Best Coffee Machines With Pods | Expert Recommendations

The Lavazza A Modo Mio system makes it much easier to enjoy a cup of Italy’s favourite espresso blend at home without the fuss of coffee granules being splattered all over the worktop. This stocky but stylish top-of-the-range model comes with an ingenious milk frothing system that doesn’t involve any fiddly wands or, indeed, any input at all from the user. For a straight espresso, simply drop a capsule into the top slot, pull down the handle, tap one of the three main extraction choices – single espresso, long espresso, long coffee – and out pops a delicious almost uncannily authentic Lavazza espresso replete with a rich, silky crema. Mind, be sure to place any cups far back on the adjustable plinth or the stream will miss the cup and pour straight into the excess tray. This is because Deséa’s integrated milk frothing system uses the same area for its jug and internal wand instead of the usual stand-alone wand method.

As an alternative to our top overall recommendation, the Keurig K-Café has a similar drink selection and even comes in approximately the same price range. The item comes with a separate, dishwasher-safe milk frother, which is ideal for making speciality beverages like lattes and cappuccinos. While it does not produce genuine espresso (which needs forcing hot water through fine grinds with sufficient pressure), it does offer a strong brew option for a few extra-concentrated ounces of coffee.

For decades, Nespresso has been the premier maker of pod-based coffee machines, and the Vertuo stands out among the large range of machines due to its versatility and pricing. It not only brews the company’s signature rich, crema-topped espresso, but it also provides a total of five drink sizes, beginning with a single espresso shot and progressing to a 14-ounce cup of coffee. You can couple this already active machine with a separate Aeroccino milk frother, producing a home coffee station worthy of your local café, thanks to Nespresso’s various package discounts.

I use the Nespresso Creatista Plus by Breville daily at home. It has a built-in steam wand for milk frothing, making it the perfect machine for barista wannabes like me who value the simplicity of a pod coffee maker. It combines the widest variety of beverage options with unmatched control and customization over milk temperature and foam for those who like to experiment. You can make flat whites, cappuccinos, lattes and latte macchiatos with the press of a button. The stainless steel finish also looks great on the kitchen counter.

This is great. If you’re making coffee for multiple people, you can use the full-size coffee maker. It can be used both with pods and with regular coffee. It offers easy-to-touch programming so that you can have coffee as soon as you wake up.