The Best Coffee Pod Machine

This sleek, brushed-steel model offers the Sage brand's distinctive quality and ease of use. After switching on, it warms up and makes a scrumptious espresso or slightly longer lungo within 30 minutes.

Pod models are an excellent alternative to bean-to cup machines. They take the most messy parts of coffee making off your hands, like grinding and measuring grounds.

1. Fast

Pod machines can be set up and operated faster than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup in 30 minutes. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines tend to be more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans, and a lot of them are not recyclable.

The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the fastest pod machines that is available due to its in-built barcode reader that scans the code of each compatible pod prior to making it. This ensures consistently high-quality coffee, every time. There is hardly any chance of having a bad drink. The machine is also one of the slimmest and lightest on the market and does not require an additional milk jug, and a small footprint making it easy to fit into even the tiniest of kitchens.

However, the CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine for those looking to cut down on their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automatic descaling function and you'll need to clean it yourself every 300 cups if you reside in hard water, or 1200 cups in soft water areas. You'll also have to put in a new filter cartridge when it runs out and can be expensive for certain users.

The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another quick machine that comes with a customisable button and the option to use ground coffee or ESE pods, which are pre-dosed and tampered with grounds compressed between filter paper. The model is B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to lessening its negative impact on the environment and its employees. Its only downside is that it takes a little longer to heat up, but once this happens it can brew the cup in about 35 seconds.

If you're looking for an elegant, stylish machine that can handle a variety of different drink sizes and styles, you should look no further than the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This glossy beauty, made in collaboration with Sage, is not only simple and quick to operate but also comes with an ice cream frothing wand as well as a stainless steel Jug.

2. Removable parts

The ease of use of pod coffee makers is a major advantage. The top models are simple to use. Most machines rely on the same general method to make your cup: water is heated inside a reservoir, then pressured through your chosen capsules and extracted to form rich hot java. The majority of brands offer various sizes of drinks to meet different requirements. You can also save custom settings to streamline the process.

Keurig K-Cups are among the largest brands available on the market. However, Nestle Nespresso VertuoLine capsules also have a wide selection of capsules from popular roasters. Some pods are made to be used just once and then discarded, while others are meant to be used for a variety of purposes. You'll need a plan to dispose of your used pods to avoid them ending up in landfill.

The sleek SMEG model we tested has a removable water tank that's easy to fill, and the machine automatically pours a fresh capsule once the previous one has cooled. It brews espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends to give you plenty of variety. This brewer will appeal to those who love coffee and want to move away from drip coffee.

In our tests of 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 with a single touch to reveal the hidden compartment that houses your empty pods. It also comes with the added benefit of a water filtration system, which is ideal for hard-water areas.

The machine can brew the standard cup of coffee (240ml) and also serves as ristretto and lungo espresso-style drinks and is extremely fast. The controls are simple to operate, using switches that resemble airplanes, which can be easily retracted and a lever which retracts to reveal the opening for dropping into the pod. It takes a bit of force to close, but the majority of our testers who have weak hand strength and mobility, were able to use it comfortably.

3. Size

The best coffee pod machines take away pod coffee makers all the mess from coffee making. You just add a pod the machine, push a button and let it be brewed. It is still necessary 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 counterparts that are larger and can be tucked away on the countertop and be stored out of view when not in use.

The ideal coffee maker for you will be determined by your personal preferences and what you wish to achieve. All pod machines are easy to use, however some have more options for customization than others. Different pod types, brew sizes options, and milk frothing capabilities should all be considered to determine the best coffee pod machine for you.

The most popular pod-based coffee machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are a few newer competitors worth taking a look at. One of them is Bruvi, which uses a bespoke pod system known as B-Pods that can only be used in conjunction with its machines. These pods are marked by a barcode which is scanned by the machine to adjust the brewing settings automatically.

This approach means the machine takes all the guesswork out of making a cup and makes sure that each drink is made perfectly every time. It is even able to save custom drinks to a dedicated button so you can create them at the touch of a single button.

Other machines, such as Sage's My Way, offer more granular control over your coffee than the majority machines, allowing you to choose a specific size and temperature for each drink. It's more expensive than other models, but it comes with the polished stainless-steel construction and the excellent customer service that is a hallmark of Sage's My Way. This is a great option for those who want a bit more out of their espresso maker that is based on pods.

While the majority of people will be using pod-based machines to make single-serve drinks There are some larger models that are able to brew longer shots, known as lungos, too. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is an excellent example of this, and it combines the retro fifties styling of SMEG with the classic design of Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It's intimidating to use thanks to its toggles that resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's incredibly easy and incredibly satisfying to operate and brews a lungo in just 30 seconds and the pods that are used are put into an internal bin at the touch of a button.

4. Customization

One big reason why the pod coffee maker might not be right for you is the limited flexibility to customize. Unless you purchase an additional milk frother, the only ways to add flavor or creaminess is to use an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option and add milk to your coffee manually. For most people, this won't be a problem but it could be a problem for those who prefer an automated experience in the morning.

Bosch's Intellibrew makes use of a barcode scanner to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wets and infuses the right amount of coffee to the specific type of pod. It's a simple, hands-off machine that does the job flawlessly, but does not have any options for making drinks that are customized or varying the strength of the brew. Some customers might be disappointed by this, but others will appreciate the convenience and variety of cup sizes (espressos and mugs, lungos and espressos) to be exactly what they are searching for.

The coffee maker is extremely low maintenance. It only requires you to fill up the water tank, and decaffeinate the reservoir each and every so often. It dispenses short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs with ease and, as we mentioned the pods that are used are ejected into a concealed receptacle that keeps your kitchen clean. It is also excellent at delivering full-bodied espressos with a crema-topped top.

This machine is part of Smeg's 1950s style range. It is easy to use with a simple interface and can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods. The only drawback is that it lacks an indicator that lets you know when it's time to descale, and the maximum water level cannot be set which is a minor inconvenience. It is also necessary to purchase the brand's own capsules which can be costly. But, it's a good pod coffee maker for anyone looking for an attractive and convenient appliance that will provide them with a great service at a reasonable price. This model is compatible with a variety of third-party capsules and also works with the Nespresso Vertuo range.