- 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 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 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 and Keurigs alike.
All in all, if you're not terribly picky, value convenience over all else, 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:
- Best overall: Breville Nespresso Pixie
- Best Illy pod machine: Illy's Y3.2 iperEspresso Machine
- Best with a frother: Nespresso De'Longhi Lattissima One
- Best Keurig K-Cup machine: Keurig K-Classic Coffee Maker
- Best portable pod machine: Handpresso Hybrid Auto Set
Prices and links are current as of 10/21/20. We added more purchase options and streamlined our selection of related buying guides.
The best overall
The Breville Nespresso Pixie is small, sleek, offers a wide variety of pod flavors, and accepts a host of third-party pods.
The Nespresso Pixie by Breville 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.
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 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.
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).
The pods cost a bit more than some of our other picks, but 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, 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 expensive, 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
The best 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. This one 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 in 2018.
One downside: the 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 K-Classic 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 K-Classic.
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 K-Classic will automatically power down after two hours — a safety feature most similar machines don't offer.
The detachable reservoir holds about six cups of water. Since you're likely using tap water to brew with, calcium can build up in the machine over time. Keurig recommends descaling the machine once every three to six months.
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
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'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
Check out our other coffee guides
- The best espresso machines
- The best coffee makers
- The best coffee and espresso pods
- The best cold-brew coffee makers
- The best milk frothers
- The best instant coffee