The best coffee and espresso pod machines you can buy

• 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 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 or not these devices actually make espresso. That being said, the drinks produced by pod machines come pretty close. For daily coffee drinkers, they offer a fast and affordable alternative to investing in a professional-grade appliance like the $500 Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine, or fiddling with a manual espresso maker like the Flair.

But while pod machines are easier on the wallet than making regular coffee shop runs, they're not without their hidden costs. You're still looking at spending roughly fifty cents to a dollar on each pod, which only hold about five grams of grounds. In contrast, a true shot of espresso is between seven and 11 grams, and a one-pound bag of coffee beans will deliver more than 40 shots. When you consider the fact that a pound of artisanal coffee generally won't run you more than $15 (or about 38 cents per shot), a pod machine could prove to be more expensive than other setups over time. 

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 as a result, most plastic and aluminum pods end up in the garbage. 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 decent buy. I keep a pod machine on my office desk, and while I have several other ways to get my caffeine fix, 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.

Here are the best pod machines you can buy:

• Best pod machine overall: De'Longhi Nespresso Pixie
• Best Illy pod machine: Illy's Y3.2 iperEspresso Machine
• Best pod machine with a frother: De'Longhi Lattissima One
• Best Keurig K-Cup machine: Keurig - K- Classic K50 Single Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker
• Best portable pod machine: Handpresso Hybrid Auto Set

The best pod machine overall

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 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 who offer compostable and reusable options— both of which will save you money in the long run.

Consumer Reports chose the Pixie as one of the best Nespresso pod machines, and Amazon reviews (4.3/5 stars) are 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, 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. This results in a drink that's closer to a mild coffee with a decent crema than an actual 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?

The best Illy pod machine

Illy's Y3.2 iperEspresso Machine is the slimmest, most compact espresso and coffee pod machine we've tested, and the brand's pods contain some of the best grounds in the game.

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).

Consumer Reports called the Y3.2 the best of the Illy iperEspresso machines, and Amazon reviews are mostly positive, though many point out the pods' high price point. The cost makes sense, though; Illy pods are much more complex than their competitors', and therein lies their greatest issue. While the pods are packed with some of the tastiest grounds we've tried — the Ethiopian and Colombian blends from the Arabica Selection are Insider Picks favorites — a lot of plastic is required to manufacture them. This makes them too complex for third party alternatives, or compostable solutions (although, like Nespresso, Illy does have a pod recycling program).

If you want to shell out for slightly better espresso, and a much prettier machine, consider the Illy X7.1 by FrancisFrancis. Admittedly, it's more than twice the price, but it looks and works slightly more like a real espresso maker. It's also cute as a button and comes with a warming rack on top.

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

In addition to the Illy Y3.2, here are other Illy products we recommend:

Buy Illy's X7.1 iPerespresso Machine by FrancisFrancis! for $179.93

Buy a tin of 21 Etiopia, Brasile, or Decaffeinated blend iPerespresso pods on Amazon for $15.19

Buy a tin of 21 Colombia blend iPerespresso pods on Amazon for $15.19

Buy an 18-pack of Illy Arabica coffee pods on Amazon for $14.83

The best pod machine with a frother

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. At nearly $350 (versus sub-$200 for the Pixie), this is an investment, and for a lot of people, it's a hard expense to justify, especially when there are some perfectly good real-deal espresso machines that sell for just a bit more.

But, again, if space and time are major constraints when it comes to your morning caffeine ritual, you could do worse — especially if you buy the De'Longhi on sale (Amazon offers occasional discounts). Oprah even included it in her list of favorite things last year, and almost 80% of the 50-odd reviews on Amazon are four-star ratings and above.

One downside: As Australian review blog Pickr notes, the Latissima One's frother can be a bit of a pain to clean. 

Pros: Small, pretty, milk frother with viewable milk container

Cons: Price, no self-cleaning

The best Keurig K-Cup machine

If a cup of coffee is all you need out of your machine, the no-frills Keurig K50 is a solid pick. 

Espresso pod machines tend to carry a higher price tag because they require more power to generate the pressure needed 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. 

It's a simple appliance, but it has an astoundingly loyal following for good reason: not much can go wrong. The coffee is decent, the brew time is approximately one minute, and the K50 will automatically power down after two hours — a safety feature most similar machines don't offer. Best Buy reviews of this one-trick pony are encouraging, with 2,700 shoppers giving it a 4.7-star rating, and reviews on Amazon are similarly positive.

If you're willing to spend an extra $50 or so, the K200 (2.0 series) is slightly more powerful. It enables 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 it up further, the K-Cafe Special Edition (about $200) features an attached frother. 

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

In addition to the K50, here are other Keurig products we recommend:

• Buy the Keurig K200 Single-Serve K-Cup Coffee Pod Machine from Amazon for $144.99
• Buy the Keurig K-Cafe Special Edition with Frother from Bed Bath & Beyond for $199.99
• Buy the Keurig My K-Cup Universal Reusable Ground Coffee Filter from Amazon for for $7.71

The best portable pod machine

The 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 even if there were, it would 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, you might want to invest in one of Handpresso's "Domepod" cases so you can have a few shots in the till.

"I'm not sure how else to say this: I'm a coffee addict and I have a Handpresso Auto problem,"Digital Trends said.

Twenty Amazon reviews only tell so much, and it might be discouraging that four of them are one-star ratings — two products were defective and another had clearly been used.

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.

Pros: Fresh espresso on the go, quick, convenient

Cons: Price, can be messy in the car

Check out our other coffee guides

The best espresso machine you can buy

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 the best:

• Best overall: Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine
• Best machine for $400: Gaggia Classic Semi-Automatic Espresso Maker
• Best machine under $100: De'Longhi EC155 15 BAR Pump Espresso Maker
• Best pod machine: Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Maker
• Best machine if money is no object: Breville Barista Touch Espresso Machine
• Best manual machine: Flair Espresso maker
• Best lever machine: La Pavoni Europiccola

The best coffee makers you can buy whether you want drip coffee or espresso

A great coffee maker can make or break your brew — and your morning. These are the best coffee makers you can buy, whether you want a drip coffee, French press, espresso, pour-over, or cold brew coffee maker.

We've included top picks for all of these different types of coffee makers. We've tested the majority of our top picks and heavily researched those we have yet to use to bring you the best of all coffee makers.

• Best drip coffee maker: Bonavita BV1900TS Drip Coffee Maker
• Best coffee maker under $40: Mr. Coffee BVMC-SJX33GT Machine
• Best coffee maker under $50: Hamilton Beach 12-Cup Coffee Maker
• Best coffee maker and grinder: Cuisinart Burr Grind & Brew Automatic
• Best pour-over coffee: Melitta Ready Set Joe Single Cup Coffee Brewer
• Best French press: SterlingPro French Press
• Best cold brew machine: OXO Good Grips 4-Cup Cold Brew Coffee Maker
• Best pod coffee machine: Keurig K575 Pod Machine
• Best stovetop espresso maker: Bialetti 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker
• Best espresso machine: Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine