To serve espresso after a meal in a care home, choose a format that works with the machine rather than a pyramid tea bag. The pyramid tea bags featured by Papothé and Inzai Tea contain tea, rooibos or herbal infusions, while the coffee bags described by Terres de Café and Bacha Coffee are prepared by filtration. If you want to serve individual portions of coffee without an espresso machine, filter coffee may be suitable, provided you’re happy with the different preparation method. The drink served to each resident must also follow the relevant care instructions and care-home protocols.
If you’re serving coffee after a meal using a machine that’s already installed, start by identifying its system. The ranges featured by illy, Lavazza and Carte Noire include different coffee formats, which aren’t interchangeable.
If all you need is a cup and hot water, coffee bags for filter coffee, as described by Terres de Café and Bacha Coffee, are another option. They don’t produce pressure-extracted espresso.
Decaffeinated coffee or a herbal infusion could be included among the options to distinguish at serving time. The drink offered to each resident must be chosen in line with their care plan, prescriptions and the care home’s protocols.
The shape of the bag doesn’t determine the type of coffee you’ll get. First, choose between machine-made espresso, filter coffee in a cup and an infusion.
Consider this if: the care home’s machine explicitly accepts E.S.E. pods and you need to serve espresso in individual portions.
Keep in mind: an E.S.E. pod isn’t a pyramid tea bag. illy lists this as a separate category from its capsules.
Consider this if: a cup and hot water are all you need, and individually prepared filter coffee suits your requirements.
Keep in mind: the formats described by Terres de Café and Bacha Coffee require filtration, not espresso extraction. Make sure handling hot water and filters works for your service.
Consider this if: you’re looking for tea, rooibos or a herbal infusion rather than coffee.
Keep in mind: the pyramid tea bags featured by Papothé and Inzai Tea aren’t suitable if you need espresso. Check the ingredients of each product before offering it to a resident.
| Criterion | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso and compatibility | Check the machine model and the format it accepts: E.S.E., capsule type or another system. | To serve espresso using the equipment you already have, avoid ordering an incompatible format; around 45 % of consumers would rank compatibility as their top priority. |
| Preparation without a machine | Check the instructions on the filter coffee bag and plan how to prepare it with hot water. | If you’re only considering preparation in a cup, the key decision is whether filter coffee is an acceptable alternative to espresso; around 33 % of consumers would put this option first. |
| A drink suited to the resident | Distinguish decaffeinated products from other drinks, and follow prescriptions and care protocols. | If individual instructions need to be taken into account when choosing a drink, they take priority over the format preferred for serving; this would be the main requirement for around 22 % of consumers. |
These formats make different drinks and need different equipment. The pyramid tea bags featured by Papothé and Inzai Tea are for infusions; the bags from Terres de Café and Bacha Coffee are for filtering coffee; and E.S.E. pods are for use in a compatible machine.
Check which system the machine accepts before choosing a product with a clearly labelled format.
Coffee brewed in a bag may be a good choice for an individual cup, but it isn’t pressure-extracted. Bacha Coffee’s instructions, for example, call for water to be poured over the filter several times.
Choose this format when filter coffee genuinely suits your service. For espresso, start by checking the machine’s system.
Filtration also means allowing time to pour the water and remove the filter after each cup.
Anses notes that the effects of caffeine can vary depending on a person’s health and certain medicines. The GEM-RCN guidance for older people does not cover diets requiring a medical prescription.
List the drinks available separately, then check each resident’s care instructions and prescriptions before serving.
The range featured by Lavazza France includes whole beans, ground coffee, capsules and pods.
illy France features capsules, ground coffee and E.S.E. pods, including a Decaffeinato option.
Carte Noire features whole beans, ground coffee, capsules compatible with Nespresso Original and soft pods. Carrefour also lists a decaffeinated soft pod from the brand.
The brand describes its Drip Coffee Bags as a way to make filter coffee without an espresso machine.
The brand offers individually portioned coffee bags to filter into a cup. Its instructions say to pour water at 95 °C over the coffee in several stages.
These capsules are an option for individually portioned coffee made in a machine, not for pyramid tea bags or filter coffee prepared in a cup. Check which system each machine accepts before choosing a product. When serving residents, also follow any relevant individual instructions.
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An option to consider for serving decaffeinated espresso in individual portions, if your machine accepts these capsules.
Box of 10 aluminium capsules. The word ‘decaffeinated’ doesn’t replace checking the label and care instructions before serving.
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For individually portioned servings with a machine that accepts Dolce Gusto capsules, after checking the model you have installed.
Pack of 16 capsules, 112 g. Check individual instructions before serving this decaffeinated option.
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Another GIMOKA option to consider for a machine that accepts Dolce Gusto capsules. Confirm the machine model and product you need before ordering.
Pack of 16 capsules, 112 g. When serving residents, follow their individual instructions about drinks.
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A pack of capsules for individually portioned servings. Consider it only after checking which system your machine accepts.
Pack of 50 capsules. Check the label and care instructions if a decaffeinated drink is required.
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An option for individually portioned coffee to consider if the care home’s machine accepts the capsules listed for this product.
Box of 10 capsules. Check exact compatibility and individual instructions before serving.
Not with the pyramid tea bags featured by Papothé and Inzai Tea: they contain tea, rooibos or herbal infusions. The coffee bags described by Terres de Café and Bacha Coffee are made for filtration, rather than pressure-extracted espresso.
Choose a product clearly labelled as an E.S.E. pod, after confirming this format in the machine’s documentation. illy France features E.S.E. Decaffeinato pods, for example. Don’t assume a product is compatible just because it says ‘pod’ or ‘espresso’.
No. The drink you choose must follow the instructions for each resident. Anses notes that the effects of caffeine can vary depending on a person’s health and certain medicines, so check their care plan and prescriptions before serving.
No. The GEM-RCN guidance for older people specifies that it doesn’t cover diets requiring a medical prescription. Follow the relevant resident’s prescription and the care home’s protocols.