15 Gifts For The Best Coffee Pod Machine Lover In Your Life
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The Best Coffee Pod Machine
The most elegant pod machine we've seen this model with brushed-steel features the renowned Sage quality and ease of use. After switching on, it preheats and makes a scrumptious espresso or a slightly longer lungo in just 30 seconds.
Unlike bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the most messed-up aspects of coffee making off your hands, such as grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Fast
Pod machines can be installed and used more quickly than espresso machines. The majority of them can make a cup of coffee in 30 seconds. 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 aren't recyclable.
The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the most efficient pod machines available that you can find due to its built-in barcode reader that scans the code of each compatible pod prior to brewing it. This ensures consistently top-quality coffee every time. There is almost no chance of getting a bad beverage. The machine is among the lightest and slimmest available. It does not require an additional milk container and its small footprint makes it easy to fit into the smallest kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the ideal machine for those who want to minimize their environmental impact. The CitiZ isn't equipped with an automatic descaling feature. You will need to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water and 1200 cups for soft water. You'll also need to swap in a new filter cartridge after this expires and can be expensive for some users.
Tassimo Vivy 2 is a quick machine with customizable buttons. It can be used with ground coffee or ESE pods which are pre-dosed and tampered grounds that are compressed between filter paper. It is also B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to reducing its negative impact on the environment as well as its workforce. The only downside is the time it takes to warm up. Once it is heated, it can brew one cup in around 35 seconds.
If you're after an elegant, stylish machine that can handle a range of different drink sizes and styles, look no further than the Vertuo Creatista from Nespresso. This sleek machine designed in collaboration with Sage is not only easy to use but also comes with an ice cream wand stainless steel jug and milk frother.
2. Removable parts
The ease of use is a major draw and the top models are easy to use. Most machines use the same basic process to brew a cup of coffee the water is heated inside reservoirs, then it is pushed through capsules to produce rich, hot coffee. Many brands offer a variety of drink sizes for different needs. You can also save custom settings to speed up the process.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two leading players in the market, but each has a variety of capsules from the most popular roasters and brands. Some pods are designed to be used once and discarded, while others are meant for multiple uses. You'll need a plan for your used pods to avoid them from ending up in the garbage.
The sleek SMEG model we tested features an ejectable water tank that's easy to fill and the machine automatically pours new capsules once the previous one has been cooled. It can brew espresso and lungo drinks and comes with eight different blends for variety. This brewer is ideal for coffee drinkers who wish to make the switch from drip coffee to drip.
In our tests, the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most satisfying to use. Its sleek design looks great on your counter and can be opened with a single touch to reveal the hidden compartment that holds your empty pods. The machine also has the added benefit of an filtration system for water, which is perfect for hard-water areas.
This machine is easy to use and can make regular coffee (240ml), ristretto, and lungo espresso drinks. Its intuitive controls are easy to use, thanks to switches that resemble airplanes and a lever that retracts without much effort to reveal the area where you drop in your pod. It takes a bit of force to close but our testers, even those who have weak hand and mobility, found it comfortable.
3. Size
The best coffee pod makers eliminate all the mess that comes with coffee making - you just put a pod in, press a button and let it be brewed. You'll still have to clean your machine every now and then however not as often as a bean-to cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are also smaller than their bigger counterparts and can be tucked away on the countertop and be kept out of sight when not in use.
The best coffee machine for you will be determined by your preferences and what you wish to achieve. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, however some offer more customization options. Be aware of the different coffee pods sizes, brew sizes and milk options for frothing when selecting the right machine.
Many people think of pod-based devices in the likes of coffee machine with capsules Nespresso and Keurig, but there are some newer competitors which are worth looking into. Bruvi has a custom-designed system of pods, called B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. These pods have a barcode on the underside that machines scan to automatically adjust the brewing settings.
This means that the machine eliminates all the guesswork of brewing a cup and ensures each drink is perfect every time. It can save your customised drinks on a button so that you can create them with one button.
Other machines, such as Sage's My Way, offer more granular control over your cup of coffee than others, letting you choose the right size and temperature for each drink. It's more expensive than other models, however it comes with a polished stainless-steel build and excellent customer support synonymous with the Sage's My Way brand. This is a great option for those wanting to get a bit more out of their pod-based espresso maker.
While most people will be using a pod-based machine to make single-serve drinks, there are some larger models that can also make longer shots, referred to as lungos. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, a excellent example, blends retro-fifties style from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It's not easy initially due to the toggles that look like airplanes, but once you've gotten used to it, the machine is easy and enjoyable to use. A lungo can be made in only 30 minutes.
4. Customization
The lack of customisation is a major reason it's not the best choice for you. If you don't have an additional milk frother, the only option to add more flavor or creaminess is to use hot chocolate or tea option in your mug or to manually add milk to your the coffee. This won't be an issue for many people, but it could be a problem for those who prefer an entirely automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology utilizes barcode scanners to scan each capsule and automatically pre-wet, infuse and disperse the right amount of coffee required for that kind of pod. It's an easy-to-use hands-off device that does an excellent job, but lacks options for customising drinks or altering the strength of brew. This will irritate some buyers however for others, the easy automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso lungo, espresso and mug) it gives exactly what they need.
The coffee maker is extremely low maintenance. It only requires you to refill the tank with water, and decaffeinate the reservoir every so often. It is able to serve espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs with ease and, as mentioned the used pods are ejected into a concealed receptacle which keeps your kitchen spotless. It also does a fantastic job of serving full-bodied, crema-topped espressos.
This machine is part Smeg's 1950s-style range. It's user-friendly with simple buttons, and it can handle both ground coffee and ESE pods. The only downside is that it doesn't come with an indicator to let you know when it's time to descale and the maximum water level cannot be set which is an issue. It is also necessary to buy the brand's capsules which can be costly. This is a good pod machine for anyone looking for an attractive and convenient appliance that will serve well at a low cost. For those who want more variety, a wide range of third-party capsules are available for this model. It's also compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.