The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel appliance offers the Sage brand's distinctive quality and ease of operation. It warms up after switching on, and then brews a delicious espresso or a little longer lungo in about 30 seconds.
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 are generally quicker to set up and use than espresso machines, with many able to make a cup of coffee in 30 seconds or so. But they do come at an expense: the pre-portioned coffee pods that are used in these machines are generally more expensive than freshly roasted beans. And many are also not recyclable (though some companies are now offering free recycling bags and prepaid UPS labels for returning them).
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines that you can find, thanks to its in-built barcode reader that scans code of each compatible pod before making it. This makes it simple to ensure consistent, high-quality coffee every time, with virtually 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 small footprint allows it to be easily incorporated into even the smallest kitchens.
However, the CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine for those looking to minimize their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automated descaling function and you'll need to do it yourself every 300 cups if reside in hard water, or 1200 cups in soft water zones. You'll also have to put with a new cartridge once this runs out, which could be costly for certain users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a speedy machine that has customisable buttons. It can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods which are pre-dosed, tampered grounds compressed between filter paper. It is also B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to decreasing its negative impact on the environment and its employees. Its only downside is that it takes a little longer to warm up, but once this happens it can brew a cup in around 35 seconds.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish, sleek machine that can create a variety of drinks in different sizes and styles. This glossy beauty, made in collaboration with Sage and Sage, is not just quick and simple to operate but also comes with a milk frothing wand and an stainless steel jug.
2. Removable parts
The ease of use of pod coffee makers is a major advantage. The most effective models are simple to use. The majority of machines use the same basic process to make your coffee: water is heated in an internal reservoir, then pressured through the chosen capsules and extracted to create rich hot java. Many brands offer a variety of sizes of drinks to meet different requirements. You can also save your own settings to speed up the process.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading players on the market, yet both offer a variety of capsules from popular roasters and brands. Some pods are able to be used once before they are discarded and others can be used several times. You'll need a plan for your used pods to avoid them ending up in landfill.
The SMEG we tested has a removable water reservoir that is easy to fill. It also automatically dispenses another capsule after the previous one cools down. It can be used to brew coffee and lungo drinks and comes with eight different blends that provide you with a wide selection. This brewer is a great choice for those who love coffee and want to move away from drip coffee.
In our testing, the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design looks great on your counter and can be opened in a matter of seconds to reveal the compartment that holds empty pods. The machine comes with an integrated water filter that is website ideal for areas with hard water.
The machine can brew the standard cup of coffee (240ml) and also serves as lungo and ristretto espresso-style drinks and is surprisingly fast. Its easy-to-use controls are easy to navigate using the aircraft-style toggles as well as a lever that retracts without much 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 felt comfortable.
3. Size
The top coffee pod machines eliminate all the mess that comes with coffee making - you just load a pod in, press a button and let it make coffee. It is still necessary to clean your machine from time to time, but not as often as 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.
Whether a coffee pod machine is the right choice for you depends on your preferences and what you're looking to get out of it. The majority of pod machines are easy to operate, however, some offer more customization options. Different pod types, brew sizes options and milk frothing capabilities must be taken into consideration to find the ideal coffee pod machine.
The most popular pod-based coffee machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are newer competitors that may be worth taking a look at. One is Bruvi which has an exclusive pod system known as B-Pods that can only be used by its machines. The pods are equipped with an underside barcode that the machine scans to automatically adjust brewing settings.
This means that the machine eliminates all the guesswork the process of making a cup, and guarantees that every drink is made perfectly every time. It is able to save your customized drinks to a button, so that you can make them by pressing a single button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer more granular control over your cup of coffee than others models, allowing you to select the exact size and temperature for each cup. It's more expensive than other models, but it comes with the polished stainless-steel construction and the excellent customer service that is a hallmark of the brand. This is a great option for those who want a bit more out of their pod-based espresso maker.
Certain models are larger and can create lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a perfect example, blends retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It's a bit intimidating initially due to the toggles that look like airplanes, but once you've gotten used to it, the machine is quick and easy to click here use. A lungo can be prepared in only 30 seconds.
4. Customization
The lack of customisation is a major reason it may not be the best choice for you. If you don't buy an additional milk frother, the only options to add flavor or creaminess are to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option, and then add milk to your cup manually. For most people, this shouldn't be a problem but it could be a nagging issue for those who prefer a fully automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew utilizes barcode scanners to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wets and infuses the correct amount of pod coffee machine coffee for the particular kind of pod. It's a hands-free, easy-to-use machine that does its job flawlessly, but does not have any options for making drinks that are customized or varying the strength of brew. This may be a problem for some buyers but for others, the simple automation and range of cup lengths (espresso, lungo and mug) will provide precisely what they require.
In addition to filling up the water tank and decaffeinating the reservoir occasionally, this coffee maker will not need a lot of maintenance. It is able to serve espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs easily and, as previously mentioned, used pods are ejected into a hidden container which keeps your kitchen spotless. It also excels at delivering full-bodied coffees with a crema-topped top.
This machine is part of Smeg's 1950s style range. It is easy to use with a simple control panel and can be used with ground click here coffee or ESE pods. It's only downside is the lack of a gauge that tells you when to descale, and the inability to set a maximum water level. You'll also need to purchase the brand's capsules which can be expensive. However, this is a great pod coffee maker for anyone looking for an attractive and convenient appliance that will provide them with a great service at an affordable price. This model is compatible with a range more info of third-party capsules and also works with the Nespresso Vertuo range.