Evil Facts About Coffee Capsules

Although instant espresso machines date back to the early 1980’s with the Espresso Point, it was the Kuerig single brew coffee system that launched America’s addiction to these expensive, environmentally hazardous capsules.

Via eastbayexpress.com

In a society that functions on a strict get-it-now attitude, timed coffee machines and a Starbucks on every corner just wasn't enough to appease American's insatiable caffeine driven appetite . Now, you can brew just a single cup of coffee or espresso in your own home in less than a minute with each capsule containing a pre-portioned coffee grounds , ready to brew with just a touch of a button.

What could be so bad about that?

Cost

nytimes.com

In 2012, the NY Times compared single-serve coffee and espresso capsules with some of the most expensive high-end beans and found that the conveniences of the capsules are not worth the price. The price of a pound of K-cup coffee is five times more than a pound of similarly flavored coffee from Dunkin Donuts. That was last year, however, and Msn recently reported that the prices have skyrocketed; going up to as much as $81.00 a pound. You may not have to tip the barista or have to clean the pot, but at what cost?

Some argue that this will save the consumer money by avoiding the trip to the coffee shop but a Nespresso can cost you about $1.00, about the same price as a Starbucks espresso. The machines themselves run upwards of $500 with the Keurig started at about $100. The pods themselves are pricey, though they are cheaper bought in bulk at Costco or online like Amazon, but most people don't just drink one cup. Multiply that by the amount of coffee consumed in a week or months and that can come to thousands of dollars while most high-end coffee beans will cost you hundreds less over the course of the year.

Environmental Hazard

Via nytimes.com

In a nation that is growing increasingly aware of its impact on the environment, the booming coffee capsule market is a step in the wrong direction. Coffee pods are ground coffee beans in a paper filter, while coffee capsules generally come in plastic and metal containers. Both Keurig or Nespresso use the latter, neither of which are recyclable. Billions of these little pods with plastic, tinfoil, and grounds are being disposed of after just one used and ending up in landfills for our sake and convenience.

Some possible solutions include using biodegradable packaging, specific programs to recycle the capsules or making the coffee filters themselves reusable, like the Senseo brand. Green Mountain Coffee is taking a proactive approach by observing the waste stream from production to disposal and producing more environmentally friendly packaging.

Via blogs.scientificamerican.com

Taste

Do you like the taste of medal? Nespresso espresso was recently put through a blind taste test with four other espresso capsules and the exclusive, premium, expensive high-end brand came in dead last.

Have you tried freshly ground, french pressed brewed coffee? It will take you more than a minute to make but coffee experts wouldn't want it any other way.

Coffee beans oxidize quickly when exposed to air so it's best to use them right away. If you think about how long it takes them to grind the coffee, get it into the capsules and to store shelves, it's more than fifteen minutes. Even if the coffee grounds are freeze dried and sealed in plastic of metal, nothing will compare to making your own. An inexpensive and worthwhile habit to pick up.

Via blogs.sfweekly.com