Best pod coffee machines

What’s not to love about pod coffee machines? Efficient, easy-to-clean, and above all, offering better-tasting coffee than you’re likely to get with most other home brewing methods these clever contraptions have earned their place in roughly 30% of British homes and counting.

One factor which has historically held some of us back from buying a pod coffee machine is concern for the environment, as most pods have been destined ultimately for landfill.

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However, several of the leading manufacturers have taken action on this issue, and (at least relatively) eco-friendly pods are now available from the likes of Nespresso and Rombouts. If eco-friendliness matters to you – and we reckon it should – we’d advise you to confirm the availability of recyclable/biodegradable pods before buying a machine.

On a more tantalising note, you’ll also need to think about what you want your machine to do, and how you want your coffee to turn out. Would you like to try your hand at latte art? Do you require advanced smart features such as automated pod replenishment? And how many coffee volume settings will you require to cater for your every whim?

With considerations like these in mind, we’ve assembled a selection of the best pod coffee machines on the market, rich in features, form and function. Go ahead and pour yourself one last mug of instant, then join us as we put these impressive devices through their paces.

Sage – Nespresso Creatista Plus

Best for: beautiful coffee

Water pressure: 19 bars
Water tank capacity: 1.5l
Compatible pods: Nespresso/NS

From the first stage of setup – which involves dipping a water hardness testing strip into your tap water – it’s abundantly clear that this is a coffee machine offering superlative quality and attention-to-detail.

In many ways, the Creatista Plus goes further than any other machine we’ve tried. Its water tank and stainless-steel body sparkle brighter; its user interface offers easier and more thorough configuration; and you can even use its steam pipe and adjustable steam settings to create latte art – hence Creatista.

All things considered, this has the feel of a classic product in the making. If you’re a coffee lover, you may well find it worth the expense.

£349 | Amazon | Buy it now

Rombouts – Xpress’Oh

Best for: an environmentally friendlier choice

Water pressure: 16 bars
Water tank capacity: 1.3l
Compatible pods: Rombouts

Packaged in recyclable plastic and made with biodegradable material, the coffee pods from Rombouts are the most sustainable solution we’ve encountered – and having sampled Rombouts’ diverse range of pod varieties, we can safely say this does not come at a cost in terms of coffee quality.

As for the machine itself, the Xpress’Oh is a thoroughly impressive coffee maker that outperforms its price range – especially when used with Dualit DMF1 milk frother (also available via Rombouts) to make a latte or cappuccino. It has a capacious tank, a pleasing silhouette, and – lest we forget – a tasty range of eco-friendly coffee capsules to use with it.

One of the best machines we’ve tried.

£119.95 | Rombouts | Buy it now

Lavazza – A Modo Mio Jolie and Milk​

Best for: an integrated frother at a decent price

Water pressure: 10 bars
Water tank capacity: 0.6l
Compatible pods: Lavazza A Modo Mio capsules

There’s a pleasing elegance and intuitiveness to this machine’s design, from the semi-integrated milk frother to the two-button operation of the main coffee machine (the same two buttons double up as coffee size selectors and power buttons).

We also liked the tasting selection of nine Lavazza coffee pods that comes bundled in with the Jolie and Milk. An especial highlight is Lavazza Magia, which has plenty of passport stamps on its flavour profile, with beans originating from South America, India and the Ethiopian highlands.

£129 | John Lewis | Buy it now

Wacaco – Nanopresso & NS Adaptor

Best for: Nespresso pod coffee on the go

Water pressure: 18 bars

Water tank capacity: 80ml

Compatible pods: Nespresso/NS

The pleasures of pod coffee needn’t end when you leave the house. With Wacaco’s ingenious Nanopresso espresso machine with NS adaptor, you can hand pump NS pods to produce delicious coffee on-the-go. It’s a godsend for whenever good coffee would otherwise be scarce. Lightweight, easy-to-operate and complete with a soft carry bag, the Nanopresso is perfectly suited for taking to work or days out. Just be sure to buy it with the NS adaptor bundled in (see link below) – without it you’ll only be able to use the Nanopresso with ground coffee.

£69.99 | Amazon | Buy it now

Krups – Nespresso XN100140 Inissia Coffee Machine

Best for: high performance at an affordable price

Water pressure: 19 bars
Water tank capacity: 0.7l
Compatible pods: Nespresso/NS

A small-but-mighty coffee machine from German maker Krups, the Inissia combines a neat footprint and affordable pricing with brewing performance to rival the best of ‘em. It’s also rather chic.

With a water tank capacity of 0.7l, this machine is perhaps best suited to use by one person, or a couple of relatively light coffee drinkers. Either way, the Inissia can give you Nespresso’s range (or one of the many other pod ranges compatible with NS machines) at its best.

£59.99 | Argos | Buy it now

KitchenAid – Nespresso Artisan Coffee Machine with Aerocinno3 Milk Frother

Best for: making a style statement

Water pressure: 19 bars
Water tank capacity: 1.4l
Compatible pods: Nespresso/NS

This big, beautiful coffee machine has an industrial, slightly android-like aesthetic that’s considerably more characterful than most of its peers. It certainly makes a stylish addition to a kitchen counter.

Everything about the Artisan feels classy and robust: especially the clunk of the lever as you insert your pod, the effortless glide of the used pods compartment along its metal grooves, and the intuitive flick of its control dial as you toggle between six coffee settings. The Artisan may be a bit of an investment – but in our eyes, it’s a good one.

Comes with a Nespresso Aeroccino3 Milk Frother.

£309.95 | John Lewis | Buy it now

Francis Francis – E&C BT Bluetooth Illy Y5 Espresso and Coffee Machine

Best for: smart tech and sensational coffee

Water pressure: 15 bars
Water tank capacity: 0.85l
Compatible pods: illy Espresso (espresso-style) and illy Filtro (filter-style)

The Y5 combines pioneering tech and outstanding brewing in one suavely minimalistic package. This could be the caffeine talking, but frankly, we’re hooked.

This machine has the remarkable distinction of being the first and only smartphone-operable pod coffee machine on the market. Simply pair it with the My Illy Espresso app, then control and monitor the machine via your phone. The Y5 can automatically order replacement pods from Amazon when you run out – so you never need go short of a home-brewed espresso in your hour of need.

Further, we rated the medium roasted illy pods we tested with the Y5 as the best we’ve tasted, with a potent flavour that brought some subtler notes in tow (was that a hint of liquorice?) Highly recommended.

£179.93 | Amazon | Buy it now

Verdict:

In what’s proven to be a particularly tight contest, we’ve ended up choosing the Sage Nespresso Creatista Plus as our ES Best Pick. It’s a beautiful object, capable of brewing a cornucopia of delicious coffees. For a more affordable and technologically advanced alternative, we’d strongly recommend the Y5 from Francis Francis.