14 best coffee pods UK 2024: we tested the top capsule and pod brands
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BARISTA coffee at home is the new norm and gone are the days when a simple cup of instant in the morning to wake you up would do.
Coffee machines deserve the best coffee pods, but where do you start when it comes to selecting brands, blends, strengths, origins and flavours? There are so many different types of coffee pods available the choice can be overwhelming.
Brits now glug around 95 million cups of coffee every day, or four cups of coffee daily per person, and today, around of UK households own a coffee machine compared to just in 2016.
Whether you need a backup for when you're running late or you're looking for a convenient solution for your guests, a coffee pod machine can be a handy kitchen appliance, so we don't blame the whopping number of Brits who are lucky enough to own them.
But how do they work? Are all coffee pods the same, and are there any recyclable pods out there for a guilt-free brew?
Here's all you need to know about the best coffee pods on the market, available to buy right now.
Best coffee pods at a glance:
- Best overall coffee pods:
- Best coffee pods with full-bodied flavour:
- Best coffee pods for strong coffee:
- Best decaf coffee pods:
- Best value coffee pods:
Grind Coffee Pods
Pros: Compostable, organic, compatible with all original Nespresso machines, nine different blends to choose from, refillable, subscribe and save, free shipping
Cons: None
Rating: 5/5
London-based cafe and coffee shop Grind's pods have been a staple in my house for a long time, and the pretty pink tin will continue to take pride of place on my kitchen shelf.
And what's not to like? The pods themselves are organic and compostable (they biodegrade faster than a banana peel), compatible with all original Nespresso machines, and there are nine different blends to choose from, from Light Blend and Decaf to House Blend and Extra Dark.
I usually go for the house blend, whether I'm making a quick espresso or frothing up some oat milk to produce the smoothest, creamiest flat white you can imagine.
The best thing? Their stylish, recyclable pink tins are ideal for storing and showing off your super tasty coffee pods.
Once you're done with a tin, don't throw it away; get refills instead or use it as part of your home décor.
These Grind coffee pods come in a completely plastic-free letterbox-friendly refill pack, too, which contains 30 pods. If you've never ordered from Grind before, you can order the refill box and get a free tin alongside it.
Or if you're a big fan, you can purchase the bulk box which contains 100 pods.
Price per pod: 50p per pod (or 30p per pod with the bulk box), Variety of flavours: 9 options, Best served as: Flat white or espresso, Frequency of delivery: Every week to three weeks
Cafepod Half-Caff Brunch Blend
Pros: Half caff, Arabica and Robusta coffee, unique caramel and chocolate taste
Cons: None
Rating: 5/5
Another half-caff option, this offering from Cafepod is ideal if you like to sip on coffee throughout the day but don't want to suffer the consequences of too much caffeine.
In terms of the actual taste, it has notes of caramel, citrus, and milk chocolate from Ethiopian and Central American Arabicas. These flavours and the creamy texture come out even more when you add milk.
It's pretty strong too, with Cafepod rating it a 9/12 on the intensity scale (and I agree).
The boxes and the aluminium pods are recyclable. All you need to do is remove the excess grounds, wash the pods and put them in a recycling bin.
Price per pod: 42p per pod, Variety of flavours: 1 flavour of half caf, many other flavours for the other types, Frequency of delivery: Every 30 days, 60 days or 90 days
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Rokit Health Nespresso Pods (Mind boost coffee and immunity boost coffee)
Pros: Added health benefits, 100% recyclable, aluminium and plastic-free
Cons: Not available as a subscription
Rating: 4/5
If you're looking for coffee that does more than just satisfy your tastebuds and give you a caffeine hit, look no further. Rokit's coffee promises to deliver a range of health benefits, depending on which pods you choose.
I went for the Mind Boost Coffee and Immunity Boost Coffee.
Mind Boost contains vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12 to support the nervous system and promote normal mental performance. This one has a luxuriously smooth texture and a strong taste (thanks to the high-quality 100% Arabica coffee) with hints of orange chocolate, apples, and roast almonds. It's truly delicious and tastes expensive.
The Immunity Boost coffee tastes the same but is infused with vitamins B6, B12, D and zinc to support the immune system. The brand also makes an Energy Uplift coffee to reduce fatigue and a Total Glow Coffee to contribute to the maintenance of normal hair and skin.
Price per pod: 50p per pod; Variety of flavours: 5 options; Frequency of delivery: Not available as a subscription
Nespresso Vertuo Barista Creation Rich Chocolate
Pros: Appealing smell, smooth and creamy texture, recyclable
Cons: Not compatible with non-Nespresso Vertuo machines
Rating: 4/5
Chocolate lovers, this one's for you. When the coffee was coming out of my Nespresso Vertuo, I could instantly smell the chocolate aroma. Then, when I tasted it, I was amazed at how creamy and rich it was. It has notes of caramel, nuts and biscuits as well as chocolate and the coffee is slightly bitter Latin American and African Arabica coffee, so it's not just pure chocolate.
Nespresso's aluminium capsules are recyclable, as well. All you need to do is pop them in a Nespresso recycling bag and visit the Nespresso website to book a collection service via Podback or Nespresso themselves.
I made mine with my (Nespresso's latest machine).
Price per pod: 67p per pod; Variety of flavours: Lots of different flavours; Frequency of delivery: Various frequency options
Nespresso Vivida B12
Pros: Added health benefits, recyclable, smooth and creamy texture
Cons: Not compatible with non-Nespresso Vertuo machines
Rating: 4/5
Just like all other Nespresso pods, these are fully recyclable and only compatible with Nespresso Vertuo machines.
I made mine with my , available at . The thing that makes these special is that they're infused with B12, making them perfect for vegans and vegetarians like me who are low in vitamins due to avoiding fish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. This important vitamin boosts your immune health.
As for the taste, these pods are a honeyed cereal blend so they're the perfect balance of sweet, biscuity and bitter.
Price per pod: 79p per pod; Variety of flavours: Lots of different flavours; Frequency of delivery: Every 30 days, 60 days or 90 days
Nespresso Vertuo Stormio Boost
Pros: Recyclable, extra strong, smooth, spicy
Cons: Not compatible with non-Nespresso Vertuo machines
Rating: 4/5
If you like your coffee extra dark and strong and you've got a Nespresso Vertuo machine, the Stormio boost is your best bet. It comes from pure Arabica coffee but is roasted slowly and for a long time to intensify the Nicaraguan and Guatemalan cereal aromatics. That's what gives it an intense, spicy taste.
Despite all the excitement, it's still super smooth and hearty.
Just like the other Nespresso pods, these are recyclable.
I made mine with my , available at .
Price per pod: 79p per pod; Variety of flavours: Lots of different flavours; Frequency of delivery: Every 30 days, 60 days or 90 days
Nespresso Vertuo Intenso
Pros: Extra dark and intense, recyclable
Cons: Not compatible with non-Nespresso Vertuo machines
Rating: 4/5
Another dark and intense option, Nespresso's Vertuo Intenso is for those who like their coffee bitter, dense and with a lingering aftertaste. The golden brown sugar and caramel notes add a little bit of sweetness, though.
Like all Nespresso Vertuo pods, these are recyclable and only compatible with Nespresso Vertuo machines.
I made mine with my
Price per pod: 65p per pod; Variety of flavours: Lots of different flavours; Frequency of delivery: Various frequency options
Lost Sheep Coffee Taster Pack
Pros: Wide variety of subscription options, sustainable, discount on subscription, can change or skip subscription at any time
Cons: None
Rating: 5/5
Lost Sheep Coffee is a Kent-based coffee brand that produces Australian-style coffee at its Coffee Roastery in Whitstable. The coffee is speciality grade, which means that the beans go through a grading system and the ones selected are from the top 5% in the world. So, this is high-quality stuff — and you really can taste the difference.
I tried the brand's Morning Camper coffee, which comes from Guatemala and is rich, with hints of crisp fruity toffee apple. This is the ideal coffee pod if you like to start your day with a latte or flat white.
I also tried the Smooth Journey pods which are, as the name suggests, extra smooth. They're also sweeter, creamier, and have hints of chocolate and caramel than the Morning Camper. This is my go-to for when I need an afternoon pick-me-up when working from home.
You can buy a 60-pod taster pack containing both flavours (which I'd recommend) for £29.50 or subscribe to save 5%. Or, you can buy and subscribe to each flavour separately, if you'd prefer.
Plus, if you're particularly eco-conscious, these pods are made from waste products from the paper industry, are fully recyclable, 100% compostable and oil-based plastic-free.
Price per pod: 49p; Variety of flavours: 4 different varieties including half-caff and a limited edition flavour; Best served as: Flat white or latte; Frequency of delivery:Choose between every 1 week to 8 weeks
Caravan Coffee Roasters Coffee Pods Combo Pack
Pros: Delicious taste, able to switch up flavour options each delivery, responsibly sourced, available in decaf, fully recyclable and compostable, shipping
Cons: None
Rating: 5/5
If you're a Londoner, you've almost definitely heard of the Caravan restaurants. Best known for its freshly roasted coffee (and yummy brunches), this chain is a favourite in the city. So, it's no surprise that you can also buy its coffee in pod form to use at home.
This coffee pod combo pack will cost you just £13.50 for 30 pods in three different flavours. You can select your preference from The Daily (a blend of dark chocolate, baking spice and toffee apple), Market (milk chocolate, honeycomb and red apple) and Decaf (chocolate brownie, maple syrup and poached pear).
If you subscribe, you get to pick your own combination of flavours. For example, if you want 3 Decafs or 1 Market and 2 Decafs, that's fine. They arrive in a tidy letterbox package every week, two weeks, or month, and you can pause, skip or cancel your subscription at any time.
In terms of taste, the flavours are equally as fresh, smooth and subtle, whether they're decaf or not. Unlike some coffees, the 100% Arabica craft coffee is responsibly sourced before being roasted.
I used all of them to make the classic Caravan Flat White by adding 100ml of milk (I went with oat milk) and two pods using the 'short shot' option on my machine), and every single cup tasted as if it had just been made by a barista in a fancy coffee shop.
Price per pod: 48p; Variety of flavours: 3 options; Best served as: Flat white or long black; Frequency of delivery: Weekly, fortnightly or monthly with the option to pause or cancel
Odd Coffee Co 100 Nespresso Compatible Coffee Pods
Pros: Sustainable, affordable, huge variety of flavours, comes with menu, option to purchase only the more intense flavours, free delivery
Cons: No decaf options
Rating: 5/5
My household has been using Odd Coffee Co's Lucky Dip in a bid to fuel ourselves with coffee in a more sustainable way for at least a year. The company rescues rejected coffee pods that would otherwise be discarded due to production overages or packaging blemishes, repackages them, and sells them at a fraction of the normal price.
The pods go through testing to make sure they're top quality before being sent out to customers.
In each box, you'll get between eight and 15 different types of coffee. If you prefer a stronger coffee, I'd advise you to choose the Intense Dip instead to ensure you get sent stronger pods.
The only perceivable issue one might have with this system is that there are so many different flavours that it can be tricky to learn which is which. However, there's a QR code on the box that leads you to a menu when you put in the batch number (visible on the bottom of the box). The menu shows you a picture of each coloured pod and describes what it tastes like, how it's best served, and how intense the flavour is. I've honestly never met a coffee pod from Odd Coffee Co that I didn't like.
Price per pod: 22p when you subscribe; Variety of flavours: Up to 15 varieties in one box; Best served as: Varies depending on the pod; Frequency of delivery: Choose between every 1 week to 8 weeks
Artisan The Libra Half Caf Nespresso® Compatible Pods
Pros: Recyclable, sustainable, ethically produced, unique half-caf blend
Cons: None
Rating: 5/5
Artisan Coffee Co's The Libra pods have got to be some of the most aesthetically pleasing coffee pods on the market. But that's not the only thing that makes them stand out.
These pods are half-caf pods, so they're a 50/50 split of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee. This means, if your dream is to drink coffee all day long, you can do that.
Not only is this coffee sustainable for your body, but it's also sustainable for the planet. The beans are ethically sourced and fair trade, and the pods are made from aluminium and can be recycled at home (which is made even easier with Dualit's EcoPress recycler that comes free with every Nespresso Compatible Pod EcoPack).
You'd think a half-caf coffee would be weak, but it really isn't. It has that strong coffee taste that will get you through an early morning or an afternoon slump without the shakes.
Price per pod: 63p per pod; Variety of flavours: 1 flavour of half caf coffee, but lots of other types of coffee; Frequency of delivery: One off, every 14 days or every 30 days
Beanies Flavoured Coffee Pods Mixed Pack
Pros: Unique sweet flavours, high-quality coffee, compostable
Cons: Not available as subscription
Rating: 4/5
Calling anyone with a sweet tooth! Beanies Flavoured Coffee Pods Mixed Pack will be right up your street. The pack includes one box of caramel-flavoured coffee, one pack of hazelnut-flavoured coffee and a box of vanilla-flavoured coffee.
While this might sound a little sickly, it's not. It's sugar-free, and low-calorie, and the flavours are subtle but still noticeable. Plus, the coffee itself is still high-quality 100% Arabica coffee.
In terms of sustainability, the pods are fully home compostable and they will disintegrate within 26 weeks in a compost heap.
Price per pod: 27p per pod; Variety of flavours: 3 different flavours; Frequency of delivery: Not available as a subscription
Little's Capsules
Pros: No added sugar, 100% Arabica coffee, 100% recyclable, vegan-friendly, variety of flavours
Cons: Not available as a subscription
Rating: 4/5
If you're into flavoured coffee that is still high quality, Little's has got your back. Using smooth Arabica coffee and natural additions like Madagascan Bourbon vanilla and chocolate, hazelnut and caramel flavourings with no added sugar, Little's has mastered the art of producing flavoured coffee that isn't too sickly.
The pods are made from aluminium and 100% recyclable, too.
My personal favourite of the flavours was the caramel. It's sweet and has a distinctive caramel smell without being too overpowering. The others were less noticeable, in my opinion, but still delicious.
You can't get a subscription, but these pods are available in Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Ocado, Harrods and some independent retailers across the UK.
Price per pod: 40p per pod; Variety of flavours: 4 different flavours; Frequency of delivery: Not available as a subscription
Cannacoffee Brew Me CBD coffee pods and travel cup set
Pros: Added CBD, boosted mood and reduced anxiety, reduced caffeine shakes, strong taste, vegan and organic, 100% arabica
Cons: No subscription option, need to repurchase single or multipack each time you run out, slightly altered taste because of the CBD
Rating: 3/5
If you love the taste of coffee but struggle with caffeine jitters, you'll probably be into Cannacoffee's capsules.
Each pod contains arabica coffee that is infused with 4mg of hemp-derived CBD (cannabidiol). While the words hemp and cannabidiol might ring alarm bells in your head, don't worry. Yes, both are parts of the cannabis plant. But, this coffee is THC-free. Translation? It doesn't contain the psychoactive compound in marijuana, so it's completely legal, and mild and won't make you feel 'high'.
It will, however, boost your mood, reduce anxiety, and help you avoid the shakes that can come with coffee consumption.
The only downside to this addition is that it ever so slightly affects the taste of the coffee. It remains sweet, smooth and nutty with a hint of chocolate, but you can taste that there's something else there too. However, once I added oat milk, it was fine.
Price per pod: Minus the cost of the £24 travel cup, each pod costs around 60p; Variety of flavours: On the Hashtag Company's website there are 4 different varieties of this coffee; Best served as: Flat white; Frequency of delivery: No subscription available
How much are coffee capsules?
When it comes to cost, there are probably as many different prices for coffee pods as there are flavours.
Pods vary in price between brands, between styles and with the number of capsules in the pack. Whether you’re making a one-off purchase or buying into a subscription also affects the price, with the former generally being more expensive.
Generally the bigger the pack of coffee pods you buy, the lower the price per cup will be; equally a pack of branded coffee pods from a big name is going to cost more than a generic alternative.
The coffee pods in our reviews varied in price from 22p each for the Odd Coffee Co’s Lucky Dip pack of 100 Nespresso compatible pods, up to 79p each for Nespresso Vertuo Stormio and Nespresso Vivida B12.
Where to buy coffee pods
You can buy coffee pods at most supermarkets, department stores, some coffee shops and online. Or, you can get them straight from the brand's website if you want to start a subscription. For example:
What are the best coffee pod brands?
Everyone has different preferences and needs when it comes to coffee, but after trying lots of different pods, these are my favourite coffee pod brands:
How do coffee pods work?
If you're a coffee fan, but can't be bothered with all the fuss of grinding beans or boiling a kettle, a coffee pod-compatible machine could be just the thing you need.
A coffee pod is essentially ground coffee inside a plastic or compostable container lined with filter paper, then sealed with foil.
They are as easy to use as a tea bag and their biggest perk is that they can deliver a great cup of coffee in less than a minute.
All you need to do is load water into the tank that is usually at the back of the machine, place the pod in, press a button - and go.
Are all coffee pods the same?
Sadly not. Coffee machine pods often won't work between rival brands, so once you purchase a capsule machine you're essentially buying into a particular brand, too.
This means you won't be able to use Nespresso pods or capsules in TASSIMO machines, and vice versa.
Before buying into a brand there are a few things to consider - first, think of the kind of drinks you want to make.
Pod brands including Nespresso and Lavazza are the most popular for their espresso-based pods.
Dolce Gusto and TASSIMO are designed to make a wider range of drinks, including hot chocolate, tea and your milkier, sweeter coffee options.
We suggest exploring the different ranges available for a machine before you buy to be sure you like the ones suitable for your particular model.
Are coffee pods one size fits all?
As we said above, pod machines can lock you into using a particular brand of coffee.
But with a little research, you may be able to find smaller artisan coffee roasters or supermarkets that sell pods compatible with your machine.
Prices for pods vary hugely from 20p per pod to more than 60p, which is likely to make a big difference to your yearly budget.
But you can cut the costs by buying a compatible capsule instead of the branded version, usually sold in a variety of supermarkets.
Which is the best coffee pod machine?
There are so many different factors to consider when it comes to investing in a coffee pod machine - including the price point, how much space you have, what coffee blend you prefer, and so on.
As mentioned earlier, when buying a branded machine - say a Nespresso or TASSIMO - you're often stuck with one type and shape of pod.
The classic pod shape is the Nespresso original shape, and most coffee pod machines are Nespresso-pod compatible.
We have put a handy guide together for you when it comes to buying the best coffee machine as it can get pretty overwhelming.
Are coffee pods recyclable?
Coffee pods are usually recyclable, but unfortunately, the process often has to be done at a specialist facility to separate the materials the pods are made from.
That means you often can't just sling your used pods in your regular recycling bin at home.
Thankfully, most of the major pod suppliers are now offering schemes to help you dispose of your used pods responsibly - including Nespresso.
You can also buy either biodegradable or compostable pods, some of which can be put in your garden compost. We recommend finding out how to dispose of your used coffee pods responsibly to reduce your environmental impact.
Enjoyed our round-up of the best coffee pods? Do your bit for the planet and check out our guide to the best eco-friendly coffee pods, too.
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