2: Are all coffee pods alike?

No. Pod size, coffee quality and the amount of coffee used in each pod are key variables.

The standard size pod is 62mm and most pods sold today are this diameter. Some early coffee brewers used smaller pods (44mm or 55mm), but pods in these sizes are not commonly available.

Many coffee roasters make coffee pods. Each roaster produces pods from a wide variety of coffees grown around the world; these different coffees are then roasted in a range of styles. It may take some trial and error to find the brand, type and roast style of the pods that you enjoy most.

Also note: typically, 8 grams of ground coffee is used in each pod. Because some coffee drinkers like a stronger brew, several roasters make pods that contain up to 12 grams of ground coffee. If you like a stronger cup, look for pods that contain 10-12 grams of coffee.

Finally, some pods are packaged in a large single bag (like Senseo) and others come individually wrapped. Since exposure to oxygen degrades coffee quality, purists believe that the single use packages keep coffee fresher longer than pods sold in a single bag.

Two types of coffee pod packages