Hey there! Did it ever occur to you that you can get more out of your coffee pods? Have you ever thought of how to get the best of your coffee pods?
Do you have an interest in making the most of your coffee pods and getting the best coffee drinks possible? Yes, you can always get more out of your pods, and we're about to show you how to make coffee pods better and tastier.
You'll agree with us that coffee pods have become increasingly popular over the last few years mainly due to their convenience. The appeal of a straightforward way to make delicious coffee is difficult to ignore.
Hence, the main reason for the widespread acceptance of coffee pods in Canada and around the world. We also appreciate the convenience of coffee pods, and we're sure you do too.
But widespread acceptance doesn't translate to a general understanding of how to get the best out of coffee pods. There's every chance that you have never gotten the best possible brew from your coffee pods.
Let's help you address that. We’ll show you how to get the best out of your coffee pods later in this blog. First, let's look at some salient points to consider when using coffee pods.
Important Points To Consider When Using Coffee pods
We'll start by stating the obvious fact; there are several ways to get the most of your coffee pods. It doesn't matter if you're having the coffee in the morning or late at night; you can and should always get the best out of your pods.
You can always make more, get the perfect flavour, achieve a better taste and get the coffee strength right. You only need to know how to get the best out of your coffee pods, and the remaining factors will fall into place.
How many people are you brewing for?
When thinking of how to get the best out of the coffee pods, you need to consider the number of cups you want to make. If you're brewing for a crowd, it won't make much sense to brew one pod at a time for each person.
Doing that will be time-wasting, take more effort and definitely won't be economical. It'll practically take away the convenience associated with using coffee pods.
When you're making coffee for several people, figure out a way to make it for them all once and for all. A good way to do that is by using a coffee maker with multiple cup capacity. Or you can use a regular coffee machine and set it to a multiple-serve option. The multiple-serve option automatically brews enough coffee for various servings.
Note that brewing for twelve people does not require you to use twelve coffee pods. That'll only be necessary if you're brewing for each individual separately. You only need about eight coffee pods brewed together to make a large jug of coffee which will be enough for 12 people.
There are no issues if you're brewing for only yourself. You may decide to brew it manually without using a machine, or you can use any coffee machine you like. Regardless, the best way to use coffee pods involves knowing your taste and making your coffee accordingly.
What equipment do you already own?
Your brewing equipment matters as much as your skills at making coffee, especially when you're brewing for many people.
If you're brewing coffee for only yourself, the equipment may not matter as much. You can easily brew manually in a cup without any specialized equipment.
However, if you're brewing for many people, you need the right equipment in addition to coffee-making skills.
If you do not have budget constraints, it’s best to invest in good brewing equipment. The equipment will help you get the best out of your coffee pods.
You can get a multifunctional coffee maker with special features for coffee pods. You'll be able to use such a machine with coffee pods and traditional coffee beans. This way, you can easily switch between pods and traditional grinds.
You also want to consider if you're going with disposable filters or you'll prefer reusable coffee filters. Also, think of how you intend to clean and maintain the coffee machine.
Your coffee will only taste as good as your coffee machine makes it; you also don't want to drink contaminated coffee.
And lastly, you want to consider the size of the coffee maker. Do you prefer it to be portable, regular size or large-sized?
Related Article: What is the Best Tasting Coffee Pod?
How to Get the Best Out of the Coffee Pods
Like we said before, there are different things you can do to get the best out of your coffee pods. There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to coffee pods and what you do with them.
Coffee making is an art regardless of whether you're using pods, beans or any other product. Here we have tips on how to get the best out of coffee pods and make better brews.
Try a different brewing approach
Skills and machines aside, your brewing method also significantly influences the taste of your coffee. Different brewing methods yield different results both in experience, taste and flavours.
When you buy coffee pods, you should explore different approaches to brewing them. Experimentation enables you to discover the best way to utilize your coffee pods.
Other variables such as the grind size, filter type, and the coffee pods’ roast are important considerations. You also want to consider the compatibility of these variables with your brewing method.
Combining these variables with new brewing methods may take a bit of practice, but you'll find it worthwhile. Below are some popular brewing methods you can attempt to see how you can make coffee pods taste better than before.
Pour-over method
The pour-over method is the most popular method of brewing coffee pods without machines. We've already hinted at it a couple of times earlier in this post.
It’s the simplest, cheapest and most straightforward method of making coffee pods. You need only a kettle of water, your mug, and the coffee pod to use this brewing method.
Even though this brewing method is quite fundamental, creating the perfect cup of coffee is never easy. It's important to get it right from the basics to the final product. Doing it right requires a genuine interest in making the perfect cup of coffee as a source of motivation.
The pour-over method gives you control over the factors that directly and indirectly affect the quality of the coffee. You have direct control over the amount, temperature and ratio of water to the coffee grounds. The pour-over method allows you to determine the intensity and flavour of the coffee to a significant extent.
You don't need to worry about the quantity of the coffee grounds or the caffeine content. Coffee pods come prepackaged with the appropriate measures for a single cup of coffee.
But you can always use more than one pod to buff up the strength of your brew. Alternatively, you can reduce the soaking time of the pod in the water to limit the intensity of the coffee.
The only downside to this brewing method is that it's only efficient for one cup of coffee. You can only brew a cup of coffee perfectly at the same time using the pour-over method.
Trying to brew more than one cup at a time may lead to subpar coffee, and you won't be able to get the best out of your coffee pods. The process may also be a bit time-consuming if you have to make coffee for multiple people.
But if your love for good coffee exceeds how much you hate inconveniences, you can always make a delightful cup of coffee using the pour-over method. Also, showing much interest in the nuance of new flavours in coffee pods is usually worth the effort.
Aeropress Method
This Aeropress method is an interesting approach to brewing coffee pods using the Aeropress brewer. But you can only use this method with paper coffee pods similar to teabags. Alternatively, you can empty the coffee grounds into the brewer from the pods.
The Aeropress method is perfect for achieving a varying degree of flavour intensity. The technique will enable you to create a unique cup of coffee with the littlest effort.
The Aeropress method often gives a richer flavour and more nuanced intensity to the brew. There are two ways to use the Aeropress method to brew your coffee — the standard method and the inverted method.
The standard method is a straightforward method where you immerse the coffee pods in the water for a few seconds. It's quite similar to how you brew the coffee in a cup. The only difference is it involves using an Aeropress brewer, and you don't pour the water over the coffee pod.
The inverted method is a little bit more complicated than the standard method. It combines immersion and pressure brewing techniques. The inverted method involves steeping the coffee pods in water for a short amount of time.
After it's soaked up, you'll force the water out of the coffee pods by pushing the plunger. Doing this pushes the coffee out and squeezes the grounds to extract more flavour from it.
The Aeropress brewer is budget-friendly, durable and portable — just the right size for bringing along on a trip. It's ideal for the kitchen, the office and even a camping trip.
The Aeropress brewer comes with a funnel, a plunger and filter paper. The filter paper holds the ground in the brewer in case the coffee pod breaks during preparation.
The only downside to this method is the risk of over-extracting the compounds in the coffee pods. This may happen when you use the inverted method as it squeezes out the water from the pods. It also happens when you leave the pod in the Aeropress for too long.
Filter method with Chemex
Chemex brews give the cleanest cups of coffee of all the brewing methods that don't involve using machines. Not just that, this method also delivers coffee with a rich flavour and moderate intensity. It is perfect for people who like to have their coffee light with a small amount of caffeine.
The Chemex brewer was designed with thick filter paper (thicker than all other types). This thick paper filters out pieces of grounds, oils, and other unwanted compounds during the brewing process.
Regular filter papers can only take a little bit of the coffee oils and other compounds. Since it filters out all those compounds, it reduces the level of impurities in the resulting cup of coffee.
Brewing with Chemex uses pretty much the same process as the pour-over brewing method. The only difference is that it involves a specialized Chemex brewer for preparing the coffee. The Chemex brewer has a fancy and unique design which adds to its aesthetic appeal. And many people believe its fancy design also has a way of influencing the taste of the coffee.
Moreover, unlike the traditional pour-over method, Chemex allows you to brew more than one cup at a time. Its large capacity means it's efficient for brewing coffee for several coffee drinkers at once. The only downside is that it tempts the user to make more coffee pods than they need at a time.
Cold-brew method
Most people prefer their coffee hot, but you're not most people; what's stopping you from trying cold brew coffee? Coffee is not only all about hot cups; it's also enjoyable with some ice.
Cold brews are generally regarded as being tastier than hot coffee. Cold-brew provides a good way of enjoying the best coffee pods at any time.
While making cold brew, you will have to steep the pods in the water for an extended period. That's how you can get the best out of the coffee pods using cold or room temperature water. Steeping the coffee for a long time lets the sugar and flavours in the pods seep properly into the water. This process gives the final result a rich flavour without any bitter after-taste.
The best thing about cold brews is that cold water only extracts the taste and flavour from the coffee. The cold water is incapable of liquifying and extracting the complex compounds and oils in the coffee pods.
Hot water melts down the oils into liquid form, and they seep into the water with the coffee extract. However, cold water can't melt the oils, so the final result is often free of the unwanted compounds from the coffee pods.
However, because the water is not hot, it takes a while to extract the flavour and taste from the coffee pods. So, how do you get the best out of the coffee pods in this scenario? We recommend you steep your coffee pods in the water overnight. By morning, the coffee extracts will be ready. Then, you can proceed to completing the preparations and enjoying your coffee.
Steeping the coffee overnight will often create a very strong-tasting coffee. You can, however, adjust the strength of the coffee by diluting it as much as you need. Cold brews also tend to last longer than hot brews. They last longer because they contain fewer compounds and chemicals that cause the coffee to become stale faster.
Don't mistake cold brew with iced coffee. Cold-brew involves using cold water to prepare the coffee. Iced coffee can be the product of hot brews or cold brews. You only need to take already brewed coffee and put it in a refrigerator to make iced coffee. Then you wait for the coffee to get frozen.
Cold-brew is perfect for anyone who wants a refreshing cold cup of coffee on a hot summer evening. It may take a while to prepare, but you're certain to enjoy every bit of the brew.
Brewing with Moka pot
The Moka pot brewing process involves using the pressure from the steam of boiling water to prepare coffee. It is a pressurized brewing technique.
The Moka method results in espresso-like coffee even without using any fancy equipment. All you need is a stainless steel Moka pot with three chambers.
The bottom chamber is where the water boiling takes place. The middle section is the place you keep the coffee grounds after removing them from the pods. There's a filter screen above the middle chamber to filter the brew as it rises due to the pressure. The top chamber stores the brewed coffee rising from the center chamber.
Since the Moka pot always comes as a whole set, it's compact and suitable for use at home and outside. You don’t need any separate equipment to use alongside the Moka pot. Also, the assembly of the Moka pot is easy, and the cost of the whole set is pocket-friendly.
The Moka pot technique produces coffee twice as strong as regular brews. It creates a rich, smooth-tasting coffee with a delightful aroma. However, you may find this technique a bit challenging to use at first. It's easy to mess up the taste of the coffee if you get the procedure wrong. And, it usually requires some practice to get it right, but when you do, you'll love it.
Aside from the brewing process, how else can you get the best out of the coffee pods? There are other ways to get the most out of your coffee pods outside of the brewing process. The following simple hacks can help you make the most of your coffee pods.
Double the coffee pods - Brew two pods instead of one
Usually, one pod is enough to make a good cup of coffee. However, the result may be lacking in strength. Do you want a strong cup of coffee? Double the coffee pods.
You also want to do this every time you're making a larger than usual cup of coffee or you're brewing for multiple servings. Here's how to brew and get the most out of the coffee pods for numerous servings.
Calibrate your coffee maker setting to the lowest ounce option. This way, the machine will not add too much water to your coffee. The result will be a freshly brewed, strong, and flavorful latte.
Please avoid using the 8 ounces settings on the coffee machine as it may water down the strength of your coffee. There are about the same volume of grounds in every coffee pod. The more coffee you try to brew using a single pod, the weaker the brew will be. But the more grounds you use when brewing, the stronger your coffee will be.
Use reusable pods
Single-use disposable cups are unsustainable, expensive and contribute to waste deposits. Some of the disposable cups are made from plastic which makes them difficult to dispose of.
Let's say you use two single-use disposable pods of coffee per day; that makes 720 pods per year. That means you're responsible for at least 720 plastic pods going to the landfills per year!
Not only that, single-use disposable cups are expensive in the long run and therefore are not sustainable. On the other hand, you can continue using reusable pods until they become practically unusable.
You don't have to buy new pods intermittently, so you get to save money in the long term. Then you also play your part in waste management and environmental preservation.
Spill the last drops of the coffee
Most people don't consider this significant, but it does affect the quality of your coffee. The last drops of coffee coming out of the machine are often the least potent. They are only as good as coffee water and can reduce the potency of your coffee.
Pull your mug out towards the end of the brew cycle to prevent the last drops from getting into the cup. Most coffee machines have a reservoir to collect the spill so it won't make a mess. Also, don't forget to clean the reservoir to prevent mould from developing in it after every use.
Turn up the heat of your coffee brewer
Most times, your machine fails to make the coffee to your desired strength for two main reasons. The water doesn't get hot enough in the coffee machine to extract the flavour from the grounds.
Two, due to the super-fast brewing process, the water often has less contact with the coffee grounds. In both cases, the machine isn't usually able to extract enough flavour from the coffee grounds.
When using a coffee machine, you may not be able to control the duration of the extraction and brewing cycle. However, you can always get the machine to brew the coffee at a hotter temperature. Most coffee machines allow you to select the optimum temperature at which you'll like to brew the coffee.
You may also preheat the machine by running hot water through it. The only downside to preheating is the possibility of over brewing the coffee.
When the water is too hot, it may extract unwanted compounds along with the coffee. The compounds can ruin the taste and prevent you from enjoying the best of coffee pods or coffee generally.
Add a pinch of salt
Everybody knows how the addition of milk, creamers and other additives improves the taste of coffee. But very few know about the magic a pinch of salt can do in a cup of coffee.
Adding a pinch of salt to a cup of coffee helps to enhance the flavour of the coffee. It's a neat little trick many coffee experts use to make great-tasting coffee.
Salt can help to reduce bitterness and accentuate the aroma of the coffee. Salts also help to reduce acid reflux or heartburn resulting from coffee intake. You can either add the salt to the coffee before or after brewing.
Adding salt to coffee also has an important health benefit. Ordinary coffee reduces sodium levels in the body, but adding salt to your coffee enables you to recover lost sodium levels.
Related Article: Comprehensive Guide to Coffee Pods 2021
Final Thoughts
Brewing coffee from pods may be an art, but it's not rocket science. Making the perfect cup is straightforward if you know how to get the best out of the coffee pods.
It's easier when you know the best brewing approach to use as well as other important considerations.
We’ve provided all the info you need in this article. And we can go one step further by providing the best coffee pods in Canada.
Invigo Coffee is home to a collection of coffee pods in different flavours. Browse through our online collection today!
