Best pod coffee machine 2024 in Australia: great coffee taste with no messing about

The best coffee pod machines provide plenty of benefits to Australia's caffeine-craving population. Convenience is perhaps the biggest draw, as you only need to insert a coffee pod into your machine, press a button and you have an espresso in a matter of seconds. 

And, thanks to their popularity, we are quite literally spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing coffee pods for our machines. No matter your preference for flavour intensity or origin of the coffee bean, you'll be able to find a pod that will get your tastebuds dancing in the morning. 

We do have to talk about the elephant in the room, of course, and that's sustainability. Once a coffee pod has been used, it's gets thrown away. But, more and more producers are now following a more eco-conscious path. Nespresso, for instance, runs its own recycling service – simply fill the supplied bag with used pods and send it back by post or drop it off at your nearest Nespresso bar, while Lavazza is gradually ditching its original plastic capsule shells in favour of compostable ones.

Coffee pod machines also produce consistent results, a feat that is notoriously difficult to attain using standard espresso machines and most bean-to-cup models. With a capsule machine you simply load in the pod, hit the button and out comes a stream of strong crema-topped black gold every bit as punchy as the last one.

Nespresso machines are some of the most well-known in Australia, and you’ll find a number of other brands that use the Nespresso coffee pod system, such as those from De'Longhi and Breville.

Nespresso doesn’t command a monopoly in Australia, however, as Lavazza has its own range of machines and compatible pods. You can also pick up Nescafe Dolce Gusto – also a brand of Nespresso-owning Nestlé – machines and compatible pods. Even low-cost retailers Aldi and Kogan have their own coffee capsule machines.

If you are already married to one pod brand above all others, we have a guide to the Best Nespresso machines. If you are looking to step up, we also can point you to the Best espresso coffee makers or go large with the Best bean to cup coffee makers. 

How to buy the best coffee capsule machine

When you purchase a capsule machine you’re essentially buying into a particular brand of coffee too. Having tried all the major pod brands, our overall favourite brand is Lavazza (from ~AU$0.78), followed closely by Illy (from ~AU$0.69). Nespresso (from ~AU$0.75) takes third place for having pods I feel are too small and therefore too weak. To illustrate this I cut open a Lavazza and Nespresso pod and measured the contents. The Lavazza contained 7 grams of coffee while the Nespresso came in at just 4 grams. 

However, Nespresso’s Vertuo system is a whole different ball game. Instead of just one standard pod size, it uses five different ones to satisfy a wide range of coffee preferences: Espresso, Double Espresso, Gran Lungo, Mug and extra large Alto. You’ll also be pleased to learn that the Vertuo’s standard espresso capsule’s contents weigh a much more appropriate 7g – just like the Lavazza pods – with the larger pods weighing in at substantial 13 grams.

As with any coffee-making machine, we would recommend using only bottled water with your pod system because a) it tastes better and b) there’s less chance of the internals getting clogged by limescale.

It used to be the case that standard Nespresso capsules – the most popular variety among poddists – were only available online or in the brand’s own shops, so you if you ran out you’d be without your morning lift. However, they can now be found in great variety in supermarkets nationwide. 

It’s also important to note that many of the milkier and more novelty type drinks from some pod-related brands are not amazing. If you want richly textured milk in your flat white, cappuccino or latte, use proper milk because these aren’t going to satisfy. You can greatly improve matters by getting a high quality milk frother from Dualit, Lavazza or Nespresso itself. It's also worth noting that the majority of the milkier coffee pods use full cream/cow's milk, so if your preference is for plant-based milks then you'll want to look elsewhere. 

For Americanos, espressos and other, more purist drinks that don’t rely on milk, results range from good to excellent. These machines can also serve as a "gateway drug" to a more heavy-duty, non-pod coffee maker.

• Best coffee machines 
• Best coffee grinder
• Best milk frother for your cappuccinos

The best coffee pod machines we've tried

The Lavazza A Modo Mio system makes it incredibly easy to enjoy a cup of Italy’s favourite espresso blend at home without the fuss of coffee granules being splattered all over the worktop.

This Smeg machine is a relative newcomer to the Lavazza roster, but it's made an immediate impact due to it being one of the most gorgeous looking machines in podland. In fact, we'd say its looks make it a shoo-in for kitchens of any design, from country to modern. It also happens to produce some of the best capsule-based espressos you will ever have the pleasure of passing over your tastebuds.

The Smeg ships with an ample 0.9-litre water reservoir and a large spent-capsule container so you should be able to make about ten espressos without heading for the sink or the recycling bin. 

It’s simple to use, too. Just lift the chrome hatch, pop in a Lavazza pod (the Passionale blend is best in our opinion) and tap either short or long shot. It takes only a minute to warm up but the extraction is completed in about 30 seconds; the machine produces about 10 bars of pressure in case you’re interested.

Being Smeg, this pod machine is one of the more premium priced models in the Lavazza A Modo Mio range, but you can get it direct from Lavazza on the company's subscription service and save AU$200.

Read our full review of the Smeg Lavazza

If you find standard Nespresso capsules are simply too small in size to produce a decent caffeine hit, consider this Vertuo Plus machine. Nespresso’s Vertuo pod system is completely different to the standard Nespresso capsule system. For starters, the pods are almost twice the size and shaped completely differently so you can’t use a standard Nespresso pod in a Vertuo machine, and vice versa.

The best thing about the Vertuo system is that it’s capable of using different sized pods and this makes it a great choice for those who like a variety of coffees throughout the day. There are five capsule sizes in all, from Espresso and Double Espresso to Gran Lungo, Mug and extra large Alto.

So, what’s so special about this machine then? Well it looks good for a start and comes with a rather generous 1.2-litre water tank (you can get a Deluxe model in silver or black with a round top and a 1.8-litre water tank) that can be positioned behind or to either side of the machine depending on your worktop space. It also has a huge used -capsule container, with enough space for 14 small pods or 10 large pods. 

To use, simply tap upwards on the protruding silver disc and the whole lid moves up mechanically. Now pop in a pod blend and size of your choice and tap the top button. Every pod comes with its own unique barcode which instructs the machine to provide just the right amount of water and the optimum length of extraction. Uniquely, the Vertuo system uses Centrifusion technology (the capsule spins at up to 7,000rpm) instead of just steamy water under high pressure.

The result is the deepest, thickest, creamiest and silkiest crema you will likely ever get your lips around. Granted, some espresso purists will say it’s just a foam and not strictly a crema, which is true. However, in our opinion it has the same consistency of a genuine crema, only it’s much deeper – like the head of a well-pulled Guinness draft.

There are 40 different capsules in the Vertuo range (at our last count, anyway), including 11 espressos. I can vouch that Diavolitto Espresso is the strongest blend and by far the most satisfying. But if you prefer a weaker blend, then you have plenty of choice. After all, the whole point of this system is to cater for as wide a variety of tastes as possible. In that respect, the Vertuo system is a winner on most fronts. Just bear in mind that its capsules start at AU$0.85c per pod and can stretch to AU$1.20

Read our full review of the Nespresso Vertuo Plus

This stocky but stylish Lavazza model comes with an ingenious milk frothing system that doesn’t involve any fiddly wands or, indeed, any input at all from the user. For a straight espresso, simply drop a capsule into the top slot, pull down the handle, tap one of the three main extraction choices – single espresso, long espresso, long coffee – and out pops a delicious almost uncannily authentic Lavazza espresso replete with a rich, silky crema. 

You will want to make sure you place any cups far back on the adjustable plinth or the stream will miss the cup and pour straight into the excess tray. This is because the Deséa’s integrated milk frothing system uses the same area for its jug and internal wand instead of the usual stand-alone wand method.

To make a milky coffee – cappuccino, macchiato or latte – fill the provided glass jug with cold milk up to the level marked on the side of the vessel, push the whole assembly into the area you would normally place a cup, drop in a capsule and choose your preferred brew using the interface on the right. The milk will go through the frothing and heating process before a single dose of espresso is added to the mix. Rather cleverly, the espresso sinks straight to bottom so that when you pour it into your cup, the coffee pours out first followed by the creamy froth. If you never have milk with your espressos, perhaps consider the cheaper Idola model which doesn’t come with the milk frothing system.

The Deséa is narrow enough to fit on any work top (it’s just 14.5cm wide) and it comes with an ample 1.1-litre water reservoir that’s easy to remove. The spent capsule drawer meanwhile is large enough for about 10 pods – rather handily, an audio tone signals when the container needs emptying.

Lavazza capsules (available online and in most high street stores) cost around AU$0.78c a cup – among the cheapest on the market – and there are seven great-tasting blends to choose from. Best blends in my opinion? Passionale and Lungo Dulce produce top flight espressos time after time, and quickly too.

Once you have a taste for real espresso nothing else will do. So, next time you’re on your travels, pack this remarkable hand-powered gizmo and you’ll never have to endure an insipidly crap hotel coffee ever again. You can even take it camping, up a mountain, into the desert – anywhere you can boil up some water.

With the aid of the optional Nespresso NS adapter (RRP AU$29.90), this model produces espressos as rich and aromatic as any kitchen-bound machine on this page. Just fill the small chamber with boiled water (the Nanopresso doesn't heat the water itself), slap a capsule into the adapter, seal the lid and add a good dose of finger pressure to squeeze the piston closed. Boom, instant espresso with a proper dollop of thick, rich crema on top.

If other people’s coffee rarely meets your high expectations, you’re out camping in the wilds or visiting a relative who only drinks instant dishwater, pop one of these in the travel bag and you’ll never be without a proper caffeine fix. Highly recommended.

This keenly-priced micro machine is the width of a coffee tin and couldn’t be easier to use. The 0.5-litre water tower is big enough for at least half-a-dozen cups (either long or short, depending on which button is pressed) but the used capsule collection drawer is tiny and only has room for five. If you step too far over the mark, I can guarantee the drawer will jam and you’ll struggle to get the damn thing open.

That aside, this little workhorse makes a blooming excellent espresso replete with lush crema and all for around AU$0.78c a hit. Top blend, top podder…

Breville excels with this premium-priced addition to the Nespresso roster of third-party machines.

The Creatista is solidly built, with a reassuringly large amount of metal used in the construction, but what impresses most here is the intuitive interface. There’s an LED panel on top that displays one of eight coffee styles from short-shot ristretto to latte macchiato, and it's so easy to use, my cat managed to whip up a flat white without even looking at the instruction manual. 

The foaming wand is excellent and almost entirely automatic – just set the amount of froth required and hit the button for anything from warm milk to rich, creamy froth.

Nespresso is the most popular coffee pod brand on the market, but finding the blend to suit your palette requires drinking your way through a chocolate box assortment of different flavours. Nespresso capsules are also the smallest on test so real fiends may need a couple of shots to get a decent morning buzz.

Built solidly, and looking straight out of a 60s diner, FrancisFrancis has created a swish, colourful chrome machine that ditches the plastic facades on most other machines. 

The X7.1 boasts an excellent Pannarello steam wand for frothing milk, a large one-litre water reservoir and an old-fashioned portafilter, but one that takes plastic iperEspresso capsules instead of coffee grounds. A simple touch of the centre button produces an exquisitely rich, aromatic Illy espresso with a lip-smacking crema.

Illy capsules are more expensive than other brands at roughly AU$.60 a pod and are slightly harder to find, but they definitely make for that with a gorgeously rich and velvety espresso blend.

• The best reusable coffee cups

• Best coffee machines 
• Best coffee grinder
• Best milk frother for your cappuccinos