The 10 Scariest Things About Best Coffee Pod Machine
The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel appliance comes with Sage brand's distinctive quality and user-friendly. It preheats after switch-on, and then brews a delicious espresso or a slightly longer lungo in 30 minutes.
The pod models are a great alternative to bean-to-cup machines. They take the most messy aspects of making coffee off your hands, such as grinding and measuring grounds.
1. Fast
Pod machines can be set up and operated faster than espresso machines. They can typically make a cup in 30 minutes. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines are typically more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans and a majority are not recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines available that is available due to its in-built barcode scanner that scans the code of each compatible pod prior to brewing it. This ensures consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is virtually no chance of getting a bad beverage. The machine is one of the lightest and slimmest on the market. It doesn't require an additional milk container and its compact footprint allows it to be easily incorporated into the tiniest kitchens.
The CitiZ isn't the most efficient device to reduce your environmental impact. It doesn't come with an automatic descaling feature, and you'll have to descale it yourself once every 300 cups if you reside in hard water areas or 1200 cups in soft water areas. Once the filter cartridge is out, you'll need replace it with a new. This can be costly for certain users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another quick machine that comes with a customisable button and the option to use either ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed, tampered and compressed between filter paper. This model is also B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to decreasing its negative impact on the environment as well as its employees. The only drawback is that it takes longer to warm up, but once this is done, it will be able to brew the cup in about 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 machine designed in collaboration with Sage is not just easy to use, but also comes with an ice cream wand an stainless steel jug and a milk frother.
2. Removable parts
The ease of using pod coffee makers is a major selling point. The top models are easy to operate. Most machines utilize the same basic process to brew the perfect cup of coffee that is, heated water is placed in a reservoir, then pushed through capsules to create rich hot coffee. Most brands offer different drink sizes for different needs. You can also save your own settings to speed up the process.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading players on the market, but each has a variety of capsules from top roasters and brands. Some pods are made to be used only once before being discarded, while others are meant for multiple uses. Whatever the case, you'll need to plan out how you'll deal with your spent pods so they aren't thrown away in the trash.
The SMEG we tested comes with a removable reservoir of water that is easy to fill. It also automatically dispensates an additional capsule coffee machine once the previous one cools down. It can be used to brew espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends to give you the variety. This brewer is ideal for coffee lovers who want to move away from drip coffee.
In our testing we found that the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design looks great on your counter and can be opened in a matter of seconds to reveal the hidden compartment that holds your empty pods. The machine has an integrated water filter which is perfect for areas that have hard water.
This machine is able to make an ordinary cup of coffee (240ml), as well as ristretto and lungo espresso-style drinks, and is surprisingly quick. The controls are simple to use, with airplane-style toggles that can be retracted easily and a lever which retracts to reveal the opening for dropping into your pod. It takes a bit of force to close, but the majority of our testers who have limited hand strength and mobility, were able to use it comfortably.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines remove all the messes of coffee making out of your hands - you simply load in a pod and capsule coffee machines, hit an icon and brew. You'll still have to clean your machine from time to time however not as often as a bean-to-cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are also smaller than their bigger counterparts which means they can be placed on the counter and be stored away from sight 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 simple to use, however certain models offer more customization options than others. Be aware of the different coffee pods as well as brew sizes, milk and options for frothing when picking the best machine.
The most well-known pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However, there are some newer competitors that may be worth looking at. Bruvi utilizes a unique system of pods, called B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. The pods have an underside barcode that machines scan to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
The machine will eliminate the guesswork out of it and ensure that every drink is perfect every time. It is even able to save custom drinks to a separate button, allowing you to make them with the press of a button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer more control over your cup of coffee than others machines, allowing you to choose a specific size and temperature for each beverage. It's more expensive than other models, but it has the polished stainless-steel build and excellent customer service that is a hallmark of the brand. This is a great option for those who want an extra bit of quality from their espresso maker that is based on pods.
Some larger models can also brew lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a fantastic example of this. It is a combination of the retro style of SMEG with Italian coffee brand, Lavazza. It's a bit intimidating at first thanks to the toggles that look like airplanes, however once you've become accustomed to it, the machine is easy and enjoyable to use. A lungo can be made in just 30 minutes.
4. Customization
A pod coffee machine with capsules maker's limited customisation is a major reason it's not the best choice for you. If you don't have an auxiliary milk frother, the only option to add flavor or creaminess is to use hot chocolate or tea option in your mug, or to manually add milk to coffee machines with pods. 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 technology makes use of a barcode reader to scan each capsule, and automatically pre-wet, infuse, and disperse the right amount of coffee machine and pods for that particular type of pod. It's a simple, hands-off machine that does its job flawlessly, but does not have any options for making drinks that are customized or altering the strength of brew. This will irritate some buyers however for others, the easy automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso, lungo and mug) it provides exactly what they need.
This coffee maker is very low-maintenance. It's all you have to do is to fill up the water tank, and decaffeinate it every once in a while. It dispenses short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs easily and, as previously mentioned the used pods are ejected into a hidden receptacle that helps keep your kitchen clean. It also does a great job of providing full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
It's a gorgeous machine and is part of Smeg's fifties style range. It is easy to use with a simple panel and can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods. The only drawback is the absence of a display that lets you know when it's time to descale, as well as the inability to set the maximum level of water. It is also necessary to buy the capsules of the brand, which can be costly. This is a great pod machine for anyone who wants a convenient and attractive appliance that can be used at a reasonable cost. This model is compatible with a range of capsules from third party manufacturers and is compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo range.