‘At half the price of a Nespresso this Lavazza coffee machine has saved me a fortune’

As a coffee hobbyist, I appreciate a high-quality brew. So, I was excited to try Lavazza's A Modo Mio Jolie & Milk home coffee machine. It's a multitasking coffee machine that can brew a coffee at the same time as frothing milk. It promises a luxurious and eco-conscious experience at a fraction of the cost of my usual coffee shop order. One of its stand-out USPs is that it works with a range of compostable coffee pods that are widely available and reasonably priced.

I'm all for a Dirty Chai Latte (a milky spiced tea with a shot of espresso), but having a cheeky coffee here and there costs around £4 a time. I can't quite believe I get suckered whenever I'm at the train station or on a shopping date with friends. I'm hoping a coffee pod machine might convince me to fill a reusable mug and take a homemade coffee on the go rather than forking out.

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Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie & Milk overview

Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie & Milk is a stylish compact coffee machine with an integrated milk frother, and it takes compostable coffee capsules – that's amore! A pack of Lavazza A Modo Mio Espresso Passionale coffee capsules costs £12 and contains 36 pods. That works out at around 30p per espresso. Just add more water and you have a lungo (double espresso) for the same price. Add milk to the frother, and – prego! – a velvety smooth cappuccino for a fraction of what it would cost in a café.

This coffee machine uses 10-bar pressure to brew crema-topped coffees that taste authentically like Italian caffè at the push of a button.

Key features of the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie & Milk

• Two coffee functions: Espresso and lungo

• Three-function milk frother: Warm milk and foam, warm milk and cold foamed milk

• Removable drip tray: Two heights to accommodate an espresso cup or a mug

• Stylish design and compact footprint: Just 22.2cm wide, 33.1cm high and 21.7cm deep

• Made from 33% recycled plastic

• Compatible with A Modo Mio compostable coffee capsules

Who tested it?

Natalie Knowles is a Commercial Content Writer who has written extensively about coffee for Yours.co.uk and A Modern Kitchen. From budget coffee machines to Nespresso Vertuo appliances, Natalie has three years of experience researching, testing and tasting all things caffeine.

Natalie is particularly interested in the energy efficiency and cost per cup of coffee pod machines. Oh, and she's also obsessed with rich black coffee. While her preferred hot drink is an americano, she's excited to try making frothy lattes and macchiatos for the first time using a coffee machine with a built-in milk frother.

How the coffee pod machine was tested

After putting her Aeropress and cafetière collection aside for a month, Natalie tested the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie & Milk in her kitchen at home. She makes a range of coffees to assess the coffee pod machine's performance, usability and build quality. Natalie also experiments with the milk frother, texturing and foaming plant-based and dairy milk.

Testing the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie & Milk

I need to change my habit of buying coffee at the train station. It is inevitably a chain coffee brand that's not the nicest to drink out of a paper cup. Buying four coffees a week costs me £52.20 a month, and that's too much out of my leisure budget. I'm serious, I have a spreadsheet to track my spending. So, that's where I'm going to stir things up. I'll see if a coffee brewed at home in an insulated mug can give me the hit of caffeine and comfort that I need in preparation to rub knees with my fellow commuters. I'm doing this for a month in order to break my spending habit.

Price analysis

Retailing at £169, the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie & Milk sits in the middle of the range of A Modo Mio coffee pod machines. It has an integrated milk frother that can warm and foam milk while brewing coffee. For a budget option, the Lavazza A Modo Mio Tiny Eco is under £100 and is often on offer. At the time of writing, the Tiny Eco is £89. If you love a simple hit of espresso, the Tiny Eco is a top choice, as it delivers the perfect shot at the push of a button. It's compatible with Lavazza's range of A Modo Mio coffee pods, and incidentally, it was Lavazza's first machine to be made from recycled plastic.

The Lavazza A Modo Mio Deséa retails at £249 and has a milk frother built into the machine. Just by pressing a button, you can prepare five coffee drinks in four different sizes. Choose from cappuccino to macchiato, hot or cold frothed milk, and black coffee in this stylish and compact coffee machine.

Performance

I suppose what makes the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie & Milk more attractive to me than the Deséa is the idea of having control over the coffee preparation ritual. Even the manual chrome handle is a nod to traditional espresso makers. Additionally, having never used a milk frother before, I was intrigued to see how it works – even more so when I discovered that the whisk sticks to the bottom of the frothing container by magnetism. But, first things first, I kept it simple and made an espresso.

Brewing an espresso

First, I fill the water tank with fresh, cold drinking water. There are two buttons on the appliance, and they both power the machine on. The larger (top) button prepares a long espresso (aka lungo), and the smaller (bottom) button brews an espresso. Pop an A Modo Mio coffee capsule into the capsule insertion space. As you pull the lever towards you, you can feel the capsule lock into position. Similarly, by pulling the lever up, the compartment opens and releases the used coffee capsule into the collection drawer below. The drawer has a semi-transparent viewing window, so you can keep an eye on it as it's filling up.

When the appliance is heating up, the power buttons start blinking a white light. It becomes a steady white light when the machine has reached temperature and is ready to brew. Press the espresso button and it dispenses 1 fl oz (30 cc). You shouldn't attempt to use a capsule more than once, as this can cause the machine to malfunction.

The coffee grounds have been vacuum-sealed in the capsule, so coffee tastes as fresh as if it were from bean-to-cup. Plus, it is a perfectly portioned 7.5g serving, so it consistently tastes perfect.

Double espresso

Press the double espresso button, and it will dispense 2 fl oz (60 cc). Brewing produces a lovely crema. Additionally, the drip tray is removable so you can fit an extra tall mug or reusable cup under the spout should you want to make a longer drink.

If there isn't enough water in the water tank during brewing, the selected button will have a white steady light while the other button will start flashing. Also, you can hear a difference in the sound the machine makes, as it's trying to draw in water, but there's nothing in the tank. As soon as you add enough water, it will resume brewing.

It's best to empty the water tank every day, especially if you live in a hard water area, as limescale does build up. The instruction manual advises changing the water in the tank if it hasn't been used for three days.

If you forget to monitor the used capsule drawer, the power buttons will blink with a fast white light to alert you that it is full. It has a capacity for five pods, so it will need emptying regularly. Once you empty the drawer, you'll need to turn the power off and on to reset the machine.

Value for money of the coffee capsules

Like Tassimo and Dolce Gusto coffee pods or capsules (the words are interchangeable) Lavazza's Eco Caps are discs. The most common shape for coffee pods is the 44mm ESE, which is smaller, and there are cheaper dupes for these types of pods. Just like Nespresso made the Vertuo capsules extremely difficult to copy – due to their barcodes – brands aim to get customers to buy into their own range of coffee pods. I will say the Lavazza capsules are not the cheapest, but they are extremely good quality and, crucially, they are compostable.

What I like about the A Modo Mio range is that the coffee capsules are affordable and available online, though I've only spotted them once in a supermarket. I have tested a couple of Nespresso machines in the past, and while the coffee was excellent, I found it difficult to purchase Vertuo capsules without taking out a subscription. Also, the cost of an individual capsule was between 70p to around £1 for some of the limited edition coffees – that's a bit steep.

Another big plus point for A Modo Mio is the Eco Caps technology, which means the entire coffee capsule is compostable. There's no faff about collecting up used coffee pods and arranging a recycling collection. Just don't be tempted to remove the used capsule container directly after brewing a coffee, as this part of the machine gets hot.

The guilt of using a coffee pod and finding the time to recycle it has put me off wholly embracing coffee pod machines in the past. I was quite happy with my Aeropress, but once you've tasted a rich, creamy espresso brewed under high pressure, you'll appreciate it tastes far superior to any manual efforts with a coffee plunger. When compostable coffee pods first came on the scene, I thought it was a brilliant solution to the issue – the convenience of a single-use pod, superior-tasting coffee and eco-friendly disposal. While it can never be as cheap as instant or ground coffee, at 30p per capsule, it is a reasonable price for a little pick-me-up on a busy day.

In addition, it's worth noting how much more energy-efficient it is to make coffee in a machine rather than boiling a kettle. Research supports the claim that coffee pod machines are more efficient for a single serving of coffee and reduce the wastage of ground coffee, water and power.

Usability

It's the easiest coffee machine I've ever used. No faffing around with tamping ground coffee and trying to get the portafilter to fit – who needs that first thing in the morning?

But one point I will make to coffee pod machine newcomers – these appliances can be loud. The dog will bark, the other half will wake up and it'll wake the grandson. OK, it's not that bad, but I agree with online customer reviews about it being louder than expected. Several customers have previously had Nespresso coffee machines – and this Lavazza model is much quieter – but it's not whisper-quiet. I'm just not convinced it is as quiet running as it claims. In its product description, it's described as "elegant and quiet". If I were to plot it on a decibel comparison chart, I'd put it between 60dB-70dB. It's not as loud as a vacuum cleaner, but not quite the noise level of a dishwasher either.

Moving on, there is an auto-shut-off feature that turns the machine off after nine minutes of inactivity. This can be super handy if you're in a rush and (like me) have left the house with hair straighteners and the electric blanket still switched on! However, if you're using this machine in an environment where it needs to be operational all the time – such as an office – you can disable its automatic shut-down feature. The machine can be set to standby mode by pressing both power buttons for three seconds. This stops the automatic shut-off. The machine is reactivated by pressing one of the power buttons again.

Another feature I really like is the removable drip tray, which means I can fit a taller mug underneath the spout. This reduced my washing up as I could fit my reusable cup under the spout – like my own home real coffee dispenser – before embarking on the morning commute.

How the milk frother works

The milk frother attaches to a base connector on the side of the coffee machine. The inside of the milk frother has milk and foam fill lines to guide you in pouring in the correct amount of milk. You must always insert the whisk when using the milk frother; it is magnetised, and that's important to heating the milk and creating the foam.

The cover is labelled with simple frothing instructions. It has a seal that makes it fit snugly and securely.

The milk frother has one multifunctional button. Press the button once briefly (1-click), and it will beep. This function both heats and froths milk. The button will flash with a white light, and the frother will begin its frothing cycle. Don't be tempted to remove the container, even if it feels like it's been a minute or two. As well as building foam, the milk frother is gently heating the milk. It double beeps at the end of the cycle.

If you press the button twice, it will perform a cycle when it heats the milk only. Press and hold the button for at least three seconds, and it emits a long beep with a quick flashing light. This is to froth cold milk. The process ends with a double beep.

Incidently, if you see a red flashing light on the milk frother, it means it has overheated, and you just need to wait a few minutes before trying again.

One thing I will say, which I've also read in online reviews, is that I found it tricky to see the fill lines on the inside of the frother. In poor lighting, the subtle lines are not visible at all. I think if you are regularly using the frother you will soon get the knack for how much milk to add. I was surprised how little is needed. You need to add enough milk between the MIN level mark and the FOAM (120ml) level mark. It's important not to exceed this on this setting as milk may overflow. Of course, the cover must be securely in place during use.

Frothing milk comparison

For best results, Lavazza recommends using unskimmed milk (pasteurised or UHT) that's been refrigerated and is around 4-8°C. But, for curiosity's sake, I did a comparison of foaming a dairy milk alternative and skimmed milk.

I used the 1-click function for both milks, which gently heats and foams milk. I used barista oat milk as my dairy alternative. It produced a thick, stable foam that was smooth and comforting. When pouring into a cup, keeping the whisk inside the milk frother is important to maintain aeration. The texture of the milk was so thick with a perfectly dense foam that even my partner was tempted to drink a babycino despite being more of a tea drinker.

Foaming skimmed milk

I was pleasantly surprised with the frothed skimmed milk. You don't need much milk at all to create foam. The only difference is the stability of the foam—it doesn't last as long as milk with fat content. Lavazza recommends using whole milk for best results, but I was pretty chuffed with the whippy foam.

Making a dirty chai latte

Finally, the pièce de résistance. I made a super velvety and powerful Italian espresso combined with the warming spice of chai, plus a little brown sugar and a generous foam of barista oat milk. It proves that I can make a coffee shop-quality drink at home and take it with me in a reusable cup, saving £4 a time.

Build

When unboxing the Lavazza A Modo Mio, there was no doubt how much sleeker and smaller it was compared to other coffee pod machines I've tested. As a collector of small black kitchen appliances (Sodastream, Bodum Kettle, Haier smoothie maker, Salter air fryer, Nutribullet... and counting!) this machine perfectly suits my aesthetic.

While the majority of the packaging was cardboard and moulded paper, it did have plastic bags around each part. This keeps the components dust-free.

Even my partner, a non-coffee drinker, observed that the Lavazza machine seemed easy to set up and use. He liked that it was smaller than the previous Nespresso coffee pod machines I've tested. Also, the stylish touch of having a manual lever and simple buttons was a lovely halfway between a traditional espresso machine and an automatic appliance.

In fact, the build quality was generally flawless for the price point. One small observation was that a little water collects in the capsule collection container. I always empty it after every use, but I would be wary of mould building up if you're inclined to leave coffee pods a while before emptying.

The milk frother, whisk and cover must be washed after each use. To clean the milk frother, fill it up with fresh, clean drinking water to the MILK level mark (180ml). Put the cover on and press the multifunction button once. This will perform a cleaning cycle which ends when the machine beeps twice. Then, empty the water and allow the milk frother, whisk and cover to dry.

Cleaning the machine

All removable components can be cleaned in a dishwasher. However, never use alcohol, solvents, or aggressive chemicals to clean the appliance. It's best to clean the insides of the machine weekly by running a coffee brewing procedure without inserting a capsule. This runs heated, clean water through the coffee machine.

Descaling

The machine will need descaling every two to three months to remove limescale buildup. Scaling reduces water flow and limits an appliance's lifespan. It's recommended that the Lavazza Descaling agent be used. You must not use vinegar to descale a coffee machine. Fill the water tank with Lavazza descaling agent (250ml) and clean, cold water (250ml). Power on the machine and position a container under the dispensing spout to catch the waste water. Press one of the power buttons on and allow the descaling solution to work for between 15-20 seconds. You may need to repeatedly empty your waste water container and you'll need to keep repeating the process until the water tank is empty.

Then you need to do a rinsing cycle. Wash the water tank out and fill it with fresh drinking water to the MAX level. Once again, put a container under the dispensing spout and use the power buttons to run water through the machine. The rinsing cycle needs to be performed twice, then the machine can be gently dried with a soft cloth.

Final verdict

I love that the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie & Milk can brew a coffee and froth milk at the same time. In terms of performance, yes, it certainly brews delicious coffee and creates warm, foamy milk. If you're in a hurry it is so convenient as you can have a large latte to go in around three minutes. So, having an espresso maker and a milk frother side-by-side do make a perfect pair.

I gave four stars all-round, because it's a perfectly decent mid-range coffee machine. My only gripe is a little bit of water collection in the capsule collection container and the difficult-to-see fill lines inside the milk frother.

Again, in terms of features, it completely lives up to its USP. The only things I'd want are a wider range of coffee capsules. Also, none of the Lavazza coffee machines mentioned in this review have Bluetooth connectivity or app compatibility. There are significantly cheaper coffee machines, such as the Nespresso Vertuo, that do. Do I worry much about that? No, but it can be handy for descaling alerts.

In terms of value, is the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie & Milk worth the money? In my opinion, absolutely. It fits neatly into my small kitchen and is easy to use and clean. I would just point out that it is half the price of the Nespresso by De’Longhi Gran Lattissima Coffee Machine, which, as the name suggests, makes milky coffees too.

Whether I'm having a long weekend breakfast or I need a quick hit of caffeine for the commute, the versatility of the Lavazza A Modo Mio Jolie & Milk means I can enjoy my coffee in so many ways. It doesn't cost the earth, either☕.

Rating 4/5

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Natalie Knowles is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for Yours, specialising in home appliances. When she's not testing sparkling water makers, she flexes her creative flair as an artist.