Best bean-to-cup coffee machine under £300
A bean-to-cup machine grinds fresh beans for every cup at the press of a button. Which? says the bean-to-cup machines it has tested cost £864 on average. You don't have to spend that much, though. Under £300 you can get a well-reviewed machine that makes a proper espresso, americano and (on some models) a one-touch cappuccino.
How we chose: We haven't tested these machines ourselves. This is a researched buying guide. We compared manufacturer specs and Amazon UK listings, and read independent UK testing from The Guardian, Which?, Expert Reviews and others. Then we shortlisted machines that are actually on sale in the UK now. Prices were checked on Amazon UK on 6 October 2026, during Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, so some are temporary deals and will change.
At a glance
| Pick | Machine | Approx. price* | Milk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | De'Longhi Magnifica Start | ~£300 | Automatic carafe |
| Best value steam wand | De'Longhi Magnifica S | ~£255 | Manual wand |
| Best for simple controls | Philips 2200 | ~£250 | Manual frother |
| Best for black coffee | Melitta Purista | ~£299 | None |
| Most features for the money | Beko CaffeExperto | ~£250 | Steam wand |
| Budget grind-and-brew | Morphy Richards Tazza | ~£70 | None (filter) |
*Approximate Amazon UK prices at time of writing (6 Oct 2026). Prices change often, so check the current price before you buy.
1. Best overall
De'Longhi Magnifica Start (ECAM220.60.B)
Around £300 at time of writing (Amazon UK RRP shown as about £400)
The Magnifica Start is the safest choice at this budget. The Guardian named it the best bean-to-cup machine overall in its April 2026 round-up, and its full review in October 2026 concluded that it's “simple to use, sensibly designed and makes good coffee with little faff.”
This ECAM220.60 version has De'Longhi's LatteCrema milk carafe, so you get one-touch cappuccinos, plus espresso, long black coffee and hot water. You can adjust the coffee and milk volumes, which lets you push a cappuccino towards a flat white or a latte. The brew unit pulls out for rinsing, and there's a chute for pre-ground coffee if you want a decaf.
Check the model code carefully. De'Longhi sells several Magnifica Start variants. Models with a 6 in the code (like ECAM220.60) have the automatic milk carafe. Cheaper ones, such as the ECAM220.22, use a manual steam wand instead.
Key specs
- Drinks: espresso, coffee (long black), cappuccino, hot water
- Grinder: 13 settings; bean hopper about 250g
- Water tank: 1.8 litres, removable
- Milk: LatteCrema automatic carafe (220ml, per The Guardian)
- Pump pressure: 15 bar
- Size: about 24 x 44 x 35cm (W x D x H)
- Warranty: two years
2. Best value with a steam wand
De'Longhi Magnifica S (ECAM22.110.B)
Around £255 at time of writing (Amazon UK RRP shown as about £298)
The Magnifica S has been around since 2011, and it's still one of the most popular bean-to-cup machines on Amazon UK. It's a simple, no-screen machine: you get dials and buttons, a built-in grinder and a manual steam wand for frothing milk yourself.
That makes it a good fit if you mostly drink espresso or americanos, or you'd like to learn to steam milk. It can also make two cups at once and accepts pre-ground coffee.
Key specs
- Grinder: 13 settings; bean hopper about 250g
- Water tank: 1.8 litres
- Pump pressure: 15 bar
- Milk: manual frother / steam wand
- Two cups at once; pre-ground coffee option
3. Best for simple controls
Philips Series 2200 (EP2220/10)
Around £250 at time of writing (Philips UK lists it at £329.99)
Philips' entry-level bean-to-cup machine keeps things very simple. A touch display offers two coffee drinks plus hot water, and a classic milk frother lets you steam milk manually. Philips says the brew group is removable and several parts are dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning easier.
It works with Philips' AquaClean water filter, but one isn't included, so budget a bit extra if you live in a hard-water area.
Key specs
- Drinks: 2 coffee drinks plus hot water
- Grinder: 12 settings; bean hopper 275g
- Water tank: 1.8 litres
- Pump pressure: 15 bar
- Milk: classic milk frother (manual)
- Removable brew group; dishwasher-safe parts
4. Best for black coffee
Melitta Purista (F230-101)
Around £299 at time of writing
If you never take milk, why pay for a milk system? The Purista only makes black coffee: espresso, coffee and lungo-style drinks from 25ml up to 220ml. It's also unusually slim at around 20cm wide, so it fits into tight kitchens. Melitta's Companion app lets you tweak drinks from your phone.
The trade-offs are capacity: the water tank is 1.2 litres, and the bean container is small. Listings disagree on its exact size (we've seen both 125g and 200g).
Key specs
- Black coffee only (no milk frother)
- Drink volume: 25–220ml; two cups at once
- Water tank: 1.2 litres
- Width: about 20cm
- Power: 1,400W
- Warranty: two years
5. Most features for the money
Beko CaffeExperto (CEG7302B)
Around £250 at time of writing (Amazon UK RRP shown as about £450)
On paper, Beko packs a lot in for the price. There's a colour touchscreen with five presets (americano, single and double espresso, ristretto and lungo), a dual spout, a steam wand, a cup warmer and a large 2-litre water tank.
We found far less independent UK review coverage for this machine than for the De'Longhi and Philips models, so it's a less proven choice. Treat the big “RRP” discount with caution too, because it's the price you pay that matters.
Key specs
- Presets: americano, espresso (single/double), ristretto, lungo
- Milk: steam wand
- Water tank: 2 litres
- Pump pressure: 19 bar
- Cup warmer; colour touchscreen
- Size: about 27.5 x 40.5 x 34cm (W x D x H)
6. Budget grind-and-brew alternative
Morphy Richards Tazza Pour & Go (162105)
Around £70 at time of writing (Amazon UK RRP shown as about £100)
This isn't an espresso machine, so it won't make crema or cappuccinos. If what you really want is freshly ground black coffee in a travel mug, though, it's a fraction of the price. It grinds beans and brews a single cup of filter coffee straight into the included travel mug.
It's a good fit for commuters and single-person households who drink filter coffee.
Key specs
- Type: single-serve grind-and-brew filter coffee (not espresso)
- Grinder: 35g capacity, fine/coarse settings, or use pre-ground
- Water tank: 550ml
- Travel mug included
- Power: 900W
Worth stretching to?
If your budget can creep just over £300, two machines were close when we checked prices. The Philips 3300 LatteGo (around £330 at time of writing) adds an automatic LatteGo milk system. The Bosch Series 4 VeroCafe was around £337. We'd also look at our De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Next review if you want more drinks and a colour screen.
How to choose a bean-to-cup machine
- Milk system: an automatic carafe means one-touch milk drinks, but it needs cleaning after every use. A steam wand is cheaper and more flexible, but you do the work. Black-coffee-only machines skip milk altogether.
- Model codes matter: brands sell near-identical machines under different codes. The main difference is often the milk system, so check the exact code before you buy.
- Cleaning: a removable brew unit (as on the De'Longhi and Philips models here) is easy to rinse. Plan to descale regularly, especially in hard-water areas.
- Size and refills: check the height under your cupboards and the water tank size. A 1.2-litre tank needs topping up far more often than a 2-litre one.
- Long coffees: The Guardian found the default “coffee” button on many bean-to-cup machines tastes bitter. Its tip is to make an espresso and top it up with hot water for an americano.
FAQs
Is a £300 bean-to-cup machine actually any good?
For everyday espresso, americano and cappuccino, usually yes. The Guardian's coffee tester Sasha Muller put it this way in October 2026: “the differences in coffee quality between a really good £400 model and a £1,000 rival aren't that pronounced.” Spending more mostly buys you more drink options, bigger milk carafes and more adjustment.
Should I get an automatic milk carafe or a steam wand?
If you want one-touch cappuccinos, pick a machine with an automatic carafe, like the Magnifica Start ECAM220.60. A manual steam wand (Magnifica S, Philips 2200, Beko) is cheaper and gives you more control. It takes practice, though, and you'll be steaming every drink yourself.
How much do coffee beans cost to run one of these?
It depends on your beans. As a rough guide, Sage's espresso machine manual suggests 8–11g of coffee for a single shot, so a 1kg bag makes roughly 90–125 single shots. Bean-to-cup machines grind fresh each time, so you can buy any whole beans you like.
Is bean-to-cup cheaper than a pod machine?
Usually, over time. Which? puts most pod drinks at roughly 20p to over 60p each, and Vertuo pods start at around 77p. Whole beans often work out cheaper per cup, but the machine costs more up front. See our pod machine guide for the numbers.
Do I need to use a water filter?
It's not compulsory, but in hard-water areas a filter cuts down how often you need to descale. The Guardian found De'Longhi's filters last about two months with normal use and cost about £15 at full price, or around £7 if you shop around. The Philips 2200 works with Philips' AquaClean filter, which you buy separately.
Sources
- The Guardian: The nine best bean-to-cup coffee machines (April 2026)
- The Guardian: De'Longhi Magnifica Start review (October 2026)
- Which?: Best coffee machines 2026
- Philips UK: Series 2200 EP2220/10 specifications
- Amazon UK product listings for each machine (specs and prices, checked 6 October 2026)