To go with a late-night snack, first choose a format that works with your machine, then pick an espresso with flavour notes to suit the bold taste you’re after. Intensity scores don’t measure caffeine: according to Anses, caffeine can delay falling asleep and reduce the length or quality of your sleep. It’s worth bearing this in mind, depending on your sensitivity and when you plan to drink your coffee.
You’re looking for a pronounced flavour to go with a savoury or sweet snack. Whole beans, ground coffee and capsules come in different formats to suit different machines. Compare the flavour descriptions, but don’t assume that intensity scores from different brands are directly comparable.
You want to make an espresso during a late break. Check your machine’s exact system: a capsule compatible with Nespresso Original and an E.S.E. pod are not interchangeable.
You enjoy a bold espresso after dinner, but when you drink it matters as much as the taste. Anses notes that caffeine affects people’s sleep differently. The word “strong” doesn’t tell you how much caffeine is in your cup.
For a late-night snack, start with the machine you have, then weigh up the taste you’re after and what time you plan to drink your coffee.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Bold flavour | Read the flavour notes and intensity listed for the specific product; compare scores within the same brand. | If a pronounced flavour is what you want to go with your snack, the flavour profile can help guide your choice. Around 42% of consumers would put this first. |
| Compatible format | Identify your machine’s system, then choose beans, ground coffee, capsules compatible with Nespresso Original or E.S.E. pods, depending on what it accepts. | To make an espresso without buying a format you can’t use, start with your machine. Around 33% of consumers would make compatibility their top priority. |
| Drinking coffee late | Don’t use the intensity score to estimate caffeine; consider how much you drink, what time you go to bed and your sensitivity. | If you drink coffee close to bedtime, consider its possible effects on your sleep first. Around 25% of consumers would put this precaution first. Anses notes, in particular, that caffeine may delay falling asleep. |
Lavazza gives its Espresso Barista Intenso a score of 9/10, illy scores its Intenso ground coffee 7/9, and Carte Noire uses a scale out of 13 for its capsules. These figures are specific to each brand, so they can’t be used to rank flavour or caffeine content on a common scale.
Check the flavour description and format too, and only compare scores within the same brand.
Compatibility determines whether you can use it: a Nespresso Original capsule won’t work in place of an E.S.E. pod, and ground coffee needs a machine or brewing method that accepts it.
Check the system name on your machine and match it to the one shown on the product.
A bold-tasting espresso doesn’t tell you how much caffeine is in the cup. According to Anses, caffeine can delay falling asleep and reduce the length or quality of your sleep.
If you’re sensitive to caffeine or it’s close to bedtime, consider having your coffee earlier, drinking less or choosing a decaffeinated option.
The range includes Espresso Barista Intenso whole beans, worth considering if you have a grinder or a suitable machine.
The Intenso range is available in several formats, including ground coffee and E.S.E. pods. Choose one that works with your machine.
Espresso Intense N°9 capsules are designed for people with a Nespresso Original machine.
These products offer three ways to make coffee described as intense: capsules for a compatible machine, beans to grind and ground coffee. The right format depends first and foremost on your equipment.
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A capsule option if your machine accepts the Nespresso Original format and you’re looking for a bold-tasting espresso.
Advertised intensity: 10/13; box of 100 capsules, 540 g. Check your machine’s exact system. This intensity score doesn’t tell you how much caffeine is in a cup.
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Worth considering if you can grind beans to make your espresso and would prefer this format to capsules.
Whole-bean coffee, advertised intensity 12/13, 1 kg pack. You’ll need a grinder or a suitable machine; the score doesn’t measure the caffeine in each cup.
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An option to consider for a bold-tasting espresso if you use a Nespresso Original machine.
Box of 10 capsules. Check the exact compatibility before buying: not all capsule machines use the same system. A bold flavour doesn’t tell you how much caffeine is in each cup.
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An option with an advertised bold flavour if your machine accepts ground coffee.
500 g BIPACK format. Check that the grind is suitable for your brewing method. The caffeine value given per 100 g of coffee doesn’t correspond to the amount in a prepared cup.
No. An intensity score can’t tell you how much caffeine is in a cup. Lavazza, illy and Carte Noire use different scales for the products mentioned here. Use these scores to explore the flavour profiles described, not to compare caffeine content.
Choose a format your machine accepts before picking a flavour: capsules compatible with Nespresso Original for that system, E.S.E. pods for a suitable machine, or beans and ground coffee if your equipment accepts them. A product labelled “intense” isn’t necessarily compatible with your machine.
Yes. Caffeine can affect sleep: Anses notes that it may delay falling asleep and reduce the length or quality of your sleep. Effects vary from person to person, so consider your sensitivity, how much you drink and what time you go to bed.
Check the details that identify the coffee and its format, particularly anything that affects whether it’s compatible with your machine. For food labelling, the DGCCRF states that information must be visible, legible and written at least in French.