If you reach for a jar of freeze-dried coffee to get your caffeine hit, you’re not alone. According to a recent study by Deloitte, instant coffee remains a popular option worldwide, with 39% choosing it over filter coffee, fresh espresso, or coffee pods.
Deloitte’s researchers asked 7,000 people from 13 countries about their coffee-drinking habits. Over half of those questioned said that they were now making more coffee at home rather than visiting coffee shops as a result of rising prices, but they weren’t necessarily cutting back on their intake, making instant a fast and convenient (if not necessarily tasty) option.
However, it doesn’t have to be that way. I’ve put together a collection of three budget-friendly coffee makers with which you can make a more delicious brew at home – quickly, easily, and cheaply. Whether you’d like to trade your jar of instant for a manual espresso machine, a drip coffee maker, or a Nespresso machine, there’s something here for you. A great machine might cost a lot less than you’d expect.
Of course, as always with coffee, taste is subjective, and if you genuinely prefer the taste of instant then continue. As a person who enjoys pineapple on pizza, nor will turn up my nose at a well-done steak, I’m in no place to judge.
The best cheap drip coffee machine
There’s something lovely about making a big pot of drip coffee first thing in the morning and gradually working your way through the jug – particularly if you’re working from home. This machine from Cuisinart is a super option because, as the name suggests, it includes a built-in grinder. Coffee starts to lose its aroma and flavor within a surprisingly short time of being ground, so this is a real bonus.
Unlike some more expensive drip coffee machines I’ve reviewed recently, the Cuisinart Grind & Brew Automatic also has a hot plate to keep the carafe warm once your coffee is made, so you don’t have to drink it all immediately. I wouldn’t advise leaving it on the hot plate all day, though; but it’s a non-negotiable feature when I’m choosing a drip machine for myself. This model can make up to five mugs’ worth of coffee at once.
The programmable timer means you can load up the beans, add water, and wake up to the aroma of a big jug of freshly brewed coffee. It might seem like a basic feature, but again, you’d be surprised how many drip machines lack it.
The Cuisinart Grind & Brew Automatic can be picked up for around $100 / £120 (roughly AU$160).
Read our full Cuisinart Grind & Brew Automatic review
The best cheap Nespresso machine
If you like the convenience of instant coffee but want better flavor, a Nespresso machine is a handy halfway house. It uses ground coffee in aluminum capsules that keep it fresh. Fill the machine’s reservoir, pop in a capsule, and it will pierce the foil and force hot water through at high pressure to deliver a very decent cup of coffee –without the mess of using grounds.
The Vertuo Pop (available in black, blue, or a rather funky shade of yellow) is one of the cheapest Nespresso machines around, and can currently be yours for about $100 / £55 / AU$180. Despite its low price, it works very well, reliably producing good coffee with surprisingly rich crema in about a minute (depending on the length of the drink). There’s a huge choice of Nespresso Vertuo pods to choose from, and used ones are deposited neatly into a waste canister at the side of the machine, ready to be emptied.
There are a couple of trade-offs, however. First, capsules are a relatively pricey way to buy coffee – although if you shop around then you’ll often be able to pick them up for less, and Nespresso offers 50 free capsules when you purchase a new Vertuo machine, even if you don’t buy the machine through the brand’s own site.
Second, there’s the matter of waste. Nespresso pods are aluminum, so can be easily recycled, but you’ll need to plan how you’ll do this. For example, in the UK, you can order a free recycling bag (which can be collected by Royal Mail or dropped in a Parcel Postbox); you can take your capsules to a Nespresso boutique; or you can use a kerbside collection service if one is offered in your area. Check out the options available. It isn’t much hassle, but it’s a bit more effort then tipping used coffee grounds into your household food waste recycling.
Read our full Nespresso Vertuo Pop review
The best cheap espresso machine
The Dedica Style isn’t the absolute cheapest espresso machine around, but in my opinion it’s the best in its price bracket. De’Longhi is one of the biggest names in coffee machines, and its heritage really shows here.
The Dedica Style uses either ground coffee or Easy Serving Espresso (ESE) coffee pods, and during tests it proved capable of brewing a very good espresso with rich crema. You have to be quite careful with tamping if you choose to use fresh grounds, but once you’ve got the knack, you should be able to produce consistent results. We also appreciate the ability to adjust the water temperature – something not all manual espresso machines offer, but can make a considerable difference to your drink.
Unlike some budget espresso machines, the Dedica Style also gives you a good quality steam wand for foaming milk. Pricier machines may include automatic milk frothers, which produce foam at the touch of a button; personally, I prefer using a manual wand such as the one here. You can see just how much air you’ve incorporated into the milk, and feel how hot it’s getting with your hand on the pitcher, which makes it easier to get good results – even if you’re using plant milks.
It’s a single-boiler machine, so you can’t pull a shot of espresso while steaming milk, and it takes a little while to come up to temperature. Nevertheless, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better espresso machine for $200 / £160 / AU$180.
Read our full De’Longhi Dedica Style EC 685.M review
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