Smartpodz Avis 48

Refilling and reusing the Nespresso pods is much easier, safer (heat of stainless when having to remove them quickly after using (per instructions)) and quicker. Not worth the price.

Great option for those who want the Nespresso experience without the premium of official pods. It took a bit to figure out the proper process (don't overstuff or pack tight, just tamp down lightly!), but once I did, we have been able to enjoy our Nespresso Virtuo machine so much more without breaking the bank or adding to significant plastic pod waste!

Being able to use our own coffee with the podz has allowed us to experiment with a wider variety for our daily shots, cappuccini, lattes. Some standard ground coffees really produce wonderful cremas!

We've had ours for over a year and they have stood up to nearly daily use over this timeframe, so they are durable. Cleanup and setup can be a little messy, but so worth the extra effort!

My only gripe past getting the process down initially was that the machine labels (which tell the machine the size - single, double, americano, etc) do wear down to the point that the machine has difficulty reading the barcode and need to be replaced. Finding them on the website was a bit difficult, however now knowing they are available has just greatly extended the anticipated lifespan of our enjoyment of our Nespresso machine with our Smart Podz!

I am a real customer
I have placed a review before
And still haven't received my order ... Been two mothes and spent 130$

Up date
Company offered me 50% partial refund. Ill take it. Now I just have to see if they do it.

The idea behind Smartpodz is commendable. They did not work for me - the stainless steel pods were too heavy and it was apparent that my machine was straining to spin the podz. I believe that my machine would be damaged by further use. Also, the quality of the coffee was poor - weak with little to no crema. Customer service said I could not return without a video showing damage. Would NOT recommend.

I looked at a lot of reusable Vertuo pods before I decided to buy from SmartPodz, and at the end of the day I am glad I did.

I ordered somewhere around Valentine’s Day, and I received my Podz yesterday. In the meantime, I received the message from you regarding supply delays, which I am well acquainted with from my own business experience. A minor disappointment, but I appreciated the discount you offered.

When the package from China arrived, it was a strong plastic envelope with two boxes in it, both of which were crushed. The lighter weight box with the milk frothing wisk fared worse than the heavier one with the Podz. The stem on the frothing wisk was bent, and I had to straighten it before I could use it. Another minor disappointment, but it didn’t really bother me. I’m the kind of guy who squares up my tools and sharpens my knives before I use them.

The box with the Podz, wooden holder, scoop, tamper, etc. had no packing material like what is shown on your web page and no instructions. I chalked it up to a 3 pod set being kind of non-standard. It would have been nice to have a picture of how everything fits together on the counter, but that’s a pretty minor thing I can figure out for myself.

Opening the first bag and removing the pod is where you did yourself proud. I showed it to my wife and said, “Look at this thing. Look at the quality of the materials and how well it’s executed.” It looked good, it had nice detail work, and it felt good in my hand! The smoothness of the fine threads, the detailed machining of the stainless steel parts, and inclusion of the extra silicone O-rings and grommets was really impressive. At least it was to me, but I’m a product guy and I really appreciate good design and build quality.

Late this afternoon you sent me the instructions on how to prepare and use the Podz. They answered a lot of questions, like how finely I should grind my coffee, how I should tamp the grounds, and why I kept getting a red light on my Nespresso before I applied the stickers. (You should clearly recommend that everyone use the stickers.)

If I have it right, you’re a fairly small business. You found a Chinese company that would make you a quality product to fill a market need you uncovered. You work hard, watch your costs, protect your margins, and try to keep everyone happy. Keep at it. You have a good product. I included all of the information I did so you have some customer feedback and can decide what you want to work on next.

All the best,
PT - Boston, MA USA

Don't be like me who thought I did enough research on these, watched a few videos with happy customers, & believed Howie Mandel's endorsement. I just wanted so badly to believe these bad boys would save me a zillion dollars in Nespresso pod costs. Turns out, yes the pods fit my machine but no they do not make coffee that tastes good. Way too weak. No matter how many different coffees or grinds I tried. I think the company knows what they are selling and are making a nice profit off people like us who just wanted to find a way to make a decent cup of coffee for a reasonable price. It's on me for not looking more closely at the return policy but anyone reading this just know that returns are not allowed so I'm out $80. Posting this to save the next person / victim some trouble. Live and learn.

I am writing this review to share my experience with the Smartpodz kit for the Nespresso Vertuo. While the product is marketed as having "perfect compatibility," my experience has been disappointing due to significant functional discrepancies and a lack of support.
1. Inaccurate Claims of Compatibility
The primary issue is capacity. Standard Vertuo capsules for a mug hold 11–15g of coffee, whereas these pods hold only 6–8g. When I raised this, customer service clarified that they define "compatibility" solely as the pod’s ability to fit and spin in the machine, not its ability to replicate the coffee volume or brew quality of the original capsules. Consequently, the output is not comparable to a standard mug of coffee.
2. Mechanical Concerns & Ease of Use
The stainless steel pods are quite heavy and produce a concerning level of noise during operation, leading to worries about potential long-term damage to the machine. Additionally, despite the $100 price point, the kit arrived without instructions, and I found it difficult to locate clear tutorials online.
3. Poor Customer Service
When I requested a refund based on these functional shortcomings, my request was denied. The company’s rigid interpretation of "compatibility" felt dismissive of the actual user experience and the product's inability to deliver a standard cup of coffee.
I would advise potential buyers to carefully consider these limitations before purchasing.

I ordered these smart pods and I paid $100 for three of them. From the beginning they were causing damage to my machine. I sent videos to customer service of my machine lights, turning red my machine getting stuck and unable to open, etc. they kept making me send them more and more and then eventually said we’ll give you a 50% refund. This business is a scam, (I should’ve known with Howie Mandel as the spokesperson) and I ended up having to throw them in the garbage because they were ruining my machine. DO NOT ORDER THESE.

I got smart pods a few weeks ago and they are so cool! I use my favorite organic coconut coffee in one every day. High quality product

Love this product! I use it with my nespresso vertuo and it works perfectly!

Great experience with Smartpodz! Order came quick and is very convenient!

These pods don’t work for machines that take original sized pods. The problem is with the lid design. You will only get one third of the espresso you are supposed to have in your cup because the liquid cannot properly pass through the lid of these pods. So, I bought the pods with the foil lids on Amazon. Now, about the company..poor shipping practices..long wait times IF the product ever comes…the product comes from China…poor customer service…my experience was absolutely terrible…had to file a complaint with my credit card company…

I never received my Smartpodz order that I placed one month ago despite being charged and receiving a confirmation email. I have emailed the company twice for an update without a reply. There is no working phone number to contact this company. The so-called order tracking on their website does not give me any information.

Decided to try out these pods as I was sick and tired of ordering so many pods, ingesting plastic, etc.

I got the starter pack and was pleasantly surprised by the quality. I use a Starbucks grind and make 2-3 per day! Save about $75 a month. They work great and arrived quickly.

Super happy with my purchase!

Ordered the pods, they took forever to ship out and the boxes were damaged on arrival. The pods are heavy, get stuck in my machine and I have to manually pry it out for it to eject- I followed all the instructions to the tea. These are almost impossible to return - after back and forth email, they finally agreed to give me a refund once I return the product with my own money. Since we're in the stares- shipping to Canada is $50... It's a lose lose situation. Not a risk you should be willing to take, especially since it sounds like it'll break my machine with time, do I won't be using it and just wasted money on a scam product.

Update: They removed my review from their website, so this just proves that they are not an honest company

I really love these reusable coffee pods. We would never have purchased a pod-type machine unless these existed. And, they are substantial and attractive. Importantly, the company has been quick and generous with providing accessories that we requested (extra barcode stickers and gaskets). I recommend them totally.

I have to return the product. It did not work with my Nespresso vertuo next machine. The majority of the liquid went into the reservoir for my used pods instead of my intended cup. I will keep you posted on the return process and if all goes well will update my rating and review. Fingers crossed.

Update: I was able to get a refund after returning the starter kit which I greatly appreciated. I possibly will try the silicone lids instead.

Order takes too long to ship. The shipping times on the website are completely inaccurate. After several weeks, I checked on the order status and the order wasn’t even processed yet. I contacted customer service and got a lame excuse, but they did refund my order. I think this company has a lot of potential. They just need a US store where you can go and buy it in person. It looks like many customers have had the same issues that I had of shipping delays. Several weeks to several months of delays is completely unacceptable for a retail product. Perhaps if they resolve this with a physical US location so that items shipped directly from the US this company could really be successful.

I love my smart pods. I have a nespresso vertuo pop+ machine and couldn’t find any refillable pods online that were compatible. I tried a few with no success but smartpodz is the best. I also liked the person on the phone who spoke fluent English with an Albanian accent.