To choose coffee for your lunch break at uni, first find out which machine you can use: ground coffee in a packet, capsules and pods all work differently. Only buy a machine-specific format once you’ve confirmed the system it uses. If there’s no compatible machine, you can still make coffee with ground coffee, but only if you have the necessary equipment and water.
If you make coffee during a short break, check the system shown on the machine before choosing a box. A capsule compatible with Nespresso Original, an ESE pod and a Tassimo T-Disc all have different compatibility requirements.
A packet of ground coffee could be a good choice if your coffee maker takes ground coffee and you can measure it out and clean up afterwards. It can’t be used as a direct substitute for a capsule in a machine that requires its own format.
The material used for each portion and the recycling options available on site are also worth considering. In France, ADEME advises putting aluminium and plastic capsules in the paper and packaging recycling stream. Paper capsules can only be composted if a suitable option is available.
Start with the preparation system available, then choose the portion and pack size that suit your break. The terms ‘ground coffee’, ‘capsule’ and ‘pod’ aren’t enough on their own to confirm compatibility.
Choose this if: you have access to equipment that explicitly accepts ground coffee.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to measure out the coffee, prepare it and clean up afterwards, unlike simply inserting a portion designed for a machine.
Choose these if: the machine explicitly accepts capsules compatible with Nespresso Original.
Bear in mind: you’ll need one capsule per drink, and the packaging must be sorted for recycling after use.
Choose these if: the machine or its portafilter accepts the ESE standard described by Lavazza.
Remember: an ESE paper filter pod isn’t a Nespresso Original capsule.
Choose these if: you’ve identified the machine’s exact system, such as A Modo Mio, Tassimo or Malongo 1,2,3 Spresso.
Remember: these portions aren’t universal substitutes for Nespresso Original capsules or ESE pods.
| Factor | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Compatibility | Check the machine’s system or ask the team responsible for providing it. Then look for the same compatibility information on the product. | I want to be able to make coffee during my break without finding out that the portion doesn’t fit the machine. Around 36% of consumers rank compatibility as their top priority. |
| Preparing coffee during your break | Choose between a portion designed for the machine and coffee you measure out yourself. Also check that the drink it makes is the size you want. | When my break is short, I’d rather keep handling to a minimum, as long as I have access to the right machine. Around 29% of consumers prioritise quick preparation. |
| Pack size | Check the number of portions, and only choose a large box once you’ve confirmed the system and drink format. | If I only have coffee at uni occasionally, I don’t want to be left with a large quantity in a format that doesn’t suit me. For around 21% of consumers, managing the amount they buy is their main priority. |
| Recycling and coffee choice | Check the material the portion is made from and what collection options are available. Then compare the blends or decaffeinated options in compatible formats. | After lunch, I want to know what to do with the used portion and choose a coffee I enjoy. Around 14% of consumers prioritise coffee choice and waste management. |
The coffee inside a capsule may be ground, but that doesn’t mean the capsule or a packet of ground coffee will work in any machine.
Identify the machine’s system and check that the product carries the matching description before choosing a pack.
Lavazza distinguishes its ESE pods from its A Modo Mio and Nespresso Original capsules. Tassimo uses T-Discs, while Malongo’s 1,2,3 Spresso portions are designed for its espresso machines.
Only switch from one format to another if the machine’s instructions confirm that it’s compatible.
A large pack isn’t much use if the machine you can access doesn’t accept those portions or the drink doesn’t suit your usual preferences.
First confirm the system and the drink size you want, then choose a quantity that suits how you’ll use it.
Whether a paper capsule can be composted depends on the collection or composting options actually available.
Check your campus guidance. In France, ADEME advises putting aluminium and plastic capsules in the paper and packaging recycling stream.
A brand may offer several types of coffee. Choose a product based on its format and the machine you’ll use, rather than the brand name alone.
The range includes ground coffee, capsules described as compatible with Nespresso Original, and soft pods.
Lavazza’s range includes ground coffee, ESE pods, A Modo Mio capsules and capsules compatible with Nespresso Original.
Malongo offers ground coffee as well as 1,2,3 Spresso portions made from natural-fibre paper.
The Jacobs Médaille d'Or product featured by Tassimo is a T-Disc containing ground coffee.
Carrefour offers, among other products, Carrefour Selection capsules containing ground coffee and described as compatible with Nespresso.
Among the products featured by E.Leclerc, the Plantation range includes aluminium capsules and soft pods.
These products include ground coffee in sachets or packets, as well as capsules for different systems. For lunch at uni, only choose a preparation method that your equipment and the facilities available on site genuinely allow you to use.
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An individual-portion option if you can make coffee with hot water and a mug, without a capsule machine.
The product name indicates seven 10 g sachets. Check the preparation instructions before relying on this format during your break.
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A capsule format to consider only after confirming which system the machine at uni accepts.
The product name indicates a box of 40 capsules. Check the exact compatibility information on the box and the machine, particularly whether it’s Nespresso Original.
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A decaffeinated single-serve option if the machine you can access accepts the system shown on the box.
The product name indicates 30 capsules. Confirm that this product is compatible with the machine at uni before buying.
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A packet to consider if you have access to equipment that takes ground coffee and enough time to prepare it.
The box is listed as 250 g. Check the instructions on the packaging before choosing this coffee for a particular preparation method.
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Only consider these capsules if the machine you use during your break accepts the Dolce Gusto system.
The product name indicates 16 capsules weighing 112 g. Check the pack to see whether the drink size suits you.
Only if the machine is explicitly designed to prepare ground coffee and you have the right equipment. A packet of ground coffee won’t fit in place of a Nespresso Original capsule, an A Modo Mio capsule or an ESE pod.
Check the exact system name on the machine or ask the team responsible for providing it, then look for the same information on the box. Nespresso Original, A Modo Mio, Tassimo and ESE pods are different formats.
In France, ADEME advises putting aluminium and plastic capsules in the paper and packaging recycling stream. Check the instructions on the bins available on campus. For a paper capsule, use a suitable composting or collection option if one is available.
It depends on the pod and the collection options available on site. ADEME recommends composting paper capsules when home or shared composting, or a suitable collection service, is available. Check the guidance that applies at your institution.