Automatic coffee machine vs. capsule coffee machine
Home coffee preparation
There are several ways to prepare coffee at home, especially filter coffee. In the case of espresso, you have the choice of lever coffee machine, automatic coffee machine or the hit of recent years, capsule coffee machine.
In both the latter cases, the preparation is very easy. Just press a button or two and your espresso is ready. Still, there are many differences between coffee machines, and it's not just the look and size.
Capsule and automatic coffee machine options
The first of the differences that may be crucial for many of you is the variety of beverages that each machine will make.
Among automatic coffee machines, you will find those that can only make espresso or lungo, but also those that will make a large number of milk drinks. An automatic coffee maker also only allows you to heat the milk or dispense hot water. Another undoubtedly great benefit is the possibility to adjust the intensity of taste, the ratio of water to coffee or its temperature.
Making espresso is a certainty with a capsule coffee machine, but other drinks are not always a given. If you want a capsule coffee maker with more features, reach for theMorning capsule coffee maker. It can make you a cappuccino, filter coffee or matcha.
Thanks to the mobile app, you can also adjust the water temperature, extraction time, or recipe directly from the roaster/barista with Mornig.
Price of coffee for home espresso
You will already feel the price difference when you buy the machine itself. A capsule coffee machine can normally cost up to 10,000 CZK, while the price of automatic coffee machines only starts at this amount.
The higher initial price of an automatic coffee machine is compensated by the lower price of one cup of coffee, which is around CZK 10. While the price of one capsule is usually around 14-20 CZK.
Choosing a coffee for your home coffee machine
The price also goes hand in hand with the choice. If you like to try new coffees, an automatic coffee machine is more suitable for you. Even though capsule coffee machines and capsules as such are experiencing a big boom, the choice is not as great as for beans. More choice also offers different price options.
Maintenance of automatic and capsule coffee machines
Another major difference between the two is in maintenance. While you only need cleaning capsulesfor a capsule coffee maker , an automatic coffee maker is a bit more challenging to maintain. Clean a capsule coffee maker roughly every month.
Inaddition to the cleaning tablets , anautomatic coffee maker needs to empty the loger, clean the drain pan, the frothing nozzle or clean the grinder. Both types of coffee machine also need to be descaled regularly.
Pluses and minuses
Automatic coffee machine
Pros:
- More choice of coffee
- more beverage options
- lower coffee price
- possibility to prepare more drinks at the same time
Disadvantages:
- more maintenance
- takes up more space
- higher initial price
Capsule coffee machine
Pros:
- easier maintenance
- lower price of the coffee machine
- compact size
Disadvantages:
- more expensive capsules
- smaller selection of coffee and beverages
Final summary and tips
So is a capsule coffee machine or an automatic coffee machine better? I would divide the answer into two parts.
If you like to enjoy your coffee one morning and don't want to spend a lot of time with maintenance or coffee selection, a capsule coffee maker will be your ideal partner. Plus, you can create your personalised coffee by connecting it to your mobile phone.