The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel model comes with Sage brand's distinctive quality and user-friendly. It heats up immediately after switching on and makes an espresso with aroma or slightly longer lungo in 30 minutes.
The pod models are a great alternative to bean-to cup machines. They take the messiest aspects of making coffee off your hands, like grinding and measuring grounds.
1. Fast
Pod machines are generally quicker to setup and use than espresso machines, with many can make a cup of coffee in just 30 seconds or less. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines are typically more expensive than freshly roasted coffee beans, and a lot of them are not recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the fastest pod machines that is available due to its built-in barcode reader that scans code of each compatible pod prior to making it. This ensures you get consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is virtually no possibility of getting a poor beverage. It's also among the slimmest and lightest available and does not require a separate milk jug and a small footprint making it a breeze to fit into even the tiniest of kitchens.
The CitiZ is not the best machine to reduce the 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 1200 cups for soft water. When the filter cartridge wears out, you'll need to replace it with a fresh one. This could be expensive for certain 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 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 the surroundings and its workforce. Its only downside is that it takes a little longer to warm up, but once that is done, it will be able to brew the cup in about 35 minutes.
If you're looking for a sleek, stylish machine capable of handling a range of different drink sizes and styles, look no further than the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek machine, designed in collaboration with Sage is not just easy to use, but it also comes with an ice cream wand a stainless steel jug, and milk frother.
2. Removable parts
The ease of use is a big selling point, and the best models are simple to operate. Most machines rely on the same general process to make your coffee: water is heated inside a reservoir, then pumped through the capsules you choose and extracted to produce rich hot java. The majority of brands offer various sizes of drinks to meet different requirements. You can also save your own settings to make the process more efficient.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading brands on the market, however each has a variety of capsules from top roasters and brands. Some pods are designed to be used once and get thrown away, whereas others are meant to be used for a variety of purposes. Either way, you'll need to plan out how you'll deal with the pods that are no longer being used so they aren't thrown away in the trash.
The SMEG we tested has a reservoir of water that is simple to fill. It also automatically releases a new capsule after the previous one cools down. It brews lungo and espresso drinks, and comes with a set of eight different blends that give you plenty of variety. This brewer is ideal for those who love coffee and want to switch to drip coffee to drip.
In our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design is beautiful on your counter, and it can be opened in a matter of seconds to reveal the compartment that houses empty pods. The machine comes with a water filter system that is ideal for areas with hard water.
This machine is quick and can make regular coffee (240ml) as well as ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. The controls are simple to use, with airplane-style toggles that can be easily retracted and a lever that retracts to reveal the opening for dropping in the pod. It does take a little force to close, but our testers, including those who have limited mobility and hand strength, found it 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'll still have to clean your machine from time to time, but not as often as a bean-to cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their larger equivalents, and can be stored on the counter when not in use.
The decision of whether a coffee machine is the right choice for you depends on your preferences and what you're hoping to get from it. All pod machines are simple to use, but others provide more options for customization. Take into consideration the variety of coffee pods sizes, brew sizes and milk options for frothing when picking the best machine.
The most popular pod-based coffee machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are more recent competitors that are worth taking a look at. Bruvi has a custom-designed system of pods called B-Pods, which can only be used in its machines. The pods are marked by a barcode which is read by the machine to adjust the brewing parameters automatically.
The machine will eliminate the guesswork and ensure that each drink is perfect every time. It can even save customized drinks to a separate button so you can create them at the touch of a button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a more granular level of control over your coffee that allows you to select the right size and temperature for each cup. It's more expensive than many other models, but it comes with the polished stainless steel build and the excellent customer service that is associated with the brand. It is a solid choice for those who need a bit more from their pod-based coffee maker.
While the majority of people will use pod-based machines to make single-serve beverages however, there are a few larger models that can also make longer shots, referred to as lungos, too. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a perfect example, blends retro style of the fifties from SMEG and Italian coffee maker Lavazza. It's a little intimidating at first thanks to the toggles that look like airplanes, but once you've gotten used to it, the machine is quick and satisfying to use. A lungo can be prepared in only 30 seconds.
4. Customization
A pod coffee maker's limited customization is a major reason it might not be the best option for you. If you don't have an auxiliary milk frother then the only option to add flavor or creaminess is to use hot tea or chocolate option in your mug, or to manually add milk into your the coffee. This won't be an issue for many people, but it could be an issue for those who prefer the convenience of a fully automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew uses barcode scanners to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wets and infuses the correct amount of coffee to the particular type of pod. It's a hands-free, easy-to-use machine that performs its job flawlessly, but does not have any options for making drinks that are customized or for varying the strength of the brew. Some customers will be irritated by this, however others will appreciate the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos, lungos and mugs) to be exactly what they're searching for.
Aside from filling up the water tank and decaffeinating the reservoir occasionally, this coffee maker will not need a lot of maintenance. It dispenses short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs easily and, as mentioned the pods that are used are ejected into a hidden receptacle which keeps your kitchen spotless. It is also great in delivering full-bodied coffees that have tops that are topped with crema.
This is a stunning machine that is part of the Smeg fifties range. It's simple to use with an easy-to-use panel of buttons, and it can handle ground coffee and ESE pods. It's only downside is the absence of an indicator that lets you know when it's time to descale, as well as the inability to set the maximum coffee pods coffee machine water level. You'll also need to buy the brand's capsules which can be expensive. This is a good pod machine for those who want a convenient and attractive appliance that is able to serve at a low cost. This model can be used with a variety of third-party capsules and also works with the Nespresso Vertuo range.