Asking for a friend. No, really[1]

[Nick Odell]

The owner of a Nespresso capsure coffee machine understands that
Nespresso warns against the use of third-party capsules. Other brand
capsules (they say) are made differently and may damage the machines.

Is there any truth in this?

Nick
[1]Anyone who knows me would know it's not mine

[Tim+]

Nick Odell <ni...@themusicworkshop.plus.com> wrote:
> The owner of a Nespresso capsure coffee machine understands that
> Nespresso warns against the use of third-party capsules. Other brand
> capsules (they say) are made differently and may damage the machines.
>
> Is there any truth in this?

Given that all of the profits are in the pods and not the machines I’d say
highly unlikely.

Tim


--
Please don't feed the trolls

[The Natural Philosopher]

The key is in the 'may'

In short we are damned if we are going to guarantree a machine if you
use it with someone else's pods.

Let's face it, anything as massively advertised as Nespresso has just
got to be utter crap.

> Tim
>
>

--
"Strange as it seems, no amount of learning can cure stupidity, and
higher education positively fortifies it."

- Stephen Vizinczey

[Jeff Layman]

On 16/02/2024 07:49, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> On 16/02/2024 07:46, Tim+ wrote:
>> Nick Odell <ni...@themusicworkshop.plus.com> wrote:
>>> The owner of a Nespresso capsure coffee machine understands that
>>> Nespresso warns against the use of third-party capsules. Other brand
>>> capsules (they say) are made differently and may damage the machines.
>>>
>>> Is there any truth in this?
>>
>> Given that all of the profits are in the pods and not the machines I’d say
>> highly unlikely.
>>
> The key is in the 'may'
>
> In short we are damned if we are going to guarantree a machine if you
> use it with someone else's pods.
>
> Let's face it, anything as massively advertised as Nespresso has just
> got to be utter crap.

I wonder how long it will be before high-end coffee machine makers start
"protecting" their pods in the same way that inkjet printers only allow
use of the OEM's cartridges. ;-)

--

Jeff

[The Natural Philosopher]

Not long.

--
“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere,
diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.”
― Groucho Marx

[Theo]

The Natural Philosopher <t...@invalid.invalid> wrote:
> On 16/02/2024 08:08, Jeff Layman wrote:
> > On 16/02/2024 07:49, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> >> On 16/02/2024 07:46, Tim+ wrote:
> >>> Nick Odell <ni...@themusicworkshop.plus.com> wrote:
> >>>> The owner of a Nespresso capsure coffee machine understands that
> >>>> Nespresso warns against the use of third-party capsules. Other brand
> >>>> capsules (they say) are made differently and may damage the machines.
> >>>>
> >>>> Is there any truth in this?
> >>>
> >>> Given that all of the profits are in the pods and not the machines
> >>> I’d say
> >>> highly unlikely.
> >>>
> >> The key is in the 'may'
> >>
> >> In short we are damned if we are going to guarantree a machine if you
> >> use it with someone else's pods.

Some vendor 'may' make their pods out of Semtex, so we'll apply a blanket
disclaimer.

> >> Let's face it, anything as massively advertised as Nespresso has just
> >> got to be utter crap.
> >
> > I wonder how long it will be before high-end coffee machine makers start
> > "protecting" their pods in the same way that inkjet printers only allow
> > use of the OEM's cartridges. ;-)
> >
> Not long.

Minus 10 years:
https://www.theverge.com/2015/2/5/7986327/keurigs-attempt-to-drm-its-coffee-cups-totally-backfired

Theo

[Owain Lastname]

On Thursday 15 February 2024 at 20:38:56 UTC, Nick Odell wrote:
> The owner of a Nespresso capsure coffee machine understands that
> Nespresso warns against the use of third-party capsules. Other brand
> capsules (they say) are made differently and may damage the machines.

I have only ever used my[1] Dolci Gusto machine with Aldi and Lidl capsules and have had no problems.

[1] Mine was bought for me by a friend, so it means more to me than coffee - which is at least no more expensive than Nescafe, and better quality than instant.

Owain

[Andy Bennett]

Possibly.
Nespresso patented the seal which goes around the edge of the capsule so
you dont get any water blow -by as high pressure water is forced in.
Other manufacturers of capsules cannot do this due to the patent and you
could get excess water leakage in a genuine nespresso machine.

However.
Other manufacturers of nespresso compatible capsule machines incorporate
the edge seal in the machine - negating the need for manufacturers of
capsules to incorporate it in their capsules.

[GB]

I had read this elsewhere. So, using a third party capsule in a
Nespresso machine means that there's no seal (either in the capsule or
the machine) and there could be a problem.

Aren't these machines very cheap, though? So, you might choose to buy
cheap capsules, and accept that might damage the machine in the long run.

[Adam Funk]

On 2024-02-16, Jethro_uk wrote:

> We have a Tassimo at work (personally I think pods are the work of the
> devil and one reason why we are headed towards an environmental
> shitstorm).
>
> I note with interest it has a barcode reader to run the correct sequence
> depending on pod inserted.
>
> TBH I am surprised that such a feature hasn't been leveraged (in the name
> of "safety", naturally) to ensure manufacturer only pods anyway.

I think the Tassimo pods are still patented so all the pod
manufacturers are paying royalties to Tassimo.

[Harry Bloomfield Esq]

On 16/02/2024 13:02, Owain Lastname wrote:
> I have only ever used my[1] Dolci Gusto machine with Aldi and Lidl
> capsules and have had no problems.
>
> [1] Mine was bought for me by a friend, so it means more to me than
> coffee - which is at least no more expensive than Nescafe, and better
> quality than instant.

I'll stick to my French Press...

[Theo]

Do you know if that patent is still valid? A lot of Nespresso patents from
the 70s, 80s and 90s have expired.

I couldn't find a reference, but:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40319-022-01178-7

discusses (in great detail) a 2011 case where Nestle tried to use the
trademarked shape as a technical defence (ie you can't make a capsule shaped
to match the machine seal because they trademarked the shape). The Swiss
courts were having none of it.

Theo

[Andy Burns]

Theo wrote:

> Andy Bennett wrote:
>
>> Other manufacturers of nespresso compatible capsule machines incorporate
>> the edge seal in the machine - negating the need for manufacturers of
>> capsules to incorporate it in their capsules.
>
> Do you know if that patent is still valid?

I think so, James Hoffmann referred to the seal in a relatively recent
video ... can't remember which one

<https://www.youtube.com/@jameshoffmann/videos>

[Andy Bennett]

Excellent find! Explains it all far better that I could. Thanks Theo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HouzvJGazs4

[Theo]

Interesting, thanks. I wonder when those seal patents run out?
Although it seems like the solution is just not to buy a Nespresso machine
and it's a non-problem with the clones.

Theo

[The Natural Philosopher]

Exactly. I have an electric grinder, roast Kenya beans and press style
cafetières.

It remains the best coffee I have ever tasted. Been through filters,
Konas, double pot things on a stove and espresso machines.

Its as good as filters, better than konas and half the trouble of
either. Especially if you use a stainless steel rather than glass cafetière.

When camping coffee bags used to be reasonable substitute.



--
No Apple devices were knowingly used in the preparation of this post.

[Harry Bloomfield Esq]

On 17/02/2024 09:58, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> When camping coffee bags used to be reasonable substitute.

That is what I take with us, when away in the caravan. Coffee bags,
brewed in one of those insulated large containers, in place of a French
Press - one bag, makes two cups, then poured out to the cup.

[Reentrant]

On 15/02/2024 20:38, Nick Odell wrote:

> The owner of a Nespresso capsure coffee machine understands that
> Nespresso warns against the use of third-party capsules. Other brand
> capsules (they say) are made differently and may damage the machines.
>
> Is there any truth in this?
>
> Nick

Yes. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HouzvJGazs4


--
Reentrant

[Reentrant]

Oops - too late.
--
Reentrant

[Nick Odell]

On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 20:38:45 +0000, Nick Odell
<ni...@themusicworkshop.plus.com> wrote:

>The owner of a Nespresso capsure coffee machine understands that
>Nespresso warns against the use of third-party capsules. Other brand
>capsules (they say) are made differently and may damage the machines.
>
>Is there any truth in this?
>

Thanks Andy, Andy and Reentrant for the video link - a jolly
interesting breakdown. And thanks for all the other contributions too
which gave food for thought.

Ahh... Kenya No.1 blend in a stove top Moka Express with just a tiny
pinch of salt on top of the grounds: takes me right back to the
sixties!

Nick