I’m a Nespresso girlie and have been since December 2022 (My Nespresso Citiz Review and my 2 Favorite Nespresso Recipes), when my friend influenced me into getting my own Nespresso machine. Every single morning, I happily pop in my pods and make my fancy home coffee. It gives me coffee shop satisfaction at home, and I’ve perfected my daily recipe.
But then the whole tariffs situation started swirling around, and I had a tiny internal freak-out. What if espresso gets more expensive? What if it’s harder to get? What if I run out and have to switch back to lame regular coffee?!
So I started researching reusable Nespresso pods. I mean, they are better for the environment and I’d save money… so this was the perfect shove for me to give them a try. Before I made the leap though, I asked ChatGPT to do a little cost analysis for me so I could determine when I’d break even.
My current set up: about $2 per cup (this includes 2 pods, milk and cold foam)
My new set up:
- Reusable pod set (with 100 foil lids): $20
- Illy Espresso powder (8.8 oz): $10 per jar
According to ChatGPT, my new cost per cup is about 60 cents.
Which brings us to yearly savings – assuming I drink 1 cup per day for 365 days and I have a savings of $1.40 per cup over my previous recipe, I will save $511 per year! And that’s with the ‘expensive’ espresso powder. I found some at Aldi (pictured above) for $5 that I’ll be trying once my illy jar is empty!
Oh and I did a TON of research into which stainless steel reusable pod set to purchase and this one is perfect. It comes with 6 cups, 100 lids, a scoop/tamper and little brush. It’s all super sturdy and nice, and doesn’t anger my Nespresso machine. In fact, my machine treats these reusable pods exactly the same as it does the expensive Nespresso brand pods.
Okay, so cost savings is one thing… but more importantly is ease of use and flavor.
Switching Over Was Shockingly Easy
You know how sometimes you try something new and it feels like a whole production? This was not that. From the very first cup, using the reusable pod was ridiculously simple.
- Fill the pod
- Tamp the grounds (leave a little room at the top)
- Stick on the lid
- Brew as usual
That’s it. No mess, no frustration, no weird learning curve. Honestly, I was kind of annoyed at myself for not doing this sooner.
I first started by replacing my non-flavored espresso pod with my new home-done version and could barely tell the difference. Actually, the illy espresso was more flavorful and tasted stronger than my normal blend. Once I ran out of my flavored espresso pods, I started using two of my new reusable pods and adding either a splash of flavored creamer or one pump of flavoring.
After I use a pod, I just let it hang out in the interior chamber of the machine (it’s super hot when you first use them). Then, when I’m cleaning up my coffee cup later, I grab the used pods, peel the foil lid off, shake the grounds into the trash and rinse it under water. Just like that, it’s ready to go for my next cup of coffee.
The Pros
- It’s Easy – Truly. If you can scoop and press, you’re good.
- Big Money Saver – Once I hit that 30-use mark, everything after was cheaper than buying pods. I love that for me.
- Eco-Friendly – Less waste!
- More Coffee Options – I’m no longer locked into Nespresso’s selections. With flavored creamer options and coffee syrup options, my options are unlimited!
The Cons
Um… none. If you’re someone who doesn’t want to add any steps to your coffee routine, maybe it’s not for you. But this adds all of 30 seconds and gives you complete control over your brew — seems like a fair trade to me.
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