The Best Coffee Pod Machine

This sleek, brushed-steel appliance provides the Sage distinctive quality and ease of operation. It warms up after switching on, and makes an espresso with aroma or a slightly longer lungo in 30 seconds.

In contrast to bean-to-cup machines models take the most messy aspects of coffee making out of your hands - including grinding and dosing grounds.

1. Fast

Pod machines can be set up and operated faster than espresso machines. Most of them can make a cup of coffee in 30 minutes. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines are typically more expensive than freshly roasted coffee beans, and many are not recyclable.

The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the fastest pod machines that you can find due to its built-in barcode reader that scans the code of each compatible pod before brewing it. This makes it simple to ensure consistent, high-quality coffee every time, with virtually no chances of a drink turning out badly wrong. It's also one of the slimmest and lightest available that doesn't require an additional milk jug, and its small footprint making it easy to fit in even the tiniest of kitchens.

However, the CitiZ isn't the ideal machine for those wanting to reduce 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 every 1200 cups for soft water. It is also necessary to put with a new 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 that are pre-dosed and tampered with grounds compressed 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. Its only slight drawback is that it takes longer to warm up, but once this happens it can brew one cup in just 35 seconds.

Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that is able to create a variety of drinks with different sizes and styles. This sleek machine, designed in collaboration with Sage is not just simple to use, but it also comes with an ice cream wand, stainless steel jug and milk frother.

2. Removable parts

The ease of using pod coffee makers is a major advantage. The most effective models are simple to use. The majority of machines use the same general mechanism to brew your cup: water is heated inside a reservoir, then pressured through the capsules you choose and extracted to create 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 speed up the process even further.

Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two major brands on the market, but each has a variety of capsules from top roasters and brands. Some pods are made to be used only once before being be thrown away, while others are intended for multiple uses. In either case, you'll have to think about how you'll handle your spent pods so they do not end up in the garbage.

The sleek SMEG model we tested features an ejectable water tank that's easy to fill, and the machine will automatically pour a fresh capsule once the previous one has been chilled. It can brew coffee and lungo drinks and comes with eight different blends to give you plenty of variety. This brewer is a great choice for coffee drinkers who want to move away from drip coffee.

In our tests of the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design looks stunning on your counter and can be opened in a matter of seconds to reveal the hidden compartment that holds empty pods. The machine also has the added benefit of an filtration system for water, which is perfect for areas with hard water.

This machine is quick and can make standard coffee (240ml) and ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. Its intuitive controls are easy to navigate with the help of switches that resemble airplanes and a lever that retracts without much effort to reveal the opening that allows you to insert your pod. It takes a bit of force to close, but our testers, even those with limited mobility and hand strength, found it comfortable.

3. Size

The best coffee pod makers eliminate all the mess that comes with coffee making. You just add a pod, press a button and let it brew. You'll still need to clean your machine from time to time but not as often as a bean-to cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their larger equivalents, and can be stored on the counter when not in use.

The right coffee pod machine for you will depend on your personal preferences and the goals you'd like to achieve. All pod machines are simple to use, however some have more options for customization than others. Be aware of the different coffee pods as well as brew sizes, milk and options for frothing when picking the best machine.

The most well-known 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 uses its own pod system, called B-Pods that can only be used with its machines. The pods are marked by a barcode which is read by the machine to adjust the brewing settings automatically.

This approach means the machine takes all the guesswork out the process of making a cup, and guarantees that every drink comes out perfectly every time. It can even save customized drinks to a separate button so you can create them at the push of a button.

Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer more control over your cup of coffee than the majority models, allowing you to select a specific size and temperature for each drink. It's more expensive than other models, but it comes with the polished stainless-steel construction and the excellent customer service that is a hallmark of the Sage's My Way brand. This is a good option for those wanting to get an extra bit of quality from their espresso maker that is based on pods.

Some models with larger capacities can also create lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, which is a great example, combines retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It's a little intimidating initially due to the toggles that look like airplanes, but once you've gotten used to it, the machine is quick and satisfying to use. A lungo can be made in only 30 minutes.

4. Customization

One of the main reasons the pod coffee maker might not be the right choice for you is the limited customization. If you don't purchase an auxiliary milk frother, the only options to add flavor or creaminess is to use an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option, and then add milk to your coffee manually. This shouldn't be a problem for many people, but could be a problem for those who like a fully automatic experience in the morning.

Bosch's Intellibrew uses a barcode scanner to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wettes, infuses and dispenses the right amount of coffee to the specific kind of pod. It's a user-friendly, hands-off machine which does a great job however it isn't equipped with options for customizing drinks or for varying the strength of brew. This will irritate some buyers but for others, the simple automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso, lungo and mug) it gives precisely what they require.

This coffee maker is very low-maintenance. It is all you need to do is to refill the water tank, and decaffeinate the reservoir every so often. It is able to serve espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs with ease. As mentioned, the used pods are then ejected from a hidden container that helps keep your kitchen tidy. It also does an excellent job of serving full-bodied, crema-topped espressos.

This machine is part Smeg's 1950s-style collection. It's user-friendly with a simple panel of buttons and can be used with both ground coffee and ESE pods. Its only flaw is the lack of an indicator that will let you know when you should descale, and the inability to set a maximum water level. You will also have to buy the capsules of the brand, which can be expensive. But, it's a great pod coffee best pod coffee machine maker for anyone looking for an attractive and practical appliance that can provide them with quality coffee at a reasonable price. If you're looking for a little more variety, a large selection of third-party capsules is available for this model, and it's compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.