The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel model offers the Sage brand's distinctive quality and user-friendly. When it is turned on, it warms up and makes a delicious espresso or a slightly longer lungo in about 30 minutes.
As opposed to bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the most messed-up aspects of coffee making off your hands, including grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Rapid
Pod machines can be set up and operated faster than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup of coffee in 30 seconds. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines are typically more expensive than freshly roasted coffee beans, and a majority of them are not recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines on the market due to the barcode scanner which scans each compatible pod's code prior to making coffee. This allows you to ensure consistent, high-quality coffee every time, with next-to-no chances of a drink turning out horribly wrong. The machine is one of the lightest and slimmest on the market. It does not require an additional milk container, and its compact footprint makes it easy to fit into even the smallest kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the ideal machine for those who want to reduce their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automated descaling function, and you'll have to descale it yourself once every 300 cups if reside in hard water areas or 1200 cups in soft water areas. You'll also need to swap with a new cartridge once this runs out, which could be costly for some users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another speedy machine with customisable buttons and the option to use either ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed, tampered and compressed between filter paper. This model is also B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to decreasing its negative impact on the environment as well as its employees. Its only downside is that it takes a little longer to warm up, but once this occurs, it can make a cup in around 35 seconds.
If you're looking for a sleek, stylish machine that can handle a variety of different drink sizes and styles, take a look at the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This gorgeous, glossy machine, developed in collaboration with Sage and Sage, is not just easy to use and quick to start, but also comes with an ice-cream frothing wand, as well as a stainless steel jug.
2. Removable parts
The simplicity of pod coffee makers is a major selling point. The top models are easy to operate. Most machines use the same process to brew the cup of coffee you want that is, heated water is placed in the reservoir, and then pushed through capsules to create rich hot coffee. The majority of brands offer a variety of sizes for drinks to meet different requirements, and you can save custom settings on many models to speed up the process further.
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 popular roasters. Some pods are made to be used only once before being be thrown away, while others are intended for multiple uses. You'll need a plan to dispose of your old pods to prevent them from being thrown away.
The SMEG we tested has a reservoir of water that is simple to fill. It also automatically releases another capsule after the previous one cools down. It can be used to brew lungo and espresso drinks and comes with eight different blends to offer variety. This brewer is a great choice for coffee drinkers 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 to use. Its sleek design is an attractive addition to your countertop, and it opens with a simple touch to reveal a concealed compartment for empty pods. The machine comes with an in-built water filter system that is ideal for areas with hard water.
The machine is fast and can make standard coffee (240ml) as well as ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. Its easy-to-use controls are easy to navigate with the help of aircraft-style toggles as well as a lever that retracts with little effort to reveal the opening which allows you to drop your pod. It requires a bit of pressure to close, however the majority of our test subjects who have weak hand strength and mobility, felt comfortable.
3. Size
The top coffee pod makers remove all the messes of coffee making out of your hands - you simply put in one of the pods, press a button and brew. It is still necessary to clean your machine every now and then however not as often as a bean-to cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their bigger counterparts and can be stacked on the counter when not in use.
The right coffee pod machine for you will be determined by your preferences and what you want to achieve. The majority of pod machines are easy to operate, however, some provide more options for customization. The variety of pods, brew size options and milk frothing capabilities are all important to help find the perfect coffee pod machine for your needs.
Most people will associate pod-based machines with the likes of Nespresso and Keurig however there are some newer competitors on the scene that could be worth considering. Bruvi has a custom-designed system of pods, called B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. The pods are marked with a barcode that is read by the machine to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
The machine will eliminate the guesswork and ensure that each drink is perfect every time. It is able to save your customized drinks to a button, so that you can create them using one button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer greater control over your cup of coffee than others models, allowing you to select a specific size and temperature for each beverage. It's a little more expensive than other models, but it has 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 an extra level of quality from their pod-based coffee maker.
Some models with larger capacities can also make lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, which is a great example, combines retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee maker Lavazza. It's a little intimidating at first thanks to the airplane-style toggles however once you've become accustomed to it, it is easy and enjoyable to use. A lungo can be brewed in 30 seconds.
4. Customization
One reason pod coffee makers might not be the best choice for you is the limited customizability. If you don't purchase an additional milk frother, the only ways to add extra flavor or creaminess is to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option and add milk to your cup manually. For most people, this shouldn't be a problem, but it could be a sticking point for those who prefer an automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology uses barcode scanners to scan each capsule, and automatically pre-wet, infuse and dispense the correct volume of coffee required for that type of pod. It's a simple and hands-off machine that does an excellent job, but lacks options for customising drinks or for varying the strength of brew. This will irritate some coffeee.uk buyers but for others the hassle-free automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso, lungo and mug) it gives exactly what they need.
The coffee maker is extremely low maintenance. It is all you need to do is to fill up the tank with water, and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every time. It can dispense short espresso shots and tall travel mugs with ease and, as we mentioned the used pods are ejected into a concealed container that helps keep your kitchen clean. It is also great at delivering full-bodied coffees with a crema-topped top.
It's a gorgeous machine and part of Smeg's fifties-style range. It's user-friendly with a simple panel and can take ground coffee or ESE pods. The only drawback is the absence of a display that will let you know when you should descale, and the inability to set the maximum level of water. You'll also need to buy the brand's capsules which can be costly. Nevertheless, this is a great pod coffee maker for those seeking a stylish and practical appliance that can provide them with quality coffee at a reasonable price. This model is compatible with a range of capsules from third-party manufacturers and works with the Nespresso Vertuo range.