Pods and capsules: what differences?

If you are an espresso coffee lover and want to enjoy it at home, you are certainly thinking of buying a coffee machine. At this point, the question that arises is whether it is better to buy a pod machine rather than a capsule machine.

In this article we are going to see what the differences between pods and capsules are and what they have in common in terms of taste and use.

In recent years, the traditional moka coffee machine is giving way to the more modern pod and capsule machines. The reason is not time, which is more and more a tyrant, the choice is falling on this type of extraction because for many it is the best way to preserve all the aromas of the coffee.

Pods or capsules: what differences?

Despite what you might think, pods and capsules are not the same thing. The first difference is in the shape. In fact, the former are disks of ground and pressed coffee enclosed into a thin layer of compostable paper. The latter are rigid or semi-rigid plastic or aluminium containers hermetically sealed to preserve the aroma and taste of the coffee as much as possible.

The other difference immediately jumps out at you: after use, coffee pods are disposed of in organic waste, while the second ones in undifferentiated waste.

Another important difference is that the pods comply with an important standard, the so-called ESE (Easy Serving Espresso), which imposes the same size on all, so that they can be used in any machine.

Capsules, on the other hand, can have a different shape, so it is necessary to have the appropriate coffee machine to use them.

Commonalities

Pods and capsules do not only have differences between them, but also several points in common. Let us look at some of them.

Both pods and capsules are characterised by small doses of coffee, usually the amount is 7 grams of coffee, obviously it can vary depending on the capsule size. The blend inside them is made from Arabica and Robusta quality.

Furthermore pods and capsules are enclosed into a protective packaging to protect the coffee inside from moisture, air and light. As is well known, in fact, direct contact of the product with atmospheric agents compromises its taste and aroma.

In both cases, these two products prove to be very practical because you only need to insert the pod or capsule inside the coffee machine to obtain an excellent espresso (obviously if the blend is the right one).

Now that you know the differences between pods and capsules which one would you choose?