Best Black Pod Machines
The best black pod machines, ranked by our review scores. Black is the finish that hides coffee itself best - splashes, staining round a drip area, scorch on a hotplate - and hides dust and fingerprints worst. The decision inside it is matte or gloss, and makers rarely say which: matte forgives handling, gloss shows every touch and every water spot. The one thing to check is the material under the colour. Black anodised aluminium and powder-coated steel hold their finish for years; black ABS plastic goes chalky under UV, and a machine that lives on a sunlit counter will show it.
How this list is ordered
Ranked by arithmetic, not opinion. Every score is worked out from the specifications each maker publishes, so you can open the working on any product page. Anything commercial is labelled and sits outside that order, and how we score explains what each criterion measures.
Black Pod Machines, ranked by score
scored on what the maker publishesOpen a row for the score working1
NespressoLattissima OneFrom $1297.7How it scored
Drink Quality9.3pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choice8.5Running Cost Per Cup6.5Ease of Use & Speed8.5Build Quality & Reliability6.0Maintenance & Cleaningweakest link5.0carries 8 of the 95.5 points scoredMachine Value for Money9.1Waste & Disposal8.0Price from$129Score7.7Capsule SystemNespresso OriginalThird-party CapsulesYesAuto shut-offYes (2 Minutes)Read the Nespresso Lattissima One review →2
NespressoCitizFrom $349.996.3How it scored
Drink Quality6.7pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choice7.0Running Cost Per Cup6.5Ease of Use & Speed7.0Build Quality & Reliability5.5Maintenance & Cleaning5.0Machine Value for Moneyweakest link2.9carries 8 of the 95.5 points scoredWaste & Disposal8.0Price from$349.99Score6.3Capsule SystemNespresso OriginalThird-party CapsulesYesAuto shut-offAutomatic power off after 9 minutes; setting can be changed to 30 minutesRead the Nespresso Citiz review →3
KeurigK-Express Single-ServeFrom $69.996.2How it scored
Drink Quality4.7pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choice10.0Running Cost Per Cup5.5Ease of Use & Speed6.2Build Quality & Reliability4.5Maintenance & Cleaning5.0Machine Value for Money10.0Waste & Disposalweakest link3.0carries 10 of the 95.5 points scoredPrice from$69.99Score6.2Capsule SystemK-CupThird-party CapsulesYesAuto shut-offYes (5 Minutes)Read the Keurig K-Express Single-Serve review →4
NespressoInissiaFrom $1896.2How it scored
Drink Quality5.3pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choice8.5Running Cost Per Cup6.5Ease of Use & Speed5.5Build Quality & Reliabilityweakest link4.5carries 12 of the 95.5 points scoredMaintenance & Cleaning5.0Machine Value for Money5.2Waste & Disposal8.0Price from$189Score6.2Capsule SystemNespresso OriginalThird-party CapsulesYesAuto shut-offYes (9 Minutes)Read the Nespresso Inissia review →5
KeurigK-Mini Single Serve Coffee MakerFrom $716.1How it scored
Drink Quality5.3pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choice8.5Running Cost Per Cup5.5Ease of Use & Speed7.0Build Quality & Reliability5.0Maintenance & Cleaning4.4Machine Value for Money10.0Waste & Disposalweakest link3.0carries 10 of the 95.5 points scoredPrice from$71Score6.1Capsule SystemK-CupThird-party CapsulesYesAuto shut-offYesRead the Keurig K-Mini Single Serve Coffee Maker review →6
KeurigK-ClassicFrom $99.995.9How it scored
Drink Quality4.0pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choice10.0Running Cost Per Cup5.5Ease of Use & Speed5.5Build Quality & Reliability4.5Maintenance & Cleaning5.0Machine Value for Money8.7Waste & Disposalweakest link3.0carries 10 of the 95.5 points scoredPrice from$99.99Score5.9Capsule SystemK-CupThird-party CapsulesYesAuto shut-offYes (2-Hour Auto Shutoff)Read the Keurig K-Classic review →7
CuisinartSS-10P1 Single Serve Coffee Maker5.8How it scored
Drink Quality5.3pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choice8.5Running Cost Per Cup5.5Ease of Use & Speed6.0Build Quality & Reliability5.0Maintenance & Cleaning6.9Machine Value for Money5.0no price publishedWaste & Disposalweakest link3.0carries 10 of the 95.5 points scoredPricePricing N/AScore5.8Capsule SystemK-CupThird-party CapsulesYesRead the Cuisinart SS-10P1 Single Serve Coffee Maker review →8
Hamilton BeachFlexBrew Trio Coffee Maker5.8How it scored
Drink Quality5.3pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choice8.5Running Cost Per Cup5.5Ease of Use & Speed6.0Build Quality & Reliability5.0Maintenance & Cleaning6.9Machine Value for Money5.0no price publishedWaste & Disposalweakest link3.0carries 10 of the 95.5 points scoredPricePricing N/AScore5.8Capsule SystemK-CupThird-party CapsulesYesRead the Hamilton Beach FlexBrew Trio Coffee Maker review →9
KeurigK-Elite Single Serve Coffee Maker5.8How it scored
Drink Quality5.3pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choice8.5Running Cost Per Cup5.5Ease of Use & Speed6.0Build Quality & Reliability5.0Maintenance & Cleaning6.9Machine Value for Money5.0no price publishedWaste & Disposalweakest link3.0carries 10 of the 95.5 points scoredPricePricing N/AScore5.8Capsule SystemK-CupThird-party CapsulesYesRead the Keurig K-Elite Single Serve Coffee Maker review →10
FamiworthsSingle Serve Coffee Maker5.7How it scored
Drink Quality5.3pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choice10.0Running Cost Per Cup5.5Ease of Use & Speed6.0Build Quality & Reliability4.5Maintenance & Cleaning3.1Machine Value for Money5.0no price publishedWaste & Disposalweakest link3.0carries 10 of the 95.5 points scoredPricePricing N/AScore5.7Capsule SystemK-CupThird-party CapsulesYesRead the Famiworths Single Serve Coffee Maker review →11
NinjaSingle Serve Coffee Maker PB0515.7How it scored
Drink Quality5.3pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choice8.5Running Cost Per Cup5.5Ease of Use & Speed5.0Build Quality & Reliability5.0Maintenance & Cleaning6.9Machine Value for Money5.0no price publishedWaste & Disposalweakest link3.0carries 10 of the 95.5 points scoredPricePricing N/AScore5.7Capsule SystemK-CupThird-party CapsulesYesRead the Ninja Single Serve Coffee Maker PB051 review →12
KeurigK-SupremeFrom $154.995.6How it scored
Drink Quality5.3pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choice7.0Running Cost Per Cup5.5Ease of Use & Speed6.0Build Quality & Reliabilityweakest link4.5carries 12 of the 95.5 points scoredMaintenance & Cleaning5.6Machine Value for Money5.6Waste & Disposal5.0Price from$154.99Score5.6Capsule SystemK-CupThird-party CapsulesYesRead the Keurig K-Supreme review →13
NespressoVertuo4.9How it scored
Drink Quality7.3pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choiceweakest link0.0carries 16 of the 95.5 points scoredRunning Cost Per Cup0.5Ease of Use & Speed8.0Build Quality & Reliability6.5Maintenance & Cleaning8.8Machine Value for Money5.0no price publishedWaste & Disposal8.014
NespressoVertuo Lattissima4.8How it scored
Drink Quality10.0pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choiceweakest link0.0carries 16 of the 95.5 points scoredRunning Cost Per Cup0.5Ease of Use & Speed9.5Build Quality & Reliability4.5Maintenance & Cleaning3.8Machine Value for Money5.0no price publishedWaste & Disposal8.0PricePricing N/AScore4.8Third-party CapsulesNoAuto shut-offYesRead the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima review →15
NespressoVertuo Plus Deluxe4.5How it scored
Drink Quality7.3pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choiceweakest link0.0carries 16 of the 95.5 points scoredRunning Cost Per Cup0.5Ease of Use & Speed9.0Build Quality & Reliability4.5Maintenance & Cleaning5.0Machine Value for Money5.0no price publishedWaste & Disposal8.0PricePricing N/AScore4.5Third-party CapsulesNoAuto shut-offYesRead the Nespresso Vertuo Plus Deluxe review →16
BoschTassimo T55 Beverage System4.3How it scored
Drink Quality4.0pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choiceweakest link1.8carries 16 of the 95.5 points scoredRunning Cost Per Cup5.2Ease of Use & Speed4.5Build Quality & Reliability5.0Maintenance & Cleaning5.0Machine Value for Money5.0no price publishedWaste & Disposal5.0PricePricing N/AScore4.3Capsule SystemTassimo T DiscThird-party CapsulesNoRead the Bosch Tassimo T55 Beverage System review →17
Lavazza Tablì Espresso MachineFrom $129.994.3How it scored
Drink Quality5.3pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choiceweakest link0.0carries 16 of the 95.5 points scoredRunning Cost Per Cup1.5Ease of Use & Speed6.2Build Quality & Reliability6.0Maintenance & Cleaning3.8Machine Value for Money5.1Waste & Disposal10.0Price from$129.99Score4.3Capsule SystemTablìThird-party CapsulesNoAuto shut-offYes, after 2 minutesRead the Lavazza Tablì Espresso Machine review →18
LavazzaBlue Classy Mini3.7How it scored
Drink Quality4.7pump pressure not publishedCapsule System & Choiceweakest link0.0carries 16 of the 95.5 points scoredRunning Cost Per Cup2.5Ease of Use & Speed6.5Build Quality & Reliability5.0Maintenance & Cleaning2.5Machine Value for Money5.0no price publishedWaste & Disposal5.0PricePricing N/AScore3.7Capsule SystemLavazza BlueThird-party CapsulesNoAuto shut-offYes, 30 min automatic shut-offRead the Lavazza Blue Classy Mini review →











