For all things coffee, head to Nespresso!
Nespresso was awarded our Most Satisfied Customers award in 2022 and 2023 for Pod & Capsule Coffee Machines. Check out their full range now!
Our review compares coffee pods on customer satisfaction, so you can find out what other Aussies think about the compared brands before you go ahead with a purchase. Think of it as like asking hundreds of your closest mates which coffee pods they think is best!
Canstar Blue surveyed 434 Australians for their feedback on the coffee pod(s) they’ve purchased and brewed in the last three months.
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Find more detailed information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.
ALDI Expressi was rated five stars for value for money, packaging convenience, variety & range and overall satisfaction, with four stars for texture & consistency and taste.
ALDI Expressi gives Aussies the opportunity to create a café experience at home with its extensive range of award-winning coffee capsules that serve a mix of spicy, sweet, creamy and intense flavours. Each capsule type has a varying gradient of roast, which can be identified by the number on the package − this gives you a good idea of the intensity of each flavour. There are also decaf options for those who enjoy the flavour of coffee but can do without the ‘kick’, with most flavours and options available in a pack of 16.
Nescafé was rated five stars for taste, texture & consistency, packaging convenience and overall satisfaction, with four stars for variety & range and value for money.
Operating under the Nestlé brand, Nescafé was founded in 1938, with the brand today offering a wide variety of options for those after a cuppa. Its range of coffee pods includes flavours such as Brazil, Colombia Decaffeinato, India, Africas, 3 Americas and Colombia, each catering to different roasts and preferences. Each are available in packs of 10 capsules.
Nespresso was rated four stars for taste, texture & consistency, packaging convenience, variety & range and overall satisfaction, with three stars for value for money.
Another brand that operates under the Nestlé Group, Nespresso began operations in the 1980s, with the brand today almost synonymous with coffee. Its range of coffee pods is split into its Original range which, along with its Vertuo range, includes a wide variety of coffee types and flavours to cater to virtually all coffee drinkers. And if you can’t choose what type of coffee you want, or just want to try multiple, Nespresso also offers an assorted pack, with boxes of 100 and 160 capsules available to purchase, along with packets of 10 capsules per individual flavour.
Starbucks by Nespresso was rated four stars for packaging convenience, with three stars for variety & range, texture & consistency, value for money, taste and overall satisfaction.
With Starbucks being a global name, it’s no surprise that many want to take it home with them. Thankfully, via a partnership with Nespresso, now you can! Starbucks by Nespresso is available in packs of 10, 18 or 36 capsules, with flavours including Starbucks Home Blend, Breakfast Blend, Blonde Espresso Roast, Single-Origin Colombia, Single-Origin Sumatra, Espresso Roast, Caffe Verona, Pike Place and Decaf, helping you to get your morning fix.
Not all brands in the market qualify for our ratings (based on minimum survey sample size), but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth considering. Here are several more brands to check out before making a purchase decision.
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While there’s plenty to consider when it comes to picking a brand of coffee pod, one area that’s more important than the rest is whether your coffee pod of choice can actually fit in your machine. And with so many options of pods and coffee machines out there, are they all compatible? The short answer is no.
While most brands of coffee machines are compatible with the majority of coffee pods available, not every coffee pod will fit in every machine, as some coffee pods have different dimensions and sizes, meaning not all will slot into your machine properly. To avoid any issues, always read the packaging on the pods, or visit the website of your coffee machine brand to see which pods are compatible with your model.
How much caffeine is in a coffee pod will depend on the brand, flavour and type of pod that you choose, with some pods designed to pack more of a caffeine punch than others. Some coffee pods contain between 50mg and 90mg of caffeine, while some of the more-caffeine intense coffee pods can have over 150mg. If you’re looking to cut back on your caffeine intake, or you’re just looking to get the biggest caffeine hit possible, it’s best to read the nutritional information of your coffee pods to see how much caffeine is in each pod.
Where you can recycle coffee pods will depend on what brand of coffee pod you use, and your location, as you can’t simply throw coffee pods in the recycling bin. Some brands like Nespresso allow you to drop off your used coffee pods at their stores to be properly disposed of, while third-party initiatives like Terracycle have drop-off locations around Australia. However, with most brands looking to limit their environmental impact, it’s best to check with the brand’s website as to whether they have drop-off or collections points for your used coffee pods.
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Site Editor, Dean Heckscher. He’s our resident expert on all things automotive, health & fitness, streaming and more. Dean is also one of Canstar Blue’s customer research report producers, helping to turn complicated subjects into easily-digestible information for our readers. He’s passionate about helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services.
Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.
Here are the past winners from Canstar Blue’s coffee pod ratings:
Appliances - September 27th
We all love coffee and no matter how you take your coffee, if you take it with milk you’ll want it just the way you like. So why not create perfectly frothed milk at home? …
– Read moreAppliances - August 4th
Are you stirring around looking for a budget-friendly coffee machine that will help you make barista-quality cuppas at home? If so, we’ve whipped up a ‘fa-brew-lous’ list of cheap coffee machines worth checking out if …
– Read moreAppliances - January 25th
If you love coffee and a bargain, you’ve perhaps pondered snagging the $89 Kmart coffee machine. The cut-price Anko coffee machine has continued to garner plenty of attention since it first hit shelves, with most …
– Read moreAppliances - January 25th
We checked online to see how many types of coffee beverages there are… it turns out, it’s quite a lot.
– Read moreAppliances - August 4th
Australia is a nation of coffee snobs, each with their own favourite way of making the black stuff. So, which is best?
– Read moreSee our Ratings Methodology.
*Product availability and price range are current as of the stated date, may be subject to change.
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