Before you can begin making coffee with coffee pods, and before you should even think about purchasing your coffee pods, you'll want to acquire a coffee pod brewer. Some research on your part will be necessary as not all coffee pods are exactly the same. There are various different sizes of pods, and some brewers allow more than one pod to be used at once. The best way to determine the correct pod for your brewer, or brewer for your coffee pods, is to check your brewer's capacity against the coffee pods grams per pod.

Choosing Between Different Sized Coffee Pods

Most coffee pods brewers can hold pods between four and nine grams, though there are many that can hold pods that contain up to twelve grams of coffee. In some cases, it is required to pre-infuse the larger coffee pods. Although pre-infusing sounds very technical, it's really nothing more than wetting the pod before placing it in the brewer. It is generally impossible to tell just by looking whether your pod will fit your machine. This is because all coffee pods currently on the market are between 55 and 61 mm, which is not easily discerned by the human eye.

T-Discs and K-Cups

T-Discs and K-Cups are also available as alternatives to coffee pods. Unlike coffee pods, these can't be made by just anyone. To legally market them, a company would need permission and a license, which means selection for these two types are far more limited. It's also worth mentioning that T-Discs are not Kosher.

The Tassimo System

T-Discs only work in the Tassimo Hot Beverage Machines, and the Tassimo Hot Beverage Machines only use T-Discs. There are some marked advantage to T-Discs over coffee pods or K-Cups, however. When one buys T-Discs to make cappuccino, for instance, they'll receive a package with separate groups of discs; some discs for milk, and containing coffee. While this may seem like a less convenient method, it does give the Tassimo system the flexibility to offer not only coffee, but latte, cappuccino, and even hot chocolate, complete with a frothy topping.

Should You Coffee Pods, T-Discs, Or K-Cups?

Before deciding between coffee pods, T-Discs, and K-Cups, you should do some thought and some research on exactly what it is you plan to brew. Remember, K-Cups can only be used in a very select few machines, and T-Discs are available only from Tassimo. Also, it's either impossible, or not nearly as easy to make your own when it comes to T-Discs and K-Cups as opposed to coffee pods.

Courtney likes to write articles about hercoffee pod and green mountain coffee pods.