Top 5 compared
The best bean-to-cup coffee machines
Whole beans in and fresh coffee out at the press of a button, from a quick espresso to a big mug.
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The top 5 at a glance
A bean-to-cup machine keeps whole beans in a hopper on top, grinds a dose for each cup and brews it at the press of a button, so there’s no portafilter to fill and tamp. The simplest have a steam wand, and the milk is frothed by hand in a jug; the rest draw milk from their own jug or through a tube and make a cappuccino or latte on their own.
Like any bean-to-cup, these want looking after: the milk system rinsed after use, the drip tray emptied and a descale now and then. They’re deep machines, 40cm or more front to back, so measure the worktop and the gap under the wall cupboards. For a manual machine with a portafilter, see our espresso machines list.
What matters
- Grind settings, to suit different beans.
- A bigger tank and hopper mean fewer refills.
- A milk system that comes apart easily, or rinses itself.
- A chute for pre-ground coffee, for an evening decaf.
#1Philips 5400 Series LatteGo Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine (EP5446/70)
£619.99 RRP
The LatteGo jug clips onto the front and makes cappuccinos and lattes by itself, and with just two parts and no tubes, Philips says it can be cleaned in as little as 10 seconds. Twelve drinks sit on the touch display, with four profiles so everyone’s settings are kept.
What owners say: Owners like the frothy milk from the jug, the automatic rinse at switch-on and switch-off, and having each person’s drink saved to a profile.
A closer look: The milk jug holds 0.26 litres, so fill it for each round of drinks rather than leaving milk standing on the machine. Fit the AquaClean filter in the tank and change it when the machine asks, and descaling can wait for up to 5,000 cups. There’s a travel mug setting, too, for a bigger cup to take out.
- Milk jug has no tubes
- Twelve drinks on the display
- Four user profiles
- Travel mug setting
- Ceramic grinder
Best for: Milky drinks at a touch
- Milk
- LatteGo jug, automatic
- Grind settings
- 12
- Water tank
- 1.8L
- Bean hopper
- 275g
- Size (W × H × D)
- 24.6 × 37.2 × 43.3cm
#2De’Longhi Magnifica Start Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine (ECAM222.20.B)
£319.99 RRP
A simple bean-to-cup machine: fresh grinding, one-touch espresso, coffee and long coffee, and a traditional steam wand for frothing milk by hand. A separate chute takes pre-ground coffee, handy for a decaf in the evening.
What owners say: Owners like the rich espresso and being able to set the strength, say the wand froths milk well, and find it cheaper to run than a capsule machine.
A closer look: Set the water hardness when it’s first switched on, so the descaling reminder comes at the right time for the area. The wand also gives hot water for tea or an infusion, and many of the removable parts can go in the dishwasher.
- Chute for pre-ground coffee
- Hot water from the wand
- Two cups at once
- Many parts dishwasher-safe
Best for: Hand-frothed milk and evening decaf
- Milk
- Manual steam wand
- Grind settings
- 13
- Water tank
- 1.8L
- Bean hopper
- 250g
- Size (W × H × D)
- 24 × 36 × 44cm
#3Melitta Latticia OT Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine (F300-100)
Over £300
Only 20cm wide, yet it makes a cappuccino or latte macchiato at one touch, drawing milk through a tube and frothing it twice. Melitta began in 1908, when Melitta Bentz registered the paper coffee filter she had first made from a sheet of her son’s blotting paper.
What owners say: Owners find it quiet and simple to run, and compare its coffee with what they’d buy on the high street.
Heads up: The drip tray fills fairly quickly, so it’s worth emptying every day.
A closer look: Strength has three levels and the amount of water can be set to any point in its range, so a short espresso and a large café crème come from the same buttons. The milk tube goes straight into a carton or a jug from the fridge, and the outlet lifts high enough for a tall glass.
- Milk frothed twice
- One-touch latte macchiato
- Three strength levels
- Outlet lifts for tall glasses
- Two cups at once
Best for: Narrow worktops
- Milk
- Milk tube, automatic
- Grind settings
- 5
- Water tank
- 1.5L
- Bean hopper
- 250g
- Size (W × H × D)
- 20 × 35.2 × 45.9cm
#4Siemens EQ6 plus s300 Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine (TE653M11GB)
Over £300
A colour touchscreen with one-touch flat whites, lattes and cappuccinos, and an aromaDouble Shot setting that grinds and brews in two stages for an extra-strong cup.
What owners say: Owners find it very easy to use and single out its flat whites; one has made more than 2,000 cups with it, and they like that it cleans its own milk system.
A closer look: Drinks adjusted for strength or size can be saved as favourites on the touchscreen, so a regular order takes one press. The milk hose sits in a carton or jug, which can go back in the fridge between rounds, and the biggest bean hopper here means fewer refills.
- Two-stage brew for stronger coffee
- Milk system steam-cleans after drinks
- Saves favourite drinks
- Colour touchscreen
- Two cups at once
Best for: Flat whites and extra-strong shots
- Milk
- Milk tube, automatic
- Grind settings
- 5
- Water tank
- 1.7L
- Bean hopper
- 300g
- Size (W × H × D)
- 28.1 × 38.5 × 46.8cm
#5Beko CaffeExperto Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine with Milk Jug (CEG7304X)
Over £300
A 2-litre tank, the biggest here, and a dual nozzle that pours two coffees at once suit a busy household, with lattes and cappuccinos from its own milk jug at a touch of the colour screen.
What owners say: Owners like the choice of drinks on the touchscreen, the large tank and how easy it is to keep clean.
Heads up: Owners differ on how hot the coffee comes out: turn the temperature up in the settings and warm the cup with hot water first.
A closer look: Its memory function saves the water level for each drink, so a favourite mug comes out the same size every time. Finer grind settings give a stronger espresso; change them a step at a time over a few cups and let the taste decide.
- Two coffees at once
- Colour touchscreen
- Remembers each drink’s water level
Best for: Busy households
- Milk
- Milk jug, automatic
- Grind settings
- 13
- Water tank
- 2L
- Bean hopper
- 250g
- Size (W × H × D)
- 27.5 × 34 × 40.5cm
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Philips 5400 LatteGo | #2De’Longhi Magnifica Start | #3Melitta Latticia OT | #4Siemens EQ6 plus s300 | #5Beko CaffeExperto |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best budget | Slimmest | |||
| Picked Rating | 8.5 | 8.4 | 8.3 | 8.1 | 8.1 |
| Price | £619.99 RRP | £319.99 RRP | Over £300 | Over £300 | Over £300 |
| Milk | LatteGo jug, automatic | Manual steam wand | Milk tube, automatic | Milk tube, automatic | Milk jug, automatic |
| Grind settings | 12 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 13 |
| Water tank | 1.8L | 1.8L | 1.5L | 1.7L | 2L |
| Bean hopper | 275g | 250g | 250g | 300g | 250g |
| Size (W × H × D) | 24.6 × 37.2 × 43.3cm | 24 × 36 × 44cm | 20 × 35.2 × 45.9cm | 28.1 × 38.5 × 46.8cm | 27.5 × 34 × 40.5cm |
| Best for | Milky drinks at a touch | Hand-frothed milk and evening decaf | Narrow worktops | Flat whites and extra-strong shots | Busy households |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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