Plastic coffee pods → cafetière or moka pot
One pod a day is over a kilo of hard-to-recycle packaging a year, and hot pressurised water runs through plastic.
- Plastic avoided
- ≈ 1.0 kg a year
- Typical cost
- £15 – £40
- Swap from
- Plastic coffee pods
- Last reviewed
- 26 September 2026
How strong is the evidence?
How the dials work- Exposure evidenceHow strong is the evidence that the plastic version exposes you to microplastics or plastic chemicals?
- Weak · 1/4
- Environmental evidenceHow strong is the evidence that this swap cuts environmental harm over the product's whole life?
- Moderate · 3/4
- Claim verificationHow well has the alternative's plastic-free claim been verified?
- No product yet
Why swap
Plastic pods push near-boiling water through plastic under pressure, and most are not recycled. Loose coffee is also much cheaper per cup.
What to look for
- All-steel cafetière (check the filter and plunger parts)
- Aluminium or steel moka pot
- Refillable steel pods if you want to keep your machine
Watch out for
- Many cafetières have plastic filter frames or lids
- "Compostable" pods are often PLA, which counts as plastic
More swaps in drinks & snacks
Bottled water → tap water in a steel bottle
Bottled water carries hundreds of thousands of plastic particles per litre. UK tap water is cheap and safe.
Swap first · about 3.0 kg of plastic a year
Plastic tea bags → loose-leaf or plastic-free bags
Many tea bags are sealed with polypropylene or made of plastic mesh. Hot water plus plastic, several times a day; how much reaches your cup is still debated.
High priority · about 120 g of plastic a year
Takeaway coffee cups → reusable steel cup
Paper cups are lined with plastic and topped with a plastic lid, and they hold drinks at 80°C or more.
High priority · about 500 g of plastic a year