Want delicious, quality espresso with the convenience of pods? After two weeks of testing, I can say the Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is the coffee maker for you

Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg: one-minute review

The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg combines the convenience of coffee capsules with Smeg's signature retro style. It's a cut above your typical espresso machine in terms of looks, and it performs brilliantly as well.

This is an appliance that does one thing, and does it well: making espresso. There are just two options to choose from – standard or lungo (long) – and the controls couldn't be simpler to operate. You barely need the manual to get started; just rinse the machine as directed and you're ready to make your first drink.

Lavazza's A Modo Mio capsules are remarkably affordable (much cheaper than similar Nespresso Vertuo or Tassimo pods), and offer a great variety of coffees and roasts, each of which is labelled with an intensity rating. There are no fancy added flavors here; just good coffee, freshly packed in an airtight package, ready to brew in seconds.

The pods themselves are compostable, although it's worth bearing in mind that you can't toss them in your home food waste or compost heap. Instead, you'll need to take them to a Terracycle collection point, which might be a little inconvenient, depending on where you live.

The A Modo Mio Smeg also has a tendency to accumulate finger marks as a result of its glossy plastic chassis. I had a damp cloth on hand to ensure it remained looking smart; but it's one of the best coffee makers around – if you like your drinks short, strong, and fast.

Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg: specifications

Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg: price and availability

• Relatively expensive for a capsule coffee maker
• Currently not available in the US
• Pods are much cheaper than Nespresso or Tassimo capsules

The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg has a list price of £249 / AU$349 (about $350), but can sometimes be found at a discount – for example, at the time of writing, it was available in Australia for 25% off. At full price, it's expensive for a capsule coffee maker – particularly one without a milk frother – but the capsules themselves are so affordable that this coffee maker could actually work out cheaper than a budget Nespresso or Tassimo machine in the long run.

Lavazza A Modo Mio capsules are available directly from Lavazza as a one-off purchase or via subscription. You can also find them on various specialty coffee websites, on Amazon, and in some supermarkets. A pack of 16 capsules retails for £6.45 / AU$15 (about $9), and the cost per drink drops significantly if you buy a bundle instead. That makes A Modo Mio pods some of the cheapest coffee pods around, and much less expensive than Nespresso Vertuo capsules or Tassimo T-Pods.

• Value score: 4/5

Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg: design

• Compact and lightweight
• Gloss finish tends to attract fingerprints
• Very simple controls
• Small drip tray

This is an attractive little coffee maker with the same 1960s-influenced retro styling as many of Smeg's other products. It’s purely an espresso machine; it lets you choose between long (lungo) and regular shots, but these are the extent of your options. However, it would look great alongside the Smeg Mini Milk Frother, giving you a perfect little setup for making cappuccinos and lattes.

It’s available in black, white, and cream (different retailers stock different colors), all of which have a gloss finish and chrome accents. The black machine I tested looked very attractive, but I found that the shiny plastic chassis tended to attract fingerprints easily, and I had to keep a cloth on hand to keep it looking good.

The water tank feels solid, and has a sturdy lid to prevent leaks when carrying(Image credit: Future)

Lavazza's A Modo Mio pods are compostable, but only at special facilities(Image credit: Future)

The water tank is robust, and has a well-fitting lid that won’t slide off when the tank is full. That’s particularly helpful because the maximum fill line is only about half an inch from the top. It has a convenient handle, and the whole assembly slides easily onto the back of the machine.

The drip tray is only really large enough to accommodate espresso cups. While you can remove the main platform to fit a larger cup beneath (such as demi-tasse), a standard 300ml coffee mug will hang over the edge.

Used capsules drop into a container that’s accessed by pulling out a drawer on the front of the machine, and which has an internal drip tray so the pods can dry (although I recommend always emptying used capsules at the end of each day for hygiene, washing out the drawer, and allowing it to air-dry overnight).

• Design score: 4/5

Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg: performance

• Very simple to use
• Pump is especially quiet
• Espresso tastes rounded and well-extracted
• No flavored coffee capsules available

The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is exceptionally simple to use, even for a capsule espresso machine. The first time you use it, you’re instructed to wash out the water tank, place a cup under the dispenser, and run the "lungo" program with no pod inserted to thoroughly rinse the interior components with hot water. Continue doing this until the tank is empty, and the machine will be ready to use.

Lift up the chrome-colored lid and you’ll find a slot to insert your A Modo Mio capsule. It takes a little effort to push the lid back down afterwards – the machine uses this force to pierce the pod about 22 times – but you can use your whole hand to apply the necessary pressure.

The A Modo Mio Smeg coffee maker can dispense espresso in two sizes: standard and lungo(Image credit: Future)

Although you can remove the drip tray platform to accommodate a larger cup, there's not enough room for a standard sized mug(Image credit: Future)

Capsule coffee machines are rarely loud, but the Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is quieter than most. Measured with a decibel meter, it briefly reached a maximum of 70dB during brewing – about the same as a hairdryer – but was only around 50dB throughout the whole brewing process.

Once you’re done, rinse the dispenser again without a capsule to remove residue from the dispenser.

During my tests, the espresso didn’t have as much crema as you might get from a Nespresso Vertuo pod, but the flavor from Lavazza’s capsules was considerably better; it tasted more rounded and balanced. I tested two different arabica capsules of different strengths, and was very impressed by both.

Unlike some other coffee pods, A Modo Mio capsules aren’t available in different flavors and with sweeteners – but, personally, I don't think that's a bad thing. Instead, the capsules vary by roast, variety and terroir. This is a capsule machine for people who want good-tasting espresso quickly, and aren’t interested in added fruit, syrup, or spice flavorings. Whether that appeals to you is a matter of personal preference.

Lavazza A Modo Mio capsules are compostable, but you can't toss them in your home food waste. If you're in the UK, you should take them to a public Terracycle drop-off point. If there isn't a drop-off point nearby (they're mostly concentrated around south England and the Midlands), you can register to run one, but you can't have personal collection boxes sent to your home.

• Performance score: 5/5

Should you buy the Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg: also consider

If you're not sure whether the Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is the right coffee maker for you, here are two other options to consider:

How I tested the Lavazza A Moda Mio Smeg

I tested the Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg coffee maker for two weeks, making at least two drinks every day using two different types of espresso pods. I followed the setup instructions in the manual, prepared each drink using fresh tap water, and rinsed the dispenser between brews. I emptied and washed out the machine's bin and drip tray at the end of each day, and allowed everything to air-dry overnight. I cleaned the exterior of the machine with a damp microfiber cloth.

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