Best Coffee Pod Machine: It's Not As Expensive As You Think
Best Coffee Pod Machine: It's Not As Expensive As You Think
Blog Article
The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The most sleek pod machine we've seen, this model with brushed-steel features the signature Sage quality and is easy to use. After switching on, it preheats and makes a scrumptious espresso or a slightly longer lungo within 30 seconds.
In contrast to bean-to-cup machines models take the messiest aspects of coffee making out of your hands - including grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Fast
Pod machines can be set up and used faster than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup in just 30 seconds. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines are typically more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans and many of them aren't recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines available due to the barcode scanner that scans every compatible pod's code prior to making coffee. This allows you to ensure consistent quality, high-end coffee each time, with virtually no chance of a drink coming out horribly wrong. It's also among the tiniest and lightest on the market and does not require a separate milk jug and its small footprint making it easy to fit into even the tiniest kitchen.
However, the CitiZ isn't the best machine for those who want to reduce their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automatic descaling function, and you'll have to do it yourself every 300 cups if live in hard water or 1200 cups in soft water areas. You'll also need to swap with a new cartridge after this expires and could be expensive for certain users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a quick machine with customizable buttons. It can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods which are pre-dosed, 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 workforce. Its only slight drawback is that it takes a little longer to heat up, but once this happens it can brew the cup in about 35 seconds.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish, sleek machine that can create a variety of drinks with different sizes and styles. This sleek beauty, created 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 using pod coffee makers is a major benefit. The best models are simple to use. The majority of machines use the same general mechanism to brew your cup by heating water in an internal reservoir, then pressured through the capsules you choose and extracted to form rich hot coffee. Most brands offer different sizes of drinks to meet different requirements. You can also save your own settings to streamline the process.
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 popular roasters. Some pods are made to be used once and discarded, while others are meant to be used for a variety of purposes. You'll need a strategy for your used pods to avoid them from being thrown away.
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 once the previous one has cooled. It brews coffee and lungo drinks and comes with eight different blends that give you plenty of variety. This brewer is ideal for coffee lovers who are looking to move away from drip coffee.
In our testing, the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design makes it an attractive addition to your countertop and opens with a simple tap to reveal a hidden compartment for empty pods. It has an in-built water filter system which is perfect for areas with hard water.
The machine can brew the standard cup of coffee (240ml) as well as lungo and ristretto-style espresso drinks, and is surprisingly quick. Its intuitive controls are easy to use, thanks to aircraft-style toggles as well as a lever that retracts with a minimum of effort to reveal the opening where you drop in your pod. It takes a bit of effort to close, but our testers, even those who have limited mobility and hand strength were able to use it comfortably.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines take the mess of making coffee out of your hands - you simply load in the pod, press the button, and then make coffee. It is still necessary to clean the machine from time to time but not as often as you would with a bean-to cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their bigger counterparts, so they can fit on the counter and be stored away from view when not in use.
The best coffee machine for you will be determined by your personal preferences and what you wish to achieve. All pod machines are simple to use, but some have more options for customization than others. The variety of pods, brew size options, and milk frothing capabilities should all be considered to determine the best coffee pod machine for you.
The most popular pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are a few more recent competitors that are worth taking a look at. Bruvi uses a bespoke system of pods known as B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. These pods are marked with a barcode, which is read by the machine to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
The machine will eliminate the guesswork and ensure that each drink is perfect every time. It is able to save your customized drinks on a button so that you can create them with a single button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a more granular level of control over your coffee that allows you to select the right temperature and size for each beverage. It's more expensive than other models, however it comes with a polished stainless-steel build and excellent customer service that is a hallmark of the Sage's My Way brand. This is a good choice for those looking for an extra bit of quality from their espresso maker that is based on pods.
Some larger models can also create lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a great example, combines retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It can be a here little difficult to operate due to its toggles that resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's incredibly easy and incredibly satisfying to operate - a lungo is brewed in only 30 seconds, and the used pods are put into an internal bin at the touch of the button.
4. Customization
One big reason why pod coffee makers might not be the right choice for you is the limited customization. If you don't buy an additional milk frother, the only methods to add extra flavor or creaminess are to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option and to add milk to your cup manually. This shouldn't be a problem for a lot of people, but could be an issue for those who like an entirely automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology utilizes a barcode reader to scan each capsule and automatically pre-wet, infuse, and disperse the right amount of coffee required for that kind of pod. It's a hands-free, easy-to-use machine that performs its job flawlessly, but does not have any options for customised drinks or altering the strength of the brew. Some customers might be disappointed by this, however others will find the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos and mugs, lungos and espressos) to be exactly what they're seeking.
This coffee maker is very low maintenance. It only requires you to refill the tank with water, and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every time. It is able to serve espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs with ease and, as mentioned, used pods are ejected to a hidden container that keeps your kitchen clean. It also does a great job of delivering full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
This machine is part of Smeg's 1950s style range. It is easy to use with a simple interface and can take ground coffee or ESE pods. The only drawback is the absence of a gauge that lets you know when you should descale, and the inability to set a maximum water level. You'll also need to buy the capsules of the brand, which can be costly. This is a good pod machine for anyone looking for a convenient and attractive appliance that is able to serve at a reasonable cost. If you're looking for some variety, a large selection of third-party capsules is offered for this model. It's also compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.