Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy review

Keen to make elevenses last well into the afternoon, the team here at Exceptional got to work testing out the Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy. We wanted to see just how easy it is to set up, use and live with on a day to day basis. 

We trialled it in both the Exceptional test lab and in a domestic kitchen setting, and rated it on design, performance, ease of use, speed and versatility. We were particularly keen to see how well Alexa voice control worked for us and how useful the app was. 

We trialled a range of Lavazza A Modo Mio coffee pods, including the Lungo Dolce capsules that include smooth Arabica coffee and the more intense A Modo Mio Delizioso capsules.

We also took the coffee temperature, adjusted the size of the coffee using the app and measured the noise levels while it was making a coffee – because, after all, it’s a cup of coffee we want to wake us up in the morning, not a noisy machine.  

With its sleek black plastic finish, metal lever and chrome drip tray, the Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy is a compact coffee machine that looks good on the worktop.

At 30cm (12in) high and 15cm (6in) wide, it won’t take up too much room either, like some bulky coffee machines with smart control built in can. The design of the lever seems to double up as a carry handle, which makes it easy to move the coffee machine around the worktop should you wish. 

The machine is designed to provide two coffee sizes, which can be tailored to suit your preferred size on the app. Unfortunately, there’s no built-in milk frothing chamber like there is on the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie&Milk, so you’ll have to stick to black coffees, use a hand frother or warm up your milk in a pan.

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The coffee machine comes with a 1.1 litre (1.9 pints) water tank that provides enough for at least six espressos, and has an adjustable cup tray.

While the tray is easy to adjust to suit the height of your cup, we found emptying the used capsule drawer behind it rather awkward as there’s not much to easily grip and smoothly pull it out. The capsule bin is large, however, and gives you enough space to house 10 capsules before needing to change it. 

With its black fabric casing, we think the smart speaker on the machine is discreetly positioned – just above the main coffee dispensing area. While it blends in well with the overall design and makes a surprisingly powerful sound, we can’t help but feel that it might not be the most practical addition on a coffee machine that will inevitably be splashed with coffee and steam over time. But during our trial, we did manage to keep it in tip top condition. 

When you ask Alexa something – such as to make you a coffee or stream music from Amazon music – the border of the main control panel on the coffee machine will light up blue. We like the way it lights up as it makes it clear when Alexa is listening.  

The control panel on the coffee machine is refreshingly simple to use, too – so when you’re not opting for smart control, you can simply press the espresso or taller coffee button to create your drink. A button that stops Alexa working and volume buttons to adjust the speaker volume are also relevant and useful additions to this display. 

With three ways to make a coffee (manually, via Alexa voice control and with app control on your smartphone), the obvious way for us to get started was just to press the espresso button on the machine.

We filled the water tank, inserted a capsule, placed a cup underneath and pressed start. There are two options to choose from – a 30ml espresso and longer 45ml coffee – so we tried both. The results were smooth and the coffee came with a decent crema, or creamy froth, which tasted good. A spoonful of sugar sunk slowly past the thick crema in our cup, which was a satisfying sight.  

There’s a wide range of Lavazza pods to choose from, but we favoured the 6/13 intensity score of the Lungo Dolce Capsules, which tastes just like freshly ground coffee.

The coffee comes out in a speedy 20 seconds, which is great when you’re pressed for time, and at 87C (189F) when first dispensed, the temperature is suitably hot. But there is also a button in the Lavazza app that can increase the temperature of the coffee, which is a plus if you like your coffee piping hot. 

Using either the Lavazza or Alexa app, we could make use of Alexa voice control, as well as remotely controlling the machine by hand –  personalising the coffee size and adjusting the coffee temperature. It’s in the app where you can also monitor capsule stock, place new capsule orders and remotely make a coffee. 

Harking for a tall coffee – as opposed to the shorter offerings on the main control panel – we tried personalising the coffee size using the accompanying Lavazza app.

When the coffee is being made you need to press the ‘Continue pouring’ command on the app, but we found this a little hit and miss. This was possibly something to do with the wi-fi playing up or the machine just not responding quickly enough to our instructions. The bin can hold up to 10 used capsules, and we also found the app telling us to empty the bin before it was actually full helpful. 

When attempting to make a coffee using Alexa voice control, however, it was a swift process. We even managed to ask Alexa to play some music from Amazon Music straight after it had poured a coffee, and it boomed out the music unapologetically. 

“You simply say ‘Hey Alexa, make me an espresso or long espresso, and hey presto – your coffee will be poured,” says Sowel. 

“What it doesn’t do, however, is remind you to insert a capsule or fill the water tank. It just starts pouring. The Voicy can only produce black coffee, but it doesn’t come with any form of milk frother, so it’s also a  questionable sacrifice in favour of the more interactive Alexa. If you want a latte or other milk-based coffee you will need to buy a separate milk frother.”

At its full price of £299, the Modo Mio Voicy is the most premium coffee machine in the Lavazza range, but we’re currently seeing it hugely discounted on the Lavazza website, where you can buy it for just £99.

We think this sale price is excellent value for a machine that makes great-tasting coffee, comes with clever features and gives you the added benefit of a smart speaker built in. It makes for a great gift idea for the person who has everything, too.

If you love the taste of Lavazza coffee but aren’t quite sold on the Alexa voice control, you can try the A Modo Mio Deséa.

Like the Voicy it has a 1.1 litre (1.9 pints) capacity water tank and takes compostable A Modo Mio capsules. Its control panel lets you choose from four coffee sizes and five milk-based drinks.

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If delicious-tasting espresso is non-negotiable in your home, the illy Easy coffee pod machine is a great-tasting alternative.

It doesn’t have smart control, but it can – like the A Modo Mio Voicy – make espresso and lungo coffees within seconds.

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Overall, we found making an espresso in the Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy a smooth process. The capsule is easy to insert and neatly empties into the bin when you lift the metal lever up after use. The Lavazza coffee range is wide and there are lots of intensities to choose from to suit your taste. 

While the Alexa voice control and in-app features make for nice extras, you will need to ensure that you’ve placed the coffee capsule inside the coffee machine, filled up the water tank and positioned a mug underneath the dispensing spout before you ask Alexa to make a coffee. 

So – aside from the final voice command – there isn’t much difference to just making the coffee yourself. That said, the app does come with a few reminders, such as to empty the bin, and keeps track of how many coffees you’ve made that day and how many you have left. You can even order more capsules when stocks get low. 

The built-in smart speaker is a handy addition to the room, although something we think is not necessary in a coffee machine. But with the ability to stream music or give you weather and news reports while you drink a brew, it could just make your coffee break just that bit more enjoyable.