At first blush, going by the title, you're probably assuming that I'm going to dissuade folks from buying the Tassimo Brewer in favor of a normal coffee pod brewer. Nothing could be further from the truth. The concept of a bar-coded single serve coffee system that makes fairly complicated concoctions all on its own is, to be honest, amazing, and standard coffee pods can't hope to compare to that level of sophistication. However, Tassimo Brewers do have one huge short-coming, and that is that you cannot use anything other than T-Discs with them.

Isn't This A Typical Coffee Pod Issue?

Although it seems like this would be a universal problem with all single serve coffee makers, there are ways of dealing with it in most cases. No, it's not as easy as simply using the correct coffee pods, but there are all sorts of adapters that will convert one format into something that can be used in just about any device. It's not perfect, largely due to a lack of standardization, even though many products are advertised as "universal". Usually, though, you can either check the Internet for the solution, or figure it out on your own. If a brand of coffee pod doesn't do what you think it should, for instance, you can just try another brand.

What Makes Tassimo's System Different?

The Tassimo's biggest problem is the shape of its discs. Simply look at regular coffee pods and it becomes obvious exactly why they're not interchangeable with T-Discs. The bar-code system takes it a step further, leaving the user with no way to tell the Tassimo what to do with any format that lacks a bar-code. Some have attempted to refill T-Discs, but no one has figured out how to re-seal them, which means the machine can't build up enough pressure to brew.

Why Wouldn't One Always Use T-Discs?

Although the idea behind buying the Tassimo brewer obviously includes using T-Discs, there are a few reasons why this might not work out quite like expected. Many times folks simply cannot afford T-Discs. They're not cheap, and are a bit overkill if all you want is a cup of coffee. Availability can also be an issue. Small town grocery stores, for example, typically do not stock things like this. Some simply object to the idea. Buying a Tassimo forces the consumer to continue buying from that company in the form of the T-Discs. Some people don't like how that looks. Although there are a few other brand names making T-Discs, it's pretty obvious that it's all licensed.

What If I Already Have A Tassimo Brewer?

If you purchased a Tassimo brewer, and are now finding yourself in a bit of a spot, your options are sadly limited. Hopefully most people will think twice before they purchase a product that is so proprietary. To be honest, your cheapest solution will be to just buy a cheap pod coffee brewer, eating the cost of the Tassimo and using it when you want something special and can afford it. Standard coffee pods are not expensive, and you can purchase them in bulk both online and at popular retail outlets.

Want more information on coffee pods? Trish suggests checking out these other coffee pod resources.