The Best Coffee Pod Machine

This sleek, brushed-steel appliance comes with Sage brand's distinctive quality and ease of use. It preheats after switch-on, and makes an espresso with aroma or a slightly longer lungo in about 30 minutes.

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

1. Rapid

Pod machines are generally easier to install and use than espresso machines, with most capable of making a cup of coffee in just 30 seconds or so. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines are generally more expensive than freshly roasted coffee beans and a majority 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 making coffee. This ensures that you get consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is virtually no chance of having a bad drink. It is also among the tiniest and lightest on the market and does not require a separate milk jug and the smallest footprint, making it a breeze to fit into even the tiniest of kitchens.

However the CitiZ isn't the ideal machine for those wanting to minimize their environmental impact. The CitiZ doesn't have an automatic descaling feature. You'll have to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water, and every 1200 cups for soft water. When the filter cartridge wears out, you'll need to replace it with a new. This could be expensive for certain users.

The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another speedy machine with customisable buttons and the option to use ground coffee or ESE pods that are pre-dosed and tampered 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 its employees. Its only minor drawback is the time it takes to warm up. Once it is heated it will brew a cup in around 35 seconds.

If you're looking for an elegant, sleek machine that can handle a variety of different drink sizes and styles then you should look no further than the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. 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 simplicity of a pod coffee maker is a major benefit. The top models are simple to use. Most machines rely on the same general mechanism to brew your cup the 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 for a variety of models to speed up the process even more.

Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two biggest brands on the market, but each offers a wide selection of capsules from popular roasters and brands. Some pods are designed to be used only once before being get thrown away, whereas others are meant to be used multiple times. Either way, you'll need to plan out how you'll handle your spent pods so they don't end up in landfill.

The sleek SMEG model we tested features a water tank that is removable and easy to fill and the machine automatically dispenses new capsules once the previous one has cooled. It can brew coffee and lungo drinks and comes with eight different blends to give you plenty of variety. This brewer will appeal to coffee drinkers who want to move away from drip coffee.

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

This machine is quick and can brew regular coffee (240ml) and ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. The controls are easy to operate, with airplane-style toggles that can be easily retracted and a lever that retracts to reveal the opening for dropping in your pod. It requires some force to close, but the majority of our testers, including those with limitations in hand strength and mobility, were able to use it comfortably.

3. Size

The best coffee pod machines remove all the messes of making coffee out of your hands - you simply need to load the pod, press an icon and prepare to brew. You will still need to clean the machine from time to time however not as often as you would with a coffee maker that is a bean-to cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their counterparts that are larger which means they can be placed on the countertop and be kept out of sight when not in use.

The ideal coffee maker for you will be determined by your preferences and the goals you'd like to achieve. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, however some offer more customisation options than others. Pod variety, brew size options, and milk frothing capabilities are all important to find the ideal coffee pod machine for you.

The majority of people think of pod-based devices in the likes of Nespresso and Keurig however there are a few newer competitors which are worth looking into. Bruvi uses a bespoke system of pods, called B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. These pods are marked with a barcode that is read by the machine to adjust the brewing settings automatically.

This means that the machine eliminates all the guesswork the process of making a cup, and guarantees that every drink is made perfectly every time. It can even save customized drinks to a specific button so you can make them with the press of a button.

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

While the majority of people will use pod-based machines to make single-serve beverages, there are some larger models that are able to brew longer shots, known as lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is an excellent example of this and is a combination of the retro style of SMEG with the retro-fifties design of SMEG Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It's a bit intimidating at first thanks to pod and bean coffee machine the airplane-style toggles but once you've gotten used to it, it is easy and enjoyable to use. A lungo can be brewed in 30 minutes.

4. Customization

A pod coffee maker's limited customisation is a major reason it's not the best choice for you. If you don't buy an auxiliary milk frother, the only options to add flavor or creaminess are to make use of an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option and add milk to your cup manually. This won't be an issue for a lot of people, but it could be an issue for those who prefer a fully automatic experience in the morning.

Bosch's Intellibrew makes use of barcode scanners to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wets and infuses the right amount of coffee for the particular type of pod. It's a simple, hands-off machine that does its job flawlessly, but does not have any options for customised drinks or altering the strength of the brew. This will irritate some buyers however for others, the easy automation and range of cup lengths (espresso, lungo and mug) it gives precisely what they require.

Apart from filling the water tank and decaffeinating the reservoir occasionally This coffee maker does not require a lot of maintenance. It is able to serve espresso shots or tall travel mugs easily. As mentioned earlier, the used pods are then ejected from a container hidden from view that helps keep your kitchen tidy. It is also excellent at delivering full-bodied espressos with tops that are topped with crema.

This machine is part of Smeg's 1950s-style range. It's simple to use with a simple panel of buttons and can accommodate ground coffee and ESE pods. The only drawback is the lack of a gauge that tells you when you should descale, and the inability to set the maximum level of water. You'll also have to purchase the brand's capsules which can be costly. This is a great pod machine for anyone looking for a convenient and attractive appliance that is able to serve at a reasonable price. For those who want some variety, a wide range of third-party capsules is available for this model, and it's also compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.