TL;DR
Lavazza’s Tabli is a £199 single-serve coffee machine that uses compressed coffee tabs packaged in cardboard trays rather than conventional plastic pods. A reviewer who tested it at home for a week found it quick and easy to operate, but said its coffee lacked the freshness and nuance of freshly ground espresso; the tabs were also not yet widely available in UK supermarkets.
Lavazza’s £199 Tabli single-serve coffee machine uses compressed coffee tabs instead of conventional pods, offering a different format for people seeking pod-style convenience without a standard plastic capsule. A reviewer who tested it at home for a week found it simple and quick to use, but said its coffee did not match the flavour and aroma of freshly ground espresso, and noted that the tabs were not yet widely available in UK supermarkets.
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The Tabli has a 1.2-litre water tank, a stated pressure of 15 bar and dimensions of 32.7cm high, 16.5cm wide and 39cm deep. It is sold in graphite black, sand white and walnut brown, according to the product details supplied with the review. The machine offers three drink options, and the reviewer describes the controls and tab-loading process as straightforward. Used tabs are automatically ejected into an internal bin after brewing.
The coffee tabs are pre-portioned, compressed coffee supplied in cardboard trays with minimal plastic, rather than sealed in conventional pods. The reviewer said that, at the time of the review, customers in the UK would need to order tabs online because they were not yet widely stocked in supermarkets. The review advised buyers to order tabs alongside the machine or choose a bundle so they have coffee available when it arrives.
For the hands-on test, the reviewer kept the Tabli at home for one week and tried five tab varieties, using filtered water. The machine took about 30 minutes to unbox, rinse and connect to its app, with the first coffee made within 45 minutes of opening the box. The reviewer found it convenient for routine drinks, particularly when paired with milk, but used a separate Lavazza MilkEasy Plus frother, listed at £79, because the Tabli has no integrated milk frother.
Lavazza Tabli convenience meets coffee trade-offs
The £199 machine uses compressed coffee tabs instead of conventional pods. A week-long home review found it quick and easy to use, but less nuanced than freshly ground espresso.
What buyers get
The format changes how coffee is portioned and supplied.
Compressed coffee tabs
Pre-portioned tabs come in cardboard trays described as containing minimal plastic; used tabs drop into an internal bin.
Quick daily drinks
The reviewer found loading a tab and choosing a drink straightforward, especially for coffee served with milk.
The coffee trade-off
Convenience does not guarantee the aroma and nuance of freshly ground espresso.
- Quick, simple preparation
- Thick crema, according to the reviewer
- Works well with milk
- Less flavour nuance than fresh-ground espresso
- No integrated milk frother
- Tabs not yet widely stocked in UK supermarkets
Before you order
The machine is only part of the routine: coffee supply and care matter too.
The reviewer advised ordering tabs online or choosing a bundle so coffee is ready when the machine arrives.
A separate Lavazza MilkEasy Plus frother is listed at £79.
The manual recommends dispensing a lungo without a tab every two to three days to clear residue; hard-water users should follow descaling guidance.
The convenience and coffee trade-off
The Tabli targets a familiar compromise in single-serve coffee: quick preparation and portioned coffee can come with questions about packaging and the quality of the drink. Its tab format changes how the coffee is supplied, but the review does not establish the product’s full environmental impact or independently verify claims about plastic exposure from other coffee systems.
For buyers, the practical question is whether the machine’s ease of use and tab format outweigh its limitations. The reviewer found it useful for straightforward daily coffee and said the drinks worked well with milk. But people seeking the aroma and nuanced taste of freshly ground espresso may find the result less satisfying. The additional cost and counter space of a separate milk frother also matter for anyone who regularly makes flat whites or similar drinks.
Availability is another consideration: if tabs remain difficult to find in shops, customers will need to plan online purchases. That affects the system’s convenience beyond the machine itself, particularly for households that want to buy coffee during a regular supermarket trip.
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How the Tabli works
The Tabli follows the single-serve machine format: users place a pre-portioned coffee serving in the machine and select a drink, avoiding the need to grind beans or measure coffee. Lavazza’s version uses compressed tabs instead of conventional pods. The source describes the packaging as cardboard trays with minimal plastic, but does not provide detailed information about the tabs’ materials, disposal instructions or recycling arrangements.
During the review, the tester ran the machine through an initial rinse and brewed several times without a tab to flush it before making coffee. The reviewer said the machine does not automatically rinse itself when switched on or off. Its manual recommends dispensing a lungo without a tab every two to three days to clear coffee residue; the reviewer said they would prefer to do this daily. The reviewer also noted that the machine has no included water filter or option to install one, so people in hard-water areas should follow the manufacturer’s descaling guidance.
The review describes a 30ml single espresso, 60ml double and 100ml lungo as the preset drink volumes. It also notes limited clearance under the spout: a cup up to about 8cm tall fits with the drip tray in place for a single drink, while removing the tray allows taller mugs. The reviewer found the machine relatively bulky compared with some compact pod machines, despite its narrow 16.5cm width.
““What you don’t get in nuanced coffee flavour and aroma, is made up for in ease, speed, and convenience.””
— The reviewer
Questions on taste and tab supply
The source is a one-week review by a single tester, not a long-term assessment or independent comparison across multiple households. It does not report lab testing, a blind taste test, operating costs per drink or long-term reliability. Results may also depend on which tab varieties are used and on individual taste preferences.
It is not clear from the supplied material when tabs will become widely available in UK supermarkets, how their availability may change, or what disposal routes are available for the used tabs and trays. The review describes the packaging as containing minimal plastic but does not quantify its materials or provide lifecycle data. It also raises general concerns about plastic pods and microplastics without presenting testing that measures whether the Tabli reduces exposure or environmental impact.
The supplied material ends while describing app controls, so it does not establish what settings the app offers beyond the information already noted. It also does not give details about warranty terms, cleaning costs or the machine’s performance after extended use.
Check supplies before buying
Prospective buyers should check Lavazza’s current Tabli machine and tab availability, including whether a bundle is offered, before ordering. The source gives a £199 recommended retail price for the machine and lists a separate MilkEasy Plus frother at £79; it does not confirm current retailer pricing or stock.
For anyone who buys the machine, the review recommends having tabs ready for delivery and following the manual’s rinse and descaling guidance. Wider supermarket availability, longer-term performance and the practical disposal arrangements for tabs and packaging remain points to watch; the supplied source does not announce a timetable for any of them.
Key Questions
What is different about the Lavazza Tabli?
It uses compressed coffee tabs rather than conventional coffee pods. The tabs are supplied in cardboard trays described in the review as containing minimal plastic, and used tabs are ejected into an internal bin.
How much does the Tabli cost?
The supplied product details list a £199 recommended retail price. The review also lists the separate Lavazza MilkEasy Plus frother at £79; current prices may vary, and the source does not confirm retailer pricing.
Does the Tabli make espresso like a machine using fresh beans?
The reviewer reported a thick crema but said the taste was less nuanced than espresso made from fresh beans. They described its flavour as closer to coffee from other pod-style machines.
Can I make milk-based drinks with the Tabli?
The reviewer said the coffee worked well in milky drinks, but the machine has no integrated milk frother. They used a separate Lavazza MilkEasy Plus; another suitable frother would also need to be purchased separately.
Are Lavazza Tabli tabs easy to buy in the UK?
At the time of the review, the tabs were not yet widely available in UK supermarkets and had to be ordered online. The source does not give a timetable for wider shop availability.
Source: idealhome.co.uk
