The espresso pod is a really neat and unique way to enjoy your favorite espresso based beverage or even your favorite coffee, if you go with the coffee pod. The amount of espresso pods and coffee pods available now is truly amazing. They are obviously becoming more popular and folks are buying them more often so they are being made in greater varieties for all of us to enjoy. We’ll talk about the different options that are available with the espresso pod and what some of the differences are between the espresso pod and the coffee pod. And is that difference important. Stay tuned, and learn just how quickly you can be enjoying fresh espresso as a start to your day.
What is the espresso pod?
The espresso pod is designed to fit inside espresso pod machines like the Capresso Infinity, Jura Capresso and other sesmi automatic espresso machines. The espresso pod is also known as the ESE coffee pods as ESE stands for Easy Serve Espresso and was an attempt by the industry to standardize the size of the espresso pod. In my opinion, the success of this endeavor was so-so. Porta filters, the handled espresso holder that fits the espresso pods and ground espresso coffee beans are still made in a variety of sizes. The ESE espresso pod is a standard size and does fit most of them although you should check with your manufacturer of your cappuccino machine.
The other way you can use an espresso pod is with single serve coffee makers such as the Keurig single cup brewing system or the Senseo pod coffee maker. The problem with both of these systems is that the are not interchangeable, so an espresso pod that works in the Keurig K cup brewer will not work in the Senseo coffee maker and vice versa. However, having said that, if you choose either of these coffee brewers for single cups you likely won’t be disappointed. Senseo’s system was unable to maintain a patent so many other manufacturers entered the arena and now offer espresso pods and coffee pods for this espresso pod machine. The Keurig system on the other hand is a patented system, but Keurig has licensed a bunch of coffee manufacturers to make the espresso coffee pod and other coffee pods for them.
The wide variety of offerings for the espresso pod
For example, you can find Timothys K cups and Keurig coffee pods alongside Newman’s Own coffee pods and others. For the Senseo coffee machine, you can get Melitta coffee pods, Folgers coffee pods, Millstone coffee pods and cialde Lavazza (Lavazza brand coffee pod) amongst others for use with this coffee pod brewer.
One of the other benefits of this type of espresso pod is that you don’t need any espresso machine accessories like an espresso tamper or Cuisinart coffee grinder. So clean up is really a cinch. Plus you’re getting very fresh coffee in each single serving of coffee. More than that, you can enjoy K cup hot chocolate and similar ones for the Senseo. Teas as well, so you could arguably end up with just needing this one system.
Regardless of which single serve coffee machine system you prefer, whether it is the Senseo or the Keurig, or even if you just like regular espresso from your espresso machine, you should have on hand an espresso pod or two for variety and for change.