I tried five at-home coffee machines to find the best of 2026
Journalist Glenn Kelly puts five at-home coffee machines to the test to determine which ones could give baristas a run for their money in 2026.
With the global coffee machine business now worth an estimated $12.2 billion in 2025 and expected to grow to almost $16 billion by 2030, it is no surprise that manufacturers are fighting for every euro in the Irish market for the business of budding baristas - and that is good news for us coffee fans.
A growth in demand means more choice on the shelves and a higher standard of machines to choose from.
However, you don't need to spend your time walking the aisles of your local retailer trying to understand which is King of cremas, or Queen of taste, because I have got you covered with a selection of five of the best machines out there, across a series of price points.
For this test, to keep things equal, I have been using coffee beans from Lucid Coffee Roasters of Belfast. Great tasting beans and always nice to go local!
From the ease of pod coffee to the smartest of bean-to-cup technology, all you need to do is pour yourself a cuppa, take a seat and read on to find out what is likely to be your next purchase.
Best Coffee Machine Overall
De’Longhi Eletta Explore Bean to Cup Machine€879; harveynorman.ie
Photo: Glenn Kelly
Expensive? Yes. The best coffee machine to make you feel like a barista with minimum effort? Absolutely!
De’Longhi is well known for being a leader in the coffee machine world, but with the Eletta Explore, they are trying to stack as many features as possible inside one machine.
With 50 one-touch drinks and recipes available, your friends would need to be the pickiest of coffee connoisseurs if they could not be satisfied here, and with hot and cold drinks available at the touch of a button, preparation couldn’t be easier. Allowing you more time to chat and less time looking at your brew.
Photo: Glenn Kelly
Navigating your way around the machine couldn’t be easier, thanks to a crystal-clear 3.5-inch touch display allowing you to effortlessly select your drinks and set up your profile to make your morning brew even easier.
Inside the machine is a stainless-steel conical burr grinder with 13 adjustment settings to make sure the beans you put in are ground to perfection before the juice hits your mug. However, if you aren’t entirely sure what works best, De’Longhi has included Bean Adapt Technology, which helps you adjust brewing parameters based on the coffee beans you’re using. Simples.
The grinding mechanism isn’t the quietest I’ve used, and some effort by the manufacturer in future to avoid a screechy outcome would be appreciated.
The quality of coffee is superb, creating a nice crema atop your espresso, and the attached carafe creates a really silky milk that makes the enjoyment even greater. Like all these automatic machines, you won’t get the heat of milk from the carafe that you would with a manual steamer, so if you like your coffee hot (like me), you may want to consider this when purchasing.
Photo: Glenn Kelly
As for cold-brews, I’m not the biggest fan, but the Eletta Explore created a really rounded flavour with these that I was impressed with and created a sweetness that was just right.
The machine itself is of a size I would expect for an automatic machine. You may want to check measurements if you have a small work surface, but it shouldn’t be too restrictive.
One last bonus was the travel-mug-friendly system. You can remove the bottom drip tray to allow a 16cm mug below the spout. This seems simple, but when you regularly travel with your coffee like me, it is amazing how many machines don’t leave height clearance for this.
This was the icing on the cake for what is a superb machine.
Best Compact Automatic Machine
Philips LatteGo 5500€679.99; Currys.ie
Photo: Glenn Kelly
If you want an automatic coffee machine that performs well but you don’t quite have the real estate in the worktop department, then the Philips could be the machine for you.
Measuring under 25cm in width and 37cm in height, this machine should fit into most kitchen gaps, allowing you a range of premium features and quality, but in a smaller package.
The 5500 series has a smaller carafe than the De’Longhi and is based on, making just one, or at most, two drinks at a time before refilling the unit, which is fine for most people most of the time.
Photo: Glenn Kelly
A colour screen on the front of the unit makes it very easy to select your drink, and there are profiles available for ease of use. There is no smart grinding technology, but once you get the grinder adjusted manually, there should be little need to fiddle about until you decide to change the type of beans used.
The quality of the espresso was very good and had great regularity to the temperature and crema, which is no mean feat. The unit is also easy to clean, and the carafe breaks apart into two pieces, which again aids the post-coffee wash.
With cold drinks all the rage, it is no surprise that the 5500 offers an array of these. However, unlike more expensive models, be aware that these are created with hot espresso over ice rather than cold coffee directly, so your lattes may end up a little diluted.
Photo: Glenn Kelly
However, despite some shortcomings, the Philips wins on design for its compact creation, makes great hot drinks and is perfect for a couple or a single person. Highly recommended.
Best Coffee Machine for Style and Quality
Smeg Bean To Cup Coffee Machine€841.49; Donaghybros.ie
Photo: Glenn Kelly
If you are equally as keen for your coffee machine to turn heads as to pour hot drinks, then look no further than this stunner from SMEG. Not only does it look art deco in design, but it also brews a damn good coffee.
The Smeg sheds the bulky, industrial plastic of traditional super-automatics for a sleek, brushed aluminium facade and a compact footprint that fits into the tightest of urban kitchens.
Performance-wise, the 19-bar pump system punches above its weight, delivering a rich, full-bodied espresso with a surprisingly stable crema. Its "One Touch" interface is delightfully minimalist—eschewing complex LCD menus for intuitive buttons that handle everything from Ristretto to Americanos.
Photo: Glenn Kelly
However, the pursuit of beauty comes with trade-offs. The 1.4-liter water tank and 150g bean hopper are on the smaller side, meaning frequent refills for heavy drinkers. While it’s remarkably quiet during the grind, the lack of deep customisation (like precise temperature control) might frustrate seasoned coffee nerds.
In saying that, I was impressed by the quality of espresso, and the manual steamer allowed me to get really nice and warm milk for my favourite lattes.
Photo: Glenn Kelly
Though, who am I kidding, you aren’t reading this, you are just staring at the 50s-style beauty of this thing!
Best Versatile Coffee Machine
Ninja Prestige Dual-Brew Coffee Machine€209.99; Ninjakitchen.ie
Photo: Glenn Kelly
If you are after the real "Swiss army knife" of coffee machines, then look no further than Ninja’s newest addition to the game.
Designed for households that can't agree on a single brewing method, it masterfully balances the convenience of pods with the quality of fresh grounds. Whether you need a 12-cup carafe for a brunch crowd or a quick Nespresso capsule cuppa before a commute, the Ninja transitions between modes in seconds.
Photo: Glenn Kelly
The brilliance of the Prestige lies in its dual-personality extraction. For your morning carafe, it employs a wide-dispersion shower head for even saturation of grounds. For your afternoon pick-me-up, the capsule system engages, providing a rich crema and sharp flavour profile. The 1.8L reservoir and 10 different brew sizes make it a workhorse for entertaining, while the gunmetal finish and LED progress bar ensure it looks the part on a modern countertop.
Photo: Glenn Kelly
The foldable frother is smart and saves space, but it is a mixing wand rather than a steamer, so results can vary for milky drinks. However, as far as versatility goes, the Ninja is superb, and currently on sale at under €210, it might just be the bargain of the month.
Best Value Machine
Nespresso Vertuo Next Machine with Milk Frother€119.99; Currys.ie
Photo: Glenn Kelly
At this price, what are you waiting for? If you want a simple-to-use pod machine with a milk frother, just go buy it.
The Next Machine ticks a lot of boxes. It excels at versatility and speed. Using Nespresso’s "Centrifusion" technology, it reads barcodes on capsules to automatically adjust brewing parameters for five sizes, from a 40ml Espresso to a 535ml Carafe.
It heats up in under 30 seconds and delivers a thick—if somewhat airy—crema that elevates the "at-home" experience. Its slim 14cm width is a lifesaver for crowded work surfaces, and the use of 54% recycled plastics is a welcome touch.
Photo: Glenn Kelly
Unsurprisingly, at this price point, there are a few drawbacks. The build quality feels noticeably more "plasticky" than the VertuoPlus. The manual locking lever requires a surprising amount of force, which can feel clunky, and there isn’t the same interface usability as other, more expensive machines above.
If you are after something a little more expensive and hot off the press, try the newly released Nespresso Vertuo Up machine, but for outright value, the Next is untouchable.
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