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Cheap coffee capsules were best in test

Coffee capsules in the test: expensive is not always best.

(Bild: TONY4URBAN - stock.adobe.com)

Konsument magazine tested 23 coffee capsules suitable for Nespresso machines. 21 of them were flawless, i.e. the coffee posed no health risk from mold, for example. The test winner was an own brand costing 20 cents per capsule, reported the Upper Austrian Chamber of Labor.

Experts assessed the smell and appearance of the coffee products, the 23 capsules from different manufacturers were chemically analyzed and examined with regard to their environmental impact and packaging design. The tasting and the chemical analysis of the coffee's compliance with specifications such as moisture and caffeine content each accounted for 40 percent of the overall score.

The winning own brand was followed by a product costing around 35 cents per capsule and in third place was the most expensive sample at 52 cents per unit, which nevertheless delighted the taste buds of the professionals the most. The cheapest product in the test (15 cents) came in fourth place.

Fully automatic machine requires more energy
The environmental impact, which is closely linked to the quantity consumed, was also taken into account. If you drink little coffee, for example one cup a day, you leave a smaller footprint with a capsule machine and disposable capsule than with a fully automatic coffee machine, which consumes much more energy.

With eight cups a day, the capsule machine with disposable capsules is the biggest polluter of all machines. No matter how often you reach for the pick-me-up from the mug, preparing it with an espresso machine and a refillable capsule with organic coffee has the least impact on the environment.

French press is the cheapest
In terms of price, the capsule version is the most expensive - if you drink more than one cup of coffee a day. In general, coffee from a French press costs the least, closely followed by filter coffee. For up to six cups a day on average, the pod machine is the next cheapest option to the fully automatic machine. If more is consumed, the two types of machine swap places.