Which coffee machine brand is the most reliable?

We've investigated the performance and reliability of some of the most popular coffee machine brands, including DeLonghi, Melitta and Sage.

In our unique small-appliance survey, we ask more than 10,700 people (including Which? members) whether they're happy with their coffee machine and if they've experienced problems, so you can see which brands are worth the money.

Head to our round-up of the best coffee machines to help you decide what type of coffee machine you need.

Which coffee machine brands develop the fewest faults?

This table summarises what we found about how quickly coffee machines develop faults or break down, based on coffee machines bought in the past seven years.

Which? members can log in to view which coffee machine brands are the most and least reliable, and which our members are most satisfied with. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Which coffee machine brands do owners recommend?

As well as faults, our survey also revealed which coffee machine brands owners feel happy with – and which they'd recommend to a friend.

These results are shown as each brand's Customer Score, and are based on coffee machines bought in the past seven years.

Which? members can log in to view which coffee machine brands last the longest before they need to be replaced. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Head over to our coffee machine reviews to see all the models we've tested.

The three most common coffee machine faults

There's little worse than being denied your caffeine fix in the morning. Here are the three most common problems, according to our survey of more than 4,000 coffee machine owners.

We also give you tips on how to stop these common faults developing in the first place.

1. Dispensing issues (28% of all faults reported)

If your coffee isn't dispensing properly, it could be because there is a blockage somewhere. This can happen more often if you use a very fine grind of coffee and, in the worst cases, can lead to coffee 'explosions'. 

If your machine has a portafilter, unclogging it with a long pin can help to keep the coffee running freely. Some coffee machines come with a pin for this purpose, which can also be used to unblock the steam pipe. If it isn't included, any long pin will do the trick. 

The brew head could also need cleaning. Usually it can be rinsed under the tap, but check your machine's manual for specific instructions. 

2. Leaking/spitting water (22%)

A leaking coffee machine could be down to a number of reasons. 

If you use a traditional espresso machine with ground coffee, take care not to over-tamp the coffee (pushing it too hard into the filter basket), as water may not be able to pass through. This can lead to a build-up of pressure and cause water to leak from the portafilter once it's attached to the brew head. 

A full drip tray can also overflow and make it look like the machine is leaking, so it's important to empty it regularly. Some machines have a 'drip tray full' indicator to help with this. 

3. Element stopped working/doesn't heat up (18%)

If your coffee machine is still within the warranty period, contact the manufacturer to see about getting the necessary parts replaced.

Unless you're skilled and knowledgeable, changing the heating element in your coffee machine probably isn't a job you'll be able to do yourself.

If your machine is out of warranty and you can repair it yourself, then replacement elements don't cost a huge amount and are available online.

See our guide on how to clean your coffee machine for tips on keeping yours in top condition.

Can a broken coffee machine be repaired?

We've had a look at some of the top coffee machine brands to see what they offer in terms of repairs, servicing and spare parts:

• Bosch - provides repairs within the guarantee period but outside of this you'll incur a charge. There aren't any spare parts directly available to buy from Bosch online.
  
• DeLonghi - will service and repair your coffee machine, even outside the warranty period. It offers different price bands depending on the level of repairs or servicing that's needed. You can buy a limited selection of extra accessories online, such as milk jugs and filters, but there isn't a wide range of spare parts available to buy directly.
• Krups - offers repairs and spare parts, but this is easier to access if your machine is within the guarantee period. There are a few repairers that you can get in touch with if outside this period.
• Lavazza - doesn't directly offer a repair service or sell spare coffee machine parts online. 
• Sage - doesn't offer repairs outside its guarantee period, but there is a range of spare coffee machine parts available to buy on its website.
• Siemens - will cover the cost of repairs and spare parts within your coffee machine's guarantee period. Outside of this and you'll need to call it to discuss repair options and costs. Using the model number of your coffee machine, you may also be able to buy spare parts online.

Is your machine unrepairable? Find out how to recycle electrical items.

Which coffee machine brands offer the best guarantees?

Most coffee machine brands offer product guarantees of one to two years as standard, but there are some brands that offer longer cover, including:

• Lakeland - three-year guarantee as standard.

Bought a faulty coffee machine? Here's how to get a refund, repair or replacement.

How we discover the most reliable coffee machine brands

Which? has a wealth of information on Britain's favourite brands. Every year we ask Which? members to tell us about the home appliances they own – from how likely they would be to recommend a brand, to how reliable the products are once they get them home.

This year, 5,376 Which? Connect panel members and 5,342 members of the public told us about more than 32,600 individual products. We calculate each brand's customer score, fault rate and reliability rating using the results of our annual survey.

Our surveys, combined with our extensive lab tests, mean we can recommend the best coffee machine to buy.

To find out more on what it takes to be a Best Buy, see how we test coffee machines.