The Best Coffee Pod Machine

This sleek, brushed-steel appliance comes with Sage distinctive quality and ease of use. After switching on, it warms up and makes a delicious espresso or slightly longer lungo in just 30 minutes.

In contrast to bean-to-cup machines models take the messiest aspects of coffee making off your hands, including grinding and dosing grounds.

1. Fast

Pod machines are typically quicker to setup and use than espresso machines, with many capable of making 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 many of them aren't recyclable.

The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the most efficient pod machines available, thanks to the barcode scanner which scans each compatible pod's code before brewing. This ensures you get consistently top-quality coffee every time. There is hardly any chance of getting a bad beverage. It's also one of the slimmest and lightest available, with no need for an additional milk jug, and the smallest footprint, making it easy to fit into even the smallest of kitchens.

The CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine to minimize your environmental impact. The CitiZ isn't equipped with an automatic descaling feature. You'll need to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water and 1200 cups for soft water. You'll also need to swap with a new cartridge once this runs out, which could be costly for some 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, tampered and packed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to lessening the negative impact it has on the environment and its employees. The only drawback is the time it takes to warm up. Once it is heated, it can brew one cup in about 35 seconds.

If you're looking for a sleek, stylish machine that can handle a variety of different sizes and styles, you should look no further than the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek machine, created in collaboration with Sage is not just easy to use, but it also comes with an ice cream wand, an stainless steel jug and milk frother.

2. Removable parts

The ease of use of a pod coffee maker is a major advantage. The best models are simple to use. The majority of machines utilize the same mechanism to brew your cup the water is heated inside a reservoir, then pressured through your chosen capsules and extracted to produce rich, hot coffee. The majority of brands offer various sizes of drinks for different needs. You can also save custom settings to make the process more efficient.

Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading players on the market, yet each has a variety of capsules from the most popular roasters and brands. Some pods can be used once before they are discarded and others can be used multiple times. Either way, you'll need to think about 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 has a water tank that is removable and easy to fill, and the machine automatically pours a fresh capsule once the previous one has been chilled. It can make espresso and lungo drinks and comes with eight different blends to give you variety. This brewer is ideal for 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 to use. Its sleek design looks great on your counter and can be opened in a matter of seconds to reveal the compartment that holds your empty pods. The machine has a water filter system that is ideal for areas that have hard water.

This machine is able to make the standard cup of coffee (240ml) as well as lungo and ristretto-style espresso drinks and is surprisingly fast. Its intuitive controls are a joy to use, thanks to switches that resemble airplanes and a lever that retracts with little effort to reveal the area that allows you to insert the pod. It takes a bit of effort to close, but most of our testers, including those with weak hand strength and mobility, felt comfortable.

3. Size

The best coffee pod machines take all the messy parts of making coffee out of your hands. You simply need to load a pod, hit an icon and make coffee. You'll still coffee pod machine need to clean your machine from time to time but not as often as a bean-to cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their larger counterparts and can be stacked on the counter when not being used.

The best coffee machine for you will be determined by your preferences and the goals you'd like to achieve. All pod machines are simple to operate, however, some offer more customization options. Different pod types, brew sizes options, and milk frothing capabilities must be taken into consideration to determine the best coffee pod machine.

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

This method removes all the guesswork of making a cup and guarantees that every drink comes out perfectly every time. It can even save customised drinks to a specific button so you can create them at the push of a single button.

Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer greater control over your cup of coffee than the majority, letting you choose the right size and temperature for each beverage. It's a bit more expensive than other models, but it has the polished stainless steel construction and excellent customer service synonymous with the brand and is a great option for those looking to get a bit more from their pod-based coffee maker.

Certain models are larger and can brew 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 maker, Lavazza. It's not easy initially due to 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 just 30 seconds.

4. Customization

One big reason why pod coffee makers might not be the right choice for you is its limited customization. If you don't buy an additional milk frother, the only ways to add flavor or creaminess is to make use of an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option and add milk to your coffee manually. For most people, this shouldn't be a problem, but it could be a nagging issue for those who prefer a fully automated experience in the morning.

Bosch's Intellibrew uses a barcode scanner to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wets and infuses, then dispensing the right amount of coffee for the particular type of pod. It's a simple and hands-off machine that does an excellent job, however it isn't equipped with options for customizing drinks or for varying the strength of brew. This will irritate some buyers but for others, the simple automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso, lungo and mug) it provides exactly what they need.

This coffee maker is low-maintenance. It's all you have to do is to refill the tank with water, and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every time. It is able to serve espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs easily. As mentioned earlier, the used pods are ejected into an unnoticed container that keeps your kitchen tidy. It is also excellent in delivering full-bodied coffees that have a crema-topped top.

It's a gorgeous machine and part of the Smeg fifties range. It's easy to use via simple buttons, and it can handle both ground coffee and ESE pods. The only drawback is the lack of an indicator that lets you know when it's time to descale, as well as the inability to set the maximum water level. You'll also have to purchase the brand's capsules which can be expensive. This is a great pod machine for anyone who wants an easy-to-use and stylish appliance that can be used at a reasonable price. This model is compatible with a range of capsules from third party manufacturers and is compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo range.