6 Best Nespresso Pods for Iced Coffee [A Buying Guide 2022]

I tested Nespresso pods and found them to be the best Nespresso cold brew pods.
Iced coffee is the joy of warm days. Cold coffee tranquilizes and soothes your soul on hot days. I have a treat for cold coffee lovers!!!
Now, the question is can Nespresso make iced coffee?
Nespresso pods are the best alternatives for cold coffee from coffee shops. Different people prefer to use different models of the Nespresso machine with different types of pods.
Well, this completely depends on your personal preference.
Here, I will share my favorite Nespresso cold brew pods.
There are many flavors available in iced Nespresso pods. But my favorite is Nespresso Freddo Intenso. It is exclusively made just for iced coffee enriched with an intense coffee aroma. But there are many more flavors in the line. And many more are being added to the list. So, let’s see which one is your favorite!!
Best Nespresso capsules can be differentiated based on the most marked features in the pods.
The best Nespresso pods for regular coffee are Ristretto, Kazaar &Arpeggio. The best Nespresso Vertuo pods for iced latte include Stormio & Odacio.
Keep reading!
Click here to read our guide on the Nespresso Vertuo line vs the original line.
1. Best Overall (Nespresso Freddo Intenso)

In the summer days, when the scorching heat of the sun is just over you, iced coffee is the best escape. It refreshes your mind and soul. Drinking Nespresso Freddo Intenso on warm days will bring you joy. And the caffeine kick will make you more energetic and fresher.
You can use these pods to prepare customized drinks like iced latte Nespresso and americano.
The bold flavors in these pods won’t be suppressed with the addition of chocolate or milk. So, you can use it for making different drinks.
As the name suggests, Freddo Intenso will make you a strong cup of coffee with complex
flavors of coffee beans. It will be good to keep you working for long hours.
Pros:
- Exclusively made for iced coffee. It will not become diluted with the addition of milk.
- The strong flavors of the coffee will soothe your palate till the last sip.
Cons:
- Mostly on shortage so it’s hard to find the pods.
2. Starbucks Caffe Verona

Starbucks Caffe Verona is the best choice for a strong cup with complex flavors of coffee. The intensity level of Caffe Verona is ten.
So, if you want to wake up early in the morning or stay awake till late at night, Caffe Verona will do the job. The strong-tasting cup of coffee with a bitter aroma will make you stay awake for long hours.
You can even add milk, cream, or ice to this coffee pod. The intense flavor of the coffee will still stand out without diluting the premium flavor. A few drops of caramel will add sweetness to your cup.
It won’t be the best coffee pod for those who want a subtle cup of Joe without the overpowering flavor of caffeine. But you have to try it once. I am sure you will love it for the deep and complex taste of caffeine.
Pros:
- The strong taste of coffee won’t become watery with the addition of ice or milk.
Cons:
- Some people may have a sensitive palate for such a bold cup of coffee.
3. Iced Leggero pod

Iced Leggero Pods are from Nespresso Vertuo line.
It has a smooth and creamy texture with a mild taste of caffeine. The mild caffeine content will cut the burnt flavor of coffee beans and the bitterness you feel while drinking strong coffee.
Leggero pods are best for iced coffee.
It is a very subtle flavored pod so you can use it to prepare modified beverages.
Pros:
- Perfect for those who want to control their caffeine content but can’t cut on coffee
Cons:
- It is a subtly flavored coffee without the intense and bold flavor of caffeine.
4. Vanilla Custard Pie and Caramel Cookie pods
If you have a sweet tooth, then Vanilla Custard Pie and Caramel Cookie pods are for you. It just has the right amount of sweetness you will like in your coffee.

Caramel pods do not have any artificially added sugar. It has a perfect mixture of medium roasted coffee beans with caramel notes. The sweetness all comes from the roasted coffee beans.
If you want to prepare an iced latte Nespresso, you can mix the caramel coffee with milk. If you want to make it sweeter, you use sweeteners like caramel syrup.

You won’t like Vanilla Custard pie and Caramel Cookie pods much if you like low sugar. They have already added creamers. It is for bonbon lovers.
Pros:
- Has natural saccharines and lacks the acidic taste of coffee.
Cons:
- It has low caffeine content.
- Not for those who dislike sweet treats.
5. Starbucks Blonde Roast

Starbucks is a famous coffee shop for its best coffee. Starbucks Blonde Roast Pods will give a thrilling experience of drinking Starbucks coffee at home. You can have it in your bed, while you are still half asleep, instead of rushing to a nearby shop.
You can enjoy a delicious cup of macchiato or latte just like Starbucks without any or little effort at home.
It seems to be the lightest roast of Starbucks with smooth and rich notes. If you like your iced coffee to be subtle and mellow, then Starbucks Blonde Roast will be a good choice.
It has a low-intensity level of 6 but is good for those who take a short afternoon break to refuel themselves for the rest of the day.
If you are an iced coffee lover, then you have to try this flavor!
Pros:
- You will feel like drinking Starbucks at home with a buttery and creamy texture coffee.
Cons:
- You won’t get the instant caffeine kick.
6. Nespresso Altissio

Nespresso Altissio is the best pod for americano. It makes a delicious shot of espresso. When coupled with ice and water, it will make you a creamy and rich cup of Americano.
It is available in a medium to dark roast but will make you a buttery cup of cappuccino or latte when mixed with milk.
But I will recommend you to make americano from Nespresso Altissio pods. They will make a powerful cup of coffee with mild boldness. So, the espresso shot will taste best when drizzled over ice. The refreshing cup of americano will rejuvenate your mind and body.
Pros:
- These pods offer an intensity level of 9. It is just perfect for me because I prefer coffee that is neither too mild nor too bold.
- Creamy taste and full-bodied
- Their packaging is environmental friendly
Cons:
They are not much sweet which you usually want from your iced coffee.
What To Look for When buying a Nespresso Pod for Iced Coffee?
Machine compatibility
The foremost and most important factor to consider while purchasing new pods is to check their compatibility with the Nespresso machine. If it won’t work for your machine, it is useless to purchase it even if you love the flavor.
The big advantage of Nespresso pods is that they have a label that indicates their compatibility with a respective model of Nespresso machines.
Intensity level
A measure of intensity level has significant importance while buying pods. Coffee is a beverage that has a very important role in making you stay awake and energetic for the whole day. So, it’s not just the joy of enjoying coffee only.
So, choose the pods according to their intensity level. Lower the intensity level, lower the caffeine content.
I like the pods to have a moderate intensity level with a good kick of caffeine to keep me going throughout the day. So, I choose the pods with an intensity level ranging between 8 and 10.
However, this depends on personal preference.
Roast
Iced coffee often becomes weak and bland. This is so because the espresso shot is mixed with ice, water, or milk. So, to keep the consistency and flavor right up to the mark, you have to choose the perfect roast for your iced coffee.
Otherwise, the watery cup of coffee will taste like crap.
If you are an avid coffee lover, I will recommend you to go for medium to dark roast. They will retain the coffee flavor even after being poured on ice.
The light roast will become diluted in an iced coffee.
Thus, go with your personal choice for the best experience.
FAQs
Does Iced Coffee Need to Be Strong?
It completely depends on how you like your coffee. If you like a strong cup, get the dark roast. It will boost your mind and jazz up your body.
But, if you are drinking coffee just for the sake of enjoying it and fulfilling your palate cravings, then you can go for a medium or light roast.
It will make a creamy and velvety cup of Joe to satisfy your cravings.
Does Your Nespresso Iced Coffee Need to Be Sweet?
Not, necessarily! Nespresso pods have a natural sweetener added to them. If you are adding milk, it will make your coffee even sweeter.
Nevertheless, people often prefer to have sweet iced coffee to enjoy the taste to the fullest. So, you can add sugar or caramel drops to your taste.
How Do You Prepare a Good Cup of Nespresso Iced Coffee?
Before moving to this answer, you must know how to use Nespresso iced coffee pods. Next, fill a glass with ice cubes. You can also add some crushed ice. Add the espresso shot to that glass of ice. Let the espresso shot cool down.
Now you can add milk to prepare iced latte Nespresso or water to make Americano. If you go for a latte then froth the milk to make the top layer creamy and soft.
And your delicious iced latte Nespresso is ready to drink!!
What Makes Nespresso Iced Coffee Different?
Iced coffee pods are essentially made for cold beverages. They are highly concentrated to retain the flavor even after getting diluted.
They will also cool down quickly on the addition of ice or milk relative to hot coffee pods.
So, Nespresso iced coffee pods are different from regular pods.