The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel appliance provides the Sage distinctive quality and ease of operation. It preheats after switch-on, and then brews a delicious espresso or a slightly longer lungo in 30 minutes.
The pod models are a great alternative to bean-to cup machines. They take the clumsiest parts of coffee making off your hands, like grinding and measuring grounds.
1. Speedy
Pod machines can be installed and used more quickly than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup of coffee in 30 minutes. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines are typically more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans and a lot of them aren't recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines that you can find, thanks to its in-built barcode reader that scans code of each compatible pod prior to brewing it. This makes it easy to ensure consistent quality, high-end coffee each time, with next-to-no chance of the drink turning out badly wrong. This machine is among the slimmest and lightest available. It doesn't require an additional milk container, and its compact size makes it easy to fit into even the smallest kitchens.
The CitiZ is not the best machine to reduce the environmental impact. It doesn't have an automated descaling function and you'll need to descale it yourself once every 300 cups if you live in hard water or 1200 cups in soft water zones. You'll also need to swap the filter cartridge once this runs out and could 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, tampered grounds compressed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to lessening the negative impact it has on the environment and workforce. Its only slight drawback is that it takes longer to warm up, but once that happens it can brew a cup in around 35 seconds.
If you're after an elegant, stylish machine that can handle a variety of different sizes and styles then take a look at the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek machine, created in collaboration with Sage is not only easy to use, but also comes with an ice cream wand, an stainless steel jug and a milk frother.
2. Removable parts
A pod coffee maker's ease of use is a big selling point and the top models are easy to use. Most machines utilize the same basic method to make the perfect cup of coffee the water is heated inside a reservoir, then moved through capsules to make rich hot java. 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 biggest brands on the market, yet both offer a variety of capsules from top roasters and brands. Some pods are able to be used just once before being thrown away and others can be used a number of times. Whatever the case, you'll need to think about how you'll handle the pods that are no longer being used so they do not end up in the garbage.
The SMEG we tested comes with a removable reservoir of water that is simple to fill. It also automatically dispensates another capsule after the previous one cools down. It can be used to brew espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends for various options. This brewer is a great choice for those who love coffee and want to switch from drip coffee.
In our testing we found that the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most satisfying to use. Its sleek design looks stunning on your counter and can be opened with a single touch to reveal the hidden compartment that holds your empty pods. The machine has an in-built water filter system that is ideal for areas that have hard water.
This machine is easy to use and can make regular coffee (240ml), ristretto, and lungo espresso drinks. The controls are easy to operate, with airplane-style toggles that can be easily pulled back and a lever that retracts to reveal the hole to place in the pod. It requires a little effort to close, but our testers, including those with limitations in hand strength and mobility were able to use it comfortably.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines take away all the mess from coffee making. All you have to do is load a pod in the machine, press a button, and let it make coffee. You'll still need to clean your machine from time to time but not like a bean-to-cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are also smaller than their counterparts that are larger 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 best choice for you depends on your preferences and what you want to get out of it. All pod machines are simple to use, however some provide more options for customization. The variety of pods, brew size options, and milk frothing features are all important to help find the perfect coffee pod machine for your needs.
The most well-known pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are newer competitors worth taking a look at. Bruvi uses a bespoke system of pods called B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. The pods have an underside barcode that the machine scans to automatically adjust brewing settings.
This method takes all the guesswork out of brewing a cup and guarantees that every drink is made perfectly every time. It can even save customized drinks to a separate button, allowing you to create them at the touch of a single button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a more precise level of control over your coffee that allows you to select a specific size and temperature for each drink. It's more expensive than other models, but it comes with the polished stainless-steel build and excellent customer service that is a hallmark of the Sage's My Way brand. This is a good option for those wanting to get an extra bit of quality from their pod-based espresso maker.
Certain models are larger and can create lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a great example of this, and it combines the retro fifties styling of SMEG with Italian coffee brand, Lavazza. It can be a little intimidating to use thanks to its toggles that coffee capsules machines resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's easy 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 touch of a button.
4. Customization
One big reason why pod coffee makers might not be right for you is its limited flexibility to customize. If you don't buy an additional milk frother, the only methods to add extra flavor or creaminess are to use an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option and add milk to your cup manually. This shouldn't be a problem for many people, but it could be a problem for those who like an entirely automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology utilizes barcode scanners to scan each capsule and automatically pre-wet, infuse, and give the correct amount of coffee that is appropriate for the kind of pod. It's a simple, hands-off machine that does its job very well but lacks any options for making drinks that are customized or for varying the strength of brew. This may be a problem for some buyers but for others, the simple automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso lungo, espresso and mug) it provides exactly what they need.
This coffee maker is very low-maintenance. It only requires you to refill the tank with water, and decaffeinate it every time. It can dispense short espresso shots or tall travel mugs easily. As mentioned, the used pods are then ejected from a hidden container that helps keep your kitchen tidy. It also excels in delivering full-bodied coffees that have tops that are topped with crema.
This machine is part of Smeg’s 1950s-style range. It's easy to use with a simple control panel and can accommodate ground coffee or ESE pods. Its only flaw is the absence of an indicator that tells you when it's time to descale, as well as the inability to set the maximum level of water. You will also have to buy the capsules of the brand, which can be costly. This is a good pod machine for anyone who wants an easy-to-use and stylish appliance that can be used at a reasonable price. This model can be used with a variety of capsules from third-party manufacturers and is compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo range.