Product Info, Troubleshooting & Tips

Reusable capsules are slightly shorter than a single-use capsules, as to avoid damaging the blade plate. All of our capsules are designed to fit perfectly, and will not harm the machine when used correctly.

Our capsules with a reusable lid (WayCap) are held in place by the machine rather than being pierced.
We also have (Bluecup & Sealpod) that utilise a pierce-able lid which is pierced like a regular disposable pod. These lids are either recyclable or compostable

Since launching in 2014, we've tested, trialled and experimented with a plethora of reusable capsule material options and combinations! As part of our research, the criteria included that the product must:

• Be as sustainable as possible (either closing-the-loop or fully recyclable)

• Be production compliant and

• Meet all food safety standards and regulations

During our explorations and research, we discovered that the simple act of piercing the capsule lid creates a pressure build-up, which results in a richer brew and crema. Whilst we do stock some capsules with stainless steel reusable lids, we have opted to use fully recyclable Aluminium lids for brewing coffee with some of our product lines. When our customers switch to reusable - we hope they'll keep reusing for the lifetime of their pod machine! By refilling the steel capsule, and composting the grounds, our customers are drastically reducing their kitchen waste, whilst still enjoying a lovely espresso.

Aluminium lid disposal: All of our aluminium lids are recyclable. If your local recycling facilities are unable to sort items of this size, simply collect them in an aluminium can, squeeze it shut when full, and place in your home recycling bin. If you ever use larger sheets of aluminium, alternatively these can be scrunched up into a ball, which a larger pierce of foil around the outside to contain them. The general rule of thumb is about the size of a tennis ball so that the machines can pick them up.

Check out the following article for more info: Reusable Steel Lids Vs Recyclable Lids

Better beans, stored correctly, simply make better-tasting coffee!

Pre-ground vs whole beans: The beans themselves are the best vessel for protecting the quality of the coffee. Once your coffee beans around ground, they oxidise very rapidly. Grinding right before you brew is best if possible. 

How long it lasts: This depends on how your coffee is packaged. A one-way valve foil bag with pinholes (to let gas out but no air in) will allow the coffee a good few weeks before it loses its liveliness and begins to taste flat. If your coffee came in one of those, leave it in there! Do make sure to store in your cupboard, away from light, and at room temperature.

To freeze or not to free: Short answer? Don't freeze, or store it in the fridge. The cell structure of coffee is soft and porous, and likes to absorb aromatics. That’s code for: If you have garlic or onions in your freezer, your coffee beans might take on some of that flavour. Storing in the fridge causes coffee to condensate and pushes oils to the surface, ageing the coffee faster. If you must store your coffee in the freezer, ensure the bag is sealed and unopened. Allow the beans to thaw to room temperature before consuming. 

Stale coffee: Waste not, want not. Don't throw out your old coffee - you can use stale beans for a special type of brew: cold brew! 

Conclusion: Buy small amounts of fresh-roasted coffee in airtight containers, then store them at room temperature. And drink as much as you can as quickly as you can - coffee waits for no one.

Check out the following article for more info: If You Care About Your Coffee, You Should Know How To Store It

During the process of moving to reusable coffee pods, you may find you're experiencing a little more water in your drip-tray in comparison to using disposable capsules. It's important to note that real coffee, freshly ground, generally contains a higher moisture and/or oil content than coffees such as instant and pre-filled pods, which tend to sit on supermarket shelves for months on end. Switching to a higher quality coffee can make the pump in your pod machine work a little harder, and whilst a small amount of excess water hopefully shouldn't cause a problem, the tips below should assist in reducing the water in your drip tray.

Grind method: If you grind at home, using a burr grinder will help you achieve a better brew (blade grinders can create too much dust). This dust, along with  grind inconsistencies can create a higher density within the capsule, essentially contributing to blocking the capsule, resulting in excess water leaking into the drip tray.

Grind size / tamp: A grind that is too fine can also result in excess water leaking into the drip tray. We suggest experimenting with pressure - pack the coffee more loosely with minimal tamp, or simply fill and apply the lid.

Pump function: We also suggest making sure your coffee capsule machine has been recently cleaned, descaled and is in optimum working condition. “Descaling” is the act of stripping calcium and lime deposits from your machine’s surfaces, assisting the pump to create a pressure build-up that produces a lovely crema to top your brew. If you want to ensure your coffee machine is producing the best flavour and an optimal brew pressure, it should be cleaned once a week and descaled once every three months. Cleaning your coffee machine not only extends it's life, but also ensures the quality of the coffee you brew.

Tip: Don't - Use vinegar! Vinegar doesn't remove coffee oils the way a professionally formulated coffee machine cleaner does. Do - Use a cleaning solution that will remove oils, stains and break down grime.

Shot size: To get the absolute best extraction from reusable pods, we strongly recommend using the standard espresso shot (using the short shot button) on your coffee machine. This provides the perfect amount of water to extract the best elements of the coffee (oils, aroma and flavour - yum)!

Brewing a long shot can adversely affect your extraction. When brewing a lungo, you'll probably notice "blonding". Blonding is the colour transition of a pour from dark brown to a light, uniform pale blond. This normally occurs in the last third of the pull and is a signal to end the pour. This overly-blond portion of the brew is thin, nearly flavourless, and if allowed to continue will dilute the body and taste characteristics of a shot.

For a better tasting long or mug coffee:

Lungo - use 2 pods on a 40mL extraction setting

Long black - use the short shot button, and top with boiling water (by running your coffee machine without a pod in it)

The other bonus of brewing this way? You will actually extract less acidity from the coffee, resulting in a less bitter tasting cuppa. 

Coffee type: Brew intensity is also affected by the type of bean and roast method. Many pre-packaged capsules do have flavours added. These basically replicate intensity, however the caffeine content doesn't differ. If you're determined to get a super "strong" tasting coffee, you may consider trying a Robusta blend. Robusta is considered a lower grade bean, however Nespresso use this for their higher "intensity" capsules. You can read more in our recent article Why Reusable Pod Coffee Isn't As Strong As Disposable Pod Coffee.

Our capsules are made from high quality stainless steel - these can expand a little during use. Whilst this won't cause damage to your machine, they may require a little nudge to drop from the brewing chamber into the drip tray.

As a general rule, a little jiggle with your index finger should usually help to release the capsule. If required, you can also use the WayCap removal method as per attached video. Note: Please attempt this carefully - blunt implements preferred!

To reduce the frequency of this occurring, we suggest checking that you are using a capsule compatible with your model of machine, and that all gaskets, o-rings etc (dependant on the product) are correct positioned before use.

Did you know that baristas increase shot size based on the amount of milk to get the right harmony? It's important to consider what kind of coffee you really enjoy, and for when you want to drink it. For example if you love a strong coffee in the morning, add less milk - this will mean you're getting all of those great characteristics of the coffee itself and the milk isn't overshadowing it. On most machines, the "small cup" button is on the left hand side. If you're using a larger cup, consider the extraction size you are using, or try a double shot.

Black coffee

Espresso - 1 x pod (25mL coffee)

Double Ristretto - 2 x pods (50mL coffee)

Lungo - 2 x pods (80mL coffee), or
Long Black - 1 x pods (25mL coffee) topped up with boiling water

Milk coffee

The milk-to-coffee ratio is a crucial part of your brewing recipe. When making milk based cafe-style recipes, always pour the espresso first as your base - you want that lovely, thick syrupy coffee to interact properly with the milk, blending everything so it becomes quite creamy. To get the best out of your coffee and milk for a barista quality coffee, we suggest the following:

Piccolo Latte - 1 x pod (25mL coffee) + 120mL milk
Small milk coffee - 2 x pods (50mL coffee) + 210mL milk
Medium milk coffee - 3 x pods (75mL coffee) + 280mL milk
Large milk coffee - 3 x pods (75mL coffee) + 400mL milk

Check out the following article for more info: How To Perfect The Art Of Milk Based Coffee

Notes on extraction size:

• The extractability point of coffee is between 18-28%. Less than 1/3 of a coffee bean can be extracted. If your extraction is too long, you'll notice smoky and charcoal-y aspects - this is a sign that the coffee has been burnt.

• When using quite a short extraction with stronger coffees (stopping extraction early for a Ristretto, for example), your coffee will produce lovely sweet, rich flavours and aromas - a high intensity roast supports this kind of extraction perfectly.

• If using a milder coffee, go all the way to 40mL to get the full taste of the blend in your cup.

• Only extract a maximum of 40mL per pod. 

• When extending a shot to 40mL, the balance of flavour and intensity will differ - we suggest experimenting to find what suits your tastes best.

Now that you're using real, fresh specialty coffee, you may notice that your brew extracts a little slower than single-use capsules did. With reusable pods, you might expect the brewing time to be around 14-17 seconds. This slower extraction allows for a lovely aroma, maximum flavour and a rich crema on top of your coffee.

If you would like to speed up your extraction, we suggest the following:

Grind method: If you grind at home, using a burr grinder will help you achieve a better brew (blade grinders can create too much dust).

Grind size / tamp: A grind that is too fine can be a common cause of a slow extraction. We suggest experimenting with pressure - Pack the coffee more loosely with minimal tamp, or simply fill and apply the lid.

Machine function: We also suggest making sure your coffee capsule machine has been recently cleaned, descaled and is in optimum working condition. “Descaling” is the act of stripping calcium and lime deposits from your machine’s surfaces, assisting the pump to create a pressure build-up that produces a lovely crema to top your brew. If you want to ensure your coffee machine is producing the best flavour and an optimal brew pressure, it should be cleaned once a week and descaled once every three months. Cleaning your coffee machine not only extends it's life, but also ensures the quality of the coffee you brew. Tip: Don't - Use vinegar! Vinegar doesn't remove coffee oils the way a professionally formulated coffee machine cleaner does. Do - Use a cleaning solution that will remove oils, stains and break down grime.

We are very particular about which reusable capsules we stock, and back our products. Brand ethics, supply chain and usability are all taken into consideration when developing and/or considering our product lines.

It's true, eco-friendly capsules aren't pre-filled capsules - they're reusable! The materials they are made from are quite different from a single-use pod, so brew results can differ from that of a disposable capsule.

It's important to remember coffee beans are an agricultural product - naturally, they differ! The roasting process also has a big impact on the final product. We always recommend grabbing a bag of our delicious Bespoke Blend (crafted specifically for use with reusable pods) to get you going - you can also take this along to your local roaster as a great grind reference point! We also encourage you to try a new blend every time you shop for a new bag of coffee as you build an understanding for which flavours and aromas suit your palate.

Essentially, the extraction of your brew is dependant on which coffee you use, and how you use it. If you require your coffee capsules to perform exactly the same way as a throwaway capsule, sustainable pods may not be for you. However, we are here to help you take steps towards a more sustainable lifestyle that is gentler on our Earth. Selecting the right reusable pod for your lifestyle and needs is a great first step, so we highly recommend taking our Quick Capsule Quiz.

And at Crema Joe, we have a multitude of resources to support and help you get the best out of your sustainable brew. Will you choose to do good every time you brew? Together we have diverted millions of single-use pods from landfill. You can track your potential impact here. 

Recommended usage:
- Regular coffee drinkers (30+ cups a month) - use one capsule per week

- Light coffee drinkers (0- 29 cups a month) - use once capsule every 2 weeks

- Special beverages (hot chocolate, tea or milk capsules) - minimum once a week.
Note: When using the CaffeNu cleaning capsules for the first time, we recommend using 2 capsules (right after each other) for a thorough clean.

Method:
1. Ensure the water tank is filled up to its maximum level, and the capsule tray is empty and clean. Place a large jug under the spout and insert the cleaning capsule as you would a coffee capsule.
2. Press the "small cup" button, and wait a minute while cleaner breaks down all the residue inside the machine.

3. Press the "large cup" button and run until the water runs clear.

4. Open the lever on your machine to eject capsule (caution - the capsule will be hot) and discard the solution in the jug.

5. To rinse the machine, close the lever and press the "large cup" button, and then discard the solution in jug.

Note: The ejected cleaning capsule will be full of hot water. Empty the capsule container and rinse and clean.

If planning on using our reusable capsules with a Wacaco machine, we suggest talking to a Wacaco technician first to confirm if they recommend modifying your machine (the blade inside can be removed for compatibility purposes).

Wacaco Minipresso NS can be used with: SealPod, Bluecup, WayCap
Wacaco Nanopresso NS can be used with: SealPod, Bluecup, WayCap

We encourage you to replace parts rather than ordering a new product - it's much more energy efficient and less wasteful than buying a whole new product! We provide replacement components to prolong the useful life of our products for a maximum sustainable impact.

Replacement SealPod silicone rings can be purchased here.

Replacement WayCap gaskets can be purchased here.

Yes. The warranty is not dependent on the capsules used in the machine, and should be honoured by the manufacturer. If in doubt, refer to the manufacturer’s warranty information that was supplied with your machine.

On the rare occasion, a batch of coffee may have undergone an issue (such as over-roasting) during the roasting process, consequently creating too much oil in the beans.

A detrimentally high oil content is problematic, as the ground coffee can bind together resulting in blockages in reusable capsules.

If you experience this with your favourite coffee brand, we suggest chatting to your local roaster about this occurrence, or experiment with switching to a medium roast rather than a dark roast.

Head to the following article for more information on purchasing coffee for reusable pods:

3 Things To Consider When Sourcing Coffee For Your Pods
Decaf And Reusable Coffee Pods