Ground Espresso or Espresso Pods?

Depending on the type of espresso maker you have, there are 2 methods of feeding coffee into an espresso machine; ground espresso and pre-packaged espresso pods. There are machines that will only accept one or the other, as well as machines that give you the option to choose.
Obviously if freshly ground espresso is what you crave, then it's necessary to have a bean grinder. Some machines have this built-in and are referred to as automatic machines, but it's also possible to have a separate grinder to grind the beans and just add the ground coffee to your espresso machine. If you're willing to forgo the freshness of grinding your own espresso, then you have the option of using what is called an espresso pod. These are compressed pucks of coffee that are packaged and wrapped in a filter.
One of the benefits of opting for grinding your own coffee is the control you have over the end product. You can essentially ‘tune' the espresso during the creation stage by adjusting the amount of coffee used and increasing the strength of the shot, perhaps at the expense of a bit of ground coffee spilling onto the counter. Another benefit to grinding your own is price. Raw coffee beans will be cheaper than their pod counterpart.
Pods offer a few benefits of their own, and while the espresso elitist may turn their nose at the pre-packaged option, the pods can offer quite a bit of convenience. Since the coffee isn't loose, its much cleaner. Once the espresso is made, you can just throw away the remaining packaging, without having to worry about grounds. The pods are also a time-saver as they are the perfect volume for an espresso shot. You do pay for this convenience, however, as the pods tend to be more expensive than grinding coffee for your espresso machine.