How We Research
Every guide on SterlingStove starts with one question: will this product work for the person who is shopping for it? For our super-automatic espresso guides, that means the drinks you make, how often you make them and how much counter space you have.
Here is how we answer it.
1. We start with the drinks you make
Black coffee, cappuccino and a latte every morning each call for a different machine. A machine with a basic milk frother suits a different buyer than one with a one-touch milk system.
We check the drink list, the milk system and the grinder the maker lists. When your habits limit the choice, we say what to look for.
2. We compare specs and features
We look at the milk system, the built-in grinder and its settings, the drinks a machine makes, water tank and bean hopper size, machine width, cleaning steps and the warranty terms the maker lists.
De'Longhi and Philips describe their machines in their own words, so we name the brand for every claim. We also note what the maker says about descaling and water filters.
3. We look at buyer feedback
We read through what buyers report after using a machine. We look for patterns, like grinders that clog, leaks, milk systems that are hard to clean, descale alerts that come up often and loud grinding.
One angry review doesn't sink a product. A pattern does.
4. We score each product
Our score weighs specs, features and buyer feedback against what you're shopping for. A product that's great for one reader may score lower in a guide written for another.
Scores spread out on purpose. A 10 is rare.
5. We keep pages up to date
Products change, and some disappear from stores. Similar models often have close names, so we check each model name and we only link new units.
We skip refurbished units, unknown brands with no track record and products with a known recall. When we update a guide, the "Updated on" date at the top changes with it.
What our picks are not
Our picks are research, not lab tests. We don't claim to have used every machine we cover.
These machines use hot water, steam and descaling products, so we point you to the maker's manual for use, cleaning and descaling. We make no promises about safety, taste or how long a machine will last, and we label maker claims as the maker's claims.