CAPMESSO Reusable Capsules for Nespresso OriginalLine, Refillable Coffee Pods Stainless Steel Cups Compatible with Nespresso OriginalLine Brewer(2 Pods+100 Lids)

I got these several weeks ago and I wanted to try them out repeatedly before doing a review on them. I generally don't review items but I really relied upon them for these capsules and I wanted to offer one for someone doing their research as well.I bought these for our Nespresso DeLonghi Lattissima Pro- mostly because the features of the machine were perfect for what I wanted but I wasn't a fan of the one time use capsules. Enter these reusable capsules. I purchased 5 2-packs of these because I work 12 hour shifts and I don't have the time to always refill my capsules. Having 10 on hand is much easier and well worth the expense. I ordered my favorite espresso beans (Lavazza Super Crema) and spent about 2 hours perfecting my grind (you want a fine to medium fine grind using a burr grinder) and tamping (lightly tamp the coffee, do not pack the grounds). By round 6 of testing, my ground espresso was almost identical to a Lavazza one time use Nespresso capsule- I compared color, taste, and even crema to make sure I was doing it right.I read several reviews with the following issues:1. Several said that the capsule was noticeably smaller than a Nespresso plastic capsule. The box of the item explains why- so it doesn't damage the metal capsule or the machine. It's pretty common sense but again, the box explains it.2. Several reviews said their coffee was weaker or they had grinds in their coffee post-brew. You have to leave a tiny bit of room for your seal ring and make sure it's not pressed all the way into the ground coffee prior to putting the foil seal on. Also, do not pack the grounds in and don't make them so super fine or super coarse. Experiment with your beans. It's worth 6-10 shots of practice to know what you're doing.3. This is not a cut and dry, grab a pod and go system. You do have to grind your own beans, seal them, clean them, etc. If you don't like that, don't buy it. It's worth it in the long run. The taste isn't 100% like a Nespresso pod but after using these daily since I bought them on May 29th, I've said an obscene amount of money vs. buying out and the taste is so much better than Starbucks and my other go tos.I absolutely love these little capsules. I may purchase more in the future but if you're looking for a quality way to save money, help with environmental impact and more, you won't be sorry purchasing these. Just have patience if you haven't done it before and do your research so you don't blame the product without any prior experience.

This takes a little work to dial in. Firstly, let me say that if you don’t have a decent grinder (at least a decent conical burr grinder that can go pretty fine) skip this. A blade grinder won’t cut it and a cheap $50 grinder - even conical burr grinder at this price point - won’t cut it either. Cheap grinders just won’t grind fine enough nor have a consisten grind for decent extraction. So, make sure to grind pretty fine and consistently. Second, you’ll need a decent coffee scale (or something that has one-tenth of a gram precision) to measure the amount of coffee. I use 5 grams per capsule (when using darker roasts) and can push to 5.5-6 grams (medium to light roasts). Although the instructions say not to press like you’re filling a portafilter for espresso, you should give the capsule some light taps on the counter and still press it with enough pressure to allow about a 1mm space at the top, so it’s not a very light press like the instructions might have you believe. This will minimize channeling and help create pressure. I think they just want to make sure you don’t tamp like you would for an espresso machine, but it’s still a decent amount of “tamping” with the included scoop. Speaking of the scoop - do NOT use it to measure. You want consistency once you dial it in to your liking. So, again, use a coffee scale or other precise food scale. Finally, before placing the seal, make sure there are no coffee grounds on the rim. Rub around the rim with your dry finger to remove any coffee grounds in order to ensure a tight seal because pressure is important. If any grounds are stuck on the rim, you just won’t get a good seal and lose pressure leading to uneven or low extraction. In the end, it takes some work, but so does any decent cup of coffee. Experiment and find the amount or roast you like. It works well for us. In my pictures I compare Peet’s Coffee to one of these pods. I was still dialing it in so it’s a little lighter at this point but worked really well!

This product is extremely easy to use. Of course make sure you have the right grind of coffee so that it works correctly. Flavor most the time is great, every so often though I will manage to have a watery shot due to the cover not stay on as strongly as I would hope.If you are wanting to use your own beans, or just don't want to constantly create more waste than necessary, I definitely recommend this product.

I have bought two of these sets (a total of 4 capsules) as there are 2 coffee drinkers in my house. We often drink more than one cup, and having to clean it out just for a second cup in the same morning was too big of a first world problem to deal with, but I digress. I have been pleased with the performance of these little capsules.The only downside (which it’s more of just a case of “watch what you are doing”) is that there is a small silicone ring that sits below the lip of the rim. On a few occasions, the ring has stuck to the inside of my nespresso machine, and I had to retrieve it with a kabob skewer. Not a huge deal, but it needs to be on the capsule in order to get a good seal while brewing.One other thing, make sure you use well ground coffee. I’m not a sommelier of coffee, but I have experimented with different grinds. I usually keep various French roasts on hand with regular grind, and I also like the cheap Cafe Bustelo espresso ground coffee as well. The Cafe Bustelo is the optimal grind size in my experience. Using standard ground coffee does not produce any crema at all.Since I bought two of these sets, I have a pretty large supply of the foil disc-stickers. I haven’t had to re-order these foil discs yet, so that could be an issue in the future if they stop making them. I may try to use just regular aluminum foil to see how that works, and I will update this review if I find that it is a success or not. Don’t hold your breath on the update. I will try, but no promises. 🙂