(Image: https://cdn.freshstore.cloud/template/images/778/14409/coffeee-logo-300x100-png.png)The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel appliance comes with Sage brand's distinctive quality and ease of operation. It heats up immediately after switching on and makes an espresso with aroma or slightly longer lungo in 30 minutes.
Unlike bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the most messy aspects of coffee making out of your hands, such as grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Rapid
Pod machines are generally easier to set up and use than espresso machines, with many capable of making a cup of coffee in just 30 seconds or so. But they do come at some cost: the pre-portioned coffee pods that are used in these machines tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted beans. And they're not always recyclable (though some companies are now offering recycling bags for free and UPS labels to return the pods).
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the most efficient pod machines available due to the barcode scanner which scans each compatible pod's code prior to making coffee. This ensures you get consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is virtually no chance of getting a bad drink. It is also one of the slimmest and lightest on the market that doesn't require a separate milk jug and a small footprint making it easy to fit into even the tiniest kitchen.
The CitiZ isn't the best machine to reduce the environmental impact. It doesn't have an automated descaling function, and you'll have to descale it yourself once every 300 cups if you live in hard water or 1200 cups in soft water areas. Once the filter cartridge is out, you'll need replace it with a new. This can be costly for certain users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a fast machine that can be customized with buttons. It can be utilized with ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed and tampered grounds that are compressed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to reducing the negative impact it has on its surroundings and its workforce. Its only downside is that it takes longer to heat up, but once that occurs, it can make the cup in about 35 seconds.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that is able to create a variety of drinks with different sizes and styles. This glossy beauty, made in collaboration with Sage, is not only simple and quick to operate but also comes with an ice cream frothing wand as well as a stainless steel jug.
2. Removable parts
The user-friendliness is a major draw and the best models are a breeze to operate. Most machines utilize the same basic method to make a cup of coffee: water is heated inside a reservoir, then it is pushed through capsules to produce rich hot java. The majority of brands offer a variety of sizes of drinks to meet various needs. You can save custom settings for a variety of models to streamline the process further.
Keurig K-Cups are among the largest player on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also have a wide selection of capsules by famous roasters. Some pods are made to be used once and discarded, while others are meant for multiple uses. In either case, you'll have to think about the way you'll dispose of the pods you've used up so that they don't end up in landfill.
The SMEG we tested has a removable water reservoir that is easy to fill. It also automatically releases an additional capsule once the previous one cools down. It can be used to brew coffee and lungo drinks and comes with eight different blends that provide plenty of options. This brewer is perfect for coffee lovers who want to make the switch from 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 it opens with just a touch to reveal the compartment that houses your empty pods. It has a water filter system which is perfect for areas that have hard water.
This machine brews the standard cup of coffee (240ml), as well as lungo and ristretto espresso-style drinks and is extremely fast. The controls are easy to use, with airplane-style toggles that can be retracted easily and a lever that retracts to reveal the opening for dropping in the pod. It takes a bit of force to close, but most of our testers, including those with weak 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 an icon and prepare to brew. 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 also smaller than their larger counterparts, so they can fit on the countertop and be kept out of sight when not being used.
The ideal coffee maker for you will depend on your personal preferences and what you wish to achieve. All pod machines are simple to use, but some offer more customisation options than others. The variety of pods, brew size options, and milk frothing features must be taken into consideration to find the ideal coffee pod machine.
The majority of people think of pod-based machines as the likes of Nespresso and Keurig however there are some newer competitors on the scene that could be worth considering. One is Bruvi which makes use of its own pod system, called B-Pods that can only be used by its machines. The pods are marked with a barcode that is read by the machine to adjust the brewing parameters automatically.
The machine will eliminate all the guesswork and ensure that every drink is perfect every time. It is able to save your customized drinks in a single button, so that you can make them by pressing only one button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a more precise level of control over your coffee that allows you to select a specific size and temperature for each drink. It's more expensive than other models, but it comes with the polished stainless-steel build and excellent customer service that is synonymous with Sage's My Way. This is a great option for those wanting to get something more from their pod-based espresso maker.
Some models with larger capacities can also create lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, a excellent example, blends retro fifties styling from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It's a bit difficult to operate due to its toggles that resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's incredibly easy and extremely enjoyable to use the lungo is made in less than 30 seconds and the pods that are used are deposited into an internal bin at the touch of a button.
4. Customization
A pod coffee maker's limited flexibility is one of the main reasons it may not be the right choice for you. If you don't buy an additional milk frother, the only methods to add extra flavor or creaminess are to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option and to add milk manually to your coffee. This shouldn't be a problem for many people, but it could be an issue for those who like an entirely automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew uses barcode scanners to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wettes and infuses the correct amount of coffee to the particular kind of pod. It's a simple, hands-off machine which does a great job but isn't able to customize drinks or for varying the strength of brew. Some customers will be irritated by this, but others will find the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos and mugs, lungos and espressos) to be exactly what they are searching for.
Apart from filling the tank with water and decaffeinating it occasionally, this coffee pods coffee machine maker will not require much maintenance. It can make short espresso shots or tall travel mugs with ease. As previously mentioned, used pods are ejected into a container hidden from view that helps keep your kitchen tidy. It is also great at delivering full-bodied coffees with a crema-topped top.
This is a beautiful-looking machine that is part of Smeg's fifties-style range. It's user-friendly with simple buttons and can accommodate both ground coffee pods machines and ESE pods. The only issue is that it doesn't come with an indicator that lets you know when it's time for descale. Also, the maximum water level can't be set which is an issue. You'll also have to purchase the brand's capsules, which can be pricey. Nevertheless, this is a great pod coffee maker for those looking for an attractive and convenient appliance that will serve them well for an affordable price. For those who want a little more variety, a large selection of third-party capsules are available for this model. It's compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.