The best pod coffee machine Coffee Pod Machine

This sleek, brushed-steel machine offers the Sage trademark quality and user-friendly. After switching on, it heats up and makes a scrumptious espresso or a slightly longer lungo in about 30 minutes.

Models for pods are an excellent alternative to bean-to-cup machines. They take the messiest parts of coffee making off your hands, like grinding and measuring grounds.

1. Fast

Pod machines are generally quicker to setup and use than espresso machines, with most can make a cup of coffee in just 30 seconds or so. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines are generally more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans, and many of them aren't recyclable.

The Nespresso CitiZ is one of the fastest pod machines that is available, thanks to its in-built barcode reader that scans the code of each compatible pod before brewing it. This makes it simple to make consistent quality, high-end coffee each time, with virtually no chance of the drink turning out horribly wrong. The machine is also among the slimmest and lightest available and does not require a separate milk jug and a small footprint making it easy to fit in even the tiniest of kitchens.

However the CitiZ isn't the best machine for those who want to minimize their environmental impact. The CitiZ doesn't have an automatic descaling feature. You'll need to manually descale the machine every 300 cups for hard water, and every 1200 cups for soft water. You'll also have to put the filter cartridge when it runs out and can be expensive for certain 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, tampered grounds compressed between filter paper. The model is B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to reducing its negative impact on the environment and its employees. The only downside is the time it takes to heat up. Once it is heated, it can brew one cup in about 35 minutes.

Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that is able to make a variety drinks in different sizes and styles. This gorgeous, glossy machine, developed in collaboration with Sage and Sage, is not just simple and quick to operate but also comes with an ice-cream frothing wand, as well as a stainless steel jug.

2. Removable parts

A pod coffee maker's ease of use is a big selling point and the top models are a breeze to use. Most machines use the same method to make the perfect cup of coffee that is, heated water is placed in the reservoir, and then it is pushed through capsules to produce rich hot, 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 brands on the market, however both offer a variety of capsules from popular roasters and brands. Some pods are designed to be used only once before being discarded, while others are designed to be used multiple times. You'll need a plan to dispose of the pods you've used to avoid them from ending up in the garbage.

The sleek SMEG model we tested has a removable water tank that's easy to fill and the machine automatically dispenses a fresh capsule coffee makers once the previous one has been cooled. It can brew espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends to provide plenty of options. This brewer is a great choice for those who love coffee and want to switch from drip coffee pod machines.

In our testing we found that the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most enjoyable to use. Its sleek design looks stunning 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 an filtration system for water, which is great for hard-water areas.

This machine is quick and can brew standard coffee (240ml) as well as ristretto and lungo espresso drinks. The controls are easy to operate, using switches that resemble airplanes, which can be easily retracted and a lever that retracts to reveal the opening to drop into your pod. It takes a bit of force to close, but the majority of our test subjects even those with weak hand strength and mobility, were able to use it comfortably.

3. Size

The top coffee pod makers take all the messy parts of making coffee machine for pods out of your hands. You simply load in one of the pods, press an icon and prepare to brew. You'll still have to clean your machine every now and then but not as often as a bean-to cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are also smaller than their larger counterparts which means they can be placed on the counter and be stored out of view when not being used.

The decision of whether a coffee machine is the best choice for you is based on your preferences and what you're hoping to get from it. All pod machines are simple to use, however some provide more options for customization. Be aware of the different coffee pods, brew sizes and milk options for frothing when selecting the right machine.

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

This method eliminates all the guesswork of brewing a cup and makes sure that each drink is perfect every time. It can save your custom drinks in a single button to allow you to create them with a single button.

Other machines, such as Sage's My Way, offer more granular control over your coffee machine capsule than others machines, allowing you to choose a specific size and temperature for each beverage. It's more expensive than other models, but it has the polished stainless-steel build and excellent customer support synonymous with the Sage's My Way brand. This is a good option for those wanting to get an extra bit of quality from their pod-based espresso maker.

While the majority of people will be using a pod-based machine to make single-serve beverages however, there are a few larger models that are able to make longer shots, referred to as lungos, also. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a great example of this and is a combination of the retro style of SMEG with the classic design of Italian coffee brand, Lavazza. It's difficult to operate due to its toggles that resemble airplanes and a manual lever, but it's easy and extremely enjoyable to use and brews a lungo in just 30 seconds and the discarded pods are put into an internal bin with the click of a button.

4. Customization

One of the main reasons a pod coffee maker may not be the right choice for you is its lack of customizability. If you don't have an auxiliary milk frother then the only way to add more flavor or creaminess is to use hot chocolate or tea option in your mug or to manually add milk into your coffee. This shouldn't be a problem for many people, but it could be a problem for those who prefer a fully automatic experience in the morning.

Bosch's Intellibrew utilizes a barcode scanner to scan each capsule. It then automatically pre-wettes and infuses the correct amount of coffee to the particular type of pod. It's a user-friendly hands-off device that does an excellent job, but lacks options for customising drinks or varying brew strength. Some buyers will be annoyed by this, however others will appreciate the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos and mugs, lungos and espressos) to be exactly what they're searching for.

This coffee maker is very low-maintenance. It only requires you to fill up the tank with water, and decaffeinate it every once in a while. It can dispense short espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs with ease. As mentioned earlier, the used pods are then ejected from a hidden container that helps keep your kitchen tidy. It is also great at delivering full-bodied espressos with crema-topped tops.

This is a beautiful-looking machine and part of the Smeg fifties range. It's easy to use via a simple panel of buttons, and it can handle ground coffee and ESE pods. It's only downside is the lack of an indicator that will let you know when you should descale, and the inability to set the maximum water level. You will also have to buy the brand's capsules which can be costly. But, it's an excellent pod coffee maker for anyone looking for an attractive and convenient appliance that will provide them with a great service at a reasonable cost. If you're looking for a little more variety, a large selection of third-party capsules are available for this model, and it's compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo line.