Starbucksby Nespresso Original Line Blonde Roast Espresso 50-count Espresso Pods

I have an "original" line Nespresso machine. Because of the high cost of the Nespresso capsules, I decided to try some other brands. My husband doesn't care for really intense varieties of coffee. So, I was also looking for something with less of a sharp, acid taste. I was curious about this particular type, but concerned that the "blonde" variety might not have much flavor. I also worried that, since it's not made by Nespresso, the quality wouldn't be as good. As it turns out, this was great tasting! It has a smooth, full-bodied, and rich taste with a medium intensity and mild sweetness. It also functions just as well as the Nespresso capsules do. Finally, we often use our regular size capsules with the "lungo" setting, which essentially makes a small cup of coffee, rather than an espresso. This Starbucks blonde capsule also lent itself very well for this purpose and was very flavorful. Of all the varieties and brands we have at our home, this is now our favorite.

Blonde is the best! I used to be a Starbucks barista. I was addicted to their blonde espresso but since I don't work there any more I no longer get it for free. Getting these is way cheaper than going to Starbucks and tastes the same! With the right syrups and milks I can remake all my favorites.

With this economy I’ve been trying to make my coffee drinks at home more often. These pods fit in my ninja coffee station and taste amazing! Exactly like I picked up a Starbucks espresso drink. Great price!

Favorite pods by far. They taste amazing. They are also such an amazing price. I have a Ninja coffee maker that takes the original pods and it’s compatible.

Delicious espresso. I save money making my own lattes at home. Tastes great!

These were good but expensive for just a couple packs. The flavor is good and perfect for lattes

Update:I’ve been ordering these pods for over a year. They still have smashed pods in ever batch regardless who it’s sold and shipped by so it definitely has to be the manufacturer. But why I’m updating my review to 1 star is because lately I’ve been getting batches that expire within a week of when they’re delivered. Although they’re “best buy” dates, the closer you get to those dates, this coffee gets a weird bitter taste and the after taste makes me gag.Worst of all, todays batch came expired. I ordered 5 boxes and all 5 are expired. Yes, there’s manufacturers and Best Buy dates on the box. These expired last year. In January. Came to warn you guys because these are non-returnable/non-refundable items!!Original review:To me, of course nothing will compare to actually going to Starbucks and having your coffee made by one of their baristas; it's just not the same as making it at home, especially with a pod-type coffee compared to espresso brewed the traditional way. Because of this, I would give this product 5 stars but I've bought probably about 10 of these 50-count pods and every single batch has a couple pods that are not usable. They somehow get smashed even though the box that the pods come in don't seem damaged and the shipping box is not damaged either. So although it is cheaper per shot than going to Starbucks to buy my coffee, it's still a bit upsetting that it seems to be a guarantee to get a couple smashed pods in every order.As for the taste, it's quite comparable but I do believe the flavor is not as strong. I drink coffee basically to avoid caffeine headaches and help me power through the days since I get very minimal sleep. I love the flavor of Starbucks' Blonde Espresso, and this taste very close to the real thing. For some reason I also feel like the caffeine is not as strong in these home brewed pods. But because with a newborn and a 2-year old, if I don't have to leave the house, it's much more convenient to just brew my own coffee at home when I need one so I will continue to purchase these pods.

I gave the coffee 4 stars due to the light but bitter taste.I have tasted a competitors coffee that is definitely 5 star taste.