- Espresso Pods, Miscela Blu, Blue Blend, Dark Roast ESE Pods - 50 Count

Great Italian expresso, easy to use paper pods. Coffee bold taste but smooth, no bitter "edges". Great price too.

******* 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

I love this ESE pod. It’s rich, flavorful and has excellent creama. It cuts through milk well making a perfect cappuccino! The espresso is consistent with every ESE Borbone blue blend pod I’ve used. It works well with my Didiesse Frog machine. I look forward to enjoying my Borbone Blue ESE espresso every morning! I will be a lifetime customer!

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.

May 2021 - I have to change my review from 5 stars to 1 star. Have been ordering regularly for over 5 years. The last 2 times I have ordered, the pods have been horrible and the coffee is very bitter. Pods in the box have been unwrapped, wrappers have been sealed without a pod inside and pods have been sealed to the wrapper and rip when opened. The water just slowly drips through the pods resulting in a bitter cold cup of dark water. At first I thought it was my espresso maker but have tried two different brands of ESE pods and both brands have worked producing a great tasting espresso. Not sure what has changed but these are not the same as those I purchased in the past. So very disappointing! - - - - Have been ordering these pods for over two years from Life is Better on Amazon and I wanted to add to my original review. These are still the best pods. Have tried Lavazza and Illy but found they both contain less coffee per pod and do not work well in our machine. Delivery is always on time and we have no complaints regarding vender or quality. Original review: Excellent expresso from these pods. Were using them when we lived in Italy and so glad we are able to continue to use them here in the U.S. Pods were delivered two days after order was placed which was much earlier then expected. Will definitely order these again from this company.

This was great espresso and exceeded my expectations. These pods produce a strong shot. They contain more coffee per pod than other brands. My previous hard pod experience was with Starbucks Hard Espresso Pods, but since they stopped carrying them in Starbucks, I couldn't find them anywhere or on line for a comfortable price. They used to sell 18 for $4.99 and then they cut back to 12 pods in the box for $4.99, which was still OK. These pods are as good and a much better price. Foil packets are easy to rip open with 100% success. No need to get out the scissors. I could save by using ground coffee, but getting back to the convenience and speed of using espresso pods has been a real pleasure. They fit perfectly in my Starbucks Barista ie. Saeco Venezia. So glad they sell in lots of 150 which keeps packaging waste to a minimum. I will be ready to order again before long and their decaf will be next purchase. Review above was for the Blue Pods. Looks like that review disappeared. Oh well, it was a thumbs up on Blue Pods. 100% satisfied. The Red pods were equally wonderful. My only problem was my sensitivity to caffeine. I didn't notice it right away, but after a few days, I could not sleep. Tried cutting down to 1 shot and then a portion of a shot. The Seller is great and had included in description that they contain more caffeine. Sounded great to me, since I would only use one pod instead of two saving me 1/2 on my coffee habit. Finally I gave up and went back to coffee. I'm eager to try the black pods. I understand they are 1/2 Blue Pods and 1/2 Red Pods. That would have been a better choice for person with my sensitivity to caffeine. Still no complaints. These ESE pods are the best in amount of coffee in each pod, quality and value. Great flavor for my strong soy latte; so maybe it's a cappuccino.

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.

ESE pods are a superior format over K-cup and other proprietary espresso and coffee pods, allowing me to make quick cups of Americano or Espresso, sometimes cappuccino with an automatic milk foamer in a Casabrews brewer. I've tried four colors of Cafe Borbone pods and find them all tasty. My go-to variety are the decafs to avoid loss of sleep if I have several cups in one day. At least some brewers (I also have a Mattinata) can turn one of these pods into a double Americano that is not too weak to pass for a rich cup of coffee. Another virtue of ESE pods is their compatibility with machines from several manufacturers. K-cups and Nespresso original evolved in that direction after lawsuits and patent expirations that opened the formats. ESE's nonproprietary design got this better from the beginning. Instead of vendor lock in there has been competition to make the pods excellent. Cafe Borbone is the tastiest I've had over the years and quite cost effective; there are several other good European kinds. The environmentally friendly aspects are a bonus. Not sure that the pod wrappers are actually recyclable paper in USA, but the pod including its filter paper can go into my home compost pile. Solid 5 stars for taste, economy, rapidity of use, long shelf life, flexibility, environmental aspects, more.

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.

Ein kräftiger Kaffee aber fein und rund im Geschmack. Guter Start in den Tag

Suprisingly decent coffee for the price. Compared to some other ESE coffee pod brands, this one is one of the cheapest, which had me worried it was going to be bad quality. But I was proved wrong and the pods are generally quite nice. This review is for the blue blend, which is fairly strong and bitter, but I do use sugar free coffee syrups, so the drink is more palatable for me. I like the box size, and each pod comes wrapped in a paper & foil packet. I started using the coffee pods mainly because they are compostable, and are less messy compared to loose ground for example. I think I will try some of the other blends of this brand now!

Perfect for my Ariete coffeemaker. The taste is intense but not too strong

Muy bueno y sabroso