If you've used either a Keurig or an espresso coffee maker, operating the Instant Pod will feel familiar. Around the back of the machine is a large, removable water tank (68 ounces, or 2 liters).

But it’s not the high-end commercial espresso machine that Terra Kaffe is competing against. It’s the one-touch simplicity of the pod- and capsule-based coffee machines made by companies like ...

I spent a few weeks testing pod machines and got so fed up with the process that I'd line up six pods and pack them at night so I wouldn't have to spend 20 minutes fussing with them in the morning.