The difference between pods and capsules is considerable since capsules contain 5 grams of coffee while pods contain 7 grams. This means that the coffee extracted from pods is more full-bodied. Pods are more environmentally friendly, they can be easily recycled and have no negative impact on the environment.
Coffee pods are round or flat packages made with paper that can fit in multiple machines, but they are fragile and don't stay fresh long. Coffee capsules are plastic or aluminum containers that are vacuum sealed and more customizable for private label companies.
Coffee pods are made of a combination of plastics and aluminum. They take anywhere from 150 to 500 years to break down in landfills, so they aren't exactly environmentally friendly. Furthermore, the plastic that holds the coffee may contain harmful chemicals that may seep into the coffee that you will consume.
A coffee pod or pad is a pre-packaged dose of ground coffee in a paper filter like a round teabag. These come in two types: soft and hard.
What pods can I use? That depends entirely on the machine you choose. Most manufacturers use one standard pod type which is unique to the brand. Nespresso has two varieties of pods: the classic type used by the majority of its machines, and larger Vertuo pods specific to the Vertuo line-up.
Similarly, you can't chop and change between different manufacturer's capsules: Nescafè's Dolce Gusto, Lavazza's A Modo Mio and Nestlé's Nespresso and Vertuo capsules only work with their specifically designed machines. As we've already mentioned, you can use 44mm ESE pods with any compatible espresso machine.
NESPRESSO & COMPATIBLE
In more recent times the sister system, the Nescafé Dolce Gusto, has stolen some market share. The two systems should not be confused with each other, capsules are not interchangeable. However, there is a lot of machines on the market which can use original or compatible Nespresso pods.
Coffee pods make preparation time shorter and the process simpler. You no longer have to roast beans and think about the quantity and temperature of the water. You can prepare one coffee in 2, 3 minutes easily.
With that said, pod coffee machines are more consistent, as you know exactly how much coffee is in each capsule. This means there will be less variance between each cup you make in terms of taste and caffeine hit.
But Hamburg's Department for the Environment and Energy argues that coffee pods cause "unnecessary resource consumption and waste generation," and "often contain polluting aluminum." Coffee pods are just one of a variety of products city employees are no longer allowed to use on office premises.
In terms of convenience, I have to hand it to the coffee pods. They succeed in what they're designed for, making coffee that's quick and easy. It's certainly a compromise when it comes to flavour and your available options, but you can't deny its ease of use.
More Than Just Coffee
Grounds individually sealed into pods mean that the coffee and tea are fresh with every single use. Its also a huge advantage not to have to brew a whole pot or fill a whole press for just one cup. Pods allow you to make one serving of coffee at a time.
We would like to inform you that the 4 Nespresso coffee capsules from the Single Origin range will be discontinued as soon as stocks end. We are planning to launch a new range of coffee capsules which will offer you similar benefits. Thank you for your loyalty to Nespresso.
Providing you follow the correct instructions, most compatible pods should work in your Nespresso® machine. However, some may not work as well as you hoped. It all depends on the pod you choose and the machine you use. That's why you should use a trusted brand with good reviews.
So there you have it, folks. Nespresso pods are expensive for a variety of reasons. These include the high quality of the coffee inside, the cost of packaging and production, the branding and marketing of the company, and the convenience of single-serve capsules.
To restate the facts, a single-use coffee pod is only suitable for that – one use. On the other hand, you can use reusable coffee pods an infinite number of times. Are you looking to buy the perfect coffee pod for your machine?
Depending on the type of pod you have, you may be able to just place it in a coffee mug and pour water over it. To do this, remove the pod from its packaging and drop it into your mug. Pour boiling water into your mug. Slowly pour boiling water into the mug.
After making the ground coffee from roasted beans, coffee pod manufacturers package the ground coffee in single-serve containers. The production process is one of the primary differences between coffee pods and instant coffee.
ALDI's pods received five stars for value for money, packaging convenience, variety and range and overall satisfaction while Nescafe landed five stars for taste, texture and consistency, packaging convenience and overall satisfaction. Nespresso and Starbucks by Nespresso followed in third and fourth place.
So as we know and would expect, coffee capsules are more expensive compared to coffee beans. This makes sense as they are individually packed for each cup of coffee, and the coffee is fresh and of good quality. Most standard brands sell their coffee capsules for around $0.50 per capsule, which is reasonable.
How long will your Nespresso machine last? The lifespan of most coffee machines can be anywhere between 5 and 10 years, depending on the type. Nespresso machines are generally made of quality parts and a tried-and-tested designs which means they should be on the mid to upper end of that range.
That's what our Alcafé coffee pods offer. Whether you use an Aldi, Nespresso or Dolce Gusto machine, our coffee pods come in a wide range of strengths and flavours so you can brew your perfect coffee, any time of day. Amazing!
First, let's look at the difference in pods. The original pods are small and narrow and come in one size only (since they're really meant for espresso), while the Vertuo pods are wide and round and may differ in height depending on what's inside.