15 Gifts For The Best Coffee Pod Machine Lover In Your Life
The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The sleekest pod machine we've ever seen, this brushed-steel model offers the signature Sage quality and user-friendly. It warms up after switching on, and then brews a delicious espresso or slightly longer lungo in about 30 minutes.
The pod models are a great alternative to bean-to cup machines. They take the messiest components of making coffee off your hands, including grinding and measuring grounds.
1. Rapid
Pod machines can be set up and operated faster than espresso machines. Most of them can make a cup in 30 minutes. But they do come at some cost: the pre-portioned coffee pods used in these machines are generally more expensive than freshly roasted beans, and many are also not recyclable (though some companies now offer free recycling bags and prepaid UPS labels to return them).
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines available that is available due to its in-built barcode reader that scans code of each compatible pod prior to making it. This ensures consistently top-quality coffee every time. There is hardly any chance of getting a bad drink. This machine is among the slimmest and lightest on the market. It does not require an additional milk container, and its compact footprint makes it easy to fit into even the tiniest kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the ideal machine for those wanting to minimize their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automatic descaling feature, and you'll have to clean it yourself every 300 cups if you reside in hard water, or 1200 cups in soft water areas. When the filter cartridge wears out, you'll need replace it with a fresh one. This can be costly for some users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another fast machine that has buttons that can be customized and the option of using either 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 lessening the negative impact it has on its environment and workforce. The only drawback is that it takes a little longer to heat up, but once this happens it can brew a cup in around 35 seconds.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish, sleek machine that can make a variety drinks in different sizes and styles. This sleek machine, designed in collaboration with Sage is not only easy to use but also comes with an ice cream wand, an stainless steel jug and milk frother.
2. Removable parts
A pod coffee maker's ease of use is a big selling point, and the best models are simple to operate. Most machines rely on the same mechanism to brew your cup the water is heated inside a reservoir, and then pushed through the capsules you choose and extracted to produce rich hot coffee. The majority of brands offer a variety of sizes of drinks to meet different requirements, and you can save your own settings on a number of models to simplify the process even further.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading brands on the market, however both offer a variety of capsules from popular roasters and brands. Some pods are made to be used once and discarded, while others are meant to be used for a variety of purposes. Either way, you'll need to think about how you'll deal with your spent pods so they aren't thrown away in the trash.
The sleek SMEG model we tested features a water tank that is removable and easy to fill, and the machine automatically pours fresh capsules after the previous one has been cooled. It can make lungo and espresso drinks and has eight different blends for the variety. This brewer will appeal to coffee lovers who are looking to move away from drip coffee.
In our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 proved to be the most enjoyable one to use. Its sleek design looks stunning on your counter and opens with just a touch to reveal the hidden compartment that holds your empty pods. The machine comes with an in-built water filter system that is ideal for areas with hard water.
The machine is fast and brews regular coffee (240ml) as well as ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. The controls are simple to operate, using the style of airplane toggles that can be retracted easily and a lever which retracts to reveal the opening for dropping in the pod. It does take a little force to close but our testers, even those with weak hand and mobility were able to use it comfortably.
3. Size
The top coffee pod machines eliminate all the mess that comes with coffee making. All you have to do is put a pod in, press a button and let it brew. You'll still need to clean your machine from time to time however not as often as a bean-to-cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their larger counterparts and can be stored on the counter when not being used.
The best coffee machine for you will be determined by your personal preferences and the goals you'd like to achieve. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, but others provide more options for customization. Pod variety, brew size options, and milk frothing capabilities are all important to determine the best coffee pod machine for you.
The majority of people think of pod-based machines as the likes of Nespresso and Keurig However, there are a few more recent competitors on the scene 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 approach means the machine eliminates all the guesswork the process of making a cup, and makes sure that each drink is perfect every time. coffee machines with capsules can save your customised drinks in a single button to allow you to make them by pressing only one button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way, offer greater control over your coffee than the majority machines, allowing you to choose the exact size and temperature for each beverage. It's a little more expensive than other models, but it comes with the polished stainless steel construction and top-quality customer service that's synonymous with the brand and is a good option for those looking to get a bit more from their pod-based coffee maker.
Certain models are larger and can brew lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, a excellent example, blends retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee maker Lavazza. It's a little intimidating at first thanks to the airplane-style toggles, however once you've become accustomed to it, it is quick and satisfying to use. A lungo can be brewed in only 30 minutes.
4. Customization
One big reason why the pod coffee maker might not be the right choice for you is its limited flexibility to customize. If you don't purchase an additional milk frother, the only options to add flavor or creaminess is to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option and to add milk manually to your coffee. For most people, this shouldn't be a problem however it could be a nagging issue for those who prefer an automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew uses a barcode scanner to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wettes and infuses, then dispensing the correct amount of coffee for the specific kind of pod. It's an easy-to-use and hands-off machine that does an excellent job, but isn't able to customize drinks or for varying the strength of brew. This may be a problem for some buyers however for others, the easy automation and range of cup lengths (espresso lungo, espresso and mug) will provide precisely what they require.
Aside from filling up the water tank and decaffeinating it occasionally the coffee maker will not require much maintenance. It is able to serve espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs easily and, as mentioned, used pods are ejected to a hidden receptacle that helps keep your kitchen clean. It also does a fantastic job of providing full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
This is a stunning machine and is part of Smeg's fifties-style range. It's simple to use with a simple panel of buttons and can be used with both ground coffee and ESE pods. The only drawback is the lack of a gauge that lets you know when you should descale, and the inability to set the maximum level of water. It is also necessary to purchase the brand's capsules which can be expensive. This is a good pod machine for anyone who wants an attractive and convenient appliance that will serve well at a reasonable cost. For those who want more variety, a broad selection of third-party capsules is available for this model. It's also compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.