The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The most sleek pod machine we've seen this brushed-steel model offers the renowned Sage quality and user-friendly. It preheats after switch-on, and brews an aroma-packed espresso or slightly longer lungo in just 30 seconds.
Unlike bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the most messy aspects of coffee making off your hands, including grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Rapid
Pod machines are generally easier to set up and use than espresso machines, with the majority can make a cup of coffee in 30 seconds or so. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines are typically more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans and many of them are not recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines on the market due to the barcode scanner that scans each compatible pod's code before brewing. This ensures you get consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is almost no chance of having a bad drink. 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 the smallest kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the best machine for those looking to cut down on their environmental impact. The CitiZ isn't equipped with an automatic descaling feature. You'll have to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water and every 1200 cups for soft water. Once the filter cartridge runs out, you'll need to replace it with a new one. This can be costly for certain users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a fast machine that can be customized with buttons. It can be used with either ground coffee or ESE pods that are pre-dosed and tampered grounds compressed in between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to reducing the negative impact it has on its environment and its employees. Its only downside is that it takes longer to heat up, but once this happens it can brew a cup in around 35 seconds.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that can create a variety of drinks with different sizes and styles. This sleek machine, designed 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
A pod coffee maker's user-friendliness is a big selling point, and the best models are easy to operate. Most machines use the same mechanism to brew the perfect cup of coffee the water is heated inside the reservoir, and then moved through capsules to make rich, hot coffee. Most brands offer different sizes of drinks to meet different requirements. You can also save custom settings to make the process more efficient.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two major players in the market, but both offer a variety of capsules from the most popular roasters and brands. Some pods are designed to be used just once and then be thrown away, while others are designed to be used multiple times. You'll need a plan to dispose of your old pods to prevent them ending up in landfill.
The sleek SMEG model we tested features a removable water tank that's easy to fill, and the machine automatically dispenses fresh capsules after the previous one has cooled. It can be used to brew espresso and lungo drinks, and has eight different blends to offer variety. This brewer is a great choice for coffee lovers who are looking to move away from drip coffee.
In our testing we found that the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most satisfying to use. Its sleek design looks great on your counter and can be opened in a matter of seconds to reveal the hidden compartment that stores your empty pods. It has an integrated water filter which is perfect for areas with hard water.
This machine is quick and brews standard coffee (240ml), ristretto, and lungo espresso drinks. The controls are simple to operate, with airplane-style toggles that can be easily pulled back and a lever that retracts to reveal the opening to drop into the pod. It does take a little force to close but our testers, even those who have limited mobility and hand strength felt comfortable.
3. Size
The top coffee pod machines remove all the mess from coffee making. All you have to do is put a pod in the machine, push a button and let it be brewed. It is still necessary to clean your machine every now and then, but not like a bean-to-cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are also smaller than their counterparts that are larger which means they can be placed on the countertop and be stored out of view when not in use.
Whether a coffee pod machine is the right choice for you depends on your preferences and what you're hoping to get from it. The majority of pod machines are easy to operate, however, some offer more customization options. Pod variety, brew size options and milk frothing capabilities must be taken into consideration to help find the perfect coffee pod machine for you.
Most people will think of pod-based machines as the likes of Nespresso and Keurig However, there are a few more recent rivals that could be worth considering. Bruvi utilizes a unique system of pods, called B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. These pods are marked with a barcode that is scanned by the machine to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
This means that the machine removes all the guesswork the process of making a cup, and guarantees that every drink is made perfectly every time. It is able to save your customized drinks to a button so that you can create them with a single button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way, offer more granular control over your cup of coffee than most models, allowing you to select the exact size and temperature for each beverage. It's more expensive than other models, but it has the polished stainless steel build and the excellent customer service that is which is synonymous with the brand. It is a solid choice for those who need an extra level of quality from their pod-based coffee maker.
While most people will use a pod-based machine to make single-serve beverages, there are some larger models that can create longer shots, also known as lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, a great example, combines retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee maker Lavazza. It can be a little difficult to operate due to its airplane-style toggles as well capsule coffee makers as the manual lever, but it's easy and incredibly satisfying to operate - a lungo is brewed in only 30 seconds, and the used pods are put into an internal bin at the push of a button.
4. Customization
The lack of customization is a major reason it might not be the best choice for you. If you don't buy an additional milk frother, the only options to add flavor or creaminess is to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option and add milk manually to your coffee. This won't be an issue for a lot of people, but could be an issue for those who like a fully automatic experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology uses barcode scanners 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 device that does an excellent job, but isn't able to customize drinks or varying brew strength. 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 precisely what they require.
This coffee maker is low maintenance. It only requires you to refill the tank with water, and decaffeinate it every time. It can dispense short espresso shots and tall travel mugs with ease and, as previously mentioned, used pods are ejected into a concealed container that keeps your kitchen clean. It is also excellent at delivering full-bodied coffees with tops that are topped with crema.
This is a beautiful-looking machine and part of Smeg's fifties-style range. It's user-friendly with an easy-to-use panel of buttons and can accommodate ground coffee as well as ESE pods. The only downside is that it doesn't come with an indicator that lets 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 purchase the capsules made by the company, which can be pricey. This is a great pod machine for anyone looking for a convenient and attractive appliance that is able to serve at a low cost. If you're looking for more variety, a wide range of third-party capsules is offered for this model, and it's compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.