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Don’t let the professional descriptor put you off either; it’s a thoughtfully designed machine that comes with clear instructions and an intuitive digital interface and controls. You can also adjust the settings to suit your taste. In line with Ideal Home's testing protocol, we've extensively tested every single machine in this lineup for at least two weeks and in most cases a few months. From getting to grips with the controls and finding the perfect grind settings, we know exactly what it's like to use these machines day in, and day out. And we're big fans of the 8 ones we've chosen above. If you enjoy a milk-based coffee (such as a cappuccino, latte or macchiato), then you’ll want to look for a bean-to-cup coffee machine with a milk frother. If you want something a little more advanced, I'd recommend taking a look at the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM370 review to find something with automatic milk steaming and a lot more smart functions. If you're willing to skip out the in-built coffee grinder, take a look at my Breville Bijou Espresso Machine review for a capable espresso machine with a slightly better steam wand, that costs a lot less. About this review, and the reviewer
Most bean-to-cup machines follow a standard layout. At the top you’ll find the hopper for the beans. Beko’s model can hold 125g, which is around half a regular bag of coffee. There’s a grinder adjustment here, too, which allows for a fine to coarser grind, depending on the beans you use. With modes for cappuccino, flat white, and even latte macchiato, the De’Longhi Dinamica Plus ECAM370 is a premium coffee machine that delivers on automatic systems with hands-free brewing. The menu allows you to adjust the drinks to different sizes and aromas, and you can completely customize the coffee-to-milk ratio by making a preset just for you. Once you’ve powered on the machine, you’ll see the touch controls light up. For regular coffee, this machine is as easy to use as a pod machine, such as the Nespresso CitiZ. There are buttons for strong espresso (a regular shot) and mild espresso (a double shot in terms of volume, although the same amount of coffee is used). There’s also a button for topping up with hot water.Our Sage Barista Touch Impress review has the full details. How we test the best bean-to-cup coffee machines
The final way to froth milk is with a frothing accessory. These are standalone milk frothers that aren’t controlled by the machine itself. This means you’ll need to froth milk manually. This coffee machine was super easy to use and impressed across the board in our lab tests. Everything from set-up to selecting your preferred beverage is simple and efficient. And if you do struggle to adjust the settings, the handy manual is easy to follow. There’s a good richness to the espresso, with the pronounced acidity of my test beans coming through. The shot is, perhaps, a touch more bitter than from the best coffee machines, but there’s really nothing to complain about. Milk frothing You can move the spout up and down manually, with the maximum lift allowing for cups up to 12.7cm tall – this covers larger mugs with ease. Coffee qualityOften working at the touch of a button, a bean-to-cup machine will grind the perfect amount of coffee for a well-extracted shot and then create the ideal level of pressure to prevent too much acidity or bitterness in your final drink. Some even come with automatic milk dispensers to make fine and frothy foam without any hands-on steaming. Of course, the price is astronomical. Anything over than a grand will always require a huge amount of consideration, but what you get in return is a real top-of-the-range machine. It combines everything people love about home brewing with the convenience of a smart machine that will take the guesswork out of every espresso you pull.
You can tell when you hit the right point by looking at the pressure dial on the front of the machine. If you are new to steaming milk, this will be a great machine to get you started on making your own lattes and cappuccinos too, thanks to the wand. For your first use, you’ll need to pull a shot of coffee and throw it away; the first one was a bit watery. Once the grinder is primed with beans, the second shot onwards is good, although I found that I needed to put the grinder on its finest setting to achieve the best coffee. It's got a small water tank, but on the plus side it's front-facing and incredibly easy to remove and refill. The same can be said for emptying the coffee grounds, and the display comes up with instructions and prompts to stay on top of maintenance.The Beko Bean To Cup Coffee Machine with Steam Wand CEG5311 can pour a very good shot of espresso. The crema is a little bit foamy; the best espresso has a more oily texture to it. However, given the price of the machine, the results are impressive. The advantage of this system is that you can set levels for your own mugs, making it easy to make an Americano (hot water with a shot of espresso added at the end), for example, with just a couple of taps. Although they may be the most expensive options, bean-to-cups are easily some of the best coffee machines on the market for those who take their coffee really seriously. Their sleek and modern designs look at home in a variety of kitchens, and there are also some more barista-style machines that give you custom control of your brew or the ability to work on your art. If you want to recreate your coffee-shop favourite then there's no competition. By virtue of having so many features built in, bean-to-cup coffee machines tend to be a lot larger than their manual counterparts. Since the Beko Bean To Cup Coffee Machine CEG5301 is a far simpler beast, it’s also much smaller. At 380 x 236 x 436mm, it isn’t much bigger than a large capsule machine, such as the Nespresso Vertuo Next.
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