Best Capsule / Coffee Pod Machines

How do coffee pod machines work?

You simply fill up the water tank at the back beforehand, then drop a compatible coffee capsule into the machine via the silver lever in the image pictured. Press the button for your chosen size/strength of coffee. This pierces the capsule, mixing the coffee inside with hot water to pour your shot.

Usually a capsule coffee machine has 2-3 buttons, to make a risretto, espresso or lungo. A risretto has the least caffeine but also the least water, making it the most concentrated shot type. A lungo contains the most caffeine, but also the most water, so tastes more diluted.

Some models have an integrated milk frother or one that uses a steam wand. More advanced models let you further customise your brew. For example, the Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus lets you choose the temperature, milk texture and type of drink you prefer, like a latte or cappuccino.

Do coffee pods work in all machines?

No, unfortunately not all coffee pods are compatible with all machines. For example, if you buy an ALDI Expressi Machine at selected times of the year, you'll then need to buy the compatible Expressi coffee pods, which are available exclusively from ALDI.

Nespresso machines are a little different; there are now several non-Nespresso brands that sell compatible capsules. Some of these include L'OR, Mocconna, and Starbucks capsules, all of which are available from your local Coles.

Some other pod machine brands like the award-winning Philips L'OR Barista Latte also accept capsules with boxes labelled 'Compatible with Nespresso pods,' making them more convenient to use.

Are capsule machines worth it?

Saving time

Capsule coffee machines are quick and easy to use, which is ideal when you're trying to rush out the door in the mornings. DeLonghi’s Nespresso Citiz and Essenza Mini both have a heat-up time of 25 seconds.

You also don't have to spend time making ground coffee like you would with a manual coffee machine, or fiddling with an excess of buttons, which is sometimes the case with an automatic coffee machine.

Saving money

Funding a daily cafe habit can get expensive. This makes a coffee capsule machine an ideal kitchen companion for anyone who craves a well-brewed cup, but doesn't want to pay handsomely for the luxury.

It's true that coffee pods pose an ongoing expense (averaging around $5 for a pack of 10 from Woolworths). However, considering you could buy about one barista-made coffee with this amount, they still work out to be cheaper than going to a cafe.

Environmental impact

Since most aluminium or plastic pods aren't recyclable, the majority end up in landfill every year.

Conscious coffee drinkers can look into options like SealPod, a reusable stainless-steel coffee pod. It's compatible with a number of machines, such as Nespresso, Aldi K-fee, Caffitaly and Nescafe Dolce Gusto. Nespresso also has a recycling program, which you can read more about below.

What is the best brand of coffee pod machine?

Nespresso takes the win

Nesspresso has planted its seed far and wide when it comes to pod coffee. You might recall the Nespresso ads featuring a suave George Clooney, or the brand's colourful boutique pop-ups in your local Westfield's. Thankfully, the brand has matched its advertising efforts with quality coffee, according to reviewers. The top three rated coffee pod machines listed below are all Nespresso coffee machines.

Nespresso also makes recyclable aluminium pods, as an eco-friendly alternative. You can save used Nespresso-branded pods and return them to Nespresso for recycling - either at a boutique store, at a drop-off collection point or by posting them to Nespresso.

Factors to consider when buying a coffee pod machine

Versatility

Range of programs

More basic coffee pod machines have 1-2 buttons - offering small and large shot options. If black coffees are your go-to caffeine hit, or you’re perfectly happy with your machine brewing espresso and adding your milk afterwards, there are machines like this that are also high-rated and affordable.

However, if you shell out a bit more, a coffee pod machine will be equipped with more programs, giving it crossover functionality with an automatic coffee machine. For example, the Nespresso Breville Creatista Plus can make a latte, cappuccino, and latte macchiato. This is in addition to the 3 sizes of espresso - ristretto, espresso and lungo - that many coffee pod machines can make.

Range of coffee pods

Just because your coffee pod machine has only 2 buttons and no fancy drink selections, it doesn’t have to limit your choices. Sometimes it’s the pods that offer the variety in drink choice. For example, the K-fee pods for an ALDI Expressi Machine include chai latte and hot chocolate, along with making an ordinary black or white coffee.

Ease of use

One of the best things about coffee pod machines is their simple design, especially when compared to other types of coffee machines. When checking ease of use, make sure all buttons are clearly labelled, that the lever for the pod compartment is easy to open and close, and that removable parts - like the water dispenser tank and used pod container - are easy to detach and clean.

If you’re opting for a more premium model with a digital display, see if you can have a play around with the display in-store to make sure it’s easy to use.

Consistency

A pod machine that’s consistent in its coffee-making performance will be a coffee machine you can rely on. The best way to determine whether the machine will give you consistent results is to read reviews by people who have already bought the machine.

When reading reviews, look out for comments about the consistency in taste, in the amount of coffee per shot, shot temperature, crema texture and colour, and milk texture; if your machine has a milk frother.

Milk frothing

If you’re a fan of milk-based coffees, a pod coffee machine with a milk frother can make you tastier coffees.

A milk frother uses steam to aerate milk, which adds froth to it. A good milk frother will help achieve that satisfyingly silky, creamy texture to milk that makes a fresh brew feel more like a barista-quality coffee.

There are two options, an integrated or standalone milk frother.

Integrated milk frother

This is also called an automatic frother. You just need to press a button, and the in-built milk frother will get to work preparing the milk you’ve placed into the included jug, which may be stainless steel, glass or plastic. Since a milk frother is not a standard feature of a coffee pod machine, you’ll have to pay extra for an integrated frother.

Standalone milk frother

This is a manual milk frothing accessory that’s purchased separately to the machine. The good news is that these can be bought for cheap, and include anything from handheld whisks to sturdy 6-cup electric frothers.

Other features

• Removable water dispenser: Any prospective coffee pod machine should have a water tank that’s easily removable from the back of the machine, so you can refill it with no dramas.
• Water tank size: If you’re constantly brewing cups daily, or there are multiple coffee drinkers in your household, a machine with a larger capacity will be convenient. Smaller tanks are around 600mL, while larger tanks are about 2 litres.
• Quick heat-up time: This is handy if you’re usually rushing to get out the door in the mornings. Higher-end coffee pod machines feature quick heat-up times as short as 3 seconds, compared to the 25 second heat-up time or longer seen on more affordable machines.
• Auto shut-off: This feature automatically switches off the machine after a set time if it’s inactive.
• Cup warming tray: While this is a bit of a rarity of a capsule machine, this can be a handy addition if you're not able to get to drinking your coffee straight away.

Wrapping up

Compared to their semi-automatic, automatic and manual counterparts, coffee pod machines are quick and easy to use and clean. If you're not a highbrow coffee conoisseur, a capsule machine also brews a decent cup of coffee by most people's standards. Before buying, do research into a pod machine's range of programs and features, eco-friendliness, consistency in performance, convenience in sourcing pods, and its price.