How to Make Your Own Coffee Pods

I love coffee.  There is something about that warm mug and that wonderful aroma in the morning that can make me get out of bed.  In fact, if I am going to have an early morning, I will set my brewer to turn on about 30 minutes before I need to get up.  The smell of the fresh coffee is enough to give me some motivation to step out of the warm bed on a cold winter morning.

Because I enjoy drinking coffee, I purchased a coffee pod machine a couple years ago.  It is a quick and convenient way for

me to make a single cup of coffee anytime I want.  In fact, I liked it so much, I bought one for my office at work.  No need for me to go to the coffee maker down the hall or buy a cup of coffee at the local coffee shop.

After a while, I started to notice the cost of buying these coffee pods added up over the course of a month.  I was spending $30-40 per month for coffee and that was just for me!  I did some research to see how to make your own coffee pods.  Here is what I found:

There are several different products out in the market today that you can use.  One is the perfect pod maker.  It is an electric machine that makes pods.  You take a empty coffee pod filter and fill it with the proper amount of coffee that you want.  You will want to write down how much you use each time till you find the exact amount that meets your taste for how strong you want your coffee.  The perfect pod maker machine then seals the coffee pod closed and you are ready to brew.

This is an excellent way to not only save money by purchasing bulk coffee and making your own coffee pods, but you can also use the coffee that you prefer, which may not be available in pods.  I found that I really enjoy some seasonal coffee such as gingerbread coffee and now I can make my own pods with this (otherwise they were not available in that flavor).

Making your own coffee pods can also give you the option to use your pod maker as often or as infrequently as you like.  If you have extra ground coffee, just make some pods for future use.  If you are out, use your typical coffee maker.  I have even read where some families are mixing their own coffee grounds and giving pods as gifts!

What is an ESE Pod?

Coffee pods were originally conceived by a Pennsylvania company back in the 1950s.  They were looking for a convenient way to brew coffee easier and while traveling.  The pods was conceived as almost like a traditional tea bag.  The company patented the filter technology in 1959, but despite marketing, this concept never caught on in the US.  Back then most homes had already purchased their electric peculating coffee makers and were happy with them.  They didn’t need any more convenience as the percolating coffee maker was already considered a step ahead of the old fashion stove brewer.

Then in the 1970s, Italian office workers started to use the espresso pods initially in office settings to make it easier, faster, and less messy to have an espresso during the work day.  It was an instant hit.  Because one shot of espresso could be brewed at a time it saved on waste because previously larger batches were brewed to save hassle.  Unfortunately, the taste in these large batches would degrade quickly over time (it is recommended to drink your espresso within 2 minutes of it being poured).

Next the wave caught on in restaurants where there was no longer a need to train all the wait staff to pour a perfect espresso.  Previously, a restaurant would need to have a special training on how to operate the espresso machine and pour a perfect shot.  Unfortunately, this led to very inconsistent flavor and frustrated customers.  Now, you simply put in the espresso pod and pushed a button.  The drink was consistent and fast every time.

Many years later, Illy saw that there was a fragmented market for espresso pods and developed the ESE espresso pods standard.  This stands for easy serving espresso.  It took some time, but with the marketing team leading the way to push for all manufacturers of both pods and brewers to standardize it worked.  This was both a great marketing idea and a way for the entire industry to get behind one size and shape.  This also eliminated all customer frustrations of buying the wrong pod to go with the wrong espresso pod brewer. Now machine manufacturers could worry about the features on their pod brewer and not if they were supporting the correct pod sizes for the market.  The ESE pod standard is open to all manufacturers and is widely accepted.

Several manufacturers also make pod adapters that allow you to use ESE pods in a traditional espresso machine.  This allows more human intervention with the temperature, pressure and length of pour, but the amount of coffee and the packing is still standardize and consistent.  Most coffee aficionados think that the espresso pods an inferior taste, but most will agree that you at least can generate a consistent flavor and taste time and time again, which is much more difficult when using a traditional hand brewed method.  When used in coffee drinks, the average consumer probably could never tell the difference between hand ground espresso and a pod.

ESE coffee pods revolutionized the market for espresso.  They made it easier and faster to get this fantastic drink that we all love anytime we want.  Go out and take a look for yourself and bring one home for your counter and for your love of the drink.