The Best Coffee Pod Machine

This sleek, brushed-steel machine provides the Sage distinctive quality and ease of operation. After switching on, it heats up and brews a fragrant espresso or a slightly longer lungo in about 30 seconds.

The pod models are an excellent alternative to bean-to cup machines. They take the clumsiest aspects of making coffee off your hands, including grinding and measuring grounds.

1. Rapid

Pod machines are generally quicker to setup and use than espresso machines, with the majority capable of making coffee in only 30 seconds or less. The pre-portioned pods that are used in these machines are generally more costly than freshly roasted coffee beans, and a majority are not recyclable.

The Nespresso CitiZ has one of the fastest pod machines available due to the barcode scanner that scans every compatible pod's code prior to making coffee. This makes it easy to make consistent quality, high-end coffee each time, with next-to-no chance of the drink turning out horribly wrong. It's also among the slimmest and lightest available and does not require an additional milk jug or its small footprint making it a breeze to fit into even the tiniest kitchen.

The CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine to minimize your environmental impact. The CitiZ does not 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. Once the filter cartridge is out, you'll need replace it with a new. This could 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 as well as its employees. Its only minor drawback is the time it takes to heat up. Once it's done it will brew a cup in around 35 seconds.

Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that can create a variety of drinks with different sizes and styles. This sleek machine, designed in collaboration with Sage is not only easy to use, but it also comes with an ice cream wand, a stainless steel jug, and a milk frother.

2. Removable parts

The ease of use of a pod coffee maker is a major selling point. The most effective models are simple to use. Most machines use the same basic method to make the perfect cup of coffee: water is heated inside a reservoir, then pushed through capsules to create rich hot coffee. Most brands offer a range of drink sizes to suit different requirements, and you can save your own settings for a variety of models to speed up the process further.

Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two major players in the market, but each offers a wide selection of capsules from top roasters and brands. Some pods are made to be used just once and then discarded, while others are intended for multiple uses. Either way, you'll need to plan ahead for how you'll handle your spent pods so they do not end up in the garbage.

The SMEG we tested comes with a removable reservoir of water that is simple to fill. It also automatically dispensates another capsule after the previous one cools down. It can make espresso and lungo drinks, and comes with eight different blends to give you the variety. This brewer is ideal for those who love coffee and want to move away from drip coffee to drip.

In our testing, the Tassimo My Way 2 was the most satisfying to use. Its sleek design looks stunning on your counter and opens with just a touch to reveal the hidden compartment that houses your empty pods. The machine comes with an in-built water filter system which is perfect for areas with hard water.

This machine brews an ordinary cup of coffee (240ml) as well as lungo and ristretto-style espresso drinks, and is surprisingly quick. Its intuitive controls are a joy to navigate, thanks to airplane-style toggles and a lever that retracts with a minimum of effort to reveal the opening where you drop in your coffee maker. It takes a bit of force to close, but the majority of our testers, including those with limited hand strength and mobility, found it comfortable.

3. Size

The best 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 pod-making machines be brewed. You'll still have to clean your machine occasionally but not as often as a bean-to-cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are smaller than their larger counterparts and can be stacked on the counter when not in use.

The decision of whether a coffee machine is the right choice for you is based on your preferences and what you're looking to get out of it. The majority of pod machines are easy to use, but others offer more customization options. Consider the coffee pod variety sizes, brew sizes and milk frothing options when choosing the right machine.

Many people think of pod-based machines as the likes of Nespresso and Keurig, but there are some newer competitors on the scene that are worth a look. Bruvi uses a bespoke system of pods known as B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. The pods are equipped with an underside barcode that machines scan to automatically adjust brewing settings.

The machine will take all the guesswork and make sure that each drink is perfect every time. It can even save customised drinks to a specific button, allowing you to create them at the push of a button.

Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer greater control over your cup of coffee than others models, allowing you to select a specific size and temperature for each cup. It's more expensive than some models, but it has the polished stainless steel construction and excellent customer service synonymous with the brand and is a great choice for those who need something more from their pod-based coffee maker.

While most people will use pod-based machines to make single-serve drinks however, there are a few larger models that can create longer shots, also known as lungos, also. The Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg is a great example of this and blends the retro-fifties style of SMEG with Italian coffee maker, Lavazza. It's a bit intimidating at first thanks to the airplane-style toggles, but once you've gotten used to it, it is quick and easy to use. A lungo can be made in 30 minutes.

4. Customization

One reason the pod coffee maker might not be the right choice for you is its lack of customizability. If you don't buy an additional milk frother, the only ways to add extra flavor or creaminess are to make use of a hot chocolate in-mug or tea option and to add milk to your cup manually. This shouldn't be a problem for most people, but could be a problem for those who like the convenience of a fully automated experience in the morning.

Bosch's Intellibrew technology utilizes barcode scanners to scan each capsule and automatically pre-wet, infuse, and give the correct amount of coffee that is appropriate for the type of pod. It's a hassle-free, hands-off machine that does its job flawlessly, but does not have any options for customizing drinks or altering the strength of the brew. Some buyers will be annoyed by this, but many will appreciate the ease of use and the variety of cup sizes (espressos and lungos, as well as mugs) to be exactly what they are looking for.

This coffee maker is low maintenance. It only requires you to refill the water tank and decaffeinate the reservoir every once in a while. It is able to serve espresso-style shots or tall travel mugs effortlessly. As mentioned earlier, the used pods are ejected into an unnoticed container that helps keep your kitchen tidy. It also does a fantastic job of providing full-bodied, crema-topped coffees.

This machine is part of Smeg's 1950s-style collection. It's easy to use with a simple interface and can take ground coffee or ESE pods. The only issue is that it doesn't have an indicator to let you know when it's time to descale, and the maximum water level can't be set, which is a minor inconvenience. You'll also have to purchase the capsules made by the company which can be costly. This is a great pod machine for those who want an attractive and convenient appliance that is able to serve at a low cost. This model can be used with a variety of capsules from third party manufacturers and works with the Nespresso Vertuo range.