A Guide to Buying a Capsule Coffee Machine
If you’re looking for a simple and quick coffee, a capsule coffee machine is the way to go. They’re easy to use and work with a variety of coffee machine with capsules pods.
Unlike filter coffee machines, capsule machines tend to focus on black drinks – espressos and lungos – with milky options as well for cappuccinos and lattes.
1. Easy to use
You can get your morning cup of coffee at home with a capsule machine. It’s a great alternative to a bean-to cup or filter machine. Whether you’re an experienced brewer or just starting out they’re designed to be user-friendly and run smoothly. You can select from a variety of drink sizes, temperature and flavors. Some models come with an integrated milk frothing tool to create cappuccinos and lattes. These models are a great choice for families with busy schedules who want to grab an espresso before heading out.
There are many different capsule coffee machines in the UK that can be found to meet your requirements. These models are affordable and feature a basic panel of buttons that display clearly. The more advanced models allow you to customize your brew by changing settings such as temperature of water, capsule type, and bar pressure. Some even have a compatible app for further personalisation and recipe ideas.
The Smeg model has a sleek design that is a perfect match with any worktop. It’s also very quiet in use making it an ideal option for those with young children who wake up early. Our testers found it easy to set up and use, with a smooth operation of the lever on the cap of the water tank and a responsive, intelligent touchscreen.
The more expensive models from the likes of Dolce Gusto and Nespresso offer more customisation, allowing you to save personalised drinks to a specific button. You can adjust the settings to achieve the best flavor and aroma for your preferred blends. They also include an easy capsule recycler to keep your kitchen tidy and free from waste. The more expensive models usually come with a built-in milk cup to deliver creamy cappuccinos and lattes, while other models include an additional steam wand which you can manually operate when you need to.
2. Multi-faceted
While they’re not as flexible as a filter coffee machine or a bean-to-cup coffee machine, capsule machines can still do an excellent job of providing consistent and delicious results. The simplest models start at less than PS50. A lot of these machines even allow milk frothing which means you can make a cappuccino or latte at the touch of a button.
One thing to bear in mind with capsule machines is that you will be limited to the type of coffee pods and drinks you can drink with it as these will have been packaged with ingredients like ground coffee cream, sugar, and flavorings. You can still expect top-quality coffees from most brands. Tassimo and Nescafe offer a range of black and milky coffees for instance.
Some capsule machines, such as the Vertuo line of Nespresso can be used to make various milky drinks by using different capsules. These machines allow you to choose a milky beverage such as a cappuccino or the latte from a variety of four. The machine will automatically give you the correct amount of milk.
The best pod machines available in the UK are also built with user-friendly features, such as easy-to-read digital displays and automatic shut-off functions that save energy. Look for features such as drip trays that can be adjusted in height, which can be moved up and down to fit your cup size and to minimise splashing, and a removable capsule holder that is easy to empty and clean. Other attractive features include sleep modes that save energy and eco-friendly settings.
The next level The Morning Machine, an elegant benchtop machine that can be operated by hand or through an app, with precise controls that let you adjust the coffee’s flavor and body. You can also adjust the temperature, which has a direct effect on the flavor of your coffee. Lower temperatures cause acidity while higher temperatures give it more body.
3. Eco-friendly
Since their introduction by Nestle in 1986 the coffee pods (or capsules) have had a major impact on how people consume coffee. They’re convenient, fast and allow you to get a consistently good cup of joe every time. Unfortunately, they can also be quite wasteful. They are typically packaged in aluminium and plastic which is hard to recycle. Additionally, they usually contain dregs of ground coffee that can’t be recycled either.
Research has proven that using a capsule machine for coffee is more eco-friendly than filter or drip coffee. This is due to single-serve capsules using an exact amount of water and coffee and reduce the amount of the waste of coffee that can happen when making a large-sized pot. Plus, it takes less energy to heat the water in a capsule than making a pot of coffee.
It is important to remember that this study is dependent on the entire life cycle of coffee production, including growing, harvesting and transporting the beans, as well as heating the water. If you’re considering the use of a capsule coffee maker choose one that uses only biodegradable or compostable coffee pods. And if you want to go a step further, you could consider purchasing the recyclable capsule. These capsules can be used to fill your capsule machine with coffee ground. They’re designed to be compatible with popular systems, such as Nespresso.
If you’re looking to lessen your environmental impact further, you should consider a machine compatible with Lavazza A Modo Mio Tiny eco capsules. These capsules are completely carbon neutral and industrially compostable. They are made of over 50 percent recycled plastic. Furthermore, they’re the only capsules that can be added to food waste and collected by council.
Finally, if you can’t find biodegradable or compostable coffee pods for your capsule machine, try making coffee using a bean-to cup maker. These machines are more expensive but they are also more environmentally friendly. They grind and make coffee on demand, instead of making and cooling a huge pot of coffee in advance, which wastes energy. They’re also more efficient than a drip or espresso machine that sits on a hob, since they require less power to operate.
4. Cost-effective
A capsule Coffee machine Uk machine is an excellent alternative if you wish to make coffee quickly and efficiently in the morning. Capsules are sealed roasts and ground coffee beans that are inserted into the machine and are brewed for a fixed amount of time. The machines are simple to use and are relatively inexpensive, but can be costly in the event you opt for premium models made by major brands. This can be especially in the case of the coffee pods themselves which can be quite expensive.
Buying a capsule coffee machine is still considerably cheaper than purchasing a filter or bean-to-cup model, though. The capsule machine is less expensive in the beginning, and you’ll save money over time by not buying filters or ground coffee. However, the initial expense can still be a barrier for many, so consider how much you’re able to spend on a machine and then factor in the cost of the coffee pods that go with it.
If you’re looking for a capsule machine that offers a budget-friendly option, look no further than the Lavazza Vertuo Pop. This sleek, compact machine makes a high-quality espresso using the Lavazza EcoCaps. The unique brewing system produces a thick crema despite only making black coffee machine for pods. This is a welcome change from the thin, watery mousse that often accompanies drinks made using other pod machines.
The machine is simple to operate using the four buttons on the panel and has a compact footprint that doesn’t take up the counter space. It comes with steam wands as well as a hot beverage function, which are rare features for capsule machines. The jug it uses to pour the coffee is smaller than glass carafes on cheaper competitors.
The independently-made Morning Machine is a more sophisticated pod coffee machine with capsules machine that comes with a variety of extra options that set it apart from its rivals. Its flagship Bloom & Brew setting pre-wets the ground coffee for a stronger, richer cup. It also has adjustable settings that allow you to alter the amount of coffee extracted as well as the temperature, and bar pressure. This lets you make more from the capsules than lungo, espresso, and ristretto options, and even recreates the drip and filter-style drinks. It also allows you to connect to your smartphone to display recipes and monitor energy consumption.