10 Things We All Hate About Best Coffee Pod Machine

The Best Coffee Pod Machine

The most elegant pod machine we've seen this model with brushed-steel features the signature Sage quality and user-friendly. It heats up immediately after switching on and makes an espresso with aroma or a little longer lungo in just 30 minutes.

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

1. Speedy

Pod machines can be set up and operated faster than espresso machines. Most of them can make a cup in 30 minutes. However, they come with some cost in that the pre-portioned coffee pods used in these machines are generally more expensive than freshly roasted beans and many are also not recyclable (though some companies now offer free recycling bags and pre-paid UPS labels for returning the pods).

The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines that is available, thanks to its in-built barcode scanner that scans the code of each compatible pod prior to making it. This allows you to get consistent quality, high-end coffee each time, and there is virtually no chance of a drink coming out horribly wrong. The machine is among the slimmest and lightest on the market. It does not require a separate milk container and its compact footprint allows it to be easily incorporated into the smallest kitchens.

However the CitiZ isn't the best machine for those looking to reduce their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automated descaling function and you'll need to descale it yourself once every 300 cups if reside in hard water, or 1200 cups in soft water zones. It is also necessary to put with a new cartridge once this runs out, which could be costly for certain users.

Tassimo Vivy 2 is a speedy machine that has customisable buttons. It can be used with either ground coffee or ESE pods which are pre-dosed, tampered ground compressed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to lessening the negative impact it has on its environment and workforce. The only drawback is the time it takes to warm up. Once it's done, it can brew one cup in just 35 minutes.

Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that is able to create a variety of drinks in different sizes and styles. This sleek beauty, created in collaboration with Sage and Sage, is not just easy to use and quick to start, but also comes with an ice-cream frothing wand, as well as a stainless steel jug.

2. Removable parts

The ease of use of pod coffee makers is a major advantage. The best models are simple to use. Most machines rely on the same mechanism to brew your cup by heating water in an internal reservoir, then pressured through the capsules you choose and extracted to produce rich hot coffee. Most brands offer a range of drink sizes to suit different requirements, and you can save your own settings for a variety of models to speed up the process even further.

Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading players on the market, yet both offer a variety of capsules from top roasters and brands. Some pods are designed to be used only once before being get thrown away, whereas others are meant to be used multiple times. You'll need a plan for your used pods to avoid them from ending up in the garbage.

The sleek SMEG model we tested has a water tank that is removable and easy to fill, and the machine automatically pours new capsules once the previous one has been chilled. It can brew lungo and espresso drinks, and comes with a set of eight different blends to provide plenty of options. This brewer is a great choice for coffee lovers who are looking to move away from drip coffee.

In our tests in our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design looks stunning on your counter and opens with just a touch to reveal the compartment that houses empty pods. It also comes with the added benefit of an filtration system for water, which is perfect for areas with hard water.

This machine is easy to use and can make regular coffee (240ml), ristretto, and lungo espresso drinks. Its user-friendly controls are a joy to use using the aircraft-style coffee machine with capsules toggles as well as a lever that retracts with a minimum of effort to reveal the opening where you drop in the pod. It takes a bit of force to close, but the majority of our testers who have limited hand strength and mobility, felt comfortable.

3. Size

The top coffee pod makers take the mess of making coffee out of your hands - you simply put in one of the pods, press the button, and then brew. You'll still need to clean your machine every now and then but not as often as a bean-to cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are also smaller than their bigger counterparts and can be tucked away on the countertop and be kept out of view when not in use.

The ideal coffee maker for you will depend on your preferences and what you wish to achieve. The majority of pod machines are easy to operate, however, some provide more options for customization. Consider the coffee pod variety, brew sizes and milk frothing options when choosing the right machine.

The most popular pod-based coffee machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are newer competitors worth looking at. One of them is Bruvi which makes use of its own pod system, called B-Pods, which can only be used with its machines. These pods have an underside barcode that machines scan to automatically adjust the brewing settings.

This method removes all the guesswork of making a cup and ensures each drink comes out perfectly every time. It can even save customized drinks to a dedicated button so you can create them at the touch of a single button.

Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a greater degree of control over your coffee, allowing you to choose the right size and temperature for each cup. It's more expensive than other models, but it comes with a polished stainless-steel construction and the excellent customer service that is a hallmark of the brand. This is a good option for those who want a bit more out of their pod-based espresso maker.

Some larger models can also make lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is an excellent example of this. It combines the retro fifties styling of SMEG with Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It can be a little difficult to operate due to its toggles that resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's incredibly easy and incredibly enjoyable to use and brews a lungo in only 30 seconds, and the discarded pods are put into an internal bin with the click of a button.

4. Customization

One of the main reasons the pod coffee maker might not be the best choice for you is its lack of customization. If you don't buy an additional milk frother, the only options to add extra flavor or creaminess are to use an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option and to add milk manually to your coffee. For many people this won't be a problem but it could be a nagging issue for those who prefer an automated experience in the morning.

Bosch's Intellibrew makes use of barcode scanners 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 user-friendly, hands-off machine which does a great job but lacks options for customising drinks or varying brew strength. Some customers will be irritated by this, however others will appreciate the convenience and variety of cup sizes (espressos and lungos, as well as mugs) to be exactly what they're searching for.

This coffee maker is low maintenance. It's all you have to do is to fill up the water tank and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every so often. It can dispense short espresso-style shots or tall travel mugs easily. As previously mentioned, used pods are ejected into an unnoticed container that helps keep your kitchen tidy. It is also great in delivering full-bodied coffees that have tops that are topped with crema.

This machine is part Smeg's 1950s-style range. It's simple to use with a simple panel of buttons and can be used with ground coffee as well as ESE pods. The only downside is that it lacks an indicator to let you know when it's time to descale, and the maximum water level can't be set, which is a minor issue. You'll also have to purchase the capsules made by the company which can be costly. But, it's a great pod coffee maker for those looking for an attractive and functional appliance that will provide them with a great service at an affordable cost. If you're looking for some variety, a large selection of third-party capsules are available for this model. It's also compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.