L'Or Ristretto Decaf 20 Capsules: After-Dinner Espresso

L'Or Espresso Ristretto Decaf 20 Capsules: The After-Dinner Espresso

Taking the caffeine out of coffee also takes away some of its body, and the most direct fix is less water. That is the whole logic of a decaf ristretto, and this carton holds twenty of them.

Published 26 Sep 2026 Curator-written, not crowdsourced

L'Or Espresso Ristretto Decaf 20 Capsules: The After-Dinner Espresso, in summary: Twenty decaffeinated ristretto capsules for Nespresso Original machines. A short pull puts back the body that decaffeination takes away, so keep it to about 25ml in a warmed cup. Choose the twenty once decaf is a nightly habit.

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

Taking the caffeine out of coffee also takes away some of its body, and the most direct fix is less water. That is the whole logic of a decaf ristretto, and this carton holds twenty of them.

Why the short pull suits decaf

A ristretto sends less water through the same dose, about 25ml rather than the 40ml of an espresso, so the cup gains weight and density rather than just strength. For a decaf that matters more than usual, since taking the caffeine out also thins the body a little. A decaffeinated lungo spreads a slightly lighter coffee across a big cup and it shows; a decaffeinated ristretto concentrates what is there, which makes it the more sensible product.

The crema helps as well. It is an emulsion of gas, coffee oils and fine solids that sits like a lid on the shot and holds the aroma close, and a short shot carries proportionally more of it. It starts to collapse within a minute or two, taking some of that aroma with it, so drink a ristretto as soon as it is made.

Ten or twenty capsules

We stock two L'Or Ristretto Decaf boxes: a ten-capsule carton and this one of twenty. The twenty holds 104g, about 5.2g of coffee per capsule. If decaf is an occasional treat, ten is plenty. If it has become the nightly coffee, the twenty means fewer reorders and a steady supply in the cupboard, and it is the box we would choose for regular use.

Compare it fairly. Set against a caffeinated morning capsule, a decaf will usually lose; set against what you would otherwise drink late in the evening, which is often nothing, it holds its own. Expect a modest, roast-derived sweetness rather than a sugary one, balanced by a firm bitterness that stops such a concentrated shot from tasting cloying.

Serving it at the end of the evening

Use a small cup and warm it first: run some hot water from the machine into it and tip it away. A 25ml shot has almost no heat to spare, and cold china takes what little there is. Keep to the ristretto setting and do not stretch it, because the short pull is exactly what this capsule is built around.

The capsules are aluminium, which keeps its seal under pressure better than plastic does, and they are made for Nespresso Original machines. They will not fit Vertuo, Dolce Gusto or Tassimo, and no adapter changes that. Remember too that decaffeinated is not caffeine free; anyone who needs none at all is better served by a herbal tea.

The packs we stock

L'Or Espresso 20 x Ristretto Decaf Coffee, 104g (barcode 8711000357453)

What to eat with it

Lotus Biscoff Caramelised Biscuits, 250g: Caramelised sweetness rounds off the deliberate bitterness of a short decaf shot.
Border Butterscotch Crunch Organic Biscuits, 135g: Butterscotch picks up the roast sweetness and makes a small treat of the evening coffee without a pudding.
McVitie's Original Hobnobs Biscuits - The Oaty One, 255g: A plain, oaty Hobnob is the no-fuss choice when you want a biscuit with the coffee rather than a dessert.

Elsewhere in the L'Or range

The full range is on the L'Or brand page.

FAQ

How many capsules are in this carton? Twenty, 104g in all, which is about 5.2g of coffee per capsule.

Why a decaf ristretto rather than a decaf lungo? A short pull concentrates the body that decaffeination takes away, while a long decaf spreads it thin across the cup.

Is it caffeine free? No. Decaffeination removes most of the caffeine, not all of it, so a small amount remains in every cup.

Which machines does it fit? Nespresso Original machines. It will not fit Vertuo, Dolce Gusto or Tassimo, and an adapter will not help.

Should I drink it straight away? Yes. The crema starts to collapse within a minute or two and takes some of the aroma with it.

Curator's note: Small cup, warmed first, and drunk while the crema is still sitting on top. It is the nearest thing to a restaurant espresso at the end of an evening at home. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

In short: L'Or Espresso Ristretto Decaf 20 Capsules: The After-Dinner Espresso

Field	Detail
Brand	L'Or
Packs we stock	104g
Category	Decaffeinated Coffee
Caffeine	decaffeinated
Occasion	The last coffee of the evening
Cup	Small and warmed, about 25ml
Best with	A caramelised biscuit