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Best Overall
Bruvi BV-01 Brewer
Best for Small Spaces
Keurig K-Mini
Best for Iced Coffee
Keurig K-Brew + Chill Coffee Maker
Best for Espresso
Nespresso Vertuo Pop+ Brewer and Aeroccino 3 Frother Bundle
Don’t hate me for saying this, but I’m hunting for the best pod coffee maker. Coffee is a weirdly divisive topic. People are particular about nearly every aspect, whether it’s grounds, ground sizes, delivery method, sugar and cream and syrups … the list goes on and on. That divide grows even further when it comes to pod coffee makers. I’m no stranger to coffee snobbery, and I love a good pour-over or French press, a fancy burr grinder, and a silky-smooth cold foam … but sometimes I just want my coffee fast. And there’s no shame in it! Below, you’ll find the best pod coffee machines I’ve tried, including my top pick—the Bruvi BV-01 (8/10, WIRED Recommends).
Be sure to check out our many coffee-related buying guides, including the Best Coffee Makers, the Best Coffee Subscriptions, and the Best Gifts for Coffee Lovers.
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Best Overall
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
The Bruvi BV-01 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is my favorite coffee maker I’ve ever used. It looks cute on a kitchen counter. The proprietary B-Pods are unfortunately only sold online as of now, but they come in coffee, tea, and espresso varieties, and they’re meant to biodegrade in a landfill, with ongoing tests showing 84 percent biodegradation over 534 days. The brewer automatically recognizes your chosen pod and will suggest brew settings for it, which you can adjust if you wish. It has a large, easy-to-use touchscreen with many size options, plus a hot water button, and the screen even shows a progress bar to keep you posted on your cup of joe. It can brew back-to-back cups in just over a minute each, and the 70-ounce reservoir is easy to refill. There’s even a companion app that will let you schedule brews in advance.
The B-Pods are a little on the pricey side, and there are fewer varieties available compared to Keurig, but I think the trade-off for their lower environmental impact is worth it. They’re also tasty, partially thanks to the 20-stream saturation that ensures even extraction. This maker also has a built-in waste bin that collects up to six used pods. The final detail I love is that the brewer has a little chime to let you know when your coffee is complete—music to my ears. There isn’t much that I didn’t like about this brewer—the drip tray can fill up quickly, and sometimes the handle clunks. But overall it looks nice, it does the job well, and it’s easier on the only habitable planet we have.
Brew capacities 1-12 ounces Available colors 2 Dimensions 12.6″D x 10.2″W x 11.5″H Warranty 1 year Recycling information B-Pods are biodegradable; reusable pods available -
Best for Small Spaces
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
The Keurig K-Mini is cute and positively tiny. It was the first coffee maker I ever purchased for myself, years ago, and the new model I received for testing is just as adorable as my old one. It does a solid job at what it’s meant to do: brewing exactly one cup of coffee. Rather than a large reservoir, this itty-bitty brewer has enough room in the tank for one K-Cup of coffee. The easiest way I found to use it is to fill up my chosen mug with water, and then just pour that into the single-serve tank before brewing. There are no bells or whistles or strength levels or fancy water temperature settings—just lift the handle, pop in a pod, and close it. Press the button to brew. I kept my K-Mini on my desk for a long time simply because it was easier to brew myself a cup of coffee that way than to deal with my stove, a filter, and the whole rigmarole of a pour-over.
This coffee maker isn’t ideal for anyone who wants customizable options, scheduling, or fast back-to-back brewing. But if you just want a simple cup of coffee on demand, it’ll do the trick.
Note that these go on sale on basically every shopping holiday, and you can often find them for as low as $50. Another thing I want to note is that, while my previous model held up fine for years, it did stop working around year four or five. That’s not a guarantee that this model won’t last a long time, and it’s worth noting that I never tried to contact customer service to replace or fix it, but it is something I wanted to mention.
Brew capacities 6-12 ounces Available colors 5 (more are sometimes added for different stores or events) Dimensions 4.5″D x 11.3″W x 12.1″H Warranty 1 year Recycling information K-Cups are recyclable in some communities; reusable pods available
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Best for Iced Coffee
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
Keurig
K-Brew + Chill Coffee Maker
The Keurig K-Brew + Chill can handle both hot and iced coffee. It has two tanks—a main water pitcher that it’ll automatically pull from for hot coffee and as needed, and a chill tank that constantly runs to keep the water supply cold. The fan starts and stops on its own, and I didn’t find the noise disruptive—it reminded me of a fridge running. It does have a quiet mode that significantly reduces the noise, but note that the water takes longer to get cold if you use that setting. I filled mine with cold tap water, and it took about an hour to get fully chilled, though Keurig says room temperature water takes about six hours. In any case, this machine is great if you prefer iced coffee. Keurig has had iced coffee pods on the market for a while, but usually they’re brewed with less-hot water. You still have to add ice, and it isn’t immediately chilled like what you get with this brewer. There are a few different buttons—you can choose between hot or cold, choose your coffee size, and choose to make it stronger.
I compared hot and cold coffees using the same K-Cups, and they were both equally strong. This brewer uses MultiStream technology, which basically means it saturates the grounds in the K-Cup evenly to ensure full flavor extraction. The machine can brew cold and hot cups back to back, but the cold brews will get less and less cold unless you give the tank time to cool down again. Indicator lights will let you know how charged the chill tank is. Cold brews came out at about 50 degrees Fahrenheit and rose up to around 65 degrees after five back-to-back brews.
This machine does have some quirks. One minor detail that irked me is that the chilled-water tank can only be filled from the back side of the brewer, which means depending on your kitchen cabinet configurations, you might have to pull it away from the wall to refill it easily. It’s not the biggest deal in the world, but it is something to note. This brewer would take up a lot of room if you’ve got limited counter space. And it runs a rinse cycle after every cold brew, which takes about a minute and a half and is quite noisy. The rinsewater drains into the drip tray and it takes five cold brews to fill the tray up. The tray has a little floating indicator to let you know when it’s time to dump it out.
This machine isn’t going to be ideal for everyone, especially if you don’t really love iced coffee. But if you like cold coffee that isn’t diluted, it’s definitely worth checking out.
Brew capacities 6-12 ounces Available colors 1 Dimensions 15.3″D x 9.8″W x 12.4″H Warranty 1 year Recycling information K-Cups are recyclable in some communities; reusable pods available -
Best for Espresso
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
Nespresso
Vertuo Pop+ Brewer and Aeroccino 3 Frother Bundle
I was really annoyed when I realized that Nespresso sent me this brewer in black. Champagne problems, I know—but this brewer comes in so many delightful colors, from deep red and orange to pastel lavender and pink. It looks cute on your countertop with its little rounded figure and relatively short stature. The Vertuo Pop+ can handle all Vertuo coffee pods. The pods are aluminum and can be recycled by ordering free recycling bags or taking them to a drop-off location. To brew, simply open the machine by twisting the lock on the lid, choose a capsule, and press the button. You can physically move the adjustable drip tray between two ladder-like rungs on the front of the machine. There’s also a companion app that gives you maintenance alerts, video walk-throughs, and easy pod reordering.
Closing and locking the machine, or pressing the coffee button while the machine is locked, will start a heating cycle that takes about 30 seconds. The machine automatically recognizes the capsule you insert, and it extracts brew size based on the capsule as well. For example, espresso capsules will brew 1.35 ounces, double espresso capsules brew 2.7 ounces, and coffee capsules brew 8 ounces. This is different from other machines where you select the capacity you want. In the app you can make minor tweaks, such as making espresso shots shorter or longer. You can press the coffee button to end brewing early (a very handy trick if you accidentally use a 6-ounce mug for an 8-ounce brew, which I may or may not have done.) The machine has a waste basket that’ll automatically collect spent capsules. I’m not a huge fan of Nespresso’s flavored coffee and espresso capsules, simply because I would rather make traditional coffee and then add any whimsical flavorings later to suit my tastes. But if you prefer your coffee with a side of caramel or gingerbread or almond or some other decadent altering, there are many flavored options for you.
With plain old coffee and espresso capsules, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the body and mouthfeel of the drinks. Technically, these espresso pods are not making espresso. But it’s a darn close espresso-like beverage, and you can get it without needing an entire separate machine with a tamping weight and a portafilter and a pressure gauge. And the coffee is on par or slightly better than other machines I’ve tried, with a nice acidic bite that isn’t too watered down. If convenience is what you seek, this do-it-all machine is worth a look.
I was sent the bundle that comes with an optional milk frother. I like having the option, but be aware that it will take up another wall outlet. But the Aeroccino was easy to use—pour in your milk of choice and press the button. It’ll heat and froth your milk automatically—it takes about a minute and it’s whisper-quiet. Every Nespresso capsule I’ve tried has featured a thick layer of crema, and having whipped, thick milk on top of it made my average cup of coffee a more elevated experience.
Brew capacities 1-12 ounces Available colors 14 Dimensions 8.6″D x 14″W x 10.4″H Warranty 1 year Recycling information Capsules are recyclable
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Best Hybrid Maker
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
Ninja
Pods & Grounds Coffee Maker
This sleek-looking coffee maker is a good choice for people who want to be able to choose their coffee delivery method. You can use a K-Cup pod or supply your own grounds to brew a cup of joe. It also has a built-in, foldaway frother that lets you make specialty beverages like cappuccinos or lattes. (Note that the frother doesn’t steam milk—it‘s more like a mini immersion whisk. The manual suggests microwaving milk before frothing if you want your foam to be warm.)
I was honestly amazed at how much Ninja managed to pack into this brewer, which is only slightly larger than the similarly priced Keurig K-Mini. It has so many bells and whistles for the price. The design is user-friendly, and it makes it easy to see how things are meant to fit together. The clever pieces are designed in such a way that it’s obvious if you’re doing something wrong.
A permanent brew basket is installed in the machine. There are two adapters—one for grounds and one for K-Cups. Whichever you aren’t using stores cleverly in a little drawer, and the machine also comes with a marked scoop for measuring grounds that stores on a hook on the side of the machine. There’s a display that lets you choose your coffee style—classic, rich, over ice, or specialty (which only brews in 4-ounce sizes). The machine beeps when you start a brew, and there’s a progress bar and a series of beeps to let you know when your coffee is ready.
The only thing I didn’t love was the drip tray. It brackets onto the front of the machine like a ladder. It wasn’t unstable, and I could see it coming in handy to minimize splatter on shorter cups, but I didn’t like running the risk of knocking over a hovering cup of hot coffee. I just kept mine firmly on the counter and was resigned to wiping up any erroneous splashes.
All in all though, this machine offers fantastic value for its low price, and it could be a better solution if you don’t want to solely rely on K-Cups to get your coffee in your face.
Brew capacities 4-12 ounces Available colors 4 Dimensions 13″D x 5.5″W x 13.3″H Warranty 1 year Recycling information Supply your own grounds or recycle a K-Cup if available in your area; machine is not compatible with reusable K-Cups -
Best for Cold Brew
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Cumulus Coffee
the Cumulus Machine
The Cumulus cold-brew machine (7/10, WIRED Review) promises something that seems impossible: instant and frothy nitro cold brew from a capsule. It’s not just a chilled coffee pod, either: It’s actual cold brew, made over the course of many hours using cold water and time, then vacuum-distilled and condensed down to fit in a wee capsule. Insert the capsule into a Cumulus Machine, and it’ll unpack that super-dense concentrate using a powerful compressor. The result is a frigid 10-ounce glass of cold brew, a fabulously frothy nitro version made by pressure-injecting raw air into the coffee, or an intense and bracing cold espresso that dispenses beautifully into martini form.
The abundant nitro froth, and espresso crema in your martini, are absolutely the strongest selling points for this $700 home machine (each capsule makes enough coldspresso for two martinis, or a hefty double). But note that the capsules, which mostly amount to $2.50 a pop, don’t quite have the character of cold brew: There’s a little tang, something a little sharp. But a luxury “Wush Wush” Ethiopia, which costs a whopping $6 a capsule, shows what’s possible for the machine. The resulting cold brew was a legit achievement: full-bodied, smooth, and wildly aromatic. —Matthew Korfhage
Brew capacities 2-10 ounces Available colors 2 Dimensions 19″ D x 6″W x 16″H Warranty 2 years Recycling information Cumulus Capsules are recyclable
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Best Robot Pod Barista
Xbloom
Studio Coffee Machine
The xBloom (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is like a coffee pod machine that went to college and got a fancy degree. This Swiss army knife of a machine contains a built-in conical burr grinder and scale, offers the option for minutely programmable pour-over coffee, and even has a new option for brewing tea. But if you want no effort? The xBloom is also maybe the only pod coffee machine on the market that’ll make coffee fit for the snobbiest of coffee snobs. Order roast-to-order xPods ($1 to $3 a pod, depending) by mail order or subscription, and you’ll get single-serve pods filled with fresh beans from the hypeiest third-wave roasters in coffee, whether Bean & Bean, Onyx, or Black & White.
Your compostable pods will arrive with an RFID recipe card, preprogrammed and theoretically optimized to each bean. Just swipe the card, dump the fresh beans into the grinder, then push the button. Chances are, you’ll receive some wildly interesting coffee, after about three minutes of robot grind and robot pour-over. Results will vary depending on how well the roaster programs the machine, but I’ve gotten some seriously good cups from this machine. —Matthew Korfhage
Brew capacities 5-12 ounces Available colors 2 Dimensions 6.7″D x 8″W x 16.8″H Warranty 2 years Recycling information xPods are compostable
Honorable Mentions
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
iLola Duo for $270: I think the iLola Duo is a very smart idea. It can brew Nespresso or Keurig pods, plus iLola Tea Discs, which are compressed loose-leaf tea cakes bound with cellulose for easy measurement and disposal. Unfortunately, the machine isn’t very intuitive to use, and it brews too cold—around 170 degrees Fahrenheit—to fully extract the flavors from some kinds of tea, such as black tea, which should be brewed at around 212 degrees Fahrenheit. This means some of the tea blends are tasty, and some of them are just too weak and flavorless for my liking. The machine is also louder and less intuitive than others I’ve tried. If you’re a major tea enthusiast or you truly want a multipurpose machine, it could still be worth looking into.
How to Care for Your Pod Coffee Machine
Pod coffee makers have a few different components that need occasional care. The needle is the part that punctures the pod lid inside the machine, and it can sometimes get clogged or dirty. Most machines come with a needle cleaning tool, though you might be able to use a paperclip to achieve the same effect. Simply clean the needle from time to time and it shouldn’t be an issue.
Mineral deposits can build up in pod coffee makers, just like any other coffee maker. You can descale them using descaling solution or vinegar. Bruvi and Keurig both sell descaling solutions, and Keurig has rinse pods that are specifically designed to help clean out all those internal bits and pieces.
How We Tested and What’s Up Next
I tested these machines by making (and drinking) a lot of coffee. I’ve never been more caffeinated! I tested each feature and a few different coffee pod styles in each machine. I checked for ease of cleaning, the variety of pods available, the strength and tastiness of the coffee, how loud each machine was, and how much space it took up on my precious kitchen counters. Next up I’ll be testing machines from L’Or, Cuisinart, and Beautiful by Drew Barrymore.
The debate over pods has lots of valid points.
Environmental impact: This is the most important. Coffee pods are often not recyclable (though our top pick does have biodegradable pods), so it can be a lot of single-use plastic that gets chucked straight in the trash. However, coffee pods might not be as bad for the environment as you think compared to traditional coffee-making methods. Some machines have an option for reusable pods, which you fill with your own grounds. That’s one way to lessen the environmental impact while still getting the convenience of a pod coffee maker. We’ve included information on pod recycling for each of the machines in this guide.
Cost: Coffee pods are pricier than supplying your own grounds. They can range anywhere from 30 cents up to even $6 (in the case of the Cumulus). The initial machine investment may be cheaper—a pod coffee maker is going to be cheaper than an espresso machine, for example, but more expensive than an Aeropress—and you can sometimes find sales or get a coffee pod subscription to make things a bit more affordable. But it is a factor worth considering.
Coffee quality: Coffee pods aren’t as fresh as grinding your own beans, which can make coffee taste stale or flavorless. But most machines have a “Strong” setting that makes the coffee taste better, and there are a lot of varieties on the market, which means you’ll probably find at least one that you like. And as a counterpoint, while it’s perfectly fine to want artisanal beans and the perfect hot water temperature, plenty of us would be OK with drinking Folgers forever. And I think that latter group of people is the group that wouldn’t mind pod coffee over something a bit more involved.
Coffee amount: One reason I found myself drawn to pod coffee in the first place is that I wanted drip coffee without dealing with a pour-over, and I was living alone. Pod coffee was an easier way to make a single cup in a hurry.
Brewing: Some people like the methodical, ritualistic aspect of brewing coffee. And that’s fair! Some of my fondest memories are of making a pour-over around the campfire or canoodling with lovers while waiting for the kettle to heat. But not every morning is a lazy Sunday or taking place in a campground in the Ozarks, which is why I think pod makers make sense as one source of caffeine delivery. Sometimes I need my caffeine and I need it now, kettle be damned.
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