Coffee Machine Buying Guide

The Single Boiler Coffee Machines are the first step in the line-up designed for people who don't want to sacrifice quality to budget. They pack premium features and build quality to recreate café quality performance at home in a very compact footprint.

As the name suggests, a single boiler machine has only one boiler that serves both functions: brewing espresso and steaming milk. This means the machine must switch between these two tasks, and there may be a delay in transitioning from brewing to steaming or vice versa. So these units are designed for people who drink mainly straight espresso and occasionally desire to steam milk.

They are definitely going to be smaller and more affordable than some other options, typically single boiler machines will only function off the internal water tank thanks to a Vibratory Pump Most of entry level machines adopt a Vibratory Pump. They are more for domestic use, so they are not used on commercial scale. Coffee machines equipped with a vibratory pump tend to rattle and create a bit more noise, although in the modern era manufacturers offer much better noise insulation on the machines compared to the past. The pump always run at 15 bars but the machines are equipped with an overpressure valve (OPV) that drops down the pressure to an ideal range of 9-10 bars. Some people still prefer this type of pump since it can be more forgiving for beginners. Also be aware that if you are looking to plumb in your machine to the water network you must choose a machine equipped with a rotary pump instead .

Shop Our Best Single Boiler Coffee Machines

Quick Mill Coffee Machines

Quick Mill Pippa

Profitec Coffee Machines

Profitec GO

Quick Mill Coffee Machines

Quick Mill Pop Up

ECM Coffee Machines

ECM Classika PID

The Heat Exchanger Machines are the most popular options. Here's where we really step up in the game! A combination of simplicity, consistency and powerful performance make these the preferred machines for:

• The regular latte and cappuccino drinkers
• Someone who's looking to buy a machine as a definitive investment

They will allow you to simultaneously brew espresso and steam milk at the same time. They have large boilers designed to cater to larger demands and needs.

The brew water constantly circulates in and out of the boiler through a separate circuit called Heat Exchanger Pipe (here's where the name comes from). The thermal stability of these machines are regulated by a thermo-syphon system which is simple and reliable.

With the adoption of PID PID stands for Proportional-Integral-Derivative: Coffee Machines equipped with PID offer a more complex logic than a typical pressure switch machine. These machines allow you to set a specific temperature which can be the boiler temperature or the exact brewing temperature, depending on the design of the machine. PID machines are more energy efficient and they are better for thermal stability. They are quieter during normal functions, with no boiling noise whatsoever during normal idling of the machine equipped machines you can also adjust the temperature for the boiler but there is a correlation between both steam and coffee temperatures and cannot be adjusted individually. With a bit of time, you can find the right temperature for you. You also get a Shot Timer with it which you can use to monitor the extraction time of your espresso.

The versions without PID Pressure switches are mostly used in entry level Heat Exchanger Coffee Machines. The Pressure Switch or also called Pressure Stat is a mechanic device that is pre-set to open and close a contact so the machine can sit at a normal range of temperature. Because of the simplicity of this component the price of the machine will be more affordable but there will be more risk of running into temperature surfing, your coffee machine won't have a stable temperature during normal functions. Manufacturers had to deal with this for many years and recently have equipped HX machines with PIDs, though they are not exactly vital, they are more refined for and can improve thermal stability. utilises a mechanical Pressure Switch Pressure switches are mostly used in entry level Heat Exchanger Coffee Machines. The Pressure Switch or also called Pressure Stat is a mechanic device that is pre-set to open and close a contact so the machine can sit at a normal range of temperature. Because of the simplicity of this component the price of the machine will be more affordable but there will be more risk of running into temperature surfing, your coffee machine won't have a stable temperature during normal functions. Manufacturers had to deal with this for many years and recently have equipped HX machines with PIDs, though they are not exactly vital, they are more refined for and can improve thermal stability. in order to control the heat and they are essentially a 'plug and play', perhaps they are designed for people who are looking for something easy to use without any additional adjustments.

Nearly all machines in this category are equipped with the E61 group head Designed and developed back in 1961 by Ernesto Valente exclusively used on the Faema E61 coffee machine, the E61 Group Head is considered one of the most temperature stable group heads and it does this in two ways. The first being, the E61 uses about 5kg of chrome plated brass which provides high thermal inertia, which means it takes a long time to heat up, and cool down, but it creates amazing temperature stability.Secondly, E61 Group head also creates a stable temperature by using a thermosyphon, which allows constant flow of hot water from the boiler to cycle through the group head. The E61 also allows for automatic pre infusion, slowing the flow of water from the boiler to the portafilter by sending it though a brew chamber first, allowing the pressure to build slowly to 9bars . E61 groups are easily recognisable since the group is exposed from the machine and most of the time it is equipped with a brew lever instead of buttons.

Some machines can be also equipped with Volumetric Shots Coffee machines equipped with volumetric shots programming allow you to set the volume for the espresso shots. No more guessing, the machine the machine does the rest for you. This comes at a premium price. Sometimes for home use you may want to consider a standard manual machine for simplicity and longevity.You can normally program up to 4 coffee selections, 2 singles shots and 2 double shots for example. A flow meter is adopted for measuring the amount of water going through the group -head. Cafes and offices Must have this feature. Programming, they offer an additional level of convenience since you can pre-set to automatically stop the shots once they have reached a specific amount of coffee.

Shop Our Best Heat Exchanger Coffee Machines

Lelit Coffee Machines

Lelit Mara X V2

Quick Mill Coffee Machines

Quick Mill Aquila Plus

Profitec Coffee Machines

Profitec Pro 400

Profitec Coffee Machines

Profitec Pro 500 V3

ECM Coffee Machines

ECM Mechanika Slim VI PID

ECM Coffee Machines

ECM Mechanika Slim VI

Orchestrale Coffee Machines

Orchestrale Nota PID

Dual boiler coffee machines represent the pinnacle of home espresso brewing, offering unparalleled control and performance. With two independent boilers—one dedicated to brewing espresso and another for steaming milk—these machines allow for precise temperature stability for both functions simultaneously.

This design eliminates the need for temperature surfing or cooling flushes, ensuring consistent espresso extraction and powerful, dry steam for perfect milk texturing. Dual boilers are ideal for serious home baristas, those who entertain frequently, or anyone who demands the highest level of control and quality from their coffee setup.

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ECM Coffee Machines

ECM Synchronika II

Profitec Coffee Machines

Profitec Drive

Quick Mill Coffee Machines

Quick Mill Essence

Profitec Coffee Machines

Profitec Ride

Profitec Coffee Machines

Profitec Move

Lelit Coffee Machines

Lelit Bianca V3