Single Serve Espresso Machine

If you would prefer an espresso made exclusively for you, a single serve espresso machine is a fantastic choice. It is all you need to do is refill the water container and add the desired pods or capsules, and press the button.

The best coffee pod machines provide speed, convenience and user-friendliness. Some also provide extra options, such as hot chocolate or tea.

Precise Extraction

Espresso is made by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground espresso. This is a different process from drip coffee brewing, in which water is allowed to flow freely through the ground. The exact extraction of espresso requires an exact balance of several factors: dose, tamp, and grind.

Preheating your portafilter is the first step towards a perfect espresso shot. Vigil weighs her portafilters before she fills them with individual coffee brewer to ensure that she's making use of the correct amount of beans. She then tamps her grounds to create a solid enough puck to get all the flavors from the beans. She uses 30 pounds of force to tamp the grounds which makes for a flavorful, consistent espresso.

It's also crucial to keep an eye on the consistency and color of your coffee. An espresso that is extracted properly should be dark golden for the first few seconds, but shift to a light gold when it reaches the 25-second mark. This is called Blonding. If the espresso hasn't been blonding correctly may have bitter or acids notes.

Certain machines, such as the Keurig K-Supreme Smart or the Nespresso Vertuo Plus in our test, let you set a brew-time, so that you can control the speed of extraction. This is a helpful feature, but it won't be able to compensate for a poor-ground or over-roasted bean.

You can adjust the extraction rate in certain machines, such as the Gaggia semiautomatic. This can make a big difference in the flavor of your espresso, however it's not the best solution for an unsatisfactory grind or roast.

A majority of the machines we tested in our tests come with built-in options for milk frothers or a steam wand, making it easy to make espresso using steam or frothed milk. This is particularly useful for drinks such as cappuccino and latte, which are often served with steamed milk. Certain machines, such as the Nespresso Inissia or the Cuisinart On Demand offer recyclable pods that help reduce the amount of waste.

Variety of drinks

The best single-serve espresso machines are able to produce frothed or steamed milk for many 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 even include an automatic milk frother which means you don't need to buy a separate device on the counter.

The best coffee and espresso makers also provide other drink alternatives, such as Iced drinks. A few have built-in grinders that grind beans fresh and some use a carafe that can hold several servings at once. Certain models come with adjustable settings, allowing you to select your preferred water temperature and strength. The top-rated model in this category is the Nespresso Essenza Mini, can brew an espresso double or lungo shot as well as a range of drinks with just one cup coffee machines click.

If you're looking for an elegant beverage, the Philips Breville Intuo XS makes it easy to make cappuccinos and lattes. It's easy to use, providing the option of five popular drinks at the push of one button. The process of brewing takes just few minutes and makes an excellent tasting espresso without any effort on your part. It is also environmentally friendly, as it reduces the amount of coffee pods you have to purchase.

If you like to experiment with your own ideas, consider getting a versatile espresso maker that can prepare double-shot and single-shot drinks. The best espresso makers have an intuitive interface that allows you to modify the strength, size and brew time of your drink at the click of a button. You can also pick from an array of coffee beans, ranging from traditional to exotic varieties and blends. Some have a grinder that grinds fresh grounds. This can give you more control over the taste of your coffee than pre-packaged pods.

Convenience

The ease of single brew coffee-serve espresso machines is among their primary benefits. They're quick to make require minimal cleanup and don't require measuring ground coffee or coffee beans. They are designed to make only one cup so there are no leftovers.

The capsule and pod machines (like Keurig and Nespresso) are based on using pre-packaged coffee pods or capsules, which contain the perfect amount of ground coffee to make a single serving. You simply need to select the beverage you'd like to drink, insert the pod in the machine, and then press the button. Many machines also have the capacity to brew tea or hot cocoa, and some also have milk frothers to make it easy to create of milk-based drinks.

However, while these machines are incredibly practical, they come with an expense in terms of cost and environmental footprint. Pods are generally more expensive than ground or bean to cup coffee and, in many cases, they will be packaged in plastic, meaning you'll need to figure out an option to recycle them. This can be costly over time and is something to think about when purchasing the pod-based coffee maker.

Other models provide more flexibility in terms of brewing sizes, and can handle different kinds of beans or grounds. They are often referred to as "ground-to-cup" machines. The ground coffee is put in a coffee in a basket that is placed at the top of the machine or, if you own an espresso-style model, into a portafilter. This looks like an old-fashioned coffee pot and is akin to the filter of an espresso machine. These machines tend to offer the closest to the traditional barista flavour, but are typically a bit more complicated and costly than capsule- or pod-based models.

Finally, there are super-automatic and manual machines that operate in exactly the same way as a traditional coffee maker, but with a greater degree of automation. They can be programmed to automatically serve coffee and other beverages, and can also handle routine maintenance tasks like decaffeinating or descaling. Our Labs gave these the highest marks for their reliability and affluence. However they can be a challenge to keep in good working order.

Maintenance

You know as professional baristas that your equipment should be cleaned and descaled regularly to ensure that you get the best coffee. You should also backflush your espresso group heads each night and clean the machine to get rid of any leftover milk or loose grounds of coffee. These tasks can seem tedious, but they are essential to the long-term durability and performance of your equipment.

Cleaning your single serve espresso machine is important not just for hygiene but for the flavor of your espresso. In the absence of cleaning your machine, it can result in the growth of bacteria and impurities which can alter the taste and flavor of your coffee. Cleaning your espresso machine won't take as much time as you think. You can keep your machine in good shape for many years by spending an hour or two a day and cleaning it thoroughly once a month.

First, you'll need empty the drip tray (this is usually an easy task that can be done in a single step). The next step is to wipe down all the internal components of the machine. It's a good idea to make use of a mild soap along with water and a sponge especially around the hot boiler and the portafilter. After you're done you can use an unclean cloth or towel to wipe down the outside and inside of your machine.

Regularly cleaning your espresso machine is the most crucial component in maintaining it. A few tablespoons of descaler along with a backflush will keep your machine free from any hard-water residues that can negatively affect the flavor of your espresso. Descale your coffee maker at least every 300 cups or once every week, based on how frequently you use it.

To perform a backflush start by removing the steam wand and the group head and soak them for at least one hour in the solution of water and espresso machine detergent. When the baskets and portsafilters are clean then you can run fresh water through them. It's also recommended to backflush the steam portafilter with the solution and scrub it with a nylon brush. And lastly clean the draining hose by using an aqueous solution and cleaner.