A Productive Rant About Best Coffee Pod Machine
The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel model comes with Sage brand's distinctive quality and ease of operation. It heats up immediately after switching on and makes an espresso with aroma or a slightly longer lungo in about 30 minutes.
As opposed to bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the most messed-up aspects of coffee-making out of your hands, including grinding and dosing 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. But they come at some cost as the pre-portioned pods of coffee that are used in these machines tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted beans. And they're not always recyclable (though some companies now offer recycling bags for free and UPS labels for returning the pods).
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines available, thanks to the barcode scanner which scans each compatible pod's code before brewing. This allows you to ensure consistent high-quality, high-end coffee every time, and there is virtually no chance of the drink turning out badly wrong. This machine is among the slimmest and lightest available. It does not require an additional milk container, and its small footprint allows it to be easily incorporated into even the smallest kitchens.
The CitiZ is not the best machine to reduce your environmental impact. It doesn't have an automatic descaling function and you'll need to descale it yourself once every 300 cups if you live in hard water or 1200 cups in soft water areas. You'll also have to put with a new cartridge once this runs out and can 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 that are compressed between filter paper. This model is also B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to reducing its negative impact on the environment and its employees. Its only minor drawback is the time it takes to warm up. Once it is heated it, it can make one cup in just 35 seconds.
If you're after an elegant, sleek machine that can handle a variety of different drink sizes and styles then you should look no further than the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This glossy beauty, made 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
A pod coffee maker's user-friendliness is a major selling point and the best models are a breeze to operate. The majority of machines use the same general method to make your cup: water is heated inside a reservoir, then pumped through the capsules you choose and extracted to form rich, hot java. Most brands offer different sizes of drinks to meet different requirements. You can also save your own settings to make the process more efficient.
Keurig K-Cups are among the top player on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also come with a variety of capsules from famous roasters. Some pods can be used once before being thrown away however, others can be used multiple times. Whatever the case, you'll need to plan out how you'll deal with the pods that are no longer being used so they aren't thrown away in the trash.
The SMEG we tested comes with a removable water reservoir that is easy to fill. It also automatically dispensates another capsule after the previous one cools down. It can brew coffee and lungo drinks and comes with eight different blends to provide plenty of options. This brewer is perfect for those who love coffee and want to switch to drip coffee.
In our tests of the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design makes it a looker on your countertop and it opens with a simple touch to reveal a concealed compartment for your empty pods. The machine comes with an integrated water filter that is perfect for areas with hard water.
This machine is quick and brews standard coffee (240ml) as well as ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. Its easy-to-use controls are a joy to navigate, thanks to airplane-style toggles and a lever that retracts with a minimum of effort to reveal the opening where you drop in your pod. It requires a little force to close but our testers, including those who have weak hand and mobility, found it comfortable.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines take all the messy parts of making coffee out of your hands - you simply need to load a pod, hit the button, and then make coffee. You'll still have to clean the machine from time time but not as often as you would with a bean-to-cup cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are also smaller than their counterparts that are larger which means they can be placed on the countertop and be stored out of sight when not being used.
The ideal coffee maker for you will be determined by your personal preferences and what you wish to achieve. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, but certain models offer more customization options than others. Pod variety, brew size options, and milk frothing features must be taken into consideration to determine the best coffee pod machine.
The majority of people think of pod-based devices in the likes of Nespresso and Keurig, but there are a few more recent competitors that are worth a look. Bruvi has a custom-designed system of pods called B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. These pods are marked with a barcode that is read by the machine to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
This approach means the machine removes all the guesswork of making a cup and ensures each drink comes out perfectly every time. It can even save customised drinks to a separate button, allowing you to create them at the push of a single button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer greater control over your cup of coffee than most models, allowing you to select the exact size and temperature 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 Sage's My Way. This is a great choice for those looking for something more from their espresso maker that is based on pods.
While the majority of people will use a pod-based machine to make single-serve drinks however, there are a few larger models that are able to brew longer shots, known as lungos, too. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is an excellent example of this, and it combines the retro fifties styling of SMEG with the classic design of Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It's a bit difficult to operate due to its toggles that resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's easy and incredibly enjoyable to use the lungo is made in just 30 seconds and the pods that are used are put into an internal bin at the push of a button.
4. Customization
One big reason why the pod coffee maker might not be right for you is its lack of customizability. If you don't buy an auxiliary milk frother, the only methods to add flavor or creaminess are to use an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option and to add milk to your coffee manually. This shouldn't be a problem for many people, but it could be a problem for those who prefer the convenience of a fully 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 for that particular kind of pod. It's a user-friendly, hands-off machine which does an excellent job, however it isn't equipped with options for customizing drinks or for varying the strength of brew. Some customers might be disappointed by this, but many will appreciate the ease of use and variety of cup sizes (espressos, lungos and mugs) to be exactly what they are seeking.
The coffee maker is extremely low-maintenance. It only requires you to fill up the tank with water, and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every once in a while. It dispenses short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs effortlessly and, as previously mentioned, used pods are ejected into a hidden container which keeps your kitchen spotless. It is also excellent at delivering full-bodied espressos with a crema-topped top.
This is a stunning machine and is part of Smeg's fifties style range. It's user-friendly with simple buttons and can accommodate ground coffee and ESE pods. The only drawback is that it lacks an indicator to let you know when it's time for descale. Also, the maximum water level cannot be set which is an issue. You'll also have to purchase the brand's own capsules which can be costly. This is a great pod machine for anyone looking for an easy-to-use and stylish appliance that can be used at a reasonable cost. This model is compatible with a variety of capsules from third-party manufacturers and works with the Nespresso Vertuo range.