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Reusable Nespresso Pods are my new favorite accessory to my Nespresso machine. The coffee from these pods tastes amazing and they’ve more than exceeded my expectations. With a few tweaks I’ve been able to get great tasting espresso type coffee from them. I am sharing all my tips and tricks to get the most out of your reusable Nespresso pods! Also, I’ve broken down the savings I’ve made so far. Please note these are NOT sold by Nespresso and may void the warranty…. so use at your own risk.
I’ve had my Nespresso machine around 5 years now and make coffee from it a couple of times a day. The cost of buying the pods just keeps going up. I knew I needed to find a way to save money on my daily coffee habit. The low budget Nespresso pods have mediocre coffee at best and so I began researching how to use my own coffee in the Nespresso machine. I bought these Reusable Nespresso Pods (paid link) on a whim and decided to give them a try.
Reusable Nespresso Pods are really awesome because you can fill them up with your favorite coffee again and again. Also, the savings add up quickly compared to using one-use pods and they are much more sustainable. Even so, I was skeptical to try reusable Nespresso pods because I wasn’t sure if they would work very well. I’m glad to say that my experience so far has been great, but there was a bit of a learning curve in the beginning.
I bought these Capmesso stainless steel pods and they come with aluminum lids that stick to a little lip on the pods. It’s only sticky on the edges of the aluminum so no glue gets into the coffee. The Capmesso pods also have this option to buy a set with 6 pods and the pods holder. I picked this one because it had the silicone and wood holder that keeps the pods fresh if you make them ahead of time. Also, it’s been a lifesaver while affixing the lids to the pods!
(Paid link)
Most of the stainless steel pods on the market look similar in style, but I only have experience with the Capmesso pods. I have used various aluminum pod lids (affiliate) and all of them have functioned just as well as the Capmesso.
(Paid link)
Benefits of Reusable Nespresso Pods:
- Customizable Coffee: With reusable pods, you’re not limited to the coffee options provided by Nespresso. You can experiment with various coffee blends, flavors, and roasts to create your perfect cup.
- A More Eco-Friendly Choice: Depending on the type of reusable pod you get will determine wether any of the pod goes to waste. The aluminum lids are not reusable, but compared to throwing away a whole pod it is less wasteful. Side note: Nespresso does offer to recycle the traditional pods for you if you send them in, but it only works with their own brand of pods.
- Savings on Costs: One of the coolest things about reusable pods? They save you money in the long run. Say goodbye to constantly buying new pods – just fill up your reusable pod with your favorite coffee grounds, and you’re good to go. Scroll down to see just how much I have personally saved.
- Less Packaging, Less Waste: Reusable pods mean less packaging waste cluttering up your kitchen.
- Freshness: Using fresh coffee really enhances the flavor and experience of Nespresso pods.
So how much have I saved so far by using reusable Nespresso pods? With the cost of coffee and the pod stickers it costs me .21 per pod. The coffee I use is Cafe Bustelo which is very inexpensive at my local grocer. I use these pod stickers from Amazon as well. The average cost of Nespresso branded pods is from .60 at the low end to .90 at the high end. Even if you compare the low end varieties I’m saving 65% of the cost by using my own pods! That’s really amazing. Since I use at least two pods a day… that’s a savings of over $250 per year. (I did not include the cost of the pods themselves since it is a one time purchase.)
Those are my personal savings, and your own savings will vary because you are in complete control of the contents. If you use a more expensive brand of coffee this amount could go up some.
How to Use Reusable Nespresso Pods:
- Prepare Your Coffee: The coffee must be ground finely. Pre-ground coffee that will work in the pods call this grind an “espresso grind”. This is what I’ve been using and it works great. If you grind your own beans then make sure it’s on the finest espresso setting.
- Fill the Pod: Take the scoop that came with your pods and add one scoop full. Tamp this down lightly with the back of the scoop. Repeat scooping in coffee and tamping until the pod is nearly full. There should be around one millimeter space at the top of the pod. Tamp with light pressure and make sure the coffee is even before the next step.
- Seal the Pod: Take the coffee seal stickers and place it on the pod evenly. It helps to have a holder like the Capmesso holder I have to keep the pod steady. Next, place the edge of the sticker first and slowly press the remaining sticker edge to the pod.
- Brew as Usual: Pop your filled pod into your Nespresso machine, and brew your coffee just like you normally would.
- Clean and Repeat: After brewing, remove the pod, take off the lid to discard, empty the grounds, rinse, and let it dry. Your reusable pod is ready for the next brewing adventure.
So how does it taste? This is what it all came down to for me because I bought a Nespresso because I like espresso type coffee. I will say that since the reusable pods are slightly smaller than traditional pods they do produce a slightly weaker coffee. The difference really isn’t much, but I’ve learned a way to get around this. For me, I use two shots using the espresso or lungo buttons and it gives me the strength and taste I like when adding milk to it. If you don’t like it the first time I suggest trying different amounts as well.
Overall I love my new reusable pods and have used them everyday for the past few months. Have you tried them or are going to try them? Give me your opinion below!
Here are the links (paid links) again to the pods and aluminum lids:
Here is some more coffee inspiration:
