Quick answer
- Best budget: De'Longhi Magnifica S (£349.99 at De'Longhi). The cheapest machine here that grinds and brews automatically, with a simple manual frother.
- Best value for milky drinks: Philips 5400 Series LatteGo (£399.99 at Philips). 12 drinks and easy-clean automatic milk at £399.99 on Philips' UK site when we checked.
- Best for switching beans: De'Longhi Rivelia (From £592). Two swappable hoppers and 16 one-touch drinks in a 24.5 cm-wide body.
- Quietest: Philips 3300 Series LatteGo (£569.99 at Philips). SilentBrew and Quiet Mark certification, plus a dedicated iced-coffee setting.
- Simple one-touch lattes: De'Longhi Magnifica Evo (LatteCrema) (£529.99 at De'Longhi). Automatic LatteCrema milk and five clear one-touch drinks.
Side-by-side comparison
| Spec | De'Longhi Magnifica S | Philips 5400 Series LatteGo | De'Longhi Rivelia | Philips 3300 Series LatteGo | De'Longhi Magnifica Evo (LatteCrema) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Bean-to-cup | Bean-to-cup | Bean-to-cup | Bean-to-cup | Bean-to-cup |
| Price* | £349.99 at De'Longhi | £399.99 at Philips | From £592 | £569.99 at Philips | £529.99 at De'Longhi |
| Built-in grinder | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Grind settings | 13 | 12 (ceramic) | Adjustable | 12 (ceramic) | Adjustable |
| Milk | Manual frother | Automatic LatteGo (tubeless, 2 parts) | Automatic LatteCrema Hot | Automatic LatteGo | Automatic LatteCrema Hot carafe |
| Tamping | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Heating / brewing | 15 bar pump | 15 bar pump | 19 bar pump | SilentBrew (quieter operation) | 15 bar pump |
| Drinks | Espresso, lungo, two cups at once; hot water and steam | 12 hot and iced drinks | 16 one-touch drinks | 6 drinks, including iced coffee | 5 one-touch: espresso, coffee, cappuccino, MyLatte, hot water |
| Size (W × D × H) | 23 × 34 × 43 cm | Check retailer listing | 24.5 × 43 × 38.5 cm | Check retailer listing | Check retailer listing |
| Buy | Check price | Check price | Check price | Check price | Check price |
*Prices checked 27 September 2026. "At [brand]" is the brand's own UK price; RRP and "from" prices come from UK retailers and price comparison sites. Prices change often, so check before you buy. Specs are from manufacturers' official pages.
Best budget De'Longhi Magnifica S
The cheapest machine here that grinds and brews automatically, with a simple manual frother. A long-running, no-frills bean-to-cup machine: grinds, doses and brews at the press of a button, with a manual milk frother.
Choose it for
- Grinds, tamps and brews automatically
- Twin-shot: two coffees at once
- 1.8 litre water tank
Think twice if
- You want automatic milk drinks (see the Magnifica Evo or Philips 5400).
£349.99 at De'Longhi · Price on De'Longhi's UK website, checked 27 September 2026. Prices change often.
Best value for milky drinks Philips 5400 Series LatteGo
12 drinks and easy-clean automatic milk at £399.99 on Philips' UK site when we checked. A feature-packed bean-to-cup machine with 12 drinks and Philips' easy-clean LatteGo milk system.
Choose it for
- 12 hot and iced drinks
- LatteGo milk system: two parts, no tubes
- Ceramic grinder with 12 settings
Think twice if
- You want to control the shot yourself like a barista.
£399.99 at Philips · Price on Philips's UK website, checked 27 September 2026. Reduced from £619.99 (Philips' suggested retail price). Prices change often.
Best for switching beans De'Longhi Rivelia
Two swappable hoppers and 16 one-touch drinks in a 24.5 cm-wide body. A compact bean-to-cup machine with two swappable bean hoppers, so you can switch between, say, decaf and regular in seconds.
Choose it for
- Bean Switch: two interchangeable 250 g hoppers
- Bean Adapt saves grind, dose and temperature per bean
- 16 one-touch drinks on a 3.5" colour touchscreen
Think twice if
- You only ever use one type of bean and want the lowest price.
From £592 · Lowest price seen on a UK price comparison site, checked 27 September 2026. Prices change often.
Quietest Philips 3300 Series LatteGo
SilentBrew and Quiet Mark certification, plus a dedicated iced-coffee setting. A quieter bean-to-cup machine (SilentBrew, Quiet Mark certified) with a dedicated iced-coffee setting.
Choose it for
- SilentBrew: Philips says 40% quieter than earlier models
- Dedicated iced coffee setting
- LatteGo automatic milk
Think twice if
- You want the widest drink menu: at the prices we recorded, the 5400 offers more for less.
£569.99 at Philips · Price on Philips's UK website, checked 27 September 2026. Prices change often.
Simple one-touch lattes De'Longhi Magnifica Evo (LatteCrema)
Automatic LatteCrema milk and five clear one-touch drinks. A push-button bean-to-cup machine with an automatic milk carafe for one-touch cappuccinos and lattes.
Choose it for
- LatteCrema Hot automatic milk carafe (dishwasher safe)
- MyLatte function for zero milk waste
- 5 one-touch drinks
Think twice if
- You want lots of drink options (the Philips 5400 and Rivelia offer more).
£529.99 at De'Longhi · Price on De'Longhi's UK website, checked 27 September 2026. Prices change often.
How we chose
We shortlisted popular machines sold by major UK retailers, then compared them on the specs that most affect daily use: whether there's a built-in grinder, how milk is made, how much the machine automates, size, and UK price. Each "best for" label reflects a specific need, not an overall score.
Want to filter by your own budget and needs? Try the coffee machine finder.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cheap bean-to-cup coffee machine?
Of the machines we compare, the De'Longhi Magnifica S is the lowest-priced bean-to-cup model (£349.99 on De'Longhi's UK site when we checked, and listed for less elsewhere). It has a manual milk frother rather than automatic milk.
Which bean-to-cup machine is easiest to clean?
Philips' LatteGo machines use a two-part milk system with no tubes, which Philips says can be cleaned in seconds. De'Longhi's LatteCrema carafes are dishwasher safe.
Are bean-to-cup machines worth it?
If you want coffee at the press of a button without learning barista skills, yes. If you enjoy the process and want maximum control, a manual espresso machine with a grinder may suit you better. See our buying guide.