Tassimo Kenco Americano Grande XL: Mug Size and Taste

Tassimo Kenco Americano Grande XL: Coffee by the Mugful

The barcode on every Grande XL disc tells the brewer to fill a bigger mug than a standard americano, and all that extra water is the character of the drink. Treat it as coffee by the hour rather than a wake-up shot and it makes complete sense.

Published 26 Sep 2026 Curator-written, not crowdsourced

Tassimo Kenco Americano Grande XL: Coffee by the Mugful, in summary: The longest of the Kenco black coffees we stock for Tassimo, each disc coded for a big mug. Toasty dark-roast aroma, a light, open middle and little bitterness, made for sipping through a morning rather than a fast jolt.

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

The barcode on every Grande XL disc tells the brewer to fill a bigger mug than a standard americano, and all that extra water is the character of the drink. Treat it as coffee by the hour rather than a wake-up shot and it makes complete sense.

What the XL code asks for

A Tassimo brewer reads the barcode printed on each T DISC and uses it to set brewing time, temperature and water volume. On this disc the code calls for a much longer draw. That is why the drink cannot be copied by running a standard disc twice: you would end up with two separate cups poured together, not the single long brew the XL disc is coded to make.

The dose of coffee behind all that water is a detail for the pack, not for us to guess at. What shows in the mug is a dark, toasty, faintly nutty aroma, a middle that reads light because it has been stretched, and bitterness kept well back. The finish is clean and short, and that is what keeps a very large mug drinkable right to the end.

Mug first, button second

The usual way to go wrong with XL discs is a standard cup, which overflows and wastes the disc. Put the biggest mug you own under the spout before you load anything, and make sure there is a little room at the top. If there is no mug that large in the house, the ordinary Kenco Americano Grande is likely to be the better fit.

A wide surface of hot coffee gives up its aroma quickly, so the first minute after brewing is when an XL mug smells its best. That is no reason to rush it; the drink is designed to be sipped over a long stretch at a desk. Keep any milk to a splash, because a big pour turns a light coffee paler still and hides the toasty edge.

Against the other black discs

For an ordinary cup there is the Costa Americano, with twelve discs in its box. The Kenco Grande makes a large mug and the Grande XL goes further again. The rest of the Kenco black line-up pulls on other levers entirely: the Decaff is for the evening, the Smooth, as the name says, for a gentler edge, and the 100% Colombian for a named origin.

Sixteen discs make sixteen mugs, with nothing to pair up. It suits people who drink coffee steadily through a working morning and want one refill-free mug rather than three short cups. It will disappoint anyone looking for a single concentrated cup to start the day; a short black disc in a small cup does that job, and buying XL for it and calling it weak is unfair to both.

The packs we stock

Tassimo Kenco Americano Grande XL Coffee, 16 Pods (barcode 7622210435675)

What to eat with it

Border Dark Chocolate Ginger Organic Biscuits, 150g: Dark chocolate and ginger give a long, light black coffee something warming to lean on.
McVitie's Hobnobs Milk Chocolate Biscuits, 262g: A milk chocolate Hobnob to work through slowly alongside a mug that lasts the whole morning.
Maryland Cookies Double Chocolate, 200g: A rich double chocolate cookie stands out clearly against an open cup with so little bitterness.

Elsewhere in the Tassimo range

The full range is on the Tassimo brand page.

FAQ

Why does Grande XL taste lighter than a short coffee? Because the disc is coded for a much bigger draw, and the same coffee spread through more water reads softer. That is the design, not a fault.

Can I run a standard americano disc twice instead? You can, but you get two cups poured together rather than the single long brew the XL barcode sets.

Grande or Grande XL: which should I buy? Let the mug decide. XL is for the largest mug you own; if that mug is ordinary, the Grande or a standard black disc will suit better.

Do XL discs work outside a Tassimo? No. The brewer only runs once it has scanned the code on the disc, and other pod machines cannot take them.

Curator's note: Biggest mug in the cupboard, full to the brim, and a long morning ahead of it. Buy it for that and it earns its place; buy it for a jolt and you will be disappointed. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

In short: Tassimo Kenco Americano Grande XL: Coffee by the Mugful

Field	Detail
Brand	Tassimo
Packs we stock	16 Pods
Category	Coffee Pods & Capsules
Caffeine	caffeinated
Drink size	Coded for the biggest mug
Character	Toasty aroma, light middle
Occasion	Working mornings at a desk