A very interesting part of the coffee business is how so many people are still trying to understand what a coffee pod is and the benefits of using coffee pods to have great tasting espresso coffee at home.

In this article we are sharing the most common questions that come from people who buy from us.  We hope this can help anyone still seeking answers….

Question #1 – Do coffee pods fit in any machine?

The short answer to this question is “No”.  There are certain coffee machine brands that have designed coffee machines that ONLY fit specific their own branded coffee pods.  We call this the “Printer/Ink Cartridge Scam”.  These brands sell the coffee machines cheap and then charge a premium for the coffee pods knowing customers have no choice.  This is a business approach modelled after the well-known printer brands.

The second part to this question is, what machines does the Vibe Coffee Pods fit into?  Generally speaking, our pods are what’s known as Nespresso® compatible which simply means they are designed to fit on the majority of Nespresso® machines.  But to be sure you can visit our Nespresso® compatible page (click here!) to see a list of all the machines where our pods perfectly fit.

Question #2 – Are coffee pods filled with instant coffee?

The short answer to this question is “No”, it’s not instant coffee.   But its an important question because the standard of roasted and ground coffee that goes into a coffee pod is varied across all brands.  It’s easy to see why people would think its instant coffee because the level of grind is important to get right in coffee pods.   The process of the water flowing through the coffee pod machine and into the pod and how it must react and intermingle with every coffee grind is the key to producing a high standard of espresso coffee from a coffee pod.

This is why the roasting, grinding and packing of Vibe Coffee pods is completed to a high standard in a Melbourne based factory.  And is one of the reasons why Vibe Coffee is an Australia Owned Certified company.

Part 2 of this question is, “which is better coffee pods are instant coffee?”

Instant coffee undergoes a completely different manufacturing process to coffee beans which are ground to fit into coffee pods.  So to answer this comes down to personal taste.

If you are a person who enjoys the rich flavours and aromas of espresso, and wants this in your own home, coffee pods is the way to go

If you are a more budget conscious, can’t be bothered paying for a coffee pod machine, and are not fussy about the taste or strength of your coffee, instant might be OK for you.

There is no right or wrong.

Question #3 – Are Coffee Pods Biodegradable/Compostable?

Not all coffee pods can say they are biodegradable.  This is because the will have one part of the pod that is not fully compostable.  Some well known coffee pod brands may have a capsule that is compostable, but the seal they use us not.  The “seal” is the top part that seals the freshness of the coffee into the coffee pod until its punctured and has hot water running through it.

To be clear, the pod used in ALL Vibe Coffee coffee pod products are 100% biodegradable, and adheres to a European Standard (“EN13432”).  This standard defines how quickly and to what extent a biodegradable plastic must degrade under industrial composting conditions.

The Vibe Coffee coffee pod materials break down completely into non-toxic components (water, carbon dioxide, and biomass).  And this compostable process will not harm the environment.

The primary reason as to why other coffee pod retailers do not adhere to this standard is due to the high cost of purchasing these compostable materials.

Out of interest this is becoming a big issue globally.  In Hamburg Germany, coffee pods are being banned.   This from a spokesperson in the Independent….

The capsules can’t be recycled easily because they are often made of a mixture of plastic and aluminium.  It’s 6g of coffee in 3g of packaging.   We in Hamburg thought that these shouldn’t be bought with taxpayers’ money.

Question #4 – Why are coffee pods so popular?

When people have the right coffee pods and the right coffee pod machine, they can easily enjoy a great tasting Espresso (or Chai Latte) in the comfort of their own home without the fuss of measuring beans, grinding beans, applying the right water temperature, and working hard to produce the right amount of crema.   Coffee pods allow you to taste great espresso at the press of a button.

Question #5 – How do I choose a coffee pod?

With the advancements in coffee roasting and brewing techniques, coffee pod tastes and aromas can now vary to suit any type of personal taste.  Added to this is the varying intensities that are now available where there is an actual score rating from a “low intensity” to a “high intensity”.

Another common question we receive is, what does coffee pod intensity actually mean and how can this score help me select the right coffee for me?  The Vibe Coffee team wrote an article exactly answering this question (click here to read!).

When it comes to the different tastes and aromas on offer, below are just a few examples of the types of flavours you can now enjoy in your own home….

Rich pure organic espresso with taste of maple syrup and roasted almond (click here to learn more about this espresso pod)

Arabica coffee with smooth wine-like flavours and notes of caramel crafted Melbourne style (click here to learn more about this espresso pod)

Robusta coffee beans that provide a strong caffeine kick with caramel and cinnamon notes (click here to learn more about this espresso pod)

Dark roasted Italian Espresso with velvety cream and deep flavours (click here to learn more about this espresso pod)

Full bodied molasses and cocoa flavoured espresso (click here to learn more about his espresso pod)

The Final Word:

There you have it the 5 most common questions we get asked about coffee pods!  If there is a question you have that is not mentioned above, do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Chai Pods:

Even though this article has focussed on coffee pods, there are also Chai Latte pods which use the same pod/capsule materials to hold the ingredients, but when placed into a coffee pod machine, it produces a delicious Chai.

You can learn more about Chai Latte Pods by see the Vibe Coffee Chai Latte product (click here) or read a short article which explains what is a Chai Latte and why does it taste so good.