The Best Coffee Machines To Buy Online In Australia
The best coffee machines can turn your morning cup of coffee into the best part of your day, and all our recommended machines are up to the task. Our list has some of the best coffee machines available in Australia that can suit a variety of tastes and preferences.
Best Manual Coffee Machine
Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine
- Built-in grinder
- Digital temperature control
- 8 adjustable grind settings and a dosage control
- The grinder spills coffee out of the back of the filter
The Breville Barista Express allows you to grind your own fresh coffee beans and make your morning cup of wake-up juice exactly how you like it. Even though it’s a manual machine, the whole process is so simple to do that you can practically do it in your sleep.
Unlike a lot of other coffee makers, this Breville comes with a pre-infusion function. Pre-infusion ensures that the coffee grounds are all more evenly soaked while they’re still in the portafilter. The end result is a more optimally extracted espresso with a much richer flavour. While this may seem like a small feature, it affects the taste quite a bit.
The final touch is the milk frother, allowing you to add just the right amount of foam to the cup. The whole process from start to finish is easy to do once you get the hang of it, and it can really make you feel like a professional barista. All in all, the Barista Express is a coffee machine with very few downsides, making it our pick for the best manual coffee machine.
Best Automatic Coffee Machine
DeLonghi Magnifica S Smart Automatic Coffee Machine ECAM25033TB
- No unused coffee powder in the machine due to tubeless system
- Easy to use light-up button displays
- Has a removable infuser unit
- Takes a bit of time to reach higher brewing temperatures
- Only 4 coffee settings
The Magnifica S comes with a built-in coffee bean grinder, which is pretty uncommon for automatic machines—at least in this price range. The grinder has multiple settings that allow you to craft your coffee exactly to your tastes.
The onboard computer memorizes your preferences, so you only need to set them once, and they become available as options from then on.
You also have a double-shot system that allows you to make two coffees at once, regardless of whether you’re going for a classic espresso or a lungo. Furthermore, the precise temperature controls make for the perfect brew and pour. The tray is removable and dishwasher-friendly, which makes cleanup a whole lot easier, and the machine even comes with an auto-off function.
Best Capsule Coffee Machine
Nespresso Inissia Espresso Maker by De'Longhi
- Adjustable drip tray height
- Incredibly portable
- Easy to use with minimal cleaning
- A limited selection of coffee options
- The frother burns the milk if left unattended for too long
Since this is a capsule coffee machine, it’s quick, easy to clean, and simple to operate. The frother is just as straightforward to use and comes with two settings: one for warm and one for cold milk. For a capsule coffee machine, whose main shtick is simplicity, the De’Longhi adds flexibility with this feature, making it an excellent fit for anyone.
You can either choose to brew yourself a classic espresso or go for a much more sizable Lungo. The 24-ounce water tank can produce over a dozen mugs of espresso before it runs out, and all you need to do to change the quality or the taste of your coffee is a different capsule that fits your preferences better.
Taking into account that this is a capsule coffee machine, the De’Longhi Nespresso Inissia does a lot of things right, and along with the portability it offers, it’s hard to find a more practical one.
Best Cheap Manual Coffee Machine
Sunbeam Mini Barista Espresso Coffee Machine Silver EM4300S
- Auto shut-off function
- Cord storage
- You’re provided with a small cleaning brush
- It gets loud while the water is heating up
The Mini Barista has a very simple but very sleek design with a metallic finish. The machine also has a convenient layout with a hard-to-miss On/Off button on the left side. The knob at the centre allows you to choose between single- or double-pour as well as between steam and hot water settings for the frother.
The coffee maker itself doesn’t really have many features, but that can still be seen as something of a benefit. If you’re looking to make the transition from automatic coffee makers to making your own coffee, then this is a great starting coffee maker for you.
The machine is cheap, easy to use, and it even comes with a free steaming pitcher. The tray is removable and easy to clean, while the device itself is remarkably sturdy.
Best Cheap Automatic Coffee Machine
Sunbeam Café Barista Coffee Machine EM5000K
- Very affordable
- Thermoblock feature that only heats the amount of water that you need for an individual cup
- Easy to use one-touch coffee selection
- You’ll need to use your own grinder
- The frother has weak pressure
This is one of the best coffee machines for coffee enthusiasts that haven’t quite gotten the hang of brewing their own drinks yet. The machine essentially does everything for you, and all you have to do is make sure that the coffee, the water, and the milk are all topped off. Unfortunately, the machine doesn’t come with a grinder or a tamper, so you’ll need to take care of that on your own.
The one-press coffee function that the Sunbeam comes with automatically creates the perfect front for the coffee you’ve selected. This way, you can make your coffee as strong as you like and add a bit of milk with a simple press of a button. Thanks to the Thermoblock technology, the machine reaches its optimal temperature in a matter of minutes. You can have your beverage in your hand before you can say “don’t even talk to me until I’ve had my morning coffee!”
If you’re new to the world of brewing your own coffee but don’t want to settle for a capsule machine, the value that the Sunbeam offers given its price makes it a great starting point.
Best Cheap Capsule Coffee Machine
Nespresso DeLonghi Citiz Solo Capsule Machine
- Heats up in less than 30 seconds
- One of the most affordable machines on the market
- Easy to use, easy to maintain
- Only two coffee options
- No additional features or equipment
If you do in fact want to go with a capsule machine, but our previous listing was too expensive, De’Longhi’s Citiz Solo might just fit the bill. As far as coffee machines go, this is probably one of the most simplistic models that you can find, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The beauty of this machine is that it’s incredibly portable and easy to use. This means that you can put it pretty much anywhere, wake up in the morning, insert a capsule, turn the machine on, go about your morning routine, and then come back in 5 minutes to a nice cup o’ joe. Bedside table coffee machine, anyone?
The Thermoblock technology accelerates the brewing process, while the nine-minute automatic turn-off timer allows you to not worry about wasting electricity. While it may not have as many features as some other coffee machines that appear on our list, the price and the accessibility make it a great pick for anyone’s first-ever coffee machine.
Best Premium Manual Coffee Machine
Breville The Barista Touch Coffee Machine
- Pre-infusion function
- You can save personalized coffee options
- Programmable milk temperature and texture
- Expensive price point
- The steam auto-clean function can be dangerous if you’re not careful
The Barista Touch is similar to the Barista Express, and even though they might seem identical, there are a few distinctions between them. This model still has the tamper on the left side, the grinder at the top, and the steam wand on the right side. However, instead of modulating the strength of the coffee by how tightly you fasten the basket, you have a digital display that simply allows you to select exactly the type of coffee you want.
Cleanup is also a lot easier since the steam wand will automatically purge itself once it’s been placed in its initial downward position again. Essentially, this machine still allows you to have a lot of control over the coffee you make, but it also automates a lot of the processes. This simply means that you can still make your cup a’ joe exactly how you want to, and all it takes is a press of a few buttons. Consider the Touch a step-up over the Barista Express in terms of technology and automation; if that makes it worth in your book—and it certainly does in ours—go for it.
Best Premium Automatic Coffee Machine
Jura Z6 Diamond Black Automatic Coffee Machine
- Built-in professional aroma grinder
- Wireless connectivity and Smart app functionality
- Easy to navigate digital display
- It’s bulky and takes up a lot of space
The Jura Z6 is our pick for the best premium automatic coffee maker because it offers the highest level of convenience when it comes to your coffee preparation. It comes with a digital display that has a selection of 22 different coffee settings as well as a memory mode that logs your most frequently used selections.
On top of that, the device also comes with an app that allows you to remotely prepare your drink without even being in the kitchen; as long as you remember to put an empty mug under the twin spouts beforehand, that is.
Speaking of, the Z6 comes with a single and a double coffee pour option thanks to the twin spouts on the portafilter. However, its most peculiar feature has to be the pulse extraction process that gives the coffee a very unique flavour. We could go on and on about the Jura Z6, but the variety of coffee settings, the tech, and the automation, along with the extracting process are what moves it into premium territory.
Best Premium Capsule Coffee Machine
Nespresso Breville Creatista Plus Coffee Machine
- Comes with a steam wand
- Multiple milk texture and temperature settings
- Comes with an energy-saving function
- Expensive for a capsule coffee machine
Unlike most capsule coffee machines, the Breville Creatista actually comes with a steam wand and a steaming pitcher. With this machine, you’ll have the luxury of being able to use capsules and add the finishing touches yourself, making it suit your tastes.
You get 11 milk temperature settings, a coffee volume selection knob at the top, an easy-to-clean tray at the bottom, and a small retractable mug holder for your espressos. The Creatista Plus isn’t as compact as some other capsule coffee makers, but the additional features more than make up the space it takes up.
Ultimately, this is one of the best coffee machines for people that like the convenience of automatic makers but also like to be involved in the brewing process themselves.
Best Coffee Machine Brands
De'Longhi is your brand of choice if you’re looking for capsule coffee machines. While they have other types of coffee machines as well, their capsule devices are all top-of-the-line. If you’re looking for something that can allow you to make a decent cup of coffee with very little effort, De’Longhi offers plenty in its product line such as the Nespresso Citiz Solo. Additionally, most of their devices are also easy to clean and maintain.
Breville has a much more diverse lineup and they produce everything from manual heat exchanger models to automatic dual boiler types. This particular brand is one of the heavy hitters in the domestic coffee machine market, and there is hardly a list online without at least one Breville model on it. Regardless of whether you’re a coffee connoisseur or you’re just looking for a handy device that can help you wake up in the morning, you’ll be able to find something just right for you in the Breville catalogue.
How To Choose The Right Coffee Machine
It all really comes down to the type of coffee you prefer.
Suppose you’re just looking to get a regular cup of black coffee in the morning and aren't necessarily a connoisseur. In that case, you might want to get an inexpensive capsule machine since they’re easy to use and the flavour can be changed by simply swapping out the capsules.
On the other hand, if you can pick out distinct flavours in the coffee, and you want to try to make it how you like, then you should go for an automatic machine with a steamer. After you get the hang of these devices, you can swap it out for a manual coffee machine and start tamping and grinding your own coffee.
What to Look For In a Coffee Machine
Again, the answer is going to vary depending on what you’re looking to get out of it. To make things simpler, we’ll just give you a few tips for all three basic types.
When going for a manual coffee machine, a built-in grinder along with a tamper surely makes things more convenient. These tools aren’t expensive and easy to find, but it’s still nice to know that you have a tamper that fits the coffee basket of your device perfectly. If you’re a newbie, this won’t be something you’d want to deal with.
An automatic coffee maker should make things even easier for you, so try to find one that has a lot of features and as well as the option to brew your preferred type of coffee.
As for capsule machines, they’re incredibly simple devices and don’t have a lot of distinguishing features, so if you’re going for a capsule, it’s worth going for something a bit cheaper. Additional features like a built-in milk steamer are also good but not essential.
Dual Boiler vs. Heat Exchanger?
Dual boiler coffee machines have one boiler that heats the coffee brew, while the other heats the milk.
On the other hand, heat exchanger coffee machines have a steam boiler that’s filled halfway with water and a heat exchange pipe that runs the boiling water through the machine in order to heat up the brew. The steam generated through this process is later used to froth the milk.
Heat exchanger machines can achieve temperatures that can easily steam up the milk and heat up the brew. The problem is that you won’t exactly be able to set the temperature (well, not easily), which might impact the taste of your espresso.
If you’re not all that bothered by that slight alteration, then either boiler type can work for you. However, if you have a more sensitive palate when it comes to coffee, then you might want to go for machines that have a dual boiler.