Coffee Pods

Adair, I remember back in the 1970s-80s that Nestle was highly criticised for even offering their infant milk formula product in third world countries because women should be breast feeding, as well as the clean water issue and the burden of expense of having to buy formula. (Barring of course situations where breast feeding was not possible). Historical article below... very long, but it brought back memories of workplace discussions among colleagues who were not breastfeeding. Two of them could not get the pump to work for them to store/freeze milk for feeding whilst they were at work.

www.nytimes.com/1981/12/06/magazine/the-controversy-over-infant-formula.html?pagewanted=all

I have a Dolce Gusto machine which makes a fantastic range of drinks and love it. DH insists on making real expresso in hob-top pot, and we buy a regular supply of freshly-roasted beans from a brilliant online environmentally supportive company. Actually not a great coffee lover, but don't like teabags either, apart from the "Teapig" bags, so buy real tea from Whittards. Each to his/her own!

I love my Nespresso machine but as I like really hot coffee I always run it through without a pod in first to warm the mug- takes an extra 10 seconds. I use the extra strong ones. Nespresso have a collection service for used pods so they can ensure they are re-cycled properly.

Ooo- time for a nice frothy cup of coffee I think!

Someone gave me a Tassimo. It's OK, but hard to get a strong and decent sized mug out of it without using two pods. Gets expensive as I don't like Costa brand and the others are more.

Recently I have been buying Waitrose 10 packs of those coffee filters. The French blend is as advertised, strong and bold. I can slap those on top of a mug, pour not-quite-boiling water (coffee spoils on the boil) in and it gives great coffee. If I want a stronger mug, I add a tsp of Carte Noir Espresso powder into the coffee filter thingy first. Heaven. I also preheat my mug in the microwave. Carte Noir Espresso on it's own isn't that great, but mixed is lovely.

And it works out much cheaper... than the price of a cup of Tassimo made with two pods.

So, I do enjoy the stuff that comes out of the big expensive barista machines, but have resigned myself to the fact that I need to get to the cafe to have it.

Nespresso is much better I have heard and tasted myself, but the cost is a bit much for me being the only real coffee-holic in the house!

Aside from being difficult to recycle, many coffee pods are made by Nestle. I'm sure most of you recall the Baby Milk Action boycott of Nestle? It hasn't ended, and I can testify from my own experience in Madagascar where Nestle heavily promotes powdered milk (in a country that lacks sufficient access to clean water) that they have not mended their evil ways. And have a look at what they're doing with water in California!

Unfortunately, boycotting Nestle means doing without many many other items, for instance products from Lancome and Garnier, lots of pet foods and sweets; you can get a long list from Baby Milk Action or consult Ethical Consumer Magazine. If you really care about the environment and infant health, it's surely worth it.

I don't drink tea - can't stand the smell of it - so have tried coffee every which way. Pods can be good but are both expensive and wasteful, expresso pot on the stove needs watching and cafetieres - ugh! cloudy and tastes "thick". Good quality instant is OK if we are in a hurry but for preference we like filter coffee, clear and clean tasting. We even take a filter coffee maker on holiday with us.

I had one and didn't like the flavour of coffee at all and the pods are so expensive to buy. You can't beat fresh coffee made simply in a cafetiere for my taste and I gave the machine away to a joiner doing some work for us.

its amazing how many of these machines end up on ebay, once people work out the cost per cup they get rid of the machines. i think its just another fad, like cake pop machines

I'm with the expresso pot on the stove groups, and hot milk in the very strong coffee, or even black. I usually have one of each at tea time . I like some grounds in my black coffee and love Turkish/Greek coffee too. I'm not keen on the coffee from Tassimo or other pods. I was offered one but turned it down. I take those plastic single mug filters to daughter when i baabysit as she often has no coffee in the house at all, just healthy vegan teas. The filter things are not wonderful but better than nothing.

I think those machines and the pods are a ridiculous amount of money. Added to which the problems to the environment by disposal of the pods. I have a double walled cafetiere that I bought from John Lewis and I'm very happy with it. It keeps the coffee nice and hot if you want a second cup.

Me too missedeke. My son has a pod machine and I've never had a coffee I like from it. I prefer instant which son thinks is dreadful. I've had to bring my own decaf instant with me when staying there - strong coffee gives me a headache and makes me feel sick nowadays. I ask for decaf lattes when in cafes and the costa one is good but Waitrose now make it much too strong for me. I think I'll have to switch to tea, which I do find rather boring.

Sorry, I must just be a pleb, I prefer instant!! I find 'proper' coffee gives me stomach ache and I cannot for the life of me find any enjoyment in drinking tes (tastes like sucking pennies!) I am happy with my douwe Egberts.

We have a Tassimo which is my husband's joy ! Because I am always trying to lose weight I don't use the creamer pods. I heat skimmed milk in microwave then use coffee pod in machine. Seems to be a better coffee flavour. Husband takes accumulation of used pods to a designated drop off for recycling.

Mine was great at Christmas with lots of guests, set it up like a hotel coffee bar and left them to it. I also like it when I am not well, better then a teas made at the bedside.you can refill your own pods apparently.........no idea how

I bough DH a dolce gusto & their coffee tastes like coffee from a coffee shop - but the pods are expensive so only use it on special occasions . It's normally instant for us but proper cafetiere coffee on sundays

You can make more than coffee with a pod machine. I like the lemon/peach tea and DS likes chocochino. There are loads of others and you can make them hot or cold. There is no way I could keep that variety of packets/jars in the house.
Our local Kicks Count will take Tassimo pods.

You can see by looking at the way those pods and pouches are constructed that they are not designed with recycling in mind.
What is wrong with a cafetiere?

All most interesting ladies; in spite of the praise heaped on coffee-pod machines by those who love them, we definitely won't be getting one! But I'll raise a cup to you tomorrow morning happy in the knowledge that we are all enjoying our coffee in the way that we like it - and that's just how it should be. Cheers!

I have had mine for 18 months and I LOVE it. ???
I like the blue pods best with the gold decaf as my favourite for after 4pm
I would not be without it.

I've got a Nespresso (gift from my lovely daughter!). I can't get to grips with the thing at all! It gives half a cup of strong coffee, lukewarm frothy milk, and to be honest, I prefer a cup of instant any day! Now if George Clooney could come round and show me how it works... ?

A cafetiere isn't a substitute for coffee pods because the pods produce espresso coffee. I used to love my Nespresso machine but DH started roasting his own coffee so I gave the Nespresso to DS. He and his girlfriend can't afford to use it much so they aren't doing too much damage

The milk for lattes and cappuccinos shouldn't be too hot because it will caramelise and spoil the taste of the coffee, you shouldn't put brown sugar in coffee because that will also change the taste. (Once a barista always a barista )

I have a problem with coffee as I have no sense of smell or taste and the only thing that resembled the coffee I loved was filter. However i've got the Tassimo in our apartment and like the carte noire ones. I only drink black coffee so all the different flavours are lost on me. I'd no idea there was a recycling issue with the pods

We have gone down the cafetière route , and it was fine for a breakfast coffee but my machine makes a perfect latte so I won't be changing back :-)

Re the cafetiere coffee not staying hot, we use a small one that just makes enough for our two cups - if we want more, we make another one so it's fresh.

DH loves his latte from a Dolce Gusto. We don't use the milk pods as they are horrible. The milk is warmed in the microwave and then coffee added from the machine. I prefer tea myself.