The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel machine offers the Sage distinctive quality and user-friendly. After turning on, it preheats and makes a scrumptious espresso or slightly longer lungo within 30 minutes.
Models for pods are a great alternative to bean-to-cup machines. They take the clumsiest parts of coffee making off your hands, like grinding and measuring grounds.
1. Rapid
Pod machines can be set up and used faster than espresso machines. They can typically make a cup in 30 seconds. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted coffee beans, and a lot are not recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines on the market due to its in-built barcode reader that scans the code of each compatible pod prior to making it. This ensures consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is hardly any possibility of getting a poor drink. The machine is among the tiniest and lightest available. It does not require an additional milk container and its compact footprint allows it to be easily incorporated into the smallest kitchens.
However, the CitiZ isn't the ideal machine for those looking to minimize their environmental impact. It doesn't come with an automatic descaling feature, and you'll have to clean it yourself every 300 cups if you reside in hard water, or 1200 cups in soft water zones. Once the filter cartridge runs out, you'll have to replace it with a new one. This can be costly for certain users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a speedy machine that has customisable buttons. It can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods that are pre-dosed, tampered grounds compressed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to decreasing the negative impact it has on the surroundings and its workforce. The only drawback is the time it takes to heat up. Once it does, it can brew one cup in around 35 minutes.
If you're looking for an elegant, stylish machine that can handle a variety of different sizes and styles then take a look at the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek machine designed in collaboration with Sage is not just simple to use, but also comes with an ice cream wand, an stainless steel jug and milk frother.
2. Removable parts
The user-friendliness is a big selling point and the best models are easy to use. The majority of machines utilize the same basic mechanism to brew your cup the water is heated inside a reservoir, then pressured through your chosen capsules and extracted to produce rich hot java. The majority of brands offer a variety of sizes of drinks to meet different needs, and you can save your own settings on a number of models to simplify the process even more.
Keurig K-Cups are among the top brands available on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also offer a large selection of capsules made by the most famous roasters. Some pods are designed to be used just once and then discarded, while others are meant to be used for a variety of purposes. Whatever the case, you'll need to plan out the way you'll dispose of the pods that are no longer being used so they do not end up in the garbage.
The sleek SMEG model we tested features a removable water tank that's easy to fill, and the machine automatically dispenses new capsules once the previous one has been cooled. It can brew lungo and espresso drinks, and comes with eight different blends that give you plenty of variety. This brewer is a great choice for those who love coffee and want to switch from drip coffee.
In our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design looks stunning on your counter, and it can be opened in a matter of seconds to reveal the compartment that stores your empty pods. It also comes with the added benefit of a water filtration system, which is great for hard-water areas.
This machine is easy to use and can make regular coffee (240ml), ristretto, and lungo espresso drinks. The controls are easy to use, with the style of airplane toggles that can be easily pulled back and a lever which retracts to reveal the hole to place into your coffee maker. It takes a bit of force to close but our testers, including those with limitations in hand strength and mobility were able to use it comfortably.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines eliminate all the mess that comes with coffee making. All you have to do is put a pod in the machine, push a button and let it be brewed. You'll still need to clean your machine occasionally, but not as often as a bean-to-cup or coffee pods coffee machine espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their bigger counterparts and can be stacked on the counter when not in use.
If a coffee pod machine is the best choice for you depends on your preferences and what you want to gain from it. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, however some provide more options for customization. Be aware of the different coffee pods, brew sizes and milk options for frothing when selecting the right machine.
The majority of people think of pod-based devices in the likes of Nespresso and Keurig however there are a few more recent competitors on the scene that could be worth considering. Bruvi has a custom-designed system of pods, called B-Pods, which can only be used in its machines. The pods have an underside barcode that machines scan to automatically adjust brewing settings.
This means that the machine eliminates all the guesswork the process of making a cup, and ensures each drink is perfect every time. It can even save customized drinks to a specific button so you can create them at the touch of a button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer more granular control over your coffee than the majority machines, allowing you to choose the right size and temperature for each cup. It's more expensive than many other models, but it comes with the polished stainless steel construction and the excellent customer service that is synonymous with the brand and is a great option for those looking to get something more from their pod-based coffee maker.
Some larger models can also make lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, a great example, combines retro fifties styling from SMEG and Italian coffee maker Lavazza. It's not easy at first thanks to the airplane-style toggles however once you've become accustomed to it, the machine is quick and satisfying to use. A lungo can be made in only 30 seconds.
4. Customization
One reason pod coffee makers might not be the right choice for you is its limited flexibility to customize. If you don't purchase an auxiliary milk frother, the only methods to add extra flavor or creaminess are to make use of an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option, and then add milk to your coffee manually. This shouldn't be a problem for many people, but it could be a problem for those who like an entirely automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew utilizes barcode scanners to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wettes and infuses the right amount of coffee to the specific kind of pod. It's a simple, hands-off machine that does the job flawlessly, but does not have any options for making drinks that are customized or altering the strength of brew. Some customers will be irritated by this, however others will find the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos, lungos and mugs) to be exactly what they're seeking.
This coffee maker is low-maintenance. It's all you have to do is to fill up the water tank and decaffeinate it every time. It dispenses short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs effortlessly and, as mentioned the used pods are ejected into a hidden receptacle that helps keep your kitchen clean. It also does an excellent job of serving full-bodied, crema-topped espressos.
This machine is part Smeg's 1950s style range. It is easy to use with a simple panel and can take ground coffee or ESE pods. The only drawback is that it doesn't have an indicator that lets you know when it's time to descale, and the maximum water level can't be set, which is a minor inconvenience. You'll also have to purchase the brand's capsules which can be costly. But, it's a great pod coffee maker for anyone looking for an attractive and practical appliance that can provide them with a great service at an affordable price. For those who want a little more variety, a broad selection of third-party capsules is available for this model and it's also compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.