Top 5 compared
The best pod coffee makers
Coffee in about a minute with nothing to measure or clean up: drop in a pod and press a button.
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The top 5 at a glance
A pod coffee maker brews one cup at a time from a sealed capsule: drop it in, press a button and the machine pushes hot water through it. The capsule decides the drink. Keurig’s K-Cups make an everyday drip-style mug, plus tea and hot cocoa; Nespresso’s Vertuo capsules make espresso as well as long coffees, and its Original capsules a short espresso or a lungo.
Pods only fit the system they’re made for, so the machine settles which coffee you’ll be buying for years: K-Cups are sold by many coffee brands and in most grocery stores, while Vertuo capsules are made by Nespresso. Some machines brew your own ground coffee as well, and a few add a frother for lattes or a carafe for a full pot.
What matters
- Several cup sizes, and a strong setting for a bolder mug.
- A removable tank: the bigger it is, the fewer refills.
- Width, if counter space is tight.
#1Keurig K-Elite Single-Serve K-Cup Coffee Maker
$200–$300
Five cup sizes from 118 to 355 mL (4 to 12 oz), a Strong button for a bolder cup and an Iced setting that brews hot over ice, all from a 2.2 L (75 oz) tank that holds about eight cups between refills. A separate button runs hot water for tea, oatmeal or instant soup, and the brew temperature can be adjusted.
What owners say: Setup takes minutes and it’s simple day to day, owners say, and the coffee is piping hot, with the adjustable temperature a welcome extra. The big tank and the spread of cup sizes get a mention too.
A closer look: For something closer to a shot, choose the 118 mL (4 oz) size and press Strong; for iced coffee, fill a tall glass with ice and use the Iced setting. Auto On can be set so it’s heated and ready first thing in the morning, and it tells you when it’s time to descale.
- Brews in under a minute
- Adjustable brew temperature
- Auto On for mornings
- Descale reminder
Best for: Bold cups, iced coffee and tea
- Pods it takes
- K-Cup pods
- Milk
- None
- Cup volumes
- 118–355 mL (4–12 oz), 5 sizes
- Strong setting
- Yes
- Water tank
- 2.2 L (75 oz)
- Size (W × H × D)
- 25 × 33 × 32 cm (9.9 × 13.1 × 12.7 in)
#2Keurig K-Mini Go Single-Serve K-Cup Coffee Maker (grey)
$75–$100
Under 12.7 cm (5 in) wide, it fits a student’s residence room, a tiny kitchen or a corner of the office, yet a 1.24 L removable tank means several cups between refills, where the original K-Mini takes fresh water for every cup. Three sizes from 237 to 355 mL (8 to 12 oz) and a Strong button cover the everyday mug.
What owners say: A great little machine for a small apartment, owners say, taking hardly any counter and making hot chocolate and tea as happily as coffee. It brews a hot, good-tasting cup, though reliability over time splits opinion.
A closer look: There’s no automatic switch-off on this one, Keurig’s own chart shows, so it’s worth pressing the power button after the last cup. The tank lifts off for filling at the sink, and a travel mug fits underneath for the drive in.
- Fits a travel mug
- Tank lifts off to fill
- No automatic switch-off
Best for: Small kitchens and student rooms
- Pods it takes
- K-Cup pods
- Milk
- None
- Cup volumes
- 237–355 mL (8–12 oz), 3 sizes
- Strong setting
- Yes
- Water tank
- 1.24 L (42 oz)
- Size (W × H × D)
- 11.4 × 30.7 × 28.7 cm (4.5 × 12.1 × 11.3 in)
#3Ninja Pods & Grounds Specialty Single-Serve Coffee Maker (PB051C)
$150–$200
A K-Cup one morning and your own ground coffee the next: the pod adapter and a permanent filter basket both come in the box. Four brew styles (Classic, Rich, Over Ice and a concentrated Specialty) and a fold-away frother cover everything from a 710 mL (24 oz) travel mug to a homemade latte.
What owners say: It does everything its owners need, from a plain mug to a rich brew, in a machine that doesn’t take over the counter, and it brews quickly and is fairly priced. Whether the coffee comes out hot enough is where opinions split.
A closer look: Switching is a matter of the holder: the pod adapter for K-Cups, or the brew basket and permanent filter for your own coffee, measured with the scoop. For a latte, choose Specialty, which brews a small, strong concentrate, then froth the milk and pour it over.
- Iced coffee and latte concentrate
- Pod adapter and permanent filter
- Drawer stores the brew basket
- Room for tall travel mugs
- Scoop included
Best for: K-Cups, grounds and homemade lattes
- Pods it takes
- K-Cup pods or ground coffee
- Milk
- Fold-away frother built in
- Cup volumes
- 177–710 mL (6–24 oz), 7 sizes; pods to 355 mL
- Strong setting
- Rich brew
- Water tank
- 1.65 L (56 oz)
- Size (W × H × D)
- 14.2 × 33.8 × 33.2 cm (5.6 × 13.3 × 13.1 in)
#4Nespresso Vertuo Pop+ by De’Longhi (ENV92, pink)
$100–$150
Made for espresso as well as a mug of coffee. Vertuo capsules carry a barcode the machine reads, so it brews each at its own size, from a 25 mL ristretto or a double espresso to a 355 mL Alto, with crema on top. It’s Nespresso’s smallest Vertuo, ready in about 30 seconds, and it updates itself over Wi-Fi.
What owners say: The coffee wins owners over, rich and full of flavour, and the styling, the simple operation and the small footprint all please them. It’s loud, though, louder than some expect from a machine this small, and reliability and value both divide them.
Heads up: It takes only Nespresso’s Vertuo capsules, not Original ones or K-Cups, so look for Vertuo on the box when stocking up.
A closer look: The water tank sits at the side and lifts out for filling at the sink. Used capsules drop into a container inside that holds about eight espresso or five mug-size capsules, so empty it often; Nespresso collects its aluminum capsules for recycling.
- Reads each capsule’s barcode
- Ready in about 30 seconds
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth updates
- Nespresso recycles used capsules
- Tasting pack included
Best for: Espresso and long coffees
- Pods it takes
- Nespresso Vertuo
- Milk
- None
- Cup volumes
- 25–355 mL (0.8–12 oz), 6 sizes
- Strong setting
- No
- Water tank
- 1.1 L (37 oz)
- Size (W × H × D)
- 20 × 26.5 × 35.6 cm (7.9 × 10.4 × 14 in)
#5Nespresso Essenza Mini by Breville (BEC220, white)
$150–$200
The narrowest machine here at 8.4 cm (3.3 in), for a short espresso or a lungo from Nespresso’s Original capsules. A 19-bar pump gives each cup a dense crema, it heats up in about 25 seconds, and it switches itself off after nine minutes left idle.
What owners say: Very good coffee and a tasty espresso, owners say, from a machine small enough to tuck into any corner. It’s easy to work, and its looks win praise too.
A closer look: The two buttons pour an espresso and a lungo, and both can be set to a different volume to suit your cup. The used-capsule container holds six, so empty it every few days, and stock up on Original capsules only, as Vertuo ones won’t fit.
- 19-bar pump
- Ready in about 25 seconds
- Off after 9 idle minutes
- Holds six used capsules
Best for: Short espressos on tiny counters
- Pods it takes
- Nespresso Original
- Milk
- None
- Cup volumes
- 40–110 mL (1.4–3.7 oz), 2 sizes
- Strong setting
- No
- Water tank
- 0.6 L (20 oz)
- Size (W × H × D)
- 8.4 × 20.4 × 33 cm (3.3 × 8 × 13 in)
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Keurig K-Elite | #2Keurig K-Mini Go | #3Ninja Pods & Grounds | #4Nespresso Vertuo Pop+ | #5Nespresso Essenza Mini |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best budget | Best for espresso | Narrowest | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.5 |
| Price | $200–$300 | $75–$100 | $150–$200 | $100–$150 | $150–$200 |
| Pods it takes | K-Cup pods | K-Cup pods | K-Cup pods or ground coffee | Nespresso Vertuo | Nespresso Original |
| Milk | None | None | Fold-away frother built in | None | None |
| Cup volumes | 118–355 mL (4–12 oz), 5 sizes | 237–355 mL (8–12 oz), 3 sizes | 177–710 mL (6–24 oz), 7 sizes; pods to 355 mL | 25–355 mL (0.8–12 oz), 6 sizes | 40–110 mL (1.4–3.7 oz), 2 sizes |
| Strong setting | Yes | Yes | Rich brew | No | No |
| Water tank | 2.2 L (75 oz) | 1.24 L (42 oz) | 1.65 L (56 oz) | 1.1 L (37 oz) | 0.6 L (20 oz) |
| Size (W × H × D) | 25 × 33 × 32 cm (9.9 × 13.1 × 12.7 in) | 11.4 × 30.7 × 28.7 cm (4.5 × 12.1 × 11.3 in) | 14.2 × 33.8 × 33.2 cm (5.6 × 13.3 × 13.1 in) | 20 × 26.5 × 35.6 cm (7.9 × 10.4 × 14 in) | 8.4 × 20.4 × 33 cm (3.3 × 8 × 13 in) |
| Best for | Bold cups, iced coffee and tea | Small kitchens and student rooms | K-Cups, grounds and homemade lattes | Espresso and long coffees | Short espressos on tiny counters |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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