Caffè Borbone Espresso Paper Pods, Gold Blend, Sweet and Refined, Medium Roast ESE Pods, Authentic Italian Espresso- 150 Count

******* 31 March 2015 update: Before Caffe Borbone came out with their Miscela Black, I had previously tried Blu and left a review of it below. I rated their Blu 3 star. But their Black - wow! Black! It's so much different to me. It might also be that I've been using Lucaffe Classic pods for a while now and I wanted something different. I'm not sure if I got a bad batch of Lucaffe Classic pods, but something wasn't right with the last box of 50 I ordered. What I'm learning about these ESE Pods is you still need to get a freshly packaged batch for them to be really good. I hate to say it, but I'm super picky about fresh beans. When I open a new bag of coffee beans I want them totally gone within 2-3 days, otherwise the taste starts getting acidic and stale. No good. I think I got lucky with Borbone's new Black. They sent me a sample of all their pods and the Black stuck out the most. It was so freakin' rich, intense and robust. I couldn't believe the depth of flavor that came out of one of these small pods. I had previously really enjoyed the Lucaffee Classic because they had a nicely balanced blend of Arabica (80%) and Robusta (20%) beans. But the last batch I tried was a bit too nutty tasting - either the roast was too light or there was too much Robusta in the blend. Regardless, I remembered how much I enjoyed the Black sample. I purchased an entire box and am happy to have received a super fresh batch. They don't expire until February 2017, so I'm guessing they were just packaged in Feb. 2015. I really, really can't believe they could last until 2017, though. Anyway - Black: rich, deep, robust, dark. It makes a stellar espresso shot and is my new go-to ;) ****************** Previous review of BLU: I've been in and out of the at-home espresso market since 2004 when I got my first machine. Back then I was working at Starbucks (2000-2006) and I got a super cheap Estro Vapore machine that had been sitting in a Starbucks basement for years. Long and short, when I recently wanted to get back into making at-home macchiatos, I wanted something simple and clean. I bought myself a Gaggia Evolution and a box of Lucaffe Classic pods. My wife's friend told me about Lucaffe, so I decided to check them out. Shortly after I tried the Lucaffe's, I purchased the Borbone Blu because of it's online reputation and positive reviews. I have to say, I tried to like them, but after trying 10, I just wasn't as impressed as I was with the Lucaffee Classic. The Borbone Blu's were much more acidic and tangy. They still offer a good shot of espresso, but don't have the aroma or body that the Lucaffe's do. I much prefer the Lucaffe's. I returned the Borbone Blu box of 150 pods I had purchased, and got myself another one of the Lucaffes. The Lucaffe Classics are smooth, consistent, full of body and chocolaty: just what I want in my espresso. Pour this into a bit of steamed milk and you've created bliss. I also appreciate Lucaffe's packaging: the sealed foil is small and thin. The Burbone foil is much more dense and larger. I didn't see why the added weight and size was needed for the same size pod. If you're not a fan of chocolaty, smooth espresso, and want a more acidic and sharp espresso, go for the Borbone Blu. They just were not what I was looking for. Ben

First off, these ESE pods are extremely easy to use and work great in my espresso maker. I'm kicking myself for not trying them sooner, as I tended to not use that machine because of the added work compared to my k-cup brewer. Now, it's almost as quick and easy to make espresso. At about 33 cents a pod, the price is pretty darn good, too. After buying a box of the Blu variety, "Life Made Better" sent me an e-mail and offered to send out samples of the other varieties. They sent two of each. After trying them all, I find the Blu to be the best choice for me. It's not very acidic and has a nice, smooth taste and mouth feel. The Rosso and Oro varieties weren't bad by any means, but they aren't my preference. I was really hoping to like the decaf version for drinking later in the day, but I honestly found the decaf version to taste off and didn't like it. So, I absolutely recommend the Blu pods. Very easy to use and clean up after, and the taste is very good. As long as I clean the cup holder well, I get good crema from these. As a side note, two thumbs up to the seller "Life Made Better" and to Caffe Borbone. My box arrived with no expiration date stamped on it, and the pods that I checked didn't have one. I e-mailed them both to ask if I was missing something, and they both responded quickly and thoroughly. (Turns out, they had an issue with production that day, and only about half of the pods had the date stamp - which I then found on some of the packages after checking more of them.) The coffee was fresh and has several months before expiration.

Very good coffee and great price with the subscription.

I have enjoyed coffee for many years, though it was the gift of an espresso / cappuccino maker for Christmas that got me started on a daily espresso (or two). Being new, I do not believe I can rate with authority the overall authenticity, but I can suggest the convenience and flavor would satisfy most home brewers of espresso. I had been using Seattle Best Level 5 for my beverage, which is still my favorite flavor-wise, but there is the minor inconvenience of measuring, tamping, emptying grounds and rinsing the filter cup. So when I learned there were pre-packaged pods I was anxious to give them a try. The ratings of any product should be considered with caution - some will downplay a product because they thought it had too much packaging, or other trivial commentary. It is the usefulness, quality, enjoyment and economy of a product that should come first in a review. That said, let's visit the product as it comes out of the box. Each pod is contained in its own air-tight packet, which I believe is also modified atmosphere to maintain freshness. This is why the pod is a bit puffy rather than being flat like a tea packet. And that's also why the outer box appears so big. For some, 150 pods at a time may be a bit much, but this packaging extends the useful shelf-life well within a consumers consumption period. Remember these are E.S.E. (Easy Serving Espresso) pods, so make sure your machine has that designation. Once opened, there is a pre-tamped pod in a round of coffee filter material, sealed, and with a tab formed from the filter paper apparently for ease in removing the pod from the filter cup. So far, after about a dozen cups, each packet has had a slight tear, but not enough to empty grounds into my cup. Each cup has been free of grounds. If you find this same tear, just put that side up in the filter cup. Don't open the filter, these are designed to be used intact. The draw time with these seems to be perhaps 50% longer than with loose coffee, perhaps due to a harder tamp than I usually use. But it does provide a rich cup of espresso, I would not call it watery at all, and the crema is adequate for an espresso draw and makes for a pleasant first sip. My cost for these through Amazon (with free shipping) was about $0.33 per cup, about $0.12 to $0.17 more than using another of my favorite loose varieties, but for the occasional use I think I'm worth those few extra cents, and wouldn't hesitate to offer it to guests. I have tried all the tips that others have posted about using these type of pods - tamping it a little harder, trimming the tab, pre-moistening the pod - I didn't see any difference, but part of the fun of espresso is trying new things and learning what works best in your home with your machine. The Amazon listing also says the manufacturer guarantees satisfaction or your money back, so buy and try with confidence.

Tjrs satisfait de ce café. Nous convient parfaitement

I love the flavour of the coffee and the convenience of the pod. I use them with a SMEG espresso maker and they work great. I even sometimes take the coffee out of the pod and tamp it down and then make the coffee...which tastes great! It's like my own pre-measured fresh ground freeze dried packet of espresso. Also, once a box came damaged due to poor courier handling and the company replaced it straight away. Arrived within a day of notice. So AMAZING all way round.

Very smooth

Fantastic Coffe.

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