Takeout coffee is getting ever more expensive, and that's not likely to change any time soon. The cost of beans has continued to rise throughout 2025 due to tough growing conditions and political pressures, and earlier this week the founder and managing director of coffee chain Caffe Nero told The Telegraph (paywall) that you shouldn't expect the price of your regular order to go down, even if the cost of the ingredients does.
Making your own coffee at home is a much more cost-effective option, and it doesn't have to involve a big initial investment either. If you want to keep things super simple then you could use a moka pot to prepare a short, strong drink, or a V60 brewer for a cup of filter coffee, but if you want to make multiple cups a day then an electric machine might be a better choice.
Espresso maker
De'Longhi Dedica Duo
De'Longhi has released some truly excellent coffee makers this year (in fact, it earned the prize for Home Brand of the Year in the TechRadar Choice Awards), and the Dedica Duo is a prime example. It's a compact manual espresso machine with a very reasonable price tag that far outstrips others in the same price bracket.
Most budget-friendly espresso machines I've tested are pretty poor quality, and are unable to maintain the constant temperature and pressure necessary to make reliably good espresso. After testing a few similarly priced machines from a lesser brand, I was questioning my ability to even make a basic latte... until the Dedica Duo restored my faith in my own abilities.
It's a truly excellent little espresso machine, and once you've worked out the correct grind size for your coffee, you can trust it to deliver delicious results time after time. Its steam wand is particularly good as well, and despite the Duo's small boiler, it sustains plenty of pressure for you to create perfect microfoam for cappuccinos and lattes.
There's even a cold extraction mode for those occasions when you're craving an iced coffee and don't want to wait 24 hours for it to infuse in the fridge. Some espresso machines I've tested recently ask you to prepare a cup of ice and then dump a shot of hot coffee over the top, but the Duo actually uses cold water direct from the tank, pulsing it slowly through your ground coffee over the course of two minutes to produce a mellow drink with a smoother flavor than espresso brewed hot.
If the Dedica Duo is still beyond your budget, take a look at its predecessor, the De'Longhi Dedica Style. It doesn't have the Duo's cold brew mode and the design is slightly less convenient (we found it hard to fit two espresso cups on its small drip tray) but you can often pick it up for a third-off sticker price.
Read our full De'Longhi Dedica Duo review
Drip coffee maker
Smeg Drip Filter Coffee Machine
It might seem strange to suggest a coffee maker from a premium brand like Smeg as a budget option, but the compact Smeg Drip Filter Coffee Machine is often steeply discounted (at the time of writing it's available for just £149 in the UK, for example) and is great value considering its excellent design, built quality, and feature set.
It was a reliable performer during our tests and made it easy to prepare enough coffee to fill five standard-sized mugs. It has a timer too – so you can set it to start the moment you wake – and a hotplate to keep your fresh brew warm for up to 40 minutes. When not in use, the display serves as a handy clock.
Both the reusable filter and basket are dishwasher-safe. You'll need to wash the glass carafe by hand, but that's easy to do thanks to its wide neck. You can use conical paper filters if you prefer.
The Smeg Drip Filter Coffee Machine looks great too, and comes in a kaleidoscope of colors so you can find one to suit your kitchen (or just opt for timeless stainless steel, as we did). The only slight downside was that the front control panel had a tendency to steam up somewhat during use, but give it a quick wipe with a towel and you're golden.
Drip brewers are always more affordable than espresso machines due to their simpler design and lack of a pressurized boiler and pump, so take a look at my full roundup of the best drip coffee makers for more options that will be kind to your wallet.
Read our full Smeg Drip Filter Coffee Machine review
Capsule coffee maker
Philips L'OR Barista Sublime
Capsule coffee makers are often affordable at first, but the cost of the pods can add up over time. For example the Nespresso Vertuo Pop is a great little machine but it only accepts relatively pricey Nespresso Vertuo capsules. The Philips L'OR Barista Sublime, on the other hand, accepts both L'OR Barista XXL and Nespresso Original style pods. Nestlé no longer owns the patent on the Original pod design, so you can find them cheaply from a huge range of coffee producers of all sizes, from big brands to independent roasters.
There are three brewing strengths to choose from, which is another advantage over most Nespresso Vertuo machines, where almost all settings are determined by the pod you're using. The Barista Sublime has a double spout and a drip tray large enough to accommodate two cups, and during testing we thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with different roasts and blends from the generous taster box of capsules included in the box.
The boiler heats quickly, and your shot of espresso is dispensed with a nice, thick layer of crema on top. It's worth noting that there's no steam wand, so if you usually rely on a barista to make you a latte or cappuccino, you'll also need to pick up a standalone frother like the Nespresso Aeroccino, Smeg Mini Milk Frother, or Dreo Baristamaker.
For more capsule coffee makers, including two-in-one options that also include a drip brewer, take a look at my full guide to the best Nespresso machines.
Read our full Philips L'OR Barista Sublime review
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➡️ Read our full guide to the best coffee makers
1. Best espresso:
Breville Barista Touch Impress
2. Best drip:
Breville Luxe Brewer Thermal
3. Best all-in-one:
Ninja Luxe Café
4. Best Nespresso:
Krups Nespresso Pixie
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