In recent years, coffee has become a commercialized entity all over the world. Coffee itself has been enjoyed (in some form or fashion) for thousands of years. It’s used on a daily basis to energize those in need of immediate energy. With the expedited nature of today’s society, many opt to go out and grab a cup-to-go from one of many name brand locations. With that said, there are those who also immensely enjoy making a cup of coffee — or an espresso — from the confines of their own home.

Coffee makers have since evolved with the times. The current crop of coffee makers offer a more intense, savory flavor when compared to past models. Intricate technological advancements work ardently in extracting every bit of flavor from the bean itself, or the ground up mixture. Secondly, these models work faster and more efficiently than ever. To make the cleaning process a breeze, some even have self-clean modes. More expensive models have smart features, which essentially mimics a smartphone in terms of feasibility and practicality. In essence, a simple pushing of the button can elicit coffee in a number of different ways. This includes creating a single cup of coffee rather than a full pot.

When looking at current coffee makers on the market, many of them have anti-drip mechanisms, a brewing setting, size-specific traits, and even the inclusion of milk frothers (depending on the brand). The Bonavita 1900TS is considered one of, if not the best coffee maker currently available. It’s drip-coffee method is excellent in the fact that it uses pre-infusion (wetting the grounds before brewing) to more consistently brew a great patch of coffee. The eight-cup thermal setting on the makers also enables the coffee to be scalding hot for nearly four hours after the final brewing is completed. This can be purchased for $99.99 on specific sites. Other impressive coffee maker options include the Cuisinart DCC-3200 ($59.95), the Chemex Ottomatic ($36.95), and the Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew ($59.99).

In terms of espresso makers, a myriad of brands have crafted new and exciting options. Some include Nespresso, Dalla Corte Mina, Saeco, Mr. Coffee, Breville, De’Longhi, and La Pavoni. The Dalla Corte Mina Espresso Machine costs a whopping $10,000. It functions in correspondence with a smartphone’s Bluetooth capabilities. This dual boiler machine has manual and programmable flow rate control. There’s even temperature control, meaning the individual can play around in order to create their own specifically engineered espresso. For something a little more affordable, Mr. Coffee offers a steam espresso system with a milk frother. These typically go for nearly $90 — though they can be had for less than $50 depending upon a store’s discount. One cycle of the maker can create up to four shots at one time.

To expedite the process completely, one could look into k-cups. These pods are brilliantly easy when wanting to make a quick cup of coffee. Using a Keurig product, one simply has to insert a pod, press one button, and watch as coffee flows out of a spigot (and into a cup you place directly underneath the machine). Aside from maintaining the tank’s water level, k-cups offer virtually nothing in the way of maintenance. It’s also a method which involves next to no wait time when wanting a single cup of coffee.

When searching for the best coffee maker or espresso maker, considerable research must be done. A price-point must be determined before going full bore into buying a product. From there, one must decide whether they want a semi-automatic, super automatic, or a fully automatic machine. There are manual options as well, though these require more maintenance and day-to-responsibility.