Check our compatibility guide here. Pod Star have fully reusable capsules for your Nespresso machine, Nespresso Vertuo machines, Lavazza machines, Aldi K-fee Expressi machines, MAP Caffitaly machines, Verismo machines and Espressotoria machines.

Our Vertuo pod was created using the 240ml pod size using the espresso barcode. This gives people the option of pouring a short espresso or pressing the button again for an additional pour to create a weaker coffee. We find the best result are filling the pod twice and using 2 espresso shots for milky coffee. Creating your perfect coffee will require a few tries as it also depends on how strong your ground coffee beans are, but once you have achieved the desired strength you can continue to use Pod Star this way for future coffees.

Good Question. For some reason the way the Vertuo Next reads the barcode is different from the other models. This results in a Vertuo machine that will not work at all (light might show amber or red) or if it does, produces a very watery undrinkable coffee.

 At the moment there are no reusable pods that actually work with the Vertuo Next machine. Our goal is to develop a pod that will work in the future.

 If you have accidentally purchased a Pod Star Vertuo pod for your Next machine, we recommend you contact us on hello@podstar.com.au and if you have not used the pod we will have you send back the pods in their originally packaging for a refund. All refunds are for unused, non-perishable products only and must be in their original packaging and the products must be received by Pod Star within 30 days of delivery to the customer. There is a $12 restocking fee for returns.

Absolutely. We have tested it on many teas and drinking chocolate and it works great. Ditch the jug, the tea bags, and use your pod machine and Pod Star capsules for a zero waste, easy cuppa. Check out the delicious Star Chai available on our website.

Absolutely. We have tested it on many teas and drinking chocolate and it works great. Ditch the jug, the tea bags, and use your pod machine and Pod Star capsules for a zero waste, easy cuppa. Check out the delicious Star Chai No, our stainless steel capsule has been designed not to touch any of the piercing prongs within your coffee machine. If used correctly the stainless steel capsule will not damage your machine.

Yes, please remove the green silicone o-ring before placing it in your dishwasher if you are washing your Nespresso capsule. For the Aldi K-fee / Caffitaly, and Espressotoria capsules simply put them in your cutlery basket.

We recommend using a minimum of 2 capsules per cup of coffee for Nespresso and Espressotoria machines. The capsules hold slightly less coffee than disposable capsules and for a good strong coffee, using 2 filled capsules is best. The Pod Star Double pack is cheaper than buying two Pod Star Single packs.

The Aldi K-fee / Caffitaly capsules hold slightly more coffee but we recommend using 2-filled Pod Stars for a strong coffee.

Our coffee is freshly ground to a fine-to-medium grind. We recommend buying our ground coffee first - Star Eco Coffee - so that you get to use your Pod Star capsules right away, or buy a Pod Star grinder when you get your Pod Star capsules so that you can grind any coffee beans you like.

Remember, too coarse and the water will flow too quickly through the pod, too fine and it will flow too slowly. Coffee sold as 'Espresso' grind, which is most of the ground coffee sold in supermarkets and cafes is too fine for a capsule machine. Espresso Grind is designed for an Espresso Machine, not a Pod Machine.

Customers have also had a lot of success with coffee bought ground to a "Stove Top" grind. On a good cafe grinder, the perfect setting is 2.4

Can you really use the coffee grounds on your garden?

Yes. Here is a fantastic article on composting with coffee grounds.

Did you know:
        Coffee grounds impove drainage to soil.
        They attract earthworms.
         Many gardeners use coffee  grounds as a mulch for their plants.
         It keeps slugs and snails away from plants.
         Keeps cats away from using your veggie or flower garden as a littler box.
         Worms love coffee grounds.

Unfortunately we do not make pods for Dolce Gusto at this time.

Please make sure your lid and the back of the pod are screwed on properly. Leaving them loose increases the length of the capsule which could result in the capsule getting stuck in your machine.

Over filling the pod with coffee can make it hard to screw the lid on all the way. Please make sure that you fill the capsule to just below the thread which will leave enough room for you to screw the lid on properly.

Yes. We have tested the new Expressi One machine and our Pod Stars for Aldi K-Fee make a great coffee.

Doesn’t fit in my machine.Have you checked our compatibility guide, please have a look by clicking this link to see if your machine is listed. https://podstar.com.au/pages/compatibility If you see your machine here, you can be confident you just need to push the lever down harder to close. If you have a Nespresso Mini, check out our video resources as there is a trick to inserting the Pod Star capsules.

I can’t pull the handle down.Some machines can be a bit stiff in the beginning, if you're having trouble try removing the green o-ring if its a Nespresso compatible pod and you will be able to close the handle.

Having trouble inserting your Pod Star into an Essenza mini - watch this quick video to see how. https://youtu.be/KsJ8MgswNZA

Please check our compatibility guide to make sure your machine is on our list - click here 

If you have a Nespresso DeLongi or Essenza mini please watch our video on how to insert the capsule correctly - click here

All our machines listed on our compatibility guide have been tested. If it is tight pushing down the lever, it's ok. With a medium amount of pressure it will close. After a few uses it will loosen up and be easier too close. If you have a Nespresso machine and are worried about adding pressure to the lever try removing the green o-ring. This will make it easier to push the lever down. Once you are confident you can add the o-ring back onto the pod.

 Here's our guide for making perfect coffee every time with Pod Star capsules!

If the water flows too quickly it means you packed Pod Star too lightly or the grind on your coffee is too coarse. We recommend grinding your beans to a fine-to-medium coarseness if you're using a grinder. If the grind is correct and water is still flowing too quickly, then pack your Pod Star tighter. Don't forget you can buy your Pod Star ground coffee from us, and we have ground it to the perfect capsule machine grind for you.

Check out this Trouble shooting video https://youtu.be/CqCuahICdNI

If it flows very slowly to the point of dripping, the pod is packed too tight or the coffee is too fine. If you have packed it really tight it may stop the flow altogether. We recommend grinding your beans on to a fine-to-medium grind if you're using a grinder. If you're using the correct grind and the water still slowly drips out, pack your Pod Star capsule a little lighter. Don't forget we sell Lygon Street Coffee Co. Coffee which we have ground to the perfect capsule grind for you.

Check out this Trouble shooting video https://youtu.be/CqCuahICdNI

Depending how you like your coffee, you may need a second shot, especially if you have milk. You can also try a stronger coffee blend, but we prefer to fill 2 capsules per coffee and run each one a little shorter than normal. 

Also check out our video on making a great milk coffee https://youtu.be/nK6r6KGrCI8