If you're after a coffee machine that grinds beans and brews espresso at the touch of a button, bean-to-cup models are the answer. Our expert tested 12 machines, from fully automatic to assisted, to find the best options for UK homes.
The appeal of a fully automatic bean-to-cup machine is simplicity: turn it on, place a cup, and press a button. The machine grinds, brews, and optionally froths milk. Your only decision is the drink type—espresso, cappuccino, latte, and more.
Our tester, with over 20 years of tech reviewing and eight years of coffee machine testing, evaluated each model on ease of use, coffee quality, design, temperature, noise, and heat-up time. Side-by-side taste tests compared espresso, black coffee, and milk-based drinks.
Top picks include the De'Longhi Magnifica Start as best overall and best on a budget, the De'Longhi Rivelia as best under £1,000, and the Sage Oracle Jet for coffee connoisseurs. Note that bean-to-cup machines vary: superautomatics handle milk automatically, while semi-automatics require manual steaming.
