Coffee Pod Subscriptions UK (2024)
Around 20 years ago our morning coffee was revolutionised.
The small capsule containing ground coffee enabled us to extract espresso-like coffee at the push of a button.
Invented by the guy who founded the multibillion-dollar coffee machine giant Keurig Green Mountain the brew method is now present in millions of homes throughout the world.
A coffee at the touch of a button swept through the UK in the 2000s romanticised by a rather elegant looking Hollywood actor and became a household name overnight.
Although coffee pods undoubtedly come top of the class for convenience (even over instant coffee or coffee tea bags) does the fact that you get a quick brew outweigh the other attributes of coffee like quality or the waste that they produce?
Now don’t get me wrong, I have consumed my fair share of commodity-grade instant coffee and coffee pods from time to time (it is extremely nostalgic and does take me back to studying at uni).
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However, there is no denying the fact that the coffee can be low quality.
The lowest grade coffee that is produced by coffee farms throughout the world is used in the vast majority of commercial coffee, it is roasted dark to give a strong bitter taste.
There are however a few brands that offer something that is head and shoulders above what you will find on the supermarket shelves.
Why trust us?
Here at Batch coffee we pride ourselves on showcasing some the some of the best independent coffee roasters in the UK and their seasonal single origin coffees from around the world in our coffee club uk.
We are a team of coffee professionals that have worked in the industry all around the world.
Our reviews are all our own words and we only recommend products or services that we love.
The Best Coffee Pod Subscriptions
Here are a few specialty coffee pod subscriptions in the UK that not only use quality coffee but also are taking the waste problem seriously.
33% off when you subscribe!
Description: Compostable and organic pods. 0% plastic and vegan. They showcase the pods in their beautiful tin that is not only recyclable but they suggest to keep hold of it and refill it with their letterbox friendly refill pack.
Coffee Options: House, Black, Decaf
Compatibility: Nespresso Compatible
Subscription Schedule: Every week.
Price: From £9.95 for 30 pods | £0.33 per pod
Grind was founded in 2011 when David Abrahamovitch took over his father’s Shoreditch mobile phone shop and decided to turn it into a café-bar.
In the decade since, Grind has grown to become a cult east London coffee brand.
It now comprises of eleven locations, including espresso bars, cocktail bars, restaurants, an international-grade recording studio, and a state-of-the-art coffee roastery.
Grind are still based in Shoreditch and now employ around two-hundred people with most of their investors over the years becoming Grind regulars and friends across the world.
Grind at Home lets you bring Grind coffee home - all the way from their state-of-the-art London coffee roastery and now serving in the UK’s very first completely compostable coffee pods.
Read more in our profile of Grind Coffee.
Like the sound of a Grind speciality coffee pod subscription? Check out Pods and more at Grind.co.uk
Description: These are 100% industrially compostable coffee pods. The capsules, lids and bag packaging are made from a bio-based cornstarch material. So when you've made your coffee, simply place this waste in your local authority food-waste collection bin. Easy.
Coffee Options: Balanced, Rich, Bold
Compatibility: Nespresso & Dualit Compatible
Subscription Schedule: Every week or every month.
Price: From £26 for 40 pods | £0.65 per pod
Eleven years ago Kurt founded Volcano Coffee Works - an ethical roastery that would bring the great tasting coffees he had grown up with in New Zealand to the UK, while supporting the livelihoods of the communities who grow and produce it.
From a coffee cart on the streets of West Norwood to their state-of-the-art roastery in Brixton, Volcano has grown to a team of 30 passionate people. Kurt remains the beating heart of their family and continues to roast the first batch of coffee of the day.
Like the sound of a Volcano coffee pod delivery? Check out Pods and more at Volcanocoffeeworks.com
Description: Pact Coffee pods are 100% recyclable - the aluminium casing means all you need to do is rinse them, stack them, squeeze them and pop them in your recycling.
Coffee Options: 4 Single Origins
Compatibility: Nespresso Compatible
Subscription Schedule: Every Day.
Price: From £18.95 for 40 pods | £0.47 per pod
Founded in 2012, Pact Coffee was created to change people’s minds about coffee. They think about it like wine, not flour - it’s a cupboard staple, but one that’s infinitely better if it’s been lovingly grown and expertly processed. Pact want the UK to realise that. Because everyone deserves a truly quality cup of coffee.
Like the sound of a Pact coffee pod subscription? Check out Pods and more at Pactcoffee.com
Description: As well as being sustainably sourced coffee, these 100% aluminium capsules are recyclable. As long as your local council will accept them in household recycling, otherwise, you can return them to Origin and they will recycle them through First Mile.
Coffee Options: House Espresso, Decaf
Compatibility: Nespresso Compatible
Subscription Schedule: Every 2 or 4 weeks
Price: From £28.35 for 60 pods | £0.47 per pod
Origin coffee was founded over 15 years ago by Tom Sobey and roast their coffee in Cornwall. Having worked closely with his fathers coffee business growing up, he has always been involved in the industry. After a trip to Australia in the early 2000s where coffee culture reigns, Origin was born.
Since then Origin coffee has evolved into a full team of industry professionals, a world-class coffee program, 6 coffee shops and an ever-evolving product range. They are one of the founding fathers of third-wave speciality coffee in the UK and are amongst the front runners in the industry.
Read our Review of Origin Coffee Roasters
Like the sound of an Origin specialty coffee pod subscription? Check out Pods and more at Origincoffee.co.uk
Description: 100% home compostable pods and packaging. They are designed to provide customer with a sustainable pods that are filled with the highest grade speciality coffee.
Coffee Options: 5 Single Origin and 4 Blends
Compatibility: Nespresso Compatible
Subscription Schedule: Every week.
Price: From £26 for 40 pods | £0.65 per pod
Halo capsules are designed to provide consumers with a sustainable alternative to regular coffee pods that are filled with specialty high-quality coffee.
They believe that compostable materials oar the most environmentally friendly and sustainable solution and their home compostable coffee pods are even more so than industrial compostable ones.
Like the sound of a Halo coffee pod subscription? Check out Pods and more at Halo.coffee
6. Coffee and Kin
Description: 100% plastic free and compostable capsules. Coffee & Kin donate 1p per capsule to The Blurt Foundation - helping young people and adults affected by depression in the UK.
Coffee Options: Explore, Discover, Escape
Compatibility: Nespresso Compatible
Subscription Schedule: Monthly.
Price: From £30 for 80 pods | £0.38 per pod
Coffee & Kin is run by Ruth & Mark, a husband and wife team. Six years ago, we were introduced to speciality coffee by our brother-in-law, a coffee roaster in Adelaide, Australia. We were blown away by the flavour and quickly became addicted to drinking good quality coffee.
They believe that the speciality coffee shop experience can also be enjoyed in your kitchen, on holiday or in the office through their range of speciality nespresso® compatible coffee capsules.
Like the sound of a Coffee and Kin coffee pod subscription? Check out Pods and more at CoffeeandKin.co.uk
Are coffee pods recyclable?
Not all coffee pods are recyclable. Many of the commercial-grade coffee pods you find in supermarkets are made out of non-recyclable plastic. There are a few options here in the UK that offer compostable coffee pods however not all are home compostable but rather an industrial compostable plastic.
Are coffee pods universal / Are coffee pods interchangeable?
Coffee pods are not universal however sometimes coffee pods are interchangeable as various pods can fit in many coffee pod machines.
Are coffee pods the same as K-Cups?
Coffee pods and K-Cups are similar in that they are both single-serve coffee options, but they are not the same. Coffee pods are usually soft and shaped like a flat disk, while K-Cups are plastic containers with a foil top and are used with Keurig machines.
Photo: Express Pods
Can coffee pods be used twice?
Coffee pods cannot be used twice. Inside each pod is ground coffee and like any other coffee filter method once the ground coffee has been brewed and correctly extracted you can’t use the coffee again. Instead you can use the grounds to grow mushrooms or to exfoliate your skin.
How coffee pods work?
Coffee pods work in the same way a commercial espresso machine works. The pod is pressed firmly into the machine creating an airtight chamber of ground coffee. Hot water (Around 95 degrees celsius) is pumped over the finely ground coffee with high pressure.
The coffee extracts quickly because its large surface area (the finer the grind the larger the surface area) and out comes a short coffee.
Which coffee pods are recyclable?
Take a look at the list above to see which of our coffee pod subscriptions offer recyclable or compostable coffee pods.
Do I need to do anything to the coffee pod before composting it?
This depends on the brand and type of coffee pod. Some compostable coffee pods can be composted without any additional steps, while others may require you to remove the lid or other parts of the pod. It's best to follow the instructions provided by the brand.
What's the difference between capsules and coffee pods?
To be honest in the UK the meanings are very similar and seem to be interchangeable depending on the brand. Coffee capsules traditionally are vacuum packed cylindrical containers that hold ground coffee while pods are referred to the ‘teabag-like’ container made from paper that holds the coffee.
That said, in the UK we refer to the cylindrical coffee container as a pod.
Coffee Pod recipe
There are not many brew methods or recipes that involve the extraction of coffee from a coffee pod. Unlike other methods, it is unusual that you can control any other variables than the amount of water pressed through the ground coffee.
One tip I would always advise when brewing any method for that matter would be to keep your machine clean from any of the previous grounds.
Are coffee pods healthy
Coffee pods are healthy if consumed without any milk or sugar. Black coffee, specifically ground coffee, has been proven to have multiple health benefits. Check out our article on The Benefits of Black Coffee.
Which coffee pods are best UK?
We found that the best coffee pods in the UK that we came across is Grind coffee. We concluded that they have a great balance of quality coffee, environmental awareness and value. They offer a range of buying options and also showcase a range of whole bean coffee.