Despite the popularity of Lavazza coffee machines, the shortage and high cost of their original coffee pods push many consumers towards third-party compatible pod options. But are these alternatives worth it? What I’m about to reveal might surprise you and change your perspective.
This article delves into the quality and performance of these compatible pods, comparing them to the original Lavazza ones and focusing on crucial aspects such as taste and efficiency.
Problems with the performance of Lavazza-compatible coffee pods
To determine the effectiveness of these Lavazza-compatible pods, direct user experience is key. Therefore, I advise you to carefully review online reviews and ratings before purchasing, paying special attention to negative opinions, as these can reveal potential drawbacks.
Although many users are satisfied with these pods, the negative criticisms are concerning. These not only mention an unpleasant coffee taste, described as burnt and bitter (a topic I will address later), but complaints about their supposed compatibility exist.
Some users report issues such as coffee not being brewed and drips and spills, questioning whether these coffee pods are truly as compatible as promised.
Lavazza-compatible pods don’t taste good
Next, I present a selection of comments about different brands of Lavazza-compatible pods that particularly caught my attention. I hope these testimonials help you decide if it’s worth buying them.
From my perspective, if you can acquire original Lavazza pods, I recommend them, as their quality is unparalleled.
It’s important to highlight that too many users report a negative experience with the taste of the compatible pods, describing it as “terrible coffee” or “the coffee is spoiled and tastes awful.” This reaffirms my opinion that it’s better to avoid compatible pods (both for the lifespan of your coffee machine and for its taste).
Buying Lavazza-compatible coffee pods
Despite the criticisms we have seen about the taste and performance of the compatible pods, if you are still interested in using Lavazza-compatible pods, you will find useful information here for their acquisition.
Availability and purchase: In countries where Lavazza is not very popular, finding compatible pods can be challenging, and often the only option is buying them online. However, these pods are available in most European countries in physical stores and online. For this article, average online prices are considered.
Recommended brands: Caffé Borbone stands out for its good reviews among the various brands of compatible pods I have studied. They offer pods compatible with Lavazza A Modo Mio and Espresso Point, available in various flavors and presentations, from 50 to 600 units.
Prices:
- Caffé Borbone pods for Lavazza A Modo Mío: approximately £0.18 per unit.
- Caffé Borbone pods for Lavazza Espresso Point: around £0.20 per unit. The pods are available in Red, Blue, Black, Gold, and Dek blends.
Note: It’s important to remember that these coffee pods are not identical to the original Lavazza ones, which have a wider variety. However, these alternatives seek to offer a similar experience.
View all Lavazza-compatible coffee pods
Compared with the original Lavazza coffee pods, which have an average price of £0.40 per unit, the compatible pods offer significant savings, almost 50%. In the long run, this saving translates into a considerable economic advantage. Therefore, from a financial point of view, the compatible pods have a clear advantage over the originals.
Refilling original Lavazza pods
Another option to save on using coffee pods is to reuse the original Lavazza ones. I searched YouTube about the possibility of reusing these pods and found several tutorials. However, the methods shown do not convince me as they seem unreliable and overly complicated. Look at this example:
Are refillable pods a good alternative to the originals?
Regardless of brand, it is understandable to consider using refillable coffee pods in your Lavazza machine. However, I recommend avoiding metal refillable pods. I recently repaired a Lavazza A Modo Mio Tiny that had stopped piercing the original pods properly after using metal refillable pods.
Lavazza pod machines make several perforations on the pod when starting coffee preparation. If the plastic injectors encounter a surface that is too hard, like that of a metal refillable coffee pod, they can be permanently damaged.
The photo above shows how a Lavazza coffee machine’s injectors interacted with a steel refillable pod. Therefore, consider this risk before using metal refillable pods in your Lavazza machine.
Conclusion:
Whether or not you buy Lavazza-compatible pods will depend on your needs. If you’re looking to save money, you’ll find the lower prices of these pods very appealing. However, if you’re seeking excellent quality, stick with the original Lavazza pods.
On the other hand, I don’t recommend risking your coffee maker by trying to reuse the original pods. So, if you can’t always afford the original ones, opt for the compatible pods instead of the refillable ones.
