10 Things We Hate About Best Coffee Pod Machine
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The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel machine provides the Sage brand's distinctive quality and user-friendly. It preheats after switch-on, and brews an aroma-packed espresso or slightly longer lungo in about 30 seconds.
The pod models are a great alternative to bean-to-cup machines. They take the messiest aspects of making coffee off your hands, including grinding and measuring grounds.
1. Speedy
Pod machines are typically quicker to install and use than espresso machines, with most able to make a cup of coffee in just 30 seconds or so. However, they come with a cost in that the pre-portioned coffee pods used in these machines are generally more expensive than freshly roasted beans and they are not recycled. (though some companies now offer recycling bags for free and UPS labels for returning them).
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines on the market due to the barcode scanner that scans every compatible pod's code prior to making coffee. This allows you to make consistent, high-quality coffee every time, with 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 an additional milk container and its compact footprint makes it easy to fit into even the tiniest kitchens.
However, the CitiZ isn't the ideal machine for those who want to minimize their environmental impact. The CitiZ doesn't have an automatic descaling feature. You will need to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water and 1200 cups for soft water. When the filter cartridge wears out, you'll have to replace it with a new one. This could be expensive for some users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a speedy machine that has customisable buttons. It can be utilized with ground coffee or ESE pods which are pre-dosed, tampered ground that are compressed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to reducing the negative impact it has on its environment and workforce. The only downside is the time it takes to warm up. Once it is heated, it can brew one cup in about 35 minutes.
If you're after an elegant, stylish machine capable of handling a range of different drink sizes and styles then take a look at the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek beauty, created 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 big selling point and the top models are a breeze to use. Most machines rely on the same process to make your coffee: water is heated in an internal reservoir, then pressured through the capsules you choose and extracted to produce rich, hot coffee. The majority of brands offer various 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 biggest players in the market, but each has a variety of capsules from popular roasters and brands. Some pods can be used once before they are discarded and others can be used a number of times. You'll need a strategy for your old pods to prevent them from being thrown away.
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 chilled. It can brew espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends to give you the variety. This brewer is ideal for coffee drinkers who wish to move away from drip coffee.
In our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design is a looker on your counter and opens with a light tap to reveal a hidden compartment for your empty pods. It also comes with the added benefit of the water filtration system which is ideal for areas with hard water.
This machine brews a standard cup of coffee (240ml), as well as lungo and ristretto espresso-style drinks, and is surprisingly quick. The controls are easy to use, with airplane-style toggles that can be easily pulled back and a lever that retracts to reveal the hole to place into the pod. It does take a little force to close, but our testers, including those with limited mobility and hand strength felt comfortable.
3. Size
The top coffee pod makers take the mess of coffee making out of your hands. You simply load in the pod, press an icon and make coffee. You'll still need to clean your machine occasionally, but not like a bean-to-cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their bigger counterparts and can be stored on the counter when not in use.
The right coffee pod machine for you will be determined by your personal preferences and what you wish to achieve. All pod machines are simple to use, however some provide more options for customization. Pod variety, brew size options and milk frothing capabilities should all be considered to help find the perfect coffee pod machine for your needs.
The most popular pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are a few more recent competitors that are worth taking a look at. Bruvi uses a bespoke system of pods called B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. The pods are marked with a barcode that is read by the machine to adjust the brewing parameters automatically.
The machine will eliminate the guesswork out of it and ensure that each drink is perfect every time. It can even save customised drinks to a dedicated button so you can create them at the touch of a single button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way, offer greater control over your coffee than others machines, allowing you to choose the exact size and temperature for each drink. It's more expensive than other models but it offers the polished stainless steel design and excellent customer service associated with the brand. It is a solid choice for those who need an extra level of quality from their pod-based coffee maker.
While most people are using a pod-based machine to make single-serve beverages however, there are a few larger models that are able to brew longer shots, known as lungos, also. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a great example of this. It blends the retro-fifties style of SMEG with the classic design of Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It's a little intimidating at first thanks to the airplane-style toggles but once you get used to it, it is quick and easy to use. A lungo can be made in just 30 seconds.
4. Customization
One big reason why the pod coffee maker might not be the right choice for you is the limited flexibility to customize. Unless you purchase an auxiliary milk frother, the only methods to add extra flavor or creaminess is to make use of an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option, and then add milk to your coffee manually. This won't be an issue for a lot of people, but it could be a problem for those who prefer the convenience of a fully automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology uses a barcode reader to scan each capsule and automatically pre-wet, infuse, and give the correct amount of coffee for that particular kind of pod. It's a hands-free, easy-to-use machine that does its job well, but it doesn't have any options for customised drinks or altering the strength of brew. Some buyers will be annoyed by this, but many will appreciate the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos, lungos and mugs) to be exactly what they are searching capsule coffee maker for.
This coffee maker is very low-maintenance. It's all you have to do is to refill the tank with water, and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every time. It can dispense short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs effortlessly. As mentioned, the used pods are then ejected from a hidden container which keeps your kitchen clean. It also does a great job of delivering full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
This is a stunning machine and part of the Smeg fifties range. It's user-friendly with an easy-to-use panel of buttons, and it can handle both ground coffee and 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. You will also have to purchase the brand's capsules which can be costly. This is a great pod machine for anyone who wants an attractive and convenient appliance that is able to serve at a reasonable cost. This model is compatible with a variety of capsules from third party manufacturers and works with the Nespresso Vertuo range.