About Flask and Pen
Flask and Pen is an independent guide to fully automatic espresso machines, the kind that grind, brew and often froth milk at the press of a button. We help you choose one and keep it running well.
Many of our readers are moving up from a drip maker or a pod machine. Others already own a bean-to-cup machine and want help with cleaning, descaling or milk drinks.
You don't need any barista skills to follow along. When a term like brew unit, milk carafe or grind setting comes up, we explain it in plain words.
What we cover
We cover one-touch machines from Jura, De'Longhi, Philips, Gaggia, KitchenAid and other makers sold in the US. We sort them by size, milk system and how much fuss they ask of you each day.
We also write care guides for the machines people own, from descaling steps to milk frother cleaning.
How we work
We read the maker's specs, the manual and the listing details for every machine we cover. Then we look at what owners report after months of daily use.
From that we write plain guides, short lists of picks and side-by-side matchups. Our How we research page has the details.
What we are not
We don't make, sell or repair coffee machines, and no maker pays us to rank its models.
Flask and Pen is not affiliated with Jura, De'Longhi, Philips, Gaggia or any other coffee machine brand.
We don't claim to have tested every machine ourselves. When we pick one, we say why, based on its specs, its manual and owner feedback.
How the site pays for itself
Some links on this site go to stores like Amazon. If you buy through one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
That never decides which machines we pick. Our affiliate disclosure explains more.
Get in touch
Spotted a mistake or have a question about a guide? Send us a note on our contact page.