Carte Noire soft pods

Yes. These are large-format soft pods made of filter paper, the same size as those used in Senseo (Philips) type soft pod machines :

• Philips Senseo — Original and Original Plus, Select, Switch (pods + filter coffee), Maestro, Viva Café, Quadrante, Latte Duo
• Other soft pod coffee makers of the same format, with a 1-cup (one pod) or 2-cup (two pods) pod holder

Not compatible : capsule machines (Nespresso Original and Vertuo, Dolce Gusto, Tassimo, Lavazza Blue / A Modo Mio / Espresso Pointportafilters , Delta Q, illy Iperespresso) and ESE 44 mm of espresso machines — the soft pod is wider and is not tamped for high pressure.

Two filter paper formats that are not interchangeable:

• Soft pod — large disc of filter paper, 7g of loosely packed pods Carte Noiremachines low-pressure like Senseo. Result: a long coffee, similar to a filter coffee, with a light crema.
• ESE (Easy Serving Espresso) pod — small 44 mm pod , packed coffee, for the portafilter of a high-pressure espresso machine . Result: a tight espresso with crema.

pods Carte Noire in this category are soft pods. For an espresso machine with an ESE portafilter, see our ESE pods.

Three different coffees, not just three intensities:

• Classic No. 5 — intensity 5/10, 100% Central American Arabica, amber roast. Fruity and chocolatey notes, a balanced coffee.
• Full-bodied No. 7 — intensity 7/10, Arabica and Robusta from Central America, South America and Southeast Asia, dark roast. Notes of dark chocolate and dried fruit, a rich and intense coffee.
• Intense Espresso No. 8 — intensity 8/10, Arabica and Robusta from South America and Southeast Asia, dark roast. Notes of cocoa and spices, the strongest of the three.

All three are prepared in the same way, one pod per cup.

The three Carte Noire in our selection are sold in packs of 60 :

• Classic No. 5 : pack of 60 (€10.71, or €0.18 per pod)
• Strong No. 7 : pack of 60 (€10.71, or €0.18 per sachet)
• Intense Espresso No. 8 : pack of 60 (€10.71, or €0.18 per pod)

One pod makes one cup in the 1-cup pod holder; for a mug, count two pods.

No: a soft pod machine operates at low pressure, far from the 9 bars of an espresso machine. The water passes through the filter paper in a closed chamber and the coffee comes out long, topped with a fine crema created by the machine: a coffee closer to filter coffee than to an espresso.

Two pods in the 2-cup pod holder make one mug or two cups. TheEspresso Intense N°8 also makes a long coffee, the strongest in the range: its name refers to its profile, not the extraction method.

A soft coffee pod is made of filter paper and ground coffee, without an aluminum or plastic casing. Carte Noire states that its soft coffee pods are compostable in industrial composting facilities, certified by TÜV Austria according to the EN 13432 standard: they should not be placed in garden compost or disposed of in nature. Check with your local council to see if they collect these pods, perhaps with organic waste.

The outer packaging should be recycled with other packaging. Once opened, reseal the package tightly and store it in a dry place, away from heat: filter paper does not protect the coffee from air like a sealed capsule.

Our selection of Senseo-compatible soft pods is supported by Carte Noire, in three intensities; the guide to format and compatible machines is on the Soft Pods.

If your machine is an ESE 44mm portafilter espresso machine , see our ESE coffee pods ; for a capsule machine, browse our coffee capsules by system.