17 best coffee pod machines for quick espressos, tried and tested

Score: 93/100

Coffee is personal. If you take yours seriously, this machine gives you plenty of control, so you can tinker with your drink until you find your dream recipe to save. There are lots of customisable presets to try, with options to adjust the extraction, milk texture and temperature, and it heats up in 11 seconds for a speedy caffeine hit the minute you wake up.

Daunted by all the choices and that ‘pro’ in its name? Don’t be. This is a delightfully intuitive model from the get-go, with a responsive touch screen display. If you’re fond of a cappuccino, note that the automatic steam wand can be used to texture milk while your coffee is extracting, meaning no waiting around for the system to heat up again – a real stand-out feature.

Score: 93/100

If you want delicious drinks without the fuss, this machine is for you. It uses Intellibrew technology that reads the drink’s unique barcode when you pop the pod in and adjusts the brewing time, water and temperature to create delicious drinks every time without you lifting a finger.

Our espressos were consistent in testing and had a nice layer of crema, plus we could happily make three in a row without stopping to reheat the machine. The one-touch operation and four memory functions made coffee time even more intuitive, too.

There isn’t a specific indicator to show you when the drip tray is full but that’s a minor qualm considering there’s so much to love, including the easy-clean design, huge range of pods available and affordable price tag.

Score: 93/100

Scoring full marks for its ease of use, Dualit’s coffee machine is the perfect beginner model. Your espresso will be in front of you in a minute, quite literally, as it took 33 seconds to preheat and another 22 seconds to make a double espresso in the lab.

Each shot was beautifully consistent, with a nice, golden layer of crema. Testers were able to make three in a row without needing to reheat the machine, too – a bonus for coffee-loving households.

Our main bugbear is that there’s only enough space for an espresso-sized cup on the drip tray – a normal mug wouldn’t sit on the platform comfortably. There's no steam wand either, unlike some of the other models in this list, but for speedy espressos, you can’t go wrong with this sleek machine.

Score: 92/100

Another great brewer from Nespresso, the affordable Vertuo Pop is the brand's most compact design yet, at just 25cm tall. Its small stature didn’t hinder its performance though; our expert awarded it a perfect score for its consistent espresso shot size and temperature.

You can pick between lots of different pods (it reads the unique barcode on the capsule for automatic blend recognition) and our expert was impressed with the full rich crema many produced.

It takes a snappy thirty seconds to pre-heat and it’s quick to deliver drinks once it’s up and running, too. Due to its small size, the water tank will need to be topped up regularly, and the milk frother is sold separately, so it isn’t the best bet for latte and cappuccino fans. Still, it’s just the thing for anyone who likes to start their day with a caffeine hit, without breaking the bank.

Score: 90/100

Not every kitchen is blessed with enough space to fit a bulky coffee machine. If yours is more bijou than heart-of-the-home, consider this smartly designed little gem. It features an automatic milk frother – an impressive inclusion given its compact size – and helped our tester create one tasty espresso after another.

Note that the milky drink program only has one preset volume; this keeps things simple, but if you’re after something stronger for that crack of dawn start, you’ll need to make another espresso separately to pour in. The consistency of our foam was more bubble bath than velvety elegance, but it’s certainly a convenient buy.

Score: 89/100

Just like the Bosch model further up this list, the Tassimo Finesse Friendly uses Intellibrew Technology that automatically adjusts the brewing time, water volume and temperature of the espresso depending on the pod you put in.

It heats up instantly so there’s no waiting around and our shots were consistent; it poured three in a row without needing to reheat. Each espresso had a thick layer of crema too and our tester noticed a real difference when using the IntensityBoost button – a feature that increases the intensity of your coffee by adjusting the brewing parameters at the press of a button.

The water tank is fiddly to fit and remove, and the controls took some getting used to, but it’s a compact and reliable machine with over 50 pods available in the range to choose from.

Score: 87/100

This machine is a complete reinvention of the way you make single-serve coffee. Instead of needing to add pods or capsules, the Lavazza Tablì uses special tabs made off 100% coffee – with no coating or binding material – to deliver delicious shots of espresso without any plastic waste.

The machine heats up in 16 seconds and clearly indicates when it’s ready to use. It also connects to an app, allowing you to turn the machine on or off, select your drink, and customise the brew temperature with the touch of a button.

Our espresso shots took slightly longer to pour than we expected (which can make it land on the more bitter end of the scale), but the temperature, taste, and volume were consistent throughout. Those who like milky drinks will need to invest in a separate milk frother, and there’s no separate hot water function for making Americanos, which is a shame considering the price.

Overall, though, this is a well-built machine that’s easy to use, simple to clean, and great for everyday espressos. For more details on this machine, head to our Lavazza Tablì coffee maker review.

Score: 87/100

Taking a speedy 20 seconds to preheat, this Nespresso machine is the answer to hectic mornings. It’s easy to use via the two intuitive buttons and inserting your chosen coffee pod is simple. Every espresso shot we brewed was consistent and at just the right temperature – each one had a great layer of crema too.

We could also make three espressos in a row without the machine needing to reheat, making it a good choice for caffeine-loving households.

There are only two drink sizes – espresso at 40ml or lungo at 110ml – and the machine doesn’t dispense hot water on its own, which would allow you to customise your final drink better. However, it’s easy to use, simple to clean, and looks great on your countertop (we love the gorgeous rose pink).

Score: 86/100

Testers couldn’t quite believe their luck when this machine heated up in a lightning-fast 18 seconds. Pouring the espresso was speedy, too, which means they had a top-quality cup of coffee just 40 seconds after turning the machine on – impressive.

The 19-bar pressure machine delivered three consistent shots in a row with minimal variation in weight. While the temperature differed, each still fell within our ideal range.

Some more advanced features – like a ready indicator light and full drip tray indicator – are missing from this machine, but it ticks the boxes for its simplicity and fast coffee making skills, which is, ultimately, the main requirement when you need a coffee hit.

Score: 85/100

If you want to inject some colour into your kitchen, look to this postbox red beauty that’s designed for smaller spaces. It’s easy to program a custom volume and the cute espresso stand folds away when you fancy a bigger mugful.

Though surprisingly slow to heat up for such a compact machine – it took a sluggish 50 seconds on test – our expert’s drinks poured to a high standard time after time. Its build feels quite flimsy and the tank is awkward to remove, but it does what it claims to do very well, making it feel like decent value for £150.

Score: 84/100

Smeg has a reputation for making stylish kitchen gear with substance, and this retro yet slick coffee machine backs that up (choose from cream, red or black). Its slimline body helps it fit between other appliances on a worktop, and its power cable winds up underneath to keep it tidy.

It delivers delicious espressos in your preferred volume at the press of a button. This simplicity will appeal to many, but coffee devotees may crave more control and changeability. Our tester found the water tank’s capsule lever stiff to operate, but liked how quiet it was in use – a real pro for the families of early birds!

Score: 83/100

This compact coffee machine is simple to use with clear controls and helpful indicators that show when it’s ready to brew. Everyday tasks, such as filling the water tank and inserting the pods, were intuitive, and it can make two drinks in a row without needing to reheat.

On average, our espresso shots were 2ml smaller than stated and they took 16 seconds to prepare. However, they were an ideal temperature and had a nice crema on top, though this dissipated within a few minutes. Our Americanos were less consistent, falling slightly short on volume and coming out a little too hot, at 78 degrees, leaving our coffees at risk of being on the bitter side.

But for such an affordable machine, these are minor faults. Plus, the starter pack comes with 80 pods, making it a great gift (for friends and family, or yourself!).

Score: 83/100

Sleek, compact and easy to use, this pod machine is a great choice for families. It has a large 1.2L water tank and heats up in a snappy 19 seconds, plus all the settings were easy to adjust, from the drink size to the height of the cup stand.

Our espressos were a consistent size every time, but the extraction time was on the longer side, which can cause the shots to taste slightly bitter. The machine produced a fantastic crema on top of both single and double shots though.

Unlike most pod machines, you can also make iced coffees in this one by selecting the ‘over ice’ function. This lowers the temperature of the shot produced so it works better with your iced drink – perfect for summer mornings.

Score: 82/100

With a slim profile that won’t take up much room on your countertop, this coffee machine offers seven cup sizes, from a small, punchy ristretto to a long-serving carafe. It’s ready to brew in a speedy three seconds and the indicator on top of the machine tells you exactly when it’s ready to start pouring.

Those who like a smart gadget will appreciate the connected app, which allows you to customise your drink and check out different recipes. It also gives tips on how to maintain your machine, making it a smart choice for beginners.

Our espresso shots were consistent in size, but a double espresso took longer to pour than we’d have liked. You also have to wait an extra 10 seconds before brewing a second cup, but that’s just enough time to grab a biscuit to have with your coffee!

Score: 80/100

If fuss-free functionality is what you’re after, look to this basic yet affordable appliance that ticks all our user-friendly boxes; think clear instructions, compact size, intuitive controls and a rapid 20-second heat-up time.

Our tester was enjoying their espresso just 41 seconds after switching it on, but they bemoaned not being able to tweak the two drink sizes, especially as the double shot preset poured nearly 50ml more volume than promised! There was a lot of dripping, too, but coffee making doesn’t get much faster or simpler than this.

Score: 72/100

At under £30, this compact coffee machine is already living up to what its name. It preheated almost instantly, taking less than three seconds, and there’s just one button to control everything, making it super easy to use and great for beginners.

It did tend to produce a higher volume of coffee per pod than we'd have liked – especially on double espressos – which can dilute the flavour. However, it poured both single and double shots in a good time, plus they had a delicious crema and were the right temperature for drinking – ideal, as this isn’t something you can adjust.

Refitting the water tank is slightly tricky, but there’s still a lot to love about this affordable machine.