Pod Espresso vs Ground Espresso

by Whole Latte Love Updated: May 5, 2021 2 min read
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Difference Between Pod Espresso and Ground Espresso

Recently, I have been fielding a growing number of calls regarding the differences between pod espresso and ground espresso. Whole Latte Love has a variety of machines that brew both, as well as machines that brew pods only or grounds only. However, there are a few differences between the two types of espresso.

Pod Espresso

Let's start with the obvious. Pod espresso is a pre-packaged espresso puck wrapped in a paper filter. 

Some prefer pods over ground espresso because of the grinder and the potential of spilling grounds on their counter top, which can be inconvenient to clean up after every use. With pod espresso, all you have to do is open a new pod, place it in the portafilter handle, place the handle in the machine, and turn on the brew switch. Using pods are a quick and clean way to get a good espresso shot.

Ground Espresso

Ground espresso is a loose powder that can be bought in whole bean or pre-ground form. With whole bean, a grinder is required to grind the espresso before it can be brewed.

For people who like to have complete control over their espresso brewing experience, there is ground espresso. Although grinding whole beans can be messy at times, the end result can be far superior to pod espresso. When grinding and tamping espresso beans, there is much more control over the variables attributing to an excellent espresso.

The only down side to this method is that figuring out what grind and tamp pressure to use with each kind of bean can be time consuming and messy. However, another upside to grinding your own espresso is the ability to adjust the strength of your espresso shot by increasing or decreasing the amount of ground espresso in the portafilter handle.

There are many different semi-automatic espresso machines on the market today. Some machines use pod espresso, some use ground espresso, and some will brew both pod and ground espresso. Knowing the differences between both types of coffees can help you narrow down the choices. As always, Whole Latte Love's Sales Department is always available to help you find the perfect machine as well.