Customer Reviews

Caffe D'arte Firenze Northern Italian Blend Expresso, 45mm-Hard Espresso Pods (Pack of 120)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have a $400 Briel Espresso machine and have tried Caffe D'arte, Espresione, Illy, Starbucks, Espresso Pod Sampler, and the Kona Espresso Pods. The Caffe D'arte in my opinion are best in value and taste when it comes to everyday espresso. I typically drink two to three cups a day. They are the cheapest per pod, of the ones I tried, with consistant taste and crema. However, for ultimate home espresso or if budget is not a concern I would recommend the Kona Espresso Pods. They are the most expensive per pod but in my opinion, the best by far. All pods mentioned however, are very good and vary in price.

All pods mentioned are E.S.E. pods (easy serving espresso). Ensure that your machine is an E.S.E. pod system for these to work. There are some espresso machines that have their own pod size system.

I am a coffee drinker but sometimes stray away for a nice cappucino. I have a very inexpensive Hamilton Beach espresso/cappucino maker so I have never considered buying any high priced espresso to run through it. I have lived off of the Illy pads as my source for consistent cappucinos but decided to give these a try based on the price.

I have found these pods to be no different from the Illy pods when using my machine. The espresso comes out the same color and with virtually the same crema on it with every pod I've used. The taste is a bit lighter than the standard Illy pods I've used but, for me, it is a pleasant light taste. If you like a strong espresso flavor, this is not the pod for you.

I am very good at distinguishing various single estate coffees but have never been good at telling the different between a cappucino made by Starbucks, small coffee shop, at home or Dunking Donu.....OK maybe not Dunkin Donuts! I think that part of the reason is that I do not drink straight espresso. I would probably notice a difference between these pods and, say..an expensive espresso bean that is feshly roasted and ground. However, with all the steamed milk that goes into a cappucino, it reducues the coffe down so much that it is just hard to tell the difference.

For the casual drinker like myself, I don't think you can go wrong with these pods. If you are a "snob" like I am with my regular coffee, and drink straight espresso, you should probably look elsewhere.

The prior box of pods I got featured a variety of southern Italian pods. I loved these at first because of the intense flavor. I decided the next order would be for pods similar to what I'd find in Seattle. This box fit the bill nicely. These pods are delicious and provided a nice change.

Recommended.

I wish there were 1/2 stars - I'd probably do 2 1/2 stars instead.

I have a Francis! Francis! and these pods render the mechanism that auto-stops the machine useless. It will just spill over and keep running. To me, a product that negates such a useful feature on my machine needs to be brought back to the lab for more work. I don't know if it's the porportion of grinds, or the height of the pod - but I would like this product a whole lot more if it allowed the machine to work as it should. Function of the pods would get 1 star.

The illy and Starbucks ESE pods work perfectly with the machine and stop at the appropriate time -with perfect doses of espresso.

That said, this coffee has a nice taste, decent crema and is otherwise enjoyable. Taste would get 4 stars.

Just be prepared to babysit your machine very carefully or you will have a huge mess.

I buy both the decaf and the caffinated espresso pods and both taste great and both taste the same. I highly recommend this product. The quantity of pods you get for the price is a great value.

If you drink "pod" espresso, I think this product offers very good taste and value for the price.

I really enjoy these espresso pods. I previously was using the Lavazza pods in my Starbucks Espresso machine. These seem to brew a bit slower and the espresso is a bit darker. The flavor is deeper and more full than most of the others I have tried. The Lavazza pods do seem to have more crema when brewed in my machine. I also noticed that the first shot pulled (after priming) has less crema than the second shot. This of course may have nothing to do with the Espresso itself and could be particular to my machine. Anyhow, I think most people would enjoy these, and the price really can't be beat.

I like to think of myself as someone who knows espresso. For several years I studied coffee, tea and in particular espresso's and methods of roasting, grinding and extracting. But I'm also a little bit of a miser - I don't want to spend too much on coffee. Hey! it's a past time, not a passion - at least for me. So, with all that giberish out of the way, What do I think of Caffe D'arte? Ummm, more giberish... First and foremost, you have to have the right kind of espresso machine - pump driven. If you don't then it's pretty unlikely the espresso you use is going to make a difference. Second, you need good water. Recently someone suggested using distilled water mixed with one bottle of San Peligrino in the water tank of my machine (a Solis Crema SL70) - he said this would produce the "most exceptional cup of espresso." Eh! I don't know - I never tried it. Anyway, third, even with espresso pods (cialde) you have to know what you're doing. It's never going to be like fresh roasted, precision ground, hand packed epresso - no, never! Doing it by hand is an art that's mastered after much time and effort. Let's face it - if your buying espresso pods you're doing it for the convenience, not for the experience. Okay, okay - I know, I'm running on. Let's get to the point - why you're here. I have used Danese, Illy, Lavazza, Mauro, one I can't remember the name and now Caffe D'arte. To be truthful, some didn't work well in my machine - Danese and Illy in particular. Of the one's that did - Mauro and the forgotten one.... drum roll.... I like Caffe D'arte the best. I found the others to be too bitter or too strong and in the case of Lavazza, too weak. Some produced a weak crema or lacked enough espresso taste.
Aha! There you are! The smart ones who just skipped to the bottom - Here's what you're looking for - I like Caffe D'arte - it's a decent (and convenient) espresso. Acceptable crema, medium taste and reasonable price.

I am pretty picky about my coffee and found these to be right on the mark. I have tried several brands and find the flavor to be excellent - and my machine (Krups) likes it (not true with all other brands). Do not be surprised when the box comes (it is large...).

Illy coffee has always been my favorite. But since the price went up from $23 for a twin pack to $32 in 2011, I started to look for cheaper alternatives. I ordered the Lavazza Gran Crema Espresso, 2.2-pounds Box (Pack of 150) and I really love it! The freshly brewed creme is really nice and foamy!!Yum! After finishing the whole box in less than 2 month, I wanted to try something different. Caffe d'arte firenze to me is very potent and astringent and almost too earthy (in other words, it tastes like dirt). Price is higher than Lavazza Grand Crema i.e. $0.35 a pop compared to $0.24 for Lavazza if you subscribed it. Even worse, this is a "non-refundable product" so I have to stick with it for a while :(