Café Bustelo Full-Bodied Caffeinated Espresso Pods, 72-Count

There is a great deal of care that goes into the cultivation and roasting of coffee beans. And while the final step of actually brewing that coffee is fairly straightforward, there are a number of methods for doing it. True aficionados might have tried quite a few to satisfy their java jones, to the point where their coffee nook starts to resemble a mad scientist’s lab.

But when it comes to the most elegant combination of taste and simplicity, the art of coffee making may have reached its apex with the advent of single-serve pod-style machines. Even if you don’t already have one in your home, you’ve probably seen them at department stores under brand names like Nespresso or Keurig. With these machines, there’s no need to measure and pour coffee into a filter, or even water for every cup. You simply pop in the coffee pod of your choice and within seconds, you’ve got a fresh cup of coffee or espresso.

The choice of coffee makers is a tough one, but there are only so many brands to choose from. Choosing the right espresso pods, however, can be much trickier. There are hundreds of flavors and intensity levels offered by the companies that make those machines, and that’s before you even look through the many off-brand (but compatible) pods on the market.

The first thing that will narrow down your search is compatibility. You’ll want to make sure the pods you buy will fit into the machine you own. Buy the wrong pods, and you won’t just end up with an undrinkable mess — you might actually harm your machine.

The two major brands are Keurig and Nespresso, and of the two, Keurig has kept things relatively simple. Their K-Cups are a standard in all Keurig machines, and they’re even used by other coffee pod makers like Mueller and Hamilton Beach.

Nespresso has a wide variety of machines to suit every budget and taste, but their pods are not one-size-fits-all. The “original” line of Nespresso makers use a larger, cup-shaped pod where water jets through the top and forces coffee out through the foil covering at the bottom. The newer “vertuo” makers use a smaller, bowl-shaped pod that allows water to swirl around before flowing out.

The material of the coffee pod is another big consideration, both in terms of taste and the ability to recycle. The first generation of coffee pods got a lot of flak for how quickly they filled up garbage bins with non-biodegradable containers. Today, most companies have responded with kinder, gentler pods that can still produce a quality cup.

The most prevalent material is PBT, a thermoplastic that’s FDA-approved for use with food. It can also be recycled simply by rinsing out the container after use. A slightly pricier option is aluminum. These cups are a little thinner but more durable, allowing more coffee to be packed in. They can also be recycled with relative ease. These are the two main materials, but you can find pods made from a variety of compostable substances if you want to really be Earth-friendly.

After you’ve made those choices, the most important one can also be the hardest: Taste. From bold darker roasts to complex light varietals to seasonal flavored blends, there’s something out there for everyone. Variety packs are a good way to go until you find a coffee that suits you. Here, the joy is truly in the journey. Happy tasting!

One of the great things about coffee pods is that they’re airtight. Light and oxygen can degrade the taste of ground coffee, so that does wonders for the taste even months after you buy the pods. Even so, you should know that coffee pods can and do expire. Make sure to check the expiration date on the pod if it has one. If it doesn’t, most pods should be good for a year or so after their date of manufacture. And while the smell of coffee is generally a good thing, you don’t want it coming from your pods until after they’ve been used. Odors of any kind mean that the seal has been broken and the pod should be discarded.