A Guide to Buying a Capsule Coffee Machine

A capsule coffee machine can make it easy to get an instant cup of coffee. They are easy to use and can work with various coffee pods.

Contrary to filter coffee machines, capsule coffee machines typically concentrate on black drinks such as lungos and espressos. They also have a few milky choices for cappuccinos and lattes.

1. Simple to use

You can enjoy your coffee fix at home with the capsule machine. It's a great alternative to a bean-to cup or filter machine. If you're a seasoned brewer or just starting out, these machines are designed to be user-friendly and operate smoothly. You can select from a variety of drink sizes, temperature and flavors. Some models also feature an integrated milk frothing wand to make lattes and cappuccinos. These models are a great choice for families who are busy and would like to have an espresso before heading out.

There are a variety of capsule coffee machines in the UK that can be found to meet your requirements. The budget friendly options tend to be simple with a few buttons and a clear display, while more sophisticated models let you customize your brew via settings such as temperature of the water, capsule type and bar pressure. Some models even come with a compatible application for further personalisation and recipe ideas.

The slick design of the model from Smeg is a huge benefit with its sleek design that blends well on any worktop. It's also extremely quiet and makes it a great choice for families with small children. Our testers found it easy to set up and use, with a smooth operation of the lever for the water tank's cap and a responsive, smart touchscreen.

More expensive models from the likes of Dolce Gusto and Nespresso offer more customization, allowing users to save drinks that you have customised by pressing a button. You can tweak settings to get the most optimal flavor and aroma for your favourite blends. They also include an efficient capsule recycler that will keep your kitchen neat and free from waste. Some of the more expensive models include built-in carafes for whipped cappuccinos or lattes. Others come with a separate steam wand you can manually operate.

2. Multi-faceted

Although capsule machines are not as flexible as a bean to cup machine or a filter machine, they can still produce delicious and reliable results. Basic models start at less than PS50. A lot of these machines can also handle milk frothing so you can make cappuccinos or lattes with the click of the button.

There are a few limitations to the types of coffee pods available since they are pre-packaged, with ingredients like sugar, cream, and ground coffee. Nonetheless, you can still expect good quality brews from most brands, and there is a wide range of options offered by Tassimo and Nescafe, for example which allows you to select from a variety of milky and black coffees.

Certain capsule machines, like the Vertuo line of Nespresso can be used to create different milky drinks with different capsules. These machines allow you to select a milky beverage such as a cappuccino or Latte from a choice of four. The machine will automatically dispensate the correct amount of milk.

The top pod coffee machines in the UK are also designed to be as user-friendly as is possible with clear digital displays and automatic turn-off functions to conserve energy. You should look for features such as height-adjustable trays that can be adjusted to accommodate the size of your cup, and minimize splashing. Also look for a movable capsule holder with an easy-to-empty and clean capsule holder that is easy to empty and clean. Sleep modes that save energy and eco-friendly settings are another nice extra.

Moving things to the next level The Morning Machine, an elegant benchtop machine that can be operated by hand or by application, with precise controls that let you fine-tune a coffee's flavour and body. Among other things, you can alter the temperature setting that has an immediate impact on the flavor of your cup; lower temperatures result in acidity, while higher temperatures give it more body and bitterness.

3. Environmentally friendly

Since their introduction by Nestle in 1986 the coffee pods (or capsules) have had a major impact on how people drink coffee. They're easy to use, quick and make it easy to get a consistently great cup of coffee every single time. However, they're also quite wasteful. They're typically packed in aluminum and plastic which can be difficult to recycle. Plus, they contain unused ground coffee that cannot be recycled.

Despite this studies have shown that, compared to filter and drip coffee, using a capsule machine is not as damaging to the environment. Single-serve capsules are environmentally friendly because they use the exact amount of water and coffee which means less the amount of waste. Additionally, heating the water in a single serve capsule requires less energy than making a large pot.

It is important to remember that this research is based on the total life-cycle of coffee production, including the cultivation, harvesting and transportation of the beans as well as heating the water. If you're considering capsule coffee machines choose one that only uses biodegradable or compostable coffee pods. If you're looking to take it a step further, consider purchasing an reused capsule for coffee. These can be filled with ground coffee and placed in your capsule machine - they're typically designed to work with popular systems like Nespresso.

If you're looking to reduce your environmental impact further, consider purchasing an appliance that works with Lavazza A Modo Mio Tiny Eco capsules. These capsules are completely carbon neutral, industrially compostable and made of more than 50 percent recycled plastic. They're also the only capsules that can be added to food waste for council collection.

In the end, if you cannot find any compostable or biodegradable coffee pods for your capsule machine, try using a bean-to-cup maker. These machines are more expensive, however they are also environmentally friendly. They grind and brew coffee on demand rather than making and cooling a huge pot of coffee in advance, which uses up energy. They're also more efficient than a drip or espresso machine which sits on a hob, since they require less energy to operate.

4. Cost-effective

A capsule machine is a great alternative if you wish to make coffee quickly and efficiently in the morning. Capsules contain sealed roasted and ground coffee beans that are inserted into the machine and are brewed for a fixed amount of time. The machines are simple to use and relatively cheap, but can be costly when you select top-of-the-line models from big brands. This can be especially relevant to the price of the coffee pods themselves, which are usually quite pricey.

A capsule coffee maker is still a lot cheaper than buying a filter or bean-to-cup model however. This is due to the upfront price of a capsule machine will be less and you'll save money in the long run by not having to purchase filters or ground coffee. However, the initial expense isn't a deterrent for many and you should consider how much you're able to spend on the machine and then take into account the cost of the coffee pods that will fit it.

Lavazza Vertuo pop is a capsule machine that's a great option for those on a budget. This sleek and compact machine makes a high-quality espresso using the Lavazza EcoCaps. The unique brewing process allows it to produce a thick crema, despite only making black coffee. This is a significant improvement on the thin foam that usually is found in espresso drinks made with other pod machines.

The machine is easy to operate using the four buttons on the front panel and has a small footprint that doesn't take up the counter space. It also has hot drinks as well as a steam wand for milky drinks, which are uncommon for capsule machines. However, the jug that it dispenses the coffee into doesn't hold as much as the glass carafes that are found on less expensive rivals.

The independently-designed Morning Machine is a more sophisticated pod coffee maker that comes with a variety of additional options that set it apart from other machines. Its flagship Bloom & Brew setting pre-wets the ground coffee to create an even stronger, more rich cup. It also has adjustable settings that allow you to alter the amount of pods coffee machines coffee extracted, temperature, and bar pressure. This allows you to get more out of the capsules than just lungo, espresso, and ristretto options, and even recreates the drip and filter-style drinks. It can also be connected to your smartphone to make recipes and for monitoring energy consumption.