If you love coffee but don't want the fuss of grinding and brewing with beans, look no further than the best pod coffee machines. These coffee machines only require you to fill a water tank and pop in a pod (of your choice), therefore earning a reputation as the easiest and cheapest way to brew at home.
With mess-free drinks and next-to-no maintenance, it's no surprise that pod machines are probably the most popular type of coffee maker in the UK. To help you efficiently sort through the best coffee machines that use pods, we've tried dozens of them at our test centre and at home, to see which is best for espressos, lattes or simple cost-effective use.
While they are a lot less hands-on, the drawback of a pod coffee machine is that they don't give you the freshest cup of coffee possible. For that, you'll need one of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines, which usually set you back a lot more. So, if you want to stick with the most affordable option out there, simply keep reading for our tried and tested favourite pod coffee machines.
The quick list
Best overall
This Sage Nespresso collab is everything you'd expect – beautiful, functional and expensive. It boasts excellent milk-frothing features, as well as lovely-tasting coffee. If you want the quality of a Sage bean-to-cup without the faff, this is the answer to your prayers.
Best Nespresso
The Nespresso Vertuo Pop is the pod coffee machine of choice in the Ideal Home office, and it's loved in that capacity thanks to the taste of the espressos it makes and the range of pods you can use with it, including iced drinks. For under £100 and with a design that's in our eyes pretty inoffensive, it's a sure bet if you're looking for an affordable pod machine.
Best with milk frother
Our reviewer didn't manage to find a single major downside to this machine, which is why it's reigning supreme in our guide if you want to spend less than £200. It's the perfect size, doesn't splash, has more options and programmes than most and is delightfully quiet.
Best value
Our tester rated this machine from L'Or as excellent value for money, and was impressed with the quality of the coffee from the pods included in the bundle too. It made her mornings much easier than before, all for less than £60. You can't say fairer than that.
Best smart
The ideal choice for those obsessed with smart tech, this machine is Alexa compatible, and is easy to use with your voice, through the app or simply manually when preferred. There's also a speaker for music, or whatever else you ask Alexa for.
Best looking
For a stylish retro look, this Smeg is the machine for you. Set-up is super simple, and there's no assembly required at all. While it doesn't have a milk-frother built-in, you can buy a matching Smeg one to complete the set.
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Best small
This coffee machine is seriously tiny, so it's perfect for offices, small kitchens, or even as a spare you use when you want a speedy brew. And because there's only one button, using it couldn't be easier.
Best pod coffee machines
Best pod coffee machine overall
What do you get when you combine the pod know-how of Nespresso and the beauty and functionality of Sage coffee machines?
This collab, and the sleekest pod coffee machine on the market. It's got a fantastic built-in milk wand, which you can operate manually or run auto-programs on, as well as a moveable drip tray to suit whichever coffee cup you're using.
During testing, we found that this machine more than just looked the part too, with excellent-tasting espressos and lattes that were so easy to make thanks to the self-operating milk frothing wand. If you love coffee but you're always in a rush, or you're just looking for something that's hands-free, you can't go wrong here.
As you might expect with a Sage machine, this is certainly a pricey one, but it's simply too good to not earn the top spot on the list. Another downside is that you're limited to Nespresso pods, which might mean budgeting your coffee addiction is a little tricky, as you're tied into the brand's prices.
Our Nespresso Vertuo Creatista by Sage pod coffee machine review has the full details.
Best Nespresso pod coffee machine
I know what you're thinking - how can we call this our favourite Nespresso machine when the product at #1 is in fact by the same brand? Well, in that meaning this is a Nespresso machine in a more traditional sense: affordable, compact and perfect for quick coffees.
It lacks the luxury of the Sage Nespresso collab that we love so much, but it's impressive in its own right given the price point, which comes in at under £100. In fact, this is the coffee machine the Ideal Home team uses every day in the office thanks to just how neatly it fits onto our desk. And of course, the espressos that this machine makes always hit the spot, with a selection of pods that make it difficult to know what to opt for.
Nespresso coffees tend to be longer than you might expect them to be, which is why if you prefer a milkier coffee, it's best to stop the pod cycle before it reaches the very end and add your own milk. There's no frother built-in with this machine (but we wish there was), which is one of the reasons it's so affordable, but the small water tank can be a bit of a hindrance sometimes, and the fact that it's a bit tricksy to install. All in all though, if it's an inexpensive Nespresso machine you want, this one will do nicely.
Read our Nespresso Vertuo Pop Pod Coffee Machine review for the full details.
Best pod coffee machine under £200
Love cappuccinos but not the mess and clean-up that goes with frothing and decanting hot foamed milk? Then the Deséa is the pod coffee machine for you.
Compact, yet with a good-sized 1.1-litre water tank, and compatible with the brand’s eco-friendly compostable capsules, it comes with a dishwasher-safe glass cup that serves as both your frothing vessel and mug.
This means that you can fill the cup with milk, slot it into the machine, add a capsule, and the machine will do the rest, producing a café-worthy latte or cappuccino with a single button press. There’s no pouring or splashes – so you can walk away and return to find a drink that’s ready to go.
It’s not just convenience that the Deséa has in spades, it also comes with more options than the average pod coffee machine. For example, there’s a button for more foam, a coffee temperature boost and a cleaning cycle that can be run to make sure that your first beverage will always be as good as the last.
Its five milk programmes include hot and cold frothing for making hot chocolate or milkshakes, plus there’s a choice of espresso, long espresso, long coffee and a free dose for those who like their drink just so.
A final reason to love it is how quiet it is during operation – a mere 43dB during coffee delivery. Perhaps the only downsides to be aware of are that capsule disposal isn’t automatic, so you’ll still have to remember to raise the lever at the end to release the pod into the integral bin, and that the frothing boost button isn’t suitable for larger volumes of milk as it’ll overflow.
Our Lavazza A Modo Mio Desea review has the full details.
Best pod coffee machine under £100
Our tester had never had a coffee machine at home before she tried out the L'OR Barista Sublime and found it to be a huge upgrade from her cafetiere. Thanks to its wonderful value price tag, she said that she would wholeheartedly recommend it to a friend, based on its performance.
It's also a great long-term budget option, thanks to the fact it uses original-style Nespresso pods, the dimensions of which are often sold by third parties, like supermarkets, for cheaper. At the time of testing, our reviewer was super impressed with the up-front investment needed too £79.99 for the machine and 100 pods works out as a cheap cup of coffee indeed.
You can make two espresso at once with this machine if you please, and the operation of the L'Or Sublime could not be simpler. Just one touch and you're away. For zero fuss on a budget, we think it's a winner.
Our Philips L'OR Barista Sublime coffee machine review has the full details.
Best smart pod coffee machine
Combining the best pod coffee machine and the best smart speaker, the Lavazza Voicy has a lot going for it. It's the latest release from Lavazza's A Modo Mio range, and comes with a box of the different coffee flavour pods available to help you experiment and decide which is the right one for you. We thought they all tasted amazing, and while you do need to take them to specific sites, they can be composted as part of an eco-conscious scheme.
You can ask Alexa to make you a coffee, long coffee, hot coffee, or your favourite coffee (which can be chosen using the Lavazza app). While there are only two coffee preset buttons, you can change what type of coffee they make using the app. This adjusts the length of the brew, and we found that the pods are certainly potent enough to make a delicious and rich americano.
Yes, it's a pricey choice, but we found that everything about the Voicy feels very high quality. Of course you need to add a pod and a cup before even using Alexa, but it's still very handy to be able to use the in-built speaker to play music, tell you the weather, or even a joke.
Our Lavazza Voicy review has the full details.
Best looking pod coffee machine
If you love drinking espressos and covet the look of retro appliances, then I can't possibly think of a better machine for you than the Lavazza A Modo Mio SMEG.
There's no assembly required, meaning as soon as you take this machine out of the box, you'll essentially have access to Italian-quality coffee at home straight away. This machine features recipes for espressos and lungos, meaning that if If you like to mix it up with lattes or cappuccinos, then you'll have to invest in a separate milk frother (my choice would be Smeg Milk Frother - what a beautiful pairing they make).
The coffee, with the machine accepting Lavazza and Lavazza-compatible pods, is absolutely delicious and just the touch of a button away with this machine. Set up is simple once you've run the water cycle, and the aesthetics of this machine will make any decor-lover happy.
Our Smeg Lavazza A Modo Mio review has the full details.
Best small pod coffee machine
Lavazza makes some seriously high-quality machines, so the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie is a very high-value machine when you look at its sub-£50 price. We were impressed to find that this compact coffee machine makes a delicious brew, and because there's only one button, using it couldn't be easier.
This coffee machine is seriously tiny, so it's perfect for offices, small kitchens, or even as a spare you use when you want a speedy brew. It's compatible with the full A Modo Mio coffee capsule line, so while you can only have one length of coffee, it does have lots of flavours to choose from. The machine will also automatically run another cycle when the first one finishes, so you can make your coffee longer by just leaving it to pour again. Don't forget to lift up the lever though, or it will keep going until the auto shut-off kicks in.
Our Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie review has the full details.
How we tested the best pod coffee machines
All of the coffee machines in this round-up have been tested extensively by the Ideal Home team, either at home or at our testing facility in line with our testing protocol. If you're shopping for a pod machine, we've tested all of the features you're searching for information on, from sustainability measures to the compatibility of pods you can buy.
Our experiences have shaped this guide and the ranking of the best pod coffee machines, and you can read more about each machine in our in-depth reviews. We would never recommend a coffee machine that hasn't been tested hands-on by one of our expert team members, or an experienced freelancer. This allows us to compare between products, and because we try and test over a prolonged period, we can update our reviews to keep them as up-to-date as possible with any details of wear-and-tear.
To give you a deep dive into our process, the testing begins as soon as the box containing the coffee machine arrives at our door. There, we will duly judge it based on how sustainable the packaging is and how testing it is to get out of the box and ready to serve you a coffee.
Once assembled, we'll give you our thoughts on its overall design and how it'll fit into a kitchen, as well as running you through the start up procedures you might need to go through. We then always start with the most basic test, making a black coffee with the machine and give you an idea of the taste and the range of other pods you can buy with each one. If there's an option to make long drinks, we'll try that out too and go through each machine's available menu until we've tried everything.
The process doesn't stop there, as we'll also dive into how easy each machine is to maintain over time and clean in the short term. If that's not enough, you can read more below about who has tested these machines from the Ideal Home team.
Molly is Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor, and has tested several pod coffee machines at home and at the Ideal Home test kitchen to see how they shape up. After joining the Ideal Home team in 2022, she's tested hundreds of kitchen appliances, and to compile this particular guide she's tried picks from SMEG, Lavazza, Morning, Nespresso, Philips and more.
FAQs
How to choose the best pod coffee machine
There are five main factors to bear in mind when searching for the best pod coffee machine for you:
1. Tank size
Every pod machine will have a refillable water tank so check its size before you buy. Anything less than a litre will require more frequent topping up, especially if you prefer long drinks. Some can be filled in-situ (for moments when you realise the water’s about to run out). Others will need to be removed – if you have a small kitchen sink or short tap, check that you can fit the tank below the spout easily.
2. Bar pressure
This is how much force the machine uses to pump the water through the pod. Look for a minimum of 15 for a pro-style crema, though machines designed to handle a wide range of drinks can be lower.
3. Milk frothing
There are two ways a pod coffee machine can make frothy cappuccinos, lattes and flat whites. The first is by using dried or UHT milk pods – these are great if you don’t have access to a fridge but may not be to everyone’s taste. The other is by a separate or conjoined milk frother, such as the Aeroccino that often accompanies Nespresso machines.
4. Drink size
Great for those who like an espresso in the morning, but a latte at weekends, some machines have a choice of different-sized beverages. Often there is the ability to adjust the amount of water dispensed to suit your taste. You may also be able to save your favourite settings to create easily reproduced personalised drinks. The latest crop of coffee machines can even be controlled by an app, so you can set them to brew the moment you step out of the shower.
5. Spout size
Check there’s enough room for your favourite cup beneath the spout. Some pod coffee machines have narrow platforms that won’t accommodate big mugs. Espresso fans should look for spouts that drop down or adjustable cup platforms that raise smaller cups towards the spout. This not only helps prevent splashes on the worktop, but makes for a thicker crema on your espresso.
Why do I need a pod coffee machine?
Anyone who’s ever tried to use an espresso machine only to end up with soggy grounds and a dribble of brown liquid will have learnt their lesson. The biggest appeal of pod coffee machines is that you don’t need the expertise to make a great espresso.
Instead, each capsule contains exactly the right amount of ground coffee, arranged so all you need to do is press a button.
Less costly and bulky than bean-to-cup machines, pod coffee makers also often take up less room on a worktop. This makes them a good fit for small kitchens, home offices and even bedrooms.
What drinks can your pod coffee machine make?
Most of the mainstream pod coffee machines can make basic milky drinks, but it’s common to find those that can produce anything from a chai latte to a caramel macchiato. Some coffee machines can also make cold drinks, such as chilled tea or coffee. There’s the option of branded drinks with the Tassimo T-Disc coffee system.
Machines that use ESE pods (which resemble a round teabag) will only brew coffee or tea, while other systems favour a variety of single-origin coffee types rather than a range of drinks.
Whichever of the best pod coffee machines you opt for, get ready to enjoy a quick and easy way to enjoy your favourite brew to set you up for the day.
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