15 Gifts For The Best Coffee Pod Machine Lover In Your Life
The Best Coffee Pod MachineThe most elegant pod machine we've ever seen, this brushed-steel model offers the trademark Sage quality and ease of use. It warms up after switching on, and then brews a delicious espresso or a little longer lungo in 30 minutes.
As opposed to bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the messiest aspects of coffee making out of your hands, including grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Rapid
Pod machines are generally easier to setup and use than espresso machines, with most capable of making a cup of coffee in just 30 seconds or so. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines tend to be more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans, and a majority of them are not recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines on the market due to the barcode scanner which scans each compatible pod's code before brewing. This ensures consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is hardly any possibility of getting a poor beverage. This machine is among the lightest and slimmest on the market. It doesn't require an additional milk container, and its compact size allows it to be easily incorporated into the tiniest kitchens.
However, the CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine for those wanting to minimize their environmental impact. It doesn't come with an automatic descaling function, and you'll have to clean it yourself every 300 cups if you reside in hard water areas or 1200 cups in soft water areas. Once the filter cartridge runs out, you'll have to replace it with a fresh one. This can be costly for certain users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another speedy machine with customisable buttons and the option of using ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed and tampered with grounds compressed between filter paper. This model is B-Corp Certified. It is committed to lessening the negative impact it has on its surroundings and its workforce. The only drawback is the time it takes to warm up. Once it does, it can brew one cup in about 35 seconds.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that is able to make a variety drinks in different sizes and styles. This sleek machine, created in collaboration with Sage is not just simple to use, but also comes with an ice cream wand, stainless steel jug and milk frother.
2. Removable parts
The ease of using a pod coffee maker is a major benefit. The most effective models are simple to use. The majority of machines utilize the same basic mechanism to brew your cup by heating water inside a reservoir, then pumped through the chosen capsules and extracted to create rich, hot java. Most brands offer a range of drink sizes to suit different requirements, and you can save your own settings on a number of models to streamline the process even more.
Keurig K-Cups are among the top player on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also have a wide selection of capsules from well-known roasters. Certain pods can be used once before they are discarded, while others can be used a number of times. Whatever the case, you'll need to think about the way you'll dispose of 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 cooled. It can be used to brew coffee and lungo drinks and comes with eight different blends that provide you with a wide selection. This brewer is a great choice for coffee drinkers who want to move away from drip coffee.
In our testing we found that the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most satisfying 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 holds your empty pods. The machine also has the added benefit of a water filtration system, which is ideal for hard-water areas.
This machine brews a standard cup of coffee (240ml) and also serves as ristretto and lungo espresso-style drinks, and is surprisingly quick. Its user-friendly controls are easy to use with the help of airplane-style toggles and a lever that retracts with a minimum of effort to reveal the opening that allows you to insert your pod. It takes a bit of force to close but our testers, including those who have limited mobility and hand strength were able to use it comfortably.
3. Size
The top coffee pod machines remove all the mess from coffee making. You just add a pod, press a button and let it brew. It is still necessary to clean your machine occasionally but not as often as a bean-to cup or espresso maker. The pod machines are smaller than their larger counterparts which means they can be placed on the counter and be kept out of view when not being used.
The decision of whether a coffee machine is the best choice for you depends on your preferences and what you want to get from it. All pod machines are simple to use, however some offer more customisation options than others. Pod variety, brew size options and milk frothing capabilities are all important to determine the best coffee pod machine.
Many people think of pod-based machines as the likes of Nespresso and Keurig, but there are a few more recent rivals 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, which is read by the machine to adjust the brewing settings automatically.
The machine will eliminate all the guesswork and ensure that every drink is perfect every time. It is even able to save custom drinks to a separate button to allow you to create them at the push of a button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way, offer greater control over your cup of coffee than others, letting you choose the right size and temperature for each cup. It's more expensive than other models, however it comes with the polished stainless steel construction and superior customer service that is a hallmark of the Sage's My Way brand. This is a great choice for those looking for something more from their pod-based espresso maker.
While the majority of people are using pod-based machines to make single-serve drinks There are some larger models that are able to create longer shots, also known as lungos. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a fantastic example of this. It is a combination of the retro style of SMEG with the classic coffee capsule machine design of Italian coffee brand, Lavazza. It's a bit difficult to operate due to its airplane-style toggles as well as the manual lever, but it's easy and incredibly satisfying to operate - a lungo is brewed in only 30 seconds, and the discarded pods are placed in an internal bin at the touch of a button.
4. Customization
The lack of flexibility is one of the main reasons it might not be the best option for you. If you don't buy an auxiliary milk frother, the only methods 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 technology makes use of barcode scanners to scan each capsule, and automatically pre-wet, infuse and give the correct amount of coffee required for that type of pod. It's a user-friendly, hands-off machine which does an excellent job, however it isn't equipped with options for customizing drinks or altering the strength of brew. Some customers might be disappointed by this, but others will find the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos and mugs, lungos and espressos) to be exactly what they are searching for.
Aside from filling up the water tank and decaffeinating it occasionally, this coffee maker will not require a lot of maintenance. It is able to serve espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs effortlessly. As previously mentioned, used pods are ejected in an unnoticed container that keeps your kitchen tidy. It also does a fantastic job of providing full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.
This is a beautiful-looking machine and is part of the Smeg fifties range. It's easy to use with a simple panel and can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods. Its only flaw is the absence of an indicator that will let you know when you should descale, and the inability to set a maximum water level. It is also necessary to purchase the brand's capsules which can be expensive. This is a great pod machine for anyone who wants an attractive and convenient appliance that can be used at a reasonable price. If you're looking for a little more variety, a large selection of third-party capsules are available for this model. It's compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.