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If you are a coffee lover with limited time on your hands, the coffee pod is a great option that allows you to get your fix without wasting valuable minutes in the morning. Coffee pods accomplish the seemingly impossible- providing rich, high-quality brews at the press of a button- in a convenient system that literally anyone can learn to use.

Coffee pods are a relatively new innovation, so many people may not be familiar with the term. A coffee pod is a pre-packaged amount of ground coffee beans contained within its own filter. The pod coffee system differs substantially from traditional brewing, and so the switch to pods may require you to purchase a coffee pod machine to replace your old coffee maker. Here we will provide you with the basic knowledge you need to start using coffee pods, including recommendations on pod coffee makers and brands.

The Senseo system, produced by Douwe Egberts and Philips and first introduced in the Netherlands, was the first popular pod coffee brewing device. After spreading across Europe, the machine arrived in the U.S. The Senseo is renowned for its sleek design and ease of use, making it one of the most prominent pod coffee makers available today.

The Senseo may be used with a variety of other brands whose pods are compatible with the maker. After a patent dispute in Belgium, other European brands were allowed to create their own lines of coffee pods for the Senseo system. While this was bad news for the Senseo parent companies, it has resulted in a wide array of choices for coffee loving consumers.

Senseo coffee pods include mild, dark, and decaffeinated roasts, as well as even more options that vary by country. Also available are flavors such as chocolate and espresso blended with traditional brews. From Wolfgang Puck and other gourmet brews to ubiquitous lines like Folgers and Javastone, the competition for coffee pods has increased dramatically.

Coffee lovers with more unusual tastes can also use coffee pods, as pod coffee makers are not limited to brewing standard morning roasts. In 2008, Senseo introduced another model, the Latte Select, which effortlessly creates café lattes, macchiatos, and cappuccinos.

While a large part of the increasing demands for coffee pods is linked to their ease of use, the consistency of their results has also enticed coffee and espresso lovers to switch over. Each pod has a standardized amount of beans, such as the 7 grams found in espresso coffee pods, which removes the guesswork from the brewing process. This standardization will delight some coffee drinkers and frustrate others, as varying tastes may leave fans of weaker or stronger-than-average brews wishing for more control over their brew.

Coffee pod machines can be purchased from stores such as Target or home specialty chains, as well as from a variety of online sources.  Thanks to the simplicity of home cafe coffee pods, it is now easier than ever to experiment with new flavors and blends.

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There comes a point in the lives of many coffee aficionados when they want something more than the simple cup of drip coffee. While drip coffee brewed in your small coffee maker can be outstanding and a staple for most mornings, there is something about espresso that really gets people going, and it’s not just the caffeine. For many people, espresso is somewhat of a religious experience. Similar to a fine wine, a really good shot of espresso can produce an abundance of complex flavors including hints of fruit, licorice and, of course, smokiness. A properly pulled shot should not be bitter. On the contrary, a good shot should have a fair amount of rich sweetness to it. Although there is a learning curve when it comes to espresso, the good news is that it’s possible to pull great shots on a home espresso maker.

When looking for a home espresso machine it’s important to consider only models that use pressure to brew the espresso. You will want to steer clear of espresso machines that use low pressure steam, as these machines will not give you the results you’re looking for. There are several machines produced by Gaggia that use a boiler to heat the water and that produce sufficient steam to extract the flavors from the coffee beans. You should plan to spend between $200 and $300 for an entry level machine. An alternative to buying a brand new machine is to browse auction sites or local classifieds.

Apart from purchasing the machine itself, another critical purchase is a quality burr grinder. When it comes to brewing any coffee beverage, the things that matter most are the quality and freshness of the beans, the temperature of the water for proper extraction and the consistency and quality of the grind. Plan to spend about $75 for an entry level conical burr grinder, such as the Solis Maestro. Even the best small coffee maker on the market will not perform as expected when coupled with a poor quality grinder.

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