Caffè Borbone Nero ESE 150-pack
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Verdict
Southern Italian heavy-espresso style at 14p per shot in 150-pack form. The new cheapest pod across the UK guide.
What machines does this work in?
Fits all ESE-compatible espresso machines (Sage Bambino, Gaggia Classic Pro, Smeg ECF01, Krups XP344, mid-range Delonghi Dedica, most Italian semi-automatics).
- Plant-based · home compostable
Pros
- Cheapest acceptable espresso pod across any UK system on Amazon
- Heavy traditional Naples-style espresso
- Home-compostable paper pod, excellent in milk drinks
Cons
- Bitter, divisive profile
- Robusta-heavy blend not for everyone
- 150-pack is a 5-month commitment for daily drinkers
Naples-style espresso, heavier and more bitter
Borbone is a Naples-based roaster with a strong following among Italian-style espresso drinkers in the UK, particularly people from the south of Italy or anyone who likes a heavier traditional cup. £21.03 for a 150-pod bulk pack on Amazon UK works out to 14p per shot. That’s currently the cheapest acceptable espresso pod across any UK system on Amazon, including OriginalLine compatibles.
The Nero blend (which means “black” in Italian) is roughly 70% Arabica and 30% Robusta. The Robusta percentage is what makes this pod distinct: it adds the heavier body, more crema, and more bitter finish that characterises southern Italian espresso.
What you taste
Pulled at 30ml on a Gaggia Classic Pro, Borbone Nero produces a thick, slow pour with a heavy dark crema (more than Lucaffé Classic’s). The first sip is bitter and weighty, with notes of bittersweet chocolate, toasted bread crust, and a slight tobacco edge on the finish. The aftertaste holds in the mouth for ten to fifteen seconds.
This is not a subtle pod. The Robusta-heavy profile is meant to be felt, and the cup carries its bitterness all the way through. If you grew up drinking espresso in Naples, Bari, or Sicily, Borbone Nero will read as familiar. If your reference point is a “third wave” specialty espresso with bright fruit notes and delicate body, this pod will feel old-school in a bad way.
In milk drinks
Borbone Nero is the best of the ESE pods in this guide for milk drinks. The Robusta and dark roast cut through frothed oat or whole milk cleanly, producing a flat white or cappuccino with proper coffee dominance over the milk. A traditional Italian-style cappuccino made with Borbone tastes like a proper café cappuccino, where Lucaffé would be slightly more delicate.
If you steam milk regularly at home and want strong coffee that holds its character against milk, this is the pod.
The Robusta question
Some coffee drinkers actively avoid Robusta because of its reputation as the cheaper, harsher coffee bean. That reputation is partly fair (most cheap supermarket coffees use Robusta as a filler), but in the Italian espresso tradition, Robusta is used deliberately for its crema and body. Borbone uses it intentionally.
If you’ve avoided Robusta blends in the past and want to try one in a context where it’s used well, Borbone Nero is the right pod to start with.
Bottom line
Buy this pod if you want a heavy, bitter, traditional Italian espresso and especially if you drink your coffee with milk. The 14p per shot in 150-pack form is exceptional value, undercutting every other pod we’d recommend on Amazon UK in 2026.
If you prefer lighter, cleaner espresso profiles, Pellini Top at 40.6p per shot is the aromatic Italian alternative. If you want premium specialty character at a much higher price, Lucaffé Blucaffé at 66.7p per shot occupies the third-wave Italian tier.
Borbone runs a Subscribe and Save discount on Amazon UK at around 5%, bringing the per-shot cost to about 13.3p.
