Aluminum cups are recyclable with their own program as sibling comment noted. I have Nespresso boutique with the recycling bin very close to my office, but I understand how it can be a problem in general.

I have an espresso machine and an aeropress. The aeropress was about a tenth of the price and I use it 90 percent of the time.

30 seconds? My machine takes 30 minutes just to heat up. I bought my grinder (Baratza Vario) and machine (an E61 based heat exchanger) in 2012 and they are getting to the end of life. I'm seriously thinking about switching to a Nespresso setup because it's way more convenient and the coffee is still pretty good.

We have a k-cup machine at work and it's drinkable, but not great.

There was a nespresso machine at the office where I used to work. The coffee it produced was tolerable and nothing more. I recommend an Aeropress if you want something quick that makes good coffee.

I have an Aeropress and like it a lot, but it's not that quick. You still have to grind beans, heat water, and steep (usually).

I'm not sure I'd group the Nespresso and Keurigs together. I've never had a good k-cup coffee but the Nespresso produces great cappuccinos and cafe au laits in about a minute. There's a dramatic difference in flavor between their different roasts though, I'm partial to the capriccio and voluto blends.

>I'm not sure I'd group the Nespresso and Keurigs together.

We have both in our workplace kitchen; they both produce mediocre coffee, in my opinion (and I'm no coffee snob). I wonder how the Nespresso got such a reputation? Is it widely considered good?

> My machine takes 30 minutes just to heat up.

That seems strange to me. I got the Nespresso Inissia as a Christmas gift a few months ago and it takes maybe 30-60 seconds to heat up. Then, <30 seconds for every shot of espresso after that.

I hate the pods, but they have a recycling program. Unlike K-cups.

I'm pretty sure K-cups can be recycled now. At least, they are being collected separately from the garbage and somebody comes to pick them up from my office anyways.

We recycle our K-cups -- it's a bit of effort but it's not really that bad.

I've find cups that is bio degraded which is also suitable to use in the Nespresso machine (even says to on the package).

This is in sweden though.