The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel appliance comes with Sage distinctive quality and ease of use. When it is turned on, it preheats and makes a scrumptious espresso or a slightly longer lungo within 30 minutes.
The pod models are an excellent alternative to bean-to-cup machines. They take the most messy parts of coffee making off your hands, including grinding and measuring grounds.
1. Fast
Pod machines are generally easier to set up and use than espresso machines, with most can make a cup of coffee in only 30 seconds or less. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines are generally more expensive than freshly roasted coffee beans and a majority of them are not recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the most efficient pod machines available, thanks to the barcode scanner that scans every compatible pod's code prior to brewing. This ensures you get consistently top-quality coffee every time. There is virtually no possibility of getting a poor drink. It is also among the slimmest and lightest on the market that doesn't require an additional milk jug or the smallest footprint, making it a breeze to fit into even the tiniest kitchen.
However, the CitiZ isn't the best machine for those looking to cut down on their environmental impact. The CitiZ doesn't have an automatic descaling feature. You'll need to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water and 1200 cups for soft water. Once the filter cartridge runs out, you'll need replace it with a new. This can be costly for some users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a quick machine with customizable buttons. It can be utilized with ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed, tampered ground compressed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to reducing the negative impact it has on the surroundings and its workforce. Its only minor drawback is the time it takes to warm up. Once it's done it will brew a cup in around 35 minutes.
If you're looking for an elegant, stylish machine that can handle a variety of different drink sizes and styles then look no further than the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek machine, created in collaboration with Sage is not just easy to use, but also comes with an ice cream wand an stainless steel jug and milk frother.
2. Removable parts
The ease of use of pod coffee makers is a major benefit. The best models are easy to operate. The majority of machines use the same general mechanism to brew your cup the water is heated inside a reservoir, and then pushed through the chosen capsules and extracted to produce rich, hot coffee. The majority of brands offer various sizes of drinks to meet different requirements. You can also save custom settings to speed up the process.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading players on the market, but each offers a wide selection of capsules from popular roasters and brands. Some pods are designed to be used just once and then get thrown away, whereas others are designed to be used for a variety of purposes. You'll need a plan for the pods you've used to avoid them from being thrown away.
The sleek SMEG model we tested features a water tank that is removable and easy to fill and the machine automatically dispenses new capsules once the previous one has cooled. It can brew espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends for variety. This brewer is perfect for coffee drinkers who wish to make the switch from drip coffee to drip.
In our tests of the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable one to use. Its sleek design makes it a looker on your counter and it opens with a light tap to reveal a hidden compartment for your empty pods. The machine also has the added benefit of the water filtration system which is great for hard-water areas.
This machine is able to make a standard cup of coffee (240ml) as well as lungo and ristretto-style espresso drinks and is surprisingly fast. The controls are simple to operate, using the style of airplane toggles that can be retracted easily and a lever which retracts to reveal the hole to place into your pod. It takes a bit of force to close but our test subjects, even those with limitations in hand strength and mobility were able to use it comfortably.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines eliminate all the mess that comes with coffee making. All you have to do is load a pod in the machine, push a button and let it be brewed. You'll still have to clean the machine from time to time but not as often as you would with a bean-to cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their bigger counterparts, and can be stored on the counter when not being used.
The decision of whether a coffee machine is the right option for you is based on your preferences and what you want to get from it. All pod machines are easy to use, however some have more options for customization than others. The variety of pods, brew size options, and milk frothing features should all be considered to help find the perfect coffee pod machine for your needs.
The most well-known pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are a few newer competitors that may be worth looking at. One of them is Bruvi, which uses a bespoke pod system called B-Pods, which can only be used with its machines. These pods are marked with a barcode that is read by the machine to adjust the brewing parameters automatically.
This means that the machine removes all the guesswork of making a cup and ensures each drink is perfect every time. It is even able to save custom drinks to a specific button to allow you to create them at the touch of a button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a more granular level of control over your coffee that allows you to select the right size and temperature for each drink. It's a bit more expensive than many other models, but it comes with the polished stainless steel build and the excellent customer service that is synonymous with the brand and is a great choice for those who need something more from their pod-based coffee maker.
Certain models are larger and can make lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a great example, combines retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee maker Lavazza. It's not easy initially due to the toggles that look like airplanes, but once you get used to it, the machine is quick and satisfying to use. A lungo can be prepared in 30 minutes.
4. Customization
The lack of customisation is a major reason it's not the best option for you. If you don't buy an auxiliary milk frother, the only ways to add extra flavor or creaminess are to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option, and then add milk manually to your coffee. This won't be an issue for many people, but it could be an issue for those who prefer a fully automatic experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew makes use of a barcode scanner to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wettes and infuses, then dispensing the right amount of coffee for the particular kind of pod. It's a hands-free, easy-to-use machine that does its job very well but lacks any options for making drinks that are customized or for varying the strength of brew. Some customers might be disappointed by this, but many will find the ease of use and variety of cup sizes (espressos, lungos and mugs) to be capsule coffee makers exactly what they are searching for.
This coffee maker is low maintenance. It only requires you to refill the water tank, and decaffeinate it every so often. It can dispense short espresso shots and tall travel mugs effortlessly and, as we mentioned, used pods are ejected into a hidden container that keeps your kitchen clean. It also does a great job of delivering full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
This machine is part of Smeg’s 1950s-style range. It's simple to use with a simple panel of buttons and can be used with both 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 a minor inconvenience. It is also necessary to purchase the brand's own capsules, which can be pricey. This is a good pod machine for anyone who wants an easy-to-use and stylish appliance that is able to serve at a reasonable price. For those who want a little more variety, a wide range of third-party capsules are available for this model and it's compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.