A narrow hallway is one of the trickiest areas of the home to know how best to decorate. If your hallway is lacking in space and light you might be seeking ideas on how to make a narrow hallway look wider perhaps? Look no further, we explore simple styling tricks and ask paint experts to share their imaginative ideas to make small entranceways feel bigger.
Thoughtful paint tricks and savvy storage ideas can go a long way for creating a sense of space, even if it’s not actually there in an existing narrow hallway idea.
Problematic small hallways are the perfect space to experiment with more daring paint ideas. ‘To avoid the feeling of being hugged by an over friendly bear in a narrow hallway you need to keep the colours pale and the light source multi- directional’ advises Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director at Dulux.
‘Pale colours make small spaces appear bigger.’ However don’t fret if your are looking to go for on-trend saturated colours, the right paint idea can make darker tones work just as well.
Whatever your style and colour palette, a clutter-free entry that makes you smile every time you arrive home is the ultimate goal for any hallway idea.
Read on to find out how to make a narrow hallway look wider and more generous in size.
Image credit: Future PLC
If choosing trending dark paints shades, such as navy blue, almost black and charcoal greys it’s best to go all-in. by this we mean ‘colour drenching’, a term which has emerged time and time again with current paint trends. It simply means painting all surfaces, walls to skirting boards and even ceilings.
‘Dark colours can have magical effects in a hallway if you drench everything from floor to ceiling in the same colour,’ advises Marianne. ‘Have great lighting and loads of artwork to bring it to life.’
‘The visual effect blends all the corners and walls together and so you feel like the space is endless. It’s not for the fainthearted though and so if you are not a huge fan of dramatic impact, proceed with caution and opt for mid tone rather than really deep shades.’
Image credit: Future PLC/ Jo Henderson
A tidy space will always feel bigger in size, whether in the home. Especially a narrow entranceway because the small hallway area is not unnecessarily overwhelmed by items that block the path navigating through.
Of course the more streamlined a hallway space the better the light quality too, which goes a long way when it comes to making the space feel wider and more forgiving.
Opt for minimal storage firstly, so avoid any tables or racks you don’t deem ‘essential’. Keep items concealed within whatever storage you choose to ensure coats and shoes etc don’t distract the eye when entering the narrow hall space. Elevate storage where you can to keep the entire floor visible to enlarge the floor plan.
Buy now: Trones Shoe Cabinet, £22 for a pack of 2, IKEA
Image credit: Douglas Gibb
Using two contrasting colours to divide walls is a classic interior designer trick to push the ceiling away – affectively creating the illusion that the space is bigger than it is. Renowned interior designer Kelly Hoppen favours this genius idea for painting narrow hallways – to make the space feel bigger. Recommending, ‘paint along the hallway but only to your waist level’ Kelly expertly advises.
Going on to explain the theory behind why you only paint the bottom half the wall in a narrow space, ‘by doing that you’re framing it (the space).’ This smart use of colour helps to break up a solid corridor of walls.
In a particularly narrow hallway paint the lower half of the wall slightly less than waist height – especially if using a dark colour. This will avoid the darker tone from overpowering and having the reverse effect to making the corridor-like space feel more open.
Image credit: Future PLC/ James French
If in doubt with bolder colours, flow Marianne’s failsafe advice and keep the colour pale. Nothing is better than the best white paint for a bright white hallway idea, determined by how much natural light the narrow hallway gets throughout the day. Add multi- directional light sources to enhance the all-white colour scheme after the daylight has faded.
Image credit: Future PLC
Get creative with an alternative feature wall idea. ‘A great trick for making a long narrow corridor bigger is to paint the walls in a really pale colour (or white) and the farthest wall in a much richer colour’ suggest Marianne.
‘The deep colour visually attracts your attention and jumps towards you, making the space feel much grander and expansive.’
Image credit: Lizzie Orme
Mirrors are the great design solution for many interior problems, especially when it comes to making small spaces feel bigger. A hall mirror idea is a simple yet brilliantly effective way to welcome light to a hallway space. The lighter and brighter a narrow hallway feels the less enclosed and small it will appear.
A simple mirror also welcomes a reflection back into the small space, which can help to wider the persecutive of the limited area.
Image credit: Future PLC/ Jamie Mason
Consider a cool hallway colour scheme to open up the space. ‘Cool shades like soft blues and greens make it look bigger still because they visually recede’ says Marianne. ‘Which means the walls they are painted on look a little further away from us.’
This tromp l’oeil effect will alter the perspective, making a narrow hall appear wider and more generous in size. Be sure to keep the accessories and storage elements to a minimum, to avoid covering too much of the cool coloured walls.
Image credit: Colin Poole
Another way to take this paint trick even further is to add an on-trend wall panelling idea. On just one wall is most effective, as this hallway example shows – it helps to shift the balance of the narrow space. As if pushing one wall away from the other, the decorative detail is tricking the eye into thinking the space between the two walls is far greater.
Image credit: IKEA
A well lit space will always look better for having the right lighting in place. A well-planned hallway light idea will ensure a narrow hallway feels more inviting and generous. For immediate hallways, with a corridor like feel aim to place lighting centrally in the ceiling, to create a pool of light in the middle of the space. This idea is to almost push the walls outwardly from the lightest point, making it feel wider.
If the narrow hallway goes immediately up the stairs so the lighting is visible, try wall lights. Lead a path up the flight of stairs with lights on either side to frame the space. The light cast strongly each side is drawing attention and highlighting the stairs. Whereas an overhead light might cast shadows on the walls which in turn draws them in, rather than pushing them away.
Image credit: Dulux
‘Try a colour combo like Cornflower White on the top two thirds of the walls and ceiling with a lower band of Dulux Colour of the Year 2022 Bright Skies for the ultimate space expanding experience’ suggest Marianne.
Combining two light shades, in whichever way you choose, will ensure the space is bursting with personality but also in brightness – which helps to open up a narrow hallway space.
The post How to make a narrow hallway look wider with paint tricks and clever styling appeared first on Ideal Home.
Black Friday cordless vacuum deals can have you hundreds of pounds of some seriously high-tech cordless vacuum cleaners. Stick vacuum cleaners from Shark, Dyson, Beko and Miele are all great choices for Black Friday savings, and we’ve even reviewed many of the top options on the market in our best cordless vacuum cleaner guide.
Investing in a cordless vacuum cleaner will get your home ship-shape and ready for the Christmas decorations. A reliable vacuum is more important than ever as we stay inside our warm, cosy homes, but with autumn leaves and more time spend curled up on the sofa, our floors are likely to need a good clean. Whether you have carpet, laminate, vinyl or wooden floorboards, a convenient, cordless vacuum cleaner can eliminate any mess.
Black Friday deals are a few weeks off, but we’re increasingly seeing price drops as early as two weeks before Black Friday cordless vacuum deals begin. Get ahead of the deal hunters with our guide to the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday cordless vacuum deals, and our predictions of what to expect.
Image credit: Dyson
You’re going to want to spend £150 for a good-quality cordless vacuum that can clean up properly – although, with the Cyber Monday discounts on offer here, you might sneak that quality for less. If you invest more, you might get stronger, more consistent cleaning power, a longer battery life, and some very helpful tools.
Ideally, you’ll want a few tools that are stored onboard your vacuum. That way, you’ll be able to make a quick draw and switch, sharpshooter style, when you spot a cobweb up high or need to clean upholstery.
One other feature worth going for is a HEPA filter. This removes tiny particles from the air that can aggravate breathing issues such as asthma.
Often the home of Amazing deals, Amazon is a great place to look when buying a new cordless vacuum cleaner. There is a huge range of brands on offer and you can always scroll down to the reviews to see what other buyers think.
One of the reasons people love to buy the best vacuum cleaners from Amazon is their Lightning Deals when Black Friday and Cyber Monday starts. Keep your eyes peeled on their site (or ours, because we’ll be dropping our favourite discounts right here) to see exclusive limited-time discounts that tend to sell out in hours. When they’re gone, they’re gone!
Image credit: Dyson
Argos has been one of the UK’s most popular retailers for decades. After being in print for nearly 50 years, Argos was famous for its huge catalogues, detailing all of its products. It really was a staple for children picking out Christmas presents. Now that catalogue is virtual and many of Argos’ deals can be found online, where you can order for delivery or choose click and collect. You can pick up Argos products in their own stores or in various Sainsbury’s supermarkets across the UK.
Last year we saw some great cordless vacuum delas from Argos across Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This included the Dyson V8 vacuum, which at the time was the brand’s flagship stick vacuum. After a £100 discount it was just £299, but after the launch of the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute, we’re wondering if prices on the V8 will go even lower.
If you like the idea of picking up one of the best handheld vacuums, we saw discounts of 20% on already affordable top picks from Shark and Bush.
Image credit: Vax
Reinventing itself since the 1930s, Very started life as Littlewoods Home Shopping in Liverpool. Since then they’ve undergone many changes and merged with Great Universal Stores stores in 2003. Very went 100% digital in 2015 and hasn’t looked back, offering customers hundreds of designer brands and constantly having great products on offer.
Last year we saw savings on the Hoover H-Free 100 Pets, which is one of the best vacuum cleaners for pet hair if you’re on a budget. The price went even lower thanks to a £20 discount, making it just £129.
Another big save was on Swan’s Hyper Clean Cordless, which is a three-in-one vacuum with a 30-minute runtime. Appropriately, it was a third off at £199.
See the best Black Friday air fryer deals for more savings
Image credit: Shark
ao.com has nearly been around as long as its online retail rival Amazon, having been founded in 2000.Like Amazon, it has thousands of tech and electrical products to choose from, including the latest smart tech and TVs, to all-singing, all-dancing washing machines, fridges and ovens.
Unlike Amazon though, ao.com is purely an electrical and appliance retailer, meaning that it has in-depth, expert knowledge on all its products. Plus, ao.com has its own recycling plant that sustainably gets rid of your old appliances. So not only do you get a new appliance, but you save yourself a trip to the recycling centre!
Last year we loved the £100 discount on the high-tech Samsung Jet 75, and there was another amazing saving on the Shark Anti-Hair Wrap IZ201UK, down from £349 to £199. It’s one of the best Shark vacuum cleaners you can buy even a year on, so we’re hoping to see it go on sale once more with Black Friday cordless vacuum deals in 2021.
The post Black Friday cordless vacuum deals: save on Shark, Dyson, and more appeared first on Ideal Home.
Buy the best pod coffee machine for an endless supply of fresh coffee at the touch of a button. The best capsule coffee machines from Nespresso, illy, Lavazza, Tassimo and Sage all offer a different selection of available coffee pods, but what they have in common is the convenience of a simple pod design, with all the delicious flavour you expect from the best coffee machines.
Many love the best pod coffee machines because they are smaller and more space-efficient than bean-to-cup coffee machines, and they are also a lot cheaper on average. Another major perk of the best pod coffee machines is the mess-free design, because you can simply lift the lever to remove your used pod and insert another one for your desired drink.
Around £50-£80 should secure you an entry-level pod coffee machine but the thing to be most aware of is the system you’re buying into. None are compatible with the others, so investigate the cost of pods when looking at coffee machines.
Spend more than £100 and you’re likely to have the option of frothing and warming milk, either in a separate appliance or with a wand. Premium pod coffee machines can cost up to £400, thanks to additional features, a more robust construction and eye-catching design.
Best pod coffee machine overall
Type: Lavazza
Capacity: 1.1 litres
Dimensions: L50.3 x W18.8 x H35.2 cm
Reasons to buy:
• So convenient to use
• Decent water tank size
• Dishwasher-safe cup included
• No splashes
Reasons to avoid:
• None!
Love cappuccinos but not the mess and clean-up that goes with frothing and decanting hot foamed milk? Then the Deséa is the pod coffee machine for you.
Compact, yet with a good-sized 1.1-litre water tank, and compatible with the brand’s eco-friendly compostable capsules, it comes with a dishwasher-safe glass cup that serves as both your frothing vessel and mug.
This means that you can fill the cup with milk, slot it into the machine, add a capsule, and the machine will do the rest, producing a café-worthy latte or cappuccino with a single button press. There’s no pouring or splashes – so you can walk away and return to find a drink that’s ready to go.
It’s not just convenience that the Deséa has in spades, it also comes with more options than the average pod coffee machine. For example, there’s a button for more foam, a coffee temperature boost and a cleaning cycle that can be run to make sure that your first beverage will always be as good as the last.
Its five milk programmes include hot and cold frothing for making hot chocolate or milkshakes, plus there’s a choice of espresso, long espresso, long coffee and a free dose for those who like their drink just so.
A final reason to love it is how quiet it is during operation – a mere 43dB during coffee delivery. Perhaps the only downsides to be aware of are that capsule disposal isn’t automatic, so you’ll still have to remember to raise the lever at the end to release the pod into the integral bin, and that the frothing boost button isn’t suitable for larger volumes of milk as it’ll overflow.
Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Best pod coffee machine for everyday luxury
Type: Nespresso
Capacity: 1.1 litres
Dimensions: W14 x D38 x H32 cm
Reasons to buy:
• Premium coffee but not too pricey
• Sleek design
• Makes coffee quickly
Reasons to avoid:
• On the noisy side
If you’re the sort of person who opts for bedlinen with a high thread count, bone china on the table and beautifully scented candles, the VertuoPlus is the coffee machine for you.
The reason is simple – it delivers that little bit of a treat everyday – in this case, by dispensing rich, generous cups of aromatic coffee, topped with the sort of rich crema that feels more like a dessert than a drink.
Even using it feels indulgent, from the capsule holder that opens automatically with a gentle nudge and closes with the same action, to the chunky chrome cup platform that can be positioned at four heights, so you can accommodate tall glasses and shorter mugs.
There’s just one button on the top, which functions as the on-off, brew button or will run a deep cleaning programme. Each capsule has a barcode around the rim that’s read by the machine, so you don’t even have to adjust the volume for espresso or longer drinks (there are five drink sizes, each of which can be adjusted between 10-500ml).
When it’s finished brewing, simply open the capsule holder and the used pod slides backwards to drop into a used pod container at the back.
It was a little noisy while brewing, making a whirling sound, and took under a minute to make a 230ml mug of coffee, and about 30 seconds for 150ml. Also, if you love foamed fresh milk on top of your frothy drink, you’ll have to invest in one with an Aeroccino3, as the VertuoPlus is purely a coffee maker. Plus none of its parts are dishwasher-safe.
However, for generous mugs of joe, on-point espresso and luscious lungos that are as good for entertaining as they are on a daily basis, the VertuoPlus is a sleek solution.
Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Best smart pod coffee machine
Image credit: Lavazza
Type: Lavazza
Capacity: 1.1 litres
Dimensions: 44 x 21.5 x 35 cm
Reasons to buy:
• It’s seriously smart
• Very easy to use
• Can be app or voice controlled
Reasons to avoid:
• You need the app to make the most of it
Combining the best pod coffee machine and the best smart speaker, the Lavazza Voicy has a lot going for it. It’s the latest release from Lavazza’s A Modo Mio range, and comes with a box of the different coffee flavour pods available to help you experiment and decide which is the right one for you. We thought they all tasted amazing, and while you do need to take them to specific sites, they can be composted as part of an eco-conscious scheme.
You can ask Alexa to make you a coffee, long coffee, hot coffee, or your favourite coffee (which can be chosen using the Lavazza app). While there are only two coffee preset buttons, you can change what type of coffee they make using the app. This adjusts the length of the brew, and we found that the pods are certainly potent enough to make a delicious and rich americano.
Yes, it’s a pricey choice, but we found that everything about the Voicy feels very high quality. Of course you need to add a pod and a cup before even using Alexa, but it’s still very handy to be able to use the in-built speaker to play music, tell you the weather, or even a joke.
Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Read our full Lavazza Voicy review
Best sustainable pod coffee machine
Type: Nespresso-compatible
Capacity: 1.2 litres
Dimensions: 39.2 x 30.4 x 22.4 cm
Reasons to buy:
• Sustainable metal design
• Adjustable coffee length
• Easy (and fun) controls
Reasons to avoid:
• The exterior marks easily
Sustainability isn’t something we often associate with pod coffee machines, but the Grind One pod coffee machine is designed with just this in mind. Made in Stockholm in a partnership with Sjöstrand, it’s designed to be an antidote to plastic pod coffee machines, and the metal design really does feel built to last and stay out of landfill. The Grind pods are also made with plastic-free and compostible packaging, but all the convenience of a normal coffee pod.
At 22cm wide, this is a neat option for any kitchen, but it’s not the smallest pod coffee machine in our guide. A step away from the curves of options from Tassimo and Lavazza, the Grind One is block-like and simple in its design. The metal exterior is very smart though, and it has Grind’s classic logo on the front which pairs perfectly with the Grind pod coffee container.
It has two preset coffee lengths, but the Grind One will allow you to adjust the length of these presets by simply holding the button down, which is perfect for those who like a longer drink. You can buy it with a matching Grind milk frother or on its own. Or, take a look at our other best milk frother picks for more options.
Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Best pod coffee machine for custom features
Type: Tassimo
Capacity: 1.3 litres
Dimensions: 39.79 x 31.5 x 26.4 cm
Reasons to buy:
• So many coffee options
• Make milky drinks and even hot chocolates
• Setup was speedy
• Self-clean mode
Reasons to avoid:
• Low in pressure
Select from three different strengths (think of them as ranging from all-day sipping to wake up now), three different volumes and even three temperatures – great for extra-hot drink lovers with the Bosch Tassimo My Way 2.
To make it even easier to get your ideal Americano, it’ll store up to four personalised settings, so you won’t have to constantly reset the machine to the way you like your coffee. Of course, this being Tassimo, it’ll also make tea, hot chocolate and a range of other drinks, so it’s good for a busy household who all like something different.
If you’ve used a Tassimo machine before, you’ll know it’s all about the barcodes. Each T-disc is placed into the My Way so it can read it and dispense an appropriate amount of water (keeping espressos short for example), with pressure as required.
Its warm-up time was almost instant (no waiting around for a thermoblock meant it initialised in 10 seconds), and its flow heater could keep going drink after drink without pauses to recover. It doesn’t froth fresh milk, offering creamer discs or combined discs instead, but they may not be for everyone.
A final reason to love it is that it’s low-maintenance. There’s a self-cleaning function, so your coffee will always taste great, and its parts are dishwasher safe.
Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Read the full Bosch Tassimo My Way 2 review
Best pod coffee machine compact, stylish features
Type: Lavazza
Capacity: 0.6 litres
Dimensions: 33 x 12.4 x 21 cm
Reasons to buy:
• Compact and stylish design
• Automatically shuts off
• Only one button for convenience
Reasons to avoid:
• Remember to lift up the lever
Lavazza makes some seriously high-quality machines, so the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie is a very high-value machine when you look at its sub-£50 price. We were impressed to find that this compact coffee machine makes a delicious brew, and because there’s only one button, using it couldn’t be easier.
This coffee machine is seriously tiny, so it’s perfect for offices, small kitchens, or even as a spare you use when you want a speedy brew. It’s compatible with the full A Modo Mio coffee capsule line, so while you can only have one length of coffee, it does have lots of flavours to choose from. The machine will also automatically run another cycle when the first one finishes, so you can make your coffee longer by just leaving it to pour again. Don’t forget to lift up the lever though, or it will keep going until the auto shut-off kicks in.
Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Read the full Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie review
Best pod coffee machine for latte lovers
Type: Nespresso
Capacity: 1.5 litres
Dimensions: H30.8 x W17.1 x D39.3cm
Reasons to buy:
• Comes with all the charm of a traditional coffee machine
• Use the steam wand to make milky drinks
• Very powerful
Reasons to avoid:
• Quite expensive
The Sage Nespresso Creatista Uno brews delicious espressos using Nespresso’s high quality and recyclable pods, but there’s no need to buy a separate frother if you want a cappuccino. It has an in-built milk wand and comes with a jug for straightforward brewing.
This machine heats up in just three seconds, and the 19 bar pressure yielded some seriously professional-quality coffee. There are three drinks sizes; petite ristretto (25ml volume), classic espresso (40ml), and longer lungo (110ml).
Cleaning is easy, with a regular wipe-down required and a monthly deep clean. The deep clean is prompted by an LED light, so you won’t forget about it.
During testing, the machine proved to be incredibly intuitive to use, plus the large water tank (which can be positioned at the back or either side if you’re short on space) meant it didn’t have to refilled as frequently as some compact machines.
Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Best pod coffee machine for different types of coffee
Type: Lavazza
Capacity: 1 litre
Dimensions: 42.3 x 18.8 x 35.2 cm
Reasons to buy:
• Narrow design
• Four length options
• Adjustable temperature
Reasons to avoid:
• A heavy option
The third Lavazza option in our guide is the Idola. It’s like the Desea, but without the milk frother wand, so if you like a black coffee or just prefer your milk when it’s not steamed, the Idola is the one for you. It has four length options and you can also add to or decrease the temperature of your coffee. That’s great for making an iced coffee, or if you’re heading out the door and want your drink to stay warm for longer, you can just give it a bump in temperature.
We loved the touch pad interface, which felt very stylish, and the exterior of the machine looked sleek on the kitchen counters. It’s a little more hefty than other machines though, so opt for the Jolie if you plan on moving your machine around.
Ideal Home’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Read the full Lavazza A Modo Mio Idola review
Type: illy
Capacity: 0.8 litres
Dimensions: 29.8 x 10 x 25.4 cm
Reasons to buy:
• Sleek design
• Amazing espresso
• Plenty of colours to choose from
Reasons to avoid:
• Restrictive pod options
The illy Iperespresso Y3.3 makes a mean espresso or americano. It arrived with a box full of classico roast and intense brew options, and both tasted rich and aromatic when testing. The quality of this coffee is excellent, but because there’s no option to make a milky coffee you may find that it’s a little restrictive. Of course, you can pair it with a milk frother to get your morning latte, and it’s a lovely compact option for small homes.
Available in red, white, black and blue, this coffee machine is only 10cm wide, so it’s well-suited to smaller homes and even offices or bedrooms. Cleaning is easy, too, but the drip tray cannot be removed which means you need to wash by hand and not in the dishwasher.
As you can see with the two buttons on the front of the machine, there’s either an espresso or americano option with this machine. The tall cups take only 45 seconds to brew, so it’s great for speedy drinks between zoom calls.
Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Best pod coffee machine for small spaces
Type: Nespresso
Capacity: 1 litre
Dimensions: W13.0 x D27.8 x H37.2 cm
Reasons to buy:
• Incredibly easy to use
• Lots of pods to choose from
• Quick to heat up
Reasons to avoid:
• Black coffee only
Slim, stylish and devilishly simple to use, there’s a reason why CitiZ has won awards for its design. Not only can it fit snugly into the most compact of kitchens (it’s only 13cm wide), there are just two programmable buttons, making it good for bleary-eyed mornings when all you want is a shot of coffee without any fuss.
There’s no waiting around – we found that it heated up in seconds, plus you can pop a pod in straight away, hit the button to brew and walk away.
Unlike some compact machines, the one-litre water tank is fairly substantial for its size, meaning it should last all day without repeat trips to the sink. There’s also an internal bin for used capsules that will only need emptying daily (it’ll fit up to 11), so it’s ideal for a home office.
A drop-down drip tray as well as the main one means it can adapt to any cup size, from espresso cups to your favourite mug, without causing splashes on the worktop. Another plus is the CitiZ’s build quality – it feels robust yet elegant, thanks to its metal drip trays, smoothly sliding moving parts and minimal controls.
All this sleekness wouldn’t matter if the coffee wasn’t up to scratch. Fortunately, it is. The Nespresso capsule system offers the widest choice of blends and varieties, and CitiZ makes the most of them, delivering a thick, velvety crema and a faultless brew every time. The espressos we made were short, flavour-packed and punchy, the lungos rich and aromatic.
The only areas that might give you pause for thought are the price, as the CitiZ costs more than most equivalent machines, and the fact that milky drinks aren’t catered for until you pair it with an Aeroccino 3 – by itself, this is one for black coffee aficionados.
Ideal Home’s rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Best pod coffee machine for commitment-phobes
Type: Most coffee types
Capacity: 1.5 litres
Dimensions: 37.9 x 32.79 x 28.8 cm
Reasons to buy:
• You can drink most coffee types
• Drip tray indicator
• Temperature can be altered
Reasons to avoid:
• Grounds can get messy
Are you the sort of person who likes the idea of a pod coffee machine but you can’t fix yourself to one system? Those clever folk at Dualit have the answer for you.
The Espress-Auto is a multi-brew 19 bar pump pressure pod coffee machine. This means that not only will it make coffee from Nespresso capsules and ESE pods, you can also pop in alternatives.
This includes tea capsules, its own NX capsules or even ground coffee, giving you freedom those with a single-pod system don’t benefit from.
There’s two buttons for single or double espresso and one for tea (which raises the temperature of the water and extracts for longer). This can be altered for warmer or cooler, too. An easy to clean steam wand is on hand for frothing milk and the water tank is a generous 1.5 litres.
There’s even a handy ‘drip tray full’ indicator to let you know when to empty the coffee machine dregs.
Its auto-off is a rather long 30 minutes, however, so it’s probably best to remember to switch the coffee machine off after use. During testing, using the ground coffee was the most tricky and messy part. However, aside from that, all the coffee brewed was velvety smooth and of a consistently high quality.
Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Best pod coffee machine for beginners on a budget
Type: Tassimo
Capacity: 0.7 litres
Dimensions: 38.4 x 30.3 x 21.2 cm
Reasons to buy:
• Very affordable
• Automatically switches to standby
Reasons to avoid:
• Small tank
• Low pressure
Whatever your coffee of choice is, investing in a Tassimo machine will keep you supplied with all your favourite blends. As one of the smaller coffee machines in the range, the Vivy 2 is everything that’s great about the T-Disc system in a simple to use package. Each coffee capsule is barcoded so the machine knows how much water to dispense and all you need to do is push a button. There’s descaling and water tank refill alerts, too.
It’s also an eco-friendly design, with fast heat-up at the start, reverting to a standby mode after each drink. Where it differs from other coffee machines is its lower 3.3 bar pressure. How the coffee tastes will have more to do with the selected disc rather than the brewing process. In tests, the espresso was rich but with only a hint of crema, while the hot chocolate was indulgent and frothy.
Once or twice it had trouble reading the barcodes. However, this is a good coffee machine to go for if your household has a higher proportion of non-coffee drinkers who don’t mind regular refilling of its smaller-than-average 700ml tank.
Ideal Home’s rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Black Friday pod coffee machine deals are usually some of the best of the season. Last year we saw big savings on Nespresso machines especially, although it’s new, we’re expecting some initial discounts on the Lavazza Voicy for those who want a smart coffee machine for their kitchen.
See our Black Friday home deals page
Other discounts can usually be found on Bosch Tassimo machines, although these are already priced quite low, so you may not save as much with these Black Friday and Cyber Monday pod coffee deals.
Anyone who’s ever tried to use an espresso machine only to end up with soggy grounds and a dribble of brown liquid will have learnt their lesson. The biggest appeal of pod coffee machines is that you don’t need expertise to make a great espresso.
For homemade coffee from scratch, check out the best coffee grinders
Instead, each capsule contains exactly the right amount of ground coffee, arranged so all you need to do is press a button.
Less costly and bulky than bean-to-cup machines, pod coffee makers also often take up less room on a worktop. This makes them a good fit for small kitchens, home offices and even bedrooms.
Every pod machine will have a refillable water tank so check its size before you buy. Anything less than a litre will require more frequent topping up, especially if you prefer long drinks. Some can be filled in-situ (for moments when you realise the water’s about to run out). Others will need to removed – if you have a small kitchen sink or short tap, check that you can fit the tank below the spout easily.
This is how much force the machine uses to pump the water through the pod. Look for a minimum of 15 for a pro-style crema, though machines designed to handle a wide range of drinks can be lower.
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There are two ways a pod coffee machines can make frothy cappuccinos, lattes and flat whites. The first is by using dried or UHT milk pods – these are great if you don’t have access to a fridge but may not be to everyone’s taste. The other is by a separate or conjoined milk frother, such as the Aeroccino that often accompanies Nespresso machines.
Great for those who like an espresso in the morning, but a latte at weekends, some machines have a choice of different-sized beverages. Often there is the ability to adjust the amount of water dispensed to suit your taste. You may also be able to save your favourite settings to create easily reproduced personalised drinks. The latest crop of coffee machines can even be controlled by an app, so you can set them to brew the moment you step out of the shower.
Check there’s enough room for your favourite cup beneath the spout. Some pod coffee machines have narrow platforms that won’t accommodate big mugs. Espresso fans should look for spouts that drop down or adjustable cup platforms that raise smaller cups towards the spout. This not only helps prevent splashes on the worktop, but makes for a thicker crema on your espresso.
Image credit: Dualit
Most of the mainstream pod coffee machines can make basic milky drinks, but it’s common to find those that can produce anything from a chai latte to a caramel macchiato. Some coffee machines can also make cold drinks, such as chilled tea or coffee. There’s the option of branded drinks with the Tassimo T-Disc coffee system.
Machines that use ESE pods (which resemble a round teabag) will only brew coffee or tea, while other systems favour a variety of single-origin coffee types rather than a range of drinks.
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Check if your coffee pods can be recycled to help cut down on waste. For example, Nespresso coffee pods are made of infinitely recyclable aluminium.
If you live in a hard water area, make sure your coffee machine has descaling alerts. Regular descaling is essential to keep your pod machine running smoothly.
Your pod coffee machine’s thermoblock (the part that heats the water) can be an energy guzzler. Choose a model that will switch itself off after a few minutes of non-use. This may be referred to as an eco mode.
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A clean coffee machine is a happy one, so buy one that’s easily maintained by a rinse cycle and with removable parts for cleaning, such as the drip tray. This will be especially relevant if your coffee machine uses milk pods, which can smell if not regularly cleaned away.
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