Variety Packs

When I normally purchased Nespresso pods in the past, I would always go for the Nespresso signature line of dark roast coffee. I made the decision recently to branch out and try different coffee companies and flavors. I chose the Peet’s coffee espresso pods because it is a familiar name that normally excels at dark roast coffee and coffee in general so I thought what “could go wrong?” When the pods arrived, I opened the package and found very nice packaging that individually sets the pods in the cardboard and secures them. Many people will say that Peet’s is a high-brow name that just has recognition, but doesn’t really back it up enough with regards to quality to justify the cost of the purchase. To those people I simply say to try them out and reevaluate your opinion! From the first cup of coffee I had on the day that I received the coffee to the cup I just had this morning, the coffee has been very good. I find the flavor profile to be extremely smooth, but still had the kick and bite we all look for in a good cup of espresso. The color of the coffee is a rich and dark color with a nice light brown foam on the top. The aroma is unmistakable. It smells exactly like a coffee shop in my kitchen each morning when I send another pod through the Nespresso and I couldn’t be happier about it. I usually drink my coffee as an addition to a dark cold brew I make over ice. I am not sure if this is the proper way to drink the coffee, but it works well for me and that’s all that really matters. The coffee is delicious and blends in extremely well with the dark cold brew I make at home. Beyond my “normal” cup of coffee, I will have these Peet’s coffee pods straight up and alone and they are still just as good, if not better. Once, the coffee cools down enough to drink, you will find that each cup is incredibly rich and creamy with a bold, strong coffee flavor that tastes just like grabbing a cup when in Venice, but at home! The packaging on the Crema Scura blend reads “thick and luxurious espresso offers full bodied, earthy, nutty notes balanced by a creamy enduring finish.” I don’t think they could have hit the nail on the head any more than that. The richness of this blend stands out among the rest. Most of the negative reviews that I see are issues that individual customers have had regarding their quality control. Most of these negative reviews are calling into question the freshness of the coffee they received. I read a lot of reviews from people that received either expired or very close to expired coffee. One reviewer wrote “The sell by date is within less than months. It would be better if we were informed in advance.” I did not have this experience, but it is something that either the company or the distributor should take note of as this almost swayed me from the purchase. All in all, I think this was very good coffee that was neatly packaged and met all of my expectations and even exceeded them in many ways. I would recommend giving this coffee a shot! https://www.amazon.com/Peets-Coffee-Intensity-Compatible-Nespresso/dp/B07DDLCWJF/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 Item: Peet’s Espresso Nespresso pods

The price point for these coffee pods is great, and the flavor is excellent.We’re coffee connoisseurs and we love it. Compatible with our mini Nespresso machine.

These are definitely better than the Nespresso ones. I’ve tried just about every kind of Nespresso capsules, and have never found one that truly replaced actual espresso. I eventually had to buy a Breville semi-auto espresso machine and learn to make it myself. But I still use my Nespresso machine for mornings when I’m in a hurry, which is about twice a week. I finally decided to try some higher-end aftermarket capsules, which meant Starbucks and Peet’s. I prefer the Peet’s, particularly the intensity 11 capsules. Those are the only ones that really approach the deep, intense flavor of the espresso I make at home. Also, when I make the espresso on my Breville machine, I never have to add any sweetener to it. With the Nespresso capsules, I always have to add a little sweetener to counteract the bitterness. With these Peet’s capsules, I was able to use no more than half the sweetener I needed for the Nespresso, and very little sweetener for the intensity 11 capsules. So while I did enjoy this variety pack and thought that overall these flavors were better than Nespresso‘s, from now on I am buying just bulk boxes of the intensity 11 flavor. They have them in the subscribe and save store too, and since I am willing to buy 10 sleeves at once, the per-capsule price can go all the way down to $.40 per capsule. Which for Nespresso, is dirt cheap (I use four capsules a day, so this will always be more expensive than making the espresso myself, not counting the cost of the machine). I’ve tried some of the aftermarket brands that come in plastic capsules too, FYI, and have never found any that were very tasty, and they all leaked a lot of grounds into the espresso. The Peet’s capsules, like the Starbucks, are aluminum and operate exactly like the Nespresso ones. Every Nespresso owner should at least give these a try, because while they start out as being $.75 per capsule at full retail, with Amazon pricing and discounts and prime shipping, etc., they easily come out cheaper than Nespresso‘s and, in my humble opinion, noticeably better tasting. They sell them on the Peet’s website and at Target too, but unless they’re on sale, Amazon is your best bet.

So, Nespresso is kind of my secret guilty pleasure. Despite taking my coffee, and especially my espresso semi-seriously -- I roast my own beans and have a reasonably good grinder and semi-automatic machine -- I find myself making Nespresso several times a day. I've got a machine in the kitchen, one in my office, and one in my shop. I've got machines at or other residences. I've even got a small Nespresso machine on the bookshelf next to my bed, so I can have my first shot of the day lying in bed -- ah, luxury! The thing is, while I can certainly make a better espresso the traditional way, it's a bit of a bother! Each time I roast new beans I have to dial the grinder and the machine in again. And even then, the quality of my shots is somewhat inconsistent (admittedly this is probably due as much to my skill or lack thereof as it is to the equipment). And of course it's messy - despite my best efforts I always end up with coffee grounds on the counter. So I find myself going to the trouble of making the real thing only on weekends or when we have company. The thing about Nespresso is it's trivially easy, 100% consistent, and -- while it's by no means as good as the best I can do the hard way, it's really not bad at all. That is Nespresso (tm), though. Nespresso-"compatible" capsules? The ones I've tried, and I've tried a few, *are* bad -- generally *really* bad. Stale, crema-less, bitter slop. Until now, that is. I'm happy to say that the Peet's capsules are just fine - at least as good as the run-of-the-mill Nespresso "grands crus" (there are a few lines of Nespresso capsule that are a step above in my opinion). I suspect, although I can't confirm, that this is because Peet's capsules, like the real Nespresso capsules, are packed under nitrogen, unlike the compatible capsules I've run into in the past, so the coffee doesn't go stale. And of course I'm sure they use good, relatively freshly-roasted coffee, although today's Peet's has come a long way from the daily-roasting store I remember from my Berkeley years! Unfortunately, the per-capsule price of the Peet's coffee is essentially the same as that of Nespresso capsules, that is to say, pretty expensive. I remember not that long ago when Nespresso capsules were about 40 cents each, but they, like the Peets capsules, are almost twice that now. At about 5 grams of coffee per capsule, that's over $60 a pound! By comparison, I can get roasted beans at my local Peet's for $15/pound, and I typically pay under $10/pound for green beans. Now, I know it's not a fair comparison -- I'm paying for consistency and convenience. But I'm fairly sure that the $0.70/capsule price point covers a fat profit margin (it wasn't that long ago, as I said, that Nespresso capsules were 40 cents each). Despite the fact that they seem to be pretty much as good as the real thing, therefore, I am not particularly likely to purchase Peet's capsules in the future for the simple reason that they are no cheaper than Nespresso capsules, and Nespresso has such a variety of capsules available at any given time that I'm not likely to get bored with their selection. Now if Peet's, or another roaster able to match the Peet's/Nespresso quality level, were able to set a significantly lower price point it would be a different story - I'd be all over them.

Excellent choice for your Espresso coffee maker!

This Peet’s Coffee Dark and Medium Roast Espresso Capsule Variety Pack is absolutely delicious. Every capsule delivers a rich, full-bodied flavor that tastes remarkably close to what you’d get from a high-end café. The dark roast capsules are bold and intense, with deep richness and a wonderfully aromatic crema. They make an excellent straight espresso and hold up beautifully in lattes or iced drinks. The medium roast capsules offer a smoother, more balanced cup with mild sweetness and very little bitterness. They’re perfect for daily drinking and pair well with milk or cream. I love switching between the roasts depending on my mood. The aroma during extraction is outstanding—strong, warm, and unmistakably Peet’s. The capsules work perfectly with my Nespresso machine, producing consistent shots every time. Overall, this is a fantastic, high-quality variety pack that lets you enjoy café-level espresso at home. Delicious, aromatic, and incredibly satisfying. Highly recommended!

Reasonably priced and received a day earlier. Love this coffee!

These are my go to capsules now, I've tried many variations of the original Nespresso capsules and these work just as well and I really like the flavor. I've received original Nespresso packs with dented capsules but Peet's are never dented due to the design and packaging. I have been ordering them for 3 years now and never had a bad capsules in the 100s I've used over the years in my Nespresso machine. Other knock off brands sometimes get stuck and can ruin this sensitive machine. I had one bad capsule from a knock off brand, and had to go through several cleaning cycles as something went awry and all the lights started flashing on my machine and it took me hours to figure out how to fix it. I also have a milk frother in my Creatista Uno machine, so I use 2 capsules from Peet's at a time to make perfect latte or I can add hot water for a satisfying Americano. Ever since I have switched to Peet's I've saved hundreds at coffee shops as 2 capsules a day are still cheaper than a handcrafted drink at a coffee shop and I can use the type of milk I want. I usually froth Lactose free 2% milk, or oat milk for the best latte experience. The big C warehouse now has these at a very decent price as well.