Welcome to The PODcast, PodMerchant's newsletter of espresso pod tips, news, education, and deals. Back issues of The PODcast are available online. This newsletter is published in HTML with images and styled text. If you are reading the "text only" version, you are missing much of the content.

Espresso Tips

For your maximized espresso enjoyment, we present this issue's tip:

Tip No. 16:
Pod Orientation — again. We wrote about pod orientation (up-side vs. down-side) in PODcast Issue 6. Attention to orientation is only necessary for certain brands. Hausbrandt pods are one of these, being deeper on one side than the other. But, as announced below, we are no longer carrying this brand. A few brands, such as illy, mark the up-side on the pod. Why? I don't know. illy pods seem to be symmetrical and thus presumably orientation-free. It is possible that illy pods use different papers for the top and bottom of the pod. But the current rule of thumb is basically this: if the pod doesn't state, there is no preferred up or down side. Put it in as you will and the results should be the same.

PodMerchant News

In PODcast Issue 28 we announced a new product, the HandPresso Wild hand-held portable espresso maker. It's been very well received by enthusiastic espresso aficionados who want to have their espresso here, there, and everywhere. We had a lot of requests for the matching carrying case, and we now have them in stock.

If you've bought, or are thinking about buying the HandPresso, you'll want this excellent case to go along with it. It is a flexible plastic case with zippered closure.

The case has a rubber insert to help keep coffee and water drips contained and away from your other travel gear.

The case comes with a shoulder strap to hold your HandPresso for backpacking or light travel. The HandPresso Wild Carrying Case is available at our online store for immediate shipment.

Customers have also enquired about the ristretto portafilter. This item is not yet available from HandPresso.

Other Product News

Coffee is going to get more expensive. You should expect higher prices from us and other suppliers in the very near future. Several events are combining to put an economic jolt into java. First, the price of oil is at an historic high. This has increased the costs of shipping beans to and from the roaster and also the cost of us shipping the product to you. Secondly, the Dollar to Euro rate continues to erode. When we started PodMerchant we purchased coffee from Italy at $1.20 per Euro. Our latest purchases were at $1.60 per Euro. Lastly, the price of green (unroasted) coffee beans has risen dramatically due to speculation in the market. This price increase is now beginning to reach us. How long and how badly this will hurt the price and availability no one knows yet, but I would not expect it to be a permanent increase as the fuel costs and Euro rate surely are.

Like all businesses, PodMerchant needs to periodically evaluate whether a particular product line should stay on our shelves. Consequently, we are no longer carrying Hausbrandt coffee (inventory of cups is still available). Hausbrandt is a real quality brand but it just wasn't selling well enough. My sympathies to Hausbrandt fans. Expect to see some other brands dropped and a new one or two added in the near future.

More news...
Lavazza Dek has been repackaged and now is sold in dispenser boxes of 18. Same Lavazza decaffeinated coffee but in a new package.

Still news...
As reported last time, we bought too much of Amigos Extrabar pods. Take advantage of our mistake. We've cut $4 off the price. Now only $9.95 for a box of 25. That's only 40 cents each for an excellent Northern Italian blend.

Another hot product, the Bristot Premium Espresso Capsules are far less expensive than Lavazza capsules. These fit the Lavazza Espresso Point machine. If you are a capsule user, you should definitely give these a try and save big bucks. Also available in cases of 100.

PodMerchant Coupons

PODcast subscribers get a 10% discount coupon with each issue. Just enter the code below on the Shipping Selection screen during checkout.

• Only one coupon per subscriber per issue.
• Coupon expires when the next issue is published, or at the end of the next month following publication of the issue, whichever comes first.
• Coupons are only valid for PODcast subscribers — we check use of coupons against the subscriber list.
• For more information, please see our PODcast Coupon FAQ.

For 10% off your next order — Enter code: XXXXXXX (note, that is "P-C-Zero") and please press the "Redeem Coupon" button or the coupon will not be entered.

That's all for this issue of the PODcast.


Kevin Garrett, The PodMerchant.