The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel machine comes with Sage brand's distinctive quality and ease of use. When it is turned on, it heats up and makes a delicious espresso or a slightly longer lungo within 30 seconds.
Models for pods are an excellent alternative to bean-to-cup machines. They take the clumsiest components of making coffee off your hands, including grinding and measuring grounds.
1. Speedy
Pod machines can be installed and used more quickly than espresso machines. They can typically 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 a lot of them aren't recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the most efficient pod machines available due to the barcode scanner that scans every compatible pod's code prior to making coffee. This makes it easy to ensure consistent high-quality, high-end coffee every time, with virtually no chance of a drink coming out horribly wrong. 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 even the tiniest kitchens.
However, the CitiZ isn't the best machine for those wanting to cut down on their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automated descaling feature, and you'll have to do it yourself every 300 cups if you live in hard water or 1200 cups in soft water zones. It is also necessary to put with a new cartridge once this runs out and can be expensive for certain users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a fast machine that can be customized with buttons. It can be utilized with ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed and tampered grounds compressed in between filter paper. The model is 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 warm up, but once that occurs, it can make the cup in about 35 minutes.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish, sleek machine that can create a variety of drinks in different sizes and styles. This sleek machine, created in collaboration with Sage is not just easy to use but also comes with an ice cream wand a stainless steel jug, and a milk frother.
2. Removable parts
The simplicity of a pod coffee maker is a major advantage. The top models are easy to operate. The majority of machines utilize the same method to make your cup by heating water inside a reservoir, and then pushed through your chosen capsules and extracted to create rich hot java. Many brands offer a variety of drink sizes for different needs. You can also save custom settings to streamline the process.
Keurig K-Cups are the biggest player on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also have a wide selection of capsules by famous roasters. Some pods are made to be used once and discarded, while others are designed to be used for a variety of purposes. You'll need a strategy for the pods you've used to avoid them from being thrown away.
The SMEG we tested comes with a removable reservoir of water that is simple to fill. It also automatically releases a new capsule after the previous one cools down. It can brew espresso and lungo drinks, and has eight different blends to offer the variety. This brewer is ideal for coffee lovers who want to move away from drip coffee.
In our testing we found that the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design makes it an eye-catching addition to your countertop, and it opens with a simple touch to reveal a hidden compartment to store your empty pods. It also comes with the added benefit of an filtration system for water, which is ideal for hard-water areas.
The machine can brew the standard cup of coffee (240ml) as well as lungo and ristretto espresso-style drinks and is extremely fast. Its user-friendly controls are easy to use, thanks to aircraft-style toggles as well as a lever that retracts with little effort to reveal the space which allows you to drop the pod. It takes a bit of pressure to close, however the majority of our testers who have weak hand strength and mobility, felt comfortable.
3. Size
The best coffee pod makers eliminate all the mess that comes with coffee making - you just put a pod in the machine, press a button, and let it make coffee. You will still need to clean the machine from time to time however not as often as you would with a coffee maker that is a bean-to cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are also smaller than their counterparts that are larger and can be tucked away on the counter and be stored away from view when not being used.
The right coffee pod machine for you will depend on your preferences and the goals you'd like to achieve. All pod machines are simple to use, however some have more options for customization than others. Consider the coffee pod variety sizes, brew sizes and milk options for frothing when selecting the best machine.
The majority of people think of pod-based machines as the likes of Nespresso and Keurig however there are a few more recent competitors on the scene that could be worth considering. One of them is Bruvi which makes use of a bespoke pod system called B-Pods that can only be used with its machines. The pods are equipped with a barcode on the underside that the machine scans to automatically adjust the brewing settings.
This approach means the machine removes all the guesswork of making a cup and makes sure that each drink is perfect every time. It is able to save your customized drinks on a button to allow you to create them using only one button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way offer a greater degree of control over your coffee, allowing you to choose a specific size and temperature for each beverage. It's more expensive than some models, but it has the polished stainless steel design and the excellent customer service that is which is synonymous with the brand. It is a solid option for those looking to get an extra level of quality from their pod-based coffee maker.
While most people will be using pod-based machines to make single-serve drinks however, there are a few larger models that can also make longer shots, referred to as lungos, also. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, which is a perfect example, blends retro fifties styling from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It's not easy initially due to the airplane-style toggles, however once you've become accustomed to it, the machine is quick and easy to use. A lungo can be brewed in only 30 seconds.
4. Customization
One reason a pod coffee maker may not be the best choice for you is the limited flexibility to customize. If you don't have an additional milk frother then the only way to add flavor or creaminess is to use hot chocolate or tea option in your mug or to manually add milk to your coffee. For many people this won't be a problem, but it could be a sticking point for those who prefer an automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew uses a barcode scanner to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wets and infuses, then dispensing the right amount of coffee to the specific kind of pod. It's a hands-free, easy-to-use machine that does its job well, but it doesn't have any options for making drinks that are customized or varying the strength of the brew. Some customers will be irritated by this, but others will appreciate the ease of use and variety of cup sizes (espressos and lungos, as well as mugs) to be exactly what they are looking for.
The coffee maker is extremely low-maintenance. It's all you have to do is to refill the water tank, and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every so often. It dispenses short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs capsule coffee machine easily and, as previously mentioned, used pods are ejected into a concealed receptacle that helps keep your kitchen clean. It is also great in delivering full-bodied coffees that have crema-topped tops.
It's a gorgeous machine that is part of the Smeg fifties range. It's easy to use via simple buttons, and it can handle both 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. You'll also need to purchase the brand's capsules which can be expensive. This is a good pod machine for anyone looking for a convenient and attractive appliance that can be used at a reasonable cost. If you're looking for a little more variety, a wide range of third-party capsules are available for this model. It's compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.