New Delhi, Nov. 25 -- Making coffee at home used to be simple. A spoonful of instant powder, hot water, and milk and its done. Today, however, home coffee machines rival cafe equipment, offering everything from automatic milk frothing to app-controlled brewing. With so many choices and price points, buying one can feel overwhelming. If you're unsure where to start, here are key things to consider before taking the espresso plunge.

The right machine depends less on features and more on how you enjoy coffee. If you want convenience, pod machines deliver consistent results quickly and take up little space. But if you enjoy experimenting with flavours, adjusting grind size, or steaming milk by hand, a manual or semi-automatic espresso machin...