The Best Coffee Pod Machine

This sleek, brushed-steel model comes with Sage brand's distinctive quality and ease of operation. It warms up after switching on, and brews an aroma-packed espresso or slightly longer lungo in 30 minutes.

Unlike bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the messiest aspects of coffee-making out of your hands, such as grinding and dosing grounds.

1. Rapid

Pod machines can be set up and used faster than espresso machines. They can typically make a cup of coffee in 30 minutes. But they do come at 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 some 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 is available due to its in-built barcode reader that scans the code of each compatible pod before making it. This allows you to make consistent, high-quality coffee every time, with virtually no chance of a drink coming out horribly wrong. It is also one of the slimmest and lightest available and does not require a separate milk jug and the smallest footprint, making it a breeze to fit into even the smallest of kitchens.

The CitiZ is not the best machine to reduce your 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 areas or 1200 cups in soft water zones. You'll also have to put with a new cartridge once this runs out, which could be costly for some users.

The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another fast machine that has buttons that can be customized and the option of using either ground coffee or ESE pods that are pre-dosed and tampered with grounds squeezed 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 drawback is that it takes a little longer to heat up, but once this is done, it will be able to brew a cup in around 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 just simple to use, but it also comes with an ice cream wand, an stainless steel jug and milk frother.

2. Removable parts

The user-friendliness is a major selling point and the top models are easy to use. Most machines utilize the same process to brew the perfect cup of coffee the water is heated inside reservoirs, then pushed through capsules to create rich, hot coffee pods machines. Most brands offer a range of sizes for drinks to meet different needs, and you can save custom settings on a number of models to speed up the process even more.

Keurig K-Cups are among the largest players on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also have a wide selection of capsules by well-known roasters. Some pods are made to be used just once and then discarded, while others are meant for multiple uses. Whatever the case, 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 SMEG we tested comes with a removable reservoir of water that is easy to fill. It also automatically dispenses another capsule after the previous one cools down. It can brew espresso and lungo drinks and has eight different blends to offer the variety. This brewer is ideal for those who love coffee and want to move away from drip coffee.

In our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design is a looker on your countertop and it opens with a light tap to reveal a hidden compartment for empty pods. The machine comes with a water filter system which is perfect for areas that have hard water.

The machine can brew the standard cup of coffee (240ml) and also serves as lungo and ristretto-style espresso drinks and is extremely fast. Its intuitive controls are easy to navigate with the help of aircraft-style toggles as well as a lever that retracts with little effort to reveal the area which allows you to drop your pod. It requires a little force to close, but our testers, even those with weak hand and mobility, found it comfortable.

3. Size

The best coffee pod machines remove all the messes of making coffee out of your hands - you simply need to load a pod, hit a button and make coffee. You'll still need to clean your machine every now and then but not as often as a bean-to-cup or espresso maker. pod capsule coffee machine machines are smaller than their bigger counterparts, and can be stored on the counter when not being used.

If a coffee pods machine pod machine is the best choice for you depends on your preferences and what you want to get out of it. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, but some have more options for customization than others. Pod variety, brew size options, and milk frothing features are all important to help find the perfect coffee machine capsule pod machine for you.

The most popular pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However, there are some newer competitors worth a look. Bruvi has a custom-designed system of pods, called B-Pods, which can only be used in its machines. These pods are marked by a barcode which is scanned by the machine to adjust the brewing parameters automatically.

This means that the machine takes all the guesswork out the process of making a cup, and makes sure that each drink is perfect every time. It is able to save your customized drinks to a button, so that you can create them using one button.

Other machines, like Sage's My Way offer a greater degree of control over your coffee, allowing you to choose the right temperature and size for each drink. It's more expensive than other models, but it comes with a polished stainless steel construction and superior customer service that is a hallmark of Sage's My Way. This is a good option for those wanting to get something more from their espresso maker that is based on pods.

Certain models are larger and can create lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, a great example, combines retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee maker Lavazza. It's a bit intimidating initially due to the toggles that look like airplanes, but once you get used to it, the machine is quick and satisfying to use. A lungo can be prepared in 30 minutes.

4. Customization

The limited capabilities of a pod coffee maker's customization is a major reason it might not be the right choice for you. If you don't have an additional milk frother, then the only way to add flavor or creaminess is to use hot chocolate or tea option in your mug, or to manually add milk to your coffee. This shouldn't be a problem for many people, but it could be an issue for those who like a fully automatic experience in the morning.

Bosch's Intellibrew makes use of barcode scanners to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wettes and infuses the correct amount of coffee for the specific kind of pod. It's a simple and hands-off machine that does a great job however it isn't equipped with options for customizing drinks or altering the strength of brew. This will irritate some buyers but for others, the simple automation and range of cup lengths (espresso, lungo and mug) it gives exactly what they need.

Apart from filling the tank with water and decaffeinating it occasionally, this coffee maker will not need a lot of maintenance. It can dispense short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs easily. As mentioned, the used pods are ejected in a container hidden from view that keeps your kitchen tidy. It also does an excellent job of delivering full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.

It's a gorgeous machine that is part of Smeg's fifties style range. It's user-friendly with a simple control panel and can take ground coffee or ESE pods. Its only flaw is the lack of a display that lets you know when it's time to descale, as well as the inability to set the maximum water level. You also need to buy the capsules made by the company which can be expensive. This is a good pod machine for anyone who wants an easy-to-use and stylish appliance that can be used at a reasonable price. For those who want a little more variety, a large selection of third-party capsules are available for this model, and it's also compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.