Café BusteloEspresso Style Dark Roast K-Cup Pods (24 ct)6.9
StarbucksPike Place Roast K-Cup Pods (22 ct)6.7vsCafé Bustelo Espresso Style Dark Roast K-Cup Pods (24 ct) edges out Starbucks Pike Place Roast K-Cup Pods (22 ct), 6.9 to 6.7. It wins on flavor & cup quality, value, community love, while the Pike Place Roast K-Cup Pods (22 ct) is stronger on quality & freshness and sourcing & transparency.
Flavor
How they taste.
Café Bustelo Espresso Style Dark Roast K-Cup Pods (24 ct)
Starbucks Pike Place Roast K-Cup Pods (22 ct)
Side by side
Every detail, compared.
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- Toast
- Caramel
- Roasty
- Cocoa Powder
- Caramel
- Roasty
- • Keurig lattes and café con leche
- • Espresso-martini and coffee cocktails
- • Fans of the Bustelo can who want pods
- • Starbucks drip fans with a Keurig
- • Coffee with milk, creamer or syrup
- • Offices that want a recognizable brand
- Strong, dark cup that holds up to milk and sugar
- Budget price per pod
- Easy to find in 10 to 96 counts
- Tastes close to Starbucks' in-store brewed coffee
- 100% Arabica
- Stands up to milk, sugar and syrups
- Not true espresso despite the name
- Can taste bitter at 4 oz settings
- Dark, roasty and bitter for a 'medium roast'
- Costs more than most supermarket K-Cups
FAQ
Quick answers.
Which is better, Espresso Style Dark Roast K-Cup Pods (24 ct) or Pike Place Roast K-Cup Pods (22 ct)?
Café Bustelo Espresso Style Dark Roast K-Cup Pods (24 ct) edges out Starbucks Pike Place Roast K-Cup Pods (22 ct), 6.9 to 6.7. It wins on flavor & cup quality, value, community love, while the Pike Place Roast K-Cup Pods (22 ct) is stronger on quality & freshness and sourcing & transparency.
Which costs less per cup?
Café Bustelo Espresso Style Dark Roast K-Cup Pods (24 ct) works out to about $0.70 / cup and Starbucks Pike Place Roast K-Cup Pods (22 ct) to about $0.83 / cup, based on typical retail prices when we last checked.
How do you score them?
Both are scored on the same five-factor rubric — weighted for flavor or performance, quality, value, sourcing or build, and community sentiment — using public specs, verified creator reviews and community consensus.