Tassimo or Dolce Gusto? wich is better?

Tassimo and Dolce Gusto are two brands of coffee pod machines that compete directly for the same type of user. Both brands offer a wide variety of espresso pods and coffee&milk beverages. In addition, the prices of their coffee machines are among the most affordable on the market.

Despite the similarities, there are also great differences in the quality of the coffee, the price of the pods, and the technology they use. In this article, I will study in detail all of these factors so that you can make an informed decision when acquiring a coffee machine of one brand or another.

Comparison between Tassimo and Dolce Gusto coffee pods

When buying any of these two coffee pod machines, the most important factor is everything that has to do with the coffee pods.

Below, I will compare the prices, the variety of flavors, the quality of the coffee, and the functioning of the pods of each brand. With this, you will better understand the differences between Tassimo and Dolce Gusto.

Which coffee pods are more expensive, Dolce Gusto or Tassimo?

The biggest mistake that can be made when buying a pod coffee machine is to do so because you have seen a particular model on sale. It could be the case that the cost of a single month’s worth of pods exceeds the cost of the coffee maker since this is where the business of the brands of coffee pod machines lies.

The approximate cost of an official Dolce Gusto coffee pod is usually around £0.25, while their cheapest coffee makers cost between £40 and £90. This means that if you drink two coffees a day for a year, you will have spent a total of £0.25 x 2 x 365 = £132.5, i.e., three times the value of the coffee machine.

This situation is accentuated in the case of Tassimo, whose coffee machines are more expensive and pods are more expensive.

Note: The prices I will use in this article are approximate, as they may vary depending on the country you are in or the time of year you buy. I will use current (29/11/2022) UK prices.

How much do the original Dolce Gusto pods cost?

As I mentioned, the prices I refer to here are indicative, updated as of November 29, 2022, for the UK. I will always name the official Dolce Gusto pods, found on the manufacturer’s website in physical stores and other online retailers.

  • In the official Dolce Gusto store, depending on the number of pods you buy, you will find an average price of £0.30 per pod.
  • In online stores such as Amazon, buying in larger quantities, you will find prices of £0.25 per pod.
  • While in physical stores, prices are around £0.28 per unit.

How much do the original Tassimo pods cost?

Also, as a guide, as of 29/11/2022 and based on UK stores, I will offer the average unit prices of the original Tassimo pods. With these prices, you can have an idea of their cost at a global level, wherever you are.

  • The Tassimo coffee pods bought in the official store cost around £0.35 per unit.
  • By buying these same pods in online stores like Amazon, we can save a little, reaching the £0.30 average price.
  • On the other hand, in physical stores, we find the highest prices, establishing £0.33 as the average price.

Differences in variety and flavor between Dolce Gusto and Tassimo pods

To study the taste of Dolce Gusto and Tassimo pods, we have to divide the analysis into two areas: how much variety of coffee drinks they offer and, on the other hand, how the taste of these drinks is.

  • Both Dolce Gusto and Tassimo offer a huge variety of coffee pods, although Dolce Gusto has more types of pods.
  • In terms of taste, Tassimo is a little more intense and balanced than Dolce Gusto.

Variety of Dolce Gusto coffee beverages

As I said, Dolce Gusto has a slightly superior pod variety to Tassimo. We can find more than 40 types of coffee drinks in their official store, online stores like Amazon, and physical stores.

Apart from the classic coffee pods, we can also find special editions at certain times, such as Christmas.

Their main specialties range from the classic ristrettos and espressos, Americano, cappuccinos, and lattes to chocolate drinks, tea, and even juices.

Variety of Tassimo coffee beverages

With some 30 varieties of coffee pods, Tassimo is not far behind Dolce Gusto. In addition, we can also find special editions for special dates of the year.

As with Dolce Gusto, Tassimo covers all the user’s needs regarding coffee beverages, specializing a little more in vanilla, nutty flavors, etc.

Related: Lavazza compatible pods: Are they worth it?

Dolce Gusto vs. Tassimo compatible and refillable pods

In 2015, the patent on the Dolce Gusto pod system expired, opening the way for a multitude of manufacturers of pods compatible with the Nestlé brand to emerge.

Thanks to the simplicity of the Dolce Gusto pod system, hardly any problems arise with these non-original pods. But the great achievement of these compatible pods was that, by competing directly with the originals, they brought down the price of the original pods.

Tassimo pods use the “intellibrew” barcode reading system to prepare coffee at the touch of a single button. This system is more difficult to replicate than that of Dolce Gusto, plus the Bosh-Tassimo patent has not yet expired, so there are no Tassimo pods.

Although it may seem that the existence of compatible Dolce Gusto pods is an advantage, the biggest benefit we get from these compatible pods is that they caused a price drop in the official pods. As a result, Dolce Gusto pods are almost 25% cheaper than Tassimo pods.

What about refillable pods?

Until recently, there were only Dolce Gusto refillable pods, but recently two sizes of pods have appeared for Tassimo (60ml and 180ml). Although these refillable pods work relatively well, you must be careful and practical to avoid problems and not end up spilling coffee all over the place.

On the other hand, it isn’t easy to adjust the grind, grammage, and pressing to obtain coffee of the same quality as the original pods, so if the price does not justify it, try to avoid refillable pods.

Are Dolce Gusto or Tassimo coffee machines cheaper?

In this article and others on this website, I have already mentioned that brands such as Dolce Gusto Tassimo do their biggest business in the pods and not in the coffee machines. Tassimo and Dolce Gusto are the cheapest and simplest coffee makers on the market.

Price of Dolce Gusto coffee makers

In the official Dolce Gusto store, we find the Piccolo XS and Infinissima coffee makers for just £89 (manual coffee makers), the Mini Me for £99 (automatic coffee maker), the Genio S Plus for £109, and the Genio S Touch for £119 (both automatic).

It is not difficult to find some of these models in online stores like Amazon at half price.

Price of Tassimo coffee makers

Tassimo coffee makers are quite cheaper than Dolce Gusto, so we can find offers in the official store, like a Happy for £46 (including eight packs of pods), for the same price we can find other models like the Vivy 2 or the new Finesse. A little more expensive will be the MyWay models, where the original model costs about £80 and the MyWay2 model about £170.

In the case of Tassimo, it isn’t easy to find better deals outside the official store, but it is always worth looking on Amazon before making your purchase.

Is the Tassimo coffee maker better looking or the Dolce Gusto?

If we are referring to design and exterior appearance, we are getting into a very personal topic. Although both brands of coffee makers manufacture very modern, compact models in various colors, there are big differences between them.

Design difference between Tassimo and Dolce Gusto machines
Design difference between Tassimo and Dolce Gusto machines

The Tassimo is a little more elegant than the Dolce Gusto, as the latter stand out wherever you place them. The characteristic shape of the head of the Dolce Gusto seems to give them life, while the squarer shape of the Tassimo makes them go unnoticed.

Dolce Gusto vs. Tassimo coffee makers’ warranty

Nowadays, practically all coffee makers offer a minimum of 2 years warranty on all their models. Neither Dolce Gusto nor Bosch-Tassimo would be less because they also offer this warranty period.

The fact that a brand of coffee maker assures us this time during which the manufacturer covers breakdowns and failures confirms that we are dealing with machines that can last for many years if we maintain and operate them in good condition.

Tassimo includes a bar code reading system, making its coffee machines slightly more complex than those of Dolce Gusto. However, these pod readers hardly ever fail, so buying a Tassimo coffee maker is as safe as buying a Dolce Gusto.

Conclusion

With all the information provided, I have concluded that both coffee maker brands are very similar, and you will not go wrong with whichever one you choose.

If your priority is to spend little on coffee pods, you should opt for the Dolce Gusto, while if you want a slightly tastier coffee despite the cost of the pods, choose a Tassimo.

Finally, if you don’t care about the pods’ cost or taste, choose the one you like the most in design, and don’t get too complicated.

Written by Pablo Barrantes Nevado
I am Pablo Barrantes, a coffee lover. I decided to start this website to solve all the doubts that arise every day when preparing our favorite drink: coffee. I am an industrial engineer by profession, but I have worked in coffee shops for many years, where I have learned all the secrets about coffee machines and coffee. My passion for coffee has led me to investigate and study beyond the obvious, and thanks to this, I can offer solutions and give news about coffee and coffee makers. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I research, document and write here.

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