29% of Britons own a coffee pod machine. Really?

[horizon]

I came across this today:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... ods-london

I thought coffee pods were the outer shell of the bean or something. I didn't know it was possible to own such a machine. Do you own one?

[mercalia]

not me I have a filter machine

[Bonefishblues]

Nope, the most important machine in our house is our venerable 12 y.o. bean-to-cup machine

No, really, any funny noise causes mild panic at the thought of being without it

[landsurfer]

We have one ... it's upside down in a box in the garage waiting for the 2 year rule to elapse ....
We have standard Nescafe ... in a cup with a sweetener and skimmed milk .......
Because we like it ..... Coffee.

[barrym]

We've got one. Every pod recycled - I'm a bit obsessive.

Very impressed with the coffee, I buy the strongest they do which imo is the best I've had at home. I could never find a filter coffee I enjoyed as much as coffee from a proper independent. These get close.

Also I get small quantities of decaf and odd flavours for family that have these odd tastes;-)

Admittedly it is an expensive solution, about 33p a cup, but I now don't eat cheese or drink wine, which my wife says saves a fortune so a few cups a day isn't too bad.

I must say that when I first heard of pod machines 10 years ago or so, I turned up my nose snobbishly, thinking of the consumerism waste, but I have been converted, and convinced that recycling them isn't too bad.

Anyway, it's a nice cup!

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my Swift 2 Plus using hovercraft full of eels.

[Cyril Haearn]

What happens to the *recycled* pods? Are the different materials reused to make new pods or what?

[[XAP]Bob]

Average British household size is about 2.3 people.

So 29% of Britons - does that mean that nearly every household has one?

[Lance Dopestrong]

Yes, I have one that Mrs Dopestrong bought me a few years ago.

I like the beverage, but have never been keen on the waste. The aluminium pods go in then recycling, but despite my disquiet over then resources I guess its nothing compared to coke cans etc.

Compared to Costalot Coffee etc its pretty cheap, and I don't smoke or drink so its not like I'm reckless with money.

[ferrit worrier]

Average British household size is about 2.3 people.

So 29% of Britons - does that mean that nearly every household has one?

This one doesn't.

Not over keen on the stuff. Stopped drinking tea several years ago. Water, sometimes with a splash of juice, orange, Lime or lemon.

[Cyril Haearn]

The article reports that many capsules are not recycled but go to landfill

Members of the exclusive N-Club in London may now put their used capsules in special purple bags. The capsules are recycled in Congleton

Of course the recovered material is lower grade and the whole circus uses lots more energy

One wonders whether the coffee machines in the stores (price range €50 - €1000+) illustrate how *progress* has gone too far

I am just enjoying a coffee made with a kettle and papers. The waste will be turned into compost 12 km from here, not in Congleton

[al_yrpal]

Bean to cup machine here, a Christmas present to ourselves. Never been keen on the idea of disposable pods. Press the button and out comes perfect coffee just the way you want it. Its fun trying different beans.

It does order you about - Fill tank!, Empty grounds container! Descale!

Al

[Bonefishblues]

Bean to cup machine here, a Christmas present to ourselves. Never been keen on the idea of disposable pods. Press the button and out comes perfect coffee just the way you want it. Its fun trying different beans.

It does order you about - Fill tank!, Empty grounds container! Descale!

Al

I use Happy Donkey Sumatra Mocha

https://www.happydonkey.co.uk/250g-suma ... beans.html

It's a happy medium we both really like, and I guess about 15-17ppc ex consumables, which I also buy (Puly brand) from Happy Donkey.

[Heltor Chasca]

Stove top and Hario drip filter. No pod machine or cafetière.

Best drip filter support I have is a fold up stainless steel one which I take touring and camping. None of this instant nonsense.

[661-Pete]

Cafetiere. Quick 'n simple.

The grounds go in the compost. The bag that the coffee comes in, goes to landfill I think (not recyclable?)

But we don't drink all that much coffee really (Mrs P finds it doesn't agree with her).

[thirdcrank]

Perhaps it's 29% of Grauniad readers who have them, but even that seems like an extraordinarily high estimate. I've stayed at hotels with these in the room and I don't remember ever managing to work out the operating instructions, but my threshold for losing interest is very low.

We've experimented with all sorts including a percolator which came as a wedding present (1967) but we settled on a cafétière some years ago. We have several different sizes to cater for guests.