Caffè Borbone Caffe Borbone Single Serve Espresso Paper Coffee Pods - Blue Blend - Refined Taste, Powerful Character and Intense Aroma - 50 count

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.

*******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

Love these Borbone ESE espresso pods for my DeLonghi machine. Quality, taste, ease of use, cost- all great!! I make a mocha every day, save so much money and time using these pods and the taste is great!

This espresso coffee is delicious and fresh!

I have a Breville espresso machine that I love. I decided to order some ESE pods for my husband so he can make a cup quicker in the mornings. These pods are terrible. They don’t brew correctly. If pale yellow water that faintly hints at coffee if someone screams out the word while you take a sip, then by all means, these are the pods for you.I have tried soaking them first. I have put them in dry. I have tried two at a time. I even tamped down the wet ones.The best result I’ve gotten is this. Dip two pods in warm water to soften them up. Then put them in the two-pull holder and tamp them down super hard. Then start the machine and let the pale yellow water come out for about 25 seconds. Then stop the machine, dump that, and start it again and you’ll get about 2oz of liquid that is more like strong coffee, but not quite espresso. Don’t make a whole latte (unless you want it to be weak), just toss in some cream and enjoy your small cup of coffee.These are honestly so disappointing. I am going to keep trying to get a good proper espresso pull (after all it’s a box of 150 pods, so I’ve got the time and resources), but I’m not feeling optimistic. Don’t waste your time or money.The picture I posted is of the best strength I was able to pull. The crema is there, but the flavor is standard cup of coffee strength. This was after running 25 seconds of weak yellow water.So, flavor? Meh. Freshness? Not particularly. Value for money? Not good since the product sucks.Also, this seller doesn’t do returns, so thankfully Amazon refunded my money for this travesty.

BLU. BLU. BLU it’s the only flavor to go. It’s an amazing coffee.