If you’re looking for one-cup coffee makers, you’ve got options. In particular, there are two major competitors—the Pepsi and Coke of the one-cup coffee maker world, so to speak. One is K-Cups. The other: individual coffee pods. Let’s talk about their differences.  

K-Cups, along with their coffee makers, are manufactured by a company called Keurig. A K-Cup is essentially a plastic container with ground coffee beans and a coffee filter inside. A brewer punctures the container’s lid and bottom and forces hot water through the K-Cup, which becomes coffee.

Coffee pods are simpler. Coffee pods, sometimes called coffee pads in other parts of the world, are ground coffee beans inside of their own filter. They look very much like tea bags. Coffee pod makers run hot water through the single-serve coffee pods, and that’s all it takes. Senseo is one of the manufacturers of coffee pod brewers, although there are others as well, such as Melitta and Wolfgang Puck.

Both K-Cups and coffee pods are popular for their convenience. For example, Melitta and Wolfgang Puck coffee makers will make a cup in under a minute with only the touch of one button. You don’t need to worry about grinding coffee beans, measuring them, throwing in a filter, or cleaning up the subsequent mess. You just need one coffee pod.

Basically, it’s as easy as instant coffee, but as delicious as brewed.

While both K-Cups and coffee pods are easy to use, there are a few things to keep in kind when deciding which is for you. K-Cups do cost more than coffee pods, unfortunately. Also, coffee pods have a wider variety of coffees to pick from. You can even buy decaf coffee pods. And aside from having more flavors of coffee to pick from, some one-cup, single-serve coffee makers are also capable of brewing cappuccino and tea. They’re very versatile, indeed.

In fact, one of the more advanced one-cup, single-serve coffee makers is capable of making cups of coffee in multiple sizes. You can pick between having a 3 oz, 4 oz, 5 oz, 6 oz or 10 oz coffee - whatever you’re in the mood for. Some even have an interactive LCD display, which highlights water levels. Needless to say, luxury is an option for coffee pod consumers.

And for the economical consumer, coffee pod prices are also very reasonable, as we’ve mentioned. It is the cheaper option. On the other hand, consumers of coffee pods can pick between the standard, very affordable single-serve coffee maker, and the more expensive, but more luxurious, option. Also, because other manufacturers make one-cup coffee makers, going with coffee pods will mean that you will have more selection with regards to purchasing a coffee maker than you would with K-Cups.

Of course, as a smart consumer, you know that a little research should precede any significant purchase. And while the prices of coffee pod coffee makers aren’t too significant, keep in mind that the one you purchase will make your coffee every morning, and that will make a difference in your day!

Ultimately, both K-Cups and coffee pods provide delicious, convenient coffee. However, we think that you’ll appreciate the better selection—for both coffee makers and flavors—that coffee pods provide.

The website The Oatmeal has published an excellent series of infographics entitled "15 Things Worth Knowing About Coffee". It has some of the most interesting facts on coffee that I've come across on the web. Here's a sampling of some of the facts:

- Legend has it... that Ethiopian shepherds first noticed the effects of caffeine when they saw their goats appearing to become frisky and "dance" after eating coffee berries.

- The rise of Islam contributed greatly to the popularity of coffee. The religion prohibited drinking alcohol, but coffee was considered an acceptable drink.

- Coffee is the second most traded commodity on Earth. Oil is the first. Clearly humanity has a thing for black drippy liquids.

- George Washington invented instant coffee! A belgian man living in Guatemala by the name of George Washington invented it in 1906.

For more fun facts like these read: 15 Things Worth Knowing About Coffee.

Coffee grows best near the equator in the "Bean Belt" which lies between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer. (Image: National Geographic)

Coffee is grown primarily in the Southern Hemisphere of the world, which provides ideal weather and geology for coffee plants to thrive in. South America, in particular, grows a substantial amount of coffee. For example, in 2007, Brazil produced 2,249,010 tonnes of coffee, which more than doubled the second highest producer that year, Vietnam (which produced 961,200 tonnes). Colombia and Indonesia are the two other big growers, having produced 697,377 and 676,475 tonnes, respectively, in the same year.

Coffee growing generally begins by planting coffee seeds (better known as coffee beans). The classic method involves burying 20 seeds in each hole at the start of the rainy season. About half of the seeds will be eliminated naturally, but others will grow into coffee plants. During the first few years of its cultivation, coffee will sometimes be intercropped with other types of crops, such as corn or beans; when the coffee plants become substantial enough, they will justify having their own land.

There are two commonly cultivated species of the coffee plant. They are Coffea canephora (C. canephora) and Coffea arabica (C. arabica). The more popular one is C. arabica, which is considered more suitable for drinking. C. canephora produces a coffee called robusta coffee, which is bitter and less flavourful than C. arabica coffee. However, it does have a better body. Nonetheless, about three-quarters of coffee cultivated around the world come from C. arabica coffee plants.

That being said, C. canephora is more resistant to diseases than C. arabica. Consequently, C. canephora can be cultivated in areas where C. arabica would grow poorly.

Robusta coffee is commonly used as a cheaper substitute for C. arabica coffee. It is used in a lot of commercial coffee blends. Part of the reason robusta coffee is cheaper to make is because it can be used more sparingly; it contains approximately 40 to 50 per cent more caffeine than C. arabica. That being said, not all robustas end up in cheap coffee. High quality robustas are often used in espresso blends. The result is a more full-bodied coffee with a better foam head.

Robusta coffee beans are usually grown in western and central Africa, Southeast Asia, and Brazil. C. arabica coffee beans, on the other hand, generally come from Latin America, Asia, eastern Africa, or Arabia. Depending on which region the bean comes from, it will have different characters that alter the coffee it would produce; region can be responsible for body type, flavor, aroma, acidity, and more. For this reason, different types of coffee are usually named after the region they come from (for example, Colombian coffee). That being said, processing and the subspecies of the coffee plant also have an affect on these traits.

So as you can see, how and where coffee is grown has a huge impact on the final product—that is, the coffee you drink. Keep this in mind the next time you order your coffee. Figure out which region’s blend is for you. A bit of research will tell you what to expect.

An example of what Coffee Pods look like.

Perhaps you haven’t heard about coffee pods. So before we get into why you should consider trying them out, allow us to explain what they are.

Single-serve coffee pods closely resemble tea bags in appearance. Essentially, they are ground coffee beans inside of a filter. There are multiple brands to choose from—such as Melitta Coffee Pods, Wolfgang Puck Coffee Pods, and Fratello Coffee Pods—and a range of prices as well. The individual coffee pods generally come in packages, which are very affordable. Packages come in small sizes (such as 18 coffee pods, which average $6) and much larger sizes (you can buy a package of 160 for approximately $50).

The only inconvenience of coffee pods is that they require their own coffee pod maker. You do, however, have a lot of choice when it comes to purchasing the equipment. The more basic models can be purchased for as cheap as around $50 new, and more luxurious models are generally just north of $100. If luxury is your thing, there are some cool features worth checking out. For example, Senseo’s luxury model can make multiple coffee sizes (from 3 oz to 10 oz) and has an LCD screen that displays water levels.

But whatever type of coffee maker you end up with, it need not be limiting. Any coffee pod can work in any coffee pod maker. If you prefer the taste of Wolfgang Puck coffee pods, or Melitta coffee pods, you can use them in your coffee pod maker, whatever brand it may be. The end result: You have got a lot of choices. Each brand has dozens, if not hundreds, of flavors. So if you want to mix things up, coffee pod makers are a great option; you can get a range of flavored coffees. Try something new every morning.

In fact, it should be mentioned that there also exists espresso coffee pods. However, espresso pods require a particular type of pod maker, so make sure that, if you want to be able to make espresso, you buy one that is also an espresso pod maker.

So now that you know what you need, let’s talk about how coffee pod makers works. On your end, things couldn’t be simpler: Coffee pod makers only require you to press one button. It then runs hot water through the coffee pod, a process that takes less than one minute. And that’s it. Your coffee is done and ready to drink. This is the main appeal of coffee pods: They’re quick and easy. In addition, there’s almost no cleanup required afterward. Just toss out the used coffee pod.

The other advantage of coffee pods is their taste. Besides having a plethora of flavours to choose from, they have the added benefit of delivering real coffee. The result: You get the convenience of instant coffee (which is not real coffee) with the taste of freshly brewed coffee.

With convenience and taste all rolled into one simple pod, it’s no wonder coffee pods have become a hit. And they’re only getting more popular, which means your options are expanding. Now is a great time to look into coffee pods — they’re a small and worthy investment.

Image Credit: CoffeeHero

A lot of people love the taste of coffee as it is, and insist on keeping it that way. But for those of us who drink a lot of coffee, it’s nice to mix things up once in a while. Flavored coffee is an easy and affordable way to do that. And even for those of you with pickier pallets, there are so many different varieties of flavored coffee that you’re bound to fall in love with at least a few of them.

There are all of the traditional flavors, like Vanilla and Hazelnut, and there are a lot of newer, less conventional options out there too, such as Candy Apple and Blueberry. And then there are flat-out weird options, like Chocolate Blueberry and Highlander Grog. Perhaps you’ll just have to taste those ones for yourself.

The flavored coffee process involves treating freshly roasted coffee beans with chemical flavoring. The flavoring may or may not be natural. Either way, at the end of the day, it’s a matter of taste. Literally.

Another perk of flavored coffee is its convenience. It’s an easy way to spice up your coffee—to make it a little different. It’s a lot less hassle than making, for instance, a latte. And we all know how rushed our mornings can be. Thus, for many, coffee and convenience go together like, well, coffee and cream.

There are literally hundreds of flavored coffee options out there, and whether you’re buying canned coffee or coffee pods, you’ll have a lot of flavored coffee options—they come in many flavors and in many forms. For example, with coffee pods specifically, the following flavors are just a few of the many options you’ll find: Hazelnut, Irish Cream, French Vanilla, Blueberry, Caramel Fudge, Chocolate Raspberry, Cinnamon, Mint, and Swiss Chocolate Almond—the list goes on, trust us. In fact, you can even get flavored organic coffee.

Flavored coffee can be easily ordered online. You don’t even need to leave your house. It’ll be delivered right to your doorstep.

It’s an easy way to add a little variety to your mornings. Why not try a new flavor every morning? It might take longer than you’d think to get through them all. It’ll be worth it, though. You’ll find out which flavors you like best. You’ll have discovered dozens of delicious new ways to drink your coffee.

And for those of you particularly interested in trying out flavored coffee, consider investing in coffee pods, which go especially well with flavored coffee. Because coffee pods are single-serve, you don’t need to make an entire pot of Raspberry coffee, for instance, which might be a bit much. You’ll never have more flavored coffee than you would realistically drink, and consequently your coffee won’t go to waste. With coffee pods, you can have just one cup whenever you’re in the mood. And if you decide that you would, in fact, enjoy another cup of Swiss Chocolate Almond coffee, it will take you less than a minute to make another.

Flavored coffee is an easy way to mix things up, and guaranteed you’ll discover more than a few delicious gems. Think about, or just be impulsive and give it a shot. After all, it’s quick and cheap, so what have you got to lose?

Image Credit: Ahmed Rabea / flickr