If you are a coffee lover, it may be worth investing in a good-quality capsule coffee-making machine. Coffee is at its freshest right after the beans have been roasted, and capsules are typically sealed immediately after roasting. This helps to lock in the freshness by preventing any contact with moisture or oxygen, which can make your coffee beans go stale.

Nescafe Dolce Gusto Lumio
$219
Available at Tangs and Takashimaya DS

If you are someone who enjoys cafe-style cold brews, the Nescafe Dolce Gusto Lumio is for you. This is something that cannot be done even with the famous Nespresso machines. Its relatively low cost is also a draw, especially for those looking to buy their first capsule machine.

The machine is convenient to use. Just pop the capsule into the detachable holder before inserting it back into the machine and pushing down the locking handle. The control dial lets you adjust the strength of your brew. Heating up in just seconds, it is ready to go almost straight away. Perfect for those rushed mornings and much quicker than waiting for the kettle to boil. There is also a quick recovery time in between cups for when you need to make several cups for guests.

What’s more, the machine is easy to clean, and light enough to cart around.

The machine’s 15-bar pressure system helps extract optimal flavour and aroma for a robust cup of joe topped with a thick crema.

Nespresso Creatista Plus
$748
Available at Harvey Norman and Ion Orchard

The Nespresso Creatista Plus is one of the most expensive capsule coffee making machines but what makes it worth the price tag is the convenience of using it and the variety of both coffee and espresso roasts you can get from the machine. There are two different lines of Nespresso pods you can buy — Original or Vertuo — so there are a plenty of options and flavours you can play around with. For a coffee connoisseur, this makes it worth the price.

It has an easy-to-read display guide, with an automatic steam pipe and programme settings to choose your preferred milk temperature and froth level. With eight coffee selections, and pre-set milk-based recipes, you’ll have no problem finding one to suit your exacting taste.

Capable of a 19-bar pump pressure, Creatista Plus forces water through the beans at an optimal level, so your brews attain a rich, flavourful aroma with a crema top.

If you’d like to unleash your inner barista, there is an automated steam wand with a thermometer to froth the milk to your desired texture and temperature, and create latte art. On top of that, it also has 11 milk temperature settings.

Slim and streamlined, it is ideal even for smaller kitchens. Cleaning is a cinch: just empty the drip tray, rinse the milk jug, and follow the on-screen prompts for wand cleaning.

illy Y3.2 iperEspresso and Coffee Machine
$149
Available at Tangs

Illy offers a richer cup of coffee compared to the other two models. It is a well-known and well-respected brand, especially in its home country, Italy. Its brewing speed and simplicity makes it a popular choice for coffee shops around the world.

However, on the flip side, the prices for the capsules are not always very attractive and there are fewer choices. With Illy, you can get the Medium Roast, Dark Roast, Decaffeinated and Lungo. In addition, what you won’t find with many other manufacturers are the Arabica Selection Origins of Taste options, which offer tastes from four different countries.

Clio
$259
Available at coffeebean.com.sg

With this machine from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, you can not only brew a foaming cup of espresso or coffee that resembles your favourite cuppa from this café chain, you can also brew yourself an equally comforting cup of tea. Its dual pressure system provides high pressure (15 bars) for espresso and low pressure (3.5 bars) for coffee and tea. What’s more, it accommodates a variety of cup sizes.

Besides providing café-quality drinks, the machine’s stylish finish will blend in beautifully with most modern kitchens. Another huge plus point is it’s affordable pricing.Medano Coffee Capsule Machine
$168
Available at Courts stores

If you prefer the earthy flavours of Asian coffee, you should consider this brand. The machine can take coffee capsules by Medano and Nespresso. Conversely, Medano coffee capsules are compatible with Nespresso machines. Medano coffee is sourced from Asian countries like Indonesia and Thailand. Interestingly, the coffee pods are ground and packed in Singapore.

The machine is easy to use, with two buttons that allow you to choose between a lungo or an espresso. Its transparent, removable water tank also makes it easy to handle and clean.