Coffee pods are starkly distinctive from other coffee single-serve formats on the US market. But their fine distinction is blurred by the popularity of the pod-want-to-be, including plastic capsules that are unsuccessful of pod characterization. It is the hope of this information to revive the actual image of the pod format contrary to the backdrop of presumptuous versions.

The pod technology originated in Italy where automated machines were built for the objective of producing a 7 gram, or 0.25 ounce, of coffee wrapped in filter paper and shaped in the form of a disk packed into an opaque envelope. Italian ingenuity added a required component in the production process to keep extended freshness in each coffee packet. This technique is named nitrogen displacement made to force out oxygen and moisture, the two enemies of fresh roasted coffee. Both aroma and taste is protected for over per year with nitrogen blanketing. Otherwise, coffee can turn rancid a month after it is roasted if unprotected by inert gas like nitrogen before it reaches the buyer.

Many coffee manufactures adopted the pod form as a better way to provide freshness-maintained coffee and a less strenuous way to brew one serving with out a fuss. A typical called ESE (Easy Serving Espresso) was developed in order that espresso machines and pod designs would match with each other. This open system has allowed the pod design to spread throughout Europe and to a certain extent in the US. Today, on the American market, 55% of single cup drinkers prefer the pod over the capsule due to the greater variety available them.

However, with the emergence of the plastic K-cups, a private form for the Keurig single-cup brewing system, these capsules are increasingly being marketed as "pods." So are the most recent Keurig Vue cups. There's no resemblance in form and function between a pod and capsule, except that they are both measurements for just one cup of coffee.

The next points are a guide to greatly help differentiate advantages of one format versus another. First, an ESE pod is an open system permitting vast selections of coffee types and pod machines. A supplement is proprietary system with limited choices. Second, Pods are nitrogen displaced to preserve freshness. Capsules aren't blanketed with inert gas. Next, Pods have a report filter that removes cafestol, an LDL cholesterol inducing chemical in coffee. Capsules aren't know to possess this protection.

What's been unclear before is that pods may be brewed with high pressure pump system. Under greater force of water, it is possible to extract more of the nice coffee oils. K-cups are brewed under low pressure, thus can leave significant coffee nectar behind.

Another consideration of pods versus capsules is that they do not emit plastic taste. Inherent plastic make up of capsules can release an off taste into beverage.

When it comes to the environmental surroundings, pods are eco-friendly. Plastic-type of capsules does not biodegrade as easily as paper filter. Finally, pod prices may be 25% lower than the newest Keurig Vue cups.

It is no surprise that marketers of K-cups, Vue cups and other proprietary capsules would wish to classify these unrelated single doses of coffee as pods. They depend on consumers not having any discretion in choosing the real thing from the impostor.