The Best Coffee Pod Machine

The sleekest pod machine we've ever seen, this brushed-steel model has the signature Sage quality and user-friendly. It warms up after switching on, and brews an aroma-packed espresso or a little longer lungo in 30 seconds.

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. Fast

Pod machines can be installed and used more quickly than espresso machines. Most of them can make a cup in 30 seconds. However, they come with a cost in that the pre-portioned coffee pods that are used in these machines tend to be more expensive than freshly roasted beans and they are not recycled. (though certain companies now offer recycling bags for free and UPS labels to return the pods).

The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the fastest pod machines on the market due to its in-built barcode reader that scans the code of each compatible pod prior to making it. This makes it easy to get consistent high-quality, high-end coffee every time, and there is virtually no chances of a drink turning out badly wrong. It is also among the tiniest and lightest on the market and does not require an additional milk jug, and the smallest footprint, making it easy to fit into even the tiniest kitchen.

However the CitiZ isn't the best machine for those wanting to minimize their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automated descaling feature, and you'll have to do it yourself every 300 cups if you reside in hard water, or 1200 cups in soft water areas. Once the filter cartridge runs out, you'll have to replace it with a new one. This could be expensive for some users.

Tassimo Vivy 2 is a fast machine that can be customized with buttons. It can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods which are pre-dosed and tampered grounds compressed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to reducing the negative impact it has on the environment and its employees. Its only downside is that it takes a little longer to warm up, but once this happens it can brew a cup in around 35 seconds.

If you're after an elegant, sleek machine that can handle a range of different drink sizes and styles, take a look at the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek machine designed in collaboration with Sage is not just easy to use, but also comes with an ice cream wand, a stainless steel jug, and a milk frother.

2. Removable parts

The ease of using pod coffee makers is a major advantage. The best models are simple to use. The majority of machines use the same general mechanism to brew your cup: water is heated in an internal reservoir, and then pushed through your chosen capsules and extracted to form rich hot java. 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 K-Cups are the biggest players on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also come with a variety of capsules from famous roasters. Some pods are designed to be used once and get thrown away, whereas others are meant to be used multiple times. Whatever the case, you'll need to plan ahead for how you'll handle the pods you've used up so that 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 a fresh capsule once the previous one has been cooled. It can brew lungo and espresso drinks and comes with eight different blends to offer variety. This brewer is ideal for coffee lovers who want to make the switch from drip coffee.

In our tests of the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable one to use. Its sleek design looks stunning on your counter, and it opens with just a touch to reveal the hidden compartment that houses empty pods. It also comes with the added benefit of an filtration system for water, which is ideal for hard-water areas.

This machine is able to make the standard cup of coffee (240ml) and also serves as ristretto and lungo espresso-style drinks, and is surprisingly quick. Its intuitive controls are easy to navigate, thanks to aircraft-style toggles as well as a lever that retracts with a minimum of effort to reveal the area where you drop in your coffee maker. It requires a bit of effort to close, but most of our testers even those with weak hand strength and mobility, felt comfortable.

3. Size

The best coffee machine for pods pod machines remove all the messes of making coffee out of your hands. You simply need to load a pod, hit the button, and then brew. You'll still have to clean the machine from time time, but not as frequently as you would with 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.

If a coffee pod machine is the right choice for you depends on your preferences and what you're looking to get out of it. All pod machines are simple to use, but others offer more customization options. Take into consideration the variety of coffee pods, brew sizes and milk options for frothing when picking the best coffee machines with pods machine.

The most popular pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However, there are some newer competitors worth looking at. One is Bruvi which makes use of a bespoke pod system called B-Pods, which can only be used by its machines. The pods coffee machine are identified with a barcode, which is read by the machine to adjust the brewing parameters automatically.

This method takes all the guesswork out the process of making a cup, and guarantees that every drink is perfect every time. It is able to save your customized drinks to a button so that you can create them with one button.

Other machines, such as Sage's My Way, offer more granular control over your coffee than others models, allowing you to select the exact size and temperature for each drink. It's a bit more expensive than many other models, but it has the polished stainless steel construction and excellent customer service synonymous with the brand and is a great choice for those who need a bit more from their pod-based coffee maker.

While the majority of people will be using the pod coffee machines-based machine to create single-serve drinks however, there are a few larger models that can make longer shots, referred to as lungos, too. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, which is a great example, combines retro fifties styling from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It's a little intimidating at first thanks to the airplane-style toggles, but once you get used to it, the machine is quick and easy to use. A lungo can be prepared in only 30 minutes.

4. Customization

The lack of customization is a major reason it may not be the right choice for you. If you don't have an alternative milk frother, the only way to add more flavor or creaminess is to use a hot tea or chocolate option in your mug or to manually add milk to your coffee. This won't be an issue for most people, but could be a problem for those who like a fully automatic experience in the morning.

Bosch's Intellibrew technology makes use of a barcode reader to scan each capsule, and automatically pre-wet, infuse and disperse the right amount of coffee that is appropriate for the kind of pod. It's a user-friendly hands-off device that does an excellent job, however it isn't equipped with options for customizing drinks or varying brew strength. Some customers will be irritated by this, however others will find the ease of use and variety of cup sizes (espressos and lungos, as well as mugs) to be exactly what they're looking for.

This coffee maker is very low-maintenance. It's all you have to do is to fill up the water tank, and decaffeinate it every so often. It dispenses short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs with ease and, as mentioned, used pods are ejected into a concealed container that helps keep your kitchen clean. It also does an excellent job of providing full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.

This is a beautiful-looking machine and is part of Smeg's fifties style range. It's user-friendly with simple buttons and can accommodate ground coffee and ESE pods. It's only downside is the absence of an indicator that lets you know when it's time to descale, as well as the inability to set the maximum level of water. It is also necessary to buy the capsules of the brand, which can be costly. Nevertheless, this is an excellent pod and bean coffee machine coffee maker for those seeking a stylish and practical appliance that can provide them with a great service at a reasonable price. This model is compatible with a range of capsules from third party manufacturers and works with the Nespresso Vertuo range.