Do Not Buy Into These "Trends" Concerning Best Coffee Pod Machine
Do Not Buy Into These "Trends" Concerning Best Coffee Pod Machine
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The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The sleekest pod machine we've seen, this brushed-steel model offers the signature Sage quality and ease of use. After turning on, it heats up and makes a delicious espresso or slightly longer lungo in about 30 minutes.
Models for pods are an excellent alternative to bean-to cup machines. They take the messiest aspects of making coffee off your hands, like grinding and measuring grounds.
1. Rapid
Pod machines are generally easier to set up and use than espresso machines, with the majority can make a cup of coffee in just 30 seconds or so. However, they come with some cost as the pre-portioned pods of coffee that are used in these machines tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted beans. And they are not recycled. (though some companies now offer free recycling bags and pre-paid UPS labels to return the pods).
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines available on the market, thanks to its in-built barcode reader that scans the code of each compatible pod prior to making it. This allows you to ensure consistent quality, high-end coffee each time, with next-to-no chance of the drink turning out horribly wrong. This machine is among the slimmest and lightest available. It doesn't require a separate 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 looking to reduce their environmental impact. It doesn't come with an automatic descaling feature, and you'll have 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 with a new cartridge after this expires, which could be costly for certain users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another speedy machine with customisable buttons and the option to use either ground coffee or ESE pods that are pre-dosed and tampered grounds squeezed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to decreasing the negative impact it has on the surroundings and its workforce. The only drawback 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 glossy beauty, made in collaboration with Sage, is not only quick and simple to operate but also comes with an ice cream frothing wand as well as an stainless steel jug.
2. Removable parts
A pod coffee maker's ease of use is a major selling point and the top models are easy to operate. The majority of machines employ the same basic process to brew the cup of coffee you want: water is heated inside a reservoir, then moved through capsules to make rich hot, hot java. The majority of brands offer a variety of sizes for drinks to meet various needs. You can save your own settings for a variety of models to streamline the process even more.
Keurig K-Cups are among the largest brands available on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also offer a large selection of capsules by well-known roasters. Some pods are made to be used once and get thrown away, whereas others are designed for multiple uses. In either case, you'll have to plan out how you'll deal with the pods you've used up so that they don't end up in landfill.
The sleek SMEG model we tested features a removable water tank that's easy to fill and the machine automatically pours fresh capsules after the previous one has been cooled. It brews espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with a set of eight different blends that give you plenty of variety. This brewer is perfect for coffee drinkers who wish to switch to drip coffee.
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 can be opened in a matter of seconds to reveal the hidden compartment that stores empty pods. The machine also has the added coffee machines with pods benefit of an filtration system for water, which is ideal for hard-water areas.
The machine can brew the standard cup of coffee (240ml) and also serves as lungo and ristretto-style espresso drinks, and is surprisingly quick. Its intuitive controls are a joy to navigate, thanks to airplane-style toggles and a lever that retracts with a minimum of effort to reveal the area that allows you to insert the pod. It does take a little effort to close, but our test subjects, even those who have limited mobility and hand strength, found it comfortable.
3. Size
The top coffee pod machines eliminate all the mess that comes with coffee making. All you have to do is put a pod in the machine, press a button, and let it brew. It is still necessary to clean your machine from time to time however not as often as a bean-to cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are also smaller than their bigger counterparts, so they can fit on the countertop and be stored away from sight when not in use.
Whether a coffee pod machine is the right option for you depends on your preferences and what you're looking to gain from it. The majority of pod machines are easy to operate, however, some provide more options for customization. Consider the coffee pod variety sizes, brew sizes and milk options for frothing when selecting the best machine.
The most popular pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are a few more recent competitors that are worth looking at. One of them is Bruvi which has a bespoke pod system known as B-Pods that can only be used by its machines. The pods are marked with a barcode, which is read by the machine to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
This method takes all the guesswork out of brewing a cup and makes sure that each drink is made perfectly every time. It can even save customized drinks to a specific button, allowing you to make them with the press of a single button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way, offer more granular control over your cup of coffee than others models, allowing you to select a specific size and temperature for each beverage. It's more expensive than some models, but it has the polished stainless steel construction and top-quality customer service that's which is synonymous with the brand. It is a great choice for those who need an extra level of quality from their pod-based coffee maker.
While the majority of people will be using pod-based machines to make single-serve drinks There are some larger models that can also brew longer shots, known as lungos, too. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, a perfect example, blends retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee maker Lavazza. It's difficult to use due to its airplane-style toggles and manual lever, but it's incredibly easy and incredibly satisfying to operate and brews a lungo in only 30 seconds, and the discarded pods are placed in an internal bin with the click of a button.
4. Customization
One big reason why the pod coffee maker might not be right for you is its lack of customization. Unless you purchase an additional milk frother, the only options to add flavor or creaminess are to use an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option and add milk to your coffee manually. For most people, this shouldn't be a problem but it could be a problem for those who prefer a fully automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology uses barcode readers to scan each capsule and automatically pre-wet, infuse, and disperse the right amount of coffee that is appropriate for the kind of pod. It's a hassle-free, hands-off machine that does its job flawlessly, but does not have any options for making drinks that are customized or varying the strength of the brew. Some buyers will be annoyed by this, but others will appreciate the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos and mugs, lungos and espressos) to be exactly what they're searching for.
The coffee maker is extremely low-maintenance. It only requires you to refill the water tank and decaffeinate it every once in a while. It dispenses short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs with ease and, as previously mentioned the pods that are used are ejected into a concealed receptacle that helps keep your kitchen clean. It also does a fantastic job of delivering full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
This machine is part of Smeg's 1950s style range. It's user-friendly with a simple control panel and can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods. The only downside is that it doesn't come with an indicator to let you know when it's time to descale and the maximum water level cannot be set, which is a minor inconvenience. You also need to buy the brand's capsules which can be costly. This is a great pod machine for those who want an easy-to-use and stylish appliance that will serve well at a reasonable cost. If you're looking for a little more variety, a large selection of third-party capsules is offered for this model. It's compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.