Five original uses for used coffee capsules

Reduce your scraps and create beautiful, handmade items from your old, used coffee capsules!

It is a fact that in recent years, espresso machines using coffee capsules are constantly gaining ground and popularity. Both the low price of the machines and their ease of use, as well as the wide variety of compatible capsules available on the market, have made these machines a very common choice mainly for offices and workplaces, but also for the home.

Although the quality of coffee produced by capsule-based machines does not have to envy much of the espresso prepared by a professional machine, and access to many quality blends is particularly easy and the available choices are enough, the main counter- do not like the espresso machines using capsules remains the fact that they remain highly polluting and environmentally damaging. It is true that while ground coffee is easy to compost and is not particularly polluting waste (while there are several practical and smart uses for used, ground coffee), coffee capsules, usually made of aluminum or plastic, are difficult to recycle and usually end up in landfills.

Although there are coffee companies that collect and recycle used capsules, here are some clever ways to re-use empty coffee capsules, regardless of your device. This way, you can reduce your waste, practice craftmanship and get unique utilitarian and decorative items - as it suits a fanatical coffee lover.

What can you do with used coffee capsules? 

Some larger capsules, such as Iperespresso Capsules or Lavazza Blue Capsules, can be turned into small-sized cases such as buttons, fasteners, needles, beads, handicrafts, etc. All you need is to clean the capsules thoroughly residue the coffee and leave them to dry. Then lay them on the workbench or in your office and fill them with stuff. As the different blends usually have a different capsule color, this is something that will help you organize and arrange your stuff.

Filling the capsules with soil and planting small plants, you can make a small indoor garden. Equip yourself with a line, pieces of wood and a cutter and organize your garden in a mobile style - it's an excellent decoration for your kitchen or bathroom window and a first-class handmade gift. It is recommended to use larger sized capsules, which will allow plants to grow more comfortably, and it is preferable to choose plants that are hydrophilic and resistant, such as succulents. Depending on the construction of the capsule, you may need to open small drainage holes at the bottom.

If you have children, the used coffee capsules have the ideal size and shape to make small, homemade granites - make sure you have washed them well so there is no coffee in them. Prepare homemade granite in different fruit flavors and fill with this empty capsules, then put them in the freezer. They have the ideal size for a lollilop granite, you can use them more than once and the process is fun - an activity you can share with your children, increasing their expectation for homemade granite.

Compatible capsules for Nespresso machines are usually made of translucent plastic, in different colors, depending on the variety and composition of the blend. You can really make original Christmas lights as follows: get cheap, simple xmas lights. Keep only the hard plastic piece of each capsule and carefully open holes at the bottom to allow the lamps to pass and stay firm without resting on the capsule walls. Use capsules in different colors, such as green or red - your Christmas lights will be truly original and unique.

Make original lights

Using compatible capsules for Nespresso machines made of aluminum, you can make original luminaires! The process is very simple, it just takes time and a relative ease in construction. Simply, crank the capsules to create a relatively flat disc. Then, group the capsules by color and make strips from the discs using a string. Hanging these strips around a lamp, you will have built a special lampshade that will fill your space with discreet, colorful shades.

Organize your kitchen and get to work! Put a basket next to the garbage bin to collect the empty, used capsules (once you re-use the ground coffee itself) and whenever you have the appetite for crafts, go to the constructions. You will endow your home with unique items, reduce your energy footprint and - most importantly - you will have enjoyed many, delicious espressoes!