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The point of these pods is the capsule as much as the coffee: Grind makes them from PHA, with no plastic or aluminium. Inside is the same medium-roast House Blend the London roaster sells as ground coffee and beans.
What the capsule is made of
Grind's pods are made from PHA, a material certified as home-compostable, and Grind says a used pod starts to break down within 180 days in a compost bin at home. The ground and bean bags take the same approach, using wood pulp, PLA and PBAT in place of foil. If you use an original-style Nespresso machine and the pile of spent capsules bothers you, this is the simple change to make.
The wording on pod boxes deserves a close look. Something that needs a commercial composting plant is a different matter from something you can bury in a garden heap, and your kerbside caddy for food scraps is a third route again. Follow the disposal instruction printed on the box in front of you, together with your own council's rules, rather than a description written elsewhere.
The coffee inside, and how to brew it
In Grind's own words House Blend is a medium roast, smooth and sweet, with milk chocolate and almond in its tasting notes, and it is roasted in London by Grind itself; the company opened its first roastery in 2016 and a second in 2019. A sealed capsule keeps each dose as fresh on the tenth pod as on the first, which is the real case for the format in a house that makes one or two coffees a day.
Keep to the short shot each capsule is sized for. Running one long for a bigger mug adds nothing but bitterness drawn out at the end, so top up with hot water separately if you want a longer drink. It is a milk coffee at heart: add steamed or warm milk after the shot, and the chocolate and nut notes still come through.
Pods, ground, beans or instant
Grind sells the same House Blend as pods, ground coffee and whole beans, so you can change how you brew without changing what you drink. The 200g ground and whole bean bags suit a cafetière or a home espresso machine, and beans keep their aroma longest if you grind as you go. For the office drawer, Grind's separate Smooth Barista Blend Craft Instant is the easier option.
These pods contain caffeine. For after dinner, Grind's House Decaf Ground and the decaf instant are the ones to reach for. Grind itself started in 2011, when David Abrahamovitch and his friend Kaz James converted the old Shoreditch mobile phone shop that had belonged to David's father into a café that became a cocktail bar after dark. In April 2024 it was certified as a B Corp.
The packs we stock
- Grind House Blend Coffee Biodegradable & Sustainable, 10 Pods 52g (barcode 5060574950038)
What to eat with it
- McVitie's Milk Chocolate Digestives Biscuits, 266g: Milk chocolate digestives echo the milk chocolate note in the blend, and suit a flat white made from the pod.
- McVitie's Digestives Dark Chocolate Biscuits, 433g: Dark chocolate digestives give a short black coffee something with a little bitterness to match.
- Border Butterscotch Crunch Organic Biscuits, 135g: A butterscotch biscuit brings a caramel sweetness that sits nicely beside a smooth, milky cup.
Elsewhere in the Grind range
- Grind House Blend Ground Coffee, 200 grams
- Grind House Blend Whole Bean Coffee, 200g
- Grind House Decaf Ground Coffee, 200g
- Grind Single Origin Colombia Ground Coffee, 200g
- Grind Smooth Barista Blend Craft Instant Coffee, 90g
- Grind Smooth Barista Blend Craft Instant Decaf, 90g
The full range is on the Grind brand page.
FAQ
Which machines do Grind House Blend pods fit? They are made for original-style Nespresso machines. Check the box against your machine before ordering, since capsule systems are not interchangeable.
Are Grind pods home compostable? Grind says so: the pods are PHA, certified home-compostable and contain no plastic or aluminium, and a used one starts breaking down in a home compost bin inside 180 days. Follow the instructions on the box.
What does Grind House Blend taste like? A medium roast that Grind calls smooth and sweet, with tasting notes of milk chocolate and almond.
Can I run a Grind pod long for a bigger mug? It is better not to. Pull the short shot, then add hot water or milk separately to avoid a bitter finish.
Are the pods decaf? No, they contain caffeine. Grind's House Decaf Ground and decaf instant are the options for the evening.
Curator's note: Make it a flat white and put a chocolate digestive on the saucer. That is where this blend is happiest. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.
In short: Grind House Blend Pods: compostable capsules explained
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Brand | Grind |
| Packs we stock | 10 Pods 52g |
| Category | Coffee Pods & Capsules |
| Caffeine | caffeinated |
| Machine | Original-style Nespresso |
| Best as | A short shot, or a flat white |
| Caffeine | Yes; choose House Decaf for evenings |
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