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
This sleek, brushed-steel appliance offers the Sage brand's distinctive quality and user-friendly. After turning on, it preheats and brews a fragrant espresso or a slightly longer lungo within 30 seconds.
Models for pods 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. Speedy
Pod machines are typically quicker to set up and use than espresso machines, with many capable of making a cup of coffee in only 30 seconds or so. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines tend to be more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans and a lot are not recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines on the market due to its in-built barcode reader that scans the code of each compatible pod prior to brewing it. This ensures you get consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is virtually no chance of having a bad drink. The machine is one of the slimmest 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 tiniest kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine for those looking to cut down on their environmental impact. The CitiZ isn't equipped with an automatic descaling feature. You'll have to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water, and every 1200 cups for soft water. You'll also need to swap the filter cartridge after this expires and can be expensive for certain users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another fast machine that has buttons that can be customized and the option to use either ground coffee or ESE pods that are pre-dosed and tampered with grounds compressed between filter paper. This model is also B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to reducing its negative impact on the environment as well as its employees. The only drawback is that it takes a little longer to heat up, but once this happens it can brew one cup in just 35 minutes.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish, sleek machine that can create a variety of drinks in different sizes and styles. This glossy beauty, made in collaboration with Sage and Sage, is not just simple and quick 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 pod coffee makers is a major benefit. The top models are simple to use. The majority of machines employ the same mechanism to brew the cup of coffee you want that is, heated water is placed in reservoirs, then pushed through capsules to create rich hot, hot java. Many brands offer a variety of drink sizes for different needs. You can also save your own settings to streamline the process.
Keurig K-Cups are among the largest brands available on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also come with a variety of capsules by famous roasters. Some pods are made to be used once and get thrown away, whereas others are meant to be used multiple times. You'll need a strategy for your used pods to avoid them from ending up in the garbage.
The sleek SMEG model we tested features a water tank that is removable and easy to fill, and the machine will automatically pour fresh capsules after the previous one has cooled. It can make espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends to give you the variety. This brewer will appeal to coffee drinkers who want to switch from drip coffee.
In our testing we found that the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design is an eye-catching addition to your counter, and it opens with a light touch to reveal a concealed compartment to store your empty pods. The machine also has the added benefit of a water filtration system, which is great for hard-water areas.
The machine can brew an ordinary cup of coffee (240ml) and also serves as lungo and ristretto-style espresso drinks, and is surprisingly quick. The controls are easy to operate, with airplane-style toggles that can be retracted easily and a lever which retracts to reveal the hole to place into the pod. It takes a bit of effort to close, but the majority of our test subjects who have weak hand strength and mobility, felt comfortable.
3. Size
The top coffee pod machines take all the messy parts of coffee making out of your hands - you simply need to load one of the pods, press an icon and brew. You'll still have to clean your machine occasionally, but not like a bean-to-cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are smaller than their larger equivalents, and can be stored on the counter when not being used.
The best coffee machine for you will depend on your preferences and what you want to achieve. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, but some have more options for customization than others. Consider the coffee pod variety as well as brew sizes, milk and options for frothing when selecting the right machine.
Many people think of pod-based devices in the likes of Nespresso and Keurig, but there are some newer competitors on the scene that could be worth considering. One of them is Bruvi which has a bespoke pod system called B-Pods that can only be used by its machines. These pods are marked with a barcode, which is read by the machine to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
This means that the machine removes all the guesswork the process of making a cup, and ensures each drink comes out perfectly every time. It can save your customised drinks in a single button to allow you to create them with only one button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a greater degree of control over your coffee, allowing you to choose the ideal temperature and size for each drink. It's more expensive than some models but it offers the polished stainless steel construction and top-quality customer service that's associated with the brand. It is a great choice for those who need a bit more from their pod-based coffee maker.
Some models with larger capacities can also create lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, a excellent example, blends retro fifties styling from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It's a bit intimidating to use thanks to its toggles that resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's easy and extremely enjoyable coffee machine and pods to use the lungo is made in only 30 seconds, and the pods that are used are deposited into an internal bin with the click of the button.
4. Customization
One of the main reasons the pod coffee maker might not be the right choice for you is its lack of customization. If you don't have an additional milk frother then the only way to add more flavor or creaminess is to make use of hot tea or chocolate option in your mug, or to manually add milk to coffee. For many people this won't be a problem however it could be a problem 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 give the correct amount of coffee required for that kind of pod. It's a hassle-free, hands-off machine that does its job well, but it doesn't have any options for customised drinks or varying the strength of the brew. Some buyers will be annoyed by this, but others will appreciate the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos, lungos and mugs) to be exactly what they are seeking.
Aside from filling up the tank with water and decaffeinating the reservoir on occasion This coffee maker does not require a lot of maintenance. It dispenses short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs effortlessly and, as previously mentioned the pods that are used are ejected to a hidden container that keeps your kitchen clean. It also does a great job of serving full-bodied, crema-topped espressos.
This is a beautiful-looking machine and part of the Smeg fifties range. It's easy to use with a simple interface and can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods. The only issue is that it doesn't come with an indicator to let you know when it's time to descale and the maximum water level can't be set which is an issue. You'll also have to purchase the capsules made by the company which can be expensive. However, this is an excellent pod coffee maker for those looking for a beautiful and functional appliance that will provide them with quality coffee at an affordable price. If you're looking for a little more variety, a broad selection of third-party capsules is offered for this model, and it's compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.