Best coffee pod machine: find out which one triumphed in our tests

We’ve looked at a wide range of designs – to suit all budgets – from all the top brands available in the UK. While spending more doesn’t guarantee quality coffee, we’ve generally found that the cheaper end of the market doesn’t always produce the best-tasting coffee. 

 So, whether you’re a coffee connoisseur or just starting out, our coffee pod machine buying guide has you covered, so you can find the perfect one for your home. 

Scoring the highest across the board in our tests, the Lavazza Deséa romped home to be crowned the best coffee pod machine. While it was one of the more expensive machines we tested, we loved the fact that this is a machine that not only looks good, but that also makes a cracking cup of coffee. 

The sleek looks are so premium, plus it was super easy to use – yes, without even needing to read the instructions. The milk frother is a great addition for those who enjoy a milk-based coffee, and we loved the way it was also really easy to clean, compared to some other milk frothers out there. 

The price did make us wince, but after using it religiously for a week – and yes, feeling bereft when we had to give it back – we can see that the cost is more than justified. We also had to hunt down special Lavazza pods for this machine, which weren’t always easy to find, however, we were pleased to find that the cost per pack was similar to the more easily found Nespresso pods. They also produce compostable pods, which is great if, like us, you’re worried about the environmental impact of coffee pods.

This one is for all the cappuccino lovers. If black espresso isn’t your thing, the My Way 2 is the one for you. And while it was one of the cheaper coffee machines we tested, the budget price didn’t affect the finished product.

The range of drinks it can make is also impressive thanks to its own range of Tassimo pods. You can also enjoy hot chocolate as well as coffee, making it a good choice if you love adding a bit of variety in your morning coffee machine. 

The addition of a filter in the water tank is a flavour enhancer and helps to reduce limescale. Anything that can help avoid descaling your coffee machine regularly is only a good thing in our books.

If only this machine came with a milk frother, then this would have been pod perfection. The milky drinks it does make use dried skimmed milk in the pods and even though they tasted OK, in our opinion, nothing beats the taste of real steamed milk in a coffee drink.

Yes, at £239 it’s not cheap, but the Nespresso CitiZ by Magimix impressed us with not only how straightforward it was to use, but also how quickly it made coffee. 

The absolute clincher for us with this one was the fact that as a Nespresso machine, it takes the company’s own-brand capsules. This is a total winner, as many supermarkets and roasteries now produce their own Nespresso-style capsules, meaning you have a much wider choice of coffee, which are also available at many different price points.

While we love the milk frother for its ability to up the coffee ante, it does make the machine a bit of a weird shape, thanks to its circular design. It means it doesn’t fit as neatly onto the kitchen counter as some of the other machines we tested. Those with smaller kitchens may struggle to find somewhere to keep it.

It’s also a bit annoying that you can’t whack the frother in the dishwasher, as it can be a bit fiddly to keep clean.

If you like your tech, then this is the coffee pod machine for you. Connect it to an app and you can ask Alexa to make your favourite brew.

Aside from being able to ask for a coffee, we loved that we could also blast out our favourite tunes from the machine. What better way to kickstart the morning than with caffeine and an uplifting tune? The finished product also tasted pretty good.  

The app was a bit hit and miss and took us a while to connect, plus the RRP is a bit steep. 

This is one for all the design lovers. We were taken by the look of this coffee pod machine as soon as we popped it out of the box, and even though it did need a regular wipe down, the chrome finish made it a super-cool addition to our kitchen. 

If you’re looking for versatility within one machine, snap this beauty up now. Not only can you use Nespresso coffee pods and ESE – or Easy Serving Espresso – pods (paper pods that contain ground coffee), but you can also use ground coffee. We also loved that it made two cups at once – a nice time-saving addition. 

For us, coffee pod machines are all about convenience – we just want to press a button and go – but with this machine, you do need to put the work in to get a good cup of coffee. We’d rather leave that to our local barista.  

We think our head product tester, Philip Sowels, summed this machine up nicely when he said: “This machine produced one of the best-tasting espressos I’ve had from a pod machine.” If flavour is all that matters, then this is the machine for you. 

The look and feel are so modern, and the cheery red made a nice change from the other white and black coffee pod machines we tested. As well as the delicious-tasting coffee it produced, it was also one of the quietest machines we tested.

We love a cappuccino, so while we did enjoy the espresso, we felt it was missing a trick. It doesn’t come with a milk frother, which obviously you can buy, but that all adds to the cost. We also found the pods were quite hard to track down – the easiest and most cost-effective way to buy them seems to be via a coffee pod subscription via the illy website. 

Some coffee pod machines can be on the large size and as you have to keep them on your kitchen counter to reap the benefits, they can feel a bit overwhelming in smaller kitchens. This is why the Lakeland Coffee Pod Machine is perfect for tiny living spaces. It’s compact, nice looking and makes a quick cup of coffee. 

It’s basic, but we loved how easy it was to use. No having to mess around with different buttons or switches, you literally put your pod in, press a button and your coffee is made. It’s also a great price, which in these difficult times cannot be sniffed at. As it also takes Nespresso-style capsules, this means you can keep the cost down further, by purchasing supermarket brand coffee pods. 

While it didn’t make the most gourmet coffee, it was drinkable. We wish it had come with a milk frother, though, to make it a bit more versatile.