How to use a coffee pod machine

Coffee pod machines are a convenient way to make a cup of coffee – and once you know what you’re doing, they’re easy to use as well.

How do coffee pod machines work?

A coffee pod machine works by heating water before pumping it into the coffee pod. It does this first by piercing it with a tiny needle. Water is then injected into the coffee pod at a high pressure, which emulates the espresso brewing method.

As the water goes through the coffee, it extracts the flavour from the coffee grounds. The coffee then drips into your cup, ready for you to drink.

1. Gather your supplies

Before diving into the brewing process, make sure you have everything you need. This includes a coffee pod of your choice, fresh water – preferably filtered – and of course, a mug.

Make sure your coffee pod machine is plugged in and switched on. Some machines will need to pre-heat before brewing. A light will usually come on to show you that the machine is ready to use.

2. Fill the water tank

Most coffee pod machines have a water tank located at the back or side. Open it and fill with fresh water. If you can, use filtered water.

This is one of the ways you can ensure your home brew tastes just like what you would order at a coffee shop as there are no nasty chemicals interfering with the coffee.

Be sure not to overfill the tank. Typically, there is a marked maximum fill line to guide you.

3. Place a pod in the machine

Choose your coffee pod, then open the pod holder and place it inside. The position in which the pod needs to be placed varies for each machine, so consult your manual to ensure you’re putting it in the correct way.

The final step is to pull a lever down, which closes the capsule in its chamber and ensures there is enough pressure built up inside to pierce the capsule.

4. Position your mug

Place a coffee mug or cup under the coffee spout to catch the freshly brewed coffee. Most machines will have an adjustable stand, so you can remove it for larger mugs.

Make sure whatever you choose is the correct size to prevent overflow – espressos need smaller cups, while a lungo brew will usually need a mug or large cup.

5. Start brewing

Depending on your coffee pod machine’s design, press the appropriate button for your desired coffee type. Some machines use just one button for all coffees, others will have different options such as espresso, lungo or even milky drinks such as cappuccino.

The machine will pierce the coffee pod and begin the brewing process. Sit back and relax while your coffee is prepared and poured directly into your mug.

The brewing time may vary depending on the machine and coffee type. However, our tests to find the best coffee pod machine showed that the time varied from 13 seconds to one minute.

6. Customise your brew

Most coffee pod machines just brew black coffee, allowing you to customise it by adding sugar, milk, or flavoured syrups to taste afterwards. Some, such as the Tassimo by Bosch My Way 2 (Amazon, £74), also produce milky drinks as the pods are preloaded with powdered milk as well as coffee.

Other coffee pod machines, such as the Lavazza Jolie&Milk (Argos, £169) or the Nespresso Citiz (Amazon, £161.68) come with separate milk frothers, which allow you to make lattes and cappuccinos. You simply froth the milk while the coffee is brewing and then pour into the final black coffee.

If your machine doesn’t come equipped with a frother, there are plenty to choose from on the market – ranging from handheld whisk-style frothers like the Silreck handheld frother (Amazon, £5), to the pricier electric whisks like this Dualit milk frother (Amazon, £99).