Powerhouse, our customers often ask how to decide on the type of machine to opt for, and whether it is best to use beans, ground coffee or pods. Our coffee-loving experts are always on hand and happy to help and advise.

Let’s take a look at the features of each type of machine.

Bean to Cup Machines

For minimal effort, maximum style and a truly premium experience, invest in a bean to cup machine. These machines have a built in grinder and tamper and will make espresso on demand for fresh barista-style coffee. Some fully automatic models will froth the milk for you, while others let you do it yourself with a manual frothing steam wand. These all-in-one machines allow freedom to use any type of coffee beans you like and are perfect for those who love a full variety but who also want speed and convenience.

Traditional Pump Coffee Machines & Manual Espresso Machines

These are preferred by espresso purists, who love the experience of making their own artisan drinks. With these traditional machines, and your choice of ground coffee, you will grind, tamp and create your own perfect espresso, enjoying the ritual, rich aroma and a leisurely approach to creating your drink. If you have time and want to really learn about the art of great coffee, these offer a wonderful experience. Some of these machines come with a milk frothing steam wand, expanding your coffee range to include cappuccinos and other milky drinks.

Coffee Pod or Capsule Machines

These are popular with coffee lovers who are pressed for time, but who still want a top-quality drink. With a pod machine, you simply pop in a specially sealed pod of your preferred pre-roasted coffee and press a button. The machine will do the rest, so you can get on with your busy morning preparations while your drink is being made. They are similar to the original filter coffee machine, but make the process even easier by packaging up the ground coffee into the convenient pre-measured pod. You can only use the variety made by, or compatible with the coffee machine manufacturer, but today’s ranges are excellent and offer beautifully roasted and blended coffee. Some of the manufacturers produce pods for milk based coffees such as lattes and cappuccinos. A benefit of these machines is that they are mess-free and contain the grounds in the pod for disposal.

Filter Coffee Machines

These are easy to use and familiar with most home coffee drinkers, and the best option if you are wanting to brew multiple cups of black coffee at a time. With a filter coffee machine you will either use ground coffee or, if it is a ‘grind and brew’ machine, coffee beans. Pressurised hot water will slowly drip through the coffee and release your aromatic drink into a warmed jug. The higher end models often have extra features such as a programmable timer, an integrated coffee grinder or the ability to use the ‘pour-over’ technique – all in pursuit of a better tasting coffee.

The Deciding Factors

With today’s superb array of high-tech coffee machines, there is no need to compromise on taste, quality and aroma. The choice comes down to a number of factors:

1. Your preferred way of making a perfect coffee
2. The time you want to spend making a cup of black gold!
3. The space you have available
4. Your aesthetic preferences
5. Your ideal budget
6. Your preferences for recycling (capsules and pods have come under fire for being plastic, but manufacturers are now starting to make bio-degradable options.)
7. The degree of choice you want to have over your coffee beans and the way that your coffee is made

As a rough guide, we tend to find that our customers choose coffee pod machines for convenience and speed, and filter coffee machines for batch coffee and ease of use. Real coffee purists who want to take their time making custom blends and enjoying their brewing experience will often choose a traditional pump coffee machine and those who want to make all manner of fancy coffee drinks will love a bean to cup machine!

At Powerhouse, we stock coffee machines of all types from leading brands including Sage, De’Longhi, Krups and Morphy Richards and you’ll find something to suit all needs. Please contact us for any questions and we will be delighted to help.