Do Not Buy Into These "Trends" Concerning Best Coffee Pod Machine
Do Not Buy Into These "Trends" Concerning Best Coffee Pod Machine
Blog Article
The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel appliance comes with Sage brand's distinctive quality and ease of use. It warms up after switching on, and brews an aroma-packed espresso or a little longer lungo in just 30 seconds.
As opposed to bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the messiest aspects of coffee-making out of your hands, including grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Fast
Pod machines are generally quicker to set up and use than espresso machines, with the majority capable of making a cup of coffee in just 30 seconds or so. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines tend to be more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans, and many are not recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines available due to the barcode scanner which scans each compatible pod's code prior to brewing. This ensures consistently top-quality coffee every time. There is hardly any chance of getting a bad drink. The machine is one of the slimmest and lightest on the market. It doesn't require an additional milk container, and its compact footprint makes it easy to fit into even the smallest kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the ideal machine for those wanting to reduce their environmental impact. It doesn't come with an automatic descaling function and you'll need to do it yourself every 300 cups if reside in hard water, or 1200 cups in soft water zones. You'll also need to swap the filter cartridge after this expires and could be expensive for some users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another speedy machine with customisable buttons and the option to use either ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed, tampered and squeezed between filter paper. It is also B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to decreasing its negative impact on the environment as well as its workforce. The only drawback is the time it takes to warm up. Once it's done, it can brew one cup in just 35 minutes.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that is able to create a variety of drinks in different sizes and styles. This sleek machine designed in collaboration with Sage is not only easy to use but also comes with an ice cream wand stainless steel jug and milk frother.
2. Removable parts
The ease of use is a big selling point, and the best models are simple to operate. Most machines rely on the same general method to make your cup by heating water in an internal reservoir, then pressured through the capsules you choose and extracted to form rich hot java. Most brands offer different sizes of drinks to meet different requirements. You can also save custom settings to make the process more efficient.
Keurig K-Cups are among the top brands available on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also have a wide selection of capsules by popular roasters. Certain pods can be used only once before being thrown away, while others can be used a number of times. Either way, you'll need to plan ahead for how you'll deal with the pods you've used up so that they do not end up in the garbage.
The sleek SMEG model we tested comes with a water tank that is removable and easy to fill, and the machine will automatically pour new capsules once the previous one has cooled. It can brew coffee and lungo drinks and comes with a set of eight different blends to give you plenty of variety. This brewer is ideal for coffee drinkers who wish to switch to drip coffee to drip.
In our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design makes it an attractive addition to your counter and it opens with a light touch to reveal a concealed compartment to store your empty pods. It also comes with the added benefit of a water filtration system, which is perfect for areas with hard water.
This machine is able to make an ordinary cup of coffee (240ml) and also serves as lungo and ristretto espresso-style drinks, and is surprisingly quick. The controls are simple to operate, with the style of airplane toggles that can be retracted easily and a lever that retracts to reveal the opening to drop in the pod. It does take a little effort to close, but our test subjects, even those who have weak hand and mobility felt comfortable.
3. Size
The top coffee pod machines remove all the mess from coffee making - you just load a pod in, press a button and let it make coffee. It is still necessary to clean the machine from time to time, but not as frequently as you would with a bean-to-cup cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are also smaller than their counterparts that are larger and can be tucked away on the counter and be kept out of sight when not in use.
The ideal coffee maker for you will depend on your personal preferences and what you want to achieve. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, but some offer more customisation options than others. Consider the coffee pod variety, brew sizes and milk options for frothing when selecting the right machine.
Most people will associate pod-based machines with the likes of Nespresso and Keurig However, there are a few newer competitors on the scene which are worth looking into. One of them is Bruvi which has a bespoke pod system called B-Pods that can only be used by its machines. The pods are equipped with a barcode on the underside that machines scan to automatically adjust brewing settings.
The machine will eliminate all the guesswork out of it and ensure that every drink is perfect every time. It can even save customised drinks to a dedicated button, allowing you to create them at the push of a single button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way offer a more granular level of control over your coffee and allows you to select the right size and temperature for each drink. It's more expensive than other models, but it has the polished stainless steel build and the excellent customer service that is associated with the brand. It is a solid choice for those who need an extra level of quality from their pod-based coffee maker.
Certain models are larger and can make lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, which is a perfect example, blends retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It can be a little intimidating to use thanks to its toggles that resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's incredibly easy and extremely enjoyable to use - a lungo is brewed in less than 30 seconds and the discarded pods are put into an internal bin at the push of the button.
4. Customization
One of the main reasons a pod coffee maker may not be the right choice for you is the limited customizability. If you don't purchase an auxiliary milk frother, the only methods to add extra flavor or creaminess is to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option and to 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 makes use of barcode scanners to scan each capsule and automatically pre-wet, infuse, and disperse the right amount of coffee for that particular kind of pod. It's a user-friendly, hands-off machine which does a great job but lacks options for customising drinks or altering the strength of brew. This may be a problem for some buyers but for others the hassle-free automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso lungo, espresso and mug) will provide precisely what they require.
In addition to filling up the water tank and decaffeinating it occasionally, this coffee maker will not require a lot of maintenance. It is able to serve espresso shots or tall travel mugs effortlessly. As previously mentioned, used pods are then ejected from an unnoticed container which keeps your kitchen clean. It is also excellent in delivering full-bodied coffees that have crema-topped tops.
This is a stunning machine that is part of Smeg's fifties-style range. It's user-friendly with a simple panel and can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods. It's only downside is the lack of an indicator that will let you know when you should descale, and the inability to capsule coffee machines set a maximum water level. You also need to buy the capsules made by the company which can be expensive. Nevertheless, this is a great pod coffee maker for those seeking a stylish and functional appliance that will provide them with a great service at an affordable cost. This model can be used with a variety of third-party capsules and also is compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo range.