The Best Coffee Pod Machine

This sleek, brushed-steel machine provides the Sage brand's distinctive quality and user-friendly. When it is turned on, it preheats and brews a fragrant espresso or a slightly longer lungo in about 30 minutes.

Models for pods are a great alternative to bean-to-cup machines. They take the messiest components of making coffee off your hands, including grinding and measuring grounds.

1. Speedy

Pod machines are generally quicker to set up and use than espresso machines, with most can make coffee in just 30 seconds or less. But they come at an expense: the pre-portioned coffee pods used in these models are generally more expensive than freshly roasted beans. And many are also not recyclable (though some companies now offer free recycling bags and prepaid UPS labels to return them).

The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines available that you can find due to its built-in barcode scanner that scans the code of each compatible pod before making it. This ensures that you get consistently top-quality coffee every time. There is hardly any chance of having a bad beverage. The machine is one of the slimmest and lightest available. It doesn't require an additional milk container and its small footprint makes it easy to fit into the smallest kitchens.

However the CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine for those wanting to reduce their environmental impact. It doesn't come with an automatic descaling function, and you'll have to descale it yourself once every 300 cups if you reside in hard water areas or 1200 cups in soft water zones. Once the filter cartridge is out, you'll have to replace it with a new. This could be expensive for certain users.

The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another quick machine that comes with a customisable button and the option to use ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed and tampered with grounds packed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to lessening the negative impact it has on its environment and its employees. The only drawback is that it takes longer to heat up, but once this happens it can brew one cup in just 35 minutes.

Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that can 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, an stainless steel jug and a milk frother.

2. Removable parts

A pod coffee maker's user-friendliness is a major draw and the best models are easy to operate. The majority of machines employ the same method to make the cup of coffee you want: water is heated inside the reservoir, and then it is pushed through capsules to produce rich hot, hot coffee. Most brands offer a range of sizes for drinks to meet different requirements, and you can save your own settings on a number of models to streamline the process further.

Keurig K-Cups are among the largest players on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also have a wide selection of capsules made by the most famous roasters. Certain pods can be used just once before they are discarded, while others can be used multiple times. You'll need a plan for your old pods to prevent them from being thrown away.

The sleek SMEG model we tested has a water tank that is removable and easy to fill and the machine will automatically pour a fresh capsule once the previous one has been cooled. It can make lungo and espresso drinks and has eight different blends for the variety. This brewer is ideal for coffee lovers who want to switch to 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 it can be opened in a matter of seconds to reveal the hidden compartment that stores empty pods. It also comes with the added benefit of a water filtration system, which is great for areas with hard water.

This machine is quick and can brew standard coffee (240ml) and ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. The controls are simple to operate, with the style of airplane toggles that can be easily retracted and a lever which retracts to reveal the opening to drop in your pod. It takes a bit of effort to close, but our testers, even those who have limited mobility and hand strength, found it comfortable.

3. Size

The top coffee pod makers take the mess of coffee making out of your hands. You simply put in a pod, hit an icon and brew. It is still necessary 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 larger counterparts, so they can fit on the countertop and be kept out of view when not being used.

The best coffee machine for you will be determined by your personal preferences and the goals you'd like to achieve. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, however some have more options for customization than others. The variety of pods, brew size options, and milk frothing features must be taken into consideration to determine the best coffee pod machine for your needs.

The most well-known pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are newer competitors that may be worth a look. Bruvi utilizes a unique system of pods, called B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. These pods have a barcode on the underside that machines scan to automatically adjust brewing settings.

This means that the machine eliminates all the guesswork of brewing a cup and guarantees that every drink is made perfectly every time. It is even able to save custom drinks to a specific button, allowing you to create them at the touch of a button.

Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a more granular level of control over your coffee and allows you to select a specific temperature and size for each beverage. It's more expensive than other models, but it comes with the polished stainless steel construction and top-quality customer service that's associated with the brand. It is a good choice for those who want something more from their pod-based coffee maker.

Some models with larger capacities can also make lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is an excellent example of this, and it is a combination of the retro style of SMEG with the retro-fifties design of SMEG Italian coffee brand, Lavazza. It's intimidating to use thanks to its airplane-style toggles as well as the manual lever, but it's incredibly easy and extremely enjoyable to use and brews a lungo in only 30 seconds, and the pods that are used are deposited into an internal bin at the touch of a button.

4. Customization

The limited capabilities of a pod coffee maker's customization is a major reason it may not be the best choice for you. If you don't have an auxiliary milk frother then the only way to add more flavor or creaminess is to make use of hot chocolate or tea option in your mug or to manually add milk into your coffee. For most people, this shouldn't be a problem but it could be a problem for those who prefer an automated experience in the morning.

Bosch's Intellibrew technology utilizes a barcode reader to scan each capsule, and automatically pre-wet, infuse, and give the correct amount of coffee required for that kind of pod. It's a simple and hands-off machine that does an excellent job, however it isn't equipped with options for customizing drinks or varying brew strength. Some customers might be disappointed by this, however others will appreciate the ease of use and variety of cup sizes (espressos, lungos and mugs) to be exactly what they're searching for.

This coffee maker is low-maintenance. It is all you need to do is to refill the tank with water, and decaffeinate the reservoir every so often. It can dispense short espresso shots and tall travel mugs effortlessly and, as previously mentioned the used pods are ejected into a concealed receptacle that helps keep your kitchen clean. It is also great at delivering full-bodied coffees with a crema-topped top.

It's a gorgeous machine and part of Smeg's fifties-style range. It's simple to use with an easy-to-use panel of buttons, and it can handle ground coffee and ESE pods. The only downside is that it doesn't come with an indicator to let you know when it's time for descale. Also, the maximum www.coffeee.uk water level can't be set which is an issue. 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 attractive and convenient appliance that can be used at a reasonable price. If you're looking for more variety, a large selection of third-party capsules is available for this model and it's compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.