Understanding Coffee Capsules and What They Mean To You

Coffee has grown to become one of the most popular drinks in the world, with different varieties and different methods of preparation common worldwide, from French-press to filter to Turkish coffee being popular nearly everywhere.

With so many different types of coffee bean, and so many different methods of preparation, coffee aficionadosthroughout the world are spoiled for choice as to how they will enjoy their drink.

Coffee Drinking

Many coffee drinkers prefer to choose and grind their own beans, some even going to the effort of roasting their own beans according to their preferences. Ground coffee and coffee beans can be bought almost anywhere, with other options being instant coffee, Turkish/Greek/Arabic coffee. 

Coffee can be enjoyed hot, cold, with or without milk, with or without sugar, and even has found itself into cocktails or foodas a stimulating ingredient. Latte, Americano, Macchiato, Mocha – so many choices are available.

In 2020/2021, approximately 166.63 million 60 kilogram bags of coffee were consumed worldwide, with many countries, including Canada, citing it as their most popular beverage, drinking somewhere between 2.5 and 3.0 cups day on average in recent years. The Canada Food Guide even lists unsweetened coffee as a health drink.

A 2018 study of over half a million people suggested thatconsumption of at least 8 cups a day can boost chances for a longer life across a range of different types of coffee.

With so many different methods of preparing and consuming coffee becoming popular in recent years, many people are looking for a simple and effective way to enjoy quality coffee. Coffee capsules have become one of those quality options for people who want a great cup of coffee, but with minimal effort and mess.

What Are Coffee Capsules?

When people think of coffee capsules, they may think of George Clooney and the Nespresso brand. They are certainly one popular brand worldwide, but by no means the only brand available for discerning consumers. Other popular brands worldwide include: Keurig, Gloria jean’s Coffees, Starbucks, Bestpresso, Kissmeorganics, Nescafe, Nestle, Lavazza A Modo Mioand Gourmesso. Some brands will only make coffee capsules to fit compatible machines, whereas some brands will make both machines and capsules.

Deciding whether coffee capsules are best for you, involves understanding what a coffee capsule is, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of that particular method of preparing coffee.

A coffee capsule is a pre-packaged, measured single dose of coffee. A coffee capsule can be a very convenient method of making coffee, particularly for one person. Although this is perfect for one person, it is not always convenient when making coffee for more people, although you can quite simply repeat the process as many times as required to make the requisite number of coffees for your guests.

The coffee is manufactured inside a single-use capsule, often made of plastic or aluminum which must be disposed of once the coffee has been made. The freshly-ground coffee inside the capsule is usually kept fresh by a foil top that is pierced by the coffee maker when the coffee is made by pumping hot water at high pressure through the coffee maker along with the coffee from the capsule.

The fact that coffee capsules are often single-use plastic or aluminum does mean that they are not necessarily an environmentally friendly way of consuming coffee. However, many companies that make and sell coffee capsules are aware of this from feedback that they get from customers and are putting effort into manufacturing more environmentally friendly options, with new bioplastics and other biodegradable options becoming increasingly common.

Each coffee capsule is then used with the relevant coffee maker system, which also includes a water tank which can heat the relevant amount of water, and the coffee is then poured by the machine into a cup.

As individual coffee makers that are compatible with coffee capsules may require capsules of a specific size, it is not always possible to mix and match coffee capsules from different manufacturers, although many third-party companies (including supermarket own brands) do make different size coffee capsules for different coffee makers.

As well as basic coffee flavours such as Americano or Espresso, many coffee capsule manufacturers will produce a wide range of flavours. Coffee flavoured with hazelnut, caramel, almond or vanilla are common options that are available.

A great advantage of coffee capsules is that you only need one coffee system, i.e. one piece of equipment, in order to make a wide range of different flavours. Previously you might have needed different equipment to make Americano, Espresso, Latte and flavoured coffees.

Coffee capsules and the related machines can therefore vastly increase the range of coffees that you can make at home, but at a fraction of the space required to keep multiple, bulky coffee making machines, which is one of the reasons that they have become so popular in recent years.

Another advantage is the concept of portion control. The coffee has been pre-measured in the pod to make the appropriate size of strength of coffee required. For most people this will be sufficient, although some coffee aficionados might rue the lack of control over the strength or weakness of the coffee. However, many coffee capsule manufacturers will also make coffee capsules of different strengths to meet different needs.

Coffee Capsules versus Coffee Pods

Often you will hear people talk about coffee pods, when actually they mean coffee capsules. It is useful therefore to understand the difference between coffee capsules and coffee pods, so you are aware which coffee preparation method you are talking about.

Coffee pods are not dissimilar in principle to tea bags. They are again single-serve amounts of coffee, but this time they are wrapped up in a filtered bag, or pod, not unlike a traditional tea bag.

Summary

Coffee capsules, from whichever manufacturer you choose, have succeeded in bringing a whole range of coffee-based flavours and smells into houses and businesses worldwide, increasing the choice and flexibility of options for coffee makers everywhere. The ease of making and the low level of mess are attractive to many people wanting to make quick, easy, quality coffee.