A Productive Rant About Best Coffee Pod Machine
A Productive Rant About Best Coffee Pod Machine
Blog Article
The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The sleekest pod machine we've ever seen, this brushed-steel model has the signature Sage quality and user-friendly. It preheats after switch-on, and then brews a delicious espresso or slightly longer lungo in just 30 seconds.
In contrast to bean-to-cup machines models take the most messed-up aspects of coffee-making out of your hands, including grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Speedy
Pod machines can be set up and used faster than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup in 30 minutes. But they come at an expense in that the pre-portioned coffee pods that are used in these machines are generally more expensive than freshly roasted beans and many are also not recyclable (though certain companies now offer free recycling bags and pre-paid UPS labels to return them).
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines available that you can find, thanks to its in-built barcode reader that scans code of each compatible pod prior to making it. This ensures that you get consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is virtually no 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 compact size allows it to be easily incorporated into even the smallest kitchens.
The CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine to minimize the environmental impact. It doesn't come with an automatic descaling function, and you'll have to descale it yourself once every 300 cups if live in hard water or 1200 cups in soft water areas. You'll also have to put the filter cartridge once this runs out and could be expensive for certain users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another fast machine that has buttons that can be customized and the option to use ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed, tampered and compressed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to decreasing the negative impact it has on the environment and its employees. Its only minor drawback is the time it takes to warm up. Once it's done, it can brew one cup in about 35 seconds.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish, sleek machine that can create a variety of drinks in different sizes and styles. This gorgeous, glossy machine, developed in collaboration with Sage and Sage, is not just simple and quick to operate but also comes with an ice-cream frothing wand, as well as an stainless steel Jug.
2. Removable parts
The user-friendliness is a major selling point, and the best models are simple to use. Most machines use the same method to make the perfect cup of coffee the water is heated inside the reservoir, and then moved through capsules to make rich, hot coffee. The majority of brands offer a variety of sizes for drinks to meet different requirements, and you can save your own settings on many models to simplify the process even further.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two biggest brands on the market, however both offer a variety of capsules from top roasters and brands. Some pods are designed to be used only once before being discarded, while others are intended for multiple uses. You'll need a plan to dispose of the pods you've used to avoid them from ending up in the garbage.
The SMEG we tested has a removable reservoir of water that is simple to fill. It also automatically dispenses a new capsule after the previous one cools down. It brews espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with a set of eight different blends that provide plenty of options. This brewer is perfect for coffee lovers who want to make the switch from drip coffee.
In our tests in our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design makes it a looker on your countertop and it opens with a simple tap to reveal a hidden compartment for your empty pods. The machine has an integrated water filter which is perfect for areas that have hard water.
This machine brews the standard cup of coffee (240ml) as well as lungo and ristretto espresso-style drinks and is surprisingly fast. Its intuitive controls are a joy to navigate, thanks to airplane-style toggles and a lever that retracts with little effort to reveal the area where you drop in your pod. It takes a bit of force to close, but our test subjects, even those with limited mobility and hand strength were able to use it comfortably.
3. Size
The top coffee pod machines take the mess of making coffee out of your hands. You simply need to load a pod, hit an icon and make coffee. You will still need to clean the machine from time to time but not as often as you would with a bean-to-cup cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their larger counterparts and can be tucked away on the countertop and be stored out of view when not in use.
Whether a coffee pod machine is the right option for you is based on your preferences and what you want to get from it. The majority of pod machines are easy to operate, however, some provide more options for customization. Different pod types, brew sizes 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 newer competitors that may be worth looking at. One of them is Bruvi which has a bespoke pod system known as B-Pods that can only be used with its machines. These pods are marked with a barcode, which is scanned by the machine to adjust the brewing parameters automatically.
The machine will take all the guesswork and ensure that each drink is perfect every time. It can save your customised drinks on a button so that you can create them with only one button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer greater control over your coffee than most, letting you choose the exact size and temperature for each cup. It's more expensive than other models, but it has the polished stainless steel construction and superior customer support synonymous with the brand. This is a good choice for those looking for a bit more out of their espresso maker that is based on pods.
Some models with larger capacities can also brew lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a fantastic example of this and combines the retro fifties styling of SMEG with the classic design of Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It's a bit difficult to use due to its airplane-style toggles and manual lever, but it's quick and incredibly enjoyable to use and brews a lungo in just 30 seconds and the used pods are put into an internal bin at the touch of the button.
4. Customization
One big reason why a pod coffee maker may not be right for you is its limited customizability. Unless you purchase an additional milk frother, the only ways to add flavor or creaminess are to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option, and then add milk manually to your coffee. This shouldn't be a problem for most people, but it could be a problem for those who like the convenience of a fully automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology utilizes barcode readers to scan each capsule, and automatically pre-wet, infuse, and give the correct amount of coffee for that particular type of pod. It's an easy-to-use hands-off device that does a great job however it isn't equipped with options for customizing drinks or for varying the strength of brew. Some customers might be disappointed by this, but many will find the ease of use and 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 is all you need to do is to refill the water tank, and decaffeinate it every time. It dispenses short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs easily and, as mentioned, used pods are ejected to a hidden container which keeps your kitchen spotless. It is also excellent at delivering full-bodied coffees with a crema-topped top.
This is a beautiful-looking machine and is part of Smeg's fifties-style range. It is easy to use with a simple interface and can accommodate ground coffee or ESE pods. Its only flaw is the absence of an indicator that tells you when to descale, and the inability to set a maximum water level. You'll also need to buy the brand's capsules which can be expensive. Nevertheless, this is a good pod coffee maker for those looking for an attractive and convenient appliance that will serve them well for an affordable price. For those who want a little more coffee pod machines variety, a large selection of third-party capsules are available for this model, and it's compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.