ProCook's newest pod coffee machine is a great fit for small kitchens and solves a problem that one-touch Nespressos have

ProCook, a brand best known for its high-quality yet affordable cookware has a brand new range of coffee machines with excellent price tags.

This, the brand's Coffee Pod Machine, is the entry-level and most affordable of the brand's collection. Looking familiarly like a Nespresso machine (if not a bit prettier, let's be honest), I was looking forward to seeing if it could make our list of the best pod coffee machines.

In a nutshell

If you're set on buying a pod coffee machine, this one from ProCook is a fine choice. It has a slim profile, is easy to set up, works well and crucially uses Nespresso original pods or compatible alternatives so you won't be tied to those very expensive Nespresso Vertuo pods and prices.

Instead you can buy cheaper pod alternatives from the supermarket or online in order to make a much more affordable morning cup of coffee.

There's not much going on in terms of bell and whistles with this machine. I did like the two control buttons, one of which gives you a longer drink, as the one button system on Nespressos has long been a gripe of mine.

Fundamentally however I think it's probably still too expensive. Considering that you can pick up ProCook's impressive-looking espresso machine for just £199, I'm not sure why you wouldn't simply spend £50 more for a much better-looking and more functional machine. Or even why you wouldn't consider going all the way up to their mid-level Barista Coffee Machine (which we awarded 5 stars in our review).

But, if you are set on a pod machine, I can see why you'd pick this one over a Nespresso, especially as I personally find own-brand Nespresso pods to be painfully bitter.

ProCook Pod Machine specs

• Dimensions: 37 x 25cm x 11cm (h x w x d)
• Weight: 3.4kg
• Capsules: compatible with original Nespresso pods (not Vertuo)
• RRP: £149.00

Getting started

This is a nicely slim machine. The water tank slots neatly into the back and holds a fair amount of water.

In terms of controls, there's a silver lever on the top which you lift to insert your pod and two buttons on the very front of the machine. One gives you a short amount of coffee, the other a longer black drink. I think this is a great feature and much better than having to press twice to get coffee out of one pod.

The quality of the lever and buttons is good and using it when you tumble out of bed for a quick cup of coffee before work will be painless. The pod bin holds a good number of pods too, so no excess cleaning needed here.

Making coffee

If yours is a simple mission (to get caffeine into your veins) you'll like this machine. The pod is punctured and dispenses quickly and isn't too noisy whilst it's doing it.

It dispenses coffee nice and quickly too, with no delay to the start. I tried the shorter drink option first and was impressed by how hot, long and palatable the coffee was.

That might also have been helped along by the choice in pod, which were from my favourites over at Lost Sheep Coffee. You can pick up compostable Nespresso original pods over there for as little as 45p a pod.

It's another plus of this machine that you're not tied into the Nespresso system with its very pricey Vertuo pods. Instead, you can pick up any Nespresso original compatible pod from your local supermarket (or source even cheaper ones if you need to) and pop them in.

The long drink button (as you might have guessed) produced a good-sized coffee, fitting for any americano drinkers out there.

Cleaning

Keeping on top of this cleaning this coffee machine is easy. All you need to do is pull the pod bin out (it's located within the front section, behind a panel) and dispose of your empties and then wash it in the sink.

The black exterior of the machine didn't mark too easily and flushing the machine out when you need to should be simple, if the initial flush cycle was anything to go by.

How does it compare to similar pod coffee machines?

As I touched on earlier, I do think that this is a little expensive for a pod coffee machine that is this simple, even though the quality is high. For a machine that uses original Nespresso pods for cheaper, the Philips L'Or Barista Sublime may be better choice for value.

If you love lattes or cappuccinos, the Lavazza Desea will work well and I certainly enjoyed it during testing, though it is closer to the £200 mark than this.

Should you buy the ProCook Coffee Pod Machine?

This is a good choice if you're in the market for a pod coffee machine but would rather steer clear of a Nespresso (but still use their cheaper original pods). It's also good for anyone who wants to use a pod coffee machine to get a longer black coffee drink in the morning by just touching a button.

I do think this machine is a little expensive for what it is. But the quality of the materials is high, and everything I've tried from ProCook thus far has lasted a long time and held up well. So I don't think you can go far wrong investing here if you do want a pod coffee product.