Pod coffee makers are contentious, but I love them. I’m a big fan of getting caffeine into my system as quickly as possible upon waking up. While I can understand the ritual and ceremony behind crafting a fancy cappuccino or pulling the perfect espresso shot, my morning self simply cannot be bothered. If you, too, believe in the power of the pod, there are tons of pod coffee maker deals for Black Friday.
Make sure to check out our roundup of the Best Black Friday Coffee Deals for more discounts on WIRED-tested gear. Want a wider range of deals? Check out the Absolute Best Black Friday Deals roundup and our Black Friday liveblog.
WIRED Featured Deals:
Bruvi BV-01 Brewer Bundle for $198 ($150 off)
The Bruvi BV-01 is my favorite pod-style coffee maker. It’s cute as a button, with clean and simple lines and an aesthetically pleasing design that should match any kitchen decor. I like the large touchscreen interface and the built-in wastebasket. My favorite part, though, is that the proprietary B-Pods are biodegradable and designed to break down in a landfill. I don’t have to worry about specialty recycling or sending the pods off somewhere to be processed. And yes, the resulting beverage is good, too, be it coffee, tea, or “espresso.” (Sale price with coupon.)
Ninja DualBrew Pro for $150 ($90 off)
Sometimes a pod will do, and sometimes you want a whole pot of coffee. Rather than sacrifice double the counter space, consider the Ninja DualBrew Pro. This pod coffee maker can be used with K-Cups or coffee grounds that you supply, and in addition to brewing individual cups of coffee, you can also make entire carafes. There’s a built-in milk frother, though you’ll need to warm the milk separately, and you can also brew directly over ice if you prefer your coffee cold. While the machine is on the large side, I like that you can reposition the water reservoir to make it fit your countertop more efficiently.
Keurig K-Café Smart Single Serve Coffee Maker for $150 ($50 off)
This is the pod coffee maker I find myself reaching for most often. My entire family loves it, partially thanks to the built-in milk steamer that can warm and whip up milk for specialty beverages like lattes. I can make my nearly black coffee, and my little sister can make her fancy syrupy-sweet foamy whatsits, with no specialty tools or time spent setting anything up. It’s easy to use, with on-board controls that let you choose a capacity and a strength, and a large reservoir that you won’t need to refill often. The brewer will intelligently identify compatible K-Cups and suggest recipes in the optional app, but I personally found the app pretty annoying. Thankfully, it isn’t necessary to get the most out of this machine.
Nespresso Vertuo Pop+ with Aeroccino Milk Frother for $129 ($50 off)
Technically, Nespresso brewers don’t reach high enough pressure levels to brew true espresso. But the many different espresso pod varieties result in an espresso-like beverage with more bite and body than drip coffee. There are also pods for plain ol’ coffee, and I liked them both. I’m personally not partial to flavored brews, but my co-testers were fans of Nespresso’s almond, caramel, and mocha Vertuo varieties. I think this pod coffee machine could be more user-friendly—it took me a second to figure out how to insert a pod—but I like that the capsules are recyclable, and that the machine collects its own waste. This deal comes bundled with an Aeroccino milk frother that can help elevate your morning drink of choice. I’d be remiss not to mention the rainbow of color options for this machine, most of which are on sale for Black Friday.
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