Single Serve Espresso Machine

If you prefer a cup of coffee that is made just for you, a single serve espresso machine is a great option. Simply fill the water container and add your preferred pod or capsule, then hit the button.

The top coffee pod machines provide convenience, speed and ease of use. Some offer additional options such as hot tea or chocolate.

Precise Extraction

As the name suggests, espresso is created by forcing hot water through finely ground coffee under high pressure. This is a completely different process than drip coffee, where water can flow freely through the grounds. Espresso extraction requires three components such as grind, dose, and tamp.

The first step to making an espresso shot that is good is preheating your portafilter (the round piece of metal that holds the coffee maker single serve grounds). Vigil typically weighs her portafilter prior to when she packs it with coffee, which makes sure that she's using the correct amount of beans. Then, she tamps her grounds to make an adequate amount of solidity to draw all the flavor notes from the beans. She utilizes 30 pounds of force to tamp the grounds which is perfect for a flavorful, consistent espresso.

Keep an eye on the consistency and color of your espresso. A well-extracted espresso should be dark golden for the first few seconds, but transition to a light gold as it approaches the 25-second mark--this is referred to as blonding. A shot that isn't blonding correctly may have bitter or acidic notes.

Some of the machines we tested in our tests, including the Keurig K-Supreme Smart and the Nespresso Vertuo Plus, let you set a brew duration to control the rate at which the coffee is extracted. This is a great feature, but it won't compensate if your beans are not properly ground or roast properly.

In some of the other machines, including the Gaggia semiautomatic machine, you can select the temperature you want to help control the amount of extraction. This can make a significant difference in the flavor of your espresso, but it's not the best solution for an unsatisfactory grind or roast.

A lot of the machines we tested our tests come with built-in options for a milk frother or steam wand, which makes it simple to create espresso with the frothed or steamed milk. This is especially useful for drinks like cappuccino and the latte, which are usually served with steamed milk. Certain machines, such as the Nespresso Inissia or the Cuisinart On Demand, offer reuseable pods to help reduce the waste.

Variety of Drinks

The top single-serve espresso machines are able to make frothed or steamed milk for a variety of espresso-based drinks. A good machine can make rich, creamy cappuccinos and lattes with just a touch of the button. Some include an automatic milk maker, so you don't have to purchase a separate machine at the counter.

The best espresso makers also offer other drinks, like Iced drinks. Some models come with built-in grinders that can grind beans in a fresh manner, whereas others make use of a carafe that has multiple servings. Some models have adjustable settings, allowing you to choose your preferred temperature and strength. The Nespresso Essenza Mini is the most popular model in this class. It can make double or lungo shots and a variety drinks with just a push of a button.

If you prefer more sophisticated drinks then the Philips Breville Intuo XS makes it easy to make cappuccinos as well as lattes. It is simple to use and intuitive, with five popular drinks available at the touch of one button. The brewing process is fast and produces delicious espresso with no effort on your part. It is also eco friendly, reducing the number of coffee pods that you need to buy.

If you're a fan of experimenting with your own ideas look into a multi-functional espresso maker that is able to prepare both single- and double-shot drinks. The best coffee and espresso maker brands feature an easy-to-use interface that lets you adjust the size, strength and brew time of your beverage at the push of the button. You can also choose from a wide variety of coffee beans, from traditional to exotic varieties and blends. Some have a grinder for fresh grounds, which can offer more control over the taste of your coffee than pre-packaged pods.

Convenience

The convenience of single coffee machines-serve espresso machines is one of their major advantages. They're easy to brew, require minimal cleanup, and eliminate the need for measuring ground coffee or coffee beans. They are made to only make one cup, so there aren't any leftovers.

Machines that make use of capsules and pods (like Keurig or Nespresso), which come pre-packaged with the correct amount of coffee ground for one cup, operate on the same principle. All you have to do is select your drink of choice, insert the pod into the machine, and then press a button. The majority of machines also have the ability to brew tea or hot cocoa, and some also have milk frothers that allow for the easy making of milk-based drinks.

However, while these machines are extremely useful, they come at an expense in terms of cost and environmental footprint. Pods can be more expensive than ground coffee, or bean-to cup, and are usually packaged in plastic, which means you'll need to find a recycling method. This could be costly over time and is something to consider when purchasing a pod-based coffee maker single maker.

Other models provide more flexibility in terms of brewing sizes and are able to handle various types of beans or grounds. These are sometimes called "ground-to-cup" machines. The personal coffee maker is placed in an insulated filter basket that sits on top of the machine or in the case of espresso-style machines and portafilters, you'll place it into a filter, which resembles an espresso machine filter and looks like a traditional coffee pot. These machines are the closest to traditional barista's flavor, however they can be more expensive and complicated than models that make use of pods or capsules.

There are also super-automatic machines as well as manual machines. They work similarly to the typical coffee maker, but with a higher degree of automation. They can automatically dispense coffee and other beverages, and can also handle routine maintenance tasks like decaffeinating or descaling. They have earned our highest Lab scores for their user-friendliness and reliability. They can be difficult to keep in good condition.

Maintenance

You know as professional baristas that your equipment needs to be regularly cleaned and descaled in order to make excellent coffee. It's also a good idea to flush the espresso group heads nightly and wipe your machine to get rid of any loose individual coffee maker grounds or milk residue. These routine tasks may appear tedious, but they're essential to the longevity and quality of your equipment.

Cleaning your single serve espresso machine is crucial not just for hygiene reasons but also for the taste of your espresso. If you don't take care to clean your machine, it can lead to impurities and bacteria being created that affect the taste and aroma of your coffee. Cleaning your espresso machine doesn't take as long as you think. You can keep your machine in good condition for years by taking just an hour or two a day cleaning it thoroughly once a month.

First, you'll need empty the drip tray (this is usually a simple task that can be accomplished in just one step). Then, wipe down the machine's internal parts. It's best to make use of a mild soap along with water and a sponge, particularly around the hot boiler and the portafilter. When you're done, wash the inside and outside of your machine with an unclean towel or cloth.

Regularly cleaning your espresso machine is the most important component in maintaining it. Backflushing and descalers remove any hard-water residues from your machine, which could adversely affect the flavor of your espresso. It's best to descale every 300 cups, or roughly once a month depending on the frequency you use your coffee maker.

To perform a backflush, you will need to take off the steam wand, group head, and other components of your espresso machine and soak them in a solution made from water and espresso machine soap for at least 30 minutes. After the baskets and portafilters are clean then you can run fresh water through them. You can also backflush the steam portafilter and scrub it with nylon brushes. Finally, sanitize the draining hose by using a dilute solution of cleaner and water.