The 10 Scariest Things About Best Coffee Pod Machine
The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The most elegant pod machine we've seen this brushed-steel model offers the trademark Sage quality and user-friendly. After turning on, it warms up and brews a fragrant espresso or a slightly longer lungo in just 30 seconds.
The pod models are an excellent alternative to bean-to-cup machines. They take the clumsiest aspects of making coffee off your hands, such as grinding and measuring grounds.
1. Fast
Pod machines are generally quicker to set up and use than espresso machines, with most capable of making coffee in 30 seconds or less. However, they come with some cost: the pre-portioned coffee pods coffee machines used in these machines are generally 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 that scans each compatible pod's code prior to brewing. This ensures you get consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is virtually no possibility of getting a poor beverage. The machine is one of the slimmest and lightest available. It doesn't require an additional milk container and its small footprint allows it to be easily incorporated into even the tiniest kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the best machine for those who want to cut down on their environmental impact. It doesn't come with an automatic descaling function and you'll need to descale it yourself once every 300 cups if you live in hard water or 1200 cups in soft water zones. Once the filter cartridge is out, you'll need to replace it with a new one. This could be expensive for some users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another quick machine that comes with a customisable button and the option to use either ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed and tampered grounds squeezed 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 downside is that it takes a little longer to heat up, but once that is done, it will be able to brew a cup in around 35 seconds.
If you're after an elegant, stylish machine that can handle a range of different sizes and styles, look no further than the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This gorgeous, glossy machine, developed in collaboration with Sage and Sage, is not just easy to use and quick to start, 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 top models are easy to operate. Most machines rely on the same basic mechanism to brew your cup the water is heated in an internal reservoir, then pumped through the chosen capsules and extracted to produce rich hot coffee. The majority of brands offer a variety of drink sizes to suit different requirements, and you can save your own settings on many models to simplify the process even further.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two major players on the market, but each offers a wide selection of capsules from top roasters and brands. Some pods can be used once before being thrown away, while others can be used several times. You'll need a strategy for your old pods to prevent them from being thrown away.
The SMEG we tested comes with a removable reservoir of water that is simple to fill. It also automatically dispenses an additional capsule once the previous one cools down. It can be used to brew lungo and espresso drinks, and comes with a set of eight different blends that give you plenty of variety. This brewer is a great choice for coffee drinkers who want to switch from drip coffee pods coffee machine.
In our tests we found that the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design makes it an eye-catching addition to your counter and it can be opened with a gentle touch to reveal a concealed compartment for your empty pods. It also comes with the added benefit of an filtration system for water, which is ideal for areas with hard water.
This machine brews an ordinary cup of coffee (240ml), as well as lungo and ristretto-style espresso drinks and is extremely fast. The controls are easy to use, with the style of airplane toggles that can be easily retracted and a lever which retracts to reveal the opening to drop in the pod. It takes a bit of pressure to close, however the majority of our testers even those with limitations in hand strength and mobility, were able to use it comfortably.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines take all the messy parts of coffee making out of your hands - you simply put in one of the pods, press a button and brew. You'll still have to clean the machine from time to time however not as often as you would with a bean-to cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their larger equivalents and can be stacked on the counter when not in use.
The right coffee pod machine for you will depend on your personal preferences and the goals you'd like to achieve. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, but certain models offer more customization options than others. Pod variety, brew size options, and milk frothing features should all be considered to help find the perfect coffee pod machine.
The majority of people think of pod and bean coffee machine-based devices in the likes of Nespresso and Keurig, but there are a few more recent competitors on the scene that could be worth considering. One of them is Bruvi which makes use of 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.
The machine will eliminate the guesswork and make sure that each drink is perfect every time. It is able to save your customized drinks on a button, so that you can create them with one button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way offer a greater degree of control over your coffee, allowing you to choose a specific size and temperature for each cup. It's a little more expensive than some models, but it comes with the polished stainless steel design and top-quality customer service that's associated with the brand. It is a good option for those looking to get something more from their pod-based coffee machine with capsules maker.
While the majority of people will be using the pod-based machine to create single-serve drinks, there are some larger models that can also brew longer shots, known as lungos, too. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, a excellent example, blends retro fifties styling from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It's intimidating to use thanks to its airplane-style toggles as well as the manual lever, but it's easy and incredibly satisfying to operate - a lungo is brewed in less than 30 seconds and the used pods are placed in an internal bin at the push of a button.
4. Customization
A pod coffee maker's limited customisation is a major reason it might not be the best option for you. If you don't have an auxiliary milk frother then the only option to enhance flavor or creaminess is to make use of hot chocolate or tea option in your mug or to manually add milk into your coffee. This shouldn't be a problem for a lot of people, but it could be a problem for those who like the convenience of a fully automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology uses a barcode reader to scan each capsule and automatically pre-wet, infuse and give the correct amount of coffee pods machine for that particular type of pod. It's a simple, hands-off machine which does a great job but isn't able to customize drinks or altering the strength of brew. Some buyers will be annoyed by this, but many will find the convenience and variety of cup sizes (espressos, lungos and mugs) to be exactly what they are looking for.
This coffee maker is very low-maintenance. It's all you have to do is to fill up the water tank, and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every time. It can dispense short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs with ease. As mentioned, the used pods are ejected in an unnoticed container which keeps your kitchen clean. It also excels at delivering full-bodied espressos with tops that are topped with crema.
This is a stunning machine that is part of Smeg's fifties-style range. It's user-friendly with a simple control panel and can accommodate ground coffee or ESE pods. The only downside is that it doesn't have an indicator to let you know when it's time to descale, and the maximum water level cannot be set, which is a minor issue. You also need to buy the capsules made by the company which can be costly. Nevertheless, this is a good pod coffee maker for those seeking a stylish and practical appliance that can serve them well for an affordable price. For those who want some variety, a wide range of third-party capsules is offered for this model, and it's compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.