Pod machines are so convenient that they’re a critical element in many people’s coffee consumption patterns, but while they make decent coffee in a fraction of the time, there’s always been a sacrifice in the overall coffee flavor that distinguishes cups made from capsules to cafe-quality coffee.

It turns out that pod coffee as we know it is far from its peak and one Singaporian coffee company is here to give us a shot of pod coffee’s true potential. The Morning Machine by Akronym is not your average pod machine, featuring: water and temperature control, in-built scales, and customizable pressure programs that allow you to extract the best possible flavor from any blend. 

This fundamental shift in extraction capabilities is paired with the company’s extensive list of partnerships with passionate local and international coffee roasters who produce pods for the system and pair them with curated extraction programs. This means that each of the different types of coffee on offer have genuinely unique flavor profiles and open up an entire world of coffee tasting to anyone reliant on the simplicity of pod machines. 

This all might sound like it’s building up to be an expensive process, but at $387 / £349 / AU$599, the Morning Machine isn’t anywhere near as expensive as some of the top range pod machines available today… and it’s even further from what you’d have to fork out for a manual machine that could produce coffee just as well. 

Even the specialty pods themselves aren’t bank-breakingly pricey, with the vast majority of capsules landing between $0.80 (£0.5 / AU$1) and $1.40 (£0.75 / AU$1.50) per pod. The lower end of this range will get you a really decent coffee blend from a reputable local roaster that’s perfect for mixing with milk. Increase that a little to the $1.40 (£0.75 / AU$1.50) mark and you’ll start to get some decent single origin coffee with interesting flavors that are well suited to espressos and long blacks. There’s even a handful of $2.20 ( £15.50 / AU$2.70) pods offering a more unique coffee-tasting experience that includes things like award-winning single origins from Panama and whiskey barrel aged beans that will satisfy the curiosity of even die-hard coffee aficionados. 

If this wide variety of capsules wasn’t enough, the Morning Machine’s collaborators also offer a decent variety of drip bags, decaffeinated coffee and compatible tea capsules for family members that don’t go in for traditional espresso. 

• Check out our Best coffee machines page to see how it compares. 

While good quality coffee is critical to making the perfect cuppa, the machine has a number of fundamentally different capabilities compared to your average pod machine that make it uniquely equipped to make excellent coffee. 

The first is the temperature control which can be set anywhere from 65º to 99º Celsius (149ºF to 210ºF). This might seem like a trivial function designed to cater to individuals who like to order a ‘hot’ coffee, but coffee extraction temperature actually has an important relationship to the balance of oils, caffeine and flavors you get from the brew. A few degrees difference can dramatically change the viscosity, bitterness and subsequent mouthfeel of two otherwise identical shots. 

Pressure and time are two other critical factors in extracting the best flavors from coffee that the Morning Machine allows you to tweak. Not only can you customize multi-stage pressure regimes that allow you to properly infuse coffee initially with water and then ramp up the intensity to really maximize the flavor you can extract, the length of time grounds are exposed to water and the weight of coffee extracted are both measured and adjustable to the exact quantities you’d like. All this amounts to an extremely versatile machine that is capable of making very sophisticated espresso shots in a wide variety of styles. 

If that whole last paragraph made it sound like this machine is perhaps too complicated for you, then feel free to be placated by the fact that the device can actually be as simple as you want it to be. Each coffee pod you buy already has a pre-configured extraction program designed by the people who made the coffee to best express the blend – all you have to do is select the coffee from the Morning by Akronym companion app and hit ‘Brew’. 

The app is also great for seeing what coffee you’d like to try next and creates a handy interface for tweaking your roaster's recommendations if your tastes differ slightly from theirs, but this software isn’t without faults. First and foremost we wish it was a little more able to dig into the coffee machine’s settings so you could tweak them on the machine directly from the phone app, and monitor things like water level and how long until you're due for a device clean. 

Perhaps the main reason the app’s limitations are even an issue is that the Morning Machine isn’t always the most intuitive device to navigate. The settings are tucked away behind a push-and-hold menu interface that isn’t the first place you’d look and while I was aware of all the functionalities during my testing, trying to find how to just pour hot water or other intermediate capabilities required me to consult a handbook. While some of the more advanced functions can be complicated, I found all the essential functions more than straightforward enough… so this limitation is hardly a dealbreaker. 

One feature that will be a challenge for many, however, is that the company doesn’t yet have a solid option for heating and frothing milk. At the time of writing there was only a workaround solution – combining milk heated on the stove with the $46 (£45 / AU$56.50) Subliminal NanoFoamer V2 frothing wand. I've heard tell that it actually makes great microfoam (although I haven't tried it myself), but this is a very different level of convenience for anyone that wants milk with their Morning Machine coffee at this time, so it's something that definitely holds the product back from meeting its full potential. 

While Akronym might not have milk under its belt just yet, there are enough third-party standalone milk frothers out there that you can use to piece together a compact milk and coffee arrangement. It will be an additional $50 - $200 (£45 plus / AU$50 plus) cost that you’ll have to factor into the overall equation, and while the espresso might be better than other pod machines, milk is the primary ingredient in many people’s morning brew and it’s obviously going to line up exactly with what you can already get. 

If you can wait till September 2023, Subliminal has a device called a NanoFoamer Pro on Kickstarter that looks like a significant improvement on today's standalone  milk frothers. The NanoFoamer Pro has some clever features like dose markings, temperature control, settings for alternate milks and a built-in spout to pour with more control, so we suspect it'll quickly become one of the best on the market.  

The Morning Machine system is already working with roasters to design recyclable aluminum and compostable packaging for anyone keen on keeping their environmental footprint to a minimum, and the device is officially compatible with Nespresso products (and vice versa for the aluminum capsules) for those who want to dabble before committing. Because of the standardized pod sizing, you shouldn’t have any issues with reusable BYO coffee capsules, and the wide variety of water output options means you can use the device for a range of other instances, including hot chocolate, babies bottles or a cheeky cup of ramen noodles.  

All up this is a pretty amazing coffee machine that dramatically raises the bar in pod espresso quality… even if it doesn't have an equivalent tool for milk management just yet. 

The Morning Machine review: Price and release date

• $387 / £349 / AU$599
• Launched Nov 30, 2022

At the time of writing, the Morning Machine only sells direct to customer from the manufacturer for $387 / £349 / AU$599 for the machine alone.

While in Australia all the accessories are sold separately, in the US and UK you can buy a Morning Milk Bundle for $469 / £389, which includes a metal jug to heat on the stove and a Subliminal NanoFoamer V2. 

Pods cost between $8 - $22 / £4 - £15.50 / AU$9 - $27 for a pack of 10, depending on how unique and experimental you’d like the flavors to be. There’s also options to buy drip bags, teas and other more unique brew styles.

The Morning Machine review: Specs

Should you buy the Morning Machine?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

If you're not quite sold on the Morning Machine just yet, below are a couple of other options to consider.

HOW I TESTED THE MORNING MACHINE

• Tested for one week
• Used at home and compared various blend and single origin coffees
• Used the Drink Morning by Akronym Android App

To test the coffee machine I used it for a week alongside my existing manual coffee machine to compare the brew produced. I tasted eight different styles of coffees, with the majority of those coming from local roasters (in Australia where I am based) whose coffee I've tasted from manual machines. 

I did not test the Subliminal NanoFoamer V2 or the FlowTip milk jug, however years of using French press, Otto machines and other milk heating solutions has taught me how much work stovetop solutions can be.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed March 2023]

I’ve reviewed a lot of camera gear over the past 15 years, but every now and then a new bit of kit gets me super excited. In fact, I shared the 5 reasons why I couldn’t wait to use the OM System 90mm macro lens earlier this year on TechRadar. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait too long to get my hands on one, and since then, I’ve had an extended period capturing next-level macro photography with it.

What makes the OM 90mm macro lens appear head and shoulders above the rest? For me, it is undoubtedly the most versatile and easy-to-use macro lens, especially when paired with the OM System OM-1 camera. This cutting-edge Micro Four Thirds tech thrives for macro photography for a number of reasons I’ll get into.

Spec-wise, the Micro Four Thirds 90mm focal length and 2x magnification translate to a full-frame equivalent 180mm focal length lens with 4x magnification. The numbers get more extreme when you whack on a teleconverter, whereby you can multiply those numbers up to 1.4x or 2x again. Yes, you read those incredible numbers correctly.

That focal length is what I consider to be on the long end for macro and provides greater working distances than shorter focal lengths usually do – here, the minimum focus distance is a decent 0.224m / 8.8in. More distance makes a practical difference, especially when photographing live subjects that move or get scared easily in the shadow of encroaching, towering hunks of metal. 

These long-end macro lenses, say on a DSLR camera, are bulky and expensive. And while the price for this lens is also high – $1,499 / £1,299 / AU$2,249 – it's comparatively tiny in size compared to like-for-like full-frame macro lenses.

A full-frame equivalent 4x magnification is ludicrous – most dedicated macro lenses max out at 1x magnification. Other more extreme macro lenses from the likes of quirky lens specialist Laowa are manual focus-only lenses, but the OM 90mm macro lens utilizes a powerful autofocus system.

It’s true that most macro photographers use manual focus only, but in my time with this lens, I have used both autofocus and manual focus with equal effect; the former can be used with in-camera automatic focus stacking (read on for more detail), while the latter can be done easily via the beautifully designed manual focus clutch.  

Things become really interesting when you connect the OM 90mm macro lens with its perfect match, the OM System OM-1 mirrorless camera. Utilizing industry-leading in-body image stabilization, Focus Stacking computational mode, and intelligent autofocus, I found it entirely possible to shoot at such extreme magnifications handheld for the first time. 

Before I get further into the shooting experience, which, in this review, involved the OM-1 camera, I’ll take you on a quick tour around the lens itself. 

The build quality of the lens is excellent, built to match equally rugged cameras like the OM-1, with IP-53-rated weather resistance. Hopefully, OM System won’t mind reading that I’ve felt completely at ease using the lens in the rain and dirt over extended periods. 

You get a generous manual focus ring that pops down to reveal a manual focus clutch with focus distances and magnification marked out. My experience with manual focusing has been OK – it’s focus by wire, which means there is a little lag, but nothing that can't be worked with. 

The focus distance limiter switch has three options; regular focusing, macro, and ‘S Macro’. To obtain that 2x magnification, you’ll need to be in the S Macro setting regardless if you are focusing manually or using autofocus. 

The image stabilization switch remained on for me the entire test. The L-Fn button can be assigned a control from the camera menu. Given that I switched a lot between manual focusing and focus stacking, I set this button to select ‘Focus Stacking On/Off’ to make the switch quicker. 

Slow precise macro work typically involves mounting a camera to a supporting sliding rail for micro adjustments and then focusing manually. However, the OM-1 and OM 90mm macro lens have allowed me to shoot handheld macro, with autofocus, more regularly than ever before. 

It’s the combination of powerful image stabilization that steadies hand movement (which is extreme when working closely) and intelligent autofocus (even for tiny subjects and close distances), together with the Focus Stacking computational mode (that can combine up to 15 images automatically at the push of a button to increase depth of field, which is essential), that has freed me to work handheld. 

Put simply, the camera and lens pairing has made light work of tricky macro photography subjects and is the most versatile system for field macro work where simplicity is often key, both photography and video. 

This lens is not a one trick pony, either. As a 180mm f/3.5 equivalent lens, it’s a decent portrait and sports lens, especially considering that snappy autofocus is on board. Heck, I’m partial to telephoto landscape photography, too, so I could see myself using this lens a lot if it lived with me.

The lens comes supplied with a decent-sized lens hood to eliminate flare, but the hood can be a little obtrusive when using the lens for close macro photography focus distances. 

Crucially, I've been very impressed with the image quality produced by the OM 90mm macro lens. There's no visible lens distortion, while detail is super sharp across the entire frame, even wide open at the maximum f/3.5 aperture. I’ve stopped down to f/5.6, for example, and seen little difference in sharpness from wide open. 

Bokeh (the quality of out-of-focus areas) is, for the most part, dreamy. There’s a smooth focus fall-off, and where there’s dappled background light and specular highlights, you’ll see rounded smooth bokeh (even when stopped down to f/5.6), with no real color fringing.

For close-focusing macro photos, bokeh is less appealing – you lose some of that smoothness – nothing unattractive, but the easiest way to describe it is as ‘busy’. Also, in-camera focus stacking is fallible – it's a computational mode after all – with regular evidence of haloing, depending on the subject and contrast.

All things considered, those are minor points, and I’ll finish by saying that I have just found my favorite macro photography lens. 

OM System 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO: Price and availability

The OM System 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO costs $1,499 / £1,299 / AU$2,249 which is undeniably a serious investment, but is justified especially given its long focal length. Common and less costly autofocus macro lenses for Micro Four Thirds are usually 30mm or 45mm in focal length, with 1x magnification.  

Then there are alternatives from Laowa that offer a 2x magnification, including the 50mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO lens. Compared to the OM 90mm macro, its focal length and minimum focus distance are around half, plus its manual focus only, but it only costs $399 / £429 (approximately AU$600).

Should you buy the OM System 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the OM System 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO

I paired the OM 90mm macro lens with the OM System OM-1 camera and excitedly headed to the garden in search of tiny subjects of interest, like fungi and insects. It’s a camera and lens pairing that I’ve had a decent length of time with and got a good feel for what’s possible, and the pleasure hasn’t worn off. 

While this is a lens review and not a camera review, I find myself naturally referring to how the camera makes life with the lens such a pleasure. The OM-1’s stacked sensor, image stabilization, intelligent autofocus, and powerful computational modes have made handheld ultra-high magnification macro photography entirely possible, the likes of which I couldn't achieve before without a camera support.

I’ve played around with manual focusing via the manual focus clutch, autofocus, taking the same macro image several times with adjustments to aperture, and the focus stacking, to check image quality. There’s more to the OM 90mm macro lens than macro, too – I’ve also taken portraits, shot sports, and landscapes, which are other scenarios that can suit this lens.

First tested April 2023