Check Out: How Best Coffee Pod Machine Is Taking Over And What You Can Do About It
Check Out: How Best Coffee Pod Machine Is Taking Over And What You Can Do About It
Blog Article
The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The most elegant pod machine we've seen, this brushed-steel model offers the trademark Sage quality and user-friendly. It preheats after switch-on, and makes an espresso with aroma or a slightly longer lungo in just 30 seconds.
As opposed to bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the messiest aspects of coffee making out of your hands - including grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Fast
Pod machines can be set up and operated faster than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup in 30 minutes. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines tend to be more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans and a lot of them are not recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the most efficient pod machines available due to the barcode scanner which scans each compatible pod's code prior to brewing. This makes it easy to ensure consistent, high-quality coffee every time, with next-to-no chance of a drink coming out horribly wrong. It's also among the slimmest and lightest available, with no need for a separate milk jug and its small footprint making it easy to fit in even the tiniest kitchen.
However, the CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine for those wanting to minimize their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automated descaling function and you'll need to descale it yourself once every 300 cups if reside in hard water areas or 1200 cups in soft water zones. It is also necessary to put with a new cartridge once this runs out and can be expensive for certain users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another quick machine that comes with a customisable button and the option of using either ground coffee or ESE pods that are pre-dosed, tampered and packed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to decreasing 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 just 35 minutes.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that is able to make a variety 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 a milk frothing wand and an stainless steel jug.
2. Removable parts
The ease of use is a major draw and the top models are a breeze to operate. The majority of machines utilize the same basic process to make your coffee: water is heated inside a reservoir, then pressured through your chosen capsules and extracted to produce rich, hot coffee. Many brands offer a variety of drink sizes for different needs. You can also save custom settings to streamline the process.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two major players on the market, but each offers a wide selection of capsules from the most popular roasters and brands. Some pods are made to be used just once and then get thrown away, whereas others are meant for multiple uses. In either case, you'll have to plan ahead for how you'll handle your spent pods so they do not end up in the garbage.
The sleek SMEG model we tested features an ejectable water tank that's easy to fill, and the machine automatically pours new capsules once the previous one has been chilled. It brews espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends that give you plenty of variety. This brewer is perfect for coffee drinkers who wish to move away from drip coffee to drip.
In our tests in our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable one to use. Its sleek design is beautiful on your counter and opens with just a touch to reveal the hidden compartment that stores empty pods. The machine has a water filter system which is perfect for areas with hard water.
The machine can brew an ordinary cup of coffee (240ml) and also serves as ristretto and lungo espresso-style drinks and is surprisingly fast. Its user-friendly controls are a joy to navigate, thanks to airplane-style toggles and a lever that retracts with little effort to reveal the area which allows you to drop your coffee maker. It takes a bit of pressure to close, however most of our testers who have weak hand strength and mobility, found it comfortable.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines take the mess of coffee making out of your hands - you simply load in a pod, hit an icon and prepare to brew. You'll still have to clean the machine from time time, but not as frequently as you would with a bean-to-cup cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are also smaller than their larger counterparts and can be tucked away on the countertop and be stored away from view when not being used.
The best coffee machine for you will depend on your personal preferences and what you want to achieve. All pod machines are simple to use, however some have more options for customization than others. Be aware of the different coffee pods, brew sizes and milk options for frothing when selecting the right machine.
Most people will associate pod-based machines with the likes of Nespresso and Keurig However, there are some newer rivals that could be worth considering. One of them is Bruvi which makes use of a bespoke pod system known as B-Pods that can only be used in conjunction with its machines. The pods are marked by a barcode which is read by the machine to adjust the brewing parameters automatically.
The machine will eliminate the guesswork and make sure that each drink is perfect every time. It is even able to save custom drinks to a dedicated button to allow you to make them with the press of a single button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer more control over your cup of coffee than most machines, allowing you to choose the right size and temperature for each beverage. It's more expensive than other models, however it comes with the polished stainless-steel construction and the excellent customer service that is a hallmark of the Sage's My Way brand. This is a great option for those wanting to get something more from their pod-based espresso maker.
While the majority of people will be using pod-based machines to make single-serve beverages, there are some larger models that can create longer shots, also known as lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is an excellent example of this and is a combination of the retro style of SMEG with the retro-fifties design of SMEG Italian coffee brand, Lavazza. It can be a little difficult to operate due to its airplane-style toggles and manual lever, but it's quick and extremely enjoyable to use the lungo is made in only 30 seconds, and the discarded pods are placed in an internal bin at the push of a button.
4. Customization
The lack of customisation is a major reason it might not be the right choice for you. If you don't purchase an additional milk frother, the only methods to add flavor or creaminess is to use an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option and to add milk to your coffee manually. This shouldn't be a problem for many people, but it could be an issue for those who prefer a fully automatic experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew makes use of a barcode scanner to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wettes and infuses the right amount of coffee to the specific kind of pod. It's a simple, hands-off machine that does the job well, but it doesn't have any options for making drinks that are customized or varying the strength of brew. This may be a problem for some buyers but for others the hassle-free automation and range of cup lengths (espresso, lungo pod coffee machine and mug) will provide exactly what they need.
The coffee maker is extremely low-maintenance. It's all you have to do is to fill up the tank with water, and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every so often. It can dispense short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs easily. As mentioned earlier, the used pods are ejected in an unnoticed container which keeps your kitchen clean. It is also great at delivering full-bodied espressos with a crema-topped top.
This machine is part of Smeg's 1950s-style collection. It's easy to use via a simple panel of buttons, and it can handle both ground coffee and ESE pods. It's only downside is the absence of an indicator that lets you know when to descale, and the inability to set the maximum water level. You will also have to buy the brand's capsules which can be expensive. This is a great pod machine for anyone who wants a convenient and attractive appliance that is able to serve at a low cost. This model can be used with a variety of third-party capsules and also works with the Nespresso Vertuo range.