Beyond Keurig: How to Get Great Coffee at Home

If you’re so over Keurig and want better, fresher coffee at home, here are your options.

This post began brewing in my mind sometime last summer when the coffee machine, a Senseo, that I had been using for almost 20(!) years finally died. For a while I had been anticipating this, and had already begun to think of the gorgeous new stainless steel espresso machine that would replace it. Fresh cappuccinos and steaming foamy milk whenever I wanted? I didn’t want my machine to go, but I would really be ok when it did.

It took me about four months until I decided on a new machine. Most of that time was during the summer, when I was really fine with cold brew. But then the weather grew a little colder and iced coffee in the mornings really wasn’t helping me to get up and go. Picking up a cappuccino at a local coffee shop was also tedious and not feasible at 7:30 a.m. the time I needed coffee the most. 

What kind of coffee machine is best for me?

There are three main categories/methods/machines that we’ve recommended and we’ll help you decide which is the best fit for your needs and tastes.

1. The Pour Over Method

This method is discussed at length in our post on Pour Over Coffee. It’s a great method if you want fresh brewed coffee, but don’t want a bulky machine, don’t want to spend a lot, and don’t want to compromise either. This is the method used by many gourmet coffee shops. Learn more about the pros and cons of Pour Over Coffee here. 

2. The Nespresso

If you want to stick to pods, and you’re just not sure which machine fits your needs, you can read “Which Nespresso Is Right for You?” over here. 

3. The SuperAutomatic

This is the type of machine I’ll be discussing here. When I first began researching coffee/espresso machines, I knew that I wanted to go the espresso route and be able to foam milk. I also knew that Nespresso wasn’t for me. Between the whole family, we’d go through too many pods per day and it would end up being way too costly. I didn’t mind having to buy ground coffee or, even better, fresh beans.

At the time, though, I didn’t really understand the differences between a regular espresso machine, a semi-automatic espresso machine, and a super automatic espresso machine.

I did a lot of research and while there were lots of posts on the “best” espresso machines of each type, I didn’t find that there was info out there that helped me decide which type was best for me. So, I researched, tested, and tasted and here is what I learned:

Standard Espresso Machines. These can range in cost but are often $100-$200 range at the lower end. To make an espresso, you add ground beans to the portafilter, then twist the portafilter into the espresso machine before pressing a button to give the machine the go ahead to run hot water through the grounds and into your cup. Then you take the portafilter out, dump out the grounds, and clean it out before you can make another cup. You might feel all official, but it’s a big huge mess and if you’re making more than one cup a day, it’s a total no-go. It’s a shame because they can look really pretty on the counter.

Semi Automatic Espresso Machines. These also look gorgeous and tempting, but honestly, they’re not easier to manage than a standard Espresso Machine. For a while, I thought that my ultimate machine would be the Breville Barista Semiautomatic. It’s long been considered the king of Semi Automatics. Semi Automatics will grind fresh beans for you, and dump them into your portafilter, but you still need to move that portafilter over before brewing each cup and dump out the grinds each time. It’s great for coffee purists, but I’m moving onto the last option.

Super Automatic Espresso Machines. For years, the BCP team has been familiar with Super Automatics because it’s the type of machine that Renee Muller uses to make us all a cappuccino at BCP meetings. (Although she prefers using this Nespresso frother to froth the milk rather than deal with the wand. She’s right. The only pain of a superautomatic is having to hold the frothing pitcher. Some machines have milk tanks, but that doesn’t work if each member of the family likes a different type of milk.) Although some might be pretty, most Super Automatics do not look as charming as the previous types.

With a Super Automatic, you press a button and the machine grinds fresh beans and shoots a fresh shot of espresso into your cup. Yes, there are things that you need to periodically do, like refill the water tank, refill the bean hopper, or empty the waste (the grinds from a bunch of cups), but that’s to be expected. Super Automatics range in price, and many can be above $1,000. But then there are some hidden gems. The pick I went with and have recommended to others is the Cafe Affetto Automatic Espresso Machine. It’s beautiful, it does it all, and it’s very customizable so you can get the coffee you want at the press of a button–and it’s well-priced compared to other Super Automatics. Retail is over $600 but for the past few months it’s been available on Amazon right around the $300 area. This is the pick!

Which coffee beans should I buy?

Contrary to the misconception, espresso beans are not “darker” or “stronger” than regular coffee beans. “Espresso” just refers to the way they are ground. You can buy any light or medium roasted beans that you like to use in your machine. Darker roasts are not recommended, because dark roasted beans get oily and it’s not good for the machines. So, yes, use whatever coffee beans you love! And, yes, even if you don’t want “cappuccinos,” espresso machines make Americanos, and are very customizable so you can get your freshly ground cup of regular coffee out of most of them too.

Renee has done the work of testing different coffee beans and her pick, which I trust and have been buying as well, is the Lavazza Super Cream Light-Medium Espresso Roast. Sometimes we pick up small batches of beans at local specialty coffee shops, but that’s the main go-to.

I have not been to a coffee shop in the past few months since my machine arrived. I have had absolutely no reason to go when I can make the best coffee right at home. 

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