If you can't function without your morning coffee but would rather face a spoon of instant than a zombied Starbucks queue, it's time to invest in a proper coffee machine.
There is nothing quite like brewing a cup of cafe-quality coffee in the comfort of your own home and – thanks to ever-improving kitchen tech – it's also easier to pull off than ever before.
No idea where to start? Not to worry. Our-round up of the best coffee machines on the market will point you in the right direction.
What type of machine is right for you?
There are a growing number of great coffee machines available to home buyers, but the 'best' type will largely depend on the kind of coffee connoisseur you are – or hope to be. Primarily, it's a choice between pod coffee machines, filter coffee machines and bean-to-cup machines.
Pod or capsule machines
Should you want to make coffees with the pods or capsules you've seen on supermarket shelves, or promoted by a brooding George Clooney, you'll need a coffee pod machine.
The pods and capsules themselves tend to be more expensive and less environmentally friendly than ground or instant coffee but, despite this, recent research has found that as many as 17pc of Brits own a coffee pod machine.
Pod or capsule machines are worth the investment if you are regularly in a rush, however, as they heat up quickly and typically brew a range of coffee drinks (and teas!) without hassle or mess.
Most are only compatible with the capsules and pods sold by the machine's manufacturer, however; if you want to get creative with your coffee, a capsule machine might not be for you.
Bean-to-cup machines
This is the machine of choice for coffee purists and fans of barista-worthy lattes. Though bean-to-cup machines come at a higher price, they are as fresh as it gets; you simply pour coffee beans into the machine and sit back as they're whipped into your perfect cup.
The machines use a built in grinder, many of which come with a variety of settings so you can decide just how fine you would like your beans ground, and pour your chosen drink automatically once finished.
Most bean-to-cup machines now a include a steam arm so you can froth milk when needed, as well.
Filter coffee machines
For people who aren't too fussed about coffee creations and prefer a tried and true pick-me-up (or multiple serves of the good stuff), a filter coffee machine is a fantastic option.
Filter coffee machines work by dripping water through ground beans into a warm jug. They're a bit more time consuming than other coffee machines, but they do let you brew great-tasting coffee for the whole family in minutes with complete control over the grounds.
An increasing number also let you set a timer on them, meaning you can prepare your grounds the night before and wake up to freshly-brewed coffee.
There's something for everyone among our pick of the best coffee machines, from the espresso enthusiast to the cappuccino connoisseur...
1. AeroPress Coffee Maker
This cheap-and-cheerful gadget has a cult following among those in the know. Simply place a scoop of your best-loved coffee n the tube, add hot water, stir, then press down with the plunger.
Within 30 seconds you'll have a smooth cup of coffee (though, admittedly, one without coffee-shop style crema). Cleaning up is easy, and they even come with 350 disposable microfilters, so are relatively low-cost to run.
Telegraph rating: 9/10
2. Jura S8 Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine
Jura has been making top coffee machines for decades, and the S8 is no exception. While it's going to cost you a considerable chunk of change, it is brilliant in its simplicity.
All you have to do is plug it in, follow a few easy instructions regarding its installment, and you're good to go. It works with coffee beans, grinding them up each time you want a cup, but you can also use pre-ground.
Once you've poured in your beans (just enough for a few cups, so you can keep remaining beans fresh), select your coffee from the touch screen. All cafe coffee drinks are available — latte, macchiato, flat white, et al. Simply press and you'll have a cafe quality drink in a matter of seconds. You can even adjust the settings to get the right strength and size.
For milky drinks there's a tube which pops directly into a milk bottle (all milk alternatives work) or the milk jug provided, frothing your milk into perfect cappuccino foam at will. You'll have to clean it fairly regularly, however, to ensure it works properly.
Telegraph rating: 9/10
3. Breville One-Touch VCF108
Why we like it: Intuitive, sleek, and makes great coffee with or without pods
This slick and rose gold-accented coffee maker offers a little bit of everything, creating the coffee drinks you love most through coffee grounds or ESE pods.
For an easy cuppa, you simply pop an ESE pod in the handle's single shot filter and the one-touch system does the rest. When you're looking for something a little fresher instead, you can place ground coffee into the double shot filter and repeat the process. Extra points for grinding beans at home.
The machine's 19-bar pressure (the best you can get at this price) serves up cafe-quality coffee with a rich crema, which proves just as useful in its espressos as it does lattes. Wonderful coffee at a wonderful price.
Telegraph rating: 9/10
4. De'Longhi Magnifica S Bean To Cup Coffee Machine
Coffee connoisseurs swear by bean-to-cup makers (machines which grind coffee beans on the spot for a more intense, richer coffee), but such appliances can cost an eye-watering amount of money.
Thankfully, De Longhi's Magnifica range is one of the better-value options on the high street. This model lets you adjust everything from the strength of the coffee to the temperature, even if you're looking to brew two cups at the same time.
Handily, it also lets you use ready-ground coffee — ideal for all caffeine-related emergencies.
Telegraph rating: 8/10
5. Sage Oracle Touch Fully Automated Coffee Machine
If you're looking for the next best thing in coffee tech, look no further than Sage's Oracle Touch. Then, perhaps, brace yourself for the price tag.
This touch-screen coffee machine truly brings the coffee shop experience home with no compromise between convenience and quality. Once programmed, you simply swipe to select your espresso, long black, latte, flat white or cappuccino and let the innovative tech do the rest. It even cleans itself.
Like a commercial machine, its integrated conical burr grinder automatically grinds, doses and tamps your beans while temperature-controlled (PID) technology brews it to perfection (temperature is near impossible to control in other machines). Without delving too into the technical deep, what you really need to know is that the Oracle lets you customise the smoothest and creamiest cuppas imaginable. There is little to dislike, bar its astronomical price.
Telegraph rating: 8/10
6. Bosch Tassimo Vivy Hot Drinks and Coffee Machine
This sleek, black machine makes over 35 varieties of drink, from lattes and macchiatos to hot chocolates and tea.
Other than the quality of the coffee, its stand-out feature is that it's very low-maintenance - the product has an automatic cleaning and descaling program, while the 1.5L water tank means you don't have to fill it too often.
You're limited to the maker's capsules (or "T-discs", as Bosch like to call them), but there is a good range available, including some made by the coffee chain Costa.
Telegraph rating: 8/10
7. Nespresso Krups Pixie Coffee Machine & Aeroccino3 Milk Frother
The smallest of the Nespresso range, the Pixie XN305T40, is compact enough to squeeze into the tiniest of kitchens and provides a good-quality single or double espresso from a capsule in as little as 25 seconds. With 19-bar pressure and all.
It doesn't, however, have the capacity to froth milk itself — if you're a cappuccino guzzler, you'll want to make sure you have room for its accompanying milk frother, too. The Aeroccino3 provides smooth hot or cold milk froth in seconds, with no noise or vibration, so it's worth keeping around (even if just to impress guests).
If you want a larger model, you can consult our guide to the best coffee pod machines here.
Telegraph rating: 7/10
8. Francis Francis for Illy Expresso Coffee Maker
There are few coffee machines as good-looking as this vintage-style number from Francis Francis. Another capsule chomper, it's best at espressos but does have a steam wand so you can froth milk for cappuccinos and lattes.
It does work exclusively with illy iperEspresso capsules, leaving users with a limited range of options, but the quality of the grounds themselves are some of the best in pod-land. Available in red, white or black.
Telegraph rating: 7/10
