Best Coffee Pod Machines in the UK

For a coffee lover, nothing can compare to a steaming cup of freshly brewed espresso in the morning. Yet, making the one at home is not an easy task since coffee brewing is a kind of art and it will take you a lot of practice before you’ll get closer to the barista skill. Surely, to avoid that hassle, you can get your espresso in a coffee shop or you can add the Nespresso Citiz capsule coffee machine to your home kitchen.

When it comes to pod coffee brewers, Nespresso machines are indisputable leaders since they provide the ultimate brewing convenience and extraction precision. And the Citiz is one of the best models in the Nespresso range. This single-serve coffee machine is a fully automated model that will do all the work for you. You just need to press a control button and wait a bit. Once you turn the machine on, it will heat up in about 25 seconds and you are good to go. A 19-bar pump produces powerful pressure to quickly force hot water through the capsule and get it infused with the maximum coffee goodness. Two pre-programmed volumes will eliminate any guesswork and you’ll have your espresso or coffee lungo brewed to perfection.

Speaking of the unit design, it is thought out to the last detail. The pod container is conveniently placed on the top of the machine with two control buttons on the sides. An ample water reservoir installed on the back has a 1 L volume that will suffice to make from 5 to 8 cups of coffee, depending on the selected drink size. Instead of a height-adjustable drip tray you’ll find in many other similar machines, the Nespresso Citiz features 2 drip trays. One of them is built into the machine and is meant for holding larger mugs and glasses up to 14 cm tall. Another one is a folding tray that hosts a smaller espresso cup.

While top-rated coffee pod machines often offer pre-programmed drink volumes, sometimes, it’s just not enough to achieve the coffee taste you seek. This is where the Tassimo My Way coffee machine from Bosch will come into play that is distinguished by more personalisation options and has more drink varieties than any other machine of this type.

Right off the bat, drink customisation is where this machine really excels. In contrast to two pre-set volume options normally found in popular pod brewers, the Tassimo My Way will let you adjust not only the size of your drink but also its strength and temperature. Thus, as the model name suggests, you’ll be able to brew your coffee your way and enjoy a plethora of coffee flavours just like with a professional-grade coffee maker.

Equipped with a 1500-watt thermoblock, the unit will heat up almost in an instant and the pump delivers enough pressure to create aromatic and flavour-infused coffee drinks. And the patented INTELLIBREW technology will ensure consistently good brewing results. By reading the barcode on the branded T-discs, the technology will accordingly adjust the system settings to brew a perfect cup of Joe each time. More than that, the ability to experiment with volume, intensity, and temperature will let you brew the same T-disc type into multiple different drinks. Here, it is also worth mentioning that Tassimo offers by far the largest range of flavours from reputed coffee brands such as Costa and Kenco. Overall, you’ll be able to make as many as 40 different drinks including both black and milky coffee beverages.

Looking for an espresso machine that could easily fit even in the smallest urban kitchens? Meet the Essenza Mini Coffee maker, the most compact machine in the Nespresso lineup. It features a new curvy design with rounded-edges to have even a smaller footprint than before. To understand how compact it is, just consider the fact that it takes up about half the space of a standard toaster. And being just 2.3 kg, it’s effortlessly portable.

This mini coffee maker neatly hides the water reservoir in the back, but the drip tray and capsule chamber are in the front as usual. And although this machine is the smallest in the Nespresso range, it retains all the great features of bigger machines and, more importantly, the taste. Espresso and lungo produced by this machine are always delicately creamy and evenly pulled. The 19 bar high-pressure pump ensures barista-style results, extracting all the rich flavours and premium aromas of the coffee capsules to deliver you dense and unctuous crema.

Naturally, since this portable coffee machine is smaller than other models, you may have a real hassle if you’ve got many guests coming. With only a 0.6-litre water reservoir, the Essenza can make just two or three lungos before it needs a refill. But considering the fast heating time, you won't need to wait that long to serve all your guests.

Capsule coffee machines are basically way less expensive than professional-grade coffee brewers. Yet, some extremely popular top-liners can also compare to barista-style espresso machines in price tags. However, if you want to start saving on coffee shop espresso shots without the hassle of fiddling with ground coffee at home, a coffee pod machine is a worthy alternative. And with the Tassimo Happy by Bosch, you won’t even have to make a big investment. At the price below 50 pounds, you’ll get a functional small coffee machine to quickly make freshly brewed short and long coffee drinks at home. See for yourself.

Packing 1300 watts of power, this model doesn’t track much behind top-liners. And though the pressure it delivers is only 3.3. bars, which is much lower than that of professional machines, it in no way impacts the quality of the drink being brewed. That is thanks to the branded INTELLIBREW technology the Bosch coffee pod machines come fitted with. Compatible with a whole range of Tassimo coffee capsules, it ensures you’ll get your beverage brewed to perfection each time, with no trial and error. The machine will read a unique barcode on each capsule and automatically adjust the brewing time and temperature as well as the amount of water depending on the specific beverage type. And you’ll have as many as 40 options to choose from, varying in strength, length, and taste profile. Overall, it’s a kind of premium intelligence built into a budget-friendly model.

All coffee drinkers are different. For some people, one or two cups per day are enough and others might need three cups and more to quench their coffee thirst. Besides, some drinkers prefer only piping hot coffee shots while others like both hot and cold coffee drinks. Whatever is your taste and preference, a coffee pod machine from Delonghi will get you covered.

First off, this model is reasonably priced, so, even if you are rather an occasional coffee drinker, you don’t have to pay a fortune to have it in your kitchen and be able to enjoy barista-style coffee each time you need a caffeine boost. Once you try a cup of Joe brewed by this Delonghi Jovia machine, you’ll make sure you’ve made the right choice and true coffee addicts will always crave for more. There are two things that stand behind this amazingly delicious coffee. It’s an advanced coffee extraction technology and top-quality coffee pods.

The unit will heat up to perfect brewing temperature in less than 40 seconds and a green indicator will light up to let you know it is ready to brew. The Delonghi comes packed with a pump that delivers professional-grade 15-bar pressure to ensure even water distribution through the capsule and extract maximum flavour. There is no volume control, and you are the one to decide on your drink size. The longer you press the manual switch on the top, the more water will run through the pod into your cup. It might seem a bit frustrating at first, yet, with some practice and a handy free Delonghi Gusto Timer app, you’ll quickly grasp the basics of creating perfect coffee drinks. More than that, the same switch is meant to select the water temperature. Notably, this model allows brewing not only hot but also cold coffee beverages to get refreshed in the summer heat.

The Delonghi Jovia is designed to work with Gusto Dolce pads from Nescafe. They grind and seal coffee immediately after it was roasted, hence, the quality of ground coffee they pack is beyond any doubt. Though the pods might seem somewhat expensive, the coffee taste you’ll savour is worth every penny you pay. Besides, the range of Nescafe Dolce Gusto pods offers over 40 drinks varying from regular latte to hot chocolate to peach tea.