When it comes to cooking (and by extension, bartending), I’m about as lazy as they come. Sure, that layered drink may look delicious, but when I start to dig in and see 15 steps to get to the finished result or 700 ingredients that will cost me more than $100 on my next grocery run, it starts to look a whole lot less yummy. I want simple, I want fast and I want cost effective. Which led me to a the Bartesian ($330): the adult appliance wonder that churns out cocktails like my beloved Nespresso Vertuo ($147) churns out my morning cup of joe. But as I’ve discovered, just like K-Cups, not all Bartesian pods are created equal.

Considering that they’re not exactly cheap (a six-pack will run you about $15), you'll want to know which ones are actually worth the spend before adding them to your cart. Which is why I’ve done the hard, hard work of testing—or should I say, tasting—out nine boxes to determine which ones you’ll love the most this summer. Looking for a capsule that will cut right to the buzzy chase? The whiskey sour has you covered. Want something that tastes more like a cup of juice? Say hello to the rum breeze. Find out more about each type of pod, its merits and its shortcomings below.

For a quality mixed drink in the Bartesian, you've got to do more than pop the capsules into the machine and press mix.

In addition to taste, I also took into account how strong the drinks made with the pods were and looked at factors such as sugars and calories. (For reference, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2020 to 2025 suggests consuming no more than 50 grams of sugar a day, and some of these pods equate to half of that quota.) I also factored in how summery each one was and how easy it was to throw back, ie, the drinkability (note that this is different than taste).

Below, nine of the best Bartesian pods for every cookout, party and cocktail-savoring moment of summer.

The Bartesian Cocktail Maker Is Like a Nespresso Machine, But for Cocktails

30 Summer Cocktails That Anyone Can Mix Up at Home

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Nicole is PureWow's Commerce Director. With a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Michigan State University and more than 15 years of experience writing and editing shopping content, she has made a career for herself covering her favorite topics: fashion, lifestyle, travel and rock 'n' roll. She lives in Florida with her boyfriend and two cats, and she can usually be found stalking hairless animals on the internet. Check out her blog at nicolebjean.com. (You can also follow her on Twitter or Instagram.)

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