The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel appliance comes with Sage distinctive quality and ease of operation. When it is turned on, it preheats and brews a fragrant espresso or a slightly longer lungo in about 30 seconds.
As opposed to bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the messiest aspects of coffee making off your hands, including grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Fast
Pod machines can be set up and used faster than espresso machines. They can typically make a cup in 30 seconds. But they come at an expense: the pre-portioned coffee pods used in these models tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted beans. And they are not recycled. (though certain companies now offer free recycling bags and pre-paid UPS labels for returning them).
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines that you can find due to its in-built barcode reader that scans code of each compatible pod before brewing it. This makes it easy to ensure consistent quality, high-end coffee each time, with virtually no chances of a drink turning out horribly wrong. It is also among the slimmest and lightest on the market that doesn't require a separate milk jug and its small footprint making it easy to fit into even the smallest of kitchens.
The CitiZ isn't the best machine to reduce your environmental impact. It doesn't have an automatic descaling function and you'll need to descale it yourself once every 300 cups if reside in hard water areas or 1200 cups in soft water areas. You'll also have to put the filter cartridge once this runs out and could be expensive for some users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another speedy machine with customisable buttons and the option of using either ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed and tampered grounds compressed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to decreasing the negative impact it has on its environment and its employees. The only drawback is the time it takes to heat up. Once it's done it will brew a cup in about 35 minutes.
If you're after a sleek, stylish machine capable of handling a range of different drink sizes and styles then take a look at the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This glossy beauty, made in collaboration with Sage and Sage, is not just simple and quick to operate but also comes with an ice-cream frothing wand, as well as a stainless steel jug.
2. Removable parts
The user-friendliness is a major selling point and the best models are a breeze to operate. The majority of machines use the same basic mechanism to brew your cup by heating water inside a reservoir, then pumped through your chosen capsules and extracted to form rich hot java. The majority of brands offer various sizes of drinks for different needs. You can also save custom settings to streamline the process.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two biggest brands on the market, however each offers a wide selection of capsules from the most popular roasters and brands. Some pods can be used just once before being thrown away and others can be used several times. You'll need a plan for the pods you've used to avoid them ending up in landfill.
The sleek SMEG model we tested features an ejectable water tank that's easy to fill, and the machine automatically dispenses new capsules once the previous one has been cooled. It brews coffee and lungo drinks and comes with eight different blends that give you plenty of variety. This brewer is perfect for coffee lovers who want to make the switch from drip coffee.
In our tests of the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design looks great on your counter, and it opens with just a touch to reveal the compartment that holds your empty pods. The machine also has the added benefit of an filtration system for water, which is perfect for hard-water areas.
The machine is fast and brews regular coffee (240ml) and ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. Its intuitive controls are easy to navigate, thanks to aircraft-style toggles as well as a lever that retracts without much effort to reveal the opening which allows you to drop your pod. It requires a bit of pressure to close, however most of our testers who have limited hand strength and mobility, felt comfortable.
3. Size
The best coffee pod makers remove all the mess from coffee making. You just add a pod, press a button and let it make coffee. You'll still need 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 larger counterparts and can be tucked away on the counter and be stored away from view when not being used.
The ideal coffee maker for you will depend on your personal preferences and what you want to achieve. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, but certain models offer more customization options than others. Take into consideration the variety of coffee pods as well as brew sizes, milk and frothing options when choosing the best machine.
Many people think of pod-based machines as the likes of Nespresso and Keurig however there are a few more recent rivals which are worth looking into. One of them is Bruvi which makes use of an exclusive pod system called B-Pods, which can only be used in conjunction with its machines. The pods are equipped with an underside barcode that the machine scans to automatically adjust brewing settings.
The machine will take all the guesswork and ensure that every drink is perfect every time. It can even save customised drinks to a specific button to allow you to create them at the touch of a button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer more control over your coffee than the majority models, allowing you to select the exact size and temperature for each drink. It's a little more expensive than many other models but it offers the polished stainless steel build and the excellent customer service that is associated with the brand. It is a good choice for those who need an extra level of quality from their pod-based coffee maker.
Some models with larger capacities can also brew lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a fantastic example of this. It is a combination of the retro style of SMEG with Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It's a little intimidating at first thanks to the airplane-style toggles, but once you've gotten used to it, it is quick and easy to use. A lungo can be made in only 30 minutes.
4. Customization
One of the main reasons a pod coffee maker may not be the right choice for you is its limited customizability. If you don't have an additional milk frother then the only option to add here more flavor or creaminess is to make use of hot tea or chocolate option in your mug or to manually add milk into your coffee. This won't be an issue for a lot of people, but could be a problem for those who prefer the convenience of a fully automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew uses a barcode scanner to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wets, infuses and dispenses the correct amount of coffee to the particular kind of pod. It's a hassle-free, hands-off machine that does the job well, but it doesn't have any options for making drinks that are customized or for varying the strength of the brew. This will irritate some buyers but for others the hassle-free automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso lungo, espresso and mug) it provides precisely what they require.
This coffee maker is very low-maintenance. It only requires you to fill up the water tank, and decaffeinate it every time. It can dispense short espresso shots and tall travel mugs easily and, as we mentioned the pods that are used are ejected into a hidden receptacle which keeps your kitchen spotless. It is also excellent in delivering full-bodied coffees that have a crema-topped top.
This machine is part of Smeg's 1950s-style collection. It's easy to use with a simple interface and can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods. The only drawback is that it doesn't have an indicator to let you know when it's time for descale. Also, the maximum water level can't be set which is a minor inconvenience. You will also have to purchase the brand's capsules which can be expensive. This is a good pod machine for those who want an easy-to-use and stylish appliance that will serve well at a reasonable price. This model is compatible with a variety of capsules from third-party manufacturers and works with the Nespresso Vertuo range.