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The best coffee and espresso pod machines you can buy
The best coffee and espresso pod machines you can buy
Owen BurkeJan 15, 2019, 22:10 IST
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Pod machines bring speed, convenience, and consistency to the coffee making process.
You're not going to get the best shot of espresso or cup of coffee ever made, but you will get a nicely made drink that tastes good with minimal effort.
The Nespresso Pixie by De'Longhi is the best pod machine you can buy because it makes a wide variety of coffee and espresso-based drinks quickly and efficiently.
Is a pod machine going to produce the perfect shot of espresso? No, and as a matter of fact, there's a lot of controversy as to whether these machines actually make espresso. That said, the coffee produced by pod machines comes pretty close. Pod machines are a great way for anyone to cut back on spending money at the cafe without shelling out for a $500 Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine, or fiddling with manual espresso machines like the Flair or a stovetop espresso maker.
Pod machines are ideal for the working professional on the go who's looking for fast and affordable coffee and espresso-based drinks. But affordable is relative here: Keep in mind the cost of pods. You're still looking at spending roughly fifty cents to a dollar on each pod, which holds only about five grams of grounds.
In contrast, a true shot of espresso is roughly between seven and 11 grams. A one-pound bag of coffee beans will deliver more than 40 shots, and a pound of artisanal coffee generally won't run you more than $15 (about $.038 per shot), so depending on how much coffee or espresso you consume, a pod machine could be a more expensive investment over time.
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The other major argument against pod machines is that they're not environmentally friendly. While almost all pod manufacturers offer recycling programs, participation involves a little more work than many people are willing to commit to, and the plastic and aluminum pods tend to end up in the garbage because recycling them isn't terribly convenient for most people. Fortunately, there's a whole host of companies making compostable and reusable pods for Nespresso machines.
All in all, if you're not terribly picky, or just want a backup for when you don't have the time or energy to buy or brew coffee and espresso your own way, a pod machine is a good buy. I keep a pod machine on my office desk, and while I have several other ways to administer caffeine into my person, I take solace in knowing it's there and I end up using it more often than not.
We've spent countless shaky, teeth-gritting hours testing all the coffee and espresso pod machines we could get our hands on to find the best.
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Why you'll love it: The Nespresso Pixie by De'Longhi is small, sleek, offers a wide variety of pod flavors, and accepts a host of third-party pods.
The Nespresso Pixie by De'Longhi is an easy-to-use, easy-to-clean machine that has very few working parts and consistently pushes out foamy espresso-like coffee for the caffeine fiend on the go. I've had this machine for about three years, and never once had a problem with it.
There are two settings for the Pixie: espresso (denoted as a little cup) and a lungo (big cup). The two settings produce more or less the same thing, but if you want to make a cappuccino or macchiato, the lungo might be the way to go.
The best thing about Nespresso machines is that the pods are simplistic enough that they can be produced by third parties that offer everything from compostable to reusable pods — both of which will save you money in the long run.
Consumer Reports chose the Pixie as the best Nespresso pod machine, and Amazon reviews (4.4/5 stars, based on 900+ reviews) are remarkably and consistently favorable, with titles like "Love this machine," "Worth every penny...," and "Great espresso, without the drama."
I don't end up using mine all that much, but I'm a purist and like to grind and make my own espresso every morning as part of my daily routine. But that's laborious, and I get that not everyone is willing to rise and shine a whole 10 or 15 minutes early to go through the process of prepping and pulling a shot of espresso.
If you just want to drop in a pod, press a button, and occasionally fill a reservoir with water, look no further. The Nespresso Pixie by De'Longhi is really all anyone needs.
Nespresso makes two different lines of machines and single-use pods and pouches, and the pouches (compatible with the VertuoLine) don't quite generate the pressure the capsules do, resulting in a decent crema, but a drink that resembles a milder coffee more than espresso according to Caffeine in My Veins and my own testing.
Pros: Simple, affordable, doesn't look half bad on the kitchen counter, you can change out the side plates for any of Nespresso's signature colors
Cons: Doesn't quite stack up to a proper espresso from a $2,000 machine, but what does?
Why you'll love it: Illy's Y3.2 iperEspresso Machine is the slimmest, most compact espresso and coffee pod machine we've tested, and Illy's pods also contain some of the best grounds we've tasted from any pod.
I keep Illy's Y3.2 Espresso Machine on my desk at work, much to the chagrin of my nearby colleagues who have to hear its subtle but still very audible and distracting hum however many times a day (I'm a little too ashamed to count).
Illy's pods, while too complex for third-party alternatives or compostable solutions, are packed with some of the tastiest pod grounds we've tried, and the company offers both tins of espresso and packages of coffee, both sealed airtight for freshness. Our favorite at Insider Picks, however, is the Arabica Selection, and especially the Ethiopian and Colombian blends.
Consumer Reports also calls the Y3.2 the best of the Illy iperEspresso machines, and all around, I agree. If you do want to dole out for a slightly better espresso, and a much prettier machine, however, consider the Illy X7.1 by FrancisFrancis!, which, admittedly, is more than twice the price, but looks and works slightly more like an espresso machine. It's also cute as a button and comes with a warming rack on top.
Amazon reviews are mostly positive, though many point out how pricey the pods are, which makes sense: They're much more complex, and therein lies their greatest issue. While they probably work better than simpler Nespresso or Keurig Cup pods, a lot of plastic is required to make them, and it would be extremely difficult for anyone to reproduce them, especially in any biodegradable form.
Like Nespresso, Illy does have a pod recycling program. If you're looking for the most eco-friendly version, this is most certainly not it, and you might rather consider the Nespresso Pixie by De'Longhi.
Pros: Affordable, some of Illy's pods are the best-tasting we've tried
Cons: Not eco-friendly, not likely to find third-party compostable or reusable options, pods are expensive
Why you'll love it: The Nespresso Latissima One is a slightly more powerful answer to the Pixie, with a detachable, easy-to-clean frother for macchiatos and cappuccinos.
De'Longhi's Nespresso Latissima One is only slightly larger than the more baseline Pixie, but it has a bit more power (1300 watts vs. the Pixie's 1260) and a milk frother, so if you like cappuccinos or lattes, this is your pod machine.
The biggest difference, though, is the price. Usually selling for close to $400, this is an investment, and for a lot of people, it's a hard expense to justify, especially when there are some perfectly good espresso machines that sell for just a bit more or even less.
But, again, if space and time are your main constraints to your morning caffeine ritual, you could do worse. The De'Longhi also goes on sale on Amazon frequently, making it a much more reasonable purchase.
Australian review blog Pickr put the Latissima One through its paces and found that while the frother is a bit of a pain to clean, it's best for kitchens that lack counter space but want quick and easy pod drinks and are content with pod coffee.
Pod machines with frothers can be finicky things, and their price can lead many to pause and wonder whether a hundred dollars more or so is worth a proper espresso machine.
But when time and space is of the essence, and a cappuccino is a must, the De'Longhi Lattissima One is our top pick.
Pros: Small, pretty, milk frother with optical view
Why you'll love it: If a cup of coffee is all you want out of your machine, but you still want to be able to use reusable pods, the basic Keurig K50 is all you need.
Espresso pod machines tend to carry a higher price tag because they require more power to generate the pressure required to push through fine espresso grounds. If it's just coffee you're after from your pod machine, look no further than the Keurig K50 — You don't need anything else.
Don't expect too much out of the K50. It's a simple machine, but it has an astoundingly loyal following for good reason. There's not much that can go wrong, though the K200 (2.0 series) is about $50 more and a slightly more powerful machine. It'll enable you to control the strength of your brew through a water pulsing process that lets your coffee steep longer, as opposed to the single stream produced by the K50. Stepping up further, the K-Cafe Special Edition comes with a frother attached for about $200.
Auto shut-off after two hours might be a little long, but it's a feature similar machines don't offer at all, which is worth noting. And while more features would be nice, this one-trick pony does its job swimmingly.
Best Buy reviews are encouraging, as are the 60-odd reviews on Amazon. Nearly 2,700 reviews on Best Buy rounded out to a 4.7-star rating, which is remarkable for any product. While we'd hope you trust out testing, 2,700 people can't be wrong, either.
The Keurig K50 is a Spartan but reliable setup that offers nothing more or less than a good cup of joe.
Pros: Takes up little counter space, makes acceptable coffee in a flash, compatible with reusable pods
Cons: Doesn't brew the strongest coffee in the world
Why you'll love it: Handpresso Hybrid Auto Set compactly tucks into a tidy carrying case so you can take it anywhere there's a 12-volt battery or generator.
There's not a ton of competition on the portable espresso machine market, but if there were, it would likely be difficult to improve upon the Handpresso. It delivers coffee that's akin to what you get from a Nespresso machine, but you can put your own favorite coffee in it, which I much prefer.
Everything you need to prep yourself for a day's worth of espresso-making on the fly comes in the case — except the water.
If you're using the refillable pods and making more than one shot at a time, things can get to be a nuisance if you don't invest in one of Handpresso's "Domepod" cases so you can have a few shots in the till.
The pouches make things a little easier, but if you're picky like me, you'll probably find yourself grinding beans every morning anyway.
"I’m not sure how else to say this: I’m a coffee addict and I have a Handpresso Auto problem," writes Digital Trends.
I've had mine on the boat, splashed saltwater on it, knocked it around in the back of my car, and not cleaned it once, but it's still going strong.
I also have the Handpresso Outdoor Set, which is completely manual but also reaches 16 bars of pressure and has worked without a hitch for several months now.
True espresso only comes from high-end machines, but now you can have your very own espresso machine at home.
We've researched everything you need to know about buying a shiny new espresso machine for your home and we've combed through the details and reviews for dozens of machines so you don't have to.
Here are our top picks for the best espresso machines:
