Lavazza A Modo Mio Deséa coffee pod machine review

• Eco coffee caps can’t be composted at home

Star rating: 5/5

Read our round-up of the best coffee pod machines

The milk-frothing functionality of the Deséa is up there with the best we’ve encountered. It simultaneously froths and stirs the coffee, forming lots of lovely, tiny bubbles that make for a really enjoyable cappuccino.

We liked the transparent glass supplied with this machine, offering a window into what turns out to be a very visually pleasing process. It’s a real pleasure to watch coffee and foamed milk forming.

In our view, the Lavazza coffees were among the tastiest we’ve tested, up there with Illy’s delicious Iperespresso capsules. We especially enjoyed the beautifully bitter Lavazza Espresso Passionale, which is available as a compostable eco cap.

Speaking of which, although Lavazza’s caps are compostable, they can’t be composted at home. Instead, they must be taken to a drop-off point to be collected and industrially composted into agricultural soil by TerraCycle.

Photo: Alice Ostapjuk

Setting up the Deséa was quick and easy, requiring only a rinse of the accessories and to run water through the machine. The instruction booklet is a weighty tome, but easy enough to follow.

We recommend keeping your copy, as it describes the various LED signals the Deséa has to help the user with troubleshooting – for example, when the used pod tray is positioned incorrectly, or when the machine needs descaling.

The tank has plenty of capacity to make several long drinks for several people through the day. It’s really easy to fill, with a wide, round opening and a well-fitting lid.

The machine’s components are good quality, with excellent finishing. Even the drip tray feels solid and pleasingly weighty. There’s a lovely texture to its body, which looks especially chic in brown.

In general, it’s easy to clean and look after, and we found the used pod storage compartment, with space for up to ten pods, especially handy. Be careful when removing the glass from the machine after milk frothing/pouring – it takes a bit of a tug, and yanking hot coffee too hard towards yourself could have some undesirable consequences.

It has a narrow, fairly deep footprint that’s probably better suited to kitchen counters than shelves. It’s easy to store, since all the accessories can be attached to the machine.

It comes with a reasonable amount of packaging, the vast majority of which is recyclable.

Star ratings
Functionality: 5/5
Results: 5/5
Ease of cleaning: 4.5/5
Value for money: 4.5/5
Overall rating: 5/5

Specifications
Supported pods: Lavazza
Tank capacity: 1.1L
Milk frother: yes
Power: 1500W

Coffee recipes and tips

How to make cold brew coffee
How to make iced coffee
Coffee types explained

More gadget reviews

Best coffee pod machines
Best espresso machines
Best coffee machines
Best cafetières,
Best coffee grinders
Best coffee gadgets
Best toasters
Best bullet blenders
Best bread makers
Best food processors
Visit our reviews section

This review was last updated in May 2020. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.