The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel model offers the Sage brand's distinctive quality and ease of use. When it is turned on, it heats up and makes a scrumptious espresso or a slightly longer lungo in about 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 are generally quicker to setup and use than espresso machines, with most can make coffee in 30 seconds or less. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines tend to be more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans and a majority of them aren't recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the most efficient pod machines available due to the barcode scanner that scans each compatible pod's code prior to brewing. This ensures you get consistently top-quality coffee every time. There is almost no chance of having a bad beverage. This machine is among the lightest and slimmest available. It doesn't require an additional milk container and its compact footprint makes it easy to fit into even the tiniest kitchens.
However, the CitiZ isn't the ideal machine for those wanting to minimize their environmental impact. The CitiZ isn't equipped with an automatic descaling feature. You'll need to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water, and every 1200 cups for soft water. You'll also need to swap the filter cartridge after this expires, which could be costly for certain users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another fast machine that has buttons that can be customized and the option of using ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed and tampered with grounds squeezed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to lessening the negative impact it has on its environment and its employees. The only drawback is the time it takes to heat up. Once it does it will brew a cup in just 35 minutes.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish, sleek machine that can create a variety of drinks with different sizes and styles. This gorgeous, glossy machine, developed in collaboration with Sage and Sage, is not just quick and simple to operate but also comes with a milk frothing wand and an stainless steel Jug.
2. Removable parts
A pod coffee maker's user-friendliness is a major selling point, and the best models are simple to operate. Most machines use the same basic method to make a cup of coffee that is, heated water is placed in reservoirs, then moved through capsules to make 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's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two biggest players on the market, yet each has a variety of capsules from top roasters and brands. Certain pods can be used just once before they are discarded, while others can be used a number of times. You'll need a plan to dispose of your used pods to avoid them from ending up in the garbage.
The sleek SMEG model we tested features a removable water tank that's easy to fill, and the machine will automatically pour a fresh capsule once the previous one has cooled. It can be used to brew espresso and lungo drinks and has eight different blends for various options. This brewer is a great choice for coffee lovers who are looking to switch from drip coffee.
In our testing of the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most satisfying to use. Its sleek design makes it an attractive addition to your counter and it opens with a light touch to reveal a hidden compartment for empty pods. The machine also has the added benefit of the water filtration system which is perfect for areas with hard water.
This machine is able to make a standard cup of coffee (240ml) and also serves as ristretto and lungo espresso-style drinks and is surprisingly fast. The controls are easy to operate, with the style of airplane toggles that can be easily retracted and a lever which retracts to reveal the opening for dropping in your pod. It requires some pressure to close, however the majority of our testers even those with limited hand strength and mobility, felt comfortable.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines take the mess of coffee making out of your hands. You simply put in the pod, press the button, and then brew. It is still necessary to clean your machine occasionally however not as often as a bean-to cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are smaller than their bigger counterparts and can be stored on the counter when not being used.
Whether a coffee pod machine is the best choice for you depends on your preferences and what you're looking to get out of it. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, but some have more options for customization than others. Be aware of the different coffee pods as well as brew sizes, milk and options for frothing when selecting the best machine.
Most people will think of pod-based machines as the likes of Nespresso and Keurig However, there are a few more recent competitors on the scene that are worth a look. Bruvi has a custom-designed system of pods, called B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. These pods have a barcode on the underside that the machine scans to automatically adjust the brewing settings.
The machine will eliminate the guesswork and ensure that each drink is perfect every time. It can even save customized drinks to a dedicated button so you can make them with the press of a button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a more granular level of control over your coffee and allows you to select the right temperature and size for each drink. It's a bit more expensive than some models but it offers the polished stainless steel build and excellent customer service associated with the brand. It is a great choice for those who want an extra level of quality from their pod-based coffee maker.
While the majority of people are using pod-based machines to make single-serve drinks however, there are a few larger models that can make longer shots, referred to as lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a great 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 difficult to operate due 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 used pods are deposited into an internal bin at the push of a button.
4. Customization
One big reason why pod coffee makers might not be the best capsule coffee machine choice for you is the limited customizability. If you don't have an alternative milk frother, then the only way to enhance flavor or creaminess is to use a hot tea or chocolate option in your mug, or to manually add milk to your the coffee. This shouldn't be a problem for most people, but it could be an issue for those who prefer a fully automatic experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew uses a barcode scanner to scan each capsule machine coffee. It then automatically pre-wets, infuses and dispenses the right amount of coffee to the particular kind of pod. It's a simple, hands-off machine that does the job well, but it doesn't have any options for customizing drinks or altering the strength of the brew. Some customers will be irritated by this, but many will appreciate the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos and mugs, lungos and espressos) to be exactly what they're seeking.
This coffee maker is low-maintenance. It is all you need to do is to refill the tank with water, and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every so often. It is able to serve espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs easily and, as previously mentioned the used pods are ejected to a hidden receptacle 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 is part of Smeg's fifties style range. It's simple to use with an easy-to-use panel of buttons and can accommodate ground coffee and ESE pods coffee machine. The only downside is that it lacks an indicator to let you know when it's time to descale and the maximum water level cannot be set, which is a minor inconvenience. You'll also need to buy the capsules of the brand, which can be costly. However, this is a good pod coffee maker for anyone seeking a stylish and practical appliance that can provide them with quality coffee at a reasonable cost. This model is compatible with a variety of capsules from third party manufacturers and is compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo range.