The Best Coffee Pod Machine

The most elegant pod machine we've seen, this model with brushed-steel features the trademark Sage quality and user-friendly. After switching on, it preheats and makes a scrumptious espresso or slightly longer lungo in just 30 minutes.

As opposed to bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the most messy aspects of coffee making off your hands, including grinding and dosing grounds.

1. Speedy

Pod machines are typically quicker to setup and use than espresso machines, with many can make a cup of coffee in only 30 seconds or so. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines are generally more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans and a majority of them are not recyclable.

The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines available due to the barcode scanner that scans every compatible pod coffee machines's code prior to making coffee. This ensures you get consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is hardly any possibility of getting a poor drink. The machine is one of the lightest and slimmest available. It does not require an additional milk container and its small footprint allows it to be easily incorporated into the smallest kitchens.

The CitiZ isn't the most efficient device to reduce the environmental impact. It doesn't have 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. When the filter cartridge wears out, you'll have to replace it with a new. This can be costly for some users.

The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another speedy machine with customisable buttons and the option of using either ground coffee or ESE pods coffee machine, which are pre-dosed and tampered with grounds compressed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to lessening the negative impact it has on its environment and workforce. Its only minor drawback is the time it takes to heat up. Once it's done, it can brew one cup in about 35 seconds.

If you're after a sleek, stylish machine that can handle a variety of different sizes and styles then take a look at the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek beauty, created 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 a stainless steel jug.

2. Removable parts

The ease of use is a big selling point and the top models are a breeze to use. The majority of machines utilize the same general mechanism to brew your cup: water is heated in an internal reservoir, then pumped through the capsules you choose and extracted to produce rich, hot java. Many brands offer a variety of sizes for drinks to meet various needs. You can save custom settings on a number of models to simplify the process even more.

Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading brands on the market, yet both offer a variety of capsules from top roasters and brands. Some pods are made to be used just once and then get thrown away, whereas others are meant to be used multiple times. You'll need a plan for your old pods to prevent them from being thrown away.

The SMEG we tested has a removable reservoir of water that is simple to fill. It also automatically dispensates a new capsule after the previous one cools down. It can brew lungo and espresso drinks, and comes with a set of eight different blends to provide you with a wide selection. This brewer is ideal for coffee lovers who want to move away from drip coffee.

In our testing we found that the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most satisfying to use. Its sleek design makes it an eye-catching addition to your countertop and it can be opened with a gentle touch to reveal a concealed compartment to store your empty pods. The machine comes with a water filter system that is perfect for areas with hard water.

The machine can brew an ordinary cup of coffee (240ml) and also serves as ristretto and lungo espresso-style drinks and is extremely fast. Its easy-to-use controls are a joy to navigate with the help of switches that resemble airplanes and a lever that retracts with little effort to reveal the space where you drop in your coffee maker. It requires some effort to close, but the majority of our testers even those with weak hand strength and mobility, found it comfortable.

3. Size

The best coffee pod machines take all the messy parts of coffee making out of your hands. You simply need to load a pod, hit an icon and 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 or espresso maker. 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 what you want to achieve. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, but others provide more options for customization. Be aware of the different coffee pods sizes, brew sizes and milk frothing options when choosing the best machine.

The most popular pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However, there are some newer competitors worth looking at. Bruvi utilizes a unique system of pods called B-Pods that 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 eliminate all the guesswork and make sure that each drink is perfect every time. It can save your customised drinks in a single button so that you can make them by pressing only one button.

Other machines, such as Sage's My Way, offer more control over your coffee than most machines, allowing you to choose the right size and temperature for each drink. It's more expensive than other models, however it comes with the polished stainless steel construction and superior customer service that is a hallmark of Sage's My Way. This is a good option for those who want an extra bit of quality from their pod-based espresso maker.

Some models with larger capacities can also make lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a fantastic example of this and is a combination of the retro style of SMEG with Italian coffee brand, Lavazza. It's not easy at first thanks to the airplane-style toggles, but once you've gotten used to it, the machine is quick and satisfying to use. A lungo can be prepared in just 30 minutes.

4. Customization

The lack of customisation is a major reason it's not the best option for you. If you don't have an additional milk frother, then the only option to enhance flavor or creaminess is to make use of hot tea or chocolate option in your mug or to manually add milk to your coffee pods machines. This won't be an issue for many people, but it could be a problem for those who like an entirely automated experience in the morning.

Bosch's Intellibrew technology uses barcode readers to scan each capsule, and automatically pre-wet, infuse, and give the correct amount of coffee required for that kind of pod. It's a user-friendly and hands-off machine that does an excellent job, but lacks options for customising drinks or altering the strength of brew. Some customers might be disappointed by this, however others will find the ease of use and variety of cup sizes (espressos, lungos and mugs) to be exactly what they are seeking.

This coffee maker is very low maintenance. It only requires you to refill the water tank and decaffeinate the reservoir every once in a while. It can dispense short espresso shots or tall travel mugs effortlessly. As previously mentioned, used pods are ejected into an unnoticed container which keeps your kitchen clean. It is also great at delivering full-bodied coffees with crema-topped tops.

This machine is part of Smeg's 1950s style range. It is easy to use with a simple panel and can accommodate ground coffee or ESE pods. The only drawback is the lack of an indicator that tells you when to descale, and the inability to set a maximum water level. It is also necessary to purchase the brand's own capsules, which can be pricey. This is a good pod coffee machine machine for anyone looking for an easy-to-use and stylish appliance that can be used at a low cost. This model can be used with a variety of capsules from third party manufacturers and is compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo range.