Mischief Managed Up To No Good!
I have been up to no good – designing a stainless steel refillable Pods compatible with Nespresso.
Stainless Steel nespresso nespresso compatible 
Refillable Coffee Pods.This might sound strange but it is just a way of describing the end result of our efforts.
Here is our story….It all started with an idea!
You know how tea always tastes better if made in a metal tea pot, for some strange reason I thought coffee would taste better in a stainless steel pod rather than a plastic refillable.
So I went about finding someone to manufacture a stainless steel refillable coffee pod compatible with nespresso. As good as my idea was in theory the practical side didn’t really measure up.
I ended up with a stainless steel pods that would cost approx $150 au to make that did not produce a better crème than the plastic version of refillable see now more inforation at our website.
I call it mischief managed because after great trial and error I managed to come up with a result – “No Good” Our engineer Richard was terrific and helped with idea after idea and Joshua spent many hours turning out prototypes. It made us really appreciate the BPA free plastic version so much!
Here is what happened – Refillable Coffee Capsule Prototype A
We tried drilling larger holes in an under performing capsule:-
This capsule fitted in the machine but it felt like a squeeze.. we had to adjust the capsule to go in to our pixie,I think we shaved off some plastic in our nespresso machine trying to line up the corrugated sides with inside the machine and the angle was just slightly funny. Even though this design did work with smaller holes the coffee didn’t flow very well.
What we tried were larger holes! The idea was that it would provide a better flow through. We were disappointed that there was no improvement on flow or the crème.
Next attempt………..
We shortened the capsule and drilled lots of tiny holes in the base
and the lid. This once again did work however didn’t produce
much crème. The problem with this capsule was that it took ages
to produce, broke heaps of drills and cost about $150 to make because of
the time it took to drill the tiniest small holes.
It was just not commercially viable to produce for our customers
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Next up we put a different lid as per the photo above…We found that using this style of coffee pod at the base with the new open lid and some foil wrapped over the whole lid at the top created a good creme.
Actually it was one of our wonderful customers who suggested this…Thanks Roy the foil trick
it did work! It just cost too much to drill the tiny holes in the base.
So after much ado and many cups of coffee in a hot little kitchen at the back of the industrial site,
we tried make the holes slightly larger on the base and the lid…with different sized drills.
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Next up was the idea….
We thought trying a capsule with a very fine stainless steel filer at the base or at the top could reduce
the manufacturing expense. It was a good idea in theory…here is what it looked like.
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Alas…the outcome was very disappointing. Although the flow rate was great there was
absolutely zero crème that came through. Even though we tried micro mesh sizes and larger
sizes we had to let go of this idea totally. Disheartened we kept going…trying larger holes
at the base and the lid there were so many trials we lost count.
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Testing the stainless steel versions of coffee pod seemed to be very hard on my little pixie machine.
There was one design that worked but it just didn’t seem as good as the plastic emo4 version with twin stainless steel mesh filters one at the top and one at the base. The coffee is not as consistent because you pack the coffee each time a little differently. The pressure is not the same as a sealed aluminium nespresso pods, so you won’t get the same creme.
Still a winner for anyone with a nespresso machine, perfect for times you run out, or when you want to save some money!
All the testing Lead to Our Conclusion:
The new Emo4 Refillable Nespresso Compatible Capsule Pod now is a winner in our book!
Please leave us some comments and tell us what you think… We have decided it best to let the idea go…
UpDate 1:- Thanks to all the wonderful people who wrote
to me saying they want stainless steel aldi capsules or nespresso capsules much appreciated.
Update 2:- There are no refillable aldi capsules in the market place for Aldi Coffee Machines just K cups for Keurig Machines see on Amazon click here
Update 3: Fantastic lots of manufacturers have taken our example on board and have thouroughly tested and proven a range of products that work. To access, buy, try these proven stainless steel refillable pods check out the best prices in Amazon by clicking here
It sounds like you went to a lot of work an effort to make your refillable pods
Your EMO4 is a good deal where can I buy them in Australia
Thanks for our comment….You can buy them here from our website see the link below the article or click the sidebar
Nice post. I learn something more about coffee machines on different blogs everyday. It helps me with informing my readers who are wanting to be informed. Thanks for sharing.
https://kaffeepadmaschine-kaufen.net
I wonder if you have one for illy iperespresso machine or if can use this one for my Illy machine
Hi thanks for asking…however no one as I am aware has manufactured a refillable for the illy espresso machines. The refillable pods we sell only work in the nespresso machines which take the aluminum nespresso capsules. The capsules or pods need to be the right size and shape, not to mention be engineered to work with the pressure system in the machine and it is an expensive process to design the mould for the job. Thanks for asking!!
I think you have a typo. Did you mean “we love our BPA plastic” or did you mean “bpa free plastic”?
Hi David,
Thanks so…. much for letting me know, yes BPA free plastic!!!
What’s Going down i am new to this, I stumbled upon this
I have found It positively useful and it has aided
me out loads. I am hoping to give a contribution & help different customers like its helped me.
Good job.
Hey Great U tube video!!! DeLonghi EC155 Review – For people who make coffee without pods cheers!!
I’ve been looking into various solutions into reusing, and reusable pods/capsules. I thought you might find it interesting to see how this company has handled the design https://www.mycoffeestar.com/en/
You might also want to consider a hybrid design,that minimizes the amount of contact the coffee makes with the plastic. Say if the main body was steel. But the filters and bottom were plastic.
It could maybe even be as easy as a simple steel insert that rests within your existing product. The plastic body acting as a gasket of sorts to allow the metal interior to mate with the system properly.
In my opinion it would also make much more sense to laser cut the holes into your filters. No drill bits to break, highly customisable(i.e. varying hole sizes and shapes can be cut. You should be able to replicate the plastic design nearly perfectly), and best of all it’s very fast.
I wish you all the best with your endeavors to construct a better product!
Thanks for your great feedback, we did try for laser holes however it wasn’t cost effective. In other words way to expensive. Whilst testing our design
we found it hard on our nespresso machine and decided to stay away from putting stainless steel designs in a machine that was not made for using a hard in flexible metal pod.
Lavazza aroma point refillable capsules ? I’m having trouble finding any refillable pods. Dose the nesspro pods fit in the Hotpoint Lavazza machine? I really like the way the aroma point makes Expresso and really don’t want to switch but it’s an inconvenience to keep ordering the capsules. Any ideas
Hi Marc, unfortunately most coffee pod machine manufacturers don’t make refillable pods. They are usually designed as a after thought by different manufacturing companies. Every different machine needs a different pod so Lavazza pods are not compatible in Nespresso machines and vice versa for the Lavazza machine. The manufacturing companies only design the refillable pods for the biggest markets and that is Krups and Nesppresso. Either it is not cost affective for them to do the Lavazza, Expressi or other small brands or too hard to get a refillable capsule that works well as an after build design. The refillable pods for the nespresso machine do work, for the nespresso machine however they do require a bit of experimentation with coffee, tampering etc to ensure your coffee brews the way you like it and it all depends on which refillable capsule you are using. Have you tried checking your local supermarket to see if they sell the Lavazza pods? Is it the expense you fine inconvenient or something else like finding stockist?
Hi, My Mum has bought herself a Nespresso Machine along with some stainless steel pods. These come with stickers to seal the to rather than a stainless steel lid. As the ex-barista in the family, she is always ringing me to ask how to make her coffee better. The thing is i know nothing about pod machines haha!
Her latest complaint is about the crema so reading your article is helping me understand.
When you were testing with your pods, were you using a Tamper? If so, does it this difference on the crema? This is an important creator of crema when using an expresso machine so I was just wandering if it was a similar concept with the pod machines.
Really good point, your such a gem helping to make them good coffee. The manufacturers of most of the pods recommend loose pack fill and for best results a very light press. They do say to experiment with different coffee plus grinds. I found that sticking to loose or very light press seems to work best. I was recently given some aldi pods and as they don’t fit in my nespresso machine I have been using coffee from the aldi pods in my refillable nespresso pods and a full loose fill makes me a great flavoured coffee. If I press the coffee slightly into the pod then I get crème as well. It very much does depend on the coffee you use (the grind) and the way you pack the pod pretty much like a manual coffee machine however it doesn’t respond well to any firm tamper at all. I am prone to giving myself 2 pods per cup as well. I prefer the double shot when use refillables capsules in the nespresso machine.
I love my delonghi nescafe pod espresso machine but hate the taste of the milk in cappuccino pods. Has this been improved recently as its the real reason I bought it for the cappucino.
Hi Jeanette,
I totally agree, the taste of milk in pods is not to my taste either. Your probably better switching to a nespresso machine, instead of nescafe and frothing your own milk in any of the economically priced milk frothers. You can buy the nespresso compatible pods at the supermarket now, so it is almost as easy. I think it is the powdered milk they use in any type of cappuchino dry mix. In saying that most people have no complaints about the Dolce Gusto Nescafe machine pods.
Hi
Can you please advise me on the best stainless steel reusable pod with steel lid for Nespresso Essenza Krups machine
Thanks
Hi John,
I haven’t had a great experience yet with any of the stainless steel reusable pods. So I still recommend the BPA free plastic ones. If you find one you really like let me know.
My first port of call would be the coffee star capsules. They were the first ones to come out and I think they would be up there! Let me know if you find something better cheers!
Hi,Are there any reusable capsules or foil lids for Nespresso Vertuo Machines. Cheers Ron
Hi Ron,
There are no reusable capsules for the Vertuo Machines. Ho Hum. The reusable ones are manufactured for the original nespresso machines that use the aluminium pods and dolce guston machines. sorry Ron the market is not deemed large enough for someone to put the investment in to design them. Of course nespresso themeselves won’t design them because they recieve the profits from their own coffee sales. Best to you!
jane_grenfel@me.com
hi, i found out about refillable pods last night while video chatting with my daughter who’s living in the Cayman Islands. As she showed me around her kitchen i noticed her pod machine and commented how good they are, next she was emptying out her pod and filling it up – all to my amazement. I told her we didnt have them in Aus yet which shocked her ! Hence, i Googled and found you.
I have a DeLonghi Nescafé Dolce Gusto pod machine, it only takes its own pods, which are probably the most expensive pods on the supermarket shelves !
Do you have, or know of any, refillable pods for this particular machine? You probably don’t, as from my experience this brand doesn’t produce anything to make coffee-making easier or cheaper!
However, if you do come across anything I could use to making it cheaper, especially, I would love to hear from you.
Regards, and thank you
Jane Grenfell
Hi Jane, There are a few different types of Dolce Gusto refillable pods in the market.
Check out the different types of Dolce Gusto Refillables Here
You are right the brand doesn't produce them, they are manufactured by different china companies. It is just a matter of getting the right pod that works with your machine. Make sure you read which machine the Dolce Gusto reusable pods are meant to work with. If your not sure just message and ask the seller before buying Cheers IngridYou can get Nespresso stainless steel refillable pods from China on Ebay along with a small spoon and tamper to compact the coffee. I have 4 and they work perfectly They cost about 9-11 dollars each. Amazon has them too
Great to know you are really happy with them! It is great to use your own coffee you can save money and it is also creating less waste. Thanks for letting us know!
Yes I agree, as they don’t go well for recycling!
very helpful article. suggest me Refillable Coffee Capsule for the Nespresso machine. I have Nespresso, I don’t know which pud and capsule are the best for a Nespresso machine.