First off, understand that the point to this writing isn't to convince you that a normal coffee pod brewer is superior to the Tassimo. Instead, the purpose is to be sure you know what it is you are purchasing, and the issues you are likely to encounter in the future. Normal coffee pods can't touch the sophistication of the Tassimo device, which use bar-codes, printed straight to the T-Discs to know how to make their brews. However, the biggest problem with Tassimo brewers also comes from this technology - it's impossible to use anything but T-Discs with them.

Don't All Single Serve Coffee Makers Have This Problem?

Although this is an issue that any owner of a single server coffee maker will encounter, it's amplified with the Tassimo system, as there are ways around it with others. Of course, it still takes some thought to use something other than the coffee pods that the device was made for, but there's many adapters out there for converting one to the other. They're generally not fool proof and do involve an extra expense, and, due to there being no real standardization, problems can crop up that feel downright random, but you can usually either just figure it out, or look it up, whatever the problem may be. For instance, if one brand doesn't work like it should, you can always try a different one.

What Makes Tassimo's System Different?

The problem with the Tassimo is that the Tassimo T-Discs are the complete wrong shape for fitting into anything else. Just take a look at how regular coffee pods are shaped, and you'll see why they could never hope to be interchangeable. Also, the bar-coding system makes is so that, even if you did find a way, the machine would have no idea what to do with your concoction. People have tried refilling the T-Discs, but there's no way re-seal them, which destroys the machine's ability to build pressure, making it impossible to brew coffee of any kind.

Couldn't One Just Use T-Discs All The Time?

Of course, when you first purchase your Tassimo, you're not thinking about using anything other than a T-Disc, so this may all seem like a moot point, but there are some situations where real T-Discs are not an option. They can be pretty expensive, for one, especially if you just want some basic coffee. Sometimes you just can't find them. Many small town stores have no idea what a T-Disc is. There are also those who really don't like the idea behind the device, once they start spending their own money on it. Owning a Tassimo means buying from that company forever more. That feels like a monopoly to some people. Yes, there are a few different brand names of coffee in T-Discs, but it's all still licensed through the same company.

What If I Already Have A Tassimo Brewer?

If you've already spent your money on a Tassimo, and are trying to find other options, you're mostly out of luck. Hopefully you're reading this before you put big money down on a brewer that uses something you can't afford. If this is not the case, you'd probably be best off biting the bullet and buying a cheap regular coffee maker or pod coffee brewer and saving your Tassimo for special stuff. Regular coffee pods aren't terribly pricey, and they are usually easy to find, both locally and online.

For more coffee pod information, Trish suggests checking out this coffee pod resource.