With their convenience of use and relatively fresh flavor, pod coffee makers are quickly becoming a household favourite. But as with anything that appears too good to be true, there may be hidden costs and consequences associated with pod coffee machines.

Pod machine brewing uses small capsules containing sealed roasted or ground coffee beans which slot into a machine for brewing. Hot water is forced through this coffee at high pressure and temperature to brew each pod depending on its size, providing an efficient method to quickly create coffee beverages, but generally speaking its quality falls short when compared with hand-brewing methods.

Single-serve pod coffee machines have experienced rapid growth over the last decade and it is estimated that approximately 40 percent of American households own one. Unfortunately, both plastic and aluminum used in producing pods, and heating processes may release hormone-disrupting chemicals into your coffee, potentially interfering with hormone production, changing metabolism, leading to weight gain and increasing cancer risks.

Manufacturing these coffee pods also requires significant energy, water and resources – which contributes to deforestation and environmental degradation. Furthermore, billions of coffee pods discarded annually contribute to global waste problems like rising ocean levels and landfill disposal issues.

Biodegradable pods may not be widely available, yet they’re still out there somewhere – most are made from polypropylene or aluminum that won’t break down in our bodies easily and will likely end up sitting in landfills for years afterward.

Organic, fair trade and single source coffee pods may be more environmentally friendly; however, the costs can sometimes make this unfeasible for some consumers. When purchasing pods made from such beans it’s essential that only high-quality organic arabica beans are used as they provide superior results.

Many companies tout their pods as being recyclable, but this is more or less an advertising tactic. Only a fraction actually get recycled since manufacturers expect you to rinse out caps, peel off lids and sort into very specific recycling bins; or compost at home which most don’t have the facilities or knowledge for.

If you own or work in an environment with a coffee pod brewing machine, consider switching to something more eco-friendly instead. While these machines might provide convenient coffee brewing experiences, their health, environmental and financial repercussions cannot be undervalued. A reusable filter system or hand brewing with glass mugs will still give you what you want while also being good for our planet.