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On our site, we’ve reviewed various coffee machines and created complete guides to ensure you make the best, well-informed purchase. We’ve reviewed the top 5 best bean to cup coffee machines, and many more- check them out!
In this article, we’ll be talking about the best filter coffee machines in the UK, 2021.
The Best Filter Coffee Machines to Buy in 2021 – UK
We’ve reviewed loads of coffee machines on our site, and we’ve rounded up the best filter coffee machines so you can make a well-informed purchase.
1) De’Longhi Magnifica – Bean to Cup Coffee Machine
The best filter coffee machine we’ve decided, is the De’Longhi Magnifica. This is no surprise- they’re a solid name associated with good coffee, and it’s no surprise they’ve topped this list.
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The Magnifica is a beautiful coffee machine- the body is a scratch-proof silver shade and the control bar is informative and easily-navigated.
Jump to The Verdict section below, to see a quick view on this coffee machine.
What We Love:
- Integrated Precision Grinder: We mention at the end of this article about the various types of filter coffee machines you can get, and which may be best for you. The price tag on this coffee machine is explainable by the type- it has a grinder integrated into it so you don’t even need to do any of that yourself. Buying whole coffee beans can even be cheaper than buying grounds from the store, so if you’re looking to save a lot of time and money, we definitely recommend the Magnifica.
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- Clean Machine Every Time: The Magnifica is a pro at making sure the exact ratio of beans is used. This means that you won’t have any residual coffee left in the unit- so no taste transfer or aftertaste in any other cups. We hate how some coffee machines leave behind the espresso flavour, for example, and it transfers into your latte. A latte is meant to be mellow, so it isn’t really ideal when the two tastes mix!
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- Dishwasher-Safe Easy Cleaning: The drip tray can become the most fidgety thing to clean, but thankfully, the Magnifica’s drip tray grid can be popped into the dishwasher so you don’t even need to worry about scrubbing away at older stains on the tray. The dishwasher will do all the work for you!
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- Just Right! Too hot… too cold… De’Longhi! The Magnifica features De’Longhi’s signature ThermoBlock system, which is designed to perfect each cup of coffee and ensure it is at the perfect temperature every time. Only the water required for the beverage is heated, so your cup won’t be too hot to drink. This is ideal for busy, rushed mornings where you’re short on time.
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- Pre-grounds compatibility: You can also use pre-ground coffee in this machine, which gives you greater flexibility. You can go for those delicious COSTA and Starbucks special coffee blends, like the winter gingerbread and pumpkin spice ones!
The Verdict
You can find this coffee machine for around £270 online. We bought ours off of Amazon as it came with the fastest free delivery.
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The main points to note about this product are:
- Can brew two espressos at a time
- Manual milk frother included so you can be your own barista
- Customisable aroma and quantity
- Conical, calibrated steel grinders
- Thermoblock system keeps your coffee at an ideal temperature
- Removable, dishwasher-safe drip tray grid
- 1.8 litre capacity
- Self-descaling and rinsing programmes
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2) Melitta AromaFresh Grind-and-Brew Coffee Machine
Second on our list is the AromaFresh Grind-and-Brew coffee machine by Melitta, another strong competitor in the coffee-machine scene. We’ve talked about Melitta products quite often on our site, and even found its way onto our list of the best bean to cup coffee machines in the UK!
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We love how easy-to-navigate and simplistic the design of this coffee machine is, and the affordability whilst delivering tremendously on the coffee taste. For the price, this all-in-one coffee machine is well worth your money. It’s not often you’d find a grinder-integrated coffee machine for such a price- they usually top at least £250.
Jump to The Verdict section below, to see a quick view on this coffee machine.
What We Love:
- Transparent Tank and Conical Bean Storage: We love how simple yet elegant the design of this coffee machine is- the bean storage is in a conical shape with a frosted finish, so you can see your beans and ensure you fill the level up again when it starts to run out. The water tank is also transparent and situated on the side of the machine, which is a snug fit and also allows you to keep an eye on the water level and fill it up whenever needed.
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- Personalisation Programming – Heat : You can use the software of this coffee machine to create your very own ideal beverage. Whether you’d like an intense, aromatic cup- or a lighter, more mellower cup. If you fancy a piping hot cup for a relaxing Friday night, or a drinking-temperature cup to pick up and go in the morning- this coffee machine has you covered. You can set up the heating-up time to 30, 60, or 90 minutes.
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- Adjustable Drink Intensity: You can change up the grind level, more finely ground means more oils and aroma would be extracted from the beans- giving you a much more intense, rich cup of coffee. Coarser grounds would give you a less strong coffee flavour- making it ideal for mellower drinks like latte or mocha.
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- Mini LCD Display: Read off essential information from the mini LCD display that’s been fitted into this coffee machine. Honestly, for the price, we’re amazed at how much value we got. Most coffee machines would never have a screen integrated into the machine- especially not at this price. Some £300 coffee machines don’t have a screen- only a control panel. The screen is really handy, as it helps you keep track of time, settings, and heating controls.
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- Easy Maintenance: Maintaining your coffee machine to enhance its performance and improve the product’s longevity is essential- and this coffee machine offers a lot of functionality to do just that- with little effort. Again, it’s great to see what you get for the price you pay: An integrated descaling program, Descaling indicator, Water hardness adjustment, Dishwasher-safe washable parts, a detachable filter holder, bean container and upper grind head, Auto shut-off, and a 3 year warranty when you buy it off of Amazon (we bought ours off of Amazon and ours is still covered under the warranty).
The Verdict
You can find this coffee machine for around £165, on the Melitta website. We bought ours off of Amazon as it was cheaper, at around £110. The delivery was free too, which was a bonus.
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The main points to note about this product are:
- Adjustable grinder so you can get a personalised level of aroma and flavour/intensity
- Can use pre-ground coffee beans too
- Detachable grinder head for easier cleaning
- Cleaning brush included
- 3 coffee strengths; mild, medium, or strong
- Transparent tank and level indicator for easier access
- Grind-off feature to halt grinding on demand
- Descaling Functionality: 3-in-1 calc protection with settings for water hardness, an indicator showing the level of calcification and a practical, automatic descaling programme
- LCD Display, with a timer and a clock
- Programmable warming plate
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3) Russell Hobbs Chester Grind-and-Brew Machine
Next up on our list is a high-quality, reliable brand coffee machine- Russell Hobbs. They’re a long-standing name that even your grandma probably knows about, and rightfully so! Their reputation has been maintained for years as offering reliable and top-quality products. It’s not too big a surprise to see their name on this list- but they aren’t exactly a name you’d associate with coffee.
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In fact, we were surprised by not only how awesome this coffee machine looks, but the performance was great. We were able to serve our whole day-staff team a cup of coffee in one brewing session!
Jump to The Verdict section below, to see a quick view on this coffee machine.
What We Love:
- Quiet Brew Technology: Russell Hobbs have integrated their signature, bespoke quiet-brew technology, which they claimed was 60% quieter than their previous models. We have tried out some of their older models too, in previous articles on our site- and it’s really true! This coffee machine was indeed very quiet at brewing coffee, which is great for people who live in shared living spaces or apartments/flats.
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- Integrated Digital Coffee Grinder: This coffee machine also has a built-in coffee maker- what can we say? These all-in-one coffee machines are just so great, they do all the work for you while giving you a delicious, perfectly heated cup of coffee at the touch of just a few buttons. Who wouldn’t want one? You simply press the button to activate the grinder, and your beans will be whizzed up for the extraction and infusion processes.
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- Easy to Read Level Indicator: You don’t even need to lift any lids to check how much water there is- the indicator bar will accurately tell you how much water is in the tank- without looking ugly. The style of the indicator level actually adds to the elegance of this coffee machine greatly.
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- Pause and Pour: In a rush? You don’t even have to wait for the entire jug to finish brewing, you can simply detach the jug and pour out your own cup of coffee. The infusion process will momentarily pause, and continue when you put the jug back in its place. It’s really convenient- the remainder of your coffee will be done afterwards.
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- Permanent Filter: In terms of cost-efficiency, this coffee machine is spectacular. The filter is actually permanent, you don’t need to purchase disposable ones every time. This can save you a lot of money in the long run, especially if you’re a regular or daily coffee drinker.
The Verdict
You can find this coffee machine for around £130, on the Russell Hobbs website. However, we went for Amazon because they sell it much cheaper- you can get it delivered for free for a total price of around £64!
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The main points to note about this product are:
- 24-hour programme feature (set what time of day your coffee brews- it will be ready whenever you set it to be)
- Warming plate keeps your coffee hot for 40 minutes longer than usual
- Permanent filter, so no need to buy disposable ones all the time
- Removable filter holder to allow for easier cleaning
- 60% quieter brewing* due to Quiet Brew Technology
- 12 cup capacity
- Water window
- Insulated glass carafe to keep your drinks hotter for longer
- Pause-and-pour functionality for quick drinks
*mentioned in previous sections
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4) VonShef Filter Coffee Machine
For those of you who are looking to save some money, but LOVE your cup of coffee every now and then- look no further. The VonShef filter coffee machine is by far the BEST budget filter coffee machine out there. For as little as around £40, you’ll be able to snag yourself a sleek, modern looking coffee machine with a beautiful display, a solid 1.5L capacity, and many more great features.
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Read on to see what we love so much about the VonShef filter coffee machine.
Jump to The Verdict section below, to see a quick view on this coffee machine.
What We Love:
- It’s Such Great Value! For a mere £40, you get a highly digitalised machine that offers a host of different personalisation facilities- it’s a steal!
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- Different Taste Intensities: You can choose between three levels of how strong you’d like your coffee- weak, medium, or strong? This feature can be easily accessed using the “MODE” button which is situated on the digital navigation menu (which is a great, technologically advanced feature to have included on a budget coffee machine).
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- LCD Display and Timer: An LCD display is a generous feature to have integrated into a budget coffee machine, and actually, the screen works really well. It doesn’t freeze up or lose calibration. After fiddling around with the machine controls, we found that the ‘24 timer’ function can be used to program operation at a set time, and you can activate the setting by pressing the power button twice.
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- Easy to Clean: The mesh filter and glass carafe of this coffee machine are both washable and dishwasher-safe. The spoon included however, is not dishwasher-safe and must be washed by hand with soap and water.
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- 2-Year Warranty: We bought ours off of Amazon with a 2-year warranty- other retailers offer warranties too, but we just wanted the quick delivery! For a budget machine, it’s great that a warranty is included- even if it does underperform, you can always claim your money back.
The Verdict
You can find this coffee machine for around £39, on the VonHaus website as well as Amazon. We prefer Amazon due to the quick delivery and warranty.
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The main points to note about this product are:
- Programmable timer integrated
- LCD mini display
- 1.5 litre water tank/capacity
- 3 coffee strengths – accessible via “MODE” function (weak, medium, strong)
- Washable and dishwasher-safe mesh and glass carafe
- 2 year warranty included (Amazon)
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5) The De’Longhi ICM15210.1 Filter Coffee Machine
Last but not least on our list is the De’Longi Filter coffee machine- another very affordable option from a great brand in the coffee scene. Not only does it look beautiful when sitting on your counter, it’s definitely a solid coffee machine for those who are looking for a product on a budget.
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Jump to The Verdict section below, to see a quick view on this coffee machine.
What We Love:
- Large Capacity: Despite being a budget option, you can still get a very good amount of coffee out per extraction and brewing session. Our team of 14 people last Saturday were all able to get a small cup of coffee out of one session- which is great for a relatively cheap coffee machine! De’Longhi claim that this one can make 10 large cups, or 15 small cups- and the claims check out. This is great option for workplaces, and shared accommodation.
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- Anti-Drip: One of the things that we found this coffee machine to excel at was maintaining the cleanliness of the drip-rack, and entire unit itself. When the jug is removed, you don’t need to worry about any annoying drip that may trickle onto the jug or the drip tray. This saves you from having to clean it so often.
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- Heating Plate: Despite coming at a relatively cheap price, this coffee machine has an integrated heating plate directly under the insulated glass jug, which is great for workplaces- people with different break timings can still enjoy a hot cup of coffee no matter when it was brewed. Simply activate the heating plate.
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- Easy Loading: All the compartments are situated in the same place- so there’s no complicated way to load up your coffee machine. The water tank, filter, and bean storage are all located within the same eye-view, and it really is great for busy mornings where you may not have time to load a more complex machine.
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- Digital Control Feedback Bar: The digital display at the front is a great feature as it feeds back real-time information about your drink. It includes a handy clock, an auto turn-on feature, an auto shut-off feature, as well as a freshness indicator to help inform you of when to clean and change things up inside. It’s not bad for a budget machine, that’s why it makes its way onto our list of the best filter coffee machines of 2021!
The Verdict
You can find this coffee machine for around £44, on the De’Longhi website as well as Amazon. We prefer Amazon due to the quick delivery. On the other hand, you can buy this coffee machine refurbished too, for around £24 online.
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The main points to note about this product are:
- Digital feedback bar (time, auto turn-on/shut-off, freshness indicator)
- All-in-one loading location (coffee grounds, filter, water tank)
- Heating plate to keep coffee warm
- Anti-drip system
- 1.25 litre water tank
- Fill 10 large cups or 15 small cups per brewing session
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What type of filter coffee maker is best for you?
If you want to truly enhance and personalise your coffee experience to make it the most enjoyable for you, it’s important to consider the various types of filter coffee machines you could have. There are 6 different variations of filter coffee machines- so tune in, we’ll guide you right through them and help you decide which one is best for you.
1. Pour-over Machines
These and drip-brew machines look very similar, but are very much different. Instead of the hot water slowly dripping over the coffee like most budget coffee machines, pour-over coffee machines gently and gradually dispense the water in a constant stream over the coffee grounds. This evenly distributes the flavour and created a more unified, intense flavour from your cup.
Some pour-over coffee machines even saturate the coffee grounds with water to activate, or “bloom” the grounds. They may cost more, but they’re worth the flavour difference.
2. Filter/Drip-brew Machines
These are the ones that you see around the most often, and are likely the one you’re familiar with most. You simply fill up the water tank, insert and fit the filter, add the coffee grounds, and turn the machine on. Your beverage will form after a dripping brew system, where the water is slowly dripped into the grounds.
Glass bodies are often used to insulate your drink, and these are often very budget-friendly. You can pick them up for £5-30, at most. The quality of the drink will vary heavily.
3. Manual-Drip Coffee Maker
Perhaps the most mechanical, traditional looking coffee maker is the manual-drip coffee maker. The dripper is usually situated above a carafe, or a stand, and slowly pours water over the grounds and paper. The receptable catches the drip (a smooth stream of evenly-distributed, well-balanced, aromatic, and rich coffee). This is the best filter coffee you could get.
The only thing is that it’s all completely manual- you need to practise to ensure you get the balance of bean grinds, water ratio, and speed correct. This can take a bit too much time if you’re someone who’s short on time in the mornings.
Too much effort? The next one may be for you.
4. Manual Immersion Brewer
If you think a manual-drip coffee maker is great, ticks all your boxes- but, it’s a bit too much effort, then the manual immersion brewer is your best bet. It’s pretty foolproof.
The only difference between this type and the manual-drip brewer is that there’s a valve underneath which steeps the coffee throughly and evenly before it’s released into the cup. This ensures you extract the best fkavour and aroma from your cup, without putting too much of your own care and attention to make sure it doesn’t go wrong. The bitter elements are omitted too.
5. Grind and Brew Machine
The easiest machine to use must be the grind-and-brew machine. Most of these types are completely automated, with integrated grinders and brewing systems.
A bean-grinder is usually fitted into these, so you simply throw in your beans and watch them whizz away. The drink will be made by a few button touches, at the most. The great thing about these types is that you can program the grinder to change up the grain type- super coarse, or super fine- or anything in between. These ones can be expensive, ranging from £250-1,000!
