Best Coffee Pod Machine Isn't As Difficult As You Think
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The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel appliance offers the Sage trademark quality and ease of operation. After switching on, it preheats and makes a scrumptious espresso or slightly longer lungo within 30 seconds.
In contrast to bean-to-cup machines models take the most messed-up aspects of coffee making off your hands - including grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Fast
Pod machines can be installed and used more quickly than espresso machines. They can typically make a cup of coffee in 30 minutes. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines are typically more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans, and many of them aren't recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines available, thanks to the barcode scanner that scans each compatible pod's code before brewing. This allows you to ensure consistent, high-quality coffee every time, and there is virtually no chances of a drink turning out horribly wrong. The machine is one of the slimmest and lightest on the market. It does not require a separate milk container and its compact size allows it to be easily incorporated into the tiniest kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine for those looking to reduce their environmental impact. The CitiZ does not have an automatic descaling feature. You'll have to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water and 1200 cups for soft water. You'll also need to swap the filter cartridge once this runs out, which could be costly for certain users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another quick machine that comes with a customisable button and the option of using ground coffee or ESE pods that are pre-dosed and tampered with grounds packed between filter paper. It is also B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to reducing its negative impact on the environment as well as its workforce. Its only downside is that it takes longer to warm up, but once that occurs, it can make a cup in around 35 minutes.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that can create a variety of drinks with different sizes and styles. This sleek machine, created in collaboration with Sage is not just simple to use but also comes with an ice cream wand stainless steel jug and a milk frother.
2. Removable parts
The ease of using pod coffee makers is a major selling point. The best models are easy to operate. The majority of machines utilize the same general mechanism to brew your cup the water is heated inside a reservoir, and then pushed through the chosen capsules and extracted to produce rich hot java. The majority of brands offer a variety of sizes of drinks to meet various needs. You can save your own settings on a number of models to speed up the process even more.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading brands on the market, yet each has a variety of capsules from top roasters and brands. Some pods are designed to be used once and get thrown away, whereas others are intended to be used multiple times. You'll need a strategy for the pods you've used to avoid them ending up in landfill.
The sleek SMEG model we tested comes with a water tank that is removable and easy to fill and the machine automatically pours fresh capsules after the previous one has been chilled. It can be used to brew espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends that give you plenty of variety. This brewer is a great choice for coffee drinkers who want to move away from drip coffee.
In our tests in our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable one to use. Its sleek design looks great on your counter, and it opens with just a touch to reveal the hidden compartment that houses your empty pods. It has a water filter system that is perfect for areas with hard water.
This machine is able to make the standard cup of coffee (240ml) as well as lungo and ristretto espresso-style drinks and is extremely fast. Its user-friendly controls are a joy to navigate using the switches that resemble airplanes and a lever that retracts with a minimum of effort to reveal the area where you drop in your coffee maker. It requires some force to close, but the majority of our testers, including those with limitations in hand strength and mobility, were able to use it comfortably.
3. Size
The top coffee pod machines take away all the mess from coffee making. You just add a pod the machine, press a button, and let it make coffee. You will still need to clean the machine from time to time, but not as frequently as you would with a coffee maker that is a bean-to cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are smaller than their bigger counterparts and can be stored on the counter when not in use.
The decision of whether a coffee machine is the right choice for you is based on your preferences and what you're hoping to gain from it. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, however some provide more options for customization. Pod variety, brew size options and milk frothing capabilities are all important to help find the perfect coffee pod machine for you.
The most well-known pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are a few newer competitors worth looking at. One is Bruvi which makes use of its own pod system, called B-Pods that can only be used by its machines. The pods have a barcode on the underside that machines scan to automatically adjust brewing settings.
This approach means the machine removes all the guesswork the process of making a cup, and ensures each drink is made perfectly every time. It can even save customised drinks to a separate button, allowing you to create them at the push of a single button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer more control over your cup of coffee than the majority machines, allowing you to choose the right size and temperature for each drink. It's more expensive than other models, however it has the polished stainless-steel construction and the excellent customer service that is synonymous with Sage's My Way. This is a good option for those who want something more from their espresso maker that is based on pods.
While most people are using the pod-based machine to create single-serve beverages however, there are a few larger models that can also brew longer shots, known as lungos, too. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is an excellent example of this, and it blends the retro-fifties style of SMEG with the classic design of Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It's a bit intimidating initially due to the airplane-style toggles but once you've gotten used to it, it is quick and satisfying to use. A lungo can be prepared in just 30 seconds.
4. Customization
The lack of customization is capsule coffee machines a major reason it might not be the best choice for you. If you don't have an additional milk frother, then the only option to enhance flavor or creaminess is to use hot chocolate or tea option in your mug or to manually add milk into your coffee. 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 uses barcode scanners to scan each capsule and automatically pre-wet, infuse, and dispense the correct volume of coffee that is appropriate for the kind of pod. It's a simple, hands-off machine which does an excellent job, however it isn't equipped with options for customizing drinks or altering the strength of brew. This may be a problem for some buyers however for others, the easy automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso, lungo and mug) it gives exactly what they need.
This coffee maker is low maintenance. It's all you have to do is to refill the water tank and decaffeinate it every time. It can dispense short espresso shots and tall travel mugs effortlessly and, as we mentioned the used pods are ejected into a hidden receptacle which keeps your kitchen spotless. It also does an excellent job of delivering full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
This machine is part of Smeg's 1950s style range. It is easy to use with a simple panel and can accommodate ground coffee or ESE pods. The only issue is that it lacks an indicator that lets you know when it's time for descale. Also, 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 great pod machine for those who want an attractive and convenient appliance that will serve well at a reasonable cost. This model is compatible with a variety of third-party capsules and also is compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo range.