Good Housekeeping’s Top 4 Coffee Makers Include One Pod Machine

Good Housekeeping has updated its list of the best coffee makers, and only one pod machine made the four top picks: the Nespresso Vertuo Plus Deluxe, named best single-serve. The magazine says its Kitchen Lab has brewed more than 1,000 cups over the years to settle on the list.

The other three winners are drip machines. Breville’s Luxe Brewer took best overall for its adjustable bloom time, water flow and temperature, plus a choice of cone or flat filter baskets, though reviewer Jamie Ueda says the control panel takes some getting used to. Braun’s Pure Flavor won best value at around $100, and Breville’s Grind Control was the pick for anyone who wants a built-in grinder.

On the Vertuo Plus, GH praises consistent, hot cups with a thick crema and calls it the most versatile of the pod machines it tried. The catch it flags is one Vertuo owners know well: the barcode on each capsule decides how it brews, so you can’t change strength or size, and if you want both espresso and a mug of coffee you need two kinds of pods. According to the article, testing covered brew time and temperature, how well coffee stayed hot over two hours, and taste panels.

Our take: no Keurig made the top four, which fits a list that weighs taste and temperature over pod selection and price per cup. The Vertuo Plus is a safe pick, but the Deluxe bundle adds an Aeroccino frother you may not need, and GH notes the machine is sold without it for less. Our Vertuo buying guide covers where the Plus fits against the cheaper Pop+ and the rest of the lineup.