Princess Capsule Coffee Maker

Product Information

Its controls and operating instructions are clear and intuitive, and setting the machine up for first use is fairly straightforward. The pods fit in the filter head using a special adaptor, but we felt if we were going to this faff we might as well use ground coffee. As we live in a very hard-water area, we were pleased to see it’s fitted with a Brita water filter, with a timer on it so you know when you need to replace it. The coffee it produces is rich and delicious, but you don’t get much customisation, and obviously there’s no steam wand or milk frother. It’s stylish, won’t take up too much space, and its controls are easy to use without having to refer to the manual.

Cool and compact by design, this Nespresso-compatible machine is made for the most ardent coffee lover, with our tester declaring it the most accurate and consistent machine they have tested to date.Others may be looking for a little more finesse from their pod coffee machine, in which case we suggest looking out for the ‘results’ rating for each machine. You can pick between lots of different pods (it reads the unique barcode on the capsule for automatic blend recognition) and our expert was impressed with the full rich crema many produced. If you want to dip your toe into coffee making without investing in a machine, it’s worth reading the Telegraph guide to the best cafetières. The difference is that you make a jug of coffee rather than a cup and each jug makes 10 cups of coffee, in theory.

Its biggest con could also be a pro; it scans the barcode on your chosen capsule and auto-adjusts the settings for the ‘best’ brew, with no customisation possible. For coffee machines with an in-built milk frother, we test with 200ml of both dairy and oat milk, looking for froth and texture consistency during each use. Real coffee aficionados will love the Sage Barista Touch Impress espresso machine in our first position below while beginners will prefer the Sage Bambino espresso machine in third. Aficionados can also customise temperature, grind size, volume, strength and pre-infusion and save preferred combos to one of four profiles for easy access.To test the accuracy of each machine, we weigh multiple shots of espresso to determine if it’s pulling through a similar amount of coffee each time – something pod machines can be notoriously bad for. Removable pod holder: Capsules holders that easily detach for emptying and cleaning will make your life more convenient. The machine is the product of a collaboration with Sage - the brand in first and fourth position on this list and one we trust here at Telegraph Towers. Gaggia solves this with an in-built milk carafe which has a rotating lever on top to hold over your cup. Our tester found it exciting to turn on, thanks to the neon light on the intuitive control panel that illuminates as it heats up, and liked that it offered something new.

You can adjust just how hard your water is, and the machine tweaks itself to produce the best coffee.

The milk frother can also be programmed to produce specific microfoam textures depending on which drink you're making, and it produced consistent, creamy results each time.

The name Nespresso is synonymous with pod coffee machines, which is why it features so many times in our roundup. Using an in-built barcode reader, it scans compatible pods and adjusts its settings to suit each drink. Today, Gaggia sells everything from manual to automatic espresso machines and is perhaps best known for its nostalgic Gaggia Classic. Argos Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as a credit broker (713206), and works exclusively with the lender, Home Retail Group Card Services Limited trading as Argos Card and Argos Financial Services, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to provide credit (716148).Designed to demystify the process of making espresso at home, this machine offers value for money and proves that good things come in small packages. Key specs – Pod type: Nespresso Vertuo pods; Drink sizes: Five (Espresso, Double Espresso, Gran Lungo, Mug, Alto); Bar pressure: N/A (uses centrifugal force); Water tank capacity: 1. The coffee pod machines in this guide were the best performing from the test, using as similar a roast strength and bean variety as possible across compatible eco pods. It comes with a wide range of accessories: a milk jug and ‘razor’ tool for levelling coffee in the portafilter, along with four filters for both freshly ground and pre-ground coffee.