Coffee Beans vs. Coffee Capsules: Which Is Better and Why?

Coffee Beans vs. Coffee Capsules

When it comes to making a hot cup of joe, there’s another option to consider aside from brewing coffee beans: coffee pods. This new alternative contains ground-up beans in tiny capsules that are electronically served at the push of a machine’s button. Therefore, which one should you adopt for your morning routine: beans or pods? We’ll take a look at these more carefully in the article below!

Tradition or Efficiency?

The appeal of coffee beans lies in their manual approach to brewing a fresh cup. Ever since the 15th century, when the beverage was first discovered, coffee was prepared the traditional way: roasting the beans, grinding them, and then pouring water through a filter to produce the earthy, bitter drink. After harvesting fresh beans, this made a hearty beverage with a savoury aroma!


The exact process is observed for coffee pods, minus the traditional roasting and grinding because they already contain ground beans within the capsule. All the machine needs to do is add water to produce a fresh, steaming cup of coffee!

Coffee lovers who prefer a more tactile experience to brew may stick with the traditional method. On the other hand, coffee pods are the way to go for those who value efficiency without sacrificing flavour.

Which Retains Bean Freshness Best?

It was easier in the olden days to harvest and produce coffee beans since agricultural societies, smaller populations and living areas made them accessible to regular folk. They could choose the right amounts needed and leave the rest for the next drink.

That is no longer the case in today’s world, with more urbanised locales, coffee manufacturers selling pre-packaged bags of beans, and a free-market society. Customers buy beans at a certain bulk, so it’s more affordable. However, the constant opening and closing of the bag exposes the ingredients to air, gradually reducing their quality, especially when they are not sealed properly!

Coffee pods do not experience this concern. Capsules are sealed airtight in proportions amounting to one mug’s worth of coffee. This protection from exposure retains its freshness from capsule to cup.

Which Takes Up Less Space?

Lovers of coffee are familiar with blends other than their brand’s classic brew. Some variants include infusions of cinnamon, vanilla, hazelnut, or caramel for a richer flavour profile! However, this also raises the issue of space in your kitchen or cupboards.

Regular coffee bean bags generally take up more real estate on any space, whether in bulk, more petite proportions, ground, or not. That’s not even factoring in the filters and the strainer! You could move the beans from the bag to a jar, but you’ll need an enormous container to fill it up, depending on the weight. Even then, they’ll still end up taking more shelf space due to its quantity.

Coffee pods don’t share this problem. Since each capsule fits one serving, you can instantly calculate how much you need for the week or month. The pods are also much smaller than a bag and can even be kept in jars! Owing to its efficiency, you can store around 30 coffee pods in a container measuring less than one litre!

Which is Environmentally-Friendly?

This is a tricky question to answer since most coffee bean and coffee pod manufacturers infuse their packs with plastic for protection. However, there are some makers of biodegradable coffee pods around that minimise their environmental impact. They are worth checking out.

The Final Grind

Based on the four factors above, capsules easily take the cake, or in this case, cup. It elevates coffee-making without sacrificing quality, takes up less space and less effort to make, and finally leaves a good impression on the planet. Just be sure you buy from a supplier of biodegradable capsules!

For the best Australian coffee pods that are biodegradable and found online, visit Pod Life Coffee today! We’re a Nespresso coffee pod company in Australia that manufactures capsules from compostable plant material for earth-conscious coffee lovers. Visit our website right now!