By: The Caffeinated Gear Team
Searching for the perfect coffee machine at John Lewis? You’re in exactly the right place. Our team of certified baristas and coffee experts has spent countless hours testing and comparing their entire range to help you make the best choice for your home brewing journey.
Here’s something we’ve discovered after years of testing coffee equipment: choosing the right coffee machine isn’t just about buying any appliance—it’s about finding your perfect morning companion.
When you invest in a quality coffee machine, you’re not just buying convenience—you’re opening the door to café-quality drinks in your own kitchen. But the benefits go beyond just great coffee.
Let’s talk numbers for a moment. Many of our readers tell us they’re spending anywhere from £3 to £10 daily on takeaway coffee. We’ve crunched the numbers, and the savings are remarkable. Even at a modest £3 per weekday coffee habit, you’re looking at nearly £700 annually. Bump that up to £5 daily, and you’re approaching £1,100 per year. For those treating themselves to specialty drinks at £7.50 daily, the yearly spend hits a staggering £1,700.
We’ve done precise calculations using premium ingredients: freshly roasted beans at £25 per kilo, professional-grade oat milk for lattes and cappuccinos, and current electricity rates. Even with these quality ingredients, most coffee machines pay for themselves within 18 months. After that, you could save upwards of £2,000 over the next five years.
For our comprehensive guide to all coffee machines across retailers, see:
Through our years of testing and reviewing coffee equipment, we’ve found John Lewis stands out for several compelling reasons. Their customer service isn’t just good—it’s exceptional. Many of our readers specifically request John Lewis recommendations because they’ve experienced this stellar service firsthand.
What really sets them apart is their comprehensive protection offerings. Every electrical appliance comes with a two-year guarantee against breakdowns. Plus, for just £25, you can add two years of accidental damage protection—something we consider invaluable for kitchen appliances that see daily use.
Our approach to coffee machine recommendations is anything but generic. We understand that everyone’s coffee journey is unique, and we’re here to match you with your ideal brewing companion.
First, let’s identify which brewing method suits your needs.
Most home coffee machines fall into three main categories:
If you’re dreaming of crafting lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites, and Americanos at home, you’ll need an espresso machine. This could be a traditional machine, a bean-to-cup model, or one of Sage’s innovative hybrids that combine convenience with barista-level quality.
For classic drip coffee enthusiasts, a filter machine is your best bet. And if ultimate convenience is your priority, pod machines offer a quick and easy solution.
John Lewis’s selection focuses primarily on semi-automatic espresso and bean-to-cup machines, reflecting their customers’ preferences for café-style drinks at home. If you’re specifically interested in other types, check out our detailed guides:
When we talk about semi-automatic espresso machines, we’re referring to pump-driven models rather than manual lever machines. While manual machines like the La Pavoni Europiccola use a lever-operated piston, semi-automatic machines employ an electric pump for consistent pressure.
Our testing has shown that machines like the Sage Bambino Plus offer exceptional potential for espresso quality. However, we should note the word potential here. These machines typically come with two types of baskets: standard and pressurised (dual-walled). For the best results, you’ll want to use freshly ground coffee with the standard baskets, though this requires developing some barista skills.
We often find that bean-to-cup espresso quality matches what you’d get from pressurised baskets. Both offer reliable, consistent results perfect for everyday coffee drinkers. Just remember—while semi-automatic machines can produce superior espresso with standard baskets and proper technique, using pressurised baskets will likely yield similar results to bean-to-cup machines.
For guidance on grinding your own beans, see our comprehensive guide:
After extensive testing of entry-level espresso machines, we’ve found the DeLonghi Dedica Arte stands out brilliantly in the sub-£300 category.
What sets this model apart is its professional-grade steam wand—a first for the Dedica line.
This exclusive version, currently the only Dedica model at John Lewis, brings barista-quality milk texturing to the home kitchen.
While it may not compete with high-end machines, our testing confirms it’s a standout performer in its price bracket.
As coffee professionals, we should note this machine uses a pressurised basket system with a pressure valve limit between 13.5-14.5 bars.
For coffee enthusiasts looking to advance their brewing journey, we’re pleased to report that aftermarket portafilters are available.
We recommend pairing these with a puck screen to protect against the higher pressure levels typical of these machines.
During our hands-on testing, we discovered the Smeg ECF02 shares remarkable similarities with the DeLonghi Dedica Arte.
This machine particularly shines for those seeking to maintain a consistent aesthetic with their existing Smeg appliances.
Our detailed comparison revealed identical performance characteristics to the Dedica, with two notable differences: a larger water reservoir and the inclusion of a standard steam wand rather than the professional version.
While the premium pricing reflects the iconic Smeg design, we found no significant performance advantages over the Dedica Arte.
Choose this machine if aesthetic coordination matters to you, but understand you’re investing in design rather than enhanced functionality.
Our extensive testing has convinced us: if you’re shopping in the £300 range, stretch your budget slightly for the Sage Bambino.
This compact marvel packs professional features into a stylish, space-saving design available in multiple colours.
We particularly value its versatile basket options, including both pressurised and standard versions, and its properly calibrated 9-bar pressure valve—a significant advantage over budget competitors.
The 3-second heat-up time is impressive, though we recommend a quick flush through the portafilter first to prevent heat loss during extraction.
Compared to the pricier Bambino Plus, we found some compelling advantages: a more practical drip tray design and a dedicated hot water button for Americanos and long blacks.
Based on our market analysis, it’s no surprise the Bambino Plus dominates UK semi-automatic espresso machine sales.
All of the Sage machines share a commitment to speciality coffee excellence, balancing user-friendly features with professional-grade performance.
Our technical evaluation highlights three crucial features: precise low-pressure pre-infusion, optimal extraction temperature, and PID temperature control.
The PID system maintains consistent brewing temperatures while managing rapid transitions between brewing and steaming—essential for quality espresso.
The automatic milk steaming system particularly impressed our barista team.
With adjustable temperature and texture controls linked to a precise drip tray sensor, it consistently produces café-quality microfoam.
Initial skepticism about automated milk texturing quickly dissolved after witnessing its remarkable consistency and professional results.
Sometimes the most brilliant machines aren’t the ones making the loudest noise in the market.
After extensive testing in our coffee lab, we’ve discovered that the Sage Duo Temp Pro is quite possibly the most underappreciated espresso machine in Sage’s impressive lineup.
What makes this discovery particularly interesting is the steady stream of messages we’ve received from our community praising this machine’s reliability and performance.
The Duo Temp Pro stands out as Sage’s answer to coffee enthusiasts who appreciate a more traditional approach to espresso making.
If you’re drawn to Sage’s reputation for kitchen-friendly design and speciality coffee capabilities, but prefer a more hands-on experience with fewer electronic components, this machine deserves your attention.
Throughout our testing period, we found ourselves increasingly impressed with this machine’s thoughtful design.
The manual shot control is a standout feature that we particularly appreciate.
While automated buttons can be convenient, we’ve found they often mislead beginners who assume factory settings will produce perfect shots – a common misconception in home espresso making.
The straightforward operation is refreshingly simple: power on, turn left for espresso, right for steam or hot water (toggled via the selector button).
No complicated menus or confusing presets – just pure coffee-making essentials.
The practical features really shine through in daily use.
The generous 500ml drip tray with its clever storage compartment (a feature shared with the Barista range) proves incredibly useful.
We’re also quite fond of the quick-release water tank mechanism – it’s a small but brilliant design touch that makes refilling and cleaning remarkably straightforward.
When we consider the specifications that matter – low-pressure pre-infusion, precise 9-bar pressure, and stable 93°C brew temperature – alongside the machine’s serviceable design with readily available standard components, the Duo Temp Pro represents outstanding value.
Its accessibility and performance at this price point make it a compelling choice for both beginners and experienced home baristas.
Looking for the perfect all-in-one espresso setup? After months of testing various machines in our coffee lab, we’ve discovered that semi-automatic espresso machines with built-in grinders offer a brilliant balance of convenience and control.
While standalone espresso machines are fantastic, they require a separate grinder for the freshest coffee possible. Yes, you can use pre-ground coffee, but our taste tests consistently show that freshly ground beans make a remarkable difference in your cup quality.
Here’s where integrated grinder machines come into their own. But don’t mistake these for bean-to-cup machines! The key difference? These machines feature a proper portafilter instead of an internal brewing unit, giving you authentic barista-style control over your coffee making.
When it comes to pioneering integrated grinder espresso machines, the Barista Express stands in a class of its own. There’s good reason this machine has dominated the UK market for years – it brilliantly combines everything a budding home barista needs in one sleek package.
Before the Barista Express arrived on the scene, crafting quality espresso at home meant investing in separate machines. Not only did this take up precious counter space, but it often came with a heftier price tag. Sage’s ingenious solution? Pack professional-grade grinding and brewing capabilities into one compact unit.
While we’re massive fans of this machine, we should mention one common misunderstanding. Some retailers market this as a bean-to-cup machine, claiming superior cup quality. This has led to confusion, particularly for those transitioning from fully automatic machines. The Barista Express requires hands-on involvement – it simply combines a grinder and espresso maker rather than automating the process.
For coffee enthusiasts ready to develop their barista skills, this machine offers an ideal starting point. However, if you’re seeking more automated features, consider the newer Barista Express Impress (which we’ll discuss later), as it handles much of the technical work for you.
After months of hands-on testing in our coffee lab, we’ve discovered some fascinating differences between two popular home espresso machines. Our team of certified baristas put these machines through their paces, and the results might surprise you.
The DeLonghi La Specialist Arte enters the home barista market as a direct competitor to the Sage Barista Express. While some might assume Sage borrowed from DeLonghi’s design book, the timeline tells a different story—the Barista Express actually preceded the first La Specialista by nearly a decade.
We’ve noticed how Sage showed remarkable foresight when they introduced their machines to the UK market. They specifically targeted the speciality coffee segment well before it gained significant traction. DeLonghi, being a larger corporation, has only recently started courting this growing yet still niche market.
The La Specialist Arte certainly looks impressive at first glance. The professional-style steam wand, prominent pressure gauge, and coordinated accessories (portafilter, dosing ring, tamper, and portafilter holder) create a striking visual package that speaks to serious coffee enthusiasts.
However, our excitement quickly faded when we examined the grinder’s capabilities. With just 8 grind settings, it falls seriously short for proper espresso brewing. Even the Barista Express’s 18 settings feel somewhat limiting, but DeLonghi’s decision to provide fewer adjustment options than their bean-to-cup machines seems particularly puzzling.
The grind adjustment mechanism itself proved frustrating during our testing. We noticed considerable play between clicks, making precise adjustments unnecessarily challenging. For home baristas focused on dial-in precision—adjusting parameters to achieve optimal extraction—this limitation poses a significant problem.
The inability to remove the burrs for cleaning adds another layer of inconvenience. But honestly, these secondary issues pale in comparison to the restricted grind settings. For serious home baristas, this limitation alone makes the machine difficult to recommend.
The Barista Pro shares many features with its predecessor, the Barista Express, but introduces several notable improvements. The most significant upgrade is Sage’s innovative thermojet heating system, replacing the original thermocoil. This advancement brings practical benefits: the machine reaches brewing temperature in just 3 seconds (compared to 30 seconds), delivers more powerful steam, and transitions between brewing and steaming temperatures more efficiently.
We particularly appreciate the Pro’s LCD display with integrated shot timer—a feature absent from the Express model. While it doesn’t include the Express’s pressure gauge, it compensates with increased grinding precision, offering 30 distinct settings versus the Express’s 18. The Pro also maintains a consistent 9-bar brewing pressure through its overpressure valve.
Speaking of pressure, the Express’s higher overpressure valve setting makes sense given its market position. Many buyers, sometimes misled by retailer categorisation as a bean-to-cup machine, tend to rely on the included pressurised baskets. These baskets typically perform better with higher pressure settings.
For those weighing up between these two models, here are the key differences we’ve identified through extensive testing:
After months of rigorous testing, our team of certified baristas has discovered something remarkable about the Barista Express Impress. While its predecessor often left users wanting more automation, this new model genuinely delivers the intelligent assistance many coffee enthusiasts have been craving.
The breakthrough lies in its innovative grinding chamber sensor. This clever bit of engineering precisely measures coffee doses, ensuring perfect headspace in the portafilter basket every time. This consistent headspace is crucial for building optimal pressure during extraction – a detail that can make or break your espresso.
The machine’s intuitive guidance system really impressed us during testing. It clearly indicates when to add more grounds or use the razor tool for trimming excess coffee. Better still, it remembers your perfect dose settings, only prompting for adjustments when you switch beans or alter the grind size.
We were particularly struck by the smart tamping mechanism. The lever requires just a gentle touch to deliver a precise 10kg of pressure every time. This consistency in both dosing and tamping removes two major variables that often frustrate home baristas.
What we really appreciate about this machine is its flexibility. You can let it guide you through the entire process, or create your own custom workflow. For instance, we found excellent results using a hybrid approach: letting the machine handle dosing, then performing our own WDT distribution before the final tamp.
As Sage coffee machines go, this one stands out as a fantastic middle ground. It’s perfect for households where one person wants to dive deep into espresso craft while their partner prefers a more automated approach.
Through our extensive testing of John Lewis’s coffee machine range, we’ve consistently found Sage to be the standout brand, particularly in the semi-automatic espresso machine category with integrated grinders. No other manufacturer in their lineup currently matches Sage’s combination of innovation and reliability.
The Barista Touch represents a brilliant fusion of technologies. It essentially combines the Barista Pro’s core capabilities with the Oracle Touch’s automated steam wand and intuitive touch screen interface. This creates a compelling option for those seeking Oracle Touch features at a more accessible price point.
However, we feel it’s important to be crystal clear about what this machine does and doesn’t automate. While the milk steaming system is truly outstanding – matching the Oracle Touch’s exceptional performance for texture and temperature control – the espresso-making process still requires user input. The machine guides you through dosing and tamping rather than automating these steps completely.
This partial automation isn’t necessarily a drawback, but it’s crucial to understand what you’re getting. The touch screen interface is beautiful and the automatic milk texturing is superb, but you’ll still need to develop your barista skills for the perfect espresso shot.
After months of testing and hundreds of shots pulled, we can confidently say the Sage Oracle sits at the sweet spot between professional-grade espresso and user-friendly automation. While its sibling, the Oracle Touch, might claim the automation crown, the Oracle delivers exceptional coffee with minimal fuss.
At its heart beats the same powerhouse found in the Sage Dual Boiler – a machine that we’ve consistently ranked among the finest home espresso machines available. This isn’t just marketing speak; it’s backed by our extensive testing and daily use.
What sets this machine apart is its brilliant balance of automation and control. Your main task? Simply adjusting the grind size for optimal extraction. Sure, dialling in requires some attention, but that’s precisely why this machine shines in households with mixed coffee preferences. One person can perfect the settings while others enjoy consistently brilliant coffee at the touch of a button.
Want barista-quality coffee without the learning curve? The Oracle Touch might be your perfect match. The interface couldn’t be simpler – swipe, select, and follow the clear on-screen prompts. Move the portafilter, position your milk jug, and you’re sorted.
Surprisingly, we’ve found this machine more straightforward to use than many one-touch bean-to-cup alternatives. The cleaning routine is particularly impressive – while other machines require complex milk system maintenance, the Oracle Touch’s steam wand automatically purges after each use. A quick wipe, and you’re done.
Could it be better? Perhaps. An intelligent grind-sensing system that provides adjustment guidance would be brilliant. Auto-purging between grind adjustments would also be welcome. But let’s be realistic – right now, this is as close to perfection as home espresso gets.
Yes, it carries a premium price tag, but our technical knowledge tells us why. You’re getting a proper dual boiler machine (the Sage Dual Boiler) packed with professional-grade components. The cost reflects its capabilities.
Want to explore more options? Check out our comprehensive guide to:
Let’s talk about bean-to-cup coffee machines – the all-in-one solution for fresh coffee at home. You might know them as automatic coffee machines or one-touch cappuccino makers. They’re similar to what you’d find in a Wetherspoons, just more compact and designed for home use.
What makes these different from semi-automatic machines with built-in grinders? It’s all about the brewing unit. Instead of a portafilter, these machines handle everything internally – from grinding and tamping to brewing and disposing of the used coffee puck in a dedicated drawer.
Our testing reveals three main categories:
While those premium models might seem most appealing, we’ve found they sometimes compromise on milk temperature control and texture customisation. If you’re particular about your milk-based drinks, a machine with a manual steam wand might actually serve you better.
De’Longhi’s latest entry in the bean-to-cup market offers impressive value. Despite its mid-range price point, it delivers premium features like a colour screen and one-touch operation – qualities typically found in pricier models.
The machine prepares six distinct coffee drinks: espresso, lungo, coffee (extended lungo), cappuccino, latte, and latte macchiato. De’Longhi counts hot water as the seventh option, which we find a bit cheeky.
A standout feature is the no-waste milk carafe – it uses precisely the amount of milk you add for each drink. While other machines opt for larger carafes, we appreciate this single-serve approach. Fresh milk always tastes better than milk that’s been sitting in a carafe.
Our research indicates some reliability concerns, with users reporting pump failures, grinder issues, and occasional leaks. However, John Lewis’s stellar customer service provides peace of mind – they’re known for handling any problems promptly and efficiently.
Our testing team has spent considerable time with this entry-level Siemens model, and we’re genuinely impressed by its performance-to-price ratio.
Through our hands-on experience and feedback from long-term users, we’ve found this machine delivers consistently good results without unnecessary complexity.
While this is certainly Siemens’ more straightforward offering – you won’t find their sophisticated smartphone integration here – it excels at producing classic coffee favourites like espresso, Americano, cappuccino and latte.
We should mention a small caveat about the ‘one-touch’ milk drinks.
The process requires you to position the steam wand (the silver cylindrical component in the centre) and add milk to your cup manually.
Important note: Because of this workflow, all milk-based drinks are prepared milk-first, followed by the coffee.
This means your cappuccinos and lattes are technically closer to their ‘macchiato’ variants, with the milk base topped with espresso.
This model catches attention as one of the few bean-to-cup machines advertising flat white capability.
We should be frank here – while it makes lovely milk-based drinks, achieving that perfectly silky, velvety flat white texture is something we’ve found challenging with automated systems.
Nevertheless, this machine offers excellent value with its range of drinks, including cappuccino and latte macchiato.
The sleek touchscreen interface makes adjusting volume and coffee strength straightforward.
One feature we particularly appreciate about Siemens machines, including this model, is their genuine double shot capability.
Unlike some competitors, when Siemens says ‘double shot’, they mean exactly that – twice the coffee grounds producing twice the espresso volume.
This differs from some other manufacturers who simply increase the water volume with only slightly more coffee grounds.
Neither approach is inherently wrong – using less coffee can help save on beans – but we believe in transparency about what you’re getting.
Moving up the Siemens range, we find the EQ700 – a more sophisticated machine featuring a bright TFT touchscreen and robust HomeConnect app integration.
The cappuccinatore milk system offers wonderful convenience – simply pop the pipe into your preferred milk (whether dairy, oat, or soy) and let the machine work its magic.
What sets this model apart is its smart connectivity.
The companion app unlocks an impressive “coffeeworld” menu featuring around 30 drink options, including some interesting choices like espresso macchiato and wiener melange.
While the app allows remote coffee ordering, we should address this feature honestly.
Since you’ll need to physically turn on the machine, place a clean cup, and ensure fresh milk is connected, the remote brewing function feels more novel than practical.
We’re still waiting for the truly smart coffee machine that can handle these preparatory steps autonomously!
And with that insight, we conclude our comprehensive review of John Lewis’s finest coffee machines.
Our team of coffee experts continuously monitors and updates this guide with the finest coffee machine deals from trusted retailers like John Lewis, Amazon, and other reputable vendors. We initially created this resource during Black Friday, but its popularity led us to maintain it as a year-round guide to help you find exceptional value on quality coffee equipment.
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