Single Serve Coffee Forums

In for a dime, in for a dollar: the SHOOTOUT.

Well gang, as long as I have the Illy coming I figured I'd go whole hog and try the Caffitaly system as well, so I ordered one of the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaves units.

This means I should be able to do a head to head test on the Nespresso Essenza, Lavazza Blue, Illy Francis Francis X8 and the CBTL Caffitaly Contata machines as well as continue the comparisons of the espresso produced available for each.

jbviau wrote:Mod note: The results are in! Below you'll find links to jar's write-ups on all four systems. Click through, by all means, but please don't neglect to also check out the discussion in this thread, where you'll find additional details and, toward the end, updates and follow-ups.

Overview: http://www.singleservecoffee.com/archives/037316.php
Nespresso: http://www.singleservecoffee.com/archives/037318.php
Lavazza: http://www.singleservecoffee.com/archives/037319.php
Illy: http://www.singleservecoffee.com/archives/037321.php
CBTL: http://www.singleservecoffee.com/archives/037322.php
Conclusions: http://www.singleservecoffee.com/archives/037323.php

I'm actually excited by the Caffitaly format because like pods, it is an open format designed so that smaller producers can package their in house or small batch coffees. For now there are only a few roasters using the format but I note in Europe that it seems quite popular, with many of the European equivalents of our Starbucks, Peets or Barnies marketing their particular house blend in the Caffitaly format. Hopefully that will catch on over here.

The Caffitaly capsule is recyclable for those that can recycle.

As usual, while waiting for the machines and coffee to arrive, some basics.

First, the coffee.

The basic espresso capsules volume:

Nespresso: 5.5gm.
Illy: 7gm.
Lavazza: 8gm.
Caffitaly: 8gm.

As mentioned above, the first three are proprietary and so you get Nespresso, Illy or Lavazza coffee.

The Caffitaly system though will be roaster specific, initially I will be sampling the coffees from CBTL, but have also emailed some other sources to find out what is available or can be shipped to this side of the pond.

More to follow as I learn so bear with me good folk.

Sweet! Where's that popcorn smiley? Ah, here we go...

Cool!
Within a week or so I will be testing this machine. It is Lavazza Espresso Point compatible.

zrrrzzt wrote:Cool!
Within a week or so I will be testing this machine. It is Lavazza Espresso Point compatible.

Really neat.

The Caffitaly system (caffita system) is supposed to be very popular on your side of the pond and one from Norway I think is Löfbergs Lila. Also, Ecaffe is supposed to be popular on your side or the great water.

zrrrzzt wrote:Cool!
Within a week or so I will be testing this machine. It is Lavazza Espresso Point compatible.

There's going to be an embarrassment of riches around here concerning single-serve espresso machine and capsule reviews! Nice.

So let's see if I've got this straight (and please correct me if I don't)...

The Italcaffe machine Geir will be testing is different from the Caffitaly machine that jar ordered. Also, Geir's Italcaffe takes Lavazza Espresso Point capsules, which are different from the Lavazza Blue capsules that jar already reviewed in another thread.

I have a feeling visual aids will become necessary at some point soon.

jbviau wrote:

zrrrzzt wrote:Cool!
Within a week or so I will be testing this machine. It is Lavazza Espresso Point compatible.

There's going to be an embarrassment of riches around here concerning single-serve espresso machine and capsule reviews! Nice.

So let's see if I've got this straight (and please correct me if I don't)...

The Italcaffe machine Geir will be testing is different from the Caffitaly machine that jar ordered. Also, Geir's Italcaffe takes Lavazza Espresso Point capsules, which are different from the Lavazza Blue capsules that jar already reviewed in another thread.

Okay, I can see some of the confusion.

Caffitaly and Italcaffe are not the same thing. The Caffitaly is a standard for the capsules, kinda like the specs for pods. It is an open spec for the capsules and companies can make machines for it and roasters can have their coffees packaged (much like with pods there are companies that package coffees for companies). The machine I'm getting is very likely either Gaggia or Saeco, honestly don't know yet who makes it.

Italcaffe is one of the European roasters. The package some of their coffees in ESE and Lavazza Espresso Point system.

Lavazza markets its coffee in many formats, the Espresso Point, the Lavazza Blue and in ESE; as whole bean and ground; the coffees are pretty much the same regardless of the format.

Jar, I need to introduce you to my wife. She thinks I have a problem...

As to the maker of the machine in the Youtube video, I'd go with Krupps, because it sound exactly the same as both my Le Cube and my DG, which are both made by Krupps.

Cheers,
vespacar

GmanJenks wrote:Jar, I need to introduce you to my wife. She thinks I have a problem...

I found a solution for that by the way. It's 100% effective.

Well, I have bought several machines lately, but each is still about what an iPad or iPhone might cost and I didn't buy either of those. I still chuck along with my Gen 1 OPOD, and quite honestly, the sum total of all three new capsule espresso systems is still less than the cost of my old traditional pump machine.

I imagine the two new machines will show up towards the end of next week so no tasting or pictures until then.

While we are waiting I found a neat online review of the Nespresso, CBTL Caffitaly, Keurig and Tassimo systems I thought you guys might enjoy.

Nice. Hey, the guy who wrote that review is a member here! member4779.html

p.s. Notice his lowering of the rating for the CBTL's brewed coffee in the comments section. jar, I'd love to hear from you on that eventually. Many people seem to dream of a machine that can do both brewed coffee and true espresso well.

jar wrote:

GmanJenks wrote:Jar, I need to introduce you to my wife. She thinks I have a problem...

I found a solution for that by the way. It's 100% effective.

Well, I have bought several machines lately, but each is still about what an iPad or iPhone might cost and I didn't buy either of those. I still chuck along with my Gen 1 OPOD, and quite honestly, the sum total of all three new capsule espresso systems is still less than the cost of my old traditional pump machine.

I imagine the two new machines will show up towards the end of next week so no tasting or pictures until then.

It's not even the expense, where do you put 4 machines?

GmanJenks wrote:It's not even the expense, where do you put 4 machines?

Well, for pictures I will likely just do two at a time and keep the Lavazza as the standard. It will be the Lavazza Blue and one other machine side by side. That should allow direct cross reference with the images in the Lavazza Nespresso comparison.

The coffee shot pictures I'll likely do out on the patio in natural light.

This shootout sounds great -- thanks for doing it. As a recent purchaser of a Nespresso (Pixie), I'm looking forward to the results.

Snail_ATL wrote:This shootout sounds great -- thanks for doing it. As a recent purchaser of a Nespresso (Pixie), I'm looking forward to the results.

Welcome home. Hope you like the Pixie.