Pod Coffee Makers

Pod coffee makers are easy to use, but need specific pods

Pod coffee makers use pressurized water and packed grounds to brew one or two servings of coffee at a time. The coffee they produce isn't to everyone's taste: It's usually mild and light-bodied, and professional tasters say it lacks nuance (though this depends on the particular pods you choose). While manufacturers claim that pod coffee makers can deliver crema -- a creamy top layer of flavorful oils -- experts say it's mere froth. If you like a more robust brew, you can experiment with different pod types. Some manufacturers, including Keurig, offer "bold" and "extra-bold" varieties. Otherwise, you can buy a pod coffee maker that accommodates two pods at once, resulting in a stronger brew -- but bear in mind that this doubles the cost per cup. Most pods are machine-specific, and some varieties are only available by mail order. Owners point out that it's possible to make your own pods, as long as you understand that doing so may void your warranty. A few manufacturers sell reusable filter baskets that allow you to use the grounds of your choice.

Consumer publications don't find much to love about pod coffee makers -- Consumer Reports says they're neither convenient nor cheap -- but owners appear to disagree. With a pod coffee maker, you don't have to grind or measure coffee. Instead, you insert the pod before brewing and press a couple of buttons. Afterward, you simply toss the used pod and rinse the spout. With many machines, the entire process takes around 90 seconds.

The Senseo HD7810 (*Est. $70) brews a single four-ounce cup of coffee per pod. It's possible to brew an eight-ounce mug, but you must use two pods. Hundreds of owners posting to Amazon.com are happy with the Senseo HD7810's performance and modern looks. They love this machine's simple, speedy operation and good build quality, but reviews say that if you want a strong cup of coffee, you'll have to use two pods. Senseo pods are widely available, but reviews say that the coffee is only of average quality. Still, if you prefer a no-muss, no-fuss coffee maker and you like light, diner-style coffee, the Senseo HD7810 is a good budget choice.

We did read some complaints about the Senseo HD7810's spout, which is not adjustable. In fact, a standard mug will not fit under the HD7810's spout. Senseo has addressed this problem by introducing the Supreme HD7832 (*Est. $130), which has a spout that can be raised or lowered to accommodate mugs of various sizes. It can brew up to five ounces of coffee from a single pod, or ten ounces from two pods. It also has a larger water reservoir (32 ounces to the HD7810's 20). Despite these enhancements, the Supreme receives more negative ratings from owners than the less expensive HD7810. Owners say that the performance differences are minimal, and the Supreme isn't worth an additional $70. A number of owners are unhappy that tall thermal mugs cannot fit under the Supreme's "improved" spout. Many are also disappointed that the "metallic chrome" Supreme is actually silver plastic.

Senseo pods are costly -- especially if you drink a large mug every day -- but owners say that the machine can accommodate almost any similarly sized pod. In fact, many owners say that they prefer non-Senseo pods to the company's proprietary pods. If you are thinking of purchasing a Senseo, don't forget to figure the cost of pods into your calculations.

Keurig sells a range of pod coffee makers, including the B40, B60 and B70. Reviews say that these machines differ mainly in looks and features. In fact, Jay Brewer of SingleServeCoffee.com says that a 7.25-ounce cup brewed in any of the models tastes about the same. The more expensive models have larger water reservoirs. While this is convenient, coffee tastes best when brewed with fresh water from the tap. Pricier models can also brew more coffee from a single "K-Cup."

The Keurig machines earn better overall ratings at Amazon.com than the Senseo coffee makers. Experts say this is mainly because Keurig's K-Cups -- plastic containers filled with pre-measured coffee -- are of higher quality than Senseo's pods. Keurig sells more than 125 varieties of K-Cups with coffee from such highly rated roasters as Green Mountain and Timothy's, as well as organic and Fair Trade K-Cups from Newman's Own. The downside is that the plastic containers are not recyclable, although the company says that it is looking for ways to make its packaging more environmentally friendly. Keurig also sells a reusable filter for its machines, the My K-Cup (*est. $15), which can be filled with grounds of your choice. The best coffee is made from freshly ground beans, so if you're concerned about quality, the My K-Cup looks like a good option.

Reviews say that the Keurig machines are suitable for coffee enthusiasts who value convenience. The Keurig Elite B40 (*Est. $100) has a 7.25-ounce cup capacity and a 48-ounce reservoir. Its brewing temperature and cup size aren't adjustable, but reviews say that it's a good coffee maker for the money. It lacks a timer, but most owners don't mind, since brewing takes just 30 seconds.

Unlike the B40, the Keurig Special Edition B60 (*Est. $150) can brew 9.25 ounces of coffee from a single K-Cup. The vast majority of the nearly 400 owners posting to Amazon.com love this coffee maker, which has a contemporary design and chrome accents. The B60 has a 48-ounce reservoir, a clock and a programmable timer.

The Keurig Platinum B70 (*Est. $200) earns a high average rating in more than 150 reviews posted to Amazon.com. It has a larger water reservoir than the B60 (60 ounces to the B60's 48) and can brew up to 11.25 ounces from a single K-Cup. Its design is even sleeker than that of the B60 and reviews say it's slightly quieter, but it lacks a water filter. Jay Brewer of SingleServeCoffee.com notes that an 11.25-ounce cup of coffee brewed in a Keurig coffee maker comes out weaker than a 7.25-ounce cup, even when you use the extra-bold K-Cups the manufacturer recommends.

A newer Keurig-made coffee maker, the Breville BKC600XL Gourmet Single-Cup (*Est. $300), is about $100 more expensive than the B70, but reviews say the difference comes down mainly to looks rather than performance or features. The sleek, stainless steel-clad BKC600XL has a better LCD screen and an integrated water filter, but the coffee quality is comparable to that of other Keurig machines. "If you want a super-attractive K-Cup single-serve coffee maker and are willing to pay $100 more to get all the features of any Keurig brewer, the Breville BKC600XL Gourmet Single Cup Brewer is for you," writes Jay Brewer of SingleServeCoffee.com. At the other end of the price scale is the Keurig B30 Mini Personal Brewer (*Est. $80), which brews an eight-ounce cup of coffee. It is too new to have any professional reviews, but reviewers at Amazon.com praise its small footprint and quiet operation.

Instead of K-Cups, Kraft's Tassimo coffee makers use plastic containers of measured grounds called T-Discs. Owners note that K-Cups cost less per serving than T-Discs. Tassimo is the only pod coffee maker system that uses a liquid milk pod (instead of powdered) to make beverages such as cappuccinos. The process does require two T-Discs, though, and residue from any milky drinks must be rinsed off, making these machines less convenient than the Keurig models. In addition, Keurig machines brew more quickly than Tassimo one-cup coffee makers. What's more, Keurig sells a wider variety of coffees than Tassimo.

Both the Tassimo TA1400 (*Est. $160) and TA1200 (*Est. $130) receive above-average marks from owners posting to Amazon.com. The TA1400 has a slightly larger reservoir (68 ounces to the 1200's 50) and an integrated water filter. In 2008, Tassimo and Bosch introduced a redesigned machine, the TAS4511UC (*Est. $140). Early reports indicate that the TAS4511UC is quicker, quieter and more compact than the Tassimo TA1200 or TA1400. In addition, the newer machine has a large reservoir (67 ounces), cord storage, integrated water filtration and clearer controls.

The Melitta One:One (*Est. $60) earns good ratings in two professional reviews, and it offers adjustable brewing strength. But the One:One earns lower average scores at Amazon.com than the Tassimo or Keurig single-cup coffee machines. Reviews say that the coffee tastes pretty good, but Melitta only offers six types of coffee pods -- far fewer than Keurig, Tassimo or Senseo. You may sometimes see Melitta products for sale under the brand name Salton, as well.