If you prize convenience when it comes to coffee but don't like the waste, and with demand for eco-friendly coffee capsules on the rise, refillable pods are an attractive sustainable option. But which Nespresso® compatible capsule is right for you? To find out which comes out on top, we put SealPod, WayCap and Bluecup reusable coffee pods to the test, rating and evaluating them on ease-of-use, performance, sustainability and value for money.
We invited the team to test and review the reusable capsules in a De'Longhi Nespresso Citiz machine along with Gigante Coffee Black Silk beans, ground to stovetop. (Psst — no time for light reading? Take our quick quiz below, or skip to the bottom of the page for our short video comparison.)
The results
Bluecup
• Ease-of-use: Bluecup comes with a Spoon Holder and Cup Creator. The Spoon Holder is perhaps a little unnecessary, but does mean that the process is reasonably mess free. The Cup Creator looks more fiddly than it is — with a press and turn, the capsule is sealed and ready to go. Tip: the Cup Creator and Bluecup Lids are compatible with SealPod if you like the sound of this method but prefer to brew with steel capsules.
• Performance: When a firm tamp is applied, Bluecup creates an absolutely spot on brew with a strong flavour, even colour and impressive crema. For ease of tamping, we do suggest investing in a tool such as the SealPod Scoop. Bluecup was our pick of the bunch in this category, and also received a top review in The Sydney Morning Herald in 2018.
• Sustainability: Reuse generates far less waste than single-use products, and Bluecup capsules were designed to be refilled and reused over 200 times. This is a huge improvement on the single-use variety, but does place Bluecup behind the stainless steel refillable options.
• Cost: Bluecup is the entry-level option when it comes to initial spend, and an affordable, eco-friendly way to brew with your Nespresso machine. The Bluecup Starter Pack includes the accessories and a supply of lids, and the ongoing cost is the Bluecup Lids Pack — the cheapest per-brew consumable of the three. The capsules themselves need replacing eventually, after around 200 uses, via the Bluecup Pod Pack. The bonus of the bulk lid option is the ability to pre-fill a batch of pods and simply drop them into your machine — all the convenience without the waste. Current pricing is on the product page.
SealPod
• Ease-of-use: SealPod is very easy to use with a simple fill, top up, tamp and seal. The initial pack comes with a scoop that doubles as a tamper, which perfectly compacts the coffee into your pod. SealPods also come with a Fresh Cover, which is applied after filling so that the capsule may be stored for future use. This feature means that you can always have a capsule on standby, bringing back that convenience factor — particularly when purchasing a larger pack.
• Performance: When using a stovetop grind, SealPod certainly delivers a great coffee with rich crema — our particular beans produced a delicious aroma and a deep, smooth flavour. Note: SealPod can also be used to brew loose-leaf tea, hot chocolate and chai using the paper sticker lids.
• Sustainability: Made from 100% stainless steel, SealPod is designed for a lifetime of use. The available sticker lid options are the SealPod Paper Sticker Lids (compostable, and the ones to use for tea, hot chocolate and chai) or the SealPod Espresso Sticker Lids, which can be recycled with other aluminium — we advise confirming with your local recycling facility whether they can go directly in the recycling bin or need to be collected in an aluminium can first.
• Cost: The SealPod packs bring the per-pod price down as the pack size goes up, and the only ongoing cost is the sticker lids. For an in-depth look at cost per cup against your particular choice of coffee beans, check out our cost calculator. Current pricing is on the product page.
WayCap
• Ease-of-use: The WayCap Dispenser and Tamper allow for quick and easy refilling — within seconds the pods are filled with uniform pressure and without making a mess.
• Performance: Unlike other eco-friendly options with a reusable top, each WayCap comes with interchangeable steel filters, each one suited to a particular grind size. This means that you can enjoy your espresso with whichever coffee you choose to brew, be it from your local cafe or pre-ground from the supermarket. Our resulting brew was not at all watery, with a decent crema and colour, however WayCap came in third for this category as we would recommend 2 pods to achieve an intense brew.
• Sustainability: Made entirely of stainless steel, WayCap capsules are designed to be reused indefinitely. With no additional filters, lids or packaging for each cup, WayCap makes it very easy to reduce your environmental footprint with every cup.
• Cost: You'll spend more on the initial purchase, but in the long run WayCap is an extremely cost-effective premium product, with no ongoing purchases required at all — no lids, no filters, no packaging. Current pricing is on the product page.
So which one should you buy?
All three brew good coffee in a Nespresso Original machine, and all three fit the same capsule size — so the decision really comes down to what you want to spend up front and how much fuss you'll tolerate each morning.
- You want it to last a lifetime and you're buying one thing. Go with SealPod. Stainless steel, a scoop that doubles as a tamper, a Fresh Cover so you can fill pods ahead of time, and the best all-round brew in our test. Your ongoing cost is the espresso sticker lids.
- You brew different coffees and never want to buy a consumable again. Go with WayCap Ez. All steel, screw-top lid, interchangeable filters for different grind sizes, and nothing to replace after the initial pack.
- You want the lowest entry price, or you want to pre-fill a batch. Go with Bluecup. Cheapest way in, easiest to prepare in advance, and our pick for pure brew quality when you tamp firmly.
Current pricing and customer ratings are on each product page. All three sit in the Nespresso Original compatible range, and shipping is free on Australian orders over $90.
Still not sure? Take the capsule quiz, or send us a photo of your machine and we'll tell you what fits.
Using a system other than Nespresso Original? We also stock refillable pods compatible with Dolce Gusto®, Aldi Expressi®, K-fee® and Caffitaly®, and Nespresso Vertuo.
If you're already brewing with reusables, you can track your environmental impact here.
Crema Joe products are compatible with but not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Nespresso®, Dolce Gusto®, K-fee®, Caffitaly® or Expressi®. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.