Pre-filled capsules are sold by the pod, not by the kilo, and that is what makes them awkward to compare with ground coffee. A capsule holds roughly 5 to 6 grams. A kilo of beans holds somewhere between 170 and 200 of those doses. Once you work out what you are paying per kilo either way, the gap is usually wider than it looks on the shelf.
Three things drive your real cost per cup:
- What you pay per pod. The capsule itself.
- How many cups a day. The number that quietly multiplies everything else.
- What the coffee would cost instead. Your local roaster's beans, ground for pods.
A reusable capsule changes the first line. You buy the capsule once and refill it with ground coffee, so the ongoing cost becomes the price of the coffee rather than the price of the packaging around it.
Work out your own numbers
Put your figures into the calculator below. It uses what you actually pay, so the answer is yours rather than an average.
What to do with the answer
If the gap is worth closing, the next question is which reusable capsule fits your machine.
- Nespresso® Original machines — stainless steel capsules from SealPod, WayCap and Bluecup.
- Nespresso Vertuo machines — refillable lids and silicone covers.
- Aldi® Expressi®, K-fee® and Caffitaly® machines — the FeePod range.
- Dolce Gusto® machines — WayCap refillable pods.
Not sure which system you have? The compatibility quiz sorts it in about a minute. Free shipping across Australia on orders over $90.
Crema Joe products are compatible with but not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Nespresso®, Dolce Gusto®, K-fee®, Caffitaly®, Expressi® or Aldi®.