The 10 Most Terrifying Things About Best Coffee Pod Machine
The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The sleekest pod machine we've seen, this brushed-steel model offers the renowned Sage quality and is easy to use. When it is turned on, it heats up and brews a fragrant espresso or slightly longer lungo within 30 minutes.
pod coffee machine models are a great alternative to bean-to-cup machines. They take the clumsiest parts of coffee making off your hands, such as grinding and measuring grounds.
1. Speedy
Pod machines can be set up and used faster than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup of coffee in 30 seconds. But they do come at an expense in that the pre-portioned coffee pods that are used in these machines tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted beans and they are not recycled. (though some companies now offer 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 which scans each compatible pod's code before brewing. This makes it simple to get consistent, high-quality coffee every time, with virtually no chance of a drink coming out badly wrong. It is also one of the slimmest and lightest available, with no need for a separate milk jug and its small footprint making it easy to fit into even the tiniest of kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the best machine for those who want to reduce their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automated descaling feature, and you'll have to descale it yourself once every 300 cups if live in hard water or 1200 cups in soft water zones. It is also necessary to put with a new cartridge when it runs out and could be expensive for some users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a quick machine with customizable buttons. It can be utilized with ground coffee or ESE pods that are pre-dosed, tampered grounds that are compressed between filter paper. This model is also B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to reducing its negative impact on the environment and its workforce. The only drawback is that it takes a little longer to warm up, but once that happens it can brew the cup in about 35 seconds.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that is able to create a variety of drinks with different sizes and styles. This sleek machine designed in collaboration with Sage is not only easy to use but also comes with an ice cream wand, an stainless steel jug and a milk frother.
2. Removable parts
A pod coffee maker's user-friendliness is a major selling point and the best models are a breeze to use. Most machines rely on the same mechanism to brew your cup by heating water in an internal reservoir, then pressured through the chosen capsules and extracted to produce rich, hot java. Most brands offer different sizes of drinks for different needs. You can also save your own settings to streamline the process.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading brands on the market, however each offers a wide selection of capsules from top roasters and brands. Some pods are made to be used once and get thrown away, whereas others are designed to be used for a variety of purposes. Either way, you'll need to think about how you'll handle the pods you've used up so that they don't end up in landfill.
The sleek SMEG model we tested comes with a removable water tank that's easy to fill and the machine will automatically pour a fresh capsule coffee machine once the previous one has been cooled. It can be used to brew coffee machine with capsules and lungo drinks and comes with a set of eight different blends to give you plenty of variety. This brewer is ideal for coffee drinkers who want to switch from drip coffee.
In our tests we found that the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most satisfying to use. Its sleek design looks great on your counter, and it can be opened with a single touch to reveal the hidden compartment that houses your empty pods. The machine also has the added benefit of the water filtration system which is great for areas with hard water.
This machine is able to make a standard cup of coffee (240ml) as well as lungo and ristretto-style espresso drinks, and is surprisingly quick. Its easy-to-use controls are easy to navigate using the aircraft-style toggles as well as a lever that retracts with a minimum of effort to reveal the area that allows you to insert your coffee maker. It takes a bit of pressure to close, however the majority of our test subjects even those with limited hand strength and mobility, found it comfortable.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines remove all the messes of making coffee out of your hands. You simply load in a pod, hit a button and brew. You'll still have to clean the machine from time to time, but not as frequently as you would with a bean-to cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are smaller than their larger equivalents, and can be stored on the counter when not being used.
The right coffee pod machine for you will be determined by your preferences and the goals you'd like to achieve. All pod machines are simple to use, but some offer more customisation options than others. Consider the coffee pod variety as well as brew sizes, milk and options for frothing when picking the right machine.
The most popular pod-based coffee machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However, there are some more recent competitors that are worth a look. Bruvi utilizes a unique system of pods called B-Pods, which can only be used in its machines. The pods have an underside barcode that the machine scans to automatically adjust brewing settings.
The machine will eliminate all the guesswork and make sure that every drink is perfect every time. It is even able to save custom drinks to a separate button to allow you to create them at the touch of a single button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way, offer more granular control over your cup of coffee than others models, allowing you to select the right 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 the brand. This is a good choice for those looking for a bit more out of their pod-based espresso maker.
While the majority of people will be using the pod-based machine to create single-serve drinks however, there are a few larger models that can brew longer shots, known as lungos, also. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is an excellent example of this. It is a combination of the retro style of SMEG with Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It's intimidating to use thanks to its airplane-style toggles and manual lever, but it's easy and extremely enjoyable to use - a lungo is brewed in just 30 seconds and the discarded pods are placed in an internal bin at the touch of a button.
4. Customization
One of the main reasons the pod coffee maker might not be right for you is its lack of customizability. If you don't have an alternative milk frother, then the only way to add more flavor or creaminess is to use hot tea or chocolate option in your mug or to manually add milk to coffee. This won't be an issue for most people, but it could be a problem for those who prefer an entirely automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology utilizes barcode readers to scan each capsule and automatically pre-wet, infuse and dispense the correct volume of coffee required for that type of pod. It's a hands-free, easy-to-use machine that performs its job flawlessly, but does not have any options for making drinks that are customized or altering the strength of the brew. This might be frustrating for some customers but for others, the simple automation and range of cup lengths (espresso, lungo and mug) it provides exactly what they need.
The coffee maker is extremely low-maintenance. It's all you have to do is to refill the water tank and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every so often. It dispenses short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs easily and, as previously mentioned, used pods are ejected to a hidden container which keeps your kitchen spotless. It also does a great job of providing full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
This is a beautiful-looking machine and is part of Smeg's fifties style range. It's user-friendly with a simple panel and can take ground coffee or ESE pods. The only drawback is the absence of a gauge that will let you know when you should descale, and the inability to set a maximum water level. You'll also have to purchase the brand's capsules which can be expensive. This is a good pod machine for anyone looking for a convenient and attractive appliance that is able to serve at a reasonable price. For those who want more variety, a wide range of third-party capsules is offered for this model. It's compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.