I'm sure you're asking, as would many; exactly what are coffee pods? Are they little spaceships in which coffee travels? Obviously not, but the term coffee pods doesn't exactly jump out at you with an explanation, does it?

Coffee Pod Brewers

A coffee pod is a small, single serving of coffee that comes wrapped in it's own little package with a filter. They're only used with coffee pod brewers; they cannot be used with regular coffee brewers, but you really wouldn't want to. When it comes to single cups of coffee, though, coffee pods are much more convenient. You don't have to worry about buying coffee grounds and filters separately, or pouring enough grinds for four cups of coffee when you just want one. Unfortunately, these conveniences will make your price per cup a bit higher, but only if you regularly want more than one cup. Coffee pods brewers, though still budget friendly, aren't as cheap as the old standard just yet. There are also many different manufacturers of coffee pods brewers, and not all of them are compatible with all pods, sometimes leading to confusion as to which brewers use which pods.

Which Companies Make Coffee Pods?

Coffee pods are, however, fortunately kind of an open format. They do require special pieces of equipment to brew, but pretty much any company can make and sell both the pods and brewers, which means that once you obtain your coffee pods brewer, there are plenty of options as to where to get the coffee pods themselves. Although there are plenty of coffee pods available for as little as $5 per package, the more premium pods can easily cost in excess of $30 per set. Of course, if you sample both, and they each taste just the same to you, then there's no reason to spend the excess money on the more expensive pods. Also, there are ways to make your own coffee pods, and it's not too terribly difficult, though the time involved probably negates any convenience gained from using coffee pods in the first place.

Coffee Pod Brewers Can Be Pricey

Coffee pod brewers range from $10 to well over $400 for personal one cup brewers, and upwards of $1100 for commercial grade brewers. They can be purchased from most regular department stores, as well as online. As with most things, if you have the patience to wait for it, it's probably better and cheaper to order it online.

Are They Worth It?

All things considered, coffee pods are a big more expensive than those mundane coffee makers that have been around for decades. However, if you regularly only make one cup of coffee, or your brewer caters to people who want coffee at different times of the day, then coffee pods will probably save you money in the long run, and will always give you the fresher cup of coffee on demand.

Corky likes to write articles about pod coffee makers and gourmet coffee pods.

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	DeLonghi EC702 15-Bar-Pump Espresso Maker, Stainless List Price: $350.00 Sale Price: $149.95 Used From: $129.95
	Enjoy delicious espresso made your way with De'Longhi's pump espresso and cappuccino maker. You can choose to brew ground espresso or E.S.E pods with the unique patented dual filter holder. The Sempre Crema Filter, used with two measures of ground coffee, enhances the brewing process to produce a perfect crema...

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