Tips
Cafecolo™ capsules have been carefully designed to give you a perfect result, tailored to your palate. This page was created with the help of our experts to provide you with the coffee that's right for you.
The choice of coffee
There's no secret to it, of course; the most important thing is choosing the right coffee, whether from your supermarket or a specialist website like Grain de Café (our favorite!). Ground coffee is best, but you can also grind the beans yourself (expert mode) using our manual grinder.
First and most important tip: we advise you to open a disposable Nespresso capsule and take out the coffee - you'll notice that the grind is extremely fine, almost like powder! This is what you should aim for to get the best result and a well-concentrated coffee.
Of all the coffees we have tested and approved, here are some suggestions from our customers: Moka Sidamo, Lavazza Qualita Oro, Lavazza Crema i Gusto and Illy Classico coffee tins are very popular and are available in most supermarkets.
Our customers say: "I went to my roaster with my reusable capsule as well as my favorite disposable Nespresso capsule. The roaster opened it in front of me and was able to recommend a 4/5 grind coffee suitable for the capsules and with a taste similar to my Nespresso. It works perfectly, the roaster's coffee is even better, nice and creamy!"
Maurice's recipe for a delicious espresso with his Cafécolo capsules : use very finely ground coffee, such as Lavazza Espresso Barista or Segafredo Espresso Casa (No. 9). Fill the capsule completely, but don't tamp it down, just level it off. Turn the machine on, and turn it off just before the first drops. Count to 15, turn it back on, and let a quarter of a mug of coffee flow. Turn it off, count to 10, and turn it back on. The coffee will be a rich, dark, and frothy brew :)
Besides the brand and intrinsic quality of the coffee, there are three other factors that influence how coffee flows from your machine: the type of grind, the tamping/tamping, and the amount of coffee used .
Note: 9 times out of 10, if the result is not optimal, it is due to the type of coffee used.
What coffee grind should I choose for my reusable capsules?
The grind you choose will impact the aroma and intensity of your coffee. The finer the grind, the slower the water will flow during extraction—the process of dissolving the coffee in the water . Conversely, the coarser the grind, the faster the water will flow.
The different types of ground coffee
If the extraction is too fast, your coffee will be heavily diluted and have little flavor. If the extraction is too slow, your coffee will be very strong, even bitter.
It's up to each individual to choose the grind of their coffee according to their preferences. If you like your coffee very strong, you should opt for very finely ground coffee.
At Caf'écolo, for coffee made with a capsule machine ( Nespresso or Dolce Gusto ), we recommend finely ground, or even very finely ground, coffee . Extraction with these machines is indeed very quick (20 to 30 seconds depending on the model): it's therefore important to slow down the water flow with a fine grind, thus allowing more time for the coffee to release more aromas!
Coarse or medium ground coffee is best suited for French press or drip coffee makers. For a capsule machine, use this grind only if you prefer a very mild coffee.
To identify the grind of coffee in stores or online, you should refer to the description or packaging. It is generally labeled "fine" or "extra fine" to describe the grind.
An interesting point: in some stores (especially organic shops or those specializing in coffee), when coffee is sold as whole beans, you can grind it yourself using a self-service machine. This allows you to choose your preferred grind!
Fine ground coffee - "Fine" - is the one we recommend!
Finely ground coffee will give you the strongest aroma. If your coffee is finely ground, as is usually the case with espresso blends, it's not advisable to apply too much pressure when tamping. This is precisely what we were referring to when opening a disposable capsule.
Tamping - Packing/Stuffing
The degree of pressure applied during the tamping process is a key element in obtaining quality coffee. The taste of the coffee changes depending on the pressure exerted! Generally, the best results are obtained when the capsules are not filled with coffee compressed at the top.
So, would you prefer something strong or mild?
Quantity
A logical assumption: the more coffee you use, the stronger the brew will be. However, it's advisable to buy naturally strong coffee to avoid having to overfill the capsule.
Golden rule: keep trying until you find the perfect blend! Based on feedback, our customers have told us they found the perfect blend in less than 5 tries and now get a much better coffee than with disposable capsules.
The question you're all asking yourselves: what about the foam in all of this?
The Cafecolo in-house technique: once you've inserted your capsule into the machine and pressed the button to start brewing, press it again just before the coffee begins to flow (or as soon as it starts to flow). The idea is to trap hot water inside the capsule. Wait about 10 seconds for the hot water to infuse the coffee, then restart the machine to let the coffee flow into your cup – you'll get a delicate, creamy, and flavorful crema.
Instructions for using your Cafécolo capsules
Nespresso Reusable Capsule User Guide
In this video, we will show you how to insert your Nespresso compatible Cafécolo reusable coffee capsule into your Magimix 11350 Inissia / Inissia M105 / Inissia C40 / Pixie C60 / Pixie C60P / Pixie Clips machine.
Nespresso Magimix Citiz M190 / Krups Essenza Mini C30 machines
For these machines, we recommend using your capsules with adhesive lids or ordering a capsule + lid pack to avoid any blockage when closing the machine.
Dolce Gusto Reusable Capsule User Guide
Here are some tips for using your reusable Dolce Gusto capsules correctly.
We supply two different lids to ensure compatibility with all the machines we have tested.
We therefore invite you to test both lids to see which one suits your machine.
When using your Dolce Gusto capsule, make sure to align the hole in the green lid at 6 o'clock as shown in the photo below. This will align the needle of your machine with the hole in the lid, preventing it from jamming.
We also recommend waiting 2 minutes after preparing your coffee before removing the capsule, as it may be hot after use.
We hope these tips will help you use your reusable capsule with your Dolce Gusto machine.
Great coffee and thanks again for your contribution to the planet ♻️