With their sleek design and automatic milk wands, pod coffee machines make it simple to get your caffeine fix. Much less expensive and bulkier than bean-to-cup machines which require less space on your worktop too.
They're also user-friendly and offer next-to-no maintenance. All you have to do is insert an appropriate pod into the device and then press a button.
1. Nespresso Vertuo
Nespresso machines are a popular choice for those who love coffee and want an extremely convenient pod brewing machine. They are easy to use and they are quick to heat up and produce delicious, flavorful cups. Vertuo machines are available in a variety of sizes and flavors which means you can pick the one that best suits your taste. This comparison will help you choose the best machine for your kitchen, no matter if you're looking at an Nespresso original or vertuo model.
Vertuo machines come with a greater selection of flavors than Original machines However, their primary difference is their brewing technology that is smart. Each Vertuo pod has an RFID barcode that the machine scans to determine the ideal brewing parameters for your selected beverage. The smart feature helps ensure that every cup is as tasty and full as is possible without overdoing the caffeine.
This is an ideal way to reduce the mess that can be created by traditional coffee brewing. During the brewing process, the machine spins the capsule to evenly disperse water throughout the grounds inside. This produces a rich crema that allows the extraction of the most flavor from the pod.
This type of brewing allows you to prepare cold and hot drinks. This might seem like a minor advantage, but it is important for those who drink iced coffee or hot coffee regularly. This is an enormous help on hot summer days.
The Vertuo Plus is a smart brewer that also offers sleek, compact design. It will fit nicely on your counter. The 37-ounce container for water is large enough to brew multiple drinks before needing to be refilled, and the container that is used for brewing can hold up to 10 capsules prior to needing to be emptied. The machine also comes with a free smartphone app that will notify you when it's time to refill the water tank, empty the capsule container or run a descaling cycle.
The Vertuo Plus might cost more than its competitors however, it is a good value to those looking for a reliable coffee pod machine. Its elegant design and user-friendly and its extensive list of accessories, are a major draw. It's also eco-friendly with 54% recycled material and 100% recyclable packaging.
2. De'Longhi Grind
The De'Longhi Grind is a superautomatic coffee maker, meaning it does all the work for you. It grinds and measures beans automatically (you don't have to buy an additional grinder) and then brews the coffee you prefer, and then steams milk. It's also simple to use, with just one button to select your drink, and another to program the machine to make a certain kind of coffee at a specific time.
The machine can make espresso-style three-ounce drinks and an eight-, 12-, 16 20or 24 ounce carafe of drip-style coffee. The machine is available in stainless steel or black for a price of $400 as a base. You can spend up to $500 for an upgraded model that can make two additional drinks and comes with the option of a thermos carafe.
The Grind does not have an adjustable heater for water, which means it is not able to make an iced coffee. It does have a large reservoir of water that can hold 1.5 gallon at one time.
It has a filter that can be removed and a burr that are top-rack dishwasher safe. Cleaning is easy. It has a transparent window that lets you see how much water remains and is useful for planning ahead when you'll need to refill it up. It features an automatic tamping function, which eliminates you having to manually apply pressure.
This De'Longhi grinder is backed by a two-year warranty and is Energy Star Certified. It's louder than some other coffee makers, however it's not so loud that you cannot be in a conversation while it's working.
The De'Longhi K79 comes with six grind settings which is enough for the average coffee drinker. However, a lot of users have complained that the grinder doesn't produce an adequate grind for espresso-style coffee, so it's not the best choice in the case of a coffee lover. It can also overgrind the grounds of coffee, which could cause them to be uneven and reduce the flavor. It's still a viable option for those who are new to making espresso.
3. Bruvi
This machine combines pod-brewing ease with environmental consciousness in a sleek design. It uses its own proprietary "B-Pods" that are a greener option than K-Cups that organically break into trash in time, without leaving microplastics behind. The water brewed by Bruvi is not part of the coffee brewing process therefore there's no reason to worry about coffee flavor contaminating the water.
Each Bruvi bundle comes with B-Pods in a variety of sizes that range from premium espresso to craft coffee and are all sustainably sourced and certified fair trade. These pods have 40% more coffee than a typical K-Cup. The Bruvi brews each pod using 20 streams of water to ensure more even extraction. The machine reads each pod optically and automatically adjusts the brewing settings based on the kind of beverage you're making.
The Bruvi's touchscreen is the smartest I've ever encountered on a coffee machine and it's a joy to play around with the different options to make the perfect cup of coffee. When the coffee pod is identified the display changes to display the brewing options. For example, if using the Mulholland pod, the machine will suggest a stronger cup.
Bruvi can also make cold brew, iced coffee, or iced brewed. It can also make tea if that's something you prefer. The Bruvi is priced higher than other pod-based machines and the selection of coffee-pods is very limited. However, for those who are concerned about the quality and quantity of their coffee it is a good choice.
Danielle is a self-professed coffee lover and cannot go without a morning joe. She has a passion for black coffee with a strong flavor and no sugar or cream required and enjoys one to two specialty drinks a week at local coffee shops. She is always looking for new coffees and has been part of the CoffeeGeek team since 2022. She is a huge advocate for single-serve coffee machines and believes that they are a great alternative to costly, time-consuming batch making.
4. Opal
If you love milk or want to expand the drinks that you can make, beyond espressos and black Americanos then opt for the coffee maker that has built-in frother. This model is made by Lavazza or Dualit. It can be used to make cappuccinos, lattes and even flat whites, if you add a little extra milk. If you are going to buy a non-branded pod coffee maker we suggest one equipped with an stainless steel water tank which will eliminate the taste of plastic in your beverage.
This neatly-packaged machine is able to do exactly what it says on the tin, brewing highly aromatic espresso and coffee using capsules that are ground and dosed before being pressed to create the perfect cup of Joe every time. It has a small water tank that can be put either behind or to the side of the machine based on the space available. It also has the largest used capsule bin in the pod coffee machine business with enough space to accommodate 13 large pods.
Additionally, best ground coffee machines takes the hassle out of making a decent flat white by having a steam arm that delivers the perfect frothy beverage in a matter of minutes. The machine is compatible with capsules of various brands. You can look up the Morning Marketplace on the manufacturer's website to see the capsules you're looking for are compatible.
Although this coffee maker isn't as fast to brew as the top-rated models, it's good, solid cappuccino or flat white with a reliable crema topping. It's on the plastic side however it will fit all kitchen styles and will not be out of place with a sleek Tassimo or Nespresso machine. It's an excellent choice for a small family, as you can set it up to make two cups at once (so as the second cup isn't flavored). It's also quieter than most other pod machines, which is perfect for those who live in shared accommodation. It works with the brand's own ESE (easy-serve coffee) pods that are plastic free and fully compostable.
