The Best Coffee Pod Machine

The most elegant pod machine we've seen this brushed-steel model offers the signature Sage quality and ease of use. After switching on, it preheats and brews a fragrant espresso or slightly longer lungo in about 30 minutes.

Unlike bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the messiest aspects of coffee making out of your hands, such as grinding and dosing grounds.

1. Fast

Pod machines can be set up and used faster than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup in just 30 seconds. However, they come with a cost in that the pre-portioned coffee pods that are used in these machines tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted beans and they're not always recyclable (though certain companies now offer recycling bags for free and UPS labels to return the pods).

The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines on the market due to the barcode scanner that scans each compatible pod's code prior to brewing. This ensures consistently top-quality coffee every time. There is hardly any possibility of getting a poor drink. This machine is among the lightest and slimmest available. It does not require an additional milk container, and its compact size makes it easy to fit into even the smallest kitchens.

The CitiZ is not the best device to reduce your environmental impact. It doesn't have an automatic descaling function and you'll need to clean it yourself every 300 cups if reside in hard water areas or 1200 cups in soft water areas. Once the filter cartridge runs out, you'll have to replace it with a new. This could be expensive for certain users.

The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another speedy machine with customisable buttons and the option to use ground coffee or ESE pods that are pre-dosed and tampered with 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 workforce. Its only minor drawback is the time it takes to heat up. Once it's done it, it can make one cup in just 35 seconds.

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

2. Removable parts

The user-friendliness is a big selling point, and the best models are a breeze to operate. The majority of machines use the same general mechanism to brew your cup by heating water inside a reservoir, and then pushed through the chosen capsules and extracted to create rich, hot coffee. Many brands offer a variety of drink sizes for different needs. You can also save your own settings to speed up the process.

Keurig K-Cups are among the top player on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also come with a variety of capsules by famous roasters. Certain pods can be used once before they are discarded, while others can be used a number of times. Either way, you'll need to plan ahead for how you'll deal with the pods you've used up so that they aren't thrown away in the trash.

The SMEG we tested has a removable water reservoir that is easy to fill. It also automatically dispensates an additional capsule once the previous one cools down. It can make espresso and lungo drinks and comes with eight different blends to give you the variety. This brewer is perfect for coffee drinkers who wish to make the switch from drip coffee to drip.

In our testing of the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most satisfying to use. Its sleek design is a looker on your counter and can be opened with a gentle touch to reveal a hidden compartment to store your empty pods. The machine has an in-built water filter system which is perfect for areas with hard water.

This machine is easy to use and can brew regular coffee (240ml) and ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. Its easy-to-use controls are a joy to navigate using the switches that resemble airplanes and a lever that retracts without much effort to reveal the opening where you drop in your pod. It requires a bit of pressure to close, however the majority of our testers, including those with limited hand strength and mobility, found it comfortable.

3. Size

The top coffee pod machines remove all the messes of coffee making out of your hands - you simply put in the pod, press a button and make coffee. It is still necessary to clean the machine from time to time, but not as frequently as you would with a bean-to cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are also smaller than their counterparts that are larger which means they can be placed on the counter and be stored away from sight when not being used.

Whether a coffee pod machine is the best choice for you depends on your preferences and what you're hoping to get out of it. All pod machines are simple to use, however some offer more customization options. Different pod types, brew sizes options and milk frothing capabilities must be taken into consideration to determine the best coffee pod machine.

The most popular pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However, there are some newer competitors worth looking at. One is Bruvi which has its own pod system, known as B-Pods that can only be used in conjunction with its machines. The pods are equipped with an underside barcode that machines scan to automatically adjust the brewing settings.

The machine will eliminate the guesswork and make sure that each drink is perfect every time. It is able to save your customized drinks on a button to allow you to create them with a single button.

Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer greater control over your coffee than most machines, allowing you to choose the exact size and temperature for each beverage. It's more expensive than other models, however it comes with a polished stainless steel construction and superior customer support synonymous with the Sage's My Way brand. This is a good choice for those looking for a bit more out of their espresso maker that is based on pods.

While most people will use the pod-based machine to create single-serve drinks, there are some larger models that can pod capsule coffee machine brew longer shots, known as lungos, also. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a great example of this and combines the retro fifties styling of SMEG with the classic design of Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It's a bit intimidating initially due to the airplane-style toggles, however once you've become accustomed to it, the machine is easy and enjoyable to use. A lungo can be made in only 30 seconds.

4. Customization

One reason the pod coffee maker might not be right for you is its lack of customization. If you don't purchase an auxiliary milk frother, the only ways to add flavor or creaminess are to use an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option and to add milk to your coffee manually. For most people, this won't be a problem but it could be a sticking point for those who prefer a fully automated experience in the morning.

Bosch's Intellibrew technology uses barcode readers 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 hands-free, easy-to-use machine that performs its job well, but it doesn't have any options for customised drinks or for varying the strength of brew. Some buyers will be annoyed by this, but others will appreciate the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos and mugs, lungos and espressos) to be exactly what they are seeking.

This coffee maker is low-maintenance. It only requires you to fill up the water tank, and decaffeinate it every so often. It can dispense short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs with ease. As mentioned earlier, the used pods are ejected into a hidden container which keeps your kitchen clean. It also excels in delivering full-bodied coffees that have a crema-topped top.

It's a gorgeous machine that is part of Smeg's fifties-style range. It is easy to use with a simple interface and can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods. The only downside is that it doesn't come with an indicator to let you know when it's time to descale and the maximum water level cannot be set which is an inconvenience. You'll also need to buy the capsules of the brand, which can be expensive. This is a good pod machine for those who want an easy-to-use and stylish appliance that is able to serve at a reasonable cost. This model can be used with a variety of capsules from third party manufacturers and works with the Nespresso Vertuo range.