Espresso Pod Machine Reviews

So you are in the market for an Espresso Pod brewer.  Good for you.  These machines and the pods are a remarkable piece of technology and ease of use.  You simply pour in water, put in a pod and hit the button.  In 30-60 seconds you have a perfectly brewed cup of espresso for you to enjoy.  Here is a quick look at some espresso pod machines on the market.  This is by no means a comprehensive list, but just some of the popular units:

• Hamilton Beach makes an inexpensive model that works with both pods and ground espresso.  This 10 pound unit sells for around $45 at most retailers and online.  While most of the reviewers on Amazon appear to like the unit (it was rated a 3.5 across 147 reviewers), so of the negative comments include that the espresso does not come out hot enough.  Some reviewers report that the ergonomics of getting cups under the spout and the steaming wand being cheap and again too low for most milk frothing pitchers.  I guess what you pay for.
• Gaggia has a semi-automatic espresso machine that again can brew either espresso pods or ground espresso.  Unlike the less expensive Hamilton Beach, the Gaggia , which retails for around $240, is made of mostly metal and stainless steel interior with a plastic exterior.  It features a cup warmer and a 1425 watt heater to get the water hot for the espresso.  This company makes units that can sell for up to $2000, which feature all metal and stainless steel exteriors.
• Breville has a stainless steel model that brews a single and double shot of ground espresso as well as pods.  The warming tray on the top of the machine can warm up to 6 cups.  This manufacturer has a unique Triple_Prime pump that delivers 3 bursts of hot water prior to extraction to expand the beans and eliminate air pockets.  This is said to produce more crema.  This brewer retails for $275.
• Delonghi makes a nice black model that retails for around $95.  It can use both pods and ground espresso.  It has a swivel jet frother for easy use under most milk pitchers.  This unit does have one disadvantage that it is rated to use 1/3 less pressure to make the espresso than many of the other units.  I would recommend more research into reviews for this unit before purchasing it.

You can see that there are many different price points and feature sets that you can find on these brewers.  There are extensive reviews on the internet for these and other units to help you make your decision.