But for the purest engine experience, displacement has no replacement. All other methods are simply attempts to artificially recreate the benefits of displacement.
We have the Krupps Dolce Gusto machine: http://www.comet.co.uk/p/Coffee-Makers/buy-KRUPS-KP210040-Coffee-Maker/490466It makes pretty good coffee and hot chocolate.The other thing to consider is the price of the pods.With the Dolce Gusto pods, you buy a box of pods for about £3.50, which for gives you 16 pods, now normal coffee is just 1 pod per drink (ie 16 drinks) but with cappuccino, latte and hot chocolate you use 2 pods per drink, so you only get 8 drinks from a £3.50/16pod box. Not sure how that compares with other makes though.
I don't think a semi will give the same results