With the success of pod-based coffee makers like the Nespresso and Senseo, signs of panic are starting to show in the regular coffee industry. Whereas – until now – every kind of coffee maker has worked with every kind of coffee (differing grinds aside), now you have to buy the coffee that matches you machine.
What can loose-coffee suppliers do? In the case of the Spanish company Marcilla, the answer is to sell a pod that fits into a coffee maker owned by every household in the nation, the moka pot.
Marcilla's Cápsulas fit into the metal basket inside the six-cup version of these ubiquitous stovetop coffee makers. The pods are made from heavy plastic and come loaded with Marcilla's uninspiring coffee (the brand is popular only because you can buy it anywhere, even corner stores, and not for its quality).
You slot in a pod, fill the bottom chamber with water, screw together and put the spurs to the stove. A few minutes later, a semi-espresso liquid bubbles into the jug up top.
It's a terrible idea.
First, the capsules don't fit right unless your funnel basket is perfectly round. This happens precisely once, when first used. As getting the old grounds out usually involves a sharp tap on the edge of the trashcan, the aluminum basket dents pretty fast. This leads to some steam and water passing the coffee by completely, weakening the brew. You can see this in the image above.
Next up, ease of use. Cleanup is indeed faster, but as the only cleanup needed when using ground coffee is the aforementioned tap and a swish under the faucet, it's hardly a great saving. In fact, if you recycle, it will actually take longer. Which brings us to the real problem here: The environmental issue.
When you're done, you have a non-openable capsule filled with spent coffee grounds. To recycle, you'll have to cut the thing open and wash it. But I imagine that anyone buying such a thing will just toss them in the trash, where they shall fester for millennia. For Marcilla to bring such a thing to market demonstrates a cynical disregard for the environment. Than again, its ground coffee comes in foil-lined card boxes with plastic feet and lids, so I'm not surprised.
Last is the cost. A pack contains just four pugs. They're made for six-cup mokas, so Marcilla claims 36 cups, but that's fooling no-one. The price will be around €1.50 ($2), but you'll be buying an awful lot if you drink coffee every day.
There is still hope. The Cápsulas are currently at trial stage. If enough people don't buy them, they may be killed off.
Marcilla Cápsulas Gran Aroma Natural [Marcilla]
