Each brand has its own style: Italian espresso from Lavazza, based in Turin since 1895, pure Arabica from Carte Noire, a French brand founded in 1978, the blend of nine Arabicas from illy, based in Trieste since 1933, and Neapolitan espresso from Kimbo. All in the Nespresso Original format.
A Turin coffee roaster since 1895. Its Maestro collection in aluminium capsules: Classico and Lungo, 100% Arabica, and Ristretto, Arabica and Robusta, in boxes of 100 capsules (10 sleeves of 10).
A French brand founded in 1978, known for its pure Arabica. Three aluminium capsule varieties, 100% Arabica, in boxes of 30: Lungo N°6, Espresso N°7 Classique and Espresso N°9 Intense.
A Trieste coffee roaster since 1933. Its blend of nine Arabicas in aluminium capsules: Espresso Classico, with notes of caramel, orange blossom and jasmine, and Lungo Intenso, in boxes of 10 and 100.
Neapolitan espresso: Kimbo was founded in Naples in 1963. Barista 100% Arabica, Napoli and Ristretto, in boxes of 30 capsules or, for the first two, in packs of 100.
Four pointers to help you choose your Nespresso-compatible capsules.
Our compatible capsules use the Nespresso Original format: Essenza, Inissia, Pixie, CitiZ, Lattissima, Creatista and Original models from Krups, De'Longhi or Magimix. They do not fit Vertuo machines, which use larger capsules with a barcode. Some brands also exclude certain models: illy, for example, excludes Nespresso U, Expert and Prodigio machines purchased after 25 July 2016.
Lavazza, Carte Noire and Kimbo rate the intensity of their capsules from 1 to 13, each on its own scale: from a mild lungo, such as Lavazza Maestro Lungo (5/13) or Carte Noire Lungo N°6 (6/13), to a full-bodied ristretto, such as Lavazza Maestro Ristretto or Kimbo Ristretto (12/13).
100% Arabica capsules produce a milder, more aromatic cup: Lavazza Maestro Classico and Maestro Lungo, the three Carte Noire varieties, illy’s blend of nine Arabicas and Kimbo Barista. Robusta adds body, crema and bitterness: Lavazza Maestro Ristretto blends Arabica and Robusta.
Lavazza Maestro, Carte Noire and illy capsules are made of aluminium, which protects the coffee from light and oxygen. In France, since 2023, all packaging goes in the yellow recycling bin, in line with your local council’s instructions; empty out the coffee grounds first if you can, as they can be composted.
In the Nespresso Original format:
No, only in Nespresso Original machines: Essenza, Inissia, Pixie, CitiZ, Lattissima, Creatista and Original models from Krups, De'Longhi or Magimix. Vertuo machines (Vertuo Next, Vertuo Pop, VertuoPlus…) use larger capsules with a barcode read by the machine: our compatible capsules do not fit them.
The range name is printed on the machine or in its instruction manual. Some brands also exclude certain Original models: illy, for example, states that its capsules do not fit Nespresso U, Expert and Prodigio machines purchased after 25 July 2016.
The format is the same, but the coffee is different: a compatible capsule is made by another roaster using its own blends, such as Lavazza (Turin), Carte Noire (France), illy (Trieste) or Kimbo (Naples). Lavazza and illy state that they are not affiliated with Nespresso.
Lavazza Maestro, Carte Noire and illy capsules are made of aluminium, like Nespresso capsules. The price per capsule for each product is shown on its product page.
The price depends on the brand and box size; each product page shows the price per box and per capsule. For example, Lavazza Maestro Classico in a box of 100 (30 €, or 0,30 € per capsule), or Carte Noire Espresso N°7 Classique in a box of 30 (9,70 €, or 0,32 € per capsule).
For regular coffee drinking, the Lavazza mix-and-match pack brings together at least three boxes of 100, with a choice of the three Maestro varieties.
Depending on the kind of coffee you enjoy, on each brand’s intensity scale from 1 to 13:
illy and Kimbo capsules complete the selection, with illy’s blend of nine Arabicas and Kimbo’s Neapolitan espresso.
Lavazza Maestro, Carte Noire and illy capsules are made of aluminium, a recyclable metal. In France, since 2023, all packaging goes in the yellow recycling bin: follow your local council’s instructions and empty out the coffee grounds first if you can, as they can be composted.
For other capsules, follow the recycling instructions printed on the box.
In France, using compatible capsules is not in itself sufficient to invalidate the warranty. In 2014, at the request of the Autorité de la concurrence (decision of 4 September 2014), Nespresso undertook to rewrite its warranty clause: the warranty also applies when capsules from another brand are used, unless the damage was caused by those capsules, in which case the machine manufacturer must prove this.
Your warranty terms are set out in the machine’s instruction manual. As with any coffee machine, descale it regularly.
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