Coffee pods are OK in a pinch, but in my experience even the best ones can't compare with the rounded, full flavor you get from freshly-ground beans. I test over a dozen coffee makers a year, of all different types, and none of the capsules I've tried can match the taste of traditionally-made espresso.
A recent survey of TechRadar readers' coffee-brewing habits revealed that although 52% of people agree with me and brew their morning drink with beans, 25% are committed to their pods. I can see why — pods are definitely convenient, and there's no grinding or measuring necessary — but they also produce waste, you're limited to one particular type of pod, and the pods can be expensive. But there is an alternative.
I recently had the opportunity to test a new espresso machine that makes brewing with whole coffee beans as easy as using pods, is very reasonably priced, and is a piece of cake to keep clean. It's called the Philips Baristina, and if you want to break away from coffee capsules, it's perfect.
At first glance the Baristina looks a bit like a manual espresso machine, with a portafilter (the tool with a handle that holds the coffee grounds), but don't be intimidated - all you need to do is push that into the machine and slide it a few inches to the right, then press a button for either a single or double shot of espresso. That's it — there are no barista skills needed at all.
After you press the button, the Baristina will measure and grind the appropriate quantity of coffee directly into the filter basket. The machine will then tamp it down, and the portafilter will move to the left all by itself and pour hot water through it at high pressure to produce your drink.
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At the end, just pull out the portafilter, knock the used coffee grounds out into your food waste bin (they will come out in a solid puck, with no mess), wipe the filter basket and you're done. It's much easier and less hassle than using a super-automatic espresso machine (where all the brewing happens inside the case) for a fraction of the price. It's so good, I didn't hesitate to award it a full five stars.
The only downside is that, like most capsule coffee makers, the Baristina doesn't have a steam wand for foaming milk — but don't worry. The machine is also available bundled with a separate milk frother, which my colleague Max Langridge gave four stars out of five in his review.
If you're one of the 25% of our readers still brewing with pods, the Baristina will open up a whole world of speciality coffees, letting you brew with any beans you like, experimenting with new beans, roasts, and blends. If you'd like to move away from the limits of pods, I don't think you'll look back.
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