Stiftung Warentest: The cheapest coffee machine is as good as the most expensive - why it can still be worth spending more money

The range of fully automatic coffee machines is large, but the price differences are also large.

Stiftung Warentest: The cheapest coffee machine is as good as the most expensive - why it can still be worth spending more money

The range of fully automatic coffee machines is large, but the price differences are also large. While some are already available for a few hundred euros, thousands have to be shelled out for others. But is the more expensive purchase worth it? Stiftung Warentest tested eleven fully automatic coffee machines and wondered: What can an expensive device do that a cheap one can't?

According to the product test, all fully automatic coffee machines in the test are "good", despite the considerable price difference. The duo, which shared third place in the test, makes this clearest. The most expensive device (Jura Z10, approx. 2130 euros) and the cheapest (Philips EP2231/40, approx. 345 euros) separate a paltry 1785 euros. In terms of quality, one machine is in no way inferior to the other according to the product test, both with a grade of 2.1. But there is a catch.

Anyone who chooses the award winner from Philips chooses a savings program in the truest sense of the word. The drinks menu includes only four variants. That's fine for anyone who just wants hot water, plain coffee, cappuccino, and espresso. Most other machines can do much more in this regard, namely up to 24 drinks - including the device from Jura and the test winner from De'Longhi.

If you want more than the basics, you have to dig deeper into your pockets, but you can then set and save the coffee strength, degree of grinding, temperature and quantity according to your personal preferences. The Philips device does not save the individual settings, but neither does the Jura machine. But the test winner: Eletta Explore by De'Longhi (grade 1.7). The fully automatic coffee machine costs around 910 euros.

So which device is the right one is more a question of taste than price. If a few drinks of decent quality are enough, the Philips machine will do a good job. However, those who want to draw from the full and "appreciate a large selection of drinks and like chic controls such as a touchscreen or app" will be more happy with a more expensive device.

You can find the complete test for a fee at test.de

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