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Our editorial team chose the products on this list based on actual customer reviews from a range of websites such as Amazon Australia, Product Review, The Good Guys and Harvey Norman. For each category, we carefully selected parameters based on our research and identified the pod coffee machines with the highest review score within those parameters.

Read more detail on our methodology below.

We selected the Magimix Nespresso Vertuo Plus as the best overall pod coffee machine because it has a 4.6 out of 5 star rating on Amazon Australia from over 460 online reviews.

The Vertuo is a great all-rounder that offers variety, reliability and of course excellent coffee. The thing to note is that it has a different system to standard Nespresso machines and uses different pods, which are larger in size. This gives you much more versatility than most pod coffee machines as you can vary your cup sizes between espresso 40ml, double espresso 80ml, gran lungo 150ml, coffee 230ml and Alto 414ml.

The machine is simple to operate with on-button brewing. Plus, it has an automatic off mode that kicks in after nine minutes of not using it. It features a large 1.8-litre water tank that can be positioned at the back or side, depending on your bench space. It also has a large used capsule bin that holds up to 13 pods. The milk frother is a separate purchase, however even with that included, it's not too much of an outlay.

We chose the Philips L'OR Barista Latte LM8014/60 for the best budget pick as it has a 4.7 out of 5 star rating across a number of websites including Product Review, Philips and Appliances Online.

Pod coffee machines range from $100 or less to as high as $800, so this machine sits nicely at the lower end of the scale. As well as being affordable, it's also versatile with the ability to brew two single expressos at the same time, or one double espresso in one cup.

With 19 bars of pressure, it produces good quality coffee and is compatible with most types of pods. It also looks incredibly sleek and stylish, an asset to any kitchen bench. Most importantly, according to many online customers, it offers excellent value for money.

For the best mid-range pod coffee machine, we selected the De'Longhi Nespresso Lattissima One as it scored a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon Australia from 775 online reviews.

This machine is well priced, sitting right in the middle of the range and is effective and easy to use. With its Thermoblock heating system, the machine heats up in just 25 seconds. Then you just click on one of the three backlit buttons to choose your type of coffee. Meanwhile, the single-serve automatic milk system froths the perfect amount of milk with no waste.

An auto power-off function turns the machine off after nine minutes of not being used. And this can be altered to 30 minutes or 8 hours. Small and compact, this machine fits neatly in your kitchen, yet is still big enough to house a 1-litre removable tank and a used capsule container, holding up to 8-12 capsules.

This machine is a convenient way to have your cafe-style coffee at home and many customers have made favourable comments on the size of the machine, quality and value for money.

In the 2021 Finder Retail Awards, we surveyed over 8,000 Australians about their retail purchases to discover which were their favourite brands across 158 product categories.

For coffee machines, DeLonghi was ranked 1 for overall rating, 3 for value for money, 1 for ease of cleaning, 1 for features and functions and 2 for performance.

6 brands were rated across these decision criteria.

For the best premium pod coffee machine, we chose the Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus because it has an average rating of 4.6 from over 400 reviews across a number of websites including Myer, The Good Guys, Harvey Norman and Product Review.

This beautifully designed machine has a lot to offer, with its stylish appearance that doesn't even look like a regular pod machine. It is extremely user friendly with a choice of seven different recipes to suit your personal taste.

It heats up in three seconds and with 19 bar pump pressure, the coffee is full of flavour. The bonus of a steam wand means you can froth your milk. And with eight milk textures to choose from and eleven milk temperatures, you have considerable control over your morning cup of coffee.

In the 2021 Finder Retail Awards, we surveyed over 8,000 Australians about their retail purchases to discover which were their favourite brands across 158 product categories.

For coffee machines, Breville was ranked 4 for overall rating, 6 for value for money, 3 for ease of cleaning, 5 for features and functions and 4 for performance.

6 brands were rated across these decision criteria.

For this category, we selected the Nespresso DeLonghi Inissia Coffee Machine as it has an average star rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars from almost 550 online reviews across a number of websites including Product Review, The Good Guys, Harvey Norman and Myer.

This coffee machine, as with many of the Nespresso range, is reliable, easy to use and affordable to buy. With its simple design and 25-second heat-up time, making coffee is fast and fuss-free. And with 19 bar pump pressure, every cup is consistently delicious.

However, the highlight of this product is the Aeroccino3 frother, which has to be one of the most effective milk frothers around. You can have beautifully textured froth at the press of a button. And you can choose between hot or cold. It's easy to clean and it always froths milk like your local barista.

For this reason, the machine happens to be my personal favourite. I don't know which part I would be sadder to lose – the coffee machine or the frother. Fortunately they're attached, so there's no chance of losing either.

In the 2021 Finder Retail Awards, we surveyed over 8,000 Australians about their retail purchases to discover which were their favourite brands across 158 product categories.

For coffee machines, DeLonghi was ranked 1 for overall rating, 3 for value for money, 1 for ease of cleaning, 1 for features and functions and 2 for performance.

6 brands were rated across these decision criteria.

We then read hundreds of online reviews, written by customers who have bought and made coffee with these products. We also drew from our own personal experience of using pod coffee machines.

Based on our research, we then chose the five pod coffee machines that we believe to be the best in Australia in terms of quality and performance.

Capsule coffee machines use capsules or pods of coffee beans wrapped in filter paper. The pods are about the same size and shape as a single-serve UHT milk carton that you might get served in your hotel room or on the plane and are sealed to retain freshness for up to nine months.

You insert these capsules directly into your coffee machine, where they are pierced to allow hot water to mix with the contents, producing an espresso. There are many different capsule flavours to choose from and these machines don't require intensive cleaning after every coffee-making session, which makes them a no-fuss, low-maintenance option.

However, with a capsule coffee machine, while you'll be able to control how diluted you want your shot of coffee, you'll be restricted to pre-set options rather than being able to completely tailor a perfect cup of coffee. You may also find that the intensity of the coffee flavour is not as strong as a professional coffee maker.

If you're a coffee aficionado, check out our list of the best coffee machines. If you're curious about how capsule machines compare to their bean-based counterparts, check out our complete guide to bean vs capsule coffee machines.

Before deciding which coffee machine to purchase, consider the following key factors:

If you can, try to taste a sample from the coffee machine you're interested in to make sure you're satisfied with the crema, aroma, flavours, creaminess and aftertaste. Look for a machine that's compatible with a range of capsules.

If the coffee machine is probably going to be heavily used within a short span of time – for example, if the machine is going to be shared in a large office– look for one that has a high temperature consistency score.

Some capsule coffee machines will use a milk frother, milk-based capsule or coffee capsule with milk poured over it. Decide which you prefer and find out what options your selected machine is compatible with.

How easy to operate are the coffee machine's functions? Check if filling the water tank is simple and if the machine easy to clean both inside and outside.

Consider how much kitchen-top space you have. For those with little benchtop space, it would be more practical to pick a compact, miniature, portable or storable model.

Some models offer personalised functions such as pre-programmable coffee settings, adjustable water and milk temperatures and steam pump rates. More-advanced models let you choose the style and temperature of the froth.

If you'll be sharing the machine with a large number of coffee drinkers, it's important to consider how efficiently and quickly the machine heats and froths milk.

For those who are concerned about the environment, it's important to find a coffee machine that allows you to recycle the coffee pods. Some manufacturers have their own recycling scheme.

Consider how large the capacity of the drip tray and water tank are. The larger the capacity, the less time you'll have to spend refilling and maintaining your coffee machine.

Is the digital screen easy to read and are the functions easy to control?

Look for a coffee machine that has a warranty of at least six months to one year.

If you won't be drinking your coffee immediately, a machine with a cup-warming plate is a nice addition.

For those who are on a budget, it's worth considering that while capsules are easy to use and convenient, they typically cost more per cup than coffee beans. Also, a single coffee machine brand will usually keep its family of capsules only compatible within its own brand's line of coffee machines.

Before purchasing your chosen coffee machine, make sure to taste test a variety of brands.

*Brand did not meet the sample threshold to qualify for the award

Susannah Hardy has been a writer for over 14 years, covering a wide range of topics that includes parenting, lifestyle, business and entertainment. She is particularly passionate about property and home interiors, and has written widely on such issues as kitchen benchtops and Hamptons style homes. When not doing that, Susannah spends stolen moments creating women’s contemporary fiction. Her first book, a romantic comedy, will be published by Pan Macmillan in July 2021.

Finally a good, automatic coffee machine that doesn’t cost the same as a used car.

The Jura S8 makes superior coffee, but no-one is awake enough to deal with the milk system in the morning.

The Z10 is a fully automated coffee machine that makes delicious cold brew in just minutes, but it’s not cheap.

Nespresso’s top of the range coffee machine is excellent and luxurious, despite being $1000 more than the base model that makes the exact same quality coffee.

Very, very good coffee with minimum effort and maximum cost.

This semi-automatic coffee machine is a great option for coffee lovers who like to customise their brew to personal perfection.

The De’Longhi Magnifica S is a great automatic machine with manual elements that coffee lovers will enjoy. But it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of more expensive models.

Pod coffee is about convenience above all else, but the premium frills of the Lavazza Desea give it an extra degree of convenience.

The Nespresso VertuoPlus is an incredibly simple yet way to achieve great tasting coffee at home as long as you have spare bench space and don’t require a milk frother.

The Nespresso Creatista Plus is a premium pod coffee machine that makes coffee to suit your personal taste, complete with frothing wand and expensive price tag.

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