Compact coffee machines that fit under kitchen cupboards

Short answer

Measure the gap between your worktop and the underside of your wall cupboards, then allow for anything you open from the top: a bean lid, a capsule lever or a lift-out tank. The smallest machine we track is the Nespresso Essenza Mini, 20.4 cm tall and 8.4 cm wide. For espresso, the De’Longhi Dedica Style is only 14.9 cm wide, and the lowest bean-to-cup machines we list are the Melitta Purista and De’Longhi Magnifica S, at 33.4 and 34 cm tall.

A small kitchen asks two things of a coffee machine: that it fits, and that you can still fill and use it once it is in place. Height under the wall cupboards is usually the first question, but width, depth and where the water and beans go in matter as much. Below are the most compact machines of each type we track, shortest first: a pod machine, two espresso machines, a filter machine and three bean-to-cups. Every height is the maker’s own figure. To browse by type, see our pod machine, espresso machine, bean-to-cup and filter coffee machine comparisons.

Measure before you buy

• Measure the gap. Measure from the worktop to the underside of the wall cupboards, at the front edge where the machine will stand. We don’t quote a typical figure: we found no standard to rely on, and kitchens vary.
• Add the room the maker asks for. Some manuals give a figure. Melitta asks for at least 20 cm free above the Purista; De’Longhi asks for 15 cm above the Magnifica S, because it gives off heat. The heights on this page are the makers’ figures for each machine, and none of them says how much more a lid or lever needs when it is open.
• Check what opens on top. Each bean-to-cup machine here fills with beans through a lid on top. The water tanks on the Purista and the Bambino Plus lift out upwards, and the Essenza Mini opens with a lever for each capsule. If you can’t open them where the machine sits, you will be sliding it forward every time.
• Check the depth. The bean-to-cup machines here are 43 to 46 cm deep, against 33 cm for the Essenza Mini and Dedica Style and 20 cm for the Optima Timer. Low isn’t always small: the Nespresso Vertuo Up stands 25.5 cm tall but is 49 cm deep. Melitta and De’Longhi also want a gap behind the Purista and the Magnifica S: about 10 cm and 3 cm.
• Check your cups. De’Longhi lists cups up to 12 cm under the Dedica Style’s spout and 14 cm under the Magnifica S, and Sage’s manual shows extra-tall cup clearance on the Bambino Plus.

Side by side, shortest first

Smallest machine we track

1. Nespresso Essenza Mini

Milk system

None

Cup sizes

2

Water tank

0.6 L

Heat-up time

25 s

Height

20.4 cm

Warranty

2 years

The Essenza Mini is the smallest machine on this site by some margin: Nespresso lists it at about 8.4 cm wide, 33 cm deep and 20.4 cm tall, and it weighs 2.3 kg. It takes Nespresso Original capsules and makes a 40 ml espresso or a 110 ml lungo, and you can set each button to your own volume. It heats in about 25 seconds and switches itself off after 9 minutes, or 30 if you change the setting. The price of that size is capacity: the removable tank holds 0.6 L and the container takes only 5 to 6 used capsules, so you will refill and empty it often. Leave room for the lever you open to load each capsule. There is no milk system; Nespresso’s Aeroccino3 frother is sold separately and needs a spot of its own. See the Essenza Mini review, and Nespresso Original vs Vertuo if you are still choosing a capsule system.

Where to buy the Nespresso Essenza Mini

• De’Longhi£119Out of stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to De’Longhi (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

Compact espresso for milk drinks

2. Sage the Bambino Plus

Built-in grinder

No

Heating system

ThermoJet

Milk system

Automatic steam wand

Water tank

1.9 L

Warranty

2 years

Height

30.4 cm

The Bambino Plus puts automatic milk texturing into a body 19.4 cm wide, 36.2 cm deep and 30.4 cm tall on Sage’s figures. You stand the supplied jug on the drip tray sensor, choose a temperature and foam level, and the wand stops by itself; Sage says the ThermoJet heater is ready in 3 seconds. Two things matter in a tight spot. The 1.9 L tank sits at the back and lifts out to be filled, so you need room above it or have to pull the machine forward. And there is no grinder, so unless you buy pre-ground coffee, a burr grinder will need its own space beside it. One owner we read found the body light enough to need holding while locking in the portafilter. See the Bambino Plus review, or the best espresso machines for home for the full line-up.

Where to buy the Sage the Bambino Plus

• Sage£399.95In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Sage (opens in a new tab)
• Hughes£399In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Hughes (opens in a new tab)
• John Lewis£399.99In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to John Lewis (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

Slimmest espresso machine

3. De’Longhi Dedica Style EC685

Built-in grinder

No

Heating system

Thermoblock

Milk system

Steam wand

Water tank

1.1 L

Warranty

2 years

Height

30.5 cm

At 14.9 cm wide, the Dedica Style is the narrowest espresso machine we track. It is about as tall as the Bambino Plus, at 30.5 cm, but 4.5 cm slimmer and about 3 cm shallower at 33 cm deep. It weighs 4.22 kg and has a removable 1.1 L tank. Like the Bambino Plus it has no grinder, but it also takes E.S.E. pods, which can save you finding room for one. The frother is manual, set for steamed milk or thicker foam, and the machine gives hot water too. The two-height drip tray takes cups up to 12 cm. The small tank is the trade-off: expect to refill it often. Among the owner reviews we read, the slim footprint drew frequent praise, while a few owners reported the steamer failing early: anecdotes from a small sample, not a failure rate. See the Dedica Style review.

Where to buy the De’Longhi Dedica Style EC685.M

• De’Longhi£149.99In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to De’Longhi (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

Narrowest bean-to-cup

4. Melitta Purista

Milk system

None

One-touch drinks

2

Water tank

1.2 L

Bean hopper

125 g

Height

33.4 cm

Warranty

2 years

The Purista is a bean-to-cup for black coffee drinkers with a narrow gap. Melitta UK lists it at 20 cm wide and 33.4 cm tall, the narrowest and lowest bean-to-cup we track, but also 45.9 cm deep, the deepest machine on this page. Its manual is the clearest about space of any here: at least 20 cm free above the machine and about 10 cm from the wall, which on Melitta’s figures means a gap of at least 53.4 cm up to the cupboard. That room gets used: the water tank has a lid and pulls out upwards, and the bean container has a lid of its own. It brews espresso or café crème, one or two cups at a time, and the brewing unit pulls out for a weekly rinse. There is no milk system or hot water outlet, and the 1.2 L tank and 125 g bean container are small. See the Purista review.

Where to buy the Melitta Purista

• Melitta£399.99In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Melitta (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

Compact filter machine

5. Melitta Optima Timer

Jug type

Glass

Built-in grinder

No

Programmable start

Yes

Width

25.5 cm

Height

33.5 cm

Warranty

2 years

If you drink filter coffee, the Optima Timer is the smallest jug machine we track. Melitta UK lists it at 33.5 cm tall and 25.5 cm wide, and only 20 cm deep, the shallowest machine on this page. The 1 litre tank is removable, and the filter swings out for the paper and coffee. It brews up to 8 cups into a glass jug on a hotplate, can start on a timer, and keeps the coffee warm for 30 minutes by default, adjustable up to two hours, though Melitta itself advises against long warming for flavour. It takes size 102 filter papers and asks for a five-minute pause between brews, and its manual says it must not stand in a cupboard while it runs. See the Optima Timer review, or every jug machine in our filter coffee machine comparison.

Where to buy the Melitta Optima Timer

• Melitta£59.99In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Melitta (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

Low bean-to-cup with a steam wand

6. De’Longhi Magnifica S ECAM22.110

Milk system

Steam wand

One-touch drinks

2

Water tank

1.8 L

Bean hopper

250 g

Height

34 cm

Warranty

2 years

The Magnifica S is the lowest bean-to-cup we track that can froth milk. De’Longhi’s UK page lists it at 34 cm tall, 23 cm wide and 43 cm deep; the manual for its model family gives 35 cm tall and 24 cm wide, so plan on the larger figures. The manual also asks for at least 15 cm free above the machine and 3 cm at the sides and back, because it gives off heat: about 50 cm from worktop to cupboard in all. The 250 g bean container has a lid, and the 1.8 L tank comes out to be filled. Milk is frothed by hand on the steam wand, which also gives hot water, and cups up to 14 cm fit under the spouts. Among the owner reviews we read, several reported years of service and a few an early failure: anecdotes, not a failure rate. See the Magnifica S review, and De’Longhi vs Philips bean-to-cup if you are weighing it against the Philips 3300.

Where to buy the De’Longhi Magnifica S ECAM22.110.B

• De’Longhi£349.99In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to De’Longhi (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

Compact bean-to-cup with one-touch milk

7. JURA E8

Milk system

One-touch (automatic)

One-touch drinks

27

Water tank

1.9 L

Bean hopper

280 g

Height

34.8 cm

Width

27 cm

The E8 brings one-touch milk drinks into a bean-to-cup that JURA lists at 34.8 cm tall, 27 cm wide and 44.6 cm deep. Every other bean-to-cup with one-touch milk that we track stands 37 cm or more, so this is the one to look at if your gap is tight and you want lattes at a button. Its milk pipe draws from any jug or carton, and with a CLARIS Smart+ filter fitted it doesn’t ask to be descaled. The 280 g bean container sits under an aroma-preserving cover that you take off to fill it, and the tank has a cover too. JURA’s manual gives no clearance figure, but asks you to keep the ventilation slots clear. The milk system needs cleaning every day you make milk drinks, and JURA doesn’t state the warranty on its UK product page. See the JURA E8 review.

Where to buy the JURA E8

• Hughes£929In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Hughes (opens in a new tab)
• Marks Electrical£929In stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to Marks Electrical (opens in a new tab)
• John Lewis£1,245Out of stockchecked 2 Nov 2026Go to John Lewis (opens in a new tab)

Prices and stock change; the retailer’s page is always the final word.

How to choose a compact coffee machine

Pick the type first, because it decides the shape of the machine and what sits around it.

• Pod machines are the smallest and need the least cleaning, but capsules usually cost more per cup than beans, and you buy into one capsule system. Our cost-per-cup guide works through the sums, and the best pod coffee machines covers the other systems.
• Espresso machines without a grinder are narrow and low, but need pre-ground coffee, E.S.E. pods or a grinder that takes space of its own.
• Bean-to-cup machines keep the grinder and brewer in one box, at the cost of depth (43 to 46 cm here) and a bean lid on top that needs room to open.
• A filter machine such as the Optima Timer is low and shallow, and brews a jug at a time rather than a cup.

What each budget buys

• Under about a hundred and fifty pounds: a capsule machine, a small filter machine or a basic espresso machine with a manual frother.
• About three to four hundred and fifty pounds: a compact espresso machine with automatic milk texturing, or an entry bean-to-cup that leaves the milk to you or skips it altogether.
• Over about eight hundred pounds: among the machines we track, this is where one-touch milk arrives in a bean-to-cup under 35 cm tall.

Prices move, so the price boxes above show what each machine costs today. Still deciding on a type? Read which coffee machine should you buy.

How we chose these

1. Started from the measurements that decide fit: height, width and depth, then where the tank and beans go in.
2. Picked the most compact machines of each type from the 27 we track, using each maker’s published dimensions.
3. Read the manuals for the space each maker asks for around the machine and for warnings about running it in a cupboard.
4. Checked prices at De’Longhi, Sage, Melitta, John Lewis, Hughes and Marks Electrical, and show the date we checked.
5. Revisit the list when prices move or a model is replaced.

What we don’t do: lab-test every product. When we have used one ourselves, the review says so.

Our full method

Compact coffee machine questions

How much space do I need above a coffee machine?

Check the manual, because makers differ and several don’t say. Melitta asks for at least 20 cm above the Purista and about 10 cm from the wall; De’Longhi asks for 15 cm above the Magnifica S and 3 cm at the sides and back, because it gives off heat. Beyond that, allow room to open any lid, lever or tank you fill from the top. We don’t quote a typical cupboard gap: measure yours.

What is the smallest coffee machine you list?

The Nespresso Essenza Mini. Nespresso lists it at about 8.4 cm wide, 33 cm deep and 20.4 cm tall, and it weighs 2.3 kg. The catch is capacity: a 0.6 L tank, room for 5 to 6 used capsules and no milk system, though Nespresso sells the Aeroccino3 frother separately. For espresso from ground coffee, the slimmest is the De’Longhi Dedica Style at 14.9 cm wide.

Do compact machines have smaller water tanks?

Usually, so you refill more often. On this page the tanks run from 0.6 L on the Essenza Mini and 1.1 L on the Dedica Style to 1.9 L on the Bambino Plus and JURA E8. If the tank lifts out upwards, as on the Purista and the Bambino Plus, you also need room to lift it clear, or you will be sliding the machine forward each time you fill it.

Will a mug fit under a compact coffee machine?

Check the spout height before you buy. De’Longhi lists cups up to 12 cm under the Dedica Style and up to 14 cm under the Magnifica S, and Sage’s Bambino Plus manual shows extra-tall cup clearance for tall mugs. Nespresso, Melitta and JURA don’t give a cup height on the pages we read. For a big mug of filter coffee, the Optima Timer brews into its own jug instead.

What can I do with my old, bigger coffee machine?

Take it back to the shop. When you buy a new coffee machine, in store, online or by post, the retailer must offer to take back your old one of the same type for free, giving you at least 28 days. Nespresso also takes an old machine back free at its stores within 28 days of a new Nespresso electrical purchase. Don’t put it in the household bin.