In general, ours has always been an informative portal focused on the medium-high profile user, who needs to resolve certain requirements or concerns in the preparation of their coffee. But we cannot and do not want to ignore the most important and most popular segment of the market, which is the lower profile users (in which almost all of us are included), who use their coffee maker to make their morning coffee and occasionally for a visit. Little else. And this group of people are, in most cases, looking for a functional coffee machine that costs as little as possible. This is where espresso machines under £100 come into play.
It must be emphasised that when we talk about the best espresso machine under £100, we will always be referring to the traditional espresso machines. Technically speaking, capsule coffee machines and Italian coffee machines are also espresso machines because they brew coffee using water pressure. However, what everyone understands by “espresso machine” is the one with filter and filter holder.
Moreover, the average price of capsule machines and Italian Moka machines is usually well below the £100 we are talking about in this article. There would be no point in searching.
- Cecotec Cafelizzia 790 Steel Espresso Machine, Stainless Steel
- Cecotec Espresso 20 – Espresso and cappuccino machine with vaporizer, 20 bar pressure and 850 W power
What to expect in an espresso machine under £100
In the realm of espresso machines, machines costing less than £100 are clearly in the low-cost range of the industry. This means that even the best espresso machines under £100 have notable shortcomings compared to other machines in the mid to high end of the same segment. Some of the most common ones are these:
- Normally they are not going to be very big machines (no more than 1.5 litres of the tank) or powerful.
- Austerity in the control panels.
- With a few honourable exceptions, you will have to renounce more advanced features such as pressure gauges, temperature display, etcetera.
- There are certain “prestige” brands in the espresso world.
The best espresso machines for under £100: our TOP
In a market as wide as this one, it is always unfair to single out some models over others, but we are also aware that our audience wants recommendations and likes us to get to the point. Of all the espresso machines under £100 on the market, we’re going to stick with these three:
Cecotec Cafelizzia
Cecotec’s Cafelizzia has been a bestseller for several years now. It is available in two versions: with or without a pressure gauge. The version with pressure gauge is known as Cafelizzia Pro, and the good news is that both are under the one hundred pounds we set as the limit for this guide.
If you choose the stainless steel body finish, you get a machine with excellent performance for a ridiculous price. Don’t forget that it has 20 bar pressure and is compatible with the popular ESE single-dose sachets.
IKOHS Thera Easy Latte
Ikohs is a company with a history and philosophy very similar to that of Cecotec. The Thera Easy Latte is one of the most economical models in their catalogue and has always been below the symbolic barrier of 100 pounds. It has a capacity of 1.5 litres, a cup warming tray, 20 bars of pressure and a power of 1100 watts… standard capacities but sufficient for the general public. The finishes, by the way, are stainless steel.
Solac CE4552 Squissita Touch
We finish with Solac, one of the classic brands. Specifically with the Squissita Touch CE4552 model. We choose it because it is very compact, because of its 20 bars of pressure, its touch control panel and its stainless steel finish—a sum of virtues that are difficult to combine in a single model in this price range.
Exploring other options
Of course, there is a wide range of affordable espresso machines out there, and we can’t fit them all in this article. You can check out our guides to the best value for money espresso machines, or the cheapest espresso machines of the year, for more alternatives in the quest for the Holy Grail that has become espresso machines under £100.
