Buy the best coffee pod machine & you can enjoy barista-quality coffee at home. Not only do our recommended models make wonderful coffee, but they are also hassle-free.
For some, roasting and grinding beans, tamping the grind, and tweaking settings are part of the ritual associated with a good brew. But for most of us, great coffee coupled with convenience is what’s important. Popping a capsule in a machine & simply pressing a button for wonderful coffee at home is a game-changer.
Additionally, there are now decent eco pods.
Best Pod Coffee Machine UK
Start with the pod. If you want an affordable machine and a wide range of drinks, consider the Bosch Tassimo, detailed below. There are over 70 capsule options. This machine makes every imaginable variety of coffee, tea, hot chocolate & more. Perfect for keeping the whole family happy.
However, if it’s all about the coffee, choose a machine designed for Nespresso or Lavazza pods. Both brands have loyal customers who rave about their machines & more specifically, the coffee.
There are two types of Nespresso pods, Original & Vertuo. Go for the Original if you’re thinking espresso, latte or cappuccino. Alternatively, a Vertuo machine is better suited to longer drinks (though it costs more).
The highly rated Lavazza machine uses ECO pods that are both cheaper and easier to recycle than alternatives.
To save you time, we have scrutinised specifications, considered expert opinion and vetted real-world insight. Starting with 56 models, we have dismissed the duds & stepped away from the mediocre. The shortlist below details the best pod machines available to buy right now…
Budget Pod Machine
Bosch Tassimo Suny
This Bosch capsule machine makes every hot drink imaginable, quickly and consistently. And it’s very affordable.
Each capsule has a barcode that tells the machine all it needs to know to make & deliver the perfect hot beverage. All you have to do is decide what drink you’d like & pop it in the right capsule. However, this decision isn’t easy. There are over 70 drinks to choose from with every coffee type, tea, hot chocolate & more – there is something for everyone.
The Bosch Tassimo won’t take up much space on your worktop, as it’s only 17cm wide. The compact design means the 0.8-litre water tank requires regular refills, but this is acceptable, as it’s better to use freshwater. Cleaning & descaling is easy too – simply add the appropriate disk.
The hassle-free design of this excellent drinks machine does mean that water isn’t filtered to the same degree as pricier machines, and there’s less scope to tune how you’d like your coffee, in terms of temperature, etc. That said if you’re looking for an affordable coffee (& drinks) machine that consistently makes a range of great drinks (70+) choose the Bosch Tassimo Suny.
TASSIMO DETAILS: H290xW210xD345 | WEIGHT: 3.2kg | WATER CAPACITY: 0.8l | POD COST: 32p | HEAT UP TIME: 5 Secs | WARRANTY: 2 Years
Bosch Tassimo Suny | See Best Price on Amazon
Affordable Coffee Pod Machine
Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie
This Lavazza machine is designed specifically to make great coffee. If you want a reliable crema-topped espresso or a rich cappuccino, this coffee machine is for you.
Coffee-loving owners have high regard for the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie. They have plenty to say about the high & consistent quality of coffee and the small form factor. If you want coffee made with fresh milk, then add a milk frother for the perfect cappuccino, americano, latte etc. (there’s no powdered milk here!)
The single-button operation makes the machine super easy to use, and at only 18cm wide, the Lavazza will fit & look great on your worktop.
Looking for negatives, very tall mugs don’t fit, and the tank is a little on the small side. But these small details quickly fade when you taste the coffee.
Lavazza now offers a wide range of ECO pods as well. After making each coffee, the pod simply goes into the council compost bin – easy. (TIP: Remove the pod immediately after use, they tend to swell & can become harder to remove.
From an environmental perspective, these pods make the Lavazza machine a great choice. Most coffee capsules take hundreds of years to decompose and are difficult to recycle. Too many empty pods end up in landfills.
For wonderful coffee, ECO pods and a compact design, this Lavazza machine is the top choice. Plus, it’s amazing value.
A MODO MIO DETAILS: H210xW124xD330 | WEIGHT: 2.5kg | WATER CAPACITY: 0.6l | POD COST: 28p | HEAT UP TIME: 25 Secs | WARRANTY: 1 Year
Lavazza | See Best Price on Amazon
Best Nespresso Machine
Citiz
This Original Nespresso Citiz pod coffee machine makes excellent espresso. A best seller for a few years now, it’s highly rated by owners. And apparently, George Clooney is a fan, too!
Nespresso offers a huge range of excellent coffee pods – you’re sure to find the perfect intensity. The Citiz coffee machine makes a 40ml espresso or a 110ml lungo as standard, both of which can be adjusted to your preferences. The water is driven through the coffee at 19 bar pressure. This high pressure, preferred by Nespresso, is key to barista-quality coffee. Also worth noting is the slim design (130mm wide), which makes it easy to fit on most worktops.
The only downside with the Nespresso Citiz is that you will quickly develop a taste for wonderful coffee at home and a dislike for the mediocre drinks on the high street. Happily, this will save you a small fortune!
CITIZ DETAILS: H372xW130xD278 | WEIGHT: 3.3kg | WATER CAPACITY: 1.0l | POD COST: 57p+ | HEAT UP TIME: 25 Secs | WARRANTY: 1 Year
Nespresso Citiz | See Best Price on Amazon
Nespresso Vertuo Machine
Vertuo Plus
Great coffee, every time. The Nespresso Vertuo Plus makes the perfect espresso, cappuccino, latte, americano & every other type of coffee imaginable. Owners love this machine.
This machine uses clever technology to make the perfect coffee. Each pod has a barcode that the machine uses to set every setting precisely. The capsule is then spun at around 100 revolutions per second, blending the coffee with water to deliver the ultimate brew, straight into your favourite cup. Talking of cups, with five sizes ranging from 40ml (espresso) to 414ml (alto), you’re certain to find your perfect personal coffee.
Happily, this Nespresso machine can save you a small fortune. While high-street coffee seems increasingly expensive, buy this machine & you’ll enjoy better coffee for a fraction of the cost. Use this machine instead of buying high-street coffee & it will pay for itself in a month.
VERTUO PLUS DETAILS: H325xW220xD349 | WEIGHT: 4.6kg | WATER CAPACITY: 1.2l | POD COST: 69p | HEAT UP TIME: 60 Secs | WARRANTY: 1 Year
Nespresso Vertuo Plus | See Best Price on Amazon
Ultimate Coffee Pod Machine
Nespresso Creatista Plus
If you’re looking for the ultimate pod coffee machine – this is it! The Creatista Plus, with a dedicated milk wand, makes excellent coffee every time.
Plus, it also gives the flexibility to get everything exactly as you like it. Coffee volume, milk temperature and texture can all be tweaked.
The Creatista Plus heats up in just three seconds, a fraction of the time it takes most machines. For added convenience, the easy-to-use menu offers a selection of coffee types, along with the settings and maintenance requirements. The machine does what it can to keep itself clean, including automatically purging the steam wand after each use. However, as with all coffee machines, you will need to descale it occasionally to keep everything working perfectly.
Made from stainless steel, the Creatista Plus has a quality feel, and at a reasonably compact 18cm width, it won’t take up too much room on the worktop. The 1.5-litre water tank is considerably larger than that of many machines, further enhancing the hassle-free design.
The Creatista Plus does everything brilliantly. It makes wonderful coffee & has a built-in milk machine. And if that’s not enough, it looks amazing too!
CREATISTA PLUS DETAILS: H308xW171xD393 | WEIGHT: 5.2kg | WATER CAPACITY: 1.5l | POD COST: 57p | HEAT UP TIME: 3 Secs | WARRANTY: 2 Years
Nespresso Creatista Plus | See Best Price on Amazon
Buyers Guide
Recycling Coffee Pods
Capsule coffee machines are super convenient. They make great coffee, quickly and without any fuss. However, too many empty capsules end up in landfills. Whether made of aluminium or plastic, a pod’s size and composition make it difficult to recycle in a standard household bin. This has led some manufacturers to set up specialist recycling processes.
The hassle associated with washing and bagging the empties, finding a participating recycling point and then dropping them off means that too many capsules go straight in the bin. And they take hundreds of years to break down.
Although Nespresso has a good collection service, the Lavazza ECO pods make the most sense.
What About Eco Coffee Pods?
Compostable capsules are a great option. Lavazza is leading the way here. These pods can go in most council compost bins. Alternatively, Nespresso offers a decent collection or drop-off recycling scheme.
High Street Coffee and the Environment
Coffee pods may well be better for the environment than a typical high-street coffee. Most high street coffee cups are plastic-lined & difficult to recycle. Send back your empty Nespresso pods or use eco-friendly Lavazza capsules, and you’re not only enjoying great coffee but also helping reduce the number of paper/plastic coffee cups entering landfills.
What About Pods That Can Be Refilled?
It’s possible to buy refillable pods for most machines. This offers the advantage of less waste. However, rather than spend time filling pods, it makes more sense to choose a traditional coffee machine where you fill the portafilter rather than the fiddly capsules. If you’d rather avoid using pods, take a look at the best espresso & bean to cup machines.
Save the planet, One Coffee at a Time
If you want to start a good habit while enjoying great coffee, consider how different manufacturers plan to recycle old pods.
- Nespresso will send bags out with new pod deliveries. You can drop these off at multiple locations or arrange for Nespresso to collect them.
- Tassimo suggests that their customers should drop off old capsules at specialist centres.
- Lavazza pods can go in most Council compost bins. Best ECO option.
How Much Do Coffee Capsules Cost?
Good coffee is expensive. And capsules are no different. However, pod coffee is considerably cheaper than anything you will find on the high street. Choose one of our recommended machines, and you will soon be enjoying great coffee at home. And save a small fortune.
With the huge variety of capsules available coupled with never-ending special offers, it’s hard to make exact comparisons. However, we have listed espresso capsule prices for your approximate comparison.
- Nespresso Original – 57p (non-genuine pods from 22p)
- Nespresso Vertuo – 69p
- Tassimo – 32p
- Lavazza – Eco Pods 28p
Prices last updated July 2024
Choose any of our recommended machines & you’ll soon be enjoying better coffee at a fraction of the price compared to the high street.
UK Verdict
All the machines detailed here make far superior coffee to the average high-street alternative, and you will save £££s.
If you want a machine that keeps the whole family happy, is affordable, and makes a wide range of drinks, the Bosch Tassimo is the best option.
The Lavazza is affordable, makes wonderful coffee & it’s super compact. Plus, it uses ECO pods – a great choice for most homes.
Nespresso is the premium choice. The Citiz covers the basics brilliantly, then the Vertuo adds variety, followed by the all-singing Creatista Plus.
For Nespresso quality, technology, and beautiful design, the Creatista Plus is our top pick. The espresso is awesome, and the milk wand means every coffee type is quick & easy.
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