Buying guide · Small kitchens
Best coffee machine for a small kitchen
Short answer: for a small kitchen the Jura ENA series is the best answer – the ENA 4 for black coffee and the ENA 8 for one-touch milk drinks, both about 27cm wide and filled from the top with no side access needed. If you would rather make coffee by hand, the Breville Bambino is the narrowest serious espresso machine, though it needs a separate grinder beside it. Measure width, depth and the height under your cupboards before you buy anything.
- Compact automatics are about 27cm wide; standard ones 28–32cm; the big office-style machines 35cm and up.
- Height matters more than people think: you need clearance above the machine to lift the lid and fill beans and water. Allow 45cm or more under overhead cupboards.
- Depth is usually 40–45cm on an automatic. A shallow bench may be the real constraint.
- A semi-automatic plus grinder needs more bench than a compact automatic, even when the machine itself is narrow.
Measure three things
- Width of the space, minus a couple of centimetres on each side for airflow and for reaching the drip tray.
- Depth of the bench from splashback to edge. Most automatics are 40–45cm deep; a 45cm machine on a 45cm bench overhangs.
- Height from the bench to the underside of any overhead cupboard – and remember you fill the tank and hopper from above on nearly every machine. If the space is under 45cm, look for machines with a removable tank you can slide out forwards.
Best compact automatics
| Machine | Approximate width | Milk | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jura ENA 4 | About 27cm | None | Black coffee only; the smallest Jura; excellent espresso and long blacks |
| Jura ENA 8 | About 27cm | One-touch | The full drink menu in the smallest one-touch machine on the market |
| Jura E8 | About 28cm | One-touch | Only slightly wider, with a bigger tank and hopper – worth it if height allows |
| DeLonghi Magnifica S | About 24cm | Manual frother | Narrow and cheap; louder and less refined than the Juras |
The ENA 8 is the machine we recommend most for apartments and small kitchens: everything the E8 does, in a body that fits where an E8 will not. The trade-off is a smaller tank and hopper, so it suits one or two people rather than a family.
Best compact semi-automatic
The Breville Bambino and Bambino Plus are about 20cm wide – the narrowest proper espresso machines you can buy. But they have no grinder, and a grinder is another 12–15cm beside them, so the real footprint is closer to a compact automatic’s. If bench width is the only constraint and you want to make coffee by hand, a Bambino with a slim grinder is the answer. If bench space overall is the constraint, the ENA 8 does more in the same width.
Where to put it
- Not under the lowest cupboard. Filling from the top is a daily job.
- Near a power point – automatic machines draw a fair current and dislike long extension leads.
- Somewhere you can reach the drip tray and grounds container from the front without moving the machine.
- Not next to the stove. Heat and steam are hard on electronics.
What to avoid in a small kitchen
- Wide machines with milk carafes that clip on the side and need side clearance.
- Semi-automatics with built-in grinders and hoppers that make them tall as well as wide – a Barista Express is about 31cm wide and 40cm tall with the hopper on.
- Pod machines bought purely for size. The ENA 4 is barely bigger than many pod machines and makes real coffee.
Our picks
| Situation | Pick |
|---|---|
| Small kitchen, black coffee | Jura ENA 4 |
| Small kitchen, milk drinks | Jura ENA 8 |
| Small kitchen, two or more coffee drinkers, some height available | Jura E8 |
| Small kitchen, wants to make coffee by hand | Breville Bambino Plus + slim grinder |
The ENA machines and the E8 are all in our refurbished range when stock allows – see which Jura should I buy? for the full comparison.
Compact Jura machines, refurbished and warranted
ENA 4, ENA 8 and E8 machines serviced in our Melbourne workshop. Ask us for the exact dimensions of the machine you are looking at before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the smallest automatic coffee machine?
Among quality automatics, the Jura ENA series at about 27cm wide. Some budget machines are a little narrower but louder and less refined.
How much bench space does a coffee machine need?
Width of the machine plus a few centimetres each side, 40–45cm of depth, and 45cm or more of height for filling from the top.
Can I put a coffee machine under overhead cupboards?
Only if there is enough height to lift the lid and fill the hopper and tank – usually 45cm or more. Otherwise choose a machine with a front-removable tank.
Is the Jura ENA 8 worth it over the E8 for a small kitchen?
If width or height is genuinely tight, yes. If the E8 fits, it offers a bigger tank and hopper for similar money.
Is a pod machine better for a tiny kitchen?
It is smaller, but a Jura ENA 4 is not much bigger and makes far better coffee at a third of the cost per cup.