These are the three Black Friday coffee machine deals I’d consider and two I’d avoid
There are so many great deals on coffee machines this Black Friday but not every discount is the bargain it claims to be
Black Friday is the perfect time to bag a great coffee machine at a discounted price but with so many offers available, how do you find your perfect match while avoiding those pesky, less-than-perfect deals?
As Expert Review’s Senior Home editor, I’ve been covering deals events for almost six years and know all the tips and tricks to sort the good from the bad. Below I’ve recommended three coffee machine deals I think are worth considering this Black Friday and a couple that I’m not so keen on. I’ll explain why I think they’re good (or bad), what the saving is and who I think they’d be great for.
Three Black Friday coffee machine deals I recommend
1. De’Longhi Magnifica Evo Touch bean-to-cup (save £182)
If you don’t want to spend upwards of £1,000 on an all singing, all dancing bean-to-cup machine, the Magnifica Evo is a good compromise. This Black Friday deal sees it drop to £324 at AO, down from its average Amazon price of £506 (ignore the inflated RRPs).
Why I like it:
- It has a fantastic colour screen, which gives it a proper premium feel without the premium price tag
- You can make pretty good espresso, as well as a variety of milk-based drinks such as cappuccino, latte and macchiato
- It’s super easy to use, most drinks can be made with just a couple of button taps
- There are automated cleaning functions to keep the machine in good condition
Anything I don’t like?
- The milk carafes can be a pain to clean, even with the auto-cleaning feature
2. L’OR Barista Sublime pod coffee machine (save £25)
Easy peasy pod machines don’t come better than this in my opinion – it’s the one I recommend to everyone. While this £25 saving might not seem huge, you’ll only be paying £45 for one of the best out there and it’s the cheapest pod machine you can get right now that isn’t terrible.
Why I like it:
- Uses Nespresso classic compatible capsules and other third party Nespresso-style pods
- Can also be used with L’ORs special XXL pods, which make one double espresso or two singles thanks to its dual spout
- Quick and easy to use for your morning cuppa
- Super affordable
Anything I don’t like?
- Like all pod machines, the coffee can be hit or miss
- Shots aren’t always consistent
Also consider: Nespresso Vertuo Pop (now £54). If you prefer Nespresso’s larger Vertuo capsules, the teeny tiny Nespresso Pop is another budget pod buy that I think is worth considering.
3. De’Longhi Dedica Style espresso machine (save £30)
After a more manual coffee-making experience? The De’Longhi Dedica Style is one of the best value espresso makers you can buy and now it’s even cheaper for Black Friday. A modest £30 might not seem like a lot, but you’re already getting a lot for your money here, making that £150 price tag a real bargain.
Why I like it:
- Comes with a manual steam wand for milk-based drinks
- Compact size is great for smaller homes
- Unlikely to get better espresso for the price
Anything I don’t like?
- Milk foaming isn’t as good as on pricier machines
- Bit of a learning curve if you’re new to manual espresso
Two Black Friday coffee machine deals I would avoid
1. Dolce Gusto Piccolo XS pod machine (save £10)
Unfortunately, not only is this not a good deal, it’s also just not a very good machine and I don’t rate the pod options at all. Right now it’s on offer for £27, which is only £10 less than its average Amazon price. What’s more, for just £18 more, you can get the excellent L’OR Barista Sublime, which has a far better pod selection and better tasting coffee. It even looks nicer, too.
2. De’Longhi Eletta bean-to-cup machine (save £88)
The saving on this one isn’t too bad, £88 off the average, bringing it down to £427. So why am I not recommending it? Simply put, this is an old model and there are better fully automatic bean-to-cup machines out there. Even De’Longhi’s own Magnifica Evo, mentioned above, is better value. It does what it says but ultimately it doesn’t look as good, doesn’t have that slick touch screen and isn’t as cheap. I’d steer clear.
Want even more coffee deals? I’ll also be updating our live coffee machine deals page with any new discounts I think are worth considering from now until Cyber Monday, so be sure to keep an eye on that too if none of these machines take your fancy.