The Growing Popularity Of Espresso Pods

Over the last two or three years, espresso pods and espresso pod coffee machines have grown enormously in popularity. If you don't know what these ingenious devices are and you like a good espresso coffee, then you have been missing out!

You may actually have seen these coffee pods but not used them. They are small plastic containers, filled with various blends of coffee, and vacuum-sealed with a foil lid. All you have to do is place this little container into your coffee pod machine, switch it on, and the just wait a few seconds while the lid is pierced and the hot water is forced through, in a similar process to a traditional espresso coffee machine.

You place your cup on a small tray underneath the spout of the machine to collect the wonderful-tasting espresso coffee that is poured out as the hot water is forced through the ground coffee in the pod.

Why would you want an espresso pod machine rather than a traditional espresso coffee machine? Well, there are a number of advantages. First, the pod machines are generally cheaper. Also, they are a lot easier to work with, meaning you can get your cup of espresso much quicker. And they don't require as much maintenance.

Personally, I think the coffee that you get from these pod coffee makers tastes every bit as good as a "real" espresso. Maybe a coffee connoisseur might be able to tell the difference, but I certainly can't, and I would challenge you to determine which was which in a side-by-side test.

The convenience factor is what really sets espresso pods apart however. With the old-style espresso machine, you have to clean the thing out after every time you use it, which is, quite frankly, a pain. Whereas with the coffee pod machine, you just insert your espresso pod, flick the switch, and once the coffee is brewed and poured, the used pod is ejected into a waste container. No mess, no fuss, just great coffee every time.

Are there any disadvantages to espresso pods? Well of course the environmentally-conscious individual may not like the fact that each coffee pod is made of plastic and foil, so every time you make a cup of coffee you are contributing to waste. If this is a big issue for you, then you might want to stick with the traditional type of espresso machine, as the only thing you will be disposing of then are the used coffee grounds, which are fully biodegradable of course.

However, there may be places where you can recycle your used coffee pods, you just need to do a bit of research. The combination of convenience, low cost and the ability to choose from many blends gives coffee pod machines the advantage over traditional espresso machines in my book.

Ahead of going out and spending any of your hard earned cash on a new espresso pod maker, you will probably want to read Benjamin's article on espresso pods at the website Coffee Pods Galore. Free reprint avaialable from: The Growing Popularity Of Espresso Pods.

July 01 2010 | coffee | No Comments »

Single Cup Coffee Maker

A coffee pod machine makes one cup of coffee, and is a popular home appliance. Brewing coffee at home, one cup at a time, lets you have the real coffee taste without a pricey setup. Nowadays, coffee makers are priced affordably and are available in a variety of styles.

The popularity of single cup machines is also due to the fact that they are very low maintenance. These coffee machines are also very user friendly for first time users. These coffee machines are closed system machines and you can only use the coffee that is made for that particular machine. If you like the coffee available, or are not very fussy, then this will not be an issue.

Douwe Egberts and Nespresso both manufacture a popular single cup coffee maker. A Nespesso machine will require that you use Nespresso coffee in it, and the same goes for a Douwe Egberts machine.

Being so easy to use is undoubtedly the top reason for these single serve machines' popularity. Being limited to one brand of coffee doesn't bother most people.

But if you want to work around that limitation, some manufacturers have instructions you can get on making your own pods. At first this was considered to be piracy, so the industry didn't like it, but now they realize that it just increases their sales and ability to compete. Senseo are the top manufacturers for custom pods. In their brewer, you can use any kind of coffee you like, thanks to pod makers and coffee ducks.

A beginner can brew amazing coffee with a single cup coffee maker. You'll get excellent gourmet taste, no fuss, low maintenance and no mess. Above all, you'll save money in the long run by making your own coffee at home instead of paying significantly more at a coffee shop.

August 03 2009 | coffee | No Comments »