The best super-automatic espresso machines of 2026 compared

Yes, beans almost always work out cheaper per cup than pods, and the saving grows with every coffee you drink. Allow 8 to 10 g of beans per espresso, so a 1 kg bag gives 100 to 125 shots: at $30 a kilo, that's roughly 24¢ to 30¢ a cup. Compare that with the price of a box of pods divided by the number inside. With a gap of 30¢ a cup and three coffees a day, you would save about $330 a year, which helps pay back the higher price of the machine.

It's worth it: with hard water, a filter noticeably reduces how often you need to descale. Check your hardness with the strip supplied or in your municipality's water quality report, then enter it in the machine's settings so it can time descaling itself. Change the filter when prompted, as an exhausted one does nothing, and only use the manufacturer's descaler, never vinegar. Rinse a removable brew group under cold water weekly, without dish soap.

If you want a one-touch latte or cappuccino, choose an automatic system such as a carafe or Philips LatteGo; if you prefer control and the easiest cleaning, choose a steam wand. LatteGo has two tube-free parts that go in the dishwasher, while carafes rinse themselves but have more pieces. Systems with a tube into the milk carton need their circuit cleaned every day. A steam wand takes practice but suits flat whites and latte art best, and there are no hidden pipes where milk can sour.

Buy a super-automatic espresso machine for good coffee at the press of a button, or a manual espresso machine if you enjoy the craft and want full control over each shot. A manual machine also needs a separate grinder for fresh beans, plus time for dosing, tamping and cleaning the portafilter. A super-automatic does all of that for you, but it needs regular descaling and brew group care, and repairs cost more. For several flat whites a day in a busy household, a super-automatic usually wins on convenience.

It is a nice extra rather than a must: almost every drink and maintenance task can still be run from the machine's own screen. The app mostly lets you save drinks for each person, get descaling and filter alerts and sometimes start a coffee remotely, provided a cup is already under the spout. It usually needs an account and access to your Wi-Fi, so check what data the brand collects and how long it promises updates. Do not pay a large premium for the app alone.