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Oro is Italian for gold, and Lavazza gives the name to its signature blend rather than to a value line. In capsule form it is the one to try if you have decided you dislike espresso, because what many people dislike is a dark roast.
The soft end of the capsule range
A dark espresso blend puts its weight into roast depth and bitterness. Qualità Oro puts it elsewhere: aroma first, a rounded, natural sweetness in the middle, a medium body and a clean finish, with the bitterness held well back. Among Lavazza's capsules for the Original system it makes the softest short espresso, which is why it suits people who gave up on espresso because they found it harsh.
The blend has been in Lavazza's range since 1956, and it is the one the Turin house, still led by the founding family, puts its own name on. The carton lists the composition and origins, and that is the place to check them. The manufacturer's published ingredient list for these capsules names none of the 14 major allergens, though the current pack is always the final word.
Why a capsule suits an aromatic blend
With a capsule there is no grinding, weighing or tamping to get wrong. You give up control and gain a cup that comes out the same every time, and for a blend built on aroma that matters. Aroma is the first thing ground coffee surrenders once air reaches it; sealed inside a capsule, it waits until the machine pierces it.
That aroma is the reason to buy this one, and it is also the part that goes first. It lifts off the cup before you drink, and if you leave an espresso for five minutes it smells of far less, though nothing in the cup looks any different. Drink it soon after it is poured and you get the whole of what the capsule was made to deliver.
Short pour, careful milk
Keep it to a short pour of 25 to 30ml. One capsule makes one espresso, and there is no second cup hiding in it: running more water through only adds the dry end of the extraction and spends the sweetness you chose Oro for. Ten capsules means ten espressos. If you want a longer black coffee, pick a capsule that is dosed for a long pour.
Milk is fine up to about 100ml and no further, because an aromatic blend cannot carry a mug of it. On fit, the capsules are made to the Nespresso Original shape, the small cone, and suit Original machines only. Vertuo uses a bigger domed capsule on a separate system, and Lavazza's A Modo Mio machines take their own capsules.
The packs we stock
- Lavazza Qualita Oro Nespresso Compatible, 10 Capsules 55g (barcode 8000070053465)
What the label says
The published ingredient list for Lavazza Qualita Oro Nespresso Compatible, 10 Capsules 55g names none of the 14 major allergens. Check the current box of Oro capsules: Lavazza may update this espresso's recipe and allergen advice.
Ingredient and nutrition information for this product, as published on the manufacturer's label. The Oro capsule box on your counter has the last word.
What to eat with it
- Lotus Biscoff Caramelised Biscuits, 250g: Caramelised biscuit sweetness matches Oro's rounded middle without crowding its aroma.
- Border Lemon Drizzle Melts Organic Biscuits, 150g: A lemon biscuit for a soft, aromatic espresso, when chocolate would feel too heavy.
- McVitie's Hobnobs Milk Chocolate Biscuits, 262g: For Oro taken with a little milk, an oaty milk chocolate biscuit keeps everything gentle.
Elsewhere in the Lavazza range
- Lavazza A Modo Mio Dek, Decaf Eco Caps, 16 Capsules 120g
- Lavazza A Modo Mio Lungo Dolce Coffee, 16 Capsules
- Lavazza A Modo Mio Passionale Coffee, 16 Capsules
- Lavazza A Modo Mio Qualita Rossa Coffee, 16 Capsules 120g
- Lavazza Crema e Gusto Classico Coffee Beans, 1kg
- Lavazza Crema E Gusto Classico Ground Roasted Coffee, 500g
The full range is on the Lavazza brand page.
FAQ
Do Lavazza Qualità Oro capsules fit a Vertuo machine? No. They fit Nespresso Original machines, which take the small conical capsule.
What does Oro mean? Gold, in Italian. Lavazza uses it for its signature blend.
Can one capsule make two cups? No. Extra water only adds the dry end of the extraction, so keep to one short espresso per capsule.
Is it a good capsule for someone who finds espresso harsh? Often, yes. The bitterness is held well back and the cup is aromatic and gently sweet, the soft end of Lavazza's capsule range.
How much milk can it take? About 100ml. Beyond that the coffee gets lost.
Curator's note: Pull it short and drink it black before you decide anything about milk. If someone in the house says they cannot stand espresso, this is the capsule we would hand them first. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.
In short: Lavazza Qualità Oro Nespresso Compatible Capsules: The Soft Espresso
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Brand | Lavazza |
| Packs we stock | 10 Capsules 55g |
| Category | Coffee Pods & Capsules |
| Allergens (as published) | The Oro capsules' published ingredients, Lavazza says, include none of the 14 major allergens. |
| Caffeine | caffeinated |
| Machine | Nespresso Original only |
| Pour | Short, 25 to 30ml |
| Suits | Anyone who finds dark espresso harsh |
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