The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The most sleek pod machine we've seen, this brushed-steel model offers the renowned Sage quality and user-friendly. When it is turned on, it heats up and brews a fragrant espresso or a slightly longer lungo in about 30 minutes.
As opposed to bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the messiest aspects of coffee making out of your hands - including grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Fast
Pod machines are generally easier to set up and use than espresso machines, with many capable of making a cup of coffee in 30 seconds or so. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines are generally more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans, and a majority of them aren't recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines on the market, thanks to its in-built barcode reader that scans the code of each compatible pod prior to brewing it. This ensures consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is virtually no possibility of getting a poor drink. The machine is among the lightest and slimmest on the market. It doesn't require an additional milk container and its small footprint allows it to be easily incorporated into even the smallest kitchens.
The CitiZ isn't the best machine to reduce the environmental impact. The CitiZ doesn't have an automatic descaling feature. You'll need to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water and 1200 cups for soft water. Once the filter cartridge runs out, you'll need to replace it with a new one. This can be costly for certain users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another speedy machine with customisable buttons and the option to use either ground coffee or ESE pods that are pre-dosed, tampered and packed between filter paper. The model is B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to decreasing its negative impact on the environment and its employees. The only drawback is the time it takes to heat up. Once it does it will brew a cup in just 35 minutes.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish, sleek machine that can create a variety of drinks with different sizes and styles. This gorgeous, glossy machine, developed in collaboration with Sage it is not only simple and quick to operate but also comes with an ice cream frothing wand as well as an stainless steel jug.
2. Removable parts
The ease of use is a big selling point and the top models are easy to operate. The majority of machines use the same method to make your cup: water is heated inside a reservoir, then pumped through the capsules you choose and extracted to form rich, hot java. The majority of brands offer a variety of drink sizes to suit different requirements, and you can save your own settings on many models to speed up the process even more.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading brands on the market, however each offers a wide selection of capsules from the most popular roasters and brands. Some pods are designed to be used only once before being get thrown away, whereas others are meant to be used multiple times. 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 an ejectable water tank that's easy to fill and the machine will automatically pour new capsules once the previous one has been cooled. It can be used to brew lungo and espresso drinks, and comes with a set of eight different blends that provide you with a wide selection. This brewer is ideal for coffee drinkers who wish to switch to drip coffee.
In our testing, the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most satisfying to use. Its sleek design is an attractive addition to your counter and it opens with a light touch to reveal a hidden compartment to store your empty pods. It has an in-built water filter system which is perfect for areas that have hard water.
This machine is easy to use and can make standard coffee (240ml) as well as ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. Its user-friendly controls are easy to use using the aircraft-style toggles as well as a lever that retracts with little effort to reveal the area where you drop in the pod. It requires some pressure to close, however the majority of our testers who have limitations in hand strength and mobility, felt comfortable.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines take all the messy parts of making coffee out of your hands. You simply need to load the pod, press an icon and make coffee. You will still need to clean the machine from time to time but not as often as you would with a bean-to-cup cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are smaller than their bigger counterparts, and can be stored on the counter when not in use.
The right coffee pod machine for you will be determined by your personal preferences and what you want to achieve. All pod machines are simple to use, but some offer more customisation options than others. Take into consideration the variety of coffee pods, brew sizes and milk options for frothing when picking the best machine.
The most popular pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are a few newer competitors worth looking at. One is Bruvi which makes use of a bespoke pod system called B-Pods that can only be used with its machines. These pods are marked with a barcode that is read by the machine to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
This method eliminates all the guesswork of brewing a cup and guarantees that every drink comes out perfectly every time. It is even able to save custom drinks to a separate button, allowing you to make them with the press of a single button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a greater degree of control over your coffee, allowing you to choose a specific size and temperature for each beverage. It's a little more expensive than some models, but it comes with the polished stainless steel design and top-quality customer service that's associated with the brand. It is a great option for those looking to get a bit more from their pod-based coffee maker.
Some models with larger capacities can also make lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, a great example, combines retro style of the fifties from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It's a bit difficult to use due to its toggles that resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's incredibly easy and incredibly satisfying to operate - a lungo is brewed in less than 30 seconds and the pods that are used are placed in an internal bin at the push of the button.
4. Customization
One reason a pod coffee maker may not be the right choice for you is the limited flexibility to customize. If you don't have an additional milk frother, the only way to enhance flavor or creaminess is to use a hot tea or chocolate option in your mug, or to manually add milk to coffee. For many people this won't be a problem however it could be a sticking point for those who prefer a fully automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew uses barcode scanners to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wets and infuses, then dispensing the correct amount of coffee for the specific type of pod. It's a hands-free, easy-to-use machine that performs its job well, but it doesn't have any options for making drinks that are customized or for varying the strength of the brew. Some buyers will be annoyed by this, however others will find the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos and mugs, lungos and espressos) to be exactly what they are searching for.
Aside from filling up the water tank and decaffeinating it occasionally, this coffee maker will not need a lot of maintenance. It can dispense short espresso shots or tall travel mugs easily. As mentioned earlier, the used pods are then ejected from a hidden container that helps keep your kitchen tidy. It is also great at delivering full-bodied espressos with crema-topped tops.
This machine is part of Smeg’s 1950s-style collection. It is easy to use with a simple panel and capsule coffee maker can accommodate ground coffee or ESE pods. The only drawback is the lack of an indicator that will let you know when to descale, and the inability to set the maximum water level. You'll also have to purchase the brand's own capsules which can be expensive. But, it's a good pod coffee maker for anyone looking for an attractive and functional appliance that will provide them with quality coffee at an affordable price. For those who want some variety, a large selection of third-party capsules is offered for this model. It's also compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.