Capsule and Pod Coffee Reviews - Pros and Cons Compared with Espresso

For the true believers who like a strong, aromatic espresso nothing beats using freshly ground beans of some exotic variety in a standard bench top espresso machine.

Many people enjoy the delicious aroma the coffee as it is ground, and watching the golden stream of steaming coffee as it spouts into the cup with a thick cream colored 'crema'.

However, going through the ritual of making an espresso with all the bells and whistles can be very time consuming. Granulated instant coffee is basically yucky and insipid. But new coffee machines have sprouted that offer a half-way house alternative.

Pods are disks of pre-ground coffee, packaged like a tea bag in a cloth like material. These pods fit into the porta-filter device on many conventional home espresso machines. Small pod-only coffee machine are also available.

Capsules are pre-packaged, measured doses of coffee extract, not ground coffee, but the liquid derived from forcing team through ground coffee.

They offer the taste of brewed coffee delivered instantly from specially designed machines - no mess, no waiting, virtually instant coffee.

But how does the taste of pod and capsule coffee compare with standard espresso and what are the pros and cons of each option for making coffee.

This article reviews the options.

There are many advantages to grinding your own coffee beans
There are many advantages to grinding your own coffee beans. Source: Public Domain

Pros and Cons of Pods

Pros

Cons

Conclusion

Pods are a half-way house, providing most of the benefits of using ground coffee rather than the liquid extract in a capsule, with added convenience and less mess than when using bulk ground coffee. It makes life a little bit easier and convenient.

Pros and Cons of Capsules

Pros

Cons

Conclusion

Capsules provide hassle-free coffee brewing, especially for small footprint areas. Delivers consistent coffee quicker and more easily than espresso machines. More costly per cup and less variety to choose from. The intensity and size of the serving can not be changed.

What about the Taste?

In theory, a cup of coffee made with freshly ground coffee beans in a good quality espresso machine by a trained barista is the ultimate. However whether you can achieve the same result with a home benchtop espresso machine is very debatable due to the following reasons:

Of course, using a capsule denies the coffee drinker all the delights and aromas of making a handcrafted standard espresso coffee the conventional way. This adds a taste and experience that can not be duplicated with a capsule of a pod.

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Espresso coffee is great but it is hard to get the performance from home machines. Are pods the Answer. Source: Public Domain
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Can pods deliver great coffee for the purist? Discover the answer in this comprehensive review. Source: Public Domain
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The caffeine molecule - so small but so powerful. Source: Public Domain
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Ah! So Satisfying!. Source: Public Domain
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Yes coffee boosts attention and alertness. Source: Public Domain
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Additional Health Benefits of Coffee. Source: Public Domain
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Nutrients in coffee and their benefits. Source: Public Domain
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Vitamins and minerals in coffee. Source: Public Domain
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Essential nutrients in Coffee. Source: Public Domain
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How coffee in moderation reduces mortality risks. Source: Public Domain
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Enjoy your coffee knowing it is good for you! Source: Public Domain