Does Nespresso Make Espresso? Why It Doesn’t Matter

Nespresso machines have become incredibly popular in recent years, gracing the countertops of millions of homes and offices around the world. Their sleek, compact designs and push-button simplicity offer speed and convenience that traditional espresso machines simply can’t match. But coffee aficionados often ask: does Nespresso make espresso? Or is it something…different?

The short answer is** no, Nespresso does not technically produce true espresso**. However, it makes something quite similar, using its own unique brewing process. When it comes down to it, Nespresso makes a delicious approximation of espresso that stands in a category of its own. In this article, I’ll explain how Nespresso is different from traditional espresso and why I don’t think it matters all that much.

Nespresso vs. Espresso

So, Nespresso doesn’t really make espresso, but it does make something similar. Let’s break how Nespresso and espresso work to get a better understanding of how they’re similar and why they’re different.

How Nespresso Works

Nespresso machines are pod-based single serve coffee makers. The user inserts a small aluminum pod filled with pre-ground coffee into the top of the machine. When activated, the machine punctures the pod and forces hot water through under pressure, extracting coffee which drains into a cup below.

The key aspects that differentiate Nespresso from espresso are the pre-ground coffee in the pods and the lower pressure used. Traditional espresso is usually made with freshly ground coffee, ideally ground immediately before extraction. The flavors in ground coffee start to degrade quickly after grinding.

Nespresso circumvents this to some extent by hermetically sealing its coffee grounds in aluminum pods. The pre-ground coffee is never exposed to oxygen, allowing it to stay fresh longer. But it will never be as fresh as freshly ground coffee.

Nespresso machines also use higher pressure than espresso machines, typically generating 19 bars of pressure compared to the 9 bars required for espresso. This higher pressure extracts differently from the finely ground coffee in the pods, resulting in a different flavor profile. The brew is also super fast, sometimes as little as 15 seconds, whereas espresso is more often between 25 and 30 seconds.

So in summary, Nespresso diverges from espresso primarily due to its pre-ground, pod-based method, along with its higher pressure extraction.

How Espresso Works

Now let’s look at the traditional espresso process. True espresso uses an electric pump (usually) to force hot water through finely ground coffee at high pressure. Standards vary, but the Specialty Coffee Association defines espresso as coffee brewed at 9+ bars of pressure for approximately 25-30 seconds.

The critical steps in crafting quality espresso are:

Freshly grinding coffee beans immediately before extraction
Using the proper grind size - this affects the rate of extraction as well as the shot time
Tamping the grounds to compress them into a dense, evenly packed bed
Forcing hot water through the coffee bed at high pressure
Extraction for the optimal length of time

This combo of fresh grinding, fine and compressed particles, high pressure, and fast extraction allows the water to extract the oils and soluble compounds that give espresso its thick, aromatic and intensely flavored profile.

Pre-ground coffee in a higher pressure pod system like Nespresso isn’t classified as true espresso. But again, that doesn’t mean Nespresso’s results are inferior, just different. Now let’s look at all the ways Nespresso diverges from traditional espresso.

Differences Between Nespresso and Espresso

Nespresso differs from espresso in a few key ways:

Brew Parameters: Nespresso pods include a barcode on them to tell the machine how to brew the coffee inside. These brew parameters are set by experts from Nespresso research and development team. Things like pressure, pre-infusion, water temperature, and more are all specific to the coffee in your pod. Espresso machines don’t do this automatically, although high-end machines let you set the parameters yourself.

Pre-Ground vs. Freshly Ground: Nespresso pods all contain pre-ground coffee, which loses its freshness rapidly. The company seals the grounds to preserve flavor, but it’s never going to taste as fresh as if you ground your beans for espresso right before you pull a shot.

Grind Size: Nespresso coffee is ground to be super fine, often a little finer than espresso. The reason is because the coffee inside isn’t tamped down. At 19 bars of pressure in a Nespresso machine, the water would just shoot right through coarsely ground coffee and underextract, leading to sour flavors. Espresso requires finely ground coffee, but it’s a little coarser because you also tamp it down in the portafilter, which helps restrict water flow.

Filter: Espresso is unfiltered coffee, which means you get the coffee oils like cafestol and kahweol that give unfiltered coffee its thick, rich mouthfeel. Nespresso pods have a small paper filter at the bottom, which pulls some of those oils out, leading to a slightly thinner mouthfeel. The filter is necessary since there’s no portafilter on a Nespresso machine to catch the grounds, and because the grounds are so small.

Water Temperature: Nespresso brews at lower temperatures of around 190 degrees (F). Lower temperatures slow down extraction a little, which compensates for the rapid extraction Nespresso gets by grinding finer than espresso and not tamping the grounds. Lower temperatures tend to highlight some acidity. Espresso uses water temperatures between 200 and 210 degrees (F), which boost body and sweetness. Higher temperatures can also introduce a bit of bitterness, though, as the longer exposure to hot water breaks down the plant cell walls and introduces bitter compounds into the brew.

Pressure: Nespresso machines use higher pressure around 19 bars, where as the standard for espresso machines is around 9 bars. Higher pressure means a shorter brew time, which Nespresso compromises for with finer grounds.

Dose: Nespresso pods each contain between 5 and 7 grams of ground coffee, which is about a third of the dose you’d expect in an espresso machine, where the typical dose is between 18 and 20 grams.

Pre-Infusion: Nespresso lacks pre-infusion to wet the grounds. Espresso machines pre-infuse before full pressure. This helps evenly soak the grounds before maximum pressure is applied, which helps balance extraction.

Extraction Time: Nespresso brews very quickly, around 15-20 seconds. Espresso extracts for 25-30 seconds. Other brewing parameters are adjusted to make Nespresso faster and more convenient, which means the flavor profile is different.

Crema Formation: Nespresso produces a modest crema. Espresso makes a rich, lasting crema emulsion.

Convenience Factor: Nespresso is remarkably easy and convenient. Espresso requires much more skill and effort, and there’s a steep learning curve when first getting into espresso.

Cost: Nespresso is more expensive on a per-cup basis over time because you pay for the pods, which are disposable and quite expensive compared to buying the equivalent amount of coffee. Espresso has some of the highest startup costs in home coffee setups, often reaching into the thousands, but you’ll enjoy cheaper per-cup costs.

Eco-Friendliness: Finally, Nespresso machines are less environmentally-friendly because you have to buy and dispose of pods every time you use the machine. The aluminum pods are recyclable for free through Nespresso, but it’s still not as sustainable as an espresso machine, where the only things you need to dispose of are the grounds.

Nespresso diverges from espresso in its coffee sourcing, roast profiles, grind size, brewing parameters like temperature/pressure/time, and of course, sheer convenience. But just because it’s different doesn’t mean it’s inferior. Read on to see why Nespresso’s approach shines in its own way.

Why I Don’t Think It Matters That Nespresso Isn’t “Real” Espresso

As a passionate coffee enthusiast, I’ll be the first to say that no, Nespresso does not make true espresso. But you know what? I genuinely don’t think it matters all that much. Let me explain.

For one thing, Nespresso is incredibly consistent. The hermetically sealed pods and precise brewing parameters deliver a reliably delightful cup, time after time. I can’t say the same even for my own espresso machine. With traditional espresso, there are so many variables, and the difference between a good shot and a bad one comes down to mere seconds, clicks on my grinder, or tamping pressure being off. Nespresso eliminates that variability.

While espresso undeniably makes a luxuriously thick, velvety drink, I find Nespresso’s lighter body refreshing. The mild acidity and fruitiness shine through in a way often obscured by espresso’s heavier mouthfeel. Again, just a different experience, not necessarily better or worse.

Most importantly, Nespresso delivers speed and convenience that cannot be beaten. I can go from zero to sipping a high quality coffee beverage in under a minute with no effort or skill required. No grinding, no tamping, no weighing out grounds and yield, no dialing in shot times. Just pop in a pod and let the machine handle the rest. For busy mornings or afternoons when I just want a quick pick-me-up, nothing beats Nespresso.

At the end of the day, Nespresso makes something delicious and unique. It’s certainly not traditional espresso, but it never claims to be. It’s pioneered its own style of convenient, capsule-brewed coffee. The world doesn’t need another espresso–it needs innovation and variety. So while coffee purists may scoff, I say vive la différence! Drink and enjoy whichever style makes you happiest.

What’s Next?

If you love rich, aromatic coffee drinks and appreciate push-button convenience, I’d certainly recommend giving Nespresso a try. The machines are remarkably affordable and the pods let you taste coffees from all over the world. At the very least, it makes a wonderful secondary coffee option alongside your primary brew method.

So embrace the flavorful world of Nespresso and see where it can take your coffee experience! I recommend you check out my review of the Nespresso Pixie, which is a stellar machine to get you started in the world of Nespresso.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Nespresso make real espresso?

No, Nespresso does not make true espresso. The primary differences are that Nespresso uses pre-ground coffee in pods rather than freshly ground coffee, it uses a finer grind size without tamping, and it brews at a higher pressure of around 19 bars instead of the 9 bars required for espresso. However, it creates a flavorful coffee concentrate that is similar to espresso in many ways.

Why doesn’t Nespresso just make regular espresso?

Nespresso is designed for speed and convenience rather than mimicking traditional espresso parameters. The hermetically sealed pods with pre-ground coffee allow for a much quicker and easier brewing process with no learning curve. Removing the need to grind, dose, and tamp fresh coffee enables Nespresso to deliver espresso-style coffee with push button simplicity in mere seconds.

Is the crema on Nespresso the same as on espresso?

No, the crema on Nespresso coffee is quite different from traditional espresso crema. It’s lighter in color, less dense, and dissipates more quickly. This is due to the difference in pressure during the extraction process, as well as the small paper filter at the bottom of a Nespresso pod that espresso machines typically don’t use. However, Nespresso crema does add a pleasant visual appeal.

Does Nespresso make high quality coffee?

Absolutely. While different from espresso, Nespresso makes an extremely high quality coffee product, and I enjoy it far more than coffee from a Keurig or other single-serve machines. Nespresso machines deliver precise temperature, pressure, and time for optimized extraction. The hermetically-sealed single origin pods preserve some freshness and allow you to taste subtle flavor nuances, despite the coffee begin ground in advance. For speed and convenience without compromising taste, Nespresso hits the mark.