Best coffee pod brands in Australia

The best coffee pod brands in Australia

• Top-rated coffee pod brand: Nespresso
• Best coffee pod brand for value for money: Woolworths
• Best coffee pod brand for packaging: L'OR
• Best-tasting coffee pod brand: Nespresso
• Best coffee pod brand for quality: Nespresso

Top-rated coffee pod brand: Nespresso

For the top-rated coffee pod brand in Australia, consumers picked Nespresso, garnering an 8.28 score out of 10. The brand won over Nescafe and L'OR which scored 7.96 and 7.93, respectively. Nespresso also beat Expressi, which has a score of 7.83.

Nespresso has a wide range of coffee pods from its Original and Vertuo lines. The Original line offers more traditional coffee blends and an authentic espresso experience, while Vertuo offers creamier choices and better size options. Nespresso also has professional and limited edition blends.

Nespresso coffee pods are compatible with the brand's range of coffee machines, several of which feature in our best pod and capsule coffee machines guide.

The brand introduced the world's first portioned coffee systems in Switzerland, Japan and Italy in 1986. Nespresso then went on to offer coffee pods to go with its machines. In 2009, it launched Ecolaboration, making the brand more sustainable in terms of coffee sourcing, capsule recycling and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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Best coffee pod brand for value for money: Woolworths

Aussies picked Woolworths as the best value for money coffee pod brand, scoring 4.34 out of 5. Coles came in second at 4.33 out of 5, while Expressi (ALDI) came in third, scoring 4.32 out of 5.

Some of Woolworths' coffee pods are made of 100% fairtrade certified roasted and ground coffee. These are packed in Australia from imported ingredients. The brand offers different coffee intensities, including medium, strong and intense. Decaffeinated options are also available.

Woolworths is one of the largest supermarket chains in Australia, with over 900 stores. The company says it works closely with growers and farmers, making sure that it offers the best products to customers.

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Best coffee pod brand for packaging: L'OR

Consumers selected L'OR as the best coffee pod brand for packaging with a score of 4.36 out of 5. It won over Nespresso and illy, which scored 4.35 and 4.25 out of 5, respectively.

L'OR offers various types of coffee pods, including Espresso Ristretto, Espresso Onyx, Espresso Sontuoso, Double Lungo Profondo and Double Barista Selection. It also has different coffee intensities, ranging from 7 to 13. Decaffeinated and single- and double-shot options are available as well.

The brand was established in France in 1992 and expanded in other countries in 2010. It launched L'OR Espresso – the first coffee capsule compatible with Nespresso coffee machines. L'OR coffee pods are made of aluminium to preserve the freshness of the coffee. They are also recyclable.

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Best-tasting coffee pod brand: Nespresso

For the best-tasting coffee pod brand in Australia, consumers chose Nespresso. The brand garnered a score of 4.51 out of 5. Nescafe came in second, scoring 4.42 out of 5, while Vittoria had 4.30 out of 5, coming in third.

Nespresso harvests and processes coffee cherries in different countries of origin. They are then transported to its roasting facilities in Switzerland for blending and roasting.

This coffee pod brand offers a variety of coffee intensities, ranging from 1 to 13. Nespresso pods with an intensity of 6 or below are considered "not intense", while pods with a rating of 8 and above are "intense".

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Best coffee pod brand for quality: Nespresso

Aussies chose Nespresso as the coffee pod brand with the best quality, scoring 4.59 out of 5. It beat Nescafe and L'OR, which scored 4.40 and 4.32 out of 5, respectively.

Nespresso has a wide selection of capsules for every kind of coffee lover, including Ispirazione Italiana, Master Origins, Barista Creations, Espresso and Lungo pods. The brand also offers decaffeinated, double espresso and coffee pods for mugs.

The brand uses aluminium for its pods to protect the freshness, taste and quality of the coffee. Pods are lightweight but sturdy, sealing the blend from external elements that could affect the quality. This material is also naturally-occurring and recyclable. You can bring your used Nespresso pods to the nearest Nespresso Boutique or collection point for recycling.

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Best rated coffee pod brand award breakdown

	Overall rating	Value for money	Packaging	Taste	Quality
Cafe Aurora (Espressotoria)	3.89	3.86	3.86	3.86	4.00
Coles	3.98	4.33	4.10	4.08	4.10
Expressi (ALDI)	4.20	4.32	4.22	4.28	4.24
Gloria Jeans	4.09	3.76	4.03	4.09	3.91
Grinders	3.90	4.00	4.14	4.07	4.10
illy	4.13	3.81	4.25	4.06	4.00
Lavazza	4.24	4.00	3.98	4.14	4.24
L'or	4.34	4.18	4.36	4.28	4.32
Moccona	3.96	4.02	4.08	3.98	4.00
Nescafe	4.40	3.88	4.16	4.42	4.40
Nespresso	4.57	4.02	4.35	4.51	4.59
Starbucks	4.12	3.80	4.20	4.20	4.10
Vittoria	4.30	4.00	4.10	4.30	4.26
Woolworths	3.84	4.34	4.11	3.87	3.97
Other	4.60	4.60	4.40	4.47	4.53

What are the benefits of using coffee pods?

Apart from being convenient, coffee pods ensure that you get your perfect blend every time. Even beginners can make the perfect mix since each pod has already been ground and measured. They can also save you time as you no longer have to grind and measure the coffee yourself.

Your coffee also stays fresher for longer because each coffee blend is packed in a single pod, ensuring that it is protected from external elements that can affect its taste, freshness and quality. Unlike more traditional coffee mixes, the flavours and aroma are preserved until you use the pod.

You can explore more coffee blends since you won't need to measure the ingredients or follow a recipe. All you need to do is pop your pod onto your coffee maker and wait for the perfect blend to come up.

Some coffee pod brands use recyclable materials for their pods, such as aluminium. This makes coffee pods sustainable and more environmentally friendly.

If you prefer buying whole beans, check out our guide to the best coffee beans in Australia.

How to choose coffee pods

When selecting the best coffee pods to satisfy your caffeine cravings, consider the following: