Your Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Coffee Machine

Filter or drip coffee makers are loved in North America, known for their ease of use and ability to brew larger quantities. Hot water drips over coffee grounds held in a filter basket, extracting flavour as it passes through, and then collects in a removable carafe below. They often sit on a hotplate and are kept warm ready to serve. These are ideal for offices or households that consume multiple cups of coffee daily and prioritize straightforward operation.

However given New Zealand’s taste for fresh coffee, filter coffee machine not be the best option for those who prefer fresh brewed coffee and frothed milk. I didn’t want to take it this far, but it does often remind me of truck stop or roadside coffee.

Filtered coffee can be bland, and sometimes a bit burnt if the hotplate has been set a bit too high or stone cold if the hotplate is turned off. Also, changing out sloppy coffee filters can be a bit nasty. But, for some it’s their preferred coffee.

Do you dream of crafting café-quality lattes and cappuccinos? An espresso machine is your gateway. These machines are hands-on and force hot, pressurized water through finely ground coffee to produce a concentrated shot of espresso, the foundation for many popular coffee beverages. They require a bit more skill and attention but reward you with rich, intense flavours.

These by and large are New Zealand coffee drinkers preferred drink of choice. Coffee lovers who thrive on freshly brewed, strong espresso coffee and frothed milk, with a swirl for aesthetics.

Espresso coffee machines can make; Flat whites, lattes, mochas, cappuccino's just to name a few. This is a true barista-style approach to coffee, all manual with little to no automation.

Like any manual espresso machine, each part needs to be maintained, frothers wiped down, drip-trays emptied, tampers and portafilters cleaned. It’s also important to descale these machines often.

For ultimate convenience and minimal fuss, automatic coffee machines like pod or capsule machines at the touch of a button are a solid option and often have built in water tanks and simple latch pod compartments. They use pre-portioned coffee in sealed pods or capsules, ensuring freshness and consistent flavour with every cup. Simply insert a pod, press a button, and enjoy. These are perfect for individuals with busy lifestyles or those who appreciate variety without the cleanup.

Capsule coffee machines have become fashionable thanks to celebrity endorsements from the likes of George Clooney via Nespresso, and Brad Pitt via De’Longhi, just to name a few.

Sustainability: A consideration to be made here is which brand your pod machine is compatible with, as some brands can be tricky to recycle with plastic and metal parts. If you drink 1-2 pods a day, this can quickly add up to over 700 capsules a year, per person. Even if a small portion is making it to landfill this is a significant amount.

If you cherish a bold, full-bodied coffee with a rich texture, the French press is an solid option. This method involves steeping coarse-ground coffee in hot water and then pressing a plunger to separate the grounds from the brewed coffee. It's a manual process that emphasizes the natural oils and flavours of the coffee bean.

More commonly known as "plunger coffee" in New Zealand due to its plunger like appearance. In your supermarket coffee else you'll find specific grinds that are coarse in nature and specialised for plunger and filter coffee.

French press/ plunger coffee is manual and portable in nature and can be higher in oil content which some drinkers prefer. However, it does lack hot milk options, which can result in lukewarm coffee once milk is added.

For those who want café-quality coffee at the touch of a button, an automatic barista machine is hard to beat. These machines grind fresh beans, extract espresso, and often froth milk automatically, delivering consistent, barista-style results every time. Perfect for busy households and coffee lovers who value both flavour and convenience, they take the guesswork out of brewing while still delivering rich aroma, crema and depth.

With sleek designs and intuitive displays, automatic machines also look right at home on the kitchen bench. The biggest appeal is speed and ease - no grinding, tamping or manual milk texturing required. If you want premium coffee without the learning curve, and your morning routine starts (and survives) on caffeine, this is the option for you.

The Delonghi Rivelia Fully Automatic Coffee Machine is a perfect starter machine for a coffee lover who might be a bit time poor, but still appreciate that café-quality coffee.

For those who prefer a refreshing, smooth coffee experience, especially in warmer climates, a cold brew maker is invaluable. Cold brewing involves steeping coffee grounds in cold water for an extended period (12-24 hours). This process results in a concentrate that is significantly less acidic and remarkably smooth and less bitter than french press coffee, perfect for iced coffee or diluting with milk or water.

They’re also highly aesthetic with transparent glass designs which resemble hourglasses. The only downfall is that you need to set this up before you go to bed due to the time the brew takes to steep and we all know that a morning routine for most kicks off with a coffee. Brewing time is obviously a huge consideration here, but if speed isn’t an issue, and you’re happy to wait for a perfect brew, this could be the option for you.

Appliances Online carry automatic cold extract machines like the Morphy Richards Premium Iced Coffee Maker, perfect for cold brew fans and anyone who loves a homemade Espresso Martini.

Enjoy the ultimate in freshness with a bean-to-cup coffee machine featuring a built-in grinder. These machines grind whole beans just moments before brewing, preserving flavour and aroma that’s lost almost immediately after grinding. The result is a noticeably richer, more vibrant coffee experience in every cup.

There’s also something undeniably satisfying about the ritual - the sound of beans grinding, the aroma filling the kitchen, and watching the process unfold in front of you.

Most automatic machines offer multiple grind settings, allowing you to fine-tune your coffee to suit your taste, whether you prefer a fine, intense espresso or a slightly coarser grind for a smoother finish. The integrated grinder is typically housed at the top of the machine for easy access and refilling, seamlessly working with the brewing system to deliver consistent, high-quality results.

If you want premium coffee with minimal effort and your mornings depend on it a bean-to-cup machine is hard to beat.

Water quality has a significant impact on the taste of your coffee. Built-in water filters remove impurities such as chlorine and unwanted minerals from your tap water, resulting in a cleaner, purer flavour in every cup and helping to extend the life of your machine.

Often overlooked, the water used in brewing can dramatically affect both taste and performance. Unfiltered water can leave mineral residue and limescale buildup (often seen as white marks inside water reservoirs), which not only impacts flavour but can also affect how efficiently your machine operates over time.

If you already use a benchtop water filter, this feature may be more of a nice-to-have than a necessity. However, if water quality is a priority, it’s worth exploring Appliances Online’s water filtration range including modern systems that dispense filtered, boiling and even sparkling water at the touch of a button. Australian-made brand Billi offers an excellent, highly functional range.

For enthusiasts of milk-based drinks, a milk frother is essential. Whether it's a steam wand on an espresso machine or an automatic frother, this feature allows you to create creamy, airy foam for lattes, cappuccinos, and macchiatos.

For most kiwi coffee lovers this is a necessity as it mimic’s that coffee shop espresso coffee. This also means you can use your milk of choice.

There is a real art form to milk frothing that encompasses sound, heat and thickness. The perfectly frothed milk will tell you with an unmistakable “pssst” sound which is comparable to paper tearing, will warm your hand without burning it as you hold the milk jug, and will pour thick and evenly allowing you to design your own latte art.

Imagine waking up to freshly brewed coffee. Programmability and timers allow you to set your machine to start brewing at a specific time, ensuring your coffee is ready precisely when you need it.

With full automation this is the height of decadence as your preset coffee machine brews your favourite cuppa to your selected presets. Often these are app controlled so you can even order this from the comfort of your bed or on your way down to the kitchen. You don’t even need to be in the same room to make it.

Obviously you still need to fill the coffee grinder, empty the left over grinds out and make sure the milk container is freshly filled, chilled and clean. But, other than that, programmable machines are a excellent home appliance.

Consider how much coffee you typically brew and the available counter space. Capacity refers to the number of cups a machine can brew, while size is crucial for ensuring it fits comfortably in your kitchen.

We know this might seem like a no-brainer, but sometimes we get tied up with features and forget the bench space available. Be sure to 1) measure your available space, and 2) check the measurements of the machine you’re considering. To make this easy, all of our listings include exact measurements.

A machine that is easy to clean will be used more frequently and last longer. Look for removable parts, self-cleaning cycles, and accessible components to ensure hassle-free maintenance.

Be sure that you descale your machine and keep up regular maintenance, which includes rinsing filters and wiping down splashback. Most modern machines will alert you, and even have preset functions for cleaning. Some machines have dishwasher safe parts, so this is also sometime to watch out for. As previously mentioned, coffee does contain an element of oil when freshly brewed, and this can clog filters resulting in a bitter taste, and we don’t want that!

Manual coffee machines have the most cleaning requirements, but in most cases come apart into sections, and are made of metal so they are dishwasher safe, which is important to sterilize them.

Optimal brewing temperature is critical for flavour extraction. Machines with temperature control allow you to adjust the water temperature, ensuring your coffee isn't under-extracted (sour) or over-extracted (bitter).

This can be set to preference, and we do recommend testing these functions out, you’d be amazed at how this affects acidity levels of the brew. One element to pay attention to, is also the amount of time it takes to brew the coffee, this can burn and also drastically impact the coffee taste.

When researching, check the machine specifications to see what temperature controls are available on your model of choice. Many semi-automatic and automated coffee machines now have temperature controls, so this can be done at the touch of a button and set to your preference.

For espresso machines, pressure is key. Measured in bars, consistent pressure (typically 9 bars) is essential for extracting a rich, crema-topped espresso shot.

Adding to the temperature control this is also an often overlooked element of coffee brewing. Ideally extraction should be consistent (at 9 bars) and no longer than 25-30 secs. This with a balance of 18g of coffee to 36gs of water should produce the perfect espresso shot. Taking into account that a finer grind will be slower, and coarser for faster.

Manual coffee machines are of course a must to have this much control over the taste and delivery of your coffee, and whilst they’re not for everyone, there is a certain level of satisfaction to controlling each step of your coffee making.