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 slightly longer lungo in 30 minutes.

The pod models 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. Speedy

Pod machines can be installed and used more quickly than espresso machines. They can typically make a cup in just 30 minutes. However, they come with a cost as the pre-portioned pods of coffee used in these machines tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted beans. And they're not always recyclable (though certain 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 that you can find due to its built-in barcode reader that scans the code of each compatible pod before making it. This ensures consistently top-quality coffee every time. There is hardly any chance of having a bad drink. It is also among the slimmest and lightest available, with no need for an additional milk jug or the smallest footprint, making it a breeze to fit into even the smallest of kitchens.

However the CitiZ isn't the best machine for those looking to reduce their environmental impact. The CitiZ isn't equipped with an automatic descaling feature. You'll have to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water and 1200 cups for soft water. It is also necessary to put in a new filter cartridge once this runs out, which could be costly for certain users.

The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another fast machine that has buttons that can be customized and the option to use either ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed, tampered and packed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to decreasing the negative impact it has on its surroundings and its workforce. Its only minor drawback is the time it takes to heat up. Once it's done, it can brew one cup in just 35 seconds.

Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that can create a variety of drinks with different sizes and styles. This gorgeous, glossy machine, developed in collaboration with Sage, is not only quick and simple to operate but also comes with a milk frothing wand and a stainless steel jug.

2. Removable parts

The ease of using pod coffee makers is a major selling point. The most effective models are easy to operate. Most machines use the same basic mechanism to brew the perfect cup of coffee that is, heated water is placed in the reservoir, and then moved through capsules to make rich hot, hot coffee. Many brands offer a variety of drink sizes to suit various needs. You can save custom settings for a variety of models to simplify the process even more.

Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading players in the market, yet both offer a variety of capsules from the most popular roasters and brands. Some pods are designed to be used once and get thrown away, whereas others are meant for multiple uses. Whatever the case, you'll need to plan ahead for how you'll handle the pods you've used up so that they aren't thrown away in the trash.

The sleek SMEG model we tested comes with an ejectable water tank that's easy to fill and the machine automatically pours a fresh capsule once the previous one has been chilled. It brews espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with a set of eight different blends to provide plenty of options. This brewer is perfect for coffee lovers who want to move away from drip coffee to drip.

In our tests of the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design makes it an eye-catching addition to your countertop and it can be opened with a gentle tap to reveal a hidden compartment to store your empty pods. It has an integrated water filter which is perfect for areas with hard water.

This machine brews an ordinary cup of coffee (240ml), as well as lungo and ristretto espresso-style drinks, and is surprisingly quick. The controls are simple to use, with airplane-style toggles that can be easily pulled back and a lever that retracts to reveal the opening for dropping into your coffee maker. It requires some effort to close, but the majority of our test subjects even those with weak hand strength and mobility, were able to use it comfortably.

3. Size

The best coffee pod machines eliminate all the mess that comes with coffee making - you just load a pod in the machine, press a button, and let it be brewed. It is still necessary to clean your machine from time to time however not like a bean-to-cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their larger counterparts and can be stored on the counter when not in use.

If a coffee pod machine is the best choice for you is based on your preferences and what you want to get out of it. All pod machines are simple to operate, however, some provide more options for customization. The variety of pods, brew size options and milk frothing capabilities should all be considered to find the ideal coffee pod machine for your needs.

The most popular pod-based coffee machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However, there are some more recent competitors that are worth looking at. Bruvi utilizes a unique system of pods, called B-Pods, which can only be used in its machines. The pods are equipped with an underside barcode that machines scan to automatically adjust brewing settings.

The machine will take all the guesswork and ensure that each drink is perfect every time. It is able to save your customized drinks in a single button so that you can create them with a single button.

Other machines, like Sage's My Way offer a more granular level of control over your coffee that allows you read more to select the ideal size and temperature for each beverage. It's a little more expensive than many other models but it offers the polished stainless steel design and the excellent customer service that is which is synonymous with the brand. It is a great option for those looking to get an extra level of quality from their pod-based coffee maker.

Some models with larger capacities can also create lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, which is a excellent example, blends retro fifties styling from SMEG and Italian coffee maker Lavazza. It's a little intimidating at first thanks to the airplane-style toggles but once you've gotten used to it, the machine is quick and easy to use. A lungo can be brewed in just 30 minutes.

4. Customization

The limited capabilities of a pod coffee maker's customization is a major reason it may not be the best option for you. Unless you purchase an auxiliary milk frother, the only ways to add extra flavor or creaminess is to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option and add milk manually to your coffee. This shouldn't be a problem for many people, but it could be a problem for those who like a fully automatic experience in the morning.

Bosch's Intellibrew uses barcode scanners to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wets and infuses, then dispensing the right amount of coffee to the specific kind of pod. It's an easy-to-use, hands-off machine which does an excellent job, but lacks options for customising drinks or altering the strength of brew. Some buyers will be annoyed by this, but many will appreciate the convenience and variety of cup sizes (espressos and mugs, lungos and espressos) to be exactly what they are looking for.

In addition to filling up the tank with water and decaffeinating the reservoir on occasion the coffee maker will not require a lot of maintenance. It is able to serve espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs with ease and, as previously mentioned, used pods are ejected into a hidden container that helps keep your kitchen clean. It also excels at delivering full-bodied coffees with crema-topped tops.

This is a beautiful-looking machine that is part of Smeg's fifties-style range. It's easy to use via a simple panel of buttons, and it can handle both ground coffee and ESE pods. The only downside is that it doesn't have an indicator to let you know when it's time to descale and the maximum water level cannot be set which is an inconvenience. You also need to buy the capsules made by the company, which can be pricey. This is a great pod machine for anyone looking for a convenient and attractive appliance that can be used at a reasonable cost. If you're looking for more variety, a wide range of third-party capsules is available for this model and it's also compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.