Cheap automatic coffee machines

Who wouldn’t want to have a good super-automatic coffee maker in their home? For those of us who are not expert baristas – in other words, the majority – super-automatic coffee machines allow us to enjoy espressos and other specialities with milk foam simply by pressing a button on the machine. No processes, no waiting, no technical requirements.

But of course, these coffee machines, apart from being a marvel of technology placed at the service of the consumer, have one major drawback: their price. They are high-end machines that cost several times as much as a normal coffee machine of any other type.

And not everyone can afford such an investment.

To help you a little and to respond to a very old demand from our readers, we have prepared this guide where we have collected the most interesting models of cheap automatic coffee machines. Those that allow us to enjoy all the virtues of such a machine at home, without having to pay four-figure prices or take out a loan from the bank.

You already know that on our web we are pleased to help any user interested in buying a coffee machine. And even more so if there is as much money involved as these.

Before presenting our selection, we must make two premises clear:

  1. When we talk about cheap super automatic coffee machines, we always mean automatic espresso machines. We are not going to look at many other automatic water flow machines here, such as pod machines or some drip machines.
  2. When drawing up the ranking, we always look at the prices of new models. We have not taken into account automatic coffee machines on offer, nor one-off promotions, which are often applied to second-hand or reconditioned coffee machines, and which naturally do not reflect the true market situation.

The average price of an automatic espresso machine is from £400 or £500, so we will consider “cheap” those below that figure. From our experience and global knowledge of the industry, we understand that taking one of these machines home for less than £400 is actually purchasing a very economical super-automatic coffee machine.

To better suit the different budgets of our readers, we have divided them into two groups: automatic coffee machines under £300, and machines between £300 and £400.

Finally, we have chosen 3 models that we believe are the most recommendable ones in terms of quality-price ratio. Always below the £400 barrier, we have set to consider a cheap automatic espresso machine.

We must also consider that most of these models (and the reference prices we propose) have been chosen through Amazon. However, you can also look for your coffee machines at Argos or other similar large stores in our country and thus benefit from special promotions or the loyalty programmes of each chain.

Let’s go there:

SuperAutomatic coffee machines under £300

They represent the lowest range of economic automatic coffee machines. There is not much to choose from, as it is really difficult to find super-automatic coffee machines that are regularly under 300 euros.

Even so, we have managed to put together this selection of five pieces:

In some cases, these are models that have already been discontinued, that was no longer manufactured years ago, but that is still in stock. They have already been surpassed by more recent models of the same brand, and so they have lowered their price a lot, but they still have all the features intact.

These super-automatic coffee machines, so economical, are an excellent opportunity to start in this sector and to check if we adapt to machines of this type.

Viesta Eco 200

This is a highly qualified candidate for the symbolic award of “the cheapest super-automatic coffee machine” in the world. This German brand specializes in high-end but low-cost coffee machines, and for that reason, its popularity is growing. The Viesta Eco 200 has a capacity of no less than 2 litres in the tank and makes it possible to produce mixed drinks with milk foam, which in principle is reserved for more expensive coffee machines.

Complete review here.

Krups EA8108

Also known as Krups Roma, this model is several years old and has a somewhat anarchic control panel but retains all the essential features and functions of a fairly decent automatic coffee machine. And an almost unbeatable price, of course.

It has 1.8 litres, 15 bars of pressure, and the options for personalising the espresso include intensity and volume (amount of water used in each cup). The grinder is fitted with conical steel grinders and can hold up to 275 grams of coffee beans in its container.

Delonghi ESAM 3000B

The ESAM 3000B (B for Black, due to the black colour of its housing) dates from 2011 and, despite the passage of time, is still one of the best value for money automatic coffee machines available.

Its appearance is not very up-to-date, but the functions and features are intact: 1.8-litre tank, aroma and cup volume control, high energy efficiency, Instant Reheat technology to automatically reheat the machine after each extraction (ideal for preparing several services in a row, without waiting)…

You can learn more about this interesting model here: a full review of the Delonghi ESAM 3000 coffee machine.

Delonghi ESAM 3200

The ESAM 3200 model improves on the previous one but still remains below the symbolic barrier of 300 euros, so we are obliged to include it in our ranking.

The Delonghi ESAM 3200 automatic coffee machine has a list of technical specifications and functions very similar to the previous model but with an improved and renewed look.

Here you can read more about Delonghi’s super-automatic coffee machines.

Melitta Caffeo Solo

Surprisingly, the most basic model of Melitta automatics (a very prestigious brand, usually working in the upper-middle range of this industry) is already under £300.

This Melitta Caffeo Solo is a super-automatic coffee maker of much higher standards, better finishes and more prestige than any of the previous ones. In particular, the model we include in this review is the Melitta E950, which only allows you to make espressos (it has no steamer and no possibility of foaming milk). It is also quite compact, so it fits perfectly in flats or kitchens with little space. Its tank is only 1.2 litres.

SuperAutomatic Coffee Machines under 400 Euros

One step higher, but still within an affordable price range for what is a super-automatic coffee maker; we already find many more models. In fact, many classic brands in this segment usually have their most basic coffee maker (what is commercially known as the “entry-level model“) at this level of £300 or £300 and up.

These are our six chosen ones:

Saeco Minute

The first coffee maker in our selection is a classic: the Saeco Minuto. It is already old, but it is still up to date with more modern models, especially thanks to its low price.

A few years ago, this model was updated and revised, giving rise to the Philips 3000 Series (which we also talked about later). But the Minute is cheaper and still sells very well.

Cecotec Power Matic-Ccino 7000 Series

Cecotec Power Matic-Ccino is one of the best value for money automatic coffee machines in the world, without a doubt. There is nothing more to add: we advise you to read its review and see for yourself.

It has a superior version, the 8000 series, which is also excellent, but if we talk only about prices, we are obliged to highlight this 7000 series.

Severin Piccola

The Piccola is the cheapest super-automatic coffee machine in Severin. It doesn’t have the gloss nor the power of the Severin S2 (the superior model), but of course, its price more than compensates it.

As its name indicates, the Severin Piccola is a very small and compact coffee machine. This is its greatest virtue, as it takes up less space than other machines of similar performance. Its water tank has a 1.35 litres capacity, and the model is presented in two Variants: Simplify and Premium. The second one is more expensive and allows to prepare specialities with milk foam.

MiniMoka CM-4758

Let’s go with a machine with Spanish roots: the MiniMoka automatic coffee machine. It is the Minimoka CM-4758 model, 1.4 litres and impressive design, sober and robust.

It has a digital display, 15 bar pressure, pre-infusion, 200-gram grinder, and a new and unusual “coffee carafe” function: you can prepare an amount equivalent to 4-8 cups of coffee at once, as long as you have a large enough container, of course.

Bosch TCA5309

The Bosch TCA5309 is the cheapest automatic coffee machine from Bosch and a good choice for those who do not need the impressive range of functions of the firm’s top-of-the-range machines, such as the VeroAroma or the VeroCafe Latte.

It is a model with a black plastic casing, chrome finish, and a standard capacity of 1.8 litres. It also has pre-infusion options, aroma, size and temperature control for each cup, and automatic rinsing, cleaning and rinsing programmes.

Philips 2000 Series

The Philips 2000 Series is the updated version that replaces the popular, now discontinued, Saeco Xsmall. As you can see from the images, it looks very similar and respects the characteristic rounded lines that were so popular in the old model.

It has only 1 litre of capacity in the tank, but this is not a drawback but a virtue: this machine is characterised by its small size and by its focus on very small kitchens and cabins.

The grinder is ceramic and has the capacity to store 180 grams. Other interesting functions of this super-automatic coffee machine so cheap are the compatibility with Brita water filters or the programmable memory for the sizes of each cup.

The Best Cheapest Automatic Coffee Makers

To conclude, we are going to make special mention of the three best super-automatic coffee machines that meet the price conditions we set in our guide, and that we have left out – with all the intention of the world – of the previous selections.

We highlight them either for their performance, or for their quality-price ratio, or for a combination of both factors.

They are the 3100 Series from Philips, the ECAM 22.110 from Delonghi and the very efficient One Touch 500 from the German manufacturer Viesta.

Philips Saeco 3100 Series

First of all, a word of caution: the 3100 series is the upgraded and updated version of the Philips Saeco Series 3000. It has a number of additional details and sub-functions, which are not found in the 3000 Series. So watch out if you’re going to ask with it.

The Philips Saeco 3100 Series has a 1.8-litre capacity and allows you to make cappuccinos automatically, at the touch of a button and without having to move the cup or intervene during the process. Other interesting features: digital display, ceramic grinder 250 grams, intensity and temperature settings … and of course, all the guarantees of the Saeco brand and the manufacturer Philips.

Delonghi ECAM 22.110

It doesn’t need much introduction: it is the best-selling automatic coffee machine on our website – by far, and enjoys a privileged position in the Amazon sales rankings as well. The reason for this success? It is an old automatic coffee maker whose price has been progressively reduced over time and which has remained at almost ridiculous figures considering the excellent performance it offers.

The Delonghi Magnifica S ECAM 22.110 has a 1.8-litre capacity, a steamer, temperature control, cup warmer, water filters… everything. If you want to know it better, read its complete review.

Viesta One Touch 500

And we conclude with one of the fastest-growing coffee machines (and brands) in recent times. It is the Viesta One Touch 500. A machine of German manufacture that we could call “low-cost automatic coffee machine“. It has the features of a mid-range machine, but its price is around £400. This is far below any other comparable coffee machine in operation.

To open your mouth, here’s a little summary: 2-litre tank, 3.5-inch touch screen, 19 bar pressure, automatic specialities with milk foam, ceramic grinder… impossible to ask for more for less.

Super-Automatic Second Hand Coffee Machines

Well, we have already said in the introduction that this whole guide is based on the current prices (at the time of writing) of new coffee machines.

However, second-hand super-automatic coffee machines, or reconditioned coffee machines, are in many cases an excellent opportunity to get hold of much more expensive models, even within the medium or high range of the sector, at incredible prices, close to those we present in this article.

We cannot give specific examples, as these are offers that come and go and usually last only a short time in Amazon’s stock. The best thing is that if you are interested in buying a second-hand automatic coffee machine.