The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel machine offers the Sage brand's distinctive quality and ease of use. It heats up immediately after switching on and then brews a delicious espresso or a little longer lungo in about 30 seconds.
As opposed to bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the most messed-up aspects of coffee making off your hands, such as grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Rapid
Pod machines are generally easier to install and use than espresso machines, with the majority able to make coffee in only 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 majority are not recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines on the market, thanks to its in-built barcode reader that scans code of each compatible pod prior to making it. This makes it simple to make consistent high-quality, high-end coffee every time, with next-to-no chances of a drink turning out badly wrong. The machine is among the lightest and slimmest available. It does not require an additional milk container and its compact footprint makes it easy to fit into even the smallest kitchens.
The CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine to minimize the environmental impact. The CitiZ doesn't have an automatic descaling feature. You will need to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water and 1200 cups for soft water. Once the filter cartridge is out, you'll have to replace it with a fresh one. This could be expensive for some users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another quick machine that comes with a customisable button and the option of using either ground coffee or ESE pods that are pre-dosed and tampered with grounds squeezed between filter paper. This model is also B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to decreasing its negative impact on the environment and its employees. The only drawback is that it takes a little longer to heat up, but once that happens it can brew one cup in just 35 seconds.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that is able to make a variety drinks in different sizes and styles. This sleek machine, designed in collaboration with Sage is not only easy to use, but it also comes with an ice cream wand stainless steel jug and milk frother.
2. Removable parts
A pod coffee maker's ease of use is a major selling point and the best models are simple to operate. Most machines utilize the same basic process to brew a cup of coffee that is, heated water is placed in a reservoir, then it is pushed through capsules to produce rich hot coffee. Most brands offer different drink sizes for different needs. You can also save your own settings to streamline the process.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading players on the market, but each has a variety of capsules from popular roasters and brands. Some pods are made to be used once and get thrown away, whereas others are intended 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 sleek SMEG model we tested features an ejectable water tank that's easy to fill, and the machine automatically dispenses fresh capsules after the previous one has been cooled. It can brew espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends that provide you with a wide selection. This brewer is ideal for coffee drinkers who wish to switch to drip coffee.
In our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable one to use. Its sleek design looks great on your counter and can be opened with a single touch to reveal the compartment that holds empty pods. It also comes with the added benefit of an filtration system for water, which is perfect for hard-water areas.
This machine brews the standard cup of coffee (240ml) and also serves as ristretto and lungo espresso-style drinks, and is surprisingly quick. Its intuitive controls are a joy to use, thanks to switches that resemble airplanes and a lever that retracts with little effort to reveal the space where you drop in your coffee maker. It takes a bit of effort to close, but the majority of our testers, including those with limitations in hand strength and mobility, found it comfortable.
3. Size
The top coffee pod makers take all the messy parts of making coffee out of your hands. You simply need to load one of the pods, press the button, and then prepare to brew. It is still necessary to clean the machine from time to time but not as often as you would with a bean-to-cup cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are smaller than their bigger counterparts and can be stacked on the counter when not in use.
Whether a coffee pod machine is the right option for you depends on your preferences and what you're hoping to gain from it. All pod machines are simple to use, but certain models offer more customization options than others. Pod variety, brew size options and milk frothing capabilities should all be considered to find the ideal coffee pod machine for your needs.
The most popular pod-based coffee machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However, there are some newer competitors worth taking a look at. One is Bruvi, which uses a bespoke pod system known as B-Pods that can only be used with its machines. The pods have a barcode on the underside that machines scan to automatically adjust brewing settings.
This approach means the machine takes all the guesswork out of brewing a cup and guarantees that every drink comes out perfectly every time. It is even able to save custom drinks to a dedicated button to allow you to create them at the push of a single button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way, offer greater control over your coffee than the majority models, allowing you to select the right size and temperature for each cup. It's more expensive than other models, however it has the polished stainless-steel construction and the excellent customer service that is synonymous with the Sage's My Way brand. This is a good choice for those looking for something more from their pod-based espresso maker.
While coffee pods coffee machine will be using a pod-based machine to make single-serve beverages There are some larger models that can create longer shots, also known as lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is an excellent example of this, and it blends the retro-fifties style of SMEG with the retro-fifties design of SMEG Italian coffee brand, Lavazza. It can be a little intimidating to use thanks to its airplane-style toggles as well as the manual lever, but it's easy and extremely enjoyable to use and brews a lungo in just 30 seconds and the pods that are used are deposited into an internal bin at the touch of the button.
4. Customization
One reason a pod coffee maker may not be right for you is its limited flexibility to customize. If you don't purchase an auxiliary milk frother, the only options to add extra flavor or creaminess is to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option and add milk manually to your coffee. For most 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 technology utilizes barcode scanners to scan each capsule and automatically pre-wet, infuse, and dispense the correct volume of coffee for that particular type of pod. It's a hands-free, easy-to-use machine that does the job well, but it doesn't have any options for making drinks that are customized or varying the strength of brew. This will irritate some buyers however for others, the easy automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso, lungo and mug) it gives exactly what they need.
This coffee maker is very low-maintenance. It's all you have to do is to fill up the water tank and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every so often. It is able to serve espresso-style shots or tall travel mugs with ease. As previously mentioned, used pods are then ejected from a container hidden from view that keeps your kitchen tidy. It also does a great job of providing full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
This machine is part of Smeg’s 1950s-style collection. It is easy to use with a simple panel and can accommodate ground coffee or ESE pods. The only drawback is that it doesn't come with an indicator to let you know when it's time for descale. Also, the maximum water level cannot be set which is an inconvenience. You'll also need to purchase the brand's capsules which can be costly. Nevertheless, this is an excellent pod coffee maker for those looking for an attractive and functional appliance that will provide them with a great service at an affordable price. This model can be used with a variety of capsules from third-party manufacturers and works with the Nespresso Vertuo range.