The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel appliance offers the Sage trademark quality and ease of operation. It preheats after switch-on, and then brews a delicious espresso or a slightly longer lungo in about 30 seconds.
Models for pods are an excellent alternative to bean-to-cup machines. They take the most messy components of making coffee off your hands, like grinding and measuring grounds.
1. Fast
Pod machines can be set up and used faster than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup in just 30 minutes. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines are typically more expensive than freshly roasted coffee beans and many are not recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines available that you can find, thanks to its in-built barcode scanner that scans the code of each compatible pod prior to brewing it. This makes it easy to get consistent, high-quality coffee every time, with virtually 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 a separate milk container and its small footprint makes it easy to fit into even the smallest kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine for those looking to reduce their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automated descaling function and you'll need to do it yourself every 300 cups if you reside in hard water, or 1200 cups in soft water zones. You'll also have to put the filter cartridge when it runs out and could be expensive for certain users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another speedy machine with customisable buttons and the option of using ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed, tampered and squeezed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to lessening the negative impact it has on the environment and workforce. The only drawback is that it takes longer to heat up, but once this happens it can brew the cup in about 35 minutes.
If you're after a sleek, stylish machine capable of handling a range of different sizes and styles then you should look no further than the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek beauty, created in collaboration with Sage and Sage, is not just 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 major selling point and the top models are simple to use. The majority of machines utilize the same general process to make your coffee the water is heated inside a reservoir, and then pushed through the chosen capsules and extracted to create rich hot coffee. Most brands offer different drink sizes for different needs. You can also save custom settings to speed up the process.
Keurig K-Cups are among the top player on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also offer a large selection of capsules from popular roasters. Some pods can be used once before being thrown away, while others can be used a number of 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 has a water tank that is removable and easy to fill and the machine automatically dispenses a fresh capsule once the previous one has been cooled. It can be used to brew espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends to give you various options. This brewer is ideal for coffee drinkers who want to switch from drip coffee.
In our testing, the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design looks great on your counter and opens with just a touch to reveal the compartment that houses your empty pods. The machine comes with an integrated water filter which is perfect for areas with hard water.
This machine is quick and can make regular coffee (240ml) as well as ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. The controls are easy to operate, with switches that resemble airplanes, which can be retracted easily and a lever which retracts to reveal the hole to place into the pod. It takes a bit of effort to close, but our testers, even those who have limitations in hand strength and mobility felt comfortable.
3. Size
The best coffee pod makers remove all the mess from coffee making - you just load a pod in the machine, press a button, and let it make coffee. You will still need to clean the machine from time time however not as often as you would with a bean-to cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are also smaller than their counterparts that are larger, so they can fit on the counter and be stored out of view when not in use.
The decision of whether a coffee machine is the best choice for you depends on your preferences and what you're looking to get out of it. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, however some offer more customization options. The variety of pods, brew size options and milk frothing capabilities should all be considered to find the ideal coffee pod machine for you.
Many people associate pod-based machines with the likes of Nespresso and Keurig however there are a few more recent rivals which are worth looking into. One is Bruvi, which uses a bespoke pod system called B-Pods, which pod coffee maker can only be used in conjunction with its machines. These pods are marked with a barcode that is read by the machine to adjust the brewing parameters automatically.
This method removes all the guesswork of brewing a cup and makes sure that each drink is made perfectly every time. It can save your custom drinks on a button so that you can make them by pressing a single button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way offer a more precise level of control over your coffee, allowing you to choose 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 superior customer service that is a hallmark of the brand. This is a great option for those wanting to get something more from their espresso maker that is based on pods.
While the majority of people will be using pod-based machines to make single-serve beverages, there are some larger models that are able to create longer shots, also known as lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, a perfect example, blends retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It can be a little intimidating to use thanks to its airplane-style toggles as well as the manual lever, but it's quick and incredibly satisfying to operate - a lungo is brewed in only 30 seconds, and the pods that are used are put into an internal bin at the push of a button.
4. Customization
One of the main reasons pod coffee makers might not be the best choice for you is the limited flexibility to customize. If you don't have an auxiliary milk frother then the only way to enhance flavor or creaminess is to make use of hot tea or chocolate option in your mug, or to manually add milk to coffee. This won't be an issue for many people, but it could be a problem for those who prefer a fully automatic experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology utilizes a barcode reader to scan each capsule and automatically pre-wet, infuse, and disperse the right amount of coffee required for that type of pod. It's a simple, hands-off machine which does an excellent job, but lacks options for customising drinks or varying brew strength. Some customers will be irritated by this, but many 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 searching for.
In addition to filling up the water tank and decaffeinating the reservoir occasionally, this coffee maker will not require a lot of maintenance. It dispenses short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs effortlessly and, as mentioned the used pods are ejected into a hidden receptacle which keeps your kitchen spotless. It also excels at delivering full-bodied coffees with a crema-topped top.
This is a beautiful-looking machine and is part of the Smeg fifties range. It's easy to use via a simple panel of buttons and can accommodate ground coffee as well as ESE pods. The only drawback is that it doesn't come with an indicator that lets you know when it's time to descale, and the maximum water level cannot be set which is a minor issue. You will also have to buy the brand's capsules which can be expensive. But, it's an excellent pod coffee maker for anyone seeking a stylish and convenient appliance that will provide them with a great service at a reasonable cost. This model is compatible with a range of capsules from third party manufacturers and is compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo range.