Decaf Coffee Pods – Finding The Best Decaf Coffee Pods!

Last updated on October 26th, 2023 at 13:36

In this article we are going to talk about decaf coffee pods and our quest to find the best decaffeinated coffee pods.

By the time you have finished reading this article, you will know all about the various processes of removing caffeine from coffee beans, which one is healthiest, which is used by Nespresso and Nespresso decaf is safe if you are pregnant and a lot more.

Keep reading as we dig down and detail this very topic and get talking about decaf coffee pods.

Nespresso Decaf Coffee Pods – Our Top Picks!

In this article we are going to talk about our favorite and best tasting decaffeinated Nespresso coffee pods. The day when decaffeinated coffee meant dull and tasteless coffee is long gone. Improvements in the processes to remove caffeine have vastly improved and leave all the flavor compounds and oils in the beans while extracting 99.9% of the caffeine.

The following are what I consider to be the best tasting decaf coffee pods by Nespresso.

Note: Many are by other brands and made by Nespresso under licence.

Read: Dark roast decaf coffee K Cups

#1 Nespresso OriginalLine Volluto Descaffeinato Mild Roast – Our Top Choice!

This mild roast by Nespresso is sweet and light with fruity and cereal notes. It’s made with a blend of Latin American Arabica Beans from Colombia and Brazil. It is complex, balanced, round and tastes exactly like Volluto Gran Cru.

It’s tasty, it’s brilliant and you will enjoy it!

Read: Dunkin Donuts K-Cups Decaf

#2 Bestpresso Decaf For Nespresso – Runner Up!

Bestpresso is a very popular brand of single serve pod makers that coffee lovers enjoy. They are based in Barcelona, Spain and produce a wide variety of top quality coffee pods, both with and without caffeine and, of course, decaffeinated.

This coffee pod is intense in flavor, made with premium quality beans and provides you with mouthwatering tasty chocolate aroma for a perfect espresso experience at a great price.

#3 Starbucks Nespresso Dark Roast Espresso Decaf Coffee Pods – Best Espresso!

This full-bodied dark roasted decaf espresso has the rich flavor and taste that you would expect from the world’s leading coffee company. It’s low in acidity with an intense taste and hints of caramel.

If you want Starbucks quality and want to save money on your coffee expenses, making espresso at home with these coffee pods is the way.

#4 Nespresso OriginalLine Decaf Variety Pack – Best Variety Pack!

By far the best way to experiment with and find what decaffeinated coffee products from Nespresso that you enjoy the most is to get your hands on one of their decaf variety packs.

This way, you will find out which decaf espresso is the one that has the intensity and flavor that you find the most enjoyable and best suited to your personal taste.

Both the Arpeggio and Ristretto coffee pods are packed with flavor and have that rather pronounced coffee flavor. If you like a lighter taste, perhaps the Vivalto Lungo or Volluto are most suitable for you.

#5 L’Or Decaf Ristretto – Best Ristretto!

As a coffee lover you will enjoy the rich, full-bodied lively ristretto that is intense, woody, and notes of almonds without any caffeine make this a very exotic and indulgent espresso to enjoy.

If you are still thinking that decaf espresso and decaf coffee have bland flavors, this will truly knock your socks off.

#6 Lavazza Decaffeinato Dark Roast – Best Budget Pick!

The rich, thick, abundant crema and great coffee taste is just delicious thanks to their smokey, smooth, nutty notes and hints of caramel and the great and peculiar texture of the abundant crema.

This is a pod that is both rich and sweet and with aromatic fruity and cereal tones.

If you enjoy coffee that is intense, this might not be for you. However, if you enjoy coffee with a lower intensity, this will perhaps hit the sweet spot.

#7 Maud’s Gourmet Decaf Coffee Pods – Best Decaf Gourmet Coffee!

If you are looking for exotic, tasty, delicious coffee, then cast your eyes towards Maud’s Gourmet Italian Decaf Espresso pods.

Maud’s use 100% high quality Arabic coffee beans and their products are a great ecological choice as their entire process is 100% solar-powered, something every coffee lover should look for in my opinion.

Expect your taste buds to dance with hints of spice, honey, citrus and molasses. I am absolutely confident that you will enjoy these decaf coffee pods.

#8 Cap ‘Mundo Nespresso Decaf Coffee Pods

Cap ‘Mundo is a great alternative to Nespresso-branded capsules. While these are better priced than some other premium decaf coffee pods.

Both the price and the quality of these coffee pods hit the sweet spot, expect a low intensity artisan espresso that is very enjoyable.

#9 Café La Llave Decaf Espresso Coffee Pods

As the name suggests, this coffee is the key to decaffeinated espresso – especially if you enjoy an intense shot of espresso as it clocks in at an intensity rating of 11!

It is a Latin style shot of espresso that is rich, bold and, well, very intense.

When you are ready to crank up your intensity level, check out Café La Llave Decaf Espresso Capsules. This pack comes with 80 capsules that clock in at an intensity of 11!

If the name is new to you, don’t worry, – these guys have been making coffee products for a century and a half…and counting!

#10 Barista Moments Decaffeinato Italian Espresso

This is one of the better cost-effective Italian blends with no added flavorings or sugar and will go well both on its own as a shot of decaf espresso or in one of the many milk based espresso drinks, be it a cortado, flat white, cappuccino, latte or macchiato.

Either way, you will enjoy the rather pronounced flavor of Barista Moments Decaffeinato coffee pod.

#11 Gourmesso Decaf Chocolate Espresso – Best Decaf Chocolate-Espresso!

Okay,

so this is not quite a decaffeinated coffee, but you didn’t think I’d deny you the one thing that goes great with coffee, did you?

Gourmesso’s decaffeinated chocolate espresso has a delicious soft chocolate flavor and made with 100% Organic premium quality Peruvian Arabica coffee beans. It sets the tone for a taste that you will never forget!

Nespresso Decaf Process

Nespresso uses the Swiss water method of removing caffeine from the coffee beans. The unroasted green coffee beans are first soaked in hot water. The coffee beans are dried while active carbon is used as an absorbent to remove the caffeine from the water. The same beans are then soaked for a second time in the water, which is now caffeine free.

The process is repeated as many times as needed until 99.9% of all caffeine is removed. The process is environmentally friendly and the healthiest decaffeination process as no carbon dioxide is used and no solvents either.

Is Nespresso Decaf Safe During Pregnancy?

While there are no official health guidelines related to pregnancy and decaffeinated coffee. The low amounts of caffeine in Nespresso (99.9% caffeine is removed) is most likely to be safe to drink during your pregnancy in moderation.

I consider Nespresso to be one of the safer decaf coffees for pregnant ladies since they use the Swiss water process and do not use the chemical solvent process or carbon dioxide process to remove the caffeine.

I must add that there is limited data that links decaffeinated coffee with an increased risk of miscarrying. The studies do not state at all what the decaffeination process is associated with an increase in miscarriage. The studies I have seen lacked this detail. I would guess the chemical process of using solvents and carbon dioxide would be more likely than the Swiss water process.

So, if you must drink decaffeinated coffee of any brand, please do your research and make sure they use the Swiss water process, which is the process that retains the most natural flavor and is the healthiest method!

Nespresso Decaf Capsules Caffeine Content

The amount of caffeine in Nespresso decaf capsules varies depending on which capsule, the roast and the process of removing the caffeine. Since we know that Nespresso uses the Swiss water process we also know that 99.9% of the caffeine is removed.

One thing we must be clear on is that decaffeinated does not mean zero caffeine or caffeine free. Even though Nespresso guarantee that their decaf capsules have a maximum of 12 mg of caffeine, you can rest assured that the actual amount is far less than that – most likely no greater than 5 to 7 mg of caffeine depending on the capsule or pod, the roast and the size of the coffee.

How Is Decaffeinated Coffee Made?

There are four ways in which coffee beans are decaffeinated. The Swiss water process method, the carbon dioxide method, the direct solvent process, the indirect solvent process.

Let’s talk about those four techniques of removing caffeine from coffee beans.

Swiss Water Process Method

This is one of the newest processes and is vastly becoming one of the most popular due to being cleaner, healthier and resulting in a coffee that retains all the original flavors and nutrients from the unroasted green coffee beans.

This is the process that I mentioned above, the one that Nespresso uses. It is solvent-free and removes 99.9% of the caffeine from the raw coffee beans. The raw coffee beans are first soaked in hot water to extract the caffeine, which creates a green coffee extract.

This green coffee extract is then passed through a carbon filter which removes the caffeine. This process is repeated several times until almost all (99.9%) of the caffeine is removed.

Once this process has been successfully completed, the beans are then dried and then roasted.

Carbon Dioxide Process

The carbon dioxide process of extracting and removing the caffeine from raw coffee beans, is another process that is solvent free. Due to the lack of solvents, I consider this to be the second best and second-healthiest way of extracting caffeine from coffee beans.

During this process, the raw unroasted green coffee beans are first soaked in water and are then blasted with liquid carbon dioxide, which binds and bonds with the caffeine in the coffee beans.

The carbon dioxide is then removed using active carbon filters.

The Direct Solvent Process

The direct solvent method is a process where the coffee beans are treated with ethyl acetate or methylene chloride, which then binds to the caffeine in the coffee beans. The beans are then roasted, and the solvent burns off, taking the caffeine with it.

This is the old-fashioned way to remove caffeine from coffee. Unfortunately, it is still a popular method and is still used today.

The Indirect Solvent Process

The Indirect solvent method has the coffee beans soaked in hot water to remove the caffeine content. The beans are then washed for a few hours in ethyl acetate or methylene chloride. As per the direct solvent method, the solvent attaches itself to the caffeine and molecules. The coffee beans and the solvent liquid are then heated to remove the caffeine and the solvent by means of evaporation.

The final step the beans are then soaked in the same initial hot water to help them absorb the flavor compounds and oils that may have been removed.

The beans are then dried and roasted.

Frequently Asked Questions About Decaf Coffee Pods

Can I Get Decaf Coffee Pods?

Yes, there are many Decaf coffee pods available of all types, Keurig K-Cups, Nespresso Original line pods and Nespresso Vertuo Capsules. Decaf coffee pods and capsules are available from a number of brands in all roast formats and decaffeinated using a variety of decaffeination processes. In brief, there is no shortage of great tasting decaffeinated coffee pods.

Are Decaf Nespresso Pods Actually Decaf?

It is claimed that Nespresso pods are 100% decaffeinated using a natural process using only water. The only natural process that uses water is the Swiss water technique, which, to be more precise, removes 99.99% of all caffeine and has no effect on the flavor of the coffee beans. Thus, it is more correct to say that Nespresso pods have a trace amount of caffeine at .01% of what a regular Nespresso pod has.

How Much Caffeine Is In Decaf Coffee Pods?

How much caffeine is in decaffeinated coffee pods depends on the technique used to remove the caffeine. The minimum amount to be removed before a coffee can be classified as decaf is 97%. However, better and more natural techniques that retain the flavor can remove 99.99% of all caffeine from coffee beans. You can expect at most 5 mg to 7 mg of caffeine per 240 ml (8 ounce) cup of coffee.

Do TASSIMO Make Decaf Pods?

Yes, TASSIMO have a wide variety of decaf coffee pods that you can try and enjoy, including L’OR Espresso decaf, Decaf Kenco Americano, Marcilla Espresso Decaf which are full of flavor,  well-balanced and equally as good as regular caffeinated coffee.

Do Dolce Gusto Come In Decaf?

Yes, there are some delicious coffee capsules and coffee pods from Dolce Gusto that are rich, aromatic, tasty and decaffeinated. One of my favorites from Dolce Gusto is their Lungo Decaf coffee pod.

Can You Get Decaffeinated Coffee Pods?

Yes, there are many decaffeinated coffee pods from a variety of different brands. The decaf coffee pods are just as full of flavor as a regular coffee pod is. You are not short of choices.

Is There Caffeine In Decaf Nespresso Pods?

Yes, there is still some caffeine left in coffee after it has gone through the decaffeination process. Decaffeinated means caffeine has been removed, not uncaffeinated. The amout of caffeine left ranges from negligable to 2 mg.

Is All Caffeine Removed From Decaf Coffee?

No, once the decaffeination process has been removed there is still 0.1% to 3% of the caffeine left in the coffee beans meaning a regular coffee will have around 2% caffeine.

Frappé-Ing It All Up – Decaf Coffee Pods

I hope that you have enjoyed this post about decaf coffee pods and have a great idea for which ones you want to buy and try, what the process involved in making your coffee decaffeinated is, (something every coffee fan should know!), and for you expectant ladies, be aware of safer methods of caffeine extraction, which is the healthiest and which removes almost all the caffeine.

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