which is the most sustainable way to make coffee? Studies compare CO₂, packaging, energy and waste.
ARTICLE by comunicaffe.com
MILAN – Moka pots, capsules, pods or bean to cup machines: which is the most sustainable way to make coffee at home? The answer is not as simple or straightforward as it might seem. Whilst capsules and pods involve using a single-use container for every cup, they do allow for precise measurement of the product. The moka pot does away with single-serve packaging, but its environmental impact varies depending on the amount of water and coffee used, as well as the heat source. Fully automatic machines, on the other hand, grind the beans directly but require electricity, water for rinsing and more complex equipment.
This comparison becomes even more significant when considering changing consumer habits. In Italy, for example, between 2022 and 2026, according to Circana data published by Nescafé Dolce Gusto, the share of traditional ground coffee in total consumption by the cup fell from 67.5 per cent to 54.4 per cent, whilst capsules, pods and whole beans gained ground.
The moka pot may have an advantage in terms of emissions
A study published in 2021, ‘Carbon footprint of different methods of coffee preparation’, compared the carbon footprint of a 40-millilitre cup of coffee prepared using different methods.
Under the conditions considered in the study, the moka pot produced the lowest emissions, ranging from 45 to 57 grams of CO₂ equivalent per cup when used on an induction hob, and from 47 to 59 grams when using gas.
The capsule machine recorded values ranging from 57 to 73 grams, the pod machine from 72 to 92 grams, and the espresso bean to cup machine from 74 to 96 grams of CO₂ equivalent per cup.
However, this is not a universally valid ranking. Life-cycle assessments depend on numerous variables, including the quantity of coffee used, the energy source, the machine’s lifespan, user behaviour and the waste management system employed.
Capsules: the impact of packaging and end-of-life disposal
One of the aspects that inevitably works against single-serve systems is the capsule or pod used in the machine. A packet of ground coffee can produce many moka pots, whereas capsules and pods require a container for every single serving.
However, the material used can also significantly alter the result.
A 2024 study focusing on capsules made of aluminum, polypropylene and compostable bio plastics found, in the scenario examined, that certain bio compostable alternatives had a lower environmental impact, particularly those intended for home composting.
This difference, however, is reduced when aluminum and polypropylene are produced using recycled material and, above all, when they are effectively recovered after use.
It therefore becomes essential not only to know whether a material is theoretically recyclable, but whether it is actually captured and processed by local waste‑collection systems.
In Milan, for example, since March 2026, aluminum capsules can be disposed of alongside plastic and metal packaging thanks to systems capable of separating even small metal objects.
Automatic machines: a focus on energy
With fully automatic machines, the issue of individual containers is eliminated, but the energy consumed by the appliance becomes a greater concern.
These machines must heat water, grind beans, operate pumps and internal systems and, in many cases, carry out automatic rinsing and cleaning cycles.
How the machines are used therefore also plays a significant role: making several cups of coffee after a single initial heating cycle results in a different energy consumption compared to switching the machine on repeatedly throughout the day.
Even a moka pot can be more or less efficient depending on the size of the coffee pot, the amount of water used and the heating system.
How much coffee is used per cup?
There is also a variable that is often less obvious: the amount of coffee required to make a cup.
Every gramme used embodies the environmental impact generated during cultivation, fertilisation, processing, roasting and transport.
From this perspective, single-serve systems offer a potential advantage: the dose is predetermined and coffee waste is minimised.
With the moka pot, the quantity depends more heavily on the user. Making a four-cup moka pot and drinking only two cups means also contributing to the environmental impact of the coffee that will not be consumed.
Fully automatic machines combine these two elements to some extent: they use whole beans, avoiding single-serve pods, whilst at the same time allowing a specific quantity to be ground for each espresso. However, this benefit is offset by the use of energy, water and electronic components.
The environmental impact begins with coffee cultivation
Focusing solely on the machine used to prepare the drink, however, risks telling only part of the story.
A recent analysis of the entire life cycle of coffee – from the cultivation of green beans through to roasting, distribution, consumption and waste management – identifies agricultural production and the consumption phase as among the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and water usage.
The origin of the beans, farming techniques, fertilisers, processing and roasting methods can therefore have a significant impact, regardless of whether or not a capsule is used.
What happens after you’ve drunk your coffee can also make a difference. In the scenario analysed by the research, the end-of-life stage accounted for over 30 per cent of the overall environmental impact considered.
Recycling coffee grounds through biogas production and their use as organic fertiliser reduced estimated emissions from 3.5 to 0.62 kilograms of CO₂ equivalent per kilogram of coffee.
All things considered, moka pot, capsules or automatic machine: so, which is the greenest?
The studies analysed therefore suggest that the moka pot has a certain advantage, particularly when used without using excessive amounts of water or coffee and when an efficient heat source is utilised.
“Based on these estimates, the environmentally aware consumer should be conscious that the preparation of a cup of coffee with a coffee pod or capsule machine would result in extra emissions of 27.6 or 12.6 g CO2e with respect to those emitted with an induction Moka pot, respectively,” says the above mentioned study. “By referring to the current Italian consumption of 80-million coffee cups per day, such extra GHG emissions would equal to those emitted by a Euro 5 city car (ca. 100 g CO2e/km) traveling around the Earth’s equator as many as 551 or 252 times per day, respectively,” concludes the study.
Capsules have an additional environmental impact due to their container, but they allow for precise control over the quantity of product used. Fully automatic machines, on the other hand, do away with single-serve capsules and enable precise dosing of the beans, though they involve energy consumption, water usage for maintenance and greater production complexity.
The real difference, therefore, does not depend solely on the system chosen, but on how it is used, the amount of coffee consumed, the lifespan of the appliance and, above all, what happens to the product and its packaging throughout its entire life cycle.
ARTICLE by comunicaffe.com