Best Capsule Coffee Machines

The De'Longhi brand capsule coffee machine is not only compact (body dimensions 12x23x32 cm) but also visually appealing. Its design was awarded the Red Dot award in 2014, and the relevance of the design and the device as a whole remains even today. The De'Longhi Nespresso Inissia EN 80.B can be a stylish addition to a modern kitchen.

The coffee machine is ready to deliver a small or large serving of coffee (roughly espresso and lungo). By default, the beverage will be 40 or 110 ml. However, you can program your preferred portion size for each button according to your preferences.

The water tank of the model is transparent for filling visibility but not very capacious — only 700 ml.

The device features a 1260-watt thermoblock that requires a 25-second preheating for preparation. A quality beverage is ensured by a powerful pump of 19 bars, comparable to the capabilities of the best coffee machines.

Demanding coffee lovers should be satisfied with the Nespresso brand capsules, known for their quality raw materials (ground beans). They offer users a wide variety of black coffee (the largest among all current systems). However, there are downsides — the price of the capsules is higher than competitors, and capsules for coffee-milk drinks are not offered. A conditional latte must be prepared manually — make an espresso and separately froth the milk.

The De'Longhi Nespresso Inissia EN 80.B is a stylish coffee machine in the mid-price segment. It can be recommended to black coffee aficionados or those who are ready to make coffee-milk drinks themselves.

A product from the Krups brand is one of the narrowest (width of 11 cm) capsule coffee machines on the market. The model is notable not only for its compact size but also for its convenient controls, namely the touch panel. Among other things, it simplifies cleaning the device's body.

Another feature of the Krups Genio S Plus KP 3408 is the abundance of settings. The user can choose one of 4 beverage temperatures (from cold to very hot), set the desired volume, and activate the Espresso Boost function. This setting alters the strength of the espresso due to the preliminary wetting of the coffee tablet with water. It's claimed that this option makes the taste deeper and more intense.

The device is equipped with a pump with a working pressure of 15 bars and a powerful 1500-watt thermoblock, accelerating preheating and preparation processes. Other features include an 0.8-liter water reservoir, an adjustable cup holder, and an auto-off function when idle.

The model works with Dolce Gusto capsules. This system is variable (includes over 30 flavors), including espresso, coffee-milk drinks (with powdered milk in the "tablet"), hot chocolate, and tea. Capsules are widely available in retail sales and relatively affordable (especially when talking about black coffee). However, some drinks, like cortado or iced cappuccino, contain soluble ingredients (rather than ground beans).

The Krups Genio S Plus KP 3408 is a coffee machine for those who value maximum automation and experimentation with coffee flavor (setting flexibility).

The Philips coffee machine's name already indicates that it is "tailored" for working with L'OR capsules (9 "consumables" are prudently included in the kit). The device claims support for the Dual Capsule Recognition system, allowing the use of two different size formats — standard (single shot) and larger (double shot). With the latter, you can brew two cups of black coffee or a strong (double) portion at once.

Additionally, the Philips L'Or Barista LM9012/60 is compatible with the popular Nespresso system: these capsules are considered the highest quality (but are slightly more expensive than competitors), whereas L'OR is quite varied in flavors and intensity, accessible in price. Users can hence more easily choose the best beverages as per their preferences and budget.

The coffee machine is equipped with a pump of 19 bars, a 1450-watt heating element, and an 800 ml reservoir. On the device's body, there are three buttons, allowing one of the three volume options to be set for the drink at the output — ristretto (25 ml), espresso (40 ml), and lungo (110 ml). When using L'OR double shot capsules, these values by default double. Plus, you can program other volumes for chosen buttons in the range from 20 to 135 ml for a standard portion and from 40 to 270 ml for a double one.

Other features include a removable tray, which not only simplifies its cleaning but also allows placing taller cups under the nozzle. The downside of the Philips L'Or Barista LM9012/60 is the absence of capsule options with coffee-milk drinks: a conditional cappuccino will have to be made manually.

The Philips L'Or Barista LM9012/60 is an interesting capsule coffee machine that can be recommended to black coffee fans.

The quite slim (width less than 12 cm) and stylish coffee maker from the Cecotec brand is a representative of the mid-price category set for 2024. Compared to most capsule counterparts, the model stands out for its versatility. In the set that comes with the device, there are three different adapters, allowing you not to concentrate on just one type of capsules but to use "consumables" Dolce Gusto, Nespresso, or K-Fee. This ensures the user genuinely has a wide choice of both quality black coffee and popular coffee-milk drinks.

Additionally, Cecotec FreeStyle Compact Black is ready to compete with espresso machines, because the supply kit also includes a special adapter for ground coffee. With it, the variability of raw materials and the taste of the finished beverage becomes practically endless (if there's a separate coffee grinder available).

The model claims a 30-second readiness to work, thanks to the 1350-watt heating element. Quality extraction (revealing the taste and aroma of coffee) is provided by a 20-bar pump with ForceAroma technology. Preparation is limited to filling the 0.8-liter tank with water and selecting the portion size: there are 3 factory settings — 50, 100, and 150 ml, but there's the possibility to program your volume from 20 to 250 ml. After use, you can confidently leave the coffee machine unattended, as it implements auto power-off after 9 minutes of idleness.

Cecotec FreeStyle Compact Black is a universal capsule coffee machine that can attract a wide spectrum of coffee enthusiasts.

The coffee machine from De'Longhi is positioned as an advanced solution. Confirming this status, there is an automatic cappuccinator Rapid Cappuccino with a small complement milk jug (170 ml). This reservoir is supplemented with marks for adding the necessary amount of milk and implementing in auto mode one of three popular coffee-milk recipes — espresso macchiato, cappuccino, and latte macchiato. After that, the Nespresso capsule must be loaded and the preparation button pressed.

De'Longhi Nespresso Lattissima One EN 510.W warns the user about the need to perform two cleaning procedures — rinsing the cappuccinator and descaling. In the first case, the milk system needs to be disassembled and washed (manually or in a dishwasher), while in the latter, use the self-cleaning program and special service tube.

The coffee maker is equipped with a traditional for De'Longhi component set — a pump of 19 bars and a 1450-watt thermoblock (provides a preheating in 25 seconds). There is also a one-liter water tank, minimalistic button control with clear indications. For black coffee, two default programs are offered with different portion sizes (40 and 110 ml). If needed, the volume for each can be changed (from 20 to 70 and from 70 to 150 ml, respectively).

The consumables for the model are Nespresso capsules. The system is characterized by high-quality raw materials and an abundance of variations of black coffee. However, the "tablets" are quite expensive, and the device itself is not cheap, comparable in price to budget espresso machines. But if maximum simplicity and automation are required even when preparing milk drinks, the De'Longhi Nespresso Lattissima One EN 510.W is a worthy option from a reputable manufacturer.