The ALDI Expressi has been popular since it first debuted in 2011, and for good reason.
It tends to sell for a lower price than the competition yet performs just as well. ALDI’s coffee machine uses a pod system similar to the popular Caffitaly and Nespresso systems, but the grocery giant sells their own unique pods that the company tries hard to keep at the bottom of the market in terms of pricing. So for the value-minded consumer, the Expressi is always worth taking a look at, but especially when it is on sale or some really good coupons are available.
The Expressi is actually just a re-labeling of a Kfee machine, and other Kfee-compatible pods (such as Starbucks Verismo, Maps and Caffitaly) will fit the Expressi. You may not get the best quality, however, as each machine usually has its brewing temperature and amount of water used adjusted specifically for its own brand of pods. It doesn’t hurt to experiment and isn’t too expensive either, but at the end of the day the ALDI pods are nearly always the most affordable of the bunch and brew a very good cup of coffee for what usually amounts to less than 40c per serving.
ALDI offers a range of 10 different flavors in their pod lineup along with one variety of decaf. Their coffee styles lean toward the light and floral side, but they do offer some darker and more intense roasts such as the Torino and Reggio. Woolworths Select capsules have been tested extensively with the ALDI coffee machine and brew normally, adding four more caffeinated roasts and one additional decaffeinated variety. For extra flavor, ALDI also offers their own brands of hazelnut, caramel and vanilla syrup.
While ALDI’s claim of “cafe quality” might be going a little too far, their coffee machine offers a vastly superior alternative to instant coffee at an equally reasonable price point.