What is the difference and difference between reusable capsules and the original?

Nespresso coffee capsules , and I decided to try reusable alternatives.

All purchases were made on Amazon.com, and the combined parcel was delivered to Russia in 10 days by Banderolka

To start, I bought a coffee grinder for $20. You have to grind the coffee in something.

If you order a similar one, it is very important to find information about support for Russian 220 V, because in the States the network voltage is two times lower. I have a step-down transformer for this case.

Since I had no experience in using reusable capsules, I chose several positions.
Manufacturers claim that only BPA plastic is used everywhere, but this is impossible to verify. Sealpod (100 pieces for $12) offer to stick foil on already used Nespresso capsules, after pouring ground coffee into them. What this looks like is shown in the picture below. On the left is the original capsule, on the right is the used one, washed, dried, refilled, “sealed” and ready for reuse.

CM Capsule (100 capsules and 100 caps for $15) – a set for making coffee by hand. The kit includes plastic refillable capsules, foil and a dispenser. According to the manufacturer, these capsules are disposable, but if you have foil on hand, as in point 1, you can use them up to 20 times.

My Cap – 10 capsules and 48 caps for $14. It differs from the option above in the presence of holes in the base of the capsule, a border around the perimeter for a tighter stretch of the foil, and a branded brush included.

Coffeduck 5 capsules with integrated lids for $12, no glue required. I used it, washed it, dried it, and refilled it with coffee.

Capsulin 50 plastic capsules and 50 caps for $15.

Next, at Azbuka Vkusa I bought Danesi for 670 rubles.

We can start.

results

My experiment consisted of three parts:

1. Compare the convenience of capsules;
2. Compare the shade of brewed coffee;
3. Compare aroma and taste.

The first to emerge from the battle were all the options that reused native Nespresso capsules. First of all, cleaning Nespresso properly is quite a chore. Secondly, the base of the original capsules is sealed with a paper gasket, which reduces water pressure when reused. As a result, we get a tasteless drink that we want to immediately pour into the sink.

Let's move on to reusable capsules.

As soon as a new cup of coffee was brewed, I immediately photographed the shade of the drink .

The taste of the drink was compared to a similar type of Nespresso coffee, as well as a portion brewed in a coffee maker on the stove. That day I drank a month's worth.

It turned out that the color of the prepared coffee has nothing to do with its aroma.

The worst result was demonstrated by CM Capsule , which periodically bent during operation. I assume this happened when the jets were pierced at the base of the capsule to supply water. Due to deformation, the desired aroma of coffee could not be achieved.

The next to go were black Capsulin : the taste of the drink was reminiscent of tea, but not coffee.

Coffeeduck had a good aroma , but their cheap appearance did not allow us to fully enjoy the drink. However, in terms of convenience it has no equal.

The best taste was given by My Cap . They became the winner.

What is the difference and difference between reusable capsules and the original?

Anyone who owns a capsule coffee machine knows about its features. The capsules used for these machines are not like other types of coffee. Small, shiny metal containers (or plastic as an option) contain ground coffee. The coffee machine system is not designed to add any raw material to it. The coffee machine manufacturer offers you to buy capsules of its brands from its stores. They are disposable and quite expensive.

You may also be interested in our review: The best Dolce-Gusto reusable capsules

But just go to eBay and you'll see a whole host of sellers of reusable capsules. They come in the form of a small plastic box with a similar shape, but the price is much lower than regular capsules. On average, reusable capsules can be used up to 30 times. This is a huge saving. You put your own coffee inside, close the capsule and place it in the coffee machine. Sounds easy. What could go wrong?

Reusable capsules – is it worth saving?

First of all, your coffee machine is unlikely to like such tricks. Any capsule machine only recognizes its own capsules. Even such a well-known brand as Nespresso has a limited selection of capsule coffee manufacturers. Nespresso's warranty information actually acknowledges the possibility of using refillable capsules, saying that "any defects resulting from the use of capsules that are not genuine Nespresso products will not be covered by the warranty." This means that such capsules can still be used. Dangerous, but possible.

Now another question arises. How big is this danger really? Let's look at it in detail:

1. A reusable capsule can exactly replicate the shape of the original, but it is very difficult to buy reusable capsules of this quality. Sellers on different sites can easily deceive you, and officially it is almost impossible to get such goods.
2. If the capsule repeats the shape of the original one, then it poses no threat to the coffee machine. Unless in the process of repeated use it wears out and becomes severely deformed. This is an important virtue.
3. Another significant advantage is the price. It makes you buy reusable capsules and save money. The savings are quite significant, which is a plus.
4. But there is one more drawback. The very essence of capsule coffee is violated, because reusable containers are not airtight. This gives a less intense taste and aroma. Not everyone notices the difference, but many do. And it turns out that if the difference is not noticeable to you, then you can safely buy capsules for many uses. If you feel differences in taste, then there are options here.

Emohome - perhaps the best reusable capsules

A person who wants to buy empty capsules for his coffee machine should pay attention to the reputation of the manufacturer or brand. Emohome is a fairly well-known name, and this in itself serves as a guarantee of quality. The brand produces capsules with a good level of detail, shaped like devices from Nespresso and other well-known companies. Emohome has capsules in 4 different sizes, in case a particular size does not fit a particular coffee machine.

Main characteristics of these capsules:

• made of high-quality and safe plastic;
• have small holes on the bottom and on the lid;
• the lid itself is on a small hinge, easy to open and close;
• capsules can be easily filled with anything - tea, coffee, etc.;
• After filling, you can seal the capsule, install it in the coffee machine, and it will withstand even a pressure of 19 bar.

Owner reviews

Evgeniy Stetsenko: “The only thought that bothered me every time I heard about reusable capsules was whether it was worth saving? In general, I am not used to buying fakes when there is an opportunity to buy the original. It's better to spend more money than skimp on quality. What to say? I was pleased with Emohome capsules. A very good option for your money. You can safely use them. I used one capsule about 25 times (the developer claims a maximum of 30), and everything was fine. But I won’t buy them anymore, because, again, I prefer to buy originals. I just decided to test it and was pleased with the results.”

Olga Petrova: “I don’t trust reusable capsules, no matter what they are. If my coffee machine manufacturer doesn't recommend it, why should I use them? But one day I came across capsules from several companies, and out of pure curiosity I tested them on my old coffee machine, which had already become obsolete. She's working somehow, and she's managed to get through all the capsules. The coffee from Emohome was good, but other brands produced less rich results and contaminated the coffee machine.”

Anatoly Volobuev: “I buy reusable capsules without being tied to a company - whatever I need. Of course, I buy it from a trusted place where they can’t deceive me. We haven't let you down yet. In general, an interesting thing, it allows you to save money and buy more variety of coffee. The savings aren’t that big, but let’s just say, why not?”

Dmitry Klyuev: “My friend always has reusable capsules in use. At first I didn’t understand what he found in them - like, what kind of savings could there be? Plastic doesn't cost anything. But then he explained to me that he was saving not so much on plastic as on coffee. He buys the same coffee as in branded capsules, but due to the large containers, the raw materials are much cheaper. Now I buy these reusable containers too. The money saved is just enough to order a couple of toppings along with coffee. Great, I think."

Conclusion

The main problem with reusable capsules is the possibility of damaging the coffee machine. But practice shows that this chance is quite low if you choose capsules wisely and check them for compliance with the original. In this case, there will most likely be no harm. Owner reviews prove this.

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Capsules for Tassimo coffee machines

Tassimo capsules are also called “T-discs” and are not much less common than Dolce Gusto capsules. It's also everywhere. With alternatives, however, it’s completely deaf. That is, in theory they seem to exist, but I haven’t come across them on the Russian market, and in the West I’ve only heard about them in passing. Perhaps because the capsules are equipped with a special barcode, by which the Tassimo system machine determines the desired cooking program. And the “alternatives” apparently have problems with copying or generating these barcodes. So you have to be content with proprietary flavors, and there are not as many of them as for competing systems.

In total, the assortment at the beginning of 2021 includes about 15 drinks, including a couple of teas and one hot chocolate. Milk coffee drinks are made from two T-discs, which means the total cost of the drink doubles. In the table below, in the “RRP for a drink” column, I recalculated the approximate cost of a package of 16 capsules for the corresponding number of drinks received: 16 for “black” varieties, 8 for milk-coffee capsules. The price was taken as “recommended retail”, the current ones are from the links in the table.

Almost everywhere the coffee used is natural, ground, fairly finely ground, medium roast, from two brands: Jacobs and Carte Noire. Exception: Jacobs Café au Lait - there is instant coffee (again marked with a ⚠ icon)

Important! Previously, until about mid-2021, all Tassimo milk capsules (including Milka cocoa) contained sterilized concentrated milk. Now, unfortunately, many milk-coffee drinks have a second capsule with milk powder, like Dolce Gusto. This radically worsened the taste. However, the “classics”, such as Cappuccino, are with liquid milk.