This is a good looking machine that’s a pleasure to use. Turn the chunky, chrome-effect lever and the capsule head springs up, catapulting the used pod back into the reservoir. It’s a really enjoyable mechanism. There are plenty of colour options as well, across three different models with tiered price tags: the Vertuo Next, the Vertuo Next Premium and the Vertuo Next Deluxe.

The pluses and minuses of this machine really amount to the same thing: it is fully automatic. A barcode reader inside analyses the capsule and automatically pre-wets, infuses and dispenses the correct volume. You can stop the flow or add more water but there are generally no settings to fiddle with to tailor coffee, which will frustrate some. For others, the hassle-free, hands-off automation is exactly what they want.

It dispense coffee lengths from espresso to carafe, but it’s all dependent on which pods you use.

The Vertuo Next has smart features as well but these are really focused on ordering and recycling capsules, rather than remote operation or adjusting settings, so they will be of more use to busy people who want to automate their deliveries, or get reminders when they’re running low on capsules.

If you’re in the US, this is one of our top recommendations. The K-Café Smart has a triple-tower profile, consisting of the pitcher-shaped water reservoir, the milk frothing jug, and the coffee brewer itself.

There are one-press settings for espresso and iced coffee and there are a selection of brew volumes: 6oz, 8oz, 10oz, and 12oz. You can also adjust the temperature and brew strength with dedicated buttons for each.

As the name suggests, it has smart features as well. You can save settings for custom brew strengths and temps to avoid having to set them manually each time but as the machine is so straightforward, you might not get as much use from these features as you imagine.

In terms of the coffees available, there’s a great selection. We weren’t wowed by the espresso but thanks to the excellent milk frothing, lattes and cappuccinos are a much better option.

Pod coffee machines are the most convenient type of coffee maker to use but they’re undoubtedly wasteful. If you want the ease of use without the environmental impact, the Lavazza A Modo Mio Tiny Eco is a step in the right direction.

The black model is made from 61% recycled plastic – the other colour options have less recycled material but still over 50% of the build. Plus, the machine uses Lavazza’s A Modo Mio capsules, which are industrially compostable and carbon neutral. You can’t compost them at home but you can add them to your food waste for council collection.

As the name suggests, this is a compact coffee maker, and a good option if space is limited. This does mean that there are a few compromises to be made: the dispensing volume isn’t automatic, the water tank is small at 0.6 litres, and there’s no choice of brewing options. There are also no milk warming or frothing. But it’ll make a very drinkable espresso in around 30 seconds and it couldn’t be easier to use.

If you’re looking for a compact coffee maker for a home office or bedroom, this is definitely one to consider.

This pod coffee machine is one of the most compact and easiest to use. Pop in a pod and it reads the barcode and dispenses the correct amount of water automatically. However, its flavour boost function means you can press a button and get a stronger, more intense drink. This gives it an edge over fully automated machines and makes a nice compromise between hands-off and customised coffee.

It has a 0.7 litre tank and a pretty functional design, but buy it in the cream or lupine blue colourway and it has a lot more personality.

Tassimo T-Discs are like Dolce Gusto capsules, in that you can make milky coffee drinks, hot chocolate, tea and specialist coffee drinks thanks to the two pod system (one for coffee, one for milk). This means you’re not limited to black coffee, nor do you have to fuss around with milk frothing. There are coffees from L’Or, Kenco and Costa, and hot chocolate from Cadbury and Milka.

This is a handy little machine but don’t buy it at full price: snap one up on sale.

The Desea is an attractive, shiny machine with a large chrome lever you use to open the capsule container slot. It comes in three colour options: black, brown and cream. It’s the most comprehensive pod espresso maker that Lavazza offers. You can select from espresso, long espresso, long coffee and free pour – but it also heats and froths milk with an inbuilt beater and milk wand.

This extra functionality means that it’s a bit more complicated to get to grips with than most pod machines but on the other hand, you can make cappuccinos, lattes and more with it, which is unusual among pod machines. It’s quiet in use as well.

It’s not available in the US, but the closest equivalent is Lavazza’s Classy Plus machine.

If you want the ability to tailor your coffee but not the mess of an espresso machine, this could be for you. The Morning Machine is independently made and offers far more brewing options than rivals from the big brands. Rather than just the standard ristretto, espresso and lungo options, it has a flagship Bloom & Brew setting that pre-wets for a stronger cup, as well as higher temperatures, varying bar pressures (up to 20), and recipes that get the best out of capsules by reproducing drip and filter-style drinks.

It’s a lovely machine as well: pared-back and almost severe in its minimalism, with a high quality build and matching features, including an OLED screen and a scale beneath the cup stand for weighing out coffee. It has smart features as well, with a focus on finessing the coffee output to your taste.

It’s not flawless, however: navigating the menus can be less than intuitive and we found the automatic cup detection to be a bit spotty during testing. Since we tested it, the price has gone up steeply and although we liked it a lot, it’s now harder to recommend.

If you’re a fan of sweet, milky or flavoured coffees and hot chocolate, the Dolce Gusto range is the quickest and easiest way to make them. Unusually, Dolce Gusto pods offer mixed drinks. If you buy a box of cappuccino capsules, for example, half of the pods will be milk and half coffee. This means that there’s no need for a separate milk frother.

Of the Dolce Gusto coffee makers, the Genio S Plus is one of the best. It’s compact (27.1 x 27.2 x 11cm), easy to use and best of all, it has more customisation options than any other machine in the range.

You can adjust the water temperature, add an espresso boost, and choose from seven volume options. But you can also opt for the automatic settings, in which case making coffee is as straightforward as can be.

It’s not available in the US, but you can buy the Dolce Gusto Genio 2, which has a similar design and the same feature set.

The Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy is a two-in-one device. Not only is it a pod espresso machine but it also contains an Amazon Alexa smart speaker.

On the coffee-making side of things, you insert a pod and then choose an espresso or a long drink (and there are two cup tray positions to match). There is no milk frothing option and A Modo Mio capsules are coffee-only. Simple.

The smart features don’t complicate matters either. You can ask Alexa to make you a coffee (once you’ve added a pod and water IRL, so it doesn’t really save you much time or effort) or jump on the app to track your coffee consumption, check your stock of capsules or order more.

But the real benefit of this hybrid appliance is that it’s a space-saving way to bring a smart speaker into your kitchen, without having to find a dedicated spot for it. This means you can play music, check the weather, set timers and more – all while drinking a very nice espresso.

If you’re a Nespresso lover, the Vertuo Plus provides a compact, easy way to get your fix. It’s a slim machine (14 x 32 x 43cm), with a 1.8 litre water tank that pivots out from the back so you can refill it easily. It also means you won’t need as deep a countertop spot for it.

Unlike classic Nespresso capsules, Vertuo pods aren’t just espresso-based. You can opt for a big mug of coffee, although you can’t fill a carafe as you can with the Vertuo Next. But it’s all done automatically, with the machine reading a barcode on the pod and pre-wetting, infusing and dispensing the correct amount of water automatically. This means that customisation is limited.

The machine opens and closes automatically as well, in response to a touch to the chrome lever, which is pleasing to use.

Bear in mind that it doesn’t include a milk frother, although you can buy the pint-sized Aeroccino separately.

The Piccolo XS is the smallest, simplest and most budget-friendly Dolce Gusto machine. The price has dropped even further since we reviewed it, making this a good option for students or anyone for whom space and cash is an issue.

The only drawback with the Piccolo XS is that it is so simple that it doesn’t even feature automatic volume dispensing. That means you have to control the volume of water using a lever and can’t wander off while your coffee is brewing.

The nature of the Dolce Gusto system also means that making a cappuccino or latte involves going through the process twice: once with a coffee capsule and once with a milk capsule. But it’s still faster than frothing milk separately.

The Piccolo XS can be used to make both hot and cold drinks. It’s not available in the US, but the Piccolo is.