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The 11 Best Nespresso Pods for Latte (2024 Guide)

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Last Updated: November 20th, 2024

While Nespresso pods are inherently built for convenience, they can still leave you overwhelmed with their endless variety and flavors. Which ones are actually best suited to making a good latte?

Nespresso pods for lattes give you the ability to create a café-like result with little to no effort. Ideally, you want Nespresso pods that lean toward darker roasts or bold flavors such as chocolate or vanilla. Since coffee is a reflection of who you are, you can narrow down your search further with details such as recyclability or caffeine levels.

We love to make our readers’ lives easier with the tastiest and greenest options on the market. Below is a curated compilation of the best Nespresso pods for lattes and what makes them prime purchases for classic recipes.

Note: we will only have pods compatible with Nespresso Original machines on this list!

What To Look For When Buying Nespresso Pods For Lattes?

To slice into choice fatigue, we have four main features you should focus on when searching for Nespresso pods.

what do the numbers on nespresso pods mean

Make Sure You Choose Compatible Espresso Pods

Nespresso pods come in two varieties: the Nespresso Original and the Nespresso Vertuo. You can see the difference visually, as the Nespresso Originals are longer and the Vertuo is flatter.

For this list, we’ll stick to Nespresso Original pods. Don’t try to mix and match your pods with incompatible machines! At best, you’ll have a weird-tasting cup of coffee. At worst, you’ll make a huge mess.

Double-Check Details Like Roast Level or Caffeine Level

Before filling up your shelf with colorful pods, remember to double-check the surrounding details so you don’t end up with coffee you can’t (or won’t) drink. Nespresso pods are categorized based on the following:

  • Origin
  • Roast level
  • Caffeine level
  • Flavor notes
  • Aroma

Prepare For a Weaker Flavor Than Traditional Espresso

If you’re looking for a powerful espresso with the thickest crema, you should probably lay those expectations to rest. Remember that the Nespresso is built for speed and convenience first, so it won’t resemble the highest-end specialty coffee from your local award-winning café.

The options we’ve chosen below have stronger flavors and/or fresher roasts so you can get a more traditional-tasting cup.

Consider Purchasing Compostable Pods

Coffee pods are seeing more scrutiny for the negative impact they leave on the environment. More brands these days are starting to use materials that compost more quickly, but not everyone is caught up.

Throughout this list, we’ll point out the sustainable efforts or certifications of each brand so you can make informed decisions about your carbon footprint.

Quick Overview: Our Top Picks for Nespresso Pods for Latte

IMAGEPRODUCTDETAILS
dstblcr-table__imageBestpresso Coffee for Nespresso Original Machine
  • Caffeinated
  • Bestpresso Capsules are Recyclable
  • Medium Roast
CHECK CURRENT PRICESee Customer Reviews
dstblcr-table__imageHiLine Coffee Espresso Coffee Pods
  • Fresh-Roasted
  • Capsules Form
  • Recyclable
CHECK CURRENT PRICESee Customer Reviews
dstblcr-table__imageDon Francisco's and Café La Llave Espresso
  • Recyclable Aluminum Capsules Through TerraCycle
  • Aluminum Capsules
  • Dark-Roasted
CHECK CURRENT PRICESee Customer Reviews
dstblcr-table__imageROSSO CAFFE 80 Gourmet Aluminum Capsules
  • Aluminum Capsules
  • Recycling
  • Roasted
CHECK CURRENT PRICESee Customer Reviews
dstblcr-table__imageGourmesso Decaf Chocolate - 30 Espresso Capsules
  • Espresso Capsules Made from BPA-Free
  • Naturally Gluten-Free and Sugar-Free
  • Decaffeinated
CHECK CURRENT PRICESee Customer Reviews
dstblcr-table__imageGlorybrew Decaf 50ct - Espresso Pods for Nespresso
  • Biodegradable Coffee Pods
  • 100% Compostable
  • 100% Arabica Decaf Espresso Capsules
CHECK CURRENT PRICESee Customer Reviews
dstblcr-table__imageLavazza Armonico Dark Roast Coffee Capsules
  • Blending of South American Arabica Coffee Beans
  • Aroma Saving Coffee Capsule
  • Velvety Grinding
CHECK CURRENT PRICESee Customer Reviews
dstblcr-table__imageLavazza Deciso Espresso Dark Roast Capsules
  • Compatible with Nespresso Original* Machines
  • Blending of Brazilian and Southeast Asian Beans
  • Noble Roasting
CHECK CURRENT PRICESee Customer Reviews
dstblcr-table__imageL'OR Espresso Capsules, 50 Count Variety Pack
  • Recyclable Aluminum Capsules
  • Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee
  • Compatible with L’OR Barista System
CHECK CURRENT PRICESee Customer Reviews
dstblcr-table__imageNespresso Compatible Pods: Felix Espresso
  • Perfect for Daily Drinker
  • Easygoing and Mellow Blend
  • 4 Different Flavours
VIEW ON FELIXROASTINGCOSee Customer Reviews
dstblcr-table__imageArtizan Coffee Capsules for Nespresso
  • Premium Coffee Brand
  • Available in 20+ Flavours
  • All-natural, Kosher, Vegan and Gluten-free
VIEW ON ARTIZANCOFFEESee Customer Reviews

The 11 Best Nespresso Pods for Latte

1. Bestpresso Coffee for Nespresso Original Machine

We’ll start off this list with a classic option that’s easy to love. The Bestpresso Coffee for Nespresso Original Machine gives you a whopping one hundred and twenty pods to tide you over.

These delicious 100% Arabica coffee pods are certified kosher and sustainable by the Rainforest Alliance, an NGO dedicated to the conservation of rainforest wildlife and flora.

No preservatives or flavors are to be found here, ensuring your coffee is as rich and natural-tasting as possible. Make sure to double-check you have the right machine, as these coffee pods are only compatible with the Original Nespresso Machine!

Each box is brightly color-coded to ensure you’re only picking the flavor notes that fit you best. Just a few you can consider buying are:

  • Espresso with berry and chocolate notes
  • Lungo with a less intense and more creamy flavor
  • Verona with notes of tart fruit and baking spices

We Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Want a strong selection of classic coffee flavors of berries, chocolate, and spices
  • Prefer coffee that doesn’t come with flavoring
  • Need kosher options

We Don’t Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Need decaf or half-caf options
  • Want to try stronger Robusta or blended coffee
  • Are looking for coffee pods compatible with the Vertuo machine

2. HiLine Coffee Espresso Coffee Pods

If you’re a drinker who misses the fanciful recipes of your favorite café, HiLine Coffee Espresso Coffee Pods are a wonderful replacement. These pods pack some serious variety for the Nespresso Original machine line-up.

This coffee originates from industry heavyweights Brazil and Colombia, all with the added benefit of being roasted right before your order. They’re all caffeinated and come in 12 packs of your flavor of choice. Just a few of the flavor combinations you’ll be able to enjoy here include (but aren’t limited to):

  • Vanilla
  • Hazelnut Cupcake
  • Cinnamon Sticky Bun
  • Swiss Mocha Almond
  • Sea Salt Caramel

We Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Crave more flavor and aroma variety in their Nespresso pods
  • Love Colombian and/or Brazilian coffee
  • Want a seasonal gift to give loved ones

We Don’t Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Need decaf or half-caf options
  • Need kosher options
  • Don’t like flavored coffee

3. Don Francisco’s and Café La Llave Espresso

Do you crave the most chocolately and bitter of dark roasts? This double-pack gives you a range of intensities with their Don Francisco and Cafe La Llave selections.

Both brands come with 100% Arabica beans and are certified organic by the USDA, which means the coffee must have been grown in soil that hasn’t been touched by harmful substances for at least three years. Even better, these coffee beans are kosher, making them one of the most accessible options on our list.

The Don Francisco line-up is the most extensive of the two, offering up some robust gems such as:

  • Espresso Clasico, an intense and full-bodied coffee
  • Old Havana, a nuttier and smoother variety
  • Organic, a highly floral and delicate cup

Not to be outdone, Café La Llave also offers an espresso that’s roasted as dark as possible.

We Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Prefer dark-roasted coffee, but still enjoy some variety
  • Need kosher varieties
  • Want organic coffee

We Don’t Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Need decaf or half-caf options
  • Prefer light roasts

4. ROSSO CAFFE 80 Gourmet Aluminum Capsules

When was the last time you associated specialty coffee with capsules? ROSSO CAFFE delivers in fine form with their classy range of Nespresso capsules.

Specialty coffee undergoes rigorous inspection to be deemed worthy of the title, analyzed, and tasted by professionals to achieve eighty points or higher out of one hundred. Their pods are explicitly designed to be pure aluminum for improved sustainability.

Their coffee capsules are separated by a shiny, bold color for easy selection. Choose the following depending on your tastes:

  • Topaz, Emerald, and Sapphire for medium-roasted coffee
  • Sunstone, Obsidian, Amethyst, and Meteorite for dark-roasted coffee

We Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Prefer medium or dark-roasted coffee
  • Are seeking out coffee pod brands that are safer for the environment

We Don’t Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Need decaf or half-caf options
  • Prefer lightly roasted coffee

5. Gourmesso Decaf Chocolate – 30 Espresso Capsules

If you’re wondering where the decaf options are on this list, we’ve got you! The Gourmesso Decaf Chocolate Espresso Capsules are roasted dark to give you the closest possible result to your favorite café spot.

This coffee comes with a plethora of details to suit multiple diets, such as being certified Fairtrade Organic, gluten-free, and sugar-free. If that wasn’t good enough, the Gourmesso Decaf Chocolate Espresso Capsules come with an impressive layer of crema. Take some time to practice frothing milk at home so you can turn these into the creamiest lattes.

We Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Are switching to decaf or exclusively drinking decaf
  • Need the darkest possible roasts for their lattes
  • Needs a gluten-free or sugar-free diet

We Don’t Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Prefer caffeine or half-caf coffee
  • Want light or medium-roasted coffee

6. Glorybrew Decaf 50ct – Compostable Biodegradable Espresso Pods for Nespresso

Just how sustainable can you make a coffee pod? Glorybrew Decaf asked this question while making their Nespresso pods so you can enjoy your latte guilt-free.

Their pods are not just aluminum-free, but plastic and preservative-free, too. Their biodegradable pods will compost within twelve weeks, which is pretty impressive when you consider plastic pods can take centuries to decompose! These pods are only for Nespresso Original, so keep them far away from any Vertuo machines.

The coffee is nothing to sneeze at, either. The beans are blended from Central America and Indonesia and kept at a medium roast to give your lattes a more balanced flavor. Since darker roasts impart more flavor, we recommend trying a flat white instead of a traditional latte so you can get a stronger result.

We Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Are switching to decaf or exclusively drinking decaf
  • Want their coffee habit to leave a green footprint

We Don’t Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Want classic dark roasts for their lattes

7. Lavazza Armonico Dark Roast Coffee Capsules Compatible with Nespresso Original Machines

The well-known Lavazza brand has one of the tastiest Nespresso capsules around, which is unsurprising since they roast their coffee straight from Italy! The Armonico Dark Roast is as close as you can get to using a straight-up espresso machine.

These dark roast capsules are bursting with subtle flavors such as sweet caramel and toasted biscuits, just like walking into a kitchen with cookies in the oven.

This is the kind of coffee latte respond best to, since you won’t have to worry about your milk of choice drowning out all the flavor. You could even sprinkle in a little sugar or caramel and still not lose out on these amazing notes!

We Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Want the most classic espresso experience without an espresso machine
  • Enjoy more subtle flavors in their coffee
  • Like some variety, but not too much

We Don’t Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Prefer light or medium-roasted coffee
  • Want a wider variety of decaf or half-caf options
  • Need kosher or gluten-free options

8. Lavazza Deciso Espresso Dark Roast Capsules Compatible with Nespresso Original Machines

We’re not done with Lavazza yet! They have another delightful dark roast option in their line-up you should add to your latte and mocha-making list: the Lavazza Deciso Espresso Dark Roast.

While the espresso in the first invokes sensations of fresh-baked pastries, this espresso veers toward a silkier and darker end of the spectrum. Expect notes of bitter dark chocolate and subtle wood and smoke, the perfect treat after a long, cold day.

You’ll also get a more velvety mouthfeel with these cups, so we recommend using this for both lattes and cappuccinos. The more this espresso gets to stand out in the recipe, the better!

We Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Adore more robust and bitter flavors in their coffee
  • Want stronger coffee to hold up to other recipes like cappuccinos

We Don’t Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Need decaf or half-caf options
  • Don’t like bitter flavors

9. L’OR Espresso Capsules, 50 Count Variety Pack,

Wrapped in gold and silver, these L’OR Espresso Capsules invoke images of those fanciful chocolate commercials that always crop up around the holidays. Thankfully, these delicious coffee pods more than live up to their visual hype.

Made for the Nespresso Original machine, these capsules would make a fine choice for your kitchen or as a gift for a loved one. This variety pack comes in the following selections for your next great latte:

  • Profondo, is a fruit-forward coffee with a toasted aftertaste
  • Colombia, a balanced and fruity coffee
  • Or Absolu, a richer coffee with a wooden finish
  • Ristretto, a lush coffee bursting with baking spices
  • Onyx, their darkest roast with a smoky, chocolatey flavor

When it comes to quality dark roasts, these are some of the best Nespresso pods for lattes you’ll find on the market. While their Ristretto and Onyx varieties are best suited to milk-based recipes like lattes, all of the above options are solid choices since they’re never roasted too lightly.

We Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Want some variety in roast levels for their lattes
  • Enjoy trying out different origins
  • Want to try more French-styled coffee

We Don’t Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Want decaf or half-caf options
  • Need kosher or gluten-free options

10. Felix Roasting Co. Nespresso Pods

Just how complex can the tasting notes of capsule coffee get? Felix Roasting Co. has tossed its hat into the ring with its delectable Nespresso Compatible Pods.

With flavor notes such as ripe cherry and silky caramel, you’re staring down one of your most flavorful lattes yet. Their coffee is sourced from Colombia, Ethiopia, and Guatemala, blended with the goal of making a mellow, yet distinctive daily coffee.

We Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Want coffee capsules with particularly complex flavors
  • Are curious about smaller businesses outside the major brands
  • Enjoy balanced blends with fruit-forward and sweeter flavors

We Don’t Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Need decaf or half-caf options
  • Want kosher options
  • Crave a lot of variety in their coffee capsules

11. Artizan Coffee Roasters

The last option on our list is the staggering selection offered by Artizan Coffee Roasters, a coffee roaster with an exceptional focus on sustainability. Their Nespresso coffee pods come in not just a variety of flavors, but several environmental benefits.

For starters, Artizan Coffee Roaster pods are certified organic by the USDA and have a Fair Trade certification. The pods themselves come in biodegradable packaging validated by OK Compost, which requires a bare minimum of 90% compostable materials. With such an impressive array of behind-the-scenes details, how does the coffee hold up?

With dozens of origins and flavors to choose from, you’re in good hands. You even have a slew of decaf and flavored coffee options to choose from! To help you narrow things down, we highly recommend the following selections:

  • Heavenly Project Espresso, a chocolatey blend with hints of citrus
  • Cuba Mia Ristretto, a very darkly roasted coffee with a silky mouthfeel
  • White Rhino Espresso, a floral and bright coffee with high acidity

These pods are only compatible with the Nespresso Original machine.

We Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Want to support roasters who focus on sustainability and fair trade
  • Enjoy a wide variety of Nespresso options
  • Are curious about different coffee origins

We Don’t Recommend This Brand For Drinkers Who:

  • Want half-caf options
  • Need kosher options

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