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The Best Coffee Pod Machine

The sleekest pod machine we've seen this brushed-steel model offers the renowned Sage quality and is easy to use. After switching on, it preheats and brews a fragrant espresso or a slightly longer lungo in about 30 seconds.

Models for pods are an excellent alternative to bean-to cup machines. They take the messiest aspects of making coffee off your hands, such as grinding and measuring grounds.

1. Rapid

Pod machines are typically quicker to set up and use than espresso machines, with the majority can make a cup of coffee in 30 seconds or less. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted coffee beans and many are not recyclable.

The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines that is available due to its in-built barcode reader that scans code of each compatible pod prior to making it. This allows you to ensure consistent high-quality, high-end coffee every time, with virtually no chance of the drink turning out badly wrong. It's also among the slimmest and lightest on the market, with no need for an additional milk jug, and its small footprint making it a breeze to fit into even the tiniest kitchen.

However, the CitiZ isn't the best machine for those looking to cut down on 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 reside in hard water, or 1200 cups in soft water zones. It is also necessary to put with a new cartridge after this expires and 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 and tampered grounds packed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to reducing the negative impact it has on its environment and its employees. The only drawback is the time it takes to warm up. Once it's done it will brew a cup in around 35 seconds.

If you're looking for an elegant, sleek machine capable of handling a range of different drink sizes and styles then you should look no further than the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek machine designed in collaboration with Sage is not just simple to use but also comes with an ice cream wand, stainless steel jug and a milk frother.

2. Removable parts

A pod coffee maker's user-friendliness is a major selling point and the best models are simple to operate. The majority of machines employ the same method to make the perfect cup of coffee: water is heated inside the reservoir, and then pushed through capsules to create rich, hot coffee. Many brands offer a variety of sizes of drinks to meet different requirements, and you can save your own settings for a variety of models to speed up the process even more.

Keurig K-Cups are among the top brands available on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also have a wide selection of capsules by well-known roasters. Certain pods can be used once before being thrown away, while others can be used several times. Whatever the case, you'll need to plan out how you'll deal with the pods you've used up so that they do not end up in the garbage.

The SMEG we tested has a water reservoir that is easy to fill. It also automatically releases a new capsule after the previous one cools down. It can brew lungo and espresso drinks, and comes with eight different blends to give you plenty of variety. This brewer is a great choice 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 is beautiful on your counter and can be opened in a matter of seconds to reveal the hidden compartment that stores your empty pods. The machine has a water filter system which is perfect for areas with hard water.

This machine is easy to use and can make standard coffee (240ml), ristretto, and lungo espresso drinks. Its user-friendly controls are a joy to use using the aircraft-style toggles as well as a lever that retracts without much effort pods coffee machines to reveal the space which allows you to drop your pod. It does take a little force to close but our test subjects, even those with limited mobility and hand strength were able to use it comfortably.

3. Size

The top coffee pod machines remove all the mess from coffee making. All you have to do is load a pod in the machine, press a button, and let it brew. It is still necessary to clean the machine from time to time but not as often as you would with a bean-to-cup cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their bigger counterparts, so they can fit on the counter and be stored out of sight when not in use.

The right coffee pod machine for you will depend on your preferences and what you wish to achieve. All pod machines are simple to use, however some offer more customisation options than others. The variety of pods, brew size options and milk frothing capabilities must be taken into consideration to find the ideal coffee pod machine.

Many people think of pod-based devices in the likes of Nespresso and Keurig however there are some newer competitors on the scene that could be worth considering. One of them is Bruvi which makes use of a bespoke pod system called B-Pods that can only be used in conjunction with its machines. The pods are equipped with an underside barcode that machines scan to adjust the brewing settings automatically.

This means that the machine takes all the guesswork out of brewing a cup and guarantees that every drink is made perfectly every time. It can save your customised drinks to a button to allow you to create them using a single button.

Other machines, like Sage's My Way offer a more precise level of control over your coffee and allows you to select the right temperature and size for each cup. It's a little more expensive than some models, but it has the polished stainless steel build and top-quality customer service that's synonymous with the brand and is a good choice for those who need a bit more from their pod-based coffee maker.

While most people are using the pod-based machine to create single-serve drinks however, there are a few larger models that can also make longer shots, referred to as 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 Italian coffee brand, Lavazza. It's not easy at first thanks to the toggles that look like airplanes, but once you've gotten used to it, the machine is easy and enjoyable to use. A lungo can be prepared in just 30 seconds.

4. Customization

A pod coffee maker's limited flexibility is one of the main reasons it might not be the best option for you. If you don't have an additional milk frother then the only option to add flavor or creaminess is to make use of hot tea or chocolate option in your mug, or to manually add milk to the coffee. This shouldn't be a problem for many people, but could be an issue for those who like the convenience of a fully automated experience in the morning.

Bosch's Intellibrew makes use of a barcode scanner to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wettes and infuses, then dispensing the correct 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 varying brew strength. Some buyers will be annoyed by this, but others will find the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos and lungos, as well as mugs) to be exactly what they're searching for.

Aside from filling up the tank with water and decaffeinating it occasionally, this coffee maker will not require much maintenance. It can dispense short espresso-style shots or tall travel mugs easily. As mentioned earlier, the used pods are ejected into an unnoticed container that helps keep your kitchen tidy. It also excels in delivering full-bodied coffees that have a crema-topped top.

This is a beautiful-looking machine that is part of the Smeg fifties range. It's easy to use via simple buttons, and it can handle ground coffee and ESE pods. The only drawback is the absence of a gauge that will let you know when it's time to descale, as well as the inability to set the maximum water level. You also need to buy the brand's capsules which can be expensive. This is a good pod machine for anyone who wants an attractive and convenient appliance that is able to serve at a reasonable price. This model can be used with a variety of capsules from third party manufacturers and is compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo range.