If you’re heading back to school and want a coffee machine for your dorm or student house, the choice can be overwhelming. You don’t want to spend a fortune, and you need something compact, but it also has to be reliable and of good quality.
That’s where I come in. I’m TechRadar’s resident coffee expert (in fact, I’ve tested 14 machines in the last 12 months alone), and I’ve used my experience to put together this shortlist of the three best coffee makers for students in 2025.
You’ll notice that there aren’t any bean-to-cup coffee machines here. That’s because, although there certainly are some that would fit within a student budget, all the best bean-to-cup coffee machines I’ve tested cost over $500 / £400 / AU$500. You might get lucky with a cheap bean-to-cup, but chances are it’ll suffer problems like poor or inconsistent pressure, low-quality components, and a low-quality grinder, all of which will make it difficult to get consistent results.
Now, on with the recommendations…
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De’Longhi Dedica Style
The De’Longhi Dedica Style is one of the best espresso machines we’ve tested here at TechRadar, and with a compact footprint and very reasonable price tag, it’s an excellent choice for students. It couldn’t be much easier to use, and if you shop around a little, you can even find it bundled with a grinder, a tamper, and a handy knock-box for disposing of used coffee pucks.
Its boiler is relatively small, but it maintains good pressure, and its steam wand is particularly impressive for such an affordable machine. It has two modes, one for heating and one for texturizing, which also incorporates air into the milk. It takes a little practice to get the technique right, but once you nail it, you’ll be able to create silky microfoam that’s just right for experimenting with latte art (or just pouring in if you’re not artistically inclined).
The Dedica Style uses pressurized filter baskets to create consistently thick crema, so if your coffee isn’t perfectly ground, you’ll still get good results. If and when you want to get more technical, there are hacks that let you use an unpressurized basket instead. This is only worth trying if you have a good-quality burr grinder, though.
Read our full De’Longhi Dedica Style review
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Nespresso Vertuo Pop
If you just want to make coffee as quickly and easily as possible, with minimal effort, a Nespresso machine is the way forward. The tiny Verto Pop is one of the smallest and cheapest around, making it a great choice for students with limited space and budgets.
Just fill the water tank and clip it onto the back of the machine, place your chosen coffee capsule in the top and lock it in place, position your cup under the dispenser, press the single button on top, and your drink will be ready to enjoy within two minutes.
If you want to make cappuccinos and lattes, look out for the Vertuo Pop bundled together with the Nespresso Aeroccino milk frother. There’s also the Nespresso Vertuo Pop+, which has a larger water tank (handy if you want to share it with your housemates).
Just be aware that this machine only takes Nespresso Vertuo capsules (which are dome-shaped), not Nespresso Original pods (which are shaped like top hats). Vertuo capsules can only be bought direct from Nespresso, either online or in boutiques, and aren’t available in supermarkets or from other retailers like Amazon.
Nespresso pods also need specialist recycling to separate the aluminum and coffee grounds, but there are drop-off and collection schemes available to make it as simple as possible. For more details and to find out how it works, check out our interview with a sustainability expert at Nespresso.
Read our full Nespresso Vertuo Pop review
Smeg Drip Coffee Machine
When you’ve got a long essay to write, a big pot of drip coffee can help keep you going through to the end. Drip machines are much simpler than espresso machines (there’s no pressurized boiler to worry about), and it’s a more forgiving way to make coffee, too. Beans are ground more coarsely for drip coffee than espresso, and although you want the grind to be as consistent as reasonably possible, it’s not so crucial that it’s perfect.
There are plenty of budget-friendly drip machines around, but if I were to re-live my student days, I’d be looking at this smart little machine from Smeg, which has a cute retro design and comes in a kaleidoscope of colors.
Usually you’d pay a premium for Smeg products, but this little coffee maker is remarkably affordable. It was a reliable performer during our tests and made it easy to prepare enough coffee to fill five standard-sized mugs. It has a timer too, so you can set it to start the moment you wake, and a hotplate to keep your fresh brew warm for up to 40 minutes.
If that’s not long enough, or you’re worried about the heat affecting the taste of your brew, you can always decant it into an insulated bottle instead. I have several from Chilly’s that keep coffee hot for hours.
Read our full Smeg Drip Coffee Machine review