Single Serve Espresso Machine

If you would prefer an espresso made exclusively for you, a single serve espresso machine is a great option. You simply need to refill the water container and add the desired capsules or pods and hit the button.

The top coffee pod machines are fast, convenient and simple to use. Some machines offer extra options such as hot tea or chocolate.

Precise Extraction

Espresso is made by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground espresso. This is a markedly different process than brewing drip coffee, in which the water can flow freely through the coffee grounds. The exact extraction of Espresso requires a balance of three factors: dose, grind, and tamp.

Heating your portafilter is the first step to a great espresso shot. Vigil weighs her portafilters prior to when she fills them with coffee to make sure that she's using the right amount of beans. She then tamps the grounds to create an adequate amount of solidity to extract all the flavor notes from the beans. She uses 30 pounds of force to tamp the grounds, which is perfect to ensure a smooth, flavorful espresso.

It's also important to keep an eye on the consistency and color of your coffee. The first few seconds of a well-extracted shot should be dark gold, and then it should shift to a lighter gold as the 25 second mark is near. Blonding is the term used to describe it. A shot that hasn't been blonding correctly may contain acid or bitter notes.

Some of the machines in our tests, including the Keurig K-Supreme Smart and the Nespresso Vertuo Plus, let you set a brew time to regulate the rate at which your coffee is extracted. This is a great feature, but it will not compensate for a poorly-ground or over-roasted bean.

In a few other machines, like the Gaggia semiautomatic, you can set the desired temperature of water to help control the rate of extraction. This can make a big difference in the taste of your espresso, however it's not the best solution for poor roast or a bad grind.

A majority of the machines we tested come with a built-in option for a steam wand or milk frother, making it simple to make espresso using steam-steamed milk or frothed. This is especially useful for drinks such as cappuccino and the latte, which are usually served with steamed milk. Some machines, like the Nespresso Inissia or the Cuisinart On Demand provide reusable pods to reduce waste.

Variety of Drinks

The top single-serve espresso machines can be used to make frothed or steamed milk for a variety of espresso-based drinks. A high-quality machine can make rich creamy lattes and cappuccinos using a simple touch of the button or programable settings. Some machines include an automatic milk maker so you don't need to keep an additional tool at the counter.

The best espresso makers also offer other drinks, like Iced drinks. A few have built-in grinders for freshly ground beans and some use a carafe that holds multiple servings at once. Some models have adjustable settings that let you choose the ideal temperature and strength. The most highly rated model in this category, the Nespresso Essenza Mini, can brew two or lungo shot as well as a range of drinks with just a press.

If you're looking for more sophisticated drinks, the Philips Breville Intuo XS makes it easy to make cappuccinos and lattes. It's easy to use, offering five popular drinks at the touch of a button. The brewing process is fast and produces delicious espresso with no effort on your part. It is also environmentally friendly because it reduces the amount of coffee pods that you have to purchase.

If you're a fan of experimenting with your own ideas, consider getting a versatile espresso maker that is able to prepare double-shot and single-shot drinks. The best coffee and espresso maker brands have an easy-to-use interface that lets you customize the size, strength and brew duration of your drink with the touch of the button. You can also select an array of coffee beans, ranging from traditional to exotic blends and varieties. Some come with a grinder that grinds fresh grounds. This gives you more control over the taste of your coffee than pre-packaged pods.

Convenience

One of the biggest benefits of single serve coffee reviews serve espresso machines is their convenience. They're easy to use, don't require much cleaning, and don't require measuring coffee beans or ground coffee. They are designed to make just one cup so that there aren't any leftovers.

Machines that utilize capsules and pods (like Keurig or Nespresso) and come pre-packaged with the correct amount of ground coffee for a single cup, work using the same principles. All you have to do is choose your desired drink, place the pod into the machine and then press a button. Some machines also allow you to make tea and hot cocoa, while others include milk frothers to make milk-based drinks.

But while these machines are extremely practical, they come with some cost in terms cost and environmental footprint. Pods are more expensive than ground coffee, or bean-to cup, and are usually packed in plastic, so you'll need an alternative to recycling. This can increase over time and is something to consider when purchasing pod-based coffee makers.

Other models are more flexible in terms of the size of the brewing and can handle different kinds of grounds. These are sometimes called "ground-to-cup" machines. The coffee is placed in the filter basket on top of the machine, or, in the case of espresso-style machines or portafilters, into a container that resembles an espresso machine filter and looks like the traditional coffee pot. These machines tend to provide the closest to traditional barista taste, however they are generally more complex and expensive than capsule- or pod-based models.

Additionally, there are manual and super-automatic machines that work the same way as a typical coffee maker, but with an added degree of automation. They can automatically dispense coffee and other beverages and can also perform basic maintenance tasks such as decaffeinating or descaling. They generally received our highest Lab scores for their ease of use and reliability. However, they can be difficult to keep in good working order.

Maintenance

You know as professional baristas that your equipment should be cleaned and descaled regularly in order to make excellent coffee. It's recommended to flush the heads of your espresso group every night and wipe down your machine to eliminate any loose coffee grounds or milk residue. These tasks may seem mundane but they are essential to the durability and quality of your equipment.

Cleaning your single-serve espresso maker is crucial not just for hygiene reasons but as well for the flavor of your espresso. If you don't clean your machine, it can lead to the growth of bacteria and impurities which can alter the taste and flavor of your coffee. Cleaning your espresso machine doesn't take as much time as you think. A few minutes a day and a thorough cleaning every month will keep your machine in tip-top condition for many years to be.

The first step is to empty the drip tray (this is usually a simple task that can be accomplished in a single step). The next step is to wipe down all the internal parts of the machine. It's best to make use of a mild soap along with water and a sponge particularly around the hot boiler and the portafilter. After you've finished, wash the outside and inside of your machine using a clean cloth or towel.

The most crucial part of the maintenance procedure is to clean your espresso machine on a regular basis. Descaler and backflushing will remove any hard-water deposits from your machine, which could adversely affect the flavor of your espresso. It is recommended to descale every 300 cups or approximately every month, based on the frequency you use your coffee maker.

To perform a backflush you will need to take off the steam wand, group heads and other parts of your espresso maker and soak them in a solution made from water and espresso machine soap for at least 30 minutes. After they're clean, you can run fresh water through the baskets, portafilters, and steam wand. It's also a good idea to backflush the steam portafilters with the solution and scrub it using a nylon brush. Then, last but not least cleanse the draining hose with a solution of water and cleaner.