The Best Coffee Pod Machine

The most sleek pod machine we've ever seen, this model with brushed-steel features the renowned Sage quality and is easy to use. After turning on, it preheats and makes a delicious espresso or a slightly longer lungo within 30 minutes.

Models for pods are an excellent alternative to bean-to cup machines. They take the clumsiest parts of coffee making off your hands, including grinding and measuring grounds.

1. Fast

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

The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the fastest pod machines that you can find due to its in-built barcode reader that scans code of each compatible pod before brewing it. This allows you to get consistent quality, high-end coffee each time, with next-to-no chance of the drink turning out horribly wrong. This machine is among the tiniest and lightest on the market. It does not require an additional milk container, and its compact footprint makes it easy to fit into the smallest kitchens.

However, the CitiZ isn't the ideal machine for those wanting to reduce their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automatic descaling feature, and you'll have to clean it yourself every 300 cups if you reside in hard water areas or 1200 cups in soft water areas. You'll also have to put in a new filter cartridge once this runs out, which could be costly for some users.

Tassimo Vivy 2 is a quick machine with customizable buttons. It can be utilized with ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed and tampered grounds that are compressed 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. Its only minor drawback is the time it takes to heat up. Once it does, it can brew one cup in about 35 minutes.

If you're after an elegant, sleek machine that can handle a variety of different 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 only easy to use but also comes with an ice cream wand, stainless steel jug and a milk frother.

2. Removable parts

The ease of using a pod coffee maker is a major advantage. The top models are easy to operate. Most machines utilize the same basic mechanism to brew the cup of coffee you want: water is heated inside a reservoir, 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 on many models to speed up the process further.

Keurig K-Cups are among the largest brands available on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also have a wide selection of capsules made by the most famous roasters. Certain pods can be used once before they are discarded however, others can be used multiple times. You'll need a strategy for the pods you've used to avoid them from being thrown away.

The sleek SMEG model we tested has a water tank that is removable and easy to fill and the machine will automatically pour a fresh capsule once the previous one has cooled. It can be used to brew lungo and espresso drinks, and comes with a set of 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 testing of the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design looks great on your counter, and it opens with just a touch to reveal the hidden compartment that houses empty pods. The machine also has the added benefit of the water filtration system which is perfect for hard-water areas.

This machine is quick and can brew standard coffee (240ml), ristretto, and lungo espresso drinks. Its easy-to-use controls are a joy to use with the help of switches that resemble airplanes and a lever that retracts without much effort to reveal the space where you drop in the pod. It takes a bit of force to close but our test subjects, even those with limited mobility and hand strength felt comfortable.

3. Size

The best coffee pod makers take away all the mess from coffee making. You just add a pod, press a button and let it brew. It is still necessary to clean your machine every now and then, but not as often as 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.

Whether a coffee pod machine is the right choice for you depends on your preferences and what you want to gain from it. All pod machines are simple to use, but some have more options for customization than others. Different pod types, brew sizes options and milk frothing capabilities should all be considered to find the ideal coffee pod machine for you.

Most people will think of pod-based devices in the likes of Nespresso and Keurig However, there are a few newer competitors that could be worth considering. Bruvi has a custom-designed system of pods, called B-Pods, which can only be used in its machines. The pods are equipped with a barcode on the underside 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 can save your custom drinks on a button to allow you to create them using a single button.

Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a more precise level of control over your coffee that allows you to select the right size and temperature for each beverage. It's more expensive than other models, but it comes with a polished stainless-steel build and excellent customer support synonymous with the brand. This is a great option for those wanting to get an extra bit of quality from their espresso maker that is based on pods.

While most people more info will be using a pod-based machine to make single-serve beverages, there are some larger models that can create longer shots, also known as lungos, too. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a great example of this. It is a combination of the retro style of SMEG with Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It can be a little difficult to operate due to its airplane-style toggles as well as the manual lever, but it's incredibly easy and incredibly enjoyable to use the lungo is made in less than 30 seconds and the used pods are put into an internal bin at the push of the button.

4. Customization

The lack of customization is a major reason it might not be the right choice for you. If you don't have an auxiliary milk frother, then the only way to enhance flavor or creaminess is to use a hot chocolate or tea option in your mug, or to manually add milk to coffee. For most people, this shouldn't be a problem but it could be a nagging issue 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 disperse the right amount of coffee for that particular type of pod. It's a simple and hands-off machine that does an excellent job, but isn't able to customize drinks or altering the strength of brew. This might be frustrating for some website customers however for others, the easy automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso, lungo and mug) will provide exactly what they need.

Aside from filling up the tank with water and decaffeinating it occasionally This coffee maker does not require a lot of maintenance. It dispenses short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs easily and, as previously mentioned the used pods are ejected into a hidden container which keeps your kitchen spotless. It also does a great job of serving full-bodied, crema-topped espressos.

This machine is part of Smeg's 1950s-style collection. It's easy to use with a simple panel and can accommodate ground coffee or ESE pods. It's here only downside is pod coffee machines the absence of a display that will let you know when you should descale, and the inability to set the maximum water level. You will also have to buy the capsules of the brand, which can be costly. But, it's a good pod coffee maker for anyone looking for a beautiful and practical appliance that can provide them with quality coffee at a reasonable price. For those who want some variety, a wide range of third-party capsules are available for this model, and get more info it's also compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.