Best Coffee Pod Machine: It's Not As Difficult As You Think
Best Coffee Pod Machine: It's Not As Difficult As You Think
Blog Article
The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The most elegant pod machine we've seen, this model with brushed-steel features the renowned Sage quality and is easy to use. It warms up after switching on, and brews an aroma-packed espresso or a little longer lungo in about 30 minutes.
As opposed to bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the most messy aspects of coffee-making out of your hands - including grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Speedy
Pod machines are generally quicker to set up and use than espresso machines, with many can make a cup of coffee in 30 seconds or less. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted coffee beans and a lot of them aren't recyclable.
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 making coffee. This allows you to ensure consistent high-quality, high-end coffee every time, with virtually no chance of the drink turning out horribly wrong. This machine is among the tiniest and lightest on the market. It doesn't require a separate milk container and its small footprint makes it easy to fit into the smallest kitchens.
The CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine to reduce the environmental impact. It doesn't come with an automatic descaling function and you'll need to clean it yourself every 300 cups if you live in hard water or 1200 cups in soft water zones. It is also necessary to put in a new filter cartridge after this expires and could be expensive for some users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another speedy machine with customisable buttons and the option to use either ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed and tampered with grounds packed between filter paper. The model is B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to decreasing its negative impact on the environment as well as its employees. The only drawback is the time it takes to warm up. Once it's done, it can brew one cup in about 35 seconds.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that is able to make a variety drinks in different sizes and styles. This sleek machine, created in collaboration with Sage is not just easy to use, but it also comes with an ice cream wand, a stainless steel jug, and a milk frother.
2. Removable parts
The ease of use is a major selling point and the best models are simple to use. The majority of machines employ the same basic process to brew a cup of coffee that is, heated water is placed in reservoirs, then pushed through capsules to create rich hot, hot coffee. Most brands offer different sizes of drinks for different needs. You can also save custom settings to make the process more efficient.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading players in the market, but each has a variety of capsules from popular roasters and brands. Some pods are designed to be used just once and then discarded, while others are intended to be used for a variety of purposes. Either way, you'll need to think about how you'll deal with your spent pods so they do not end up in the garbage.
The SMEG we tested has a removable reservoir of water that is simple to fill. It also automatically dispensates a new capsule after the previous one cools down. It can brew lungo and espresso drinks and has eight different blends to give you variety. This brewer is perfect for coffee lovers who want to move away from drip coffee.
In our tests of the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design looks stunning on your counter, and it can be opened in a matter of seconds to reveal the compartment that stores your empty pods. The machine also has the added benefit of an filtration system for water, which is ideal for hard-water areas.
The machine can brew the standard cup of coffee (240ml), as well as lungo and ristretto-style espresso drinks and is surprisingly fast. Its easy-to-use controls are a joy to navigate with the help of airplane-style toggles and a lever that retracts with little effort to reveal the space that allows you to insert your coffee maker. It requires a little effort to close, but our test subjects, even those with limited mobility and hand strength felt comfortable.
3. Size
The top coffee pod machines take the mess of making coffee out of your hands - you simply load in the pod, press the button, and then prepare to brew. You'll still have to clean the machine from time time but not as often as you would with a coffee maker that is a bean-to cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are also smaller than their bigger counterparts which means they can be placed on the countertop and be stored away from sight when not being used.
Whether a coffee pod machine is the right option for you depends on your preferences and what you're hoping to get from it. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, however some offer more customization options. Be aware of the different coffee pods sizes, brew sizes and milk frothing options when choosing the right machine.
The most well-known pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are a few newer competitors worth a look. Bruvi uses a bespoke system of pods, called B-Pods, which can only be used in its machines. The pods are identified by a barcode which is read by the machine to adjust the brewing parameters automatically.
The machine will take all the guesswork out of it and ensure that each drink is perfect every time. It can save your customised drinks on a button, so that you can create them using a single button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a more precise level of control over your coffee, allowing you to choose a specific size and temperature for each cup. It's more expensive than other models, however it comes with a polished stainless-steel build and excellent customer support synonymous with the Sage's My Way brand. This is a great option for those who want a bit more out of their pod-based espresso maker.
While the majority of people will use a pod-based machine to make single-serve drinks however, there are a few larger models that are able to make longer shots, referred to as lungos, too. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a great example of this and blends the retro-fifties style of SMEG with the retro-fifties design of SMEG Italian coffee brand, Lavazza. It can be a little difficult to operate due to its toggles that resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's quick and incredibly satisfying to operate and brews a lungo in less than 30 seconds and the discarded pods are placed in an internal bin at the touch of a button.
4. Customization
The limited capabilities of a pod coffee maker's customisation is a major reason it's not the right choice for you. If you don't have an alternative milk frother, then the only option to add flavor or creaminess is to use a hot tea or chocolate option in your mug, or to manually add milk to the coffee. For many 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 utilizes a barcode scanner to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wets, infuses and dispenses the right amount of coffee to the specific type of pod. It's a user-friendly and hands-off machine that does an excellent job, but lacks options for customising drinks or altering the strength of brew. Some customers might be disappointed by this, but many will find the ease of use and variety of cup sizes (espressos and mugs, lungos and espressos) to be exactly what they're searching for.
The coffee maker is extremely low maintenance. It is all you need to do is to fill up the water tank, and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every time. It can dispense short espresso shots and tall travel mugs easily and, as we mentioned, more info used pods are ejected into a hidden receptacle which keeps your kitchen spotless. It also does an excellent job of delivering full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
This machine is part of Smeg's 1950s style range. It's user-friendly with simple buttons and can be used with ground coffee as well as ESE pods. It's only downside is the lack of a gauge that lets you know when you should descale, and the inability to set the maximum level of water. You'll also need to buy the capsules of the brand, which can be costly. This is a great pod machine for anyone who wants a convenient and attractive appliance that is able to serve at a reasonable cost. For those who want more variety, a broad selection of third-party capsules is offered for this model. It's also compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.