The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The most elegant pod machine we've ever seen, this model with brushed-steel features the signature Sage quality and user-friendly. After turning on, it heats up and makes a scrumptious espresso or slightly longer lungo in just 30 seconds.
In contrast to bean-to-cup machines models take the most messy aspects of coffee making out of your hands, such as grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Rapid
Pod machines are typically quicker to set up and use than espresso machines, with the majority capable of making coffee in only 30 seconds or less. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines are generally more expensive than freshly roasted coffee beans and a lot of them are not recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines available due to the barcode scanner that scans every compatible pod's code before brewing. This ensures consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is virtually no chance of getting a bad beverage. It is also one of the slimmest and lightest on the market that doesn't require an additional milk jug, and its small footprint making it easy to fit in even the tiniest of kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine for those looking to minimize their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automated 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 areas. You'll also have to put in a new filter cartridge after this expires and can be expensive for some users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another fast machine that has buttons that can be customized and the option of using either ground coffee or ESE pods that are pre-dosed, tampered and compressed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to decreasing the negative impact it has on its surroundings and its workforce. The only drawback is that it takes longer to heat up, but once this is done, it will be able to brew the cup in about 35 seconds.
If you're looking for an elegant, stylish machine capable of handling a range of different sizes and styles, take a look at the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek beauty, created in collaboration with Sage, is not only quick and simple to operate but also comes with an ice-cream frothing wand, as well as an stainless steel jug.
2. Removable parts
The ease of using a pod coffee maker is a major selling point. The best models are simple to use. The majority of machines use the same general process to make your coffee the water is heated inside a reservoir, then pumped through the chosen capsules and extracted to produce rich, hot coffee. Most brands offer different drink sizes for different needs. You can also save your own settings to speed up the process.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two major players in the market, however both offer a variety of capsules from the most popular roasters and brands. Some pods are able to be used once before being thrown away and others can be used multiple times. Whatever the case, you'll need to plan ahead for how you'll handle your spent pods so they do not end up in the garbage.
The SMEG we tested has a reservoir of water that is simple to fill. It also automatically dispensates an additional capsule once the previous one cools down. It can be used to brew espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends to give you various options. This brewer will appeal to coffee drinkers who want to move away from drip coffee.
In our tests of the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable one to use. Its sleek design makes it an attractive addition to your counter and it opens with a light touch to reveal a concealed compartment to store your empty pods. The machine also has the added benefit of a water filtration system, which is ideal for areas with hard water.
This machine brews an ordinary cup of coffee (240ml), as well as ristretto and lungo espresso-style drinks and is extremely fast. Its easy-to-use controls are a joy to navigate with the help of airplane-style toggles and a lever that retracts with little effort to reveal the area where you drop in your pod. It requires some pressure to close, however the majority of our test subjects even those with limitations in hand strength and mobility, found it comfortable.
3. Size
The best pod coffee machine coffee pod machines remove all the messes of making coffee out of your hands. You simply load in a pod, hit a button and prepare to brew. You'll still have to clean the machine from time time however not as often as you would with a bean-to-cup cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are also smaller than their larger counterparts which means they can be placed on the counter and be kept out of sight when not in use.
The decision of whether a coffee machine is the right choice for you is based on your preferences and what you're looking to get out of it. All pod machines are simple to use, however some offer more customisation options than others. Different pod types, brew sizes options, and milk frothing features should all be considered to find the ideal coffee pod machine for you.
The most popular pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are newer competitors that may be worth a look. Bruvi utilizes a unique system of pods coffee machines known as B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. The pods are identified with a barcode, which is scanned by the machine to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
This approach means the machine takes all the guesswork out of brewing a cup and makes sure that each drink is perfect every time. It can save your customised drinks to a button, so that you can create them with a single button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer more control over your coffee than the majority models, allowing you to select the exact size and temperature for each drink. It's a bit more expensive than many other models but it offers the polished stainless steel design and the excellent customer service that is associated with the brand. It is a good choice for those who need something more from their pod-based coffee maker.
While the majority of people are using pod-based machines to make single-serve beverages There are some larger models that are able to make longer shots, referred to as lungos, too. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a great example of this and blends the retro-fifties style of SMEG with Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It's a little intimidating at first thanks to the airplane-style toggles but once you've gotten used to it, the machine is easy and enjoyable to use. A lungo can be brewed in only 30 minutes.
4. Customization
One reason pod coffee machines for pods makers might not be right for you is its limited customizability. If you don't have an auxiliary milk frother, then the only option to add flavor or creaminess is to make use of hot chocolate or tea option in your mug, or to manually add milk to your the coffee capsule machine. This won't be an issue for most people, but could be a problem for those who prefer a fully automatic experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology uses a barcode reader to scan each capsule and automatically pre-wet, infuse and dispense the correct volume of coffee that is appropriate for the kind of pod. It's a user-friendly and hands-off machine that does an excellent job, but isn't able to customize drinks or for varying the strength of brew. Some customers might be disappointed by this, but many will appreciate the convenience and variety of cup sizes (espressos and mugs, lungos and espressos) to be exactly what they're searching for.
Aside from filling up the water tank and decaffeinating the reservoir occasionally This coffee maker does not need a lot of maintenance. It can dispense short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs effortlessly. As previously mentioned, used pods are ejected into a container hidden from view which keeps your kitchen clean. It also does a great job of delivering full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
It's a gorgeous machine that is part of the Smeg fifties range. It's simple to use with simple buttons, and it can handle ground coffee and ESE pods. Its only flaw is the absence of a display that tells you when you should descale, and the inability to set a maximum water level. It is also necessary to purchase the brand's capsules which can be expensive. Nevertheless, this is a good pod coffee maker for anyone looking for an attractive and convenient appliance that will provide them with a great service at an affordable cost. For those who want more variety, a broad selection of third-party capsules are available for this model, and it's also compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.