As a certified coffee addict (I’m on my 3rd cup today!), I have all kinds of coffee stuff in my kitchen, aside from often going out for my coffee fix. One of my favorite devices is my coffee capsule machine since it’s quick and easy to use. What’s bad about it is that it’s not the most environmentally friendly as the single use coffee capsules are pretty wasteful and cannot be recycled or upcycled. I often feel guilty when using it so I rarely do and stick to my relatively more eco-friendly french press and pour over. But what if there’s something similar to a coffee capsule but is more sustainable?
Designer: CoffeeB
Swiss coffee brand CoffeeB has come up with a coffee machine that uses eco-friendly single-serve Coffee Balls. So basically it’s similar to the coffee pod machines except this one doesn’t have any plastic pods or capsules so you don’t contribute to the world’s plastic waste. You won’t feel guilty using these single-serve energy balls if you need a quick caffeine jolt and you have no patience for the slower coffee machines that you normally use.
Don’t worry, you’re still getting actual ground coffee beans and not the instant ones that true-blue coffee lovers detest. These coffee beans are made round by an almost invisible outer casing that is made from seaweed. Hopefully the packaging doesn’t actually affect the taste since I’m not sure I would actually like seaweed-flavored coffee. They did say the casing is flavorless as well as transparent and food-safe. The roast type is etched on the casing.
The Coffee Balls can last up to three months at room temperature or if you store it in your ref. And after you use them, they can be turned into compost or natural fertilizer for your home plants and gardens. In case you don’t know how to use them post-coffee, the machine comes with instructions and guides on how to properly recycle them. The machine itself is made from partially-recycled materials and the coffee grounds used are certified organic and Fair Trade.
