The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The most elegant pod machine we've ever seen, this brushed-steel model has the trademark Sage quality and ease of use. It warms up after switching on, and brews an aroma-packed espresso or a slightly longer lungo in about 30 minutes.
As opposed to bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the most messed-up aspects of coffee making out of your hands, such as grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Speedy
Pod machines can be installed and used more quickly than espresso machines. Most of them can make a cup in just 30 seconds. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines are generally more expensive than freshly roasted coffee beans, and many of them aren't recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the most efficient pod machines available, thanks to the barcode scanner which scans each compatible pod's code prior to making coffee. This ensures consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is virtually no chance of having a bad drink. It is also among the slimmest and lightest available and does not require an additional milk jug, and the smallest footprint, making it easy to fit in even the smallest of kitchens.
However, the CitiZ isn't the best machine for those wanting to cut down on their environmental impact. The CitiZ doesn't have an automatic descaling feature. You'll have to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water, and every 1200 cups for soft water. When the filter cartridge wears out, you'll need to replace it with a new one. This can be costly for certain users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a speedy machine that has customisable buttons. It can be utilized with ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed, tampered ground that are compressed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to lessening the negative impact it has on the surroundings and its workforce. The only drawback is the time it takes to heat up. Once it's done, it can brew one cup in about 35 seconds.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish, sleek machine that can make a variety drinks in different sizes and styles. This sleek beauty, created in collaboration with Sage, 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 advantage. The top models are easy to operate. The majority of machines use the same mechanism to brew your cup by heating water inside a reservoir, and then pushed through your chosen capsules and extracted to create rich hot coffee. Most brands offer different sizes of drinks to meet different requirements. You can also save custom settings to speed up the process.
Keurig K-Cups are the biggest player on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also come with a variety of capsules by famous roasters. Some pods are made to be used only once before being get thrown away, whereas others are designed to be used multiple times. Whatever the case, you'll need to plan ahead for the way you'll dispose of the pods you've used up so that they do not end up in the garbage.
The SMEG we tested comes with a removable reservoir of water that is easy to fill. It also automatically dispensates another capsule after the previous one cools down. It can make espresso and lungo drinks and has eight different blends for the variety. This brewer will appeal to coffee lovers who are looking to move away from drip coffee.
In our testing of the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design looks stunning on your counter and can be opened with a single touch to reveal the compartment that holds your empty pods. The machine comes with an in-built water filter system which is perfect for areas with hard water.
The machine is fast and brews regular coffee (240ml) and ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. Its easy-to-use controls are a joy to use with the help of airplane-style toggles and a lever that coffee pods coffee machine retracts without much effort to reveal the space that allows you to insert the pod. It takes a bit of force to close but our testers, including those who have weak hand and mobility felt comfortable.
3. Size
The top coffee pod machines take away all the mess from coffee making - you just put a pod in, press a button and let it be brewed. You'll still have to clean your machine every now and then but not as often as a bean-to cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their counterparts that are larger which means they can be placed on the countertop and be stored out of view when not being used.
The best coffee machine for you will be determined by your preferences and the goals you'd like to achieve. All pod machines are easy to use, but certain models offer more customization options than others. Take into consideration the variety of coffee pods sizes, brew sizes and milk options for frothing when selecting the right machine.
Many people think of pod-based machines as the likes of Nespresso and Keurig, but there are a few more recent competitors that could be worth considering. Bruvi utilizes a unique system of pods, called B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. The pods have a barcode on the underside that the machine scans to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
The machine will eliminate the guesswork out of it and ensure that each drink is perfect every time. It is even able to save custom drinks to a specific button to allow you to make them with the press of a single button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer more control over your cup of coffee than others, letting you choose the exact size and temperature for each cup. It's more expensive than other models, but it has the polished stainless-steel build and excellent customer service that is synonymous with Sage's My Way. This is a great option for those who want a bit more out of their espresso maker that is based on pods.
Some larger models can also brew lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a great example of this. It blends the retro-fifties style of SMEG with Italian coffee brand, Lavazza. It's not easy at first thanks to the airplane-style toggles but once you get used to it, the machine is easy and enjoyable to use. A lungo can be brewed in 30 minutes.
4. Customization
One of the main reasons the pod coffee maker might not be the best choice for you is its limited customizability. If you don't purchase an auxiliary milk frother, the only ways to add extra flavor or creaminess is to use an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option, and then add milk to your coffee manually. For most people, this won't be a problem but it could be a sticking point for those who prefer an automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology utilizes barcode scanners to scan each capsule, and automatically pre-wet, infuse and dispense the correct volume of coffee that is appropriate for the 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 the brew. This might be frustrating for some customers but for others, the simple automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso lungo, espresso and mug) it gives exactly what they need.
This coffee maker is very low-maintenance. It's all you have to do is to fill up the tank with water, and decaffeinate it every once in a while. It dispenses short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs effortlessly and, as previously mentioned the used pods are ejected to a hidden receptacle that keeps your kitchen clean. It also excels at delivering full-bodied coffees with a crema-topped top.
This is a beautiful-looking machine and part of Smeg's fifties-style range. It's user-friendly with an easy-to-use panel of buttons and can accommodate ground coffee as well as ESE pods. The only drawback is the absence of a gauge that tells you when it's time to descale, as well as the inability to set the maximum water level. You will also have to buy the capsules of the brand, which can be expensive. But, it's an excellent pod coffee maker for anyone seeking a stylish and practical appliance that can provide them with quality coffee at a reasonable price. For those who want a little more variety, a large selection of third-party capsules is available for this model. It's compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.