Jolie times.
When it comes to early
morning coffee preparation, there is no simpler way to get your
caffeine boost than with a pod machine. We've reviewed a 'hella load'
in the past, and are happy to have been woken up by one recently. We
check out the compact and stylish Lavazza Jolie Coffee Machine.
No strangers to
Lavazza'a machines, we've had the pleasure of reviewing both the
affordable and small, and also the huge and expensive. The Jolie
falls toward the prior end of the size and price spectrum, requiring
less than 80 of your hard earned pounds, and taking up only a small
patch of your kitchen counter. Also, the headline about this thing is
that it recently scoop the Red Dot good design award for 2017, and we
can see why.
The Lavazza Jolie's
design is pretty much as simple as pod machines get, utilising a
metal crank arm to pierce the pod's skin, and a single button to
start and stop the water flowing. The water tank is situated at the
rear of the machine, out of the way but easy to remove, while the
drip tray up front can be removed to allow you to place a larger cup
or glass under the spout. It is available in white, lime green, blue,
and red (which is what we very happily received to test).
To use, you simply hit
the top button to start the warm-up process (which takes only 30
seconds or so), then lift the crank arm to insert one of Lavazza's
many types of Modo Mio coffee pods. Pull down the arm to secure the
pod, then, when the button's LED is solid, press it. Unlike many
machines which produce a pre-determined amount of coffee per press,
the Lavazza Jolie will keep on flowing until you press it again. This
we prefer, as it lets you choose exactly how much coffee you get in
whatever drink you're making. Oh, and this thing is quiet – by far
the quietest pod machine we've yet to review.
Once done, you lift the
crank arm once more to release the spent pod inside, and it falls
down into a removable reservoir just behind the drip tray. We found
you can get about five or six empty pods in there before it is full
and needs to be pulled out and emptied. It also catches drips and
excess coffee that might spill from the pods, so the whole operation
is nice and neat. All these removable ABS parts are, so Lavazza
inform us, dishwasher safe.
And there isn't much
more to say about the Lavazza Jolie, as it really is as simple as
that. No dials or pressure gauges to worry about (it's a ten bar
machine, in case you were wondering), no milk steaming arm, no messy
grounds... just a quick and easy espresso machine that looks great
and doesn't take up all that much space.
Lavazza coffee has, for
some time now, been the coffee of choice here at Test Pit Towers, and
their pod machines are quickly becoming a firm favourite, too. The
Modo Mio pods are the smallest of all the other main coffee
companies, yet seem to pack a punch in both flavour and smoothness.
The Jolie is the perfect way to serve up quick and tasty espresso
whenever you really need one. Hats off.
£66