Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

[UPDATE: Purchased Starbucks dark espresso roast and ground it fine. Packed first pod too hard--water had trouble getting through. Suggest filling pod but not packing too hard with finger due to fine grind. Second pod--perfect! It made a superb latté that tasted similar to the Nespresso Indriya or Ristretto pods (strong). I recommend short cup rather than lungo for this method.] First of all, people who want perfect espresso should stick with the Nespresso pods. They are, simply, the best. You get what you pay for. However, if you're like me, and need to feed your coffee habit with more than one pod/day, these refillable pods will save you a ton of money. Until Nespresso loses their exclusive patent in a few years, we'll continue to suffer with their gouging of the customer. Indeed, other coffee pod brands are available in Europe that claim to circumvent the patent but here in America, we won't know until those make their way here. (Amazon is rumored to begin marketing a cheaper Nespresso-compatible pod later in 2012.) OK, so I ordered the Coffee Duck pods with the intention of making my own pods. After much experimentation, here are some tips: 1) The choice of coffee is paramount, so choose wisely. I've been using some leftover Costco espresso blend (intended for drip coffee makers) but it's not great. I'll be buying a bag of espresso-roast beans. 2) A burr grinder is the only way to go (mine is a Cuisinart). I tried a blade grinder but the grounds don't get fine enough. Set the grinder to 'fine'. 3) It doesn't take much grinding to get enough coffee to fill the 3 pods. I grind fresh every day. 4) With a small spoon or measuring spoon, fill the pod about half full then tamp down with your finger. Fill and tamp again. If you press too hard, the machine will have difficulty forcing water through the pod. Too light and you get weak coffee. Experiment to find what's right for you. 5) When you close the pod lid, make sure it is sealed tightly (flush) all the way around or it will leak coffee and grounds into your used pod receptacle. 6) Try to position the pod with the pod lid tab facing up and centered. 7) Experiment with short or tall (lungo) as to personal preference. 8) My used pods always fall out cleanly, I've never had a problem, probably due to #6 above. 9) I usually make lattés which for me, improves the taste. 10) Used pods pop open and clean easily under the sink faucet but can also be placed in the dishwasher. Again, as you can read from other reviewers, this process isn't for everyone but I find it kind of fun and I'm saving money. Coffee Duck claims the pods will last a long time. They seem sturdy. I've used each pod about ten times now and I can't tell any difference from when they were brand new. Coffee Duck pods are a good substitute when you run out of Nespresso pods or you simply want to enjoy more than one pod per day and save money. The ordering process seems somewhat confusing due to Nespresso revising their machines in 2010. The Coffee Duck vendor automatically assumes you have a 'newer' Nespresso machine and will send the black pods that fit it. If you have an older (pre October 2010 machine), specify the BROWN Coffee Duck pods when ordering. Highly recommended.