Since 2009 using a Coffee Capsule for making coffee has become a growing world-wide industry because of its ease of use. The key Coffee Capsule markets are the United States and Canada and in Europe, especially France, Germany, and the Netherlands with growth especially in supplying business premises. The recent Covid-19 Pandemic has seen an increase use in the domestic market as cafes and restaurants have been closed.
Starbucks® have their own “coffee at home” range. Under the coffee menu there are recipes to make Starbucks® Coffee Capsule Hot Drinks such as Caffè Americano and Caffè Mocha with Mocha sauce, milk, and whipped cream with chocolate shavings for garnish. Seasonal recipes include Pumpkin Spice Latte with a Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup. These recipes can also be made without a Coffee Capsule machine using a stove top Moka pot.
Under the Cold Drinks there are recipes for Iced Coffees such as Iced Coconut milk Latte and for Frozen Blended coffee the Carmel Frozen Blended Coffee which uses Starbucks® Espresso Roast Coffee Capsule and Starbucks® Carmel Syrup, ice, milk and whipped cream is featured.
The Starbucks® signature hot drink, Strawberry Blonde® Vanilla Latte uses the Starbucks® Blonde Espresso Roast by Nespresso® blend Coffee Capsule, and then 2 Tablespoons of Starbucks® Vanilla Syrup is stirred into the Espresso coffee. Then 1 cup of milk is warmed and frothed and poured into the cup. A Mason jar can be used as a milk frother. Fill the jar half way with milk, seal the lid and shake for 30 seconds. Then place the jar in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds to be warmed. The finishing touch is to spoon frothed milk on top.
Types of Coffee Capsules
Nespresso® Coffee Capsules, which are made by Nestlé ®S.A are recyclable Coffee Capsules as they are made of aluminum. NESCAFE® Dolce Gusto® Coffee pods brands are also available and are also recyclable using the Collect plus Recycling Scheme. Some suppliers use the term Coffee Capsules and Coffee Pods interchangeably for Coffee Capsules. Genuine Coffee Pods are more like round coffee like tea bags. K (Keurig) cup® pods (capsules) are also recyclable.
Starbucks® Essential Vitamins with B-complex Vitamins B1. B3, B4, B12 and Biotin (B7) are available in the recyclable K-cup® Coffee Capsules. Milk pods for coffee machine use are also available for latte style Coffee Capsules.
Roar Gill® makes compatible Nespresso® Coffee Capsules that are 100% compostable. They also have a Coffee Pod subscription service that sends Caffeinated, Decaffeinated, Espresso or Lungo (Italian word for long) which takes a minute to make and is between 130 to 170 milliliters.
There are also compatible Reusable Coffee Capsules that take about 9 grams of the desired coffee. Lining up the Coffee Capsule correctly into the Coffee machine is vital to prevent mishaps. The reviewer used a reusable Dolce Gusto® compatible Coffee Capsule available from Amazon.
Coffee Capsule Coffee Maker Owner Tips
Aromacup Youtube Channel gives 10 tips for Coffee Capsule Coffee Maker Owners. Tip One is to adjust the volume level on your machine to give you the correct volume of water. Tip 2 is to prime the pump and heating element so the machine is warmed up for coffee making. Tip 3 is to Rinse the Pod Tray thoroughly to prevent clogging and to improve the quality of the coffee being made. Tip 4 is descale the machine regularly. This will improve the flavour of the coffee and extend the life of the machine. Tip 5 is to compost or recycle the Coffee Capsules depending on which brand you have chosen.
Tip 6 Check out sites for Coffee Capsule coupons to save money. Tip 7 Buy in advance so there is a supply of coffee available. This can be either an ongoing subscription service or delivery service. Tip 8 Change brew temperatures to customize your preferences. Tip 9 Always use fresh and filtered water. Brewed coffee is only as good as the ingredients being used. Tip 10 Share your tips.
Descaling the Coffee Capsule Machine
Descaling is an important maintenance task and some coffee machines, like the Nespresso®machine has a warning light when the machine needs this done. A descaling solution is needed to clean the coffee machine. The Lifestyle Lab Youtube reviewer recommends the Essential Value Delonghi Descaler which is a universal descaler solution. It is recommended to descale the coffee machine every three months. Nespresso® also makes their own brand of descaling solution. The first step is to remove the Coffee Capsule. The next step is to put the descaler solution into the water section. The instructions are listed on the bottle for the amount needed.
Nespresso® Machine Descaling
For the Nespresso® machine descaling you then hold the top button down for 7 seconds. The top light starts to blink and there is 45 seconds delay to confirm you want the descaling cycle to begin. Then you walk the top handle clockwise and then unlock it back to center and then press and hold the center button again for 7 seconds. The nozzle light with blink. Put a 20 ounce or 600 milliliter container under the spout to catch the water and solution fluid. Then turn the top handle clockwise and lock into place. Then press the button once to start the decaling mode.
After the descaling cycle is complete, rinse the water tank out and refill with fresh water. Then press the top button once. This will run a clean water cycle to rinse out any remaining descaling solution. After the cycle press the top button again and hold it down for 7 seconds and this will exit the descale cycle and the light will be solid.
It is very easy to make café style coffee at home with the wide variety of Coffee Capsules available. Check that the Coffee Capsule is compatible to the coffee machine and then just decide which style coffee is wanted. With the recycling options now available for most brands making Coffee Capsule coffee is a convenient environmentally friendly option.
Photo: Tim Foster