What is the Melozio Decaffeinato?
The decaf version of the Vertuo capsule most machines ship with.
Melozio is Nespresso's default Vertuo mug coffee, and this is the same Latin American Arabica blend without the caffeine. Rated 6 on Nespresso's scale, brewing 230ml.
$14.50 for a sleeve of ten, which is $1.45 a capsule against $1.40 for the caffeinated Melozio.
Which machines does it fit?
Nespresso Vertuo machines only.
Vertuo capsules carry a barcode that sets the pour volume, which is how one capsule makes an espresso and this one fills a mug without you touching a setting.
It is also why there is no cheaper version of this coffee and never will be: the machine brews only capsules Nespresso has encoded. On Original, compatible decafs from other roasters are easy to find.
What is in the capsule
Latin American Arabicas, decaffeinated by an unstated method, rated 6.
Nespresso describes smooth cereal and honeyed sweetness surviving decaffeination, and publishes bitterness at 2 of 5, acidity 3 and roastiness 3. Low bitterness is the useful number here, because bitterness is what a badly handled decaf gains.
As with every Nespresso decaf, how the caffeine was removed is not stated anywhere on the page.
What a cup costs
$1.45 a pod, sleeves of ten, which is the only size Vertuo coffee is sold in.
That makes it the most expensive decaf in this catalogue. The Original decafs are 95 cents, the Peet's decaf K-Cup is $1.20, and this is $1.45.
The defence is that it is a mug rather than a shot, so you are buying more coffee, and that defence now has a number behind it. Nespresso publishes a net weight of 125g for a sleeve of ten of these, 12.5g of coffee each, against 5.0g in an Original espresso capsule. At $1.45 a pod this decaf is $116 a kilo, where the Original decafs at 95 cents are $190. It is the dearest decaf capsule here per cup and the cheapest per gram of coffee, though decaf beans start at $35 a kilo.
What happens to the capsule afterwards
Aluminium, mail-back scheme, no kerbside route.
Free bags, UPS drop-off or a boutique, exactly as the rest of the Vertuo range. It is a funded programme and it does work.
It is still a scheme you have to take part in rather than a bin already collected from your door, and the word recyclable on the box does not draw that distinction.
Melozio Decaffeinato vs Volluto Decaffeinato
A decaf mug against a decaf espresso, at $1.45 against 95 cents.
These are not the same drink and the price gap partly reflects that: the Melozio pours 230ml and the Volluto 40ml.
The decision is made for you by which machine you own, and that is the honest framing. If you have both, the Volluto is the cheaper cup and names its origins more precisely; the Melozio is the one you can drink by the mugful.
Is the Melozio Decaffeinato worth it?
On a Vertuo, it is the only way to get a decaf mug, so the question is really about the machine.
Within the system it is priced normally: five cents over the caffeinated Melozio, which is a small decaf premium.
Against the wider category it is expensive, and the barcode lock means no competition will arrive to fix that. If you drink a decaf mug every evening it is about $44 a month.
Who should buy it (and who should not)
Vertuo owners who drink decaf in the evening.
Buy it if you own a Vertuo and want a proper mug of decaf rather than a short shot topped with hot water.
Do not buy it expecting to bring your costs down, and do not buy it if you are still choosing a machine, because the Original system will serve decaf at two-thirds the price with more choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a full mug of decaf or an espresso?
A full mug. It brews 230ml, which the machine sets automatically from the barcode on the capsule rim. It is the only decaf in this catalogue that brews a mug rather than a shot.
Why is it more expensive than the Original decafs?
Partly because it is a larger drink, and partly because Vertuo is a closed system. The barcode means only Nespresso can make capsules for it, so there is no compatible competition to hold the price down, which Original has.
How was it decaffeinated?
Nespresso does not publish the method for any of its decaf capsules. Swiss Water and CO2 processes are solvent-free and roasters who use them normally say so.
How much does it cost to drink daily?
$1.45 a capsule, so about $44 a month for one a day. Nespresso sells Vertuo coffee only in sleeves of ten, so there is no bulk box that brings it down.
Does it taste like the caffeinated Melozio?
Nespresso publishes the same intensity, 6, and describes the same cereal and honeyed sweetness. The decaf is rated slightly higher on acidity, 3 of 5 against 1, so the two panels are not identical.
