Making coffee has become increasingly complex over the years. From grind size to extraction times; from ratios to temperatures; pressure and tasting notes… it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the variables you have to control. For the many that like to tinker and dial in every single facet of their local roasteries’ most recent batch, those intricacies are all part of the fun. It’s a therapeutic, almost ceremonial process.
But what if you just want a coffee? What if you want a barista-style drink right in the comfort of your own home, without having to stand in line for 20 minutes? That’s where these beauties come in.
The humble bean-to-cup (B2C) coffee machine has come a long way in the last ten years. We’ve got machines that can do cold brew, ones that can handle oat milk, or filter and purify your water supply before it even touches the sides of a cup. There’s a whole host to choose from, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
GAGGIA ACCADEMIA: An Outstanding Instant Classic
For those not in the know, Mr Gaggia, way back in 1938, actually filed the first-ever patent for a non-steam-powered coffee machine. In fact, he was the first to effectively invent espresso way back in the day. It wouldn’t be until a decade later that Gaggia was founded, and since then the company has gone from strength to strength, building and crafting both commercial and domestic machines.
Although the company is perhaps better known for its espresso bars (particularly the stoic E24 we looked at last issue), its pedigree and expertise has helped it build some fantastic automated bean-to-cup espresso machines too.
Why so good? Well, the Accademia actually features a fully-fledged independent steam wand. You still have access to a filled, fully automated milk carafe, capable of auto-steaming you a latte, cappuccino or flat white, but the fact that this thing has its own dedicated unit for those skilled enough to pour swans and texture their own milk is an awesome addition, and it works surprisingly well, being versatile enough to ensure that crisp, smooth milk each and every time.
Coffee quality is impressive as well. Using our house blend beans (roasted for use in a £20K commercial bar), it delivered a taste profile that wasn’t a million miles away from a professional setup. The Accademia actually has the ability to adjust the grind size, making it finer or coarser depending on your needs. The only downside is that there’s no timer. Ideally, we’d want a shot of espresso to fall in roughly 27-33 seconds, so it does require a second device to manage (although to be fair, so do the other two units on test).
Another neat addition is the inclusion of support for pre-ground coffee. If the internal grinder can’t go fine enough, you can opt for a more premium solution, grind a little finer, and get those grounds in there yourself to achieve a nice, well-rounded shot.
Tech features are broad too, with each drink fully customisable with options for pre-brewing, milk foam density, temperature, aroma and more. There’s a lot here, which is great to see without it being too complex.
The only major downside is the lack of space. Having the milk carafe directly on the drip tray doesn’t leave you a ton of space for your cup. Oh, and it’s loud, seriously loud, compared to the likes of the KitchenAid. But then, quality can be noisy, and on that front, the Accademia does not disappoint.
JURA J10: Phenomenal Coffee Making Versatility Combined with Modern Tech
Around for almost as long as Gaggia, Jura has delivered some exceptional automated coffee machines over the years. In fact, the company specialises in little else, and remains as one of the best brands out there when it comes to those looking for something a little simpler than the dedicated bars of La Marzocco, Slayer and Faema.
Without a doubt, the big selling point of the J10 is the absolute arsenal of drinks it makes. Yes, there are other brands out there that tout more, but often those are just mild variants of already established drinks (here’s looking at you, cappuccino and cappuccino XL). The J10, on the other hand, does this with three neat features that really differentiate it from the competition.
It has three separate modes depending on what you need. The first of which is its cold extraction process, which effectively emulates cold brew specialities by forcing cold water through the coffee puck, delivering a different flavour profile. Our house blend was remarkably unique (in a positive way) when put through the J10.
In recent years, barista world champions have been toying with ways of chilling espresso as it exits the machines, as this makes it take on an entirely new taste characteristic. The J10 simulates that impressively well through its cold process, dramatically affecting the taste of things like a flat white, latte or cappuccino.
Of course it can also brew hot, and as a result you have those same drinks available from a traditional method. Lastly, it has a ‘sweetfoam’ mode, which effectively allows you to mix syrup directly into the milk carafe for steaming. Similar to the Gaggia, it also supports fine bean control, allowing you to adjust the grind size, and can take pre-ground coffee as well.
Unlike the Gaggia, though, the Jura’s milk carafe actually sits off to the side of the drip tray, giving you a gargantuan amount of space underneath for your cups, effectively eliminating any conflict, and although that isn’t a make-or-break feature (the quality of coffee really does dictate that), it’s certainly nice for it not to be an issue.
As for downsides, the design is quite big and bulky; it lacks the grace that some of the other machines on test have, and there’s no heated cup tray either, but again, that’s not the end of the world. The J10 just does what it needs to do, providing a whole host of drinks at the tip of your fingertips with little work or effort to achieve them. At least as long as you’ve got the beans to back it up.
KitchenAid KF8: It's Oh So Quiet!
Perhaps better known for its stand mixers than coffee, KitchenAid’s recently made a name for itself in the world of espresso machines with a whole host of automated bean-to-cup bars. We’re seriously impressed, particularly given how tight a field it is to compete in thanks to the dominance of the older brands. There’s no prestigious history here, no coffee patents spanning decades, just pure grit and determination to make its way into a competitive market.
First up, let’s talk about that form factor, because it is impressive. It sort of sits in the middle, not quite as sleek and stylish as the Gaggia, nor is it as traditional and round as the Jura, but it has a more modern design graced by a touchscreen, and illuminated with beautifully crisp white LED lighting all around the coffee and milk dispenser.
That display is gorgeous too, it’s a full-fat 4.2-inch unit which is impressively bright, with all the drinks you’ll ever need (technically over 40, although many are just larger versions). Drink customisation is equally impressive too, and for the milk solutions there’s support for plant or dairy milk depending on your preference.
Other neat tricks up the KF8’s sleeves are the hot-swappable bean trays, allowing you to take the entire hopper out and replace it with a spare, or decant the beans back into a container. Oh, and it’s quiet, stupidly quiet. In fact, its pump was so muted that we didn’t even notice it.
Onto the minor irritations, then. The materials in our unit felt a little underwhelming. There’s a lot of weight involved in an espresso bar, but the plastic feel on a £1,800 machine didn’t fill us with a great deal of joy, and although the other two utilise the same materials, the paint finish was just a bit better there.
That’s a minor complaint, but a more pressing issue is grind-size control. It’s all handled internally, which means you can’t affect the grind size as dramatically as you can with the Gaggia and the Jura. Although it does support pre-ground coffee like the other two, it would have been nice to have more refined grind control. Still, our house blend tasted solid, although not quite as rich as from the J10 and the Accademia, both of which we got dialled-in close to our usual bar setup.
One last positive comes in the form of that milk carafe. It’s an entirely separate unit, meaning there’s no conflict with the cup. For an early effort, the KF8 absolutely delivers; it just needs a light bit of refinement where it really matters (grind size) to take it to the next level.