There are some incredible home coffee makers around right now, capable of brewing hot and cold, adding syrup, and even predicting what you want to drink when. However, they come with price tags to match, and spending an entire month’s pay on something to make espresso isn’t a particularly palatable idea.
Thankfully it doesn’t have to be that way, and there are lots of machines available for much less. It’s important to tread carefully, though. The most affordable coffee makers are often cheap for a reason, with poor pressure and temperature control that will leave you frustrated and resenting how many beans you’ve wasted making coffee that tastes fine one minute and terrible the next.
That’s where I come in. I test new coffee makers every month, and I’ve put together this list of my three top recommendations if you’re working to a tight budget. I’ve included one espresso machine, one drip coffee maker, and one machine that does both – all of which will give you consistently great results despite their modest price tags.
De’Longhi Dedica Style
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Compact, affordable, and a great performer, the De’Longhi Dedica Style has been sitting pretty in TechRadar’s roundup of the best espresso machines for a long time – and for good reason. Despite its small chassis and very modest price tag, it’s capable of brewing consistently good espresso, and is a great option if you’re looking for an entry-level coffee maker.
The Dedica Style comes with double-walled filter baskets, which make it easier for beginners to produce well-extracted espresso with good crema, and in our tests they did exactly that. The little machine’s pump achieved and sustained the necessary pressure for a good extraction, and performed much more consistently than most similarly priced alternatives from other brands. You won’t be left wondering why you suddenly can’t get a good extraction despite not changing your beans, grind, or technique.
The Dedica Style’s petite proportions do have a few drawbacks. For example, you might struggle to fit two espresso cups on the drip tray (it really is tiny), and the small boiler means you’ll have to wait a little while after pulling a shot of espresso before you can start foaming your milk.
Want iced coffee too? I’ll soon be testing the new De’Longhi Dedica Duo, which is very similar to the Dedica Style, but is capable of brewing both hot and cold. Stay tuned to see how the Duo compares to its older sibling.
Read our full De’Longhi Dedica Style review
KitchenAid Drip Coffee Maker
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The absolute cheapest way to prepare pour-over coffee is to pick up a plastic V60 dripper and a box of paper filters, but if you’re looking for a machine to prepare a big batch in the morning then the KitchenAid Drip Coffee Maker is a great budget option.
It’s not a complex machine (you’re not going to be offered different brew settings depending on altitude, like some top-end models), but it has all the essentials covered: a 12-cup capacity, hot plate to keep your brew warm, pre-infusion, and a timer so it will start automatically in the morning.
Our favorite feature, and one we rarely see on even the best drip coffee machines, is something called Pause and Pour, which temporarily stops the flow of coffee into the carafe so you can pour yourself a cup before it’s full, then let it carry on. It’s clever, and nicely implemented.
As you’d expect from KitchenAid., this is a very well-made appliance too, and will keep you supplied with fresh pour-over for many happy years.
If you have a little more to spend, and you want something even cuter for your kitchen, take a look at the Smeg Drip Coffee Maker too. Its 1950s-inspired design is charming, it comes in a wide array of candy colors, and it’s a great little brewer.
Read our full KitchenAid Drip Coffee Maker review
Ninja Dualbrew Pro
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Ninja is perhaps best known for its air fryers, but it also makes some excellent coffee machines. My personal favorite is the Ninja Luxe Café, but if your budget won’t stretch that far, the DualBrew Pro is a great option too – and a lot more affordable.
The ‘dual’ part of the name refers to the fact that this compact coffee maker can prepare traditional drip coffee using fresh grounds, and accepts K-Cup pods when you want to make espresso-based drinks. There’s even a built-in milk frother so you can prepare cappuccinos and lattes. It’s a kind of whisk rather than a steam wand, so if you want hot foam you’ll need to heat the milk for a minute in the microwave first, but at this price it’s hard to grumble.
It’s hard to mess up drip coffee, but the Dualbrew Pro makes preparing espresso refreshingly simple too. During our tests we found the K-Cup adapter a piece of cake to use, and the milk frother worked very well, creating nice stable foam. In our small test kitchen, the ability to move the water tank from the side of the machine to the back was a real bonus too.
Another nice feature we appreciated is the inclusion of a hot water line for making tea, so you don’t need a separate electric kettle. All in all, it’s a super versatile little coffee maker and remarkably good value.
Read our full Ninja DualBrew Pro review
