What is Ispirazione Genova Livanto?
Nespresso's balanced medium Original espresso, named for Genoa.
It sits in the middle of the Ispirazione Italiana range: rated 7 of 12, described as smooth and rounded, with caramel and toasted cereal notes. Nespresso positions it as the one that pairs with milk.
$9.00 for a sleeve of ten, which is 90 cents a capsule and the joint cheapest Nespresso capsule in this catalogue.
Which machines does it fit?
Nespresso Original machines, and third-party machines built for Original capsules.
Original is the open half of the Nespresso world. De'Longhi and Breville build machines for it, other roasters make compatible capsules, and refillable pods exist.
It will not fit a Vertuo, which reads a barcode on a larger capsule.
What is in the capsule
4.8 grams of Latin American Arabica, roasted medium.
That number is the interesting part. Nespresso states a net weight of 48g for the sleeve of ten in its Contents and Allergens panel, which is 4.8g a capsule and the smallest dose of any Nespresso capsule here. Most of the Original range holds 5.0g for the same 90 cents, so this is the one that gives you least for the money.
For comparison, a filter coffee is usually brewed at 15 to 18 grams and an espresso at 18 to 20. A capsule works at a third of that, which is the trade the format makes and the reason two capsules at the same price are not necessarily the same purchase.
The published profile is caramel and toasted cereal from a lighter roast that keeps a full body, which is what makes it the milk capsule of the range.
What a cup costs
90 cents a pod, and about $187 for a kilo of the coffee.
The 90 cents is straightforward and it is the cheapest Nespresso makes.
The kilo figure is the one worth sitting with. $9.00 buys 48 grams, which is roughly $187 a kilo. The most expensive whole beans on this site are a fraction of that, and the median is far below it. None of that makes the capsule bad, but it is the true price of the convenience and it is the figure the format is best at hiding.
What happens to the capsule afterwards
Aluminium, returned through Nespresso's mail-back scheme.
Free bags, UPS drop-off points and boutiques. Funded, real, and dependent on you posting them back.
Nespresso states this capsule is made in Switzerland, which is unusual: almost nothing else in this category names a country of manufacture.
Genova Livanto vs Volluto
Two Original capsules at the same 90 cents, one built for milk and one for black.
The Livanto is rated 7 with caramel and cereal notes and a full body; the Volluto is rated 4, sweeter and brighter, with acidity at 4 of 5.
Volluto names Brazil and Colombia where the Livanto names only Latin America, and Volluto has a decaf version where the Livanto does not. On price they are identical, so this is a straight question of whether you drink it black or with milk.
Is Genova Livanto worth it?
It is the safest capsule in the range and the cheapest Nespresso sells, which is a good combination.
If you are buying one sleeve to find out whether you like Original capsules, this is the sensible one: middle of the scale, no sharp edges, and it works black or with milk.
The reservation is the $187 a kilo, and it applies to every capsule here rather than to this one. What is different about the Livanto is only that Nespresso gives you the number to work it out.
Who should buy it (and who should not)
Original owners who want a dependable everyday capsule, especially with milk.
Buy it if you want one capsule that does not need thinking about, or if you mostly drink cappuccinos and lattes and want the coffee to hold up under milk.
Do not buy it if you want a decaf, because this line has none. Do not buy it if you want a distinctive cup, because it is deliberately the opposite.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much coffee is in a Livanto capsule?
4.8 grams. Nespresso states a net weight of 48g for the sleeve of ten in its Contents and Allergens panel. It is the smallest dose of any capsule here: most of the Original range holds 5.0g for the same 90 cents.
What does that work out to per kilo?
About $187 a kilo. $9.00 for the sleeve buys 48 grams of coffee. That is several times what whole beans cost by weight, and it is the real price of the format rather than a criticism of this particular capsule.
Is Livanto good with milk?
Nespresso positions it that way, and the published profile supports it: a lighter roast that keeps a full body, with caramel and toasted cereal notes, which is the combination that survives milk rather than disappearing into it.
Is there a decaf version?
Not of this capsule. Nespresso does sell decaf in the Original system, including Volluto Decaffeinato and Ristretto Italiano Decaffeinato, both at 95 cents a capsule.
Where is it made?
Switzerland, stated on the pack. That is worth noting because almost nothing else in this category names a country of manufacture at all.
