Coffee helps me maintain my "never killed anyone" streak. Ten years ago I had a barista style grinder and coffee machine, bought single origin coffee beans by the kilo, and drank at least four long macchiatos a day. A lot has changed in the last decade; after doing three years of remote fieldwork (where the only available coffee was filtered) on a series of islands of the Pilbara coast, Western Australia, I no longer need a coffee every day. In fact, if anything, my coffee drinking habit is fueled by my ever-growing desire to be thrifty AF.
Two years ago I bought a Delonghi Nespresso pod capsule machine after working out that it would take me 270 home made coffees to break even on the cost. These days I am constantly searching for the most economical and sustainable option for coffee; here are some of my tried and tested options:
Aluminum Pod Coffee
As far as economical goes, you really can't look past standard aluminum pods. Most major stores (Coles and Woolworths) have their own named brands that are very cheap. We tried the Coles brand for $3.70/10 pods (37c per single shot coffee) but much prefered the L'Or brand pod which regularly goes on sale for $4.50/10 pods (45c per single shot coffee).
Remember that these pods MUST NOT go in any of your regular household bins. They will go directly to landfill in the general waste or may risk contaminating the contents of your yellow lid bin. Instead, store all used pods and take to a TerraCycle deposit point as part of the Capsule Recycling Scheme.
I recommend emptying the used coffee grounds from the pod and using on your garden (!) then storing in a bag in your freezer until you have the time to take them to the deposit point.
Compostable Pod Coffee
It is SO exciting to see how many companies are now working in the space of compostable coffee pods. We were very suspicious as to whether the pods would actually break down in the compost and whether they would taste good or not.
We started with the products of Pod & Parcel; these pods come in a biodegradable sealed bag (within the cardboard box) and cost either $9.90/10 pods (99c per single shot coffee) if ordered as single flavours or $7.90/10 pods (79c per single shot coffee) if ordered as a bulk recurring order.
They taste slightly weaker than other pod coffees (perhaps because of the seal on the pod?) but we're not had any complaints.
Recently I discovered the Coffee Pod Shop (which we are yet to try) who sell bulk pods for $6.90/10 pods (69c per single shot coffee) when ordered in packs of 10. This company also has a introductory offer of $62.55 for 100 pods (63c per single shot coffee).
The counter balance to the fact that these brands are compostable is the higher price point AND the fact that you can only purchase them online.
Reusable Pods
I saw an advertisment for the Pod Star brand and loved the ingenuity of the concept. We had just ordered some compostable pods so I took a few days to decide whether we ordered the product straight away or if we continued to use what we already had. Eventually I was won over by the uniqueness of the product and bought a package set (including two reusable pods, a hand grinder and a tamper).
In hind sight I would recommend that anyone looking to try this product ONLY purchase a single pod to confirm whether this method works for them.
Unfortunately it did not work for us. To make a regular strength coffee, the maker must use two reusable pods. While this is fine for one person making their morning coffee, it's really awkward to do for two people, particularly when you're still half asleep and in a rush to get out of the house. The pods are extremely hot once they've been used (I burnt my fingers a few times) and it's really messy to empty the coffee grounds into a compost bin, then rinse out the pods and refill to go again.
The hand grinder, while very hipster, takes WAY too long to grind coffee; in hindsight I would have simply bought an electric one from Kmart for $9 rather than the branded Pod Star hand grinder that cost $39.95. You do not need the coffee tamper. Period.
Non Pod Coffee
There is of course another option to consider (because instant coffee is NOT an option). This would be an espresso machine. There are many brands and makes to choose from: my favourite is the Breville for its sleek and easy to use design. I originally had a Dual Boiler (approximately $1,200) and purchased a coffee bean grinder separately for $300. With the cost of coffee beans starting at $20/kilo, and with used coffee grounds going directly into the compost, this is an initially expensive set up with long term environmental and financial benefits.
Given that Breville now have the option of a built in grinder with most of their machines such as this Barista Pro which also comes in 5 different colours, there are cheaper alternatives to the set up I had many years ago.
THREE Take Home Tips:
Consider which option will work best for your financial situation as well as your sustainability goals.
If you have a pod machine, do not feel the pressure of needing to be brand loyal; choose something that suits your budget.
Be fastidious about keeping your machine clean; cockroaches LOVE coffee machines and once they're there, they are near on impossible to get rid of.
Obligatory Plea for Comments: what is your go to coffee order?
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