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 trademark Sage quality and ease of use. After switching on, it heats up and makes a delicious espresso or 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 operated faster than espresso machines. Most of them can make a cup in just 30 minutes. However, they come with a cost in that the pre-portioned coffee pods used in these models tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted beans, and they're not always recyclable (though some companies are now offering recycling bags for free and UPS labels for returning the pods).
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the most efficient pod machines available, thanks to the barcode scanner that scans each compatible pod's code prior to brewing. This makes it easy to ensure consistent quality, high-end coffee each time, with virtually no chance of the drink turning out horribly wrong. The machine is among the tiniest and lightest on the market. It doesn't require an additional milk container, and its compact footprint allows it to be easily incorporated into the smallest kitchens.
The CitiZ isn't the best machine to reduce the 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 live in hard water or 1200 cups in soft water areas. When the filter cartridge wears out, you'll need to replace it with a new one. This could be expensive for some users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another fast machine that has buttons that can be customized and the option of using either ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed, tampered and squeezed 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 a little longer to warm up, but once that happens it can brew the cup in about 35 minutes.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish, sleek machine that can create a variety of drinks in different sizes and styles. This sleek beauty, created in collaboration with Sage, is not only quick and simple to operate but also comes with an ice cream frothing wand as well as a stainless steel Jug.
2. Removable parts
The ease of using a pod coffee maker is a major benefit. The top models are simple to use. The majority of machines use the same basic mechanism to brew your cup by heating water inside a reservoir, and then pushed through the chosen capsules and extracted to create rich hot java. Most brands offer a range of sizes for drinks to meet different needs, and you can save custom settings for a variety of models to streamline the process further.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two biggest brands on the market, but each has a variety of capsules from popular roasters and brands. Some pods can be used only once before being thrown away, while others can be used a number of times. Either way, you'll need to plan ahead for how you'll handle the pods that are no longer being used so they do not end up in the garbage.
The sleek SMEG model we tested comes with a removable water tank that's easy to fill and the machine automatically pours new capsules once the previous one has been chilled. It can make lungo and espresso drinks and has eight different blends to give you the variety. This brewer is perfect for coffee lovers who want to move away from drip coffee to drip.
In our tests of the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable one to use. Its sleek design makes it a looker on your counter, and it opens with a simple touch to reveal a concealed compartment to store your empty pods. It also comes with the added benefit of the water filtration system which is perfect for areas with hard water.
This machine is easy to use and can brew standard coffee (240ml) and ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. Its user-friendly controls are a joy to use, thanks to airplane-style toggles and a lever that retracts with a minimum of effort to reveal the space that allows you to insert your pod. It requires a little force to close but our testers, even those with limitations in hand strength and mobility, 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 the button, and then brew. It is still necessary to clean the machine from time time but not as often as you would with a bean-to-cup cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are smaller than their larger counterparts and can be stacked on the counter when not in use.
The ideal coffee maker for you will depend on your preferences and what you want to achieve. All pod machines are easy to use, however certain models offer more customization options than others. Different pod types, brew sizes options, and milk frothing features are all important to determine the best coffee pod machine for you.
The most popular pod-based coffee machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are a few more recent competitors that are worth taking a look at. Bruvi has a custom-designed system of pods known as B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. The pods are equipped with a barcode on the underside that machines scan to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
The machine will take all the guesswork and make sure that each drink is perfect every time. It can save your customised drinks in a single button, so that you can create them with a single button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way offer a more granular level of control over your coffee and allows you to select a specific size and temperature for each cup. It's a bit more expensive than other models, but it comes with the polished stainless steel build and excellent customer service which is synonymous with the brand. It is a good choice for those who want an extra level of quality from their pod-based coffee maker.
While most people are using the pod-based machine to create single-serve beverages There are some larger models that can also brew longer shots, known as lungos, also. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is an excellent example of this. It blends the retro-fifties style of SMEG with the retro-fifties design of SMEG Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It's difficult to operate due to its toggles that resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's incredibly easy and incredibly enjoyable to use the lungo is made in less than 30 seconds and the pods that are used are placed in an internal bin with the click of a button.
4. Customization
A pod coffee maker's limited customisation is a major reason it may not be the best option for you. If you don't purchase an additional milk frother, the only options to add flavor or creaminess are to make use of an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option, and then add milk manually to your coffee. For many people this won't be a problem, but it could be a problem for those who prefer an automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew uses barcode scanners to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wettes and infuses the right amount of coffee to the particular type of pod. It's an easy-to-use 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 will be irritated by this, but others will find the convenience and variety of cup sizes (espressos and mugs, lungos and espressos) to be exactly what they're looking for.
In addition to filling up the tank with water and decaffeinating the reservoir occasionally This coffee maker does not require a lot of maintenance. It can dispense short espresso shots and tall travel mugs easily and, as previously mentioned the pods that are used are ejected to a hidden receptacle that helps keep your kitchen clean. It also does a fantastic job of serving full-bodied, crema-topped espressos.
This machine is part of Smeg’s 1950s style range. It's easy to use with a capsule machine coffee simple interface and can take ground coffee or ESE pods. The only downside is that it doesn't come with an indicator that lets you know when it's time for descale. Also, the maximum water level cannot be set, which is a minor inconvenience. You will also have to buy the capsules of the brand, which can be costly. However, this is a great pod coffee maker for anyone looking for a beautiful and functional appliance that will serve them well for an affordable price. This model can be used with a variety of capsules from third party manufacturers and is compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo range.