Blog

Does Nespresso Make Espresso

Does Nespresso make espresso?

Contents show

Nespresso and espresso are two completely different things. Nespresso is a brand that is in capsule-based brewing machines and proprietary coffee pods. It is basically an operating branch of the Nestle Group and it’s a name combination of Nestle and espresso.

Nespresso is very popular in Europe but it’s starting to dominate in North America these days. This makes people wonder too if this Nespresso is a real espresso. But does Nespresso make espresso?

How do we know if the coffee is espresso?

There are a lot of descriptions of what espresso is like. As commonly defined, a shot of espresso is a concentrated form of coffee made by forcing hot water through super-fine coffee grounds at 7-10 atmospheres of pressure. In this definition, Nespresso shots might be espresso if your machine can generate enough pressure.

Do you know that espresso is not a coffee bean? All coffee beans are capable of being espresso beans though it is labeled espresso. It can still be brewed as regular black coffee. They are labeled as this way because most roasters have a blend of beans that thrive when brewed as espresso.

How does the espresso machine work?

Espresso machine brewing involves packing super-fine coffee grounds into a portafilter attached to a heavy-duty machine and forcing hot water through the coffee grounds at around 9 bars of pressure. This process is complicated and frustrating because you have to control the following:

Grind size. Precision and consistency are very important in considering the grind size. It has a big impact on the shot flavor.

Tamping. This is the process of pressing down on the grounds with just the right pressure over and over again to get consistent shots. If you’ve done it unevenly, you’ll hurt your shot’s flavor.

Shot timing. The ideal shot length is somewhere between 25 and 40 seconds. It’s up to you to find the right time as every second makes a difference.

How Nespresso works?

The process of making a shot of Nespresso is so simple. You just have to pop the capsule into the machine. Nespresso can achieve up to 15 bars of pressure, giving the concentrated shot of a fine crema. There’s no dialing in, it’s fast, simple, and consistent. This simplicity and the use of ore-ground makes Nespresso coffee a lower form of espresso.

The machine works as a capsule and water is pressurized and forced against heat and through the capsule. It allows you to slightly alter the size of your brew which may affect the quantity of coffee you’ll get. Its pod includes espresso, pure origine, lungo, and decaffeinated options.

Does Nespresso make espresso?

Espresso is full-bodied, full-flavored, has a rich aroma, and bright acidic punch. It is intense, complex, and fascinating. Its brewing process usually causes crema to form at the top of the espresso.

Your traditional express will come out on top with rich, full-bodied, and defined flavors. On the other hand, Nespresso will give you a decent shot but less intense than espresso. Nespresso is more consistent and less customizable that sometimes leads to frustration. But if you are purely convenience-driven and willing to sacrifice a bit of flavor, Nespresso is just fine.

Nespresso shots have a medium body, rich flavor, enough aromas, and minor acidity. When compared to a shot of espresso from other machines, it’s less intense and flavorful. But if you enjoy cafe-quality espresso Nespresso shots may not satisfy you. It is very different from espresso but it doesn’t mean you can’t consider this at your home. In fact, it is recommended to avoid espresso machines for its complexity and learning curve, compared to Nespressso is already enough to make espresso.

Nespresso is so easy and the machines are tailored for the pods, and it warms up in a minute or two, then you can pull a consistent shot, then it’s done.

Why? When you are using espresso machines, it will take you a long time to warm up, and once warmed, you have to grind the coffee, tamp the grounds, then, pull a shot. Make sure to make a small grind setting adjustment, grind more coffee, tamp, and pull a shot. Then, don’t forget to wipe down the portafilter and group head, turn off the grinder as well as the machine.

You can expect that your average Nespresso will be tastier than your average espresso shot if you’re not so detail oriented and you are willing to put efforts to pull stellar shots.

Nespresso is amazing and of good quality, as it even took decades for consumers to embrace the technology. What makes it greater is its convenience, quick and easy way to drink coffee.

But both machines depend on pressure to pass hot water through the grounds. Espresso machines have two or more group heads where the hot water comes out. You can also attach the portafilter, a basket full of grounds with a metallic filter at the bottom, and one single exit for coffee.

On the other hand, Nespresso capsules are more or less the same as espresso. Its capsule has ground coffee inside and a filter at the bottom. The portafilter at the top would be open in case the capsules, small holes are poked. When the hot water passes through the capsule, the bottom lid ruptures letting your brewed coffee pass through.

Espresso is famous in its day because its taste is far superior to other brewing methods. Though both taste similar, there are many variables in making espresso that is completely different for Nespresso. In making espresso, the coffee bean and grind are two of the main considerations. You can customize the grind setting, it could be a little finer or coarser, depending on your taste preference. Once you are done, you can pour your grinds into the portafilter and it’s time for tamping which is one the variables too. You may leave the grounds a little loose or tighter as both have impacts on flavor.

What makes Nespresso a good choice?

Nespresso has its recent Vertuo capsules, and these capsules not only come in different sizes, containing different amounts of ground coffee each, it also comes with a barcode that only Vertuo machines will read. This barcode contains the information about how to brew the particular coffee. This information includes the change of water temperature, water flow and volume, the infusion time, and the revolution per minute.

The following are the comparison of the process of making an Espresso and Nespresso.

RELATED: How Much Caffeine In Espresso?

This is how more or less, espresso is prepared:

Grind the coffee beans to a fine grind.
Weigh the grounds at approximately 7 grams.
Pour it into the portafilter basket.
Evenly distribute with your finger.
Tamp grounds until compact.
Attach the portafilter to the espresso machine then you can start it.
Place your coffee cup under the portafilter.
Stop the shot after about 10 seconds.

And this is how Nespresso coffee is made:

Insert your preferred capsule.
Turn on your machine and wait for it to heat up; then press the button.

Hope this article helps you answer if does Nespresso make espresso.

Espresso Expert Member since November 3, 2018

which coffee maker makes the best tasting coffee

Disclaimer

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We are also participants in other affiliate programs and may earn a small commission if you purchase through our links.