Lavazza Qualita Rossa Capsules vs Ground: What Changes

Lavazza A Modo Mio Qualita Rossa: the red blend in a capsule

This box takes the blend Lavazza is known for and hands the dose, grind and tamp to the factory. You give up control, and in return every morning's shot comes out the same, with no basket to empty.

Published 26 Sep 2026 Curator-written, not crowdsourced

Lavazza A Modo Mio Qualita Rossa: the red blend in a capsule, in summary: The Qualita Rossa blend, Arabica with Robusta, sealed into sixteen A Modo Mio capsules: 120g of coffee, about 7.5g in each. Balanced and chocolatey, with body enough for a full cup of milk.

Last reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in September 2026.

This box takes the blend Lavazza is known for and hands the dose, grind and tamp to the factory. You give up control, and in return every morning's shot comes out the same, with no basket to empty.

Same blend, more grip

Lavazza has been built on blending since Luigi Lavazza opened his Turin roastery in 1895, and Qualita Rossa is the blend the house is known for: Arabica with Robusta, rich, full-bodied and chocolatey. Here it comes as 120g spread across sixteen capsules, about 7.5g each, which is close to a standard single espresso dose. The blend does not change in the capsule. Who makes the brewing decisions does.

Capsule coffee can be ground far finer than a home espresso basket would tolerate, since the capsule keeps the grounds packed and there is no tamping to do. That is why this version comes out denser than the same blend from a bag, with more weight on the tongue. For many people that extra grip, more than the convenience, is the real reason to choose it.

Built for milk

Cappuccino and latte are this blend's home ground. The aroma runs to milk chocolate and warm bread, the bitterness is measured and the acidity is low, so milk finds nothing sharp to expose and plenty of body to sit on. The Robusta share helps build a thicker, longer-lasting crema than an all-Arabica shot usually manages, and there is body enough to survive a full cup of milk.

For intensity it sits in the middle of the A Modo Mio range, which makes it a good fit for a household where one person takes it short and another wants a milky mug. Lavazza prints its own intensity figure on the pack and may revise it between runs, so read the box rather than a number quoted elsewhere. Every capsule is one extraction: sixteen espressos, or eight doubles.

Capsule or ground: choosing the format

Ground Qualita Rossa leaves the dose to you, which suits someone who enjoys adjusting a moka pot or an espresso basket. The capsule removes those choices and gives back a repeatable shot with no grounds to empty. We would decide on the shape of your mornings rather than on the coffee: if the first twenty minutes of the day are a rush, the capsule earns its place.

The machine question comes first. A Modo Mio is a closed Lavazza system: the capsules suit A Modo Mio machines alone, and Nespresso, Dolce Gusto and Tassimo capsules cannot be swapped in either direction. Alongside them we stock Lungo Dolce, Passionale and the Dek decaf in Eco Caps. On allergens, the ingredient list Lavazza publishes names none of the fourteen major ones; the pack in hand is the final word.

The packs we stock

Lavazza A Modo Mio Qualita Rossa Coffee, 16 Capsules 120g (barcode 8000070088436)

What the label says

The published ingredient list for Lavazza A Modo Mio Qualita Rossa Coffee, 16 Capsules 120g names none of the 14 major allergens. Read the Qualita Rossa pack on sale now, as Lavazza may update this blend's recipe and allergen advice.

Ingredient and nutrition information for this product, as published on the manufacturer's label. The Qualita Rossa pack itself has the final word.

What to eat with it

Lotus Biscoff Caramelised Biscuits, 250g: A caramelised biscuit sits naturally beside a chocolatey cappuccino.
McVitie's Original Hobnobs Biscuits - The Oaty One, 255g: A plain, oaty biscuit that lets the cocoa side of a milky Rossa lead.
Maryland Cookies Caramel & Chocolate Chip, 200g: Caramel and chocolate chips echo the blend's cocoa notes without adding anything sharp.
Border Classic Biscuit Sharing Pack, 400g: A sharing pack for when the capsule machine is making coffee for several people at once.

Elsewhere in the Lavazza range

The full range is on the Lavazza brand page.

FAQ

Is it the blend in the red Lavazza bag? Yes, it is the Qualita Rossa blend, dosed and sealed into A Modo Mio capsules. The format changes how it brews, not the blend it is built on.

How much coffee is in each capsule? The box holds 120g across sixteen capsules, so about 7.5g in each, close to a single espresso dose.

Which machines does it fit? Lavazza A Modo Mio machines only. It will not fit Nespresso, Dolce Gusto or Tassimo machines.

Does it contain any of the major allergens? Lavazza's published list for Qualita Rossa names none of the fourteen major allergens. Formulations can change, so check the current pack.

Is there a decaf version for the same machine? This one is caffeinated. For decaf in the A Modo Mio system, look at the Dek capsules.

Curator's note: Make it a cappuccino. The capsule gives this blend more weight than the bag does, and milk is where that weight shows best. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

In short: Lavazza A Modo Mio Qualita Rossa: the red blend in a capsule

Field	Detail
Brand	Lavazza
Packs we stock	16 Capsules 120g
Category	Coffee Sachets & Mixes
Allergens (as published)	Qualita Rossa, as published, contains no ingredient from the 14 major allergens.
Caffeine	caffeinated
Fits	A Modo Mio machines only
Best as	Cappuccino or latte
Style	Balanced and chocolatey