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I've tried them all, and by far, Espressione 100% Arabica is exquisite. The pods are so easy to use in my espresso maker, and they literally last forever. I found a batch that had expired in 2006, and they brewed up just like new. Superb.
But in our second home, we use these pods. We've ordered two of these boxes and I'm about to get a third. At home, I use Illy loose grounds exclusively and do all the measuring and tamping and whatnot myself so I can feel all Barista-ey. They stay fresh, there's no mess, there's no fuss, and they taste great. Get the 100% Arabica verion; it's worth the extra few bucks.
I use the pods for convenience, although I also roast my own green beans for espresso as well.If you look at the negative reviews, they're mostly on the "best before" dates being passed. Both the 100% Arabica and the Espressione Espresso are excellent for espresso drinks. While I would also be upset to spend money and get "expired" pods, I should point out that the pods are good for quite some time after their nominal expiration dates. Traditionally espresso, unlike good drip coffee, is made with a mix of Arabica and Robusta coffees. The taste differences are noticeable, but I don't have a strong favorite. I just found a handful of these Espressione Classic pods with 2002 (this is late 2009 now) dates and they made acceptable, though not spectacular espresso. Basically they're vacuum packed and not much is happening inside the wrapper.
This expresso is easy to use and tasty, and virtually as good as fresh ground without the trouble. I recommend to anyone.
We love this so much we go through a carton every two months. Autoship saves us 15% so that's even better. We've been using them with an Espressione machine since 2005.
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