The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The sleekest pod machine we've ever seen, this model with brushed-steel features the trademark Sage quality and is easy to use. It heats up immediately after switching on and then brews a delicious espresso or slightly longer lungo in about 30 seconds.
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 can be set up and operated faster than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup in 30 minutes. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines are typically more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans, and a lot of them are not recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines on the market, thanks to the barcode scanner that scans each compatible pod's code before brewing. This makes it easy to ensure 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 doesn't require an additional milk container, and its compact size allows it to be easily incorporated into the tiniest kitchens.
The CitiZ isn't the most efficient device to reduce your environmental impact. It doesn't come with an automatic descaling feature, and you'll have to descale it yourself once every 300 cups if you reside in hard water areas or 1200 cups in soft water areas. Once the filter cartridge is out, you'll need replace it with a fresh one. This can be costly for certain users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a fast machine that can be customized with buttons. It can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods which are pre-dosed, tampered ground compressed in between filter paper. It is also B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to decreasing its negative impact on the environment and its workforce. Its only minor drawback is the time it takes to heat up. Once it is heated it, it can make one cup in just 35 minutes.
If you're after a sleek, stylish machine that can handle a variety of different sizes and styles, take a look at the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek beauty, created in collaboration with Sage it is not only quick and simple to operate but also comes with an ice-cream frothing wand, as well as a stainless steel jug.
2. Removable parts
The ease of use of a pod coffee maker is a major selling point. The most effective models are simple to use. The majority of machines employ the same method to make the perfect cup of coffee: water is heated inside reservoirs, then it is pushed through capsules to produce rich hot, hot coffee. The majority of brands offer a variety of sizes of drinks to meet various needs. You can save custom settings on many models to speed up the process even further.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two biggest players in the market, but each offers a wide selection of capsules from popular roasters and brands. Some pods are made to be used just once and then be thrown away, while others are designed to be used for a variety of purposes. You'll need a plan to dispose of your used pods to avoid them from being thrown away.
The sleek SMEG model we tested has a water tank that is removable and easy to fill and the machine automatically pours a fresh capsule once the previous one has cooled. It can be used to brew espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends that provide plenty of options. This brewer is ideal for coffee drinkers who want to 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 stunning on your counter, and it can be opened coffee pods machines in a matter of seconds to reveal the hidden compartment that holds your empty pods. It also comes with the added benefit of a water filtration system, which is great for hard-water areas.
The machine can brew a standard cup of coffee (240ml) and also serves as lungo and ristretto-style espresso drinks and is surprisingly fast. Its intuitive controls are easy to use, thanks to switches that resemble airplanes and a lever that retracts with little effort to reveal the area that allows you to insert the pod. It requires a little force to close, but our test subjects, even those with limitations in hand strength and mobility, found it comfortable.
3. Size
The top coffee pod makers remove all the messes of coffee making out of your hands. You simply put in one of the pods, press an icon and make coffee. You'll still have to clean the machine from time time however not as often as you would with a bean-to-cup cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are smaller than their larger counterparts and can be stacked on the counter when not being used.
The decision of whether a coffee machine is the right option for you depends on your preferences and what you're looking to get from it. All pod machines are simple to use, but others offer more customization options. Different pod types, brew sizes options and milk frothing capabilities must be taken into consideration to help find the perfect coffee pod machine.
The majority of people associate pod-based machines with the likes of Nespresso and Keurig, but there are some newer competitors on the scene that are worth a look. One of them is Bruvi, which uses an exclusive pod system called B-Pods, which can only be used with its machines. The pods are identified with a barcode that is scanned by the machine to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
This method eliminates all the guesswork the process of making a cup, and makes sure that each drink is perfect every time. It can save your customised drinks on a button, so that you can make them by pressing a single button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a more precise level of control over your coffee, allowing you to choose the right size and temperature for each drink. It's more expensive than many other models but it offers the polished stainless steel construction and the excellent customer service that is associated with the brand. It is a solid option for those looking to get something more from their pod-based coffee maker.
While the majority of people are using a pod-based machine to make single-serve beverages however, there are a few larger models that are able to create longer shots, also known as lungos, too. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, a great example, combines retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee maker Lavazza. It can be a little intimidating to use thanks to its toggles that resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's quick and incredibly enjoyable to use and brews a lungo in just 30 seconds and the pods that are used are deposited into an internal bin with the click of the button.
4. Customization
A pod coffee maker's limited customization is a major reason it may not be the right choice for you. Unless you purchase an additional milk frother, the only options to add flavor or creaminess is to use an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option and add milk to your cup manually. This shouldn't be a problem for many people, but it could be an issue for those who prefer a fully automatic experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology uses barcode scanners to scan each capsule and automatically pre-wet, infuse, and give the correct amount of coffee that is appropriate for the type of pod. It's a simple, hands-off machine that performs its job very well but lacks any options for customizing drinks or varying the strength of brew. This might be frustrating for some customers but for others, the simple automation and range of cup lengths (espresso lungo, espresso and mug) will provide exactly what they need.
In addition to filling up the tank with water and decaffeinating the reservoir occasionally This coffee maker does not require a lot of maintenance. It is able to serve espresso-style shots or tall travel mugs easily. As previously mentioned, used pods are then ejected from a container hidden from view that helps keep your kitchen tidy. It also does a fantastic job of providing full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
This machine is part of Smeg's 1950s style range. It's easy to use via a simple panel of buttons and can be used with ground coffee and ESE pods. Its only flaw is the lack of an indicator that tells you when it's time to descale, as well as the inability to set the maximum level of water. You will also have to buy the brand's capsules which can be expensive. This is a good pod machine for anyone looking for an easy-to-use and stylish appliance that is able to serve at a reasonable cost. If you're looking for some variety, a large selection of third-party capsules is available for this model and it's also compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.