Best Coffee Pod Machine Isn't As Tough As You Think
Best Coffee Pod Machine Isn't As Tough As You Think
Blog Article
The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel model comes with Sage brand's distinctive quality and ease of use. It preheats after switch-on, and then brews a delicious espresso or a little longer lungo in just 30 seconds.
The pod models are a great alternative to bean-to cup machines. They take the most messy components of making coffee off your hands, like grinding and measuring grounds.
1. Speedy
Pod machines can be installed and used more quickly than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup in 30 minutes. But they come at an expense in that the pre-portioned coffee pods used in these models tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted beans. And many are also not recyclable (though some companies now offer free recycling bags and prepaid UPS labels for returning them).
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines on the market, thanks to the barcode scanner that scans every compatible pod's code before brewing. This allows you to get consistent, high-quality coffee every time, and there is virtually no chance of a drink coming out badly wrong. This machine is among the tiniest and lightest on the market. It does not require an additional milk container and its small footprint makes it easy to fit into even the smallest kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the ideal machine for those wanting to cut down on their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automated descaling function and you'll need to do it yourself every 300 cups if reside in hard water, or 1200 cups in soft water zones. Once the filter cartridge is out, you'll need replace it with a fresh one. This can be costly for some users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another fast machine that has buttons that can be customized and the option of using either ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed and tampered grounds compressed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to decreasing the negative impact it has on the environment and its employees. Its only slight drawback is that it takes a little longer to warm up, but once that happens it can brew a cup in around 35 seconds.
If you're after a sleek, stylish machine capable of handling a range of different sizes and styles, look no further than the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek machine, created in collaboration with Sage is not only easy to use, but also comes with an ice cream wand, a stainless steel jug, and a milk frother.
2. Removable parts
A pod coffee maker's ease of use is a major draw and the top models are easy to operate. The majority of machines utilize the same process to make your coffee the water is heated in an internal reservoir, then pressured through your chosen capsules and extracted to create rich, hot coffee. Most brands offer a range of sizes of drinks to meet different requirements, and you can save custom settings for a variety of models to streamline the process even more.
Keurig K-Cups are among the top player on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also come with a variety of capsules by popular roasters. Some pods can be used just once before being thrown away, while others can be used a number of times. You'll need a plan to dispose of the pods you've used to avoid them ending up in landfill.
The SMEG we tested has a removable reservoir of water that is simple to fill. It also automatically dispensates an additional capsule once the previous one cools down. It can make lungo and espresso drinks and has eight different blends to offer variety. This brewer is a great choice for coffee drinkers who want to switch from drip coffee.
In our tests of the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable one to use. Its sleek design looks stunning on your counter, and it can be opened in a matter of seconds to reveal the compartment that houses your empty pods. The machine has a water filter system that is ideal for areas with hard water.
This machine is able to make the standard cup of coffee (240ml) as well as lungo and ristretto-style espresso drinks and is surprisingly fast. The controls are easy to operate, using airplane-style toggles that can be easily pulled back and a lever that retracts to reveal the opening to drop into your coffee maker. It takes a bit of pressure to close, however the majority of our test subjects even those with weak hand strength and mobility, were able to use it comfortably.
3. Size
The top coffee pod machines take all the messy parts of making coffee out of your hands - you simply put in 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. The pod machines are smaller than their larger counterparts, and can be stored on the counter when not in use.
The ideal coffee maker for you will be determined by your personal preferences and the goals you'd like to achieve. All pod machines are simple to use, however some provide more options for customization. The variety of pods, brew size options, and milk frothing features must be taken into consideration to help find the perfect coffee pod machine for your needs.
The majority of people associate pod-based machines with the likes of Nespresso and Keurig, but there are a few more recent competitors on the scene which are worth looking into. Bruvi has a custom-designed system of pods known as B-Pods, which can only be used in its machines. These pods have an underside barcode that the machine scans to automatically adjust the brewing settings.
The machine will take all the guesswork out of it and ensure that each drink is perfect every time. It can even save customized drinks to a separate button to allow you to make them with the press of a button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a greater degree of control over your coffee, allowing you to choose the ideal size and temperature for each drink. It's more expensive than other models, however it comes with the polished stainless-steel build and excellent customer service that is synonymous with Sage's My Way. This is a great option for those wanting to get an extra bit of quality from their pod-based espresso maker.
Certain models are larger and can create lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a fantastic example of this and blends the retro-fifties style of SMEG with the classic design of 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 quick and extremely enjoyable to use - a lungo is brewed in only 30 seconds, and the used pods are deposited into an internal bin with the click of a button.
4. Customization
One reason the pod coffee maker might not be the best choice for you is the limited customizability. If you don't buy coffee capsules machines an auxiliary milk frother, the only ways to add flavor or creaminess is to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option and to add milk to your coffee manually. For most people, this shouldn'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 barcode scanners to scan each capsule, and automatically pre-wet, infuse and dispense the correct volume of coffee that is appropriate for the type of pod. It's a simple, hands-off machine that does its job well, but it doesn't have any options for making drinks that are customized or for varying the strength of the brew. Some buyers will be annoyed by this, but others will appreciate the convenience and variety of cup sizes (espressos, lungos and mugs) to be exactly what they're searching for.
This coffee maker is very low-maintenance. It is all you need to do is to fill up the water tank, and decaffeinate the reservoir every time. It is able to serve espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs easily and, as previously mentioned the pods that are used are ejected into a hidden container that keeps your kitchen clean. It also does a great job of delivering full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
This is a stunning machine and is part of Smeg's fifties-style range. It's simple to use with a simple panel of buttons, and it can handle ground coffee as well as ESE pods. Its only flaw is the absence of an indicator that will let you know when it's time to descale, as well as the inability to set the maximum water level. You will also have to buy the capsules of the brand, which can be costly. Nevertheless, this is an excellent pod coffee maker for those looking for an attractive and practical appliance that can serve them well for an affordable price. This model can be used with a variety of capsules from third-party manufacturers and is compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo range.