The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel machine provides the Sage brand’s distinctive quality and ease of use. It heats up immediately after switching on and makes an espresso with aroma or a slightly longer lungo in about 30 seconds.
Pod models are a great alternative to bean-to cup machines. They take the clumsiest aspects of making coffee off your hands, like grinding and measuring grounds.
1. Speedy
Pod machines can be set up and operated faster than espresso machines. They can typically make a cup in 30 seconds. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted coffee beans, and a majority of them aren’t recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines available that you can find due to its built-in barcode scanner that scans the code of each compatible pod and bean coffee machine before making it. This ensures consistently top-quality coffee every time. There is hardly any chance of getting a bad drink. The machine is among the tiniest and lightest on the market. It does not require a separate milk container and its compact footprint makes it easy to fit into the smallest kitchens.
The CitiZ isn’t the most efficient device to reduce the environmental impact. The CitiZ does not have an automatic descaling feature. You will need to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water, and every 1200 cups for soft water. You’ll also need to swap in a new filter cartridge after this expires and can be expensive for some 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 in between filter paper. This model is also B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to lessening its negative impact on the environment as well as its employees. Its only downside is that it takes a little longer to heat up, but once that occurs, it can make the cup in about 35 minutes.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that is able to make a variety drinks in different sizes and styles. This gorgeous, glossy machine, developed in collaboration with Sage it is not only 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 a pod coffee maker is a major advantage. The most effective models are easy to operate. Most machines utilize the same basic method to make the perfect cup of coffee the water is heated inside the reservoir, and then it is pushed through capsules to produce rich hot, hot coffee. Most brands offer different sizes of drinks to meet different requirements. You can also save your own settings to streamline the process.
Keurig’s K-Cups and Nestle’s Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two major players in the market, however each has a variety of capsules from the most popular roasters and brands. Certain pods can be used only once before being thrown away and others can be used multiple times. You’ll need a strategy for the pods coffee machine you’ve used to avoid them ending up in landfill.
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 coffee machines once the previous one has cooled. It can be used to brew espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends that give you plenty of variety. This brewer is perfect for coffee drinkers who wish to move away from drip coffee to drip.
In our tests of the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design is beautiful on your counter and opens with just a touch to reveal the compartment that stores empty pods. The machine also has the added benefit of a water filtration system, which is perfect for hard-water areas.
The machine can brew a standard cup of coffee (240ml), as well as lungo and ristretto-style espresso drinks and is extremely fast. The controls are simple to operate, with switches that resemble airplanes, which can be retracted easily and a lever that retracts to reveal the opening for dropping into your coffee pods coffee machine maker. It requires a little effort to close, but our testers, including those who have weak hand and mobility were able to use it comfortably.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines take the mess of making coffee out of your hands. You simply need to load one of the pods, press a button 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 cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their larger counterparts and can be stored on the counter when not in use.
The best coffee machine for you will depend on your preferences and the goals you’d like to achieve. All pod machines are easy to use, but some offer more customisation options than others. The variety of pods, brew size options, and milk frothing capabilities should all be considered to determine the best coffee pod machine for your needs.
Many people think of pod-based devices in the likes of Nespresso and Keurig however there are a few more recent competitors that are worth a look. One of them is Bruvi which has an exclusive pod system called B-Pods, which can only be used in conjunction with its machines. These pods are marked with a barcode, which is read by the machine to adjust the brewing parameters automatically.
This means that the machine eliminates all the guesswork of brewing a cup and makes sure that each drink comes out 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 more control over your cup of coffee than most, letting you choose the right size and temperature for each beverage. It’s more expensive than some models, but it comes with the polished stainless steel build and top-quality customer service that’s which is synonymous with the brand. It is a solid choice for those who want a bit more from their pod-based coffee maker.
Some larger models can also create lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, a perfect example, blends retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It’s not easy initially due to the toggles that look like airplanes, but once you get used to it, it is easy and enjoyable to use. A lungo can be brewed in 30 minutes.
4. Customization
One reason a pod coffee maker may not be right for you is the limited flexibility to customize. If you don’t purchase an auxiliary milk frother, the only methods to add extra flavor or creaminess is to make use of an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option and to add milk to your coffee manually. This shouldn’t be a problem for many people, but it could be an issue for those who prefer an entirely automated experience in the morning.
Bosch’s Intellibrew uses a barcode scanner to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wettes, infuses and dispenses the correct amount of coffee for the particular type of pod. It’s a user-friendly, hands-off machine which does a great job but isn’t able to customize drinks or for varying 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, lungos and mugs) to be exactly what they are seeking.
Aside from filling up the tank with water and decaffeinating the reservoir occasionally This coffee maker does not require a lot of maintenance. It can dispense short espresso shots and tall travel mugs easily and, as we mentioned the pods that are used are ejected into a hidden container which keeps your kitchen spotless. It also does a great job of providing full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
This machine is part Smeg’s 1950s-style range. It’s simple to use with a simple panel of buttons and can accommodate ground coffee and ESE pods. The only drawback is that it doesn’t have an indicator to let you know when it’s time to descale, and the maximum water level can’t be set, which is a minor issue. It is also necessary to buy the capsules of the brand, which can be expensive. This is a great pod machine for those who want an easy-to-use and stylish appliance that can be used at a reasonable price. This model is compatible with a range of capsules from third party manufacturers and is compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo range.