Everything you need to make barista-quality coffee at home, from beginner to enthusiast

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• Best coffee kit for beginners
• Best coffee kit for intermediate level
• Best coffee kit for enthusiasts

Best coffee kit for beginners

Here, we're a step above pod machines and instant coffee isn't even in our periphery. Convenience, affordability and ease of use are our top priorities, and we're looking for a few inexpensive pieces of kit to get the ball rolling.

If you're clueless as to which type of coffee kit to buy, before investing in any equipment I'd start by thinking about what you'd normally order in a coffee shop. Are you a latte lover or is pour-over coffee more to your taste? From there, you can start selecting the tools you need to replace that experience at home.

At a glance, I'd recommend:

• Fresh coffee beans
• A coffee grinder
• A basic espresso, bean-to-cup or filter coffee machine
• A milk frother, if your machine doesn't have a steam wand

Fresh coffee beans

Even at the beginner level, fresh coffee beans are a must. You can throw as much cash as you like at a shiny new coffee machine, but the quality of the espresso will always be affected by the freshness of the beans. Learning how to store them properly is important, too – you can find out more about that in our guide: how long do coffee beans last?

Fortunately, as the number of coffee drinkers in the UK continues to rise, so too has the number of coffee roasters – you can find one in most corners of the country these days, offering beans for single purchase or as part of a subscription.

Origin Coffee, Rise, Pact Coffee and Kiss the Hippo are all popular choices that scored top marks in our tests, but you can discover a wider range in our guides to the best coffee beans and best coffee subscriptions.

A coffee grinder

If you're buying whole beans, a good coffee grinder is essential. The consistency of the grounds will impact how well your coffee extracts, and with the right kit you'll be able to unlock those all-important aromas and flavours. Too coarse and the coffee will taste watery and sour, too fine and you'll be left with an unpleasant bitter taste on your tongue.

At this level there's no need to splash out on a grinder that offers ultra-precise settings, but I'd recommend looking for a burr grinder over a blade. The latter uses a rotating blade to crush the beans, usually inconsistently, but a burr mechanism grinds the beans between a pair of revolving abrasive surfaces to produce more uniform results (and therefore better coffee).

Handheld grinders, like the Hario Mini Mill Plus, are cheaper and great for taking camping or on holiday, but require a bit of elbow grease. If you're after an electric model that's more budget-friendly, the De'Longhi KG79 is a simple and efficient choice that doesn't break the bank.

A basic espresso, bean-to-cup or filter coffee machine

The type of machine you buy will be determined by the type of coffee you like to drink, so nail this down before spending any money.

Simple espresso machines with a steam wand, like the Dualit espresso machine or De'Longhi Dedica pump espresso machine, will help you master the basics of brewing espresso for americanos, lattes and cappuccinos. They have three or four settings (single shot, double shot, hot water and steam), and tend to require more hands-on involvement from the user – ideal if you want to gradually upskill, but less so if you just want coffee at the push of a button.

A fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine will take care of the grinding, dosing and tamping for you, though prepare for a bigger price jump, with most starting from around £600. That said, the De'Longhi Magnifica S Smart comes in slightly cheaper at £329.99 and scored 5/5 in our tests.

If you prefer the fruitier, lighter taste of pour over coffee but want some automation, look for a basic filter coffee machine like the Morphy Richards Equip Filter coffee machine or Philips EcoConscious drip filter coffee machine – both are under £60 and produce good quality results, too.

A milk frother

Not all coffee machines come with a steam wand, so if you like a milky coffee, a milk frother is a great addition to a beginner's kit. Most struggle to produce the perfect texture for latte art, but still produce creamy, frothy results that can really elevate your morning latte or cappuccino. Top-performing picks from our testing include the ProCook milk frother, the Dualit handheld milk frother and the Lavazza A Modo Mio MilkEasy milk frother.

Best coffee kit for intermediate level

We're stepping it up a gear now with the mid-range tier of coffee kit – perhaps you're looking to upgrade your existing tools, or you want to learn new skills and customise your set-up. At this stage you probably have a good idea of what coffee you like drinking, but you want to take it to the next level and you're happy to spend a bit more money to get there.

At a glance, I'd recommend either:

• A mid-range coffee grinder
• A semi-automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine
• A gooseneck kettle for pour-over drinkers

Not essential, but nice to have:

• A coffee bean storage container
• A knock box for espresso pucks

I'm also going to assume that you're already using fresh coffee beans.

Mid-range coffee grinder

If you're choosing between a new coffee machine or a new coffee grinder, I'd always upgrade the grinder first – with the right settings, you'll produce better results from a mid-range grinder and a more affordable coffee machine rather than the other way around.

Mid-range models allow for more precision and experimentation – the Wilfa Svart Aroma Precision grinder, for example, is less suited to espresso, but has 32 settings that produce the perfect level of coarseness for AeroPress, filter and French press. The grounds are also more uniform, as these machines rely on sharp burrs to consistently grind the beans, resulting in better extraction and flavour.

Semi-automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine

These machines strike a perfect balance between convenience and control, leaving the fun parts of the process to the user while handling the messier, more complex bits behind the scenes. Almost all models come with a built-in grinder, which ensures you have freshly ground coffee for every cup, and a steam wand.

Most models have sophisticated digital touchscreens that allow you to customise, too, with options to adjust grind size, brew time, water temperature and milk texture. With models like the De'Longhi La Specialista Touch and Sage the Barista Touch Impress, you'll find a range of drink options like lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites and even hot chocolates – simply select the drink you'd like to make and the machine will walk you through the steps.

Gooseneck kettle

If you love pour-over coffee and use a V60 or Chemex, a gooseneck kettle offers precise, smooth pouring versus that of a regular kettle. Its long, narrow neck slows down the speed at which the water flows from the spout, so you have more control over where the water lands. Some models like the Dualit pour-over fast-boil electric kettle also have temperature settings and timers, so you can fully fine-tune your brewing process.

Coffee bean storage container

At this level you're probably buying fresh coffee beans from a roaster, but did you know that with proper storage you can keep them fresher for longer? Roasted beans start to degrade once they're exposed to light, moisture, air or heat, so they're best stored inside an airtight opaque container at the back of a cupboard.

Vacuum-sealed containers like the Fellow Atmos vacuum canister also block out oxygen using a twist-and-seal mechanism, which further preserves the flavour and freshness.

Knock box

A knock box won't help you make great coffee, but can be a handy accessory for espresso machine owners who want to streamline their process and minimise mess in the kitchen. It's essentially a small bin in which you can discard your used coffee pucks – simply tap the portafilter against the bar across the middle of the box to release the grounds.

If you use coffee grounds as a fertiliser in your garden, a knock box will allow you to separate the pucks from the rest of your food waste. My top pick is the Knock Box 10 from Sage, as it's robustly made and easy to clean.

Best coffee kit for enthusiasts

If you're a passionate enthusiast who's willing to invest in more expensive, higher spec pieces of kit, these recommendations are for you. Coffee is your hobby and you're happy to dedicate time and money to making the perfect cup each morning, even if it means getting out of bed a little earlier.

At a glance, I'd recommend:

• A premium coffee grinder
• A manual espresso machine
• Coffee scales

Not essential, but nice to have:

• A heavy-grade tamper and distribution tool
• Dosing cups and funnels

At this level, fresh coffee beans are a given.

A premium coffee grinder

Again, if you're deciding whether to upgrade your espresso machine or your grinder – go for the grinder first. The quality of the grind is much more important for capturing the full aroma and flavour of your coffee, plus you'll still get good results from a high-spec grinder and a cheaper machine.

Fellow is a big name in the world of coffee and its grinders are among the best on the market – though they are the most expensive of the models we've tested. The Opus grinder in particular comes with 41 grind settings, a volumetric dosing lid for measuring beans, and a spouted catch to minimise mess.

Grinding is measured in seconds rather than cup size or dose, which allows for ultra-precise results when dosing for a single cup. As you'd expect with any kitchen appliance this expensive, it also makes an attractive statement on the countertop.

A manual espresso machine

If you want full control over every aspect of the coffee-brewing process, a manual espresso machine should fit the bill perfectly. They're built with sophisticated tech and come with professional-grade accessories that elevate the whole experience.

The Gaggia Classic, for instance, is an Italian-made machine that has a solenoid valve, which is responsible for controlling the water temperature inside the filter holder. It also has a chromed brass group head and filter holder that are the same weight, style and size as those used with commercial machines, which control the heat to ensure optimal extraction.

With models like the Sage Dual Boiler, there's a pressure gauge on the front so you can literally see the machine at work – it begins with a low-pressure pre-infusion, followed by a higher pressure extraction, which releases the carbon dioxide inside the grounds so the water can better absorb the coffee flavour.

While they require a little more knowledge and practice, machines like these are ideal for honing your skills, and aside from getting to drink it there are few things more satisfying than pulling the perfect espresso shot.

Coffee scales

Coffee scales are a valuable tool for any serious home barista, but don't feel obligated to spend a fortune – providing you choose a set that offers high levels of precision, everything else is just a bonus.

Basic coffee scales simply weigh in increments of up to 0.1 grams, but some – like the Wacaco Exagram Pro – have automatic sensors that start a timer as soon as the espresso hits the bottom of your cup. The Acaia Pearl scales also have a flow-rate indicator that measures the coffee-to-water ratio, which is ideal for brewing pour-over coffee.

A heavy-grade tamper and distribution tool

Any machine that comes with a portafilter should also have a tamper, but if the one provided with yours just isn't cutting it, a heavy-grade tamper – like the St Anthony BT wedge and Levy tamper – can help provide the optimum amount of pressure to compact your coffee grounds evenly.

For even better quality extraction, a distribution tool (also known as a WDT tool) can also be used to break up any clumps in your coffee grounds. Clumps can lead to something called channeling, which is when the water finds a weak spot in your coffee puck and flows through unevenly.

Neither of these tools are essentials and you can still make excellent coffee without them, but if you have the budget to spend, they might make a fun investment or gift for the coffee lover in your life.

A dosing cup or funnel

Another nice-to-have but not essential gadget, a dosing cup (also known as a dosing funnel) will help you accurately and tidily add your grounds to the portafilter, so you waste less coffee and make less mess. Most simply lock onto the top of the portafilter, after which you scoop the grounds in, tamp and unlock the funnel again. The Sage the Dosing Funnel is a popular choice that's compatible with 54mm portafilters, but you can find a range of styles and sizes available online.

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If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.