Capsule & Coffee Pod Machines

Benefits of a Capsule Coffee Machine

As anyone with a coffee pod machine at home will know, there are many different reasons for investing in a capsule coffee machine.

First and foremost, a capsule coffee machine is capable of producing a wide range of good quality speciality coffee drinks without the need for a trained barista or a large, bulky bean to cup coffee machine. Pod coffee machines are generally very compact, stylish and require no mains fed water supply, meaning you can use them virtually anywhere, including in retail spaces, small offices without kitchen facilities and in hotel rooms.

Pod coffee machines also offer a rich variety of speciality coffee drinks, including americano, latte, cappuccino, espresso and more, with relatively little effort or mess. Some machines include everything you need to craft each drink within the pod, whilst others feature a separate milk foamer for an extra delicious soft, milky white foam finish.

Some capsule coffee machines, such as Nespresso, are quite restrictive in the range of drinks offered, which is why we’ve chosen brands that offer much more variety, the K-Fee range for example offers delicious Twining's tea pods and Caotina hot chocolate pods.

How do Coffee Capsule Machines Work?

Capsule coffee machines are extremely easy to operate. Simply pour cold water into the water tank and load a new capsule into the machine. Some machines require you to touch a single button to begin the brewing process, whilst others require you to choose a cup size. The machine will then heat the water to the optimum temperature, before creating a hole in the capsule and pushing the water through at pressure. The result is a fresh, aromatic and delicious cup of speciality coffee.

Choosing a Commercial Pod Coffee Machine

Thanks to their popularity in the domestic market there is a huge range of capsule coffee machines available to choose from for your commercial premises. Unlike the machine you have at home, you’ll need to select a hardier, more robust machine capable of preparing several drinks per day without skipping a beat. There are also a number of different features you may wish to consider, including:

• Milk Frother - An integrated milk frother transforms espresso and black coffee into a delicious frothy latte or cappuccino. Whilst it's possible to create milk-based drinks in a pod machine without a milk frother, they usually involve using a separate capsule containing milk powder, so the finish is not as good.
• Automatic Capsule Ejection - This may seem minor, but automatic capsule ejection is a great addition to any capsule coffee machine as it ultimately saves time fiddling about trying to remove the pod.
• Programmable Cup Filling - Adjust the size of your cup using the programmable cup filling feature, from large reusable takeaway cups to small espresso cups.
• Heating Time - Capsule coffee machines vary in terms of how long they take to prepare coffee so it’s worth bearing this in mind when selecting a machine. If you’re working in a busy office where time is in short supply, then a quick brewing system is a must.

Maintaining a Coffee Capsule Machine

Like all kitchen appliances, it’s important to keep your capsule coffee machine clean and maintained. A build-up of dirt and limescale not only affects the quality of your drink but can also lead to costly breakdowns. A clean coffee machine by contrast will produce consistently superior coffee for years to come.

We would recommend rinsing the milk frother after each use to avoid a build-up of milk residue, then cleaning thoroughly at the end of the day with hot soapy water, along with the drip tray and water tank. We’d also recommend wiping down all external elements of the machine.

The most important task for preserving the life of your machine is descaling, which should be carried out every 2-3 months, depending on how hard the water is in your area. The most efficient way to descale is to mix a specialist descaling liquid or tablet with water, placing it into the water tank and running through a full cycle before rinsing thoroughly. Some capsule coffee machines including a descaling function, whilst others will just require you to run the descaler through the machine as if you were making a normal drink.