15 Gifts For The Best Coffee Pod Machine Lover In Your Life
15 Gifts For The Best Coffee Pod Machine Lover In Your Life
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The Best Coffee Pod Machine
This sleek, brushed-steel machine offers the Sage brand's distinctive quality and ease of operation. It heats up immediately after switching on and brews an aroma-packed espresso or a little longer lungo in just 30 seconds.
Unlike bean-to-cup machines, pod models take the most messed-up aspects of coffee-making out of your hands, including grinding and dosing grounds.
1. Rapid
Pod machines are generally easier to install and use than espresso machines, with the majority able to make coffee in only 30 seconds or so. The pre-portioned pods used in these machines are typically more expensive than freshly roasted coffee beans, and many 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 prior to making coffee. This makes it easy to make consistent, high-quality coffee every time, with next-to-no chance of a drink coming out badly wrong. The machine is among the tiniest and lightest available. It doesn't require an additional milk container, and its compact footprint makes it easy to fit into even the smallest kitchens.
However the CitiZ isn't the most efficient machine for those wanting to cut down on their environmental impact. It doesn't have an automatic descaling function, and you'll have to do it yourself every 300 cups if live in hard water or 1200 cups in soft water areas. You'll also need to swap in a new filter cartridge once this runs out and can be expensive for some users.
The Tassimo Vivy 2 is another fast machine that has buttons that can be customized and the option to use ground coffee or ESE pods that are pre-dosed and tampered with grounds squeezed between filter paper. This model is also B-Corp Certified, which means it is committed to reducing its negative impact on the environment and its workforce. Its only downside is that it takes a little longer to warm up, but once this is done, it will be able to brew the cup in about 35 seconds.
Vertuo Creatista is a stylish sleek machine that can create a variety of drinks in different sizes and styles. This gorgeous, glossy machine, developed in collaboration with Sage, is not only simple and quick to operate but also comes with a milk frothing wand and a stainless steel jug.
2. Removable parts
The ease of use is a major selling point, and the best models are simple to operate. The majority of machines utilize the same general process to make your coffee by heating water inside a reservoir, and then pushed through the capsules you choose and extracted to create rich, hot coffee. Most brands offer a range of sizes for drinks to meet various needs. You can save custom settings for a variety of models to speed up the process even further.
Keurig's K-Cups and Nestle's Nespresso VertuoLine series are the two major players on the market, yet both offer a variety of capsules from top roasters and brands. Some pods are made to be used once and be thrown away, while others are designed to be used multiple times. In either case, you'll have to plan out how you'll handle your spent pods so they do not end up in the garbage.
The SMEG we tested has a removable water reservoir that is easy to fill. It also automatically dispenses a new capsule after the previous one cools down. It can be used to brew espresso and lungo drinks and comes with eight different blends to give you the variety. This brewer will appeal to those who love coffee and want to switch from drip coffee.
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 in a matter of seconds to reveal the compartment that houses 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 able to make an ordinary cup of coffee (240ml) and also serves as lungo and ristretto espresso-style drinks and is extremely fast. The controls are easy to operate, with airplane-style toggles that can be retracted easily and a lever which retracts to reveal the hole to place in the pod. It requires a bit of force to close, but the majority of our testers who have limitations in hand strength and mobility, felt comfortable.
3. Size
The top coffee pod machines remove all the messes of making coffee out of your hands - you simply put in one of the pods, press a button and brew. You will still need to clean the machine from time to time however not as often as you would with a coffee maker that is a bean-to cup or espresso maker. Pod machines are smaller than their bigger counterparts, and can be stored on the counter when not being used.
The ideal coffee maker for you will depend on your personal preferences and what you want to achieve. All pod machines are simple to use, but certain models offer more customization options than others. The variety of pods, brew size options, and milk frothing capabilities should all be considered to determine the best coffee pod machine for your needs.
The most well-known pod-based machines are Nespresso, Keurig and similar brands. However there are newer competitors worth looking at. Bruvi utilizes a unique system of pods, called B-Pods that can only be used in its machines. These pods are marked with a barcode, which is scanned by the machine to adjust the brewing parameters automatically.
This means that the machine eliminates all the guesswork of brewing a cup and makes sure that each drink is made perfectly every time. It can save your customised drinks in a single button to allow you to make them by pressing one button.
Other machines, like Sage's My Way, offer greater 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 build and excellent customer service that is synonymous with the Sage's My Way brand. This is a good option for those who want something more from their espresso maker that is based on pods.
While most people will be using the pod-based machine to create single-serve drinks, there are some larger models that are able to make longer shots, referred to as lungos, too. Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, which is a perfect example, blends retro style of the fifties from SMEG and Italian coffee brand Lavazza. It's not easy coffee machine with capsules at first thanks to the toggles that look like airplanes, but once you get used to it, it is quick and satisfying to use. A lungo can be brewed in 30 seconds.
4. Customization
One big reason why a pod coffee maker may not be the best choice for you is its limited customization. If you don't purchase an additional milk frother, the only ways to add flavor or creaminess are to make use of an in-mug hot chocolate or tea option and to add milk manually to your coffee. This won't be an issue for most people, but it could be an issue for those who prefer the convenience of a fully automated experience in the morning.
Bosch's Intellibrew technology uses 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 hands-free, easy-to-use machine that does the job very well but lacks any options for customizing drinks or for varying the strength of brew. This will irritate some buyers however for others, the easy automation and variety of cup lengths (espresso, lungo and mug) it gives precisely what they require.
Apart from filling the water tank and decaffeinating the reservoir occasionally, this coffee maker will not require much maintenance. It is able to serve espresso-style shots and tall travel mugs with ease. As previously mentioned, used pods are then ejected from a hidden container that helps keep your kitchen tidy. It is also excellent at delivering full-bodied espressos with a crema-topped top.
This is a beautiful-looking machine and part of the Smeg fifties range. It's simple to use with an easy-to-use panel of buttons, and it can handle ground coffee as well as ESE pods. The only downside is that it lacks an indicator to let you know when it's time to descale, and the maximum water level cannot be set which is a minor issue. You'll also have to purchase the capsules made by the company, which can be pricey. But, it's a good pod coffee maker for anyone seeking a stylish and practical appliance that can serve them well for a reasonable price. This model is compatible with a variety of capsules from third party manufacturers and is compatible with the Nespresso Vertuo range.