Time Names Lavazza’s Pod-Free Tablì a Best Invention of 2026

Time has put Lavazza’s Tablì on its Best Inventions of 2026 list, the magazine’s yearly roundup of 300 products, published Oct. 15. Tablì is the single-serve espresso maker that brews from pucks of compressed coffee instead of capsules.

Time’s write-up, by Sal Vaglica, credits Lavazza with going after pod waste by changing what goes into the machine rather than the machine itself. There’s no plastic or aluminum shell around each dose. The pucks come 12 to a box in plant-based packaging, sealed between two thin sheets of plastic film, and the machine pulls single, double or lungo shots. According to Time, a shot takes about 35 seconds, each puck costs roughly $1, and an opened pack stays fresh for about two weeks. The reviewer liked the espresso, noting a good layer of crema.

One wrinkle: Time’s subhead calls the pods plastic-free, but the same entry mentions that plastic film. It’s a lot less plastic than a box of capsules, not none.

Our take: a spot on Time’s list is good publicity, not a taste test against Nespresso, and Time doesn’t rank the 300 picks. The two-week freshness window matters more than it sounds. If you only make a shot every few days, you’ll want to buy small boxes instead of stocking up. At about $1 a shot, Tablì isn’t the cheap option either. If you already own a Nespresso Original machine, compatible capsules are still the easiest way to spend less per cup.