TechRadar Verdict
The Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy is an easy-to-use, single-serve coffee machine that produces rich, smooth espresso with a thick crema in no time at all. It also comes with Alexa built in – but it's expensive, and can only brew two different coffees.
Pros
- +
Simple and quick
- +
Creates rich espresso with thick crema
- +
Alexa is built in
Cons
- -
Capsules are more expensive than ground coffee
- -
Requires a separate milk frother
- -
Can only make two types of coffees
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One-minute review
The Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy is the first (ever) espresso machine with Alexa built-in, and there has been no other coffee machine to rival this position since it launched in fall 2021.
Single-serve best coffee makers, often referred to as pod coffee machines, have been around since the mid-1980s, making it possible to create barista-style drinks with minimum fuss. The ground coffee is contained within a capsule, which, at the time brewing begins, is pierced several times so water can be pushed through the coffee. The capsule is then injected into a container that can be emptied directly into the rubbish bin.
Nespresso may be the most well-known manufacturer of pod coffee machines, but other brands such as Lavazza are giving the brand a run for its money with their simple, easy-to-use coffee makers. So it's no surprise that almost one million Brits purchased a single-serve coffee machine in 2019, according to Statistia.
The A Modo Mio Voicy is the latest pod machine from Lavazza, and for the first time can double up as one of the best smart speakers, since this coffee machine comes with Alexa built-in. As with the Swan Alexa 1.5 Litre Smart Kettle (another world-first), you can request a weather report, have your burning questions answered, or simply ask Amazon’s voice assistant to start a coffee brewing for you – but is this functionality enough to secure it a place in our list of the best coffee makers?
Using Lavazza-compatible coffee pods, this machine can create two different types of coffee: espresso and espresso lungo, which takes slightly longer to brew but results in a stronger coffee. You can customize the volume of coffee produced with each cup, too. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy includes a 1.1-litre water tank, along with a used capsule container that can hold 10 pods at a time.
There’s no steam wand with this model, and at £249.99 (approx. $365 / AU$ 548), this is one of the most expensive single-serve coffee makers we’ve tested. However, for those who want to be able to customize the volume of coffee and want Alexa smarts built in, this coffee maker is worth the investment.
Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy review: price and availability
- RRP: £249.99
- Only currently available in the UK
The Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy is priced at £249.99 (approx. $365 / AU$ 548) and is the company’s top-of-the-range pod coffee machine. It’s available through Lavazza direct, as well as through Amazon UK.
This model can also be purchased as part of Lavazza’s coffee subscription service, which sees the appliance cost just £50, alongside a capsule subscription of at least 10 packs of capsules for a minimum of nine deliveries. With capsules costing £4.40 that works out to a total of £396 on top of the £50.
Value: 4/5
Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy review: specification
- Price: £299
- Water tank capacity: 38.7oz / 1.1L
- Power consumption: 1450W
- Automatic shut off: 9 minutes
- Control: touchscreen, app or Alexa
- Dimensions: 30 x 15.7 x 38cm (h x w x d
- Weight: 4.5kg
Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy review: design
- Makes two different coffee drinks
- Easy one-touch use
- 1.1-litre water tank
The Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy is a relatively compact single-serve coffee machine, measuring 11.8 x 6.18 x 14.9inches / 30 x 15.7 x 38cm (h x w x d) and weighing in at 4.5kg. Its matte-black styling and plastic design don’t look or feel particularly premium, however.
On its front is an oval-shaped control panel that features seven buttons, some of which are used to brew coffee and others for controlling the volume of the built-in speaker through which Alexa issues her responses. The control panel is surrounded by a LED ring that glows blue when Amazon’s voice assistant is responding, or red if it has been muted.
The Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy has a 5W speaker, and Wi-Fi connectivity not only allows access to Alexa but also connects the coffee machine to the Piacere Lavazza app. Through the app, you can adjust the Modo Mio Voicy’s settings, order coffee capsules and even retrieve tips on how to brew the perfect cup of coffee.
As mentioned, the Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy can brew two different coffees. The volume of espresso and espresso lungo can be customized in 5ml increments from 10ml to 245ml. Plus, you can raise the temperature of the coffee to a level that Lavazza dubs extra hot through Alexa, or using the app.
The machine has a 1.1-litre water tank, while the cup stand is adjustable to hold cups up to 11cm in height. Once you’ve made your coffee, used capsules are automatically ejected into a container that slides out from the front of the machine. It holds up to 10 capsules at a time.
Design: 5/5
Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy review: performance
- Produces smooth espresso with a thick crema
- Temperature and coffee volume can be customized
- Alexa is built-in
The Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy was extremely easy to set up and use. It took just 24 seconds to brew 30ml of espresso with a compatible capsule. The resulting coffee was smooth and rich, with a thick crema that reformed after a teaspoon of sugar had been sprinkled over the hot drink. The coffee registered a temperature of 68ºC as soon as it had been dispensed, which is an acceptable level for this hot drink. Adjusting the setting to ‘extra hot” saw the temperature rise to 72ºC on our thermometer.
We also brewed 60ml of espresso lungo on the Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy, which took 31 seconds for the drink to be dispensed. Our decibel meter registered 53dB when pouring an espresso, making it one of the quietest single-serve coffee machines we’ve tested – that’s the equivalent to moderate rainfall and is more than acceptable in our eyes.
While this machine didn’t result in much splashing when pouring drinks, there was some dripping after the coffee had finished being dispensed.
As far as Alexa smarts are concerned, we found the voice assistant responsive when asked a question or to perform a task, such as brewing a coffee (although you’ll need to ensure a capsule is inserted, and a cup is in place before you do this). Alexa was also able to effectively adjust the temperature of the coffee we brewed, and could also provide a weather report and play our favourite Michael Bublé album on Spotify.
The removable drip tray, water tank, and used capsule container are all dishwasher-safe, making the Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy super-easy to clean.
Unfortunately, there’s no steam wand included on this pod coffee machine, so you’ll need to purchase one separately if you want to create milk-based coffees.
Performance: 4.5/5
Should I buy the Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy?
| Attribute | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Whilst you get a lot of tech spec for your money, this is an expensive coffee maker and is only currently available at select resellers in the UK | 4/5 |
| Design | Holds up to 10 capsules, you can brew 2 coffee types and it has a 5W speaker plus Wi-Fi connectivity | 5/5 |
| Performance | Really easy to set up and use, Alexa was responsive and some parts are dishwasher safe, but there's no steam wand | 4.5/5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy review: also consider
| Nespresso Vertuo Next | Nespresso Vertuo Plus | Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price: | £150 | £179 | £249 |
| Water container capacity: | 1.1L | 1.7L | 0.9L |
| Cups sizes: | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| Wattage: | 1260W | 1260W | 1250W |
| Control: | Button | Button | Buttons, lever |
| Dimensions: | 314 x 429 x 142 mm (h x w x d) | 232 x 335 x 394 mm (h x w x d) | 390 x 156 x 370mm (h x w x d) |
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First reviewed: October 2021
Updated: March 2023
