We also made a 220ml double shot of lungo coffee using a XXL double capsule pod and were equally pleased with the taste of the longer coffee. Setting the Pop apart from other machines in the Vertuo range is its compact size and shape, as it measures just 13.6 x 42.6 x 25cm (WDH) and weighs 3.5kg. The Pop, as its name might suggest, is also available in a new, brighter range of colours. Options to help add a pop of colour to your kitchen include: spicy red, aqua mint, mango yellow and Pacific blue.

That depends entirely on the machine you choose. Most manufacturers use one standard pod type which is unique to the brand. Nespresso has two varieties of pods: the classic type used by the majority of its machines, and larger Vertuo pods specific to the Vertuo line-up. The obvious downside is that you can’t take your eye off this machine while your coffee pours and you also have to spend a bit of time figuring out how much water to pull through each pod. Otherwise, this is a good coffee capsule machine if you’re on a tight budget. As many coffee pod machines function in the same way, what makes a good machine often comes down to personal preference. We always take this into consideration when undertaking our tests, ensuring we highlight all the best features for a range of needs and budgets.For noise, we measured the L’OR Barista Sublime at 52dB on our noise meter, which is somewhere between moderate rainfall and normal conversation. It wasn't loud, but you will hear it in operation, especially if there aren’t any other appliances running. With so much capsule variety, a great design and bundles of customisation, this is simply one of the best pod machines you can buy right now. READ NEXT: Our full roundup of the best coffee pod machines Philips L’OR Sublime pod coffee machine review: What’s good about it?

Most Nespresso machine capsule chambers use a simple lever that you pull up, put the pod into its recess and slam the lever down to engage it with the hidden group head. This machine has a much more complex pod-loading system and I love the way it works. You basically lift the top handle and the pod orifice articulates upwards. Now pop in either a small or large pod and close the handle – the machine can detect which sized pod is being used. It’s a lovely action but I do hope it’s never capable of jamming if, for instance, you load in a pod while the used-capsule drawer is full to capacity. This is because it ejects the previous pod when you lift the lever and, if there’s a used capsule in the way of the mechanism, it could feasibly jam. I should add that I haven’t had any issues in this regard. The instructions state that you can also adjust your drink volume by pressing down the ristretto button for four seconds. To be honest, this is not something we found beneficial or attempted more than once – as there is such a variety of single and double volume sizes to choose from we didn’t feel the need. As you may have read in my guide to the Best Coffee Pod System, my issue with standard Nespresso pods is that they’re too small – just 5g of coffee per pod as opposed to, say, the Lavazza A Modo Mio which has around 7g per capsule. This means I’ve sometimes felt the need to extract two pods one after the other just to get a proper barista-style hit. The L'OR Barista Sublime, however, has been manufactured by Philips to accept two sizes of coffee capsule – and only L'OR makes them. This is music to my ears – or rather palette – because it means I can get a double-shot espresso with just one tap of a button. Both the removable drip tray and 27.05 fl.oz/ 0.8-litre water tank are dishwasher-safe; however, they’re just as easily cleaned under running water.Nevertheless, if you’re after a simple, affordable coffee capsule machine that won’t take up too much space, the Jolie is a fantastic option. Overall, we really like the fact that you can make two espressos in one go using this machine. Placing two standard size coffee cups under the dispenser is a bit of a squeeze, however, so it’s worth investing in a pair of smaller coffee glasses or a couple of espresso cups to place underneath the dispenser. This seemed to work well for us. You can choose from three different drink sizes, temperatures and coffee strengths, or you can simply let the machine read the barcode on the pods and automatically pour the perfect cup. Despite there not being a huge range of capsules to choose from, the selection is nicely varied and most are from recognisable brands such as Kenco, Costa, L’Or and Cadbury’s. The best coffee pod machines you can buy in 2023 1. Dolce Gusto Infinissima: Best budget coffee pod machine Design and functionality is also incredibly important when choosing a coffee pod machine, which is why we carefully consider the build quality and style of every machine we review. While it’s hard to “test” design, there are a few things we look at. The first is size and shape – whether the machine will be a countertop hog and if the drip tray is accommodating for all cup sizes. We also consider how robust certain elements of the machine feel. Plastic components can often look good but aren’t always good for longevity. As part of our design tests, we also look at the capsule bin, if there is one, and the water tank, to consider whether these offer a reasonable capacity compared to the size of the machine.

The L'OR Barista Sublime has three different extraction buttons – Ristretto (or short espresso), standard Espresso and Lungo. Basically, you choose a pod – standard or large – load it into the machine and press a button of choice. For instance, if you select a standard pod and tap the espresso button, it will dispense enough coffee to fill three quarters of a standard espresso cup. But if you put in a large capsule and tap the same espresso button it will dispense almost double the volume. You get three options for drink size (ristretto, espresso and lungo), as well as buttons for adjusting the water temperature and selecting the frothiness of the steamed milk. So whether you want to make a luscious cappuccino or a silky-smooth flat white, you can make it just the way you like, and without ever having to leave the house. As is sometimes the case with capsule machines, quite a lot of water gathers in the tray beneath the used-pod drawer. Also, the twin-spout group head drips coffee for a few seconds after extraction. I haven’t found this to be the case with my favourite Nespresso machine, the Grind One, so I guess it’s a design thing.

Like the Vertuo Next, the pint-sized Vertuo Pop has a simple, single-button setup and uses Nespresso’s Vertuo pods to create delicious espresso and long coffees. With the Vertuo Pop, you can enjoy a variety of drink sizes including espresso (40ml), double espresso (80ml), lungo (120ml) and mug (230ml).

While most pod machines work in the same way, not all are created equal. Many have advanced barista-style features, while others will just produce a simple espresso. There are also lots of different pods and prices to get your head around. What types of drinks can you make in coffee capsule machines? We did need to refer to the manual to ensure we had the right setting, however, but once we’d mastered it the process was straightforward and the results satisfactory.

There’s no messing around with programming drink sizes either – though you can do this if you want to customise your machine. Simply pop the pod in and the machine will read the barcode on the pod, automatically dispensing just the right amount of water for the type of coffee inside. With 29 different capsule options available and new ones being added all the time, there’s plenty to choose from too. If you prefer a big mug in the morning, this simple, one-touch machine has you covered. It pours big mugs of quality pod coffee exceptionally well, producing tasty drinks that you can enjoy with or without milk.