If you already feel that usual instant coffee is not a drink that you want to sip in the morning or during the day, then changes will come in your life soon: you’ll find a way to make your everyday coffee better, more intense, more invigorating. What does it mean? It means that you’ll buy a coffee machine soon, and there is a great likelihood that your first purchase will be single-serve (or capsule, or pod) coffee brewing system.
Why? Well, let’s look a bit closer, and find out every pro and con of these modern coffee brewing machines.
It is highly possible that capsule coffee machine can become your first purchase while looking for a good coffee making at home. What are the reasons?
- pod coffee makers are cheap;
- they can brew really great coffee;
- they have perfect outward;
- they have a huge variety of tastes and flavors.
This list is quite full to make a decision. But there is one trouble. What brand has to be chosen? Let’s look through.
Contents
A couple of words about capsule coffee brewing technology
The license over the pod system was gotten in 1978, and in 80s coffee, pods had spread all over the world. Nespresso of Nestle Nespresso S.A. had become the pioneer over that new and prospective field, and now coffee makers of this brand have taken the most part of the market. The today pod coffee machines market is represented by three famous brands: Nespresso, Dolce Gusto, and Tassimo. There are also several smaller producers such as Cremesso, Illy, Lavazza etc.
How does it work?
Capsule coffee machines are considered as the simplest systems for use. To get the perfect coffee experience, you have just to fill the water tank, insert the capsule you like and push the button. 30 seconds later you can enjoy your fresh brewed invigorating drink. Excellent, isn’t it? It would be if there wouldn’t be several pitfalls.
Pros and cons for pod coffee makers
We’ll talk about brands later. Now it’s necessary to say in few words about advantages and disadvantages of capsule systems. We had mentioned some of the pros in the beginning, and it’s time to describe everything fully. So, capsule coffee machine was created for you if you are:
- living alone or the only one coffee lover in your family;
- short of budget and not able to purchase more expensive systems;
- short in space and every inch in your house as precious as gold;
- lover of speed, simplicity and functionality.
What are the cons?
There are only three pitfalls, but those are too serious not to be mentioned.
- you become tied to one pod brand because capsules usually are not compatible;
- although there are huge number of flavors you are still limited in what your manufacturer gives you;
- capsules are quite expensive (for about $10 for a box of 10 pods)
So, if you drink more than one cup of coffee per day, the single-serve system of coffee brewing is not profitable for you. In some ways, you can try to find compatible pods of other not very popular brands, but still the price of one cup will stay rather high.
Now about the brands
We’ll describe three of them as the most popular and spread. Those will be:
- Nespresso
- Dolce Gusto
- Tassimo
It’s 80 of 100 probability that while searching for a pod coffee maker, you’ll purchase exactly one of their machines. That’s why we have to give you a closer look over.
Nespresso
Nespresso (from Nestle S.A.) is the founder, the pioneer of the whole single-serve coffee brewing technology. They started in the early 80s and still are considered as a world top manufacturer with the widest range of tastes and flavors. Today, Nespresso capsules count over 26 types, 21 of which are classic espresso with quite a small quantity of ground coffee (for about 6 grams when the standard is 7-9 grams). Each pod can produce 40 ml espresso shot or 110 ml lungo pour.
There are two most famous brands producing Nespresso coffee machines: DeLonghi and Krups. They offer the wide range of single-serve coffee makers for any budget started with $110. These are modern, high-quality machines that can brew real espresso in 30 seconds. Their pump produces pressure for about 19 bars, and it means that your coffee will be perfect in the way of its consistency.
The only disadvantage of Nespresso coffee brewing technology is a cost of original pods (over $11 for 10 pods). But, happily, there are many manufacturers that produce Nespresso compatible capsules of quite a wide range.
A bit more info about Nespresso at the video below
Dolce Gusto
Dolce Gusto was born in Switzerland. It is Nestle’s second child after Nespresso that was conceived and developed to widen the single-serve coffee brewing. In the market, these technology is represented by Krups brand.
Dolce Gusto coffee machines have several advantages for customers. At first, they are cheaper (their price starts with $90); second, they have the great range of flavors and tastes including tea (iced tea and latte), chocolate drinks (chococcino and mocha) and some other cold beverages. Depending on the variety, each capsule contains 5-11 g. of ground beans ― that will make your coffee more invigorating and intense. Besides, Dolce Gusto can brew cappuccino and similar milk beverages. And, perhaps, that’s all about pros.
Now cons. Unlike Nespresso coffee machines, Dolce Gusto is lower in quality of materials used in its design. The machine body is made of quite a middling plastic, and in contrast Nespresso, Dolce Gusto generates only 15 bars of pump pressure. It means that if you are a lover of rich espresso with dense unctuous crema on its surface, you’ll be disappointed. In spite of the great variety of flavors, Dolce Gusto pods are also rather expensive. It’s for about $9.5 for a box of 16 capsules (16 cups of coffee and 8 mugs of milk beverages). And the last: milk drinks are made of milk powder that also has the corresponding effect at the taste of the finished beverage.
A bit more info about Dolce Gusto at the video below
Tassimo
Tassimo is a single-serve coffee brewing system belonged to Jacobs Douwe Egberts. It was developed by Kraft Foods, and all coffee machines now are produced in collaboration with Bosch, Braun, and Saeco companies. Tassimo system appeared to be different from two single-serve technologies outlined above.
What is the difference?
Tassimo pod coffee machines are less powerful. Their pump produces pressure only at 3.3 bars, but Tassimo capsules are larger, have the different form, and contain 9 grams of ground coffee. Because of special molding technology which differs from competitors Tassimo machines don’t need higher pressure to gain perfect experience.
Now about the pros. Tassimo systems are considered as the cheapest among the competitors (their price starts from $98). In spite of such a low cost, these pod machines have the outstanding quality of assemblage and great functionality. Their coffee flavors more intense, thanks to the quantity of ground beans molded in each pod. And one more interesting thing: Tassimo pod coffee makers have «clever» scanner that can read the information marked on the capsule, and put all parameters for brewing automatically. Single-serve coffee machines of other manufacturers work manually.
What are the cons? The range of flavors is relatively skimpy. Tassimo pod system has only 11 tastes and only 7 of them can be called as real espresso. The price of capsules is still rather high (from $8 to $11 for a pod depending on coffee type). Milk beverages also come out quite expensive. Besides, Tassimo coffee brewers are very strict to the maintenance: you have to clean scanner after each use.
A bit more info about Tassimo at the video below
In conclusion
In some ways, single-serve coffee brewers can be useful to the ordinary coffee lover who values one’s time and feels the difference between instant drinks and well-brewed beverages. So, if you are keen on purchasing one of the pod coffee makers, we hope that this review turns out to be useful for you.