Guides
Bean to Cup vs Espresso Machine: What Changes Daily
Bean to cup or espresso machine, compared on counter space, effort per cup, control over the shot and the cleaning each one asks for.
Guides
How to get a spec, a running cost or a fit question right, with the numbers worked through.
Best Bean to Cup Coffee Machines in the UK, Compared
Eight bean to cup machines set against each other on footprint, tank and hopper size, how milk is made and washed, upkeep and dated UK price.
Best Budget Espresso Grinders in the UK Under £200
Five espresso-capable burr grinders at £200 or less in the UK on 21 September 2026, what the hand ones cost you, and the next step up if you can stretch.
Best Burr Grinders for Espresso and Filter in the UK
Eight burr grinders compared on what they grind, hand or electric, worktop size, settings, dosing, warranty and UK price on 21 September 2026.
Best Coffee Machines for Home in the UK, Compared
The 21 home coffee machines we cover, grouped by kind and by the situation each one fits, with published sizes, tanks, milk systems, warranties and UK prices.
Best Coffee Machines With Grinder: Espresso and Bean to Cup
Fifteen UK machines that grind their own beans, sorted by what you want to do each morning, with the grinder facts each maker publishes and prices.
Best Espresso Machine Under 500 in the UK: Six Compared
Six espresso machines under £500 in the UK on 21 September 2026, with the grinder cost the price tag hides and the point where a built-in grinder starts.
Best Espresso Machines for Home in the UK, Compared
Thirteen home espresso machines sorted by what decides the buy: counter width, milk, heat-up time, what is in the box and the UK price on 21 September 2026.
Blade vs Burr Grinder: What the Makers Actually Say
Burr grinder vs blade grinder, using De'Longhi's own blade and burr models, Gaggia's advice to espresso owners, and what grind settings buy you.
Cheap Coffee Machines: What You Give Up
The four coffee machines we cover under £400, lined up against dearer machines from the same makers, so you can see what the lower price actually removes.
Coffee Machine Cleaning Tablets, Descaler and Filters
A cleaning tablet, a descaler and a water filter do three different jobs. Which product each UK machine takes, and where each one goes.
How to Clean a Coffee Machine, by Machine Type
The cleaning jobs and intervals six UK manuals actually publish, split by manual espresso, espresso with a grinder and bean to cup.
How to Clean a Sage Coffee Machine: All Four Models
Daily and periodic cleaning for the Bambino Plus, Barista Express, Barista Pro and Barista Touch, plus each model's own back-flush cleaning cycle.
How to Descale a Coffee Machine: What Each Maker Says
Descaling intervals, named descalers and cycle times from six UK manuals, by machine type, plus which maker allows vinegar and which forbids it.
How to Descale a Sage Coffee Machine, Model by Model
Descale the Bambino Plus, Barista Express, Barista Pro or Barista Touch: what triggers the alert, the button sequence, and how long each stage runs.
How to Use a Sage Coffee Machine From the Box
First setup on the Bambino Plus, Barista Express, Barista Pro and Barista Touch: the first use cycle, basket choice, grind settings and the first shot.
How to Use an Espresso Machine, Step by Step
The espresso machine steps four UK manuals agree on, from filling the tank to steaming milk, and the three points where Sage, Gaggia and De'Longhi differ.
Portafilter Sizes Explained: 51, 54 and 58 mm
What the Gaggia Classic portafilter size is, which machines use 54 mm, and which makers never publish the number at all. Plus what it means for tampers.
Types of Coffee Machine: Which One Fits Your Kitchen
The five coffee machine types sold in the UK, with published widths, tank sizes, grind settings and prices from ten current machines.
Which Sage Coffee Machine to Buy: All Eight Compared
The eight Sage coffee machines we cover, side by side, with what each step up the range adds in published facts and what the step costs in pounds.