Keep An Eye On This: How Best Coffee Pod Machine Is Taking Over And What You Can Do About It
Keep An Eye On This: 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 model with brushed-steel features the renowned Sage quality and user-friendly. After switching on, it warms up and makes a delicious 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. Rapid
Pod machines can be set up and used faster than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup of coffee in 30 seconds. However, they come with some cost in that the pre-portioned coffee pods that are used in these machines are generally more expensive than freshly roasted beans and they are not recycled. (though some companies now offer free recycling bags and prepaid UPS labels for returning the pods).
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines available that is available, thanks to its in-built barcode scanner that scans the code of each compatible pod before making it. This ensures that you get consistently top-quality coffee every time. There is hardly any chance of having a bad beverage. The machine is among the lightest and slimmest on the market. It does not require an additional milk container, and its small footprint allows it to be easily incorporated into even the smallest kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine for those wanting to minimize their environmental impact. It doesn't come with an automatic 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. You'll also have to put in a new filter cartridge once this runs out, which could be costly for certain users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a fast machine that can be customized with buttons. It can be used with either ground coffee or ESE pods which are pre-dosed and tampered grounds compressed in between filter paper. It is also B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to lessening its negative impact on the environment as well as its employees. Its only slight drawback is that it takes a little longer to warm up, but once this is done, it will be able to brew a cup in around 35 seconds.
If you're after an elegant, sleek machine capable of handling a range of different sizes and styles, take a look at the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek machine, created in collaboration with Sage is not just simple to use, but it also comes with an ice cream wand, an stainless steel jug and a milk frother.
2. Removable parts
The user-friendliness is a major selling point, and the best models are a breeze to use. The majority of machines employ the same mechanism to brew a cup of coffee that is, heated water is placed in a reservoir, then pushed through capsules to create rich hot java. Most brands offer different sizes of drinks to meet different requirements. You can also save your own settings to streamline the process.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two major players in the market, yet each offers a wide selection of capsules from the most popular roasters and brands. Certain pods can be used once before being thrown away, while others can be used several times. You'll need a plan to dispose of your used pods to avoid them from being thrown away.
The SMEG we tested comes with a removable water reservoir that is easy to fill. It also automatically dispensates another capsule after the previous one cools down. It can make espresso and lungo drinks and comes with eight different blends to give you variety. This brewer is a great choice for coffee lovers who are looking to move away from drip coffee.
In our testing of the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design is an eye-catching addition to your counter and opens with a simple tap to reveal a hidden compartment to store your empty pods. The machine also has the added benefit of the water filtration system which is perfect for hard-water areas.
The machine is fast and can brew regular coffee (240ml), ristretto, and lungo espresso drinks. The controls are simple to use, with airplane-style toggles that can be retracted easily and a lever which retracts to reveal the opening to drop in the pod. It requires some force to close, but the majority of our testers who have limited hand strength and mobility, were able to use it comfortably.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines take the mess of coffee making out of your hands - you simply load in a pod, hit a button and brew. It is still necessary to clean the machine from time time however not as often as you would with a bean-to-cup 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 best choice for you depends on your preferences and what you want to gain from it. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, but others offer more customization options. Different pod types, brew sizes options and milk frothing capabilities should all be considered to determine the best coffee pod machine.
The majority of people think of pod-based devices in the likes of Nespresso and Keurig, but there are a few newer competitors which are worth looking into. One of them is Bruvi which makes use of a bespoke pod system called B-Pods that can only be used by its machines. The pods are equipped with an underside barcode that the machine scans to automatically adjust brewing settings.
The machine will take all the guesswork and ensure that every drink is perfect every time. It can save your customised drinks in a single button to allow you to create them with a single button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way offer a more precise level of control over your coffee, allowing you to choose a specific size and temperature for each drink. It's a bit more expensive than other models, but it has the polished stainless steel construction and excellent customer service synonymous with the brand and is a good option for those looking to get something more from their pod-based coffee maker.
Some larger models can also brew lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a fantastic example of this and blends the retro-fifties style of SMEG with the retro-fifties design of SMEG Italian coffee brand, Lavazza. It can be pod capsule coffee machine a little difficult to operate due to its toggles that resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's quick and incredibly satisfying to operate - a lungo is brewed in only 30 seconds, and the used pods are deposited into an internal bin at the push of the button.
4. Customization
The limited capabilities of a pod coffee maker's customization is a major reason it may not be the best choice for you. Unless you purchase an additional milk frother, the only options to add extra flavor or creaminess are to use an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option and to add milk to your coffee manually. For many 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 utilizes barcode scanners to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wettes and infuses the correct amount of coffee to the specific 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 the brew. This will irritate some buyers but for others the hassle-free automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso lungo, espresso and mug) will provide exactly what they need.
Apart from filling the tank with water and decaffeinating the reservoir on occasion the coffee maker will not require a lot of maintenance. It can make short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs effortlessly. As previously mentioned, used pods are ejected into a container hidden from view that helps keep your kitchen tidy. It also excels in delivering full-bodied coffees that have tops that are topped with crema.
It's a gorgeous machine and part of Smeg's fifties-style range. It is easy to use with a simple interface and can take ground coffee or ESE pods. Its only flaw is the lack of an indicator that tells you when to descale, and the inability to set a maximum water level. You will also have to buy the brand's capsules which can be costly. Nevertheless, this is a great pod coffee maker for those looking for a beautiful and convenient appliance that will provide them with quality coffee at a reasonable price. This model can be used with a variety of third-party capsules and also works with the Nespresso Vertuo range.