Buying guide · Automatic machines
Are automatic coffee machines worth it?
Short answer: yes, if you drink coffee every day and want it good, fast and consistent without becoming a barista. The coffee costs the same per cup as any bean machine, the time saved is real, and a serviceable automatic lasts long enough that the higher purchase price works out cheaper per cup than a machine replaced every five years. They are not worth it for one coffee a day, for people who enjoy the craft, or if you buy a cheap one and expect it to last.
- Cost per cup: 40–60 cents in beans on any automatic, against $1–1.80 for pods and $5.50–7 at a Melbourne café.
- Time: about 45 seconds hands-off per coffee, against 3–5 minutes hands-on for a semi-automatic.
- Lifespan: 10–15 years for a serviced Jura; 5–8 for budget automatics. Spread over 7,000-plus cups, the machine adds 20–35 cents a cup.
- A refurbished premium automatic removes most of the price objection.
What you are paying for
Three things. Consistency – the machine grinds, doses, tamps and extracts the same way every time, so the tenth coffee of the day is as good as the first regardless of who pressed the button. Time – under a minute per coffee with nothing to clean afterwards, which over a year is dozens of hours. And, on the better machines, one-touch milk that makes a flat white or latte without anyone learning a steam wand. Those three things are the difference between a machine that gets used every day for a decade and one that gathers dust after a month.
The money, honestly
| Budget automatic (new) | Premium automatic (Jura, refurbished) | Premium automatic (Jura, new) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee per cup | 40–60c | 40–60c | 40–60c |
| Consumables per cup | A few cents | A few cents | A few cents |
| Typical lifespan | 5–8 years | 10–15 years with servicing | 10–15 years with servicing |
| Machine cost per cup at 2 a day | About 15–25c, then replace | About 20–35c | About 40–70c |
| Serviced or replaced at first major fault | Replaced | Serviced | Serviced |
The budget machine looks cheapest and often is not, because it is bought twice in the time the premium machine is bought once. The new premium machine is the most expensive way to get the best result. The refurbished premium machine is where the sums land for most households – see should you buy a refurbished coffee machine?
Payback against cafés and pods
One café coffee a day is about $2,200 a year in Melbourne. Two pod coffees a day are about $800 a year in capsules. An automatic making the same coffee from beans costs a few hundred a year. Against café coffee a refurbished automatic pays for itself in under a year; against pods, in one to two years – the detail is in is it cheaper to make coffee at home? and pod vs bean-to-cup cost.
Is the coffee good enough?
Yes, for most people, and better than most people make on a semi-automatic. A one-touch Jura makes a flat white that would not be sent back at a Melbourne café. What it does not do is the very best shot a skilled barista can pull, or latte art. If those two things are what you want, an automatic is not worth it for you – buy a semi-automatic and a good grinder. More in do automatic machines make good coffee?
When an automatic is not worth it
- One coffee a day or less. The savings are small and a pod machine or a plunger is fine.
- You enjoy the craft. Grinding, tamping and steaming are the point for some people. An automatic takes that away.
- You will buy the cheapest one. A loud, thin-shot budget automatic that dies at year five delivers the worst of both worlds. If the budget is tight, a refurbished premium machine is the better buy than a new cheap one.
- You insist on dark, oily beans. Automatics do not like them – see best coffee beans for Jura machines.
When it clearly is
- Two or more coffee drinkers in the house.
- Milk drinks every day.
- Mornings are rushed.
- An office, clinic or workplace – there is no serious alternative. See office coffee machines Melbourne.
Worth it, at a refurbished price
Refurbished Jura machines stripped, serviced and tested in our Melbourne workshop, with a warranty on parts and labour.
Frequently asked questions
Are automatic coffee machines worth the money?
For daily drinkers, yes: same cost per cup as any bean machine, far less than pods or cafés, and a serviced premium machine lasts 10–15 years.
Do automatic coffee machines save money?
Against cafés, about $2,000 a year per daily coffee. Against pods, about $400 a year per daily coffee. Against a semi-automatic, nothing – they save time instead.
Is a cheap automatic coffee machine worth buying?
Usually not. Budget automatics are louder, make a thinner shot and are replaced at 5–8 years. A refurbished premium machine at the same price is the better buy.
How long does an automatic coffee machine last?
A serviced Jura 10–15 years; budget brands 5–8. Serviceability is the difference.
Is a Jura worth it compared with other automatics?
For extraction, milk, noise and lifespan, yes. Refurbished, it costs about what a new mid-range DeLonghi costs.