The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel model offers the Sage brand's distinctive quality and ease of operation. After switching on, it heats up and makes a scrumptious espresso or a slightly longer lungo in about 30 minutes.
As opposed to 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 can be set up and operated faster than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup in just 30 seconds. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines are typically more expensive than freshly roasted coffee beans, and many of them aren't recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines available due to the barcode scanner that scans each compatible pod's code prior to brewing. This ensures consistently top-quality coffee every time. There is hardly any chance of having a bad drink. The machine is also one of the slimmest and lightest available, with no need for a separate milk jug and a small footprint making it easy to fit into even the tiniest kitchen.
The CitiZ is not the best machine to minimize your environmental impact. It doesn't come with an automatic descaling function and you'll need to clean it yourself every 300 cups if reside in hard water, or 1200 cups in soft water zones. Once the filter cartridge runs out, you'll have to replace it with a new. This could be expensive 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 grounds packed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to decreasing the negative impact it has on the environment and workforce. The only drawback 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 that can handle a variety of different sizes and styles then you should look no further than the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This gorgeous, glossy machine, developed in collaboration with Sage, is not only quick and simple to operate but also comes with a milk frothing wand and a stainless steel jug.
2. Removable parts
The user-friendliness is a major selling point and the best models are simple to operate. Most machines rely on the same method to make your cup by heating water inside a reservoir, and then pushed through the chosen capsules and extracted to produce rich, hot coffee. Most brands offer different drink sizes for different needs. 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 players in the market, however both offer a variety of capsules from the most popular roasters and brands. Some pods are made to be used once and get thrown away, whereas others are intended for multiple uses. You'll need a plan for your old pods to prevent them ending up in landfill.
The SMEG we tested has a removable reservoir of water that is easy to fill. It also automatically dispensates an additional capsule machine coffee once the previous one cools down. It can make espresso and lungo drinks and comes with eight different blends to offer the variety. This brewer will appeal to those who love coffee and want to move away from drip coffee.
In our tests in our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design makes it an eye-catching addition to your countertop and opens with a simple touch to reveal a hidden compartment for empty pods. It has an in-built water filter system which is perfect for areas that have hard water.
The machine is fast and can make standard capsule coffee machine uk (240ml) as well as ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. Its user-friendly controls are a joy to navigate using the aircraft-style toggles as well as a lever that retracts with little effort to reveal the area where you drop in your coffee capsule machine maker. It requires some force to close, but the majority of our testers who have limited hand strength and mobility, were able to use it comfortably.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines remove all the messes of coffee making out of your hands. You simply put in a pod, hit a button and prepare to brew. You will still need to clean the machine from time to time however not as often as you would with a coffee maker that is a bean-to cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are smaller than their larger counterparts and can be stored on the counter when not in use.
Whether a coffee pod machine is the right choice for you is based on your preferences and what you're looking to get from it. All pod machines are simple to use, but some have more options for customization than others. The variety of pods, brew size options, and milk frothing capabilities should all be considered to determine the best coffee pod machine.
Most people will associate pod-based machines with the likes of Nespresso and Keurig however there are a few more recent competitors that could be worth considering. One is Bruvi, which uses a bespoke pod system called B-Pods that can only be used with its machines. These pods have a barcode on the underside that the machine scans to automatically adjust the brewing settings.
The machine will eliminate all the guesswork and make sure that each drink is perfect every time. It is even able to save custom drinks to a specific button so you can create them at the touch of a single button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way, offer greater control over your cup of coffee than the majority machines, allowing you to choose the right size and temperature for each cup. It's a bit more expensive than many other models, but it comes with the polished stainless steel build and excellent customer service which is synonymous with the brand. It is a solid choice for those who want a bit more from their pod-based coffee maker.
While most people will use pod-based machines to make single-serve beverages, there are some larger models that are able to make longer shots, referred to as lungos, also. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, which is a perfect example, blends retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee maker Lavazza. It's intimidating to use thanks to its toggles that resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's quick and extremely enjoyable to use - a lungo is brewed in only 30 seconds, and the used pods are put into an internal bin with the click of the button.
4. Customization
A pod coffee maker's limited customization is a major reason it might not be the best option for you. Unless you purchase an additional milk frother, the only ways to add extra flavor or creaminess is to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option and to add milk to your coffee manually. For most people, this won't be a problem however it could be a sticking point for those who prefer a fully automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology utilizes barcode readers to scan each capsule coffee makers, and automatically pre-wet, infuse and dispense the correct volume of coffee for that particular kind of pod. It's a hassle-free, hands-off machine that does the job flawlessly, but does not have any options for customised drinks or altering the strength of brew. This will irritate some buyers however for others, the easy automation and range of cup lengths (espresso, lungo and mug) it gives precisely what they require.
Apart from filling the tank with water and decaffeinating the reservoir on occasion the coffee maker will not require much maintenance. It can dispense short espresso-style shots or tall travel mugs easily. As mentioned, the used pods are ejected into an unnoticed container that helps keep your kitchen tidy. It also excels in delivering full-bodied coffees that have tops that are topped with crema.
This is a beautiful-looking machine and part of Smeg's fifties style range. It's easy to use via an easy-to-use panel of buttons and can accommodate ground coffee and ESE pods. The only downside is that it doesn't have an indicator that lets you know when it's time to descale, and the maximum water level cannot be set which is an inconvenience. It is also necessary to buy the brand's capsules which can be expensive. This is a great pod machine for anyone who wants an attractive and convenient appliance that will serve well at a reasonable cost. This model is compatible with a range of third-party capsules and also is compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo range.