It's The Next Big Thing In Best Coffee Pod Machine
It's The Next Big Thing In Best Coffee Pod Machine
Blog Article
The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel machine provides the Sage trademark quality and ease of operation. It warms up after switching on, and brews an aroma-packed espresso or a slightly longer lungo in 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. Fast
Pod machines can be set up and operated faster than espresso machines. Most of them can make a cup in 30 seconds. However, they come with an expense: the pre-portioned coffee pods that are used in these machines tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted beans and they're not always recyclable (though certain companies now offer recycling bags for free and UPS labels to return the pods).
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 ensures consistently top-quality coffee every time. There is virtually no chance of getting a bad drink. It is also among the slimmest and lightest on the market and does not require an additional milk jug, and its small footprint making it a breeze to fit into even the tiniest of kitchens.
The CitiZ isn't the best machine to minimize your environmental impact. It doesn't come with an automatic descaling feature, and you'll have to descale it yourself once every 300 cups if live in hard water or 1200 cups in soft water zones. You'll also have to put with a new cartridge when it runs out, which could be costly for some users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another quick machine that comes with a customisable button and the option to use either ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed and tampered with grounds squeezed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to reducing the negative impact it has on the surroundings and its workforce. Its only slight drawback is that it takes longer to heat 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 then look no further than the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek machine, created in collaboration with Sage is not just easy to use, but also comes with an ice cream wand, stainless steel jug and a milk frother.
2. Removable parts
The simplicity of a pod coffee maker is a major selling point. The best models are simple to use. Most machines rely on the same basic process to make your coffee: water is heated in an internal reservoir, then pressured through the chosen capsules and extracted to produce rich hot java. Most brands offer a range of sizes for drinks to meet different needs, and you can save your own settings on many models to simplify the process even more.
Keurig K-Cups are among the largest players on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also come with a variety of capsules from popular roasters. Some pods are made to be used just once and then be thrown away, while others are intended for multiple uses. You'll need a plan to dispose of your used pods to avoid them from ending up in the garbage.
The sleek SMEG model we tested has an ejectable water tank that's easy to fill and the machine will automatically pour a fresh capsule once the previous one has been chilled. It can make espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends to offer various options. This brewer is ideal for coffee drinkers who wish to make the switch from drip coffee to drip.
In our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most satisfying to use. Its sleek design looks stunning on your counter, and it can be opened in a matter of seconds to reveal the hidden compartment that stores empty pods. The machine has an integrated water filter that is perfect for areas with hard water.
This machine is easy to use and brews standard coffee (240ml), ristretto, and lungo espresso drinks. Its user-friendly controls are a joy to navigate with the help of aircraft-style toggles as well as a lever that retracts with a minimum of effort to reveal the space where you drop in the pod. It does take a little force to close but our test subjects, even those who have limited mobility and hand strength felt comfortable.
3. Size
The best coffee pod machines take the mess of coffee making out of your hands - you simply load in the pod, press the button, and then prepare to brew. You'll still have to clean the machine from time 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 larger equivalents, and can be stored on the counter when not in use.
The best coffee machine for you will be determined by your personal preferences and what you want to achieve. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, but some have more options for customization than others. Different pod types, brew sizes options, and milk frothing capabilities are all important to find the ideal coffee pod machine.
The most popular pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However, there are some newer competitors worth taking a look at. Bruvi has a custom-designed system of pods, called B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. The pods are equipped with a barcode on the underside that machines scan to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
This means that the machine eliminates all the guesswork of brewing a cup and makes sure that each drink is perfect every time. It can save your custom drinks on a button, so that you can make them by pressing only one button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a more granular 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 offers the polished stainless steel construction and excellent customer service which is synonymous with the brand. It is a great choice for those who want an extra level of quality from their pod-based coffee maker.
Some larger models can also create lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a excellent example, blends retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It's intimidating to use thanks to its airplane-style toggles as well as the manual lever, but it's incredibly easy and extremely enjoyable to use and brews a lungo in only 30 seconds, and the discarded pods are put into an internal bin at the touch of a button.
4. Customization
The lack of customisation is a major reason it's not the best choice for you. If you don't have an auxiliary milk frother then the only way to add flavor or creaminess is to make use of hot chocolate or tea option in your mug, or to manually add milk to your the coffee. This shouldn't be a problem for most people, but it could be an issue for those who like a fully automatic experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology uses barcode scanners to scan each capsule, pod and capsule coffee machines and automatically pre-wet, infuse and dispense the correct volume of coffee required for that type of pod. It's a user-friendly and hands-off machine that does a great job but isn't able to customize drinks or for varying the strength of brew. This may be a problem for some buyers but for others, the simple automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso lungo, espresso and mug) will provide precisely what they require.
This coffee maker is low-maintenance. It is all you need to do is to fill up the water tank, and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every once in a while. It can make short espresso-style shots or tall travel mugs effortlessly. As previously mentioned, used pods are then ejected from a hidden container that keeps your kitchen tidy. It is also great at delivering full-bodied coffees with a crema-topped top.
This is a beautiful-looking machine and part of Smeg's fifties-style range. It's easy to use via simple buttons and can be used with ground coffee as well as ESE pods. Its only flaw is the absence of an indicator that tells you when it's time to descale, as well as the inability to set a maximum water level. It is also necessary to buy the capsules of the brand, which can be expensive. This is a good pod machine for anyone who wants an easy-to-use and stylish appliance that will serve well at a reasonable price. This model can be used with a variety of capsules from third party manufacturers and works with the Nespresso Vertuo range.