The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The most sleek pod machine we've seen this brushed-steel model offers the renowned Sage quality and ease of use. After switching on, it preheats and brews a fragrant espresso or slightly longer lungo within 30 seconds.
As opposed to bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the most messed-up aspects of coffee-making out of your hands, such as grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Speedy
Pod machines can be installed and used more quickly than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup of coffee in 30 seconds. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines are generally more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans, and a lot of them aren't recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines available on the market, thanks to its in-built barcode reader that scans the code of each compatible pod prior to brewing it. This allows you to make consistent quality, high-end coffee each time, and there is virtually no chances of a drink turning out badly wrong. The machine is one of the lightest and slimmest available. It does not require an additional milk container and its compact size makes it easy to fit into the smallest kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine for those who want to reduce their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automatic descaling function and you'll need to clean it yourself every 300 cups if reside in hard water areas or 1200 cups in soft water zones. You'll also need to swap in a new filter cartridge once this runs out and can be expensive for some users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a fast machine that can be customized with buttons. It can be utilized with ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed, tampered ground compressed in between filter paper. The model is B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to reducing its negative impact on the environment and its employees. The only drawback is the time it takes to heat up. Once it does, it can brew one cup in about 35 minutes.
If you're looking for a sleek, stylish machine that can handle a range of different sizes and styles then you should look no further than the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek machine, designed in collaboration with Sage is not only easy to use but also comes with an ice cream wand, stainless steel jug and a milk frother.
2. Removable parts
A pod coffee maker's ease of use is a major selling point and the top models are easy to use. The majority of machines utilize the same method to make your cup the water is heated inside a reservoir, then pressured through your chosen capsules and extracted to create rich hot java. The majority of brands offer various sizes of drinks for different needs. You can also save custom settings to streamline the process.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading players in the market, yet each has a variety of capsules from popular roasters and brands. Some pods are made to be used only once before being get thrown away, whereas others are intended for multiple uses. You'll need a plan to dispose of your old pods to prevent them from ending up in the garbage.
The sleek SMEG model we tested comes with a water tank that is removable and easy to fill and the machine automatically dispenses a fresh capsule once the previous one has cooled. It can be used to brew coffee and lungo drinks and comes with a set of eight different blends that give you plenty of variety. This brewer is ideal for coffee lovers who want to move away from drip coffee.
In our tests in our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable one to use. Its sleek design is beautiful on your counter, and it can be opened with a single touch to reveal the hidden compartment that stores empty pods. It has an in-built water filter system that is perfect for areas with hard water.
This machine is quick and can make standard coffee (240ml) as well as ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. Its user-friendly controls are a joy to navigate, thanks to airplane-style toggles and a lever that retracts without much effort to reveal the opening where you drop in your coffee maker. It requires a little force to close, but our testers, including those with limitations in hand strength and mobility, found it comfortable.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines take all the messy parts of making coffee out of your hands - you simply load in the pod, press an icon and make coffee. You'll still have to clean the machine from time to time, but not as frequently as you would with a bean-to cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their larger counterparts and can be stacked best pod coffee machine on the counter when not in use.
The ideal coffee maker for you will depend on your preferences and the goals you'd like to achieve. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, however some offer more customization options. Consider the coffee pod variety, brew sizes and milk frothing options when choosing the best machine.
The most popular pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However, there are some newer competitors worth a look. One is Bruvi which makes use of its own pod system, known as B-Pods that can only be used by its machines. The pods are identified with a barcode, which is read by the machine to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
The machine will eliminate the guesswork out of it and ensure that every drink is perfect every time. It can even save customized drinks to a specific button to allow you to create them at the touch of a button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a more granular level of control over your coffee and allows you to select a specific temperature and size for each beverage. It's more expensive than other models, however it comes with the polished stainless-steel construction and the excellent customer service that is a hallmark of the Sage's My Way brand. This is a good option for those who want an extra bit of quality from their espresso maker that is based on pods.
While the majority of people will use a pod-based machine to make single-serve drinks, there are some larger models that can create longer shots, also known as lungos, also. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is an excellent example of this, and it blends the retro-fifties style of SMEG with the retro-fifties design of SMEG Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It can be a little difficult to operate due to its airplane-style toggles and manual lever, but it's incredibly easy and incredibly satisfying to operate - a lungo is brewed in just 30 seconds and the discarded pods are placed in an internal bin at the push of the button.
4. Customization
One reason the pod coffee maker might not be right for you is its lack of customization. If you don't have an additional milk frother, then the only way to add flavor or creaminess is to make use of hot tea or chocolate option in your mug or to manually add milk to your the coffee. This won't be an issue for many people, but it could be an issue for those who prefer an entirely automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew uses barcode scanners to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wettes, infuses and dispenses the correct amount of coffee to the particular type of pod. It's a simple, hands-off machine that does the job very well but lacks any options for customised drinks or altering the strength of brew. Some buyers will be annoyed by this, but others will find the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos and lungos, as well as mugs) to be exactly what they're looking for.
Aside from filling up the tank with water and decaffeinating the reservoir occasionally, this coffee maker will not require a lot of maintenance. It can make short espresso shots or tall travel mugs with ease. As previously mentioned, used pods are ejected in a container hidden from view that keeps your kitchen tidy. It also does a fantastic job of delivering full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
This machine is part of Smeg’s 1950s style range. It's easy to use with a simple control panel and can take ground coffee or ESE pods. The only drawback is the absence of a display that lets you know when to descale, and the inability to set the maximum water level. It is also necessary to purchase the brand's capsules which can be expensive. Nevertheless, this is an excellent pod coffee maker for those looking for an attractive and convenient appliance that will provide them with a great service at an affordable price. For those who want some variety, a broad selection of third-party capsules are available for this model, and it's also compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.