Ristretto, espresso and lungo are the same coffee made with different amounts of water, and Coffee & Cream sells capsules for each size. Ristretto is the shortest and most concentrated, espresso is the standard shot, and lungo runs about twice the water or more for a longer, lighter, more bitter cup.
Ristretto, espresso and lungo sizes in ml
Here are typical volumes on an espresso machine with a portafilter, next to Nespresso's cup sizes for Original capsules. Many Nespresso Original machines have only two buttons, espresso and lungo.
- Ristretto: About 15 to 25 ml on a portafilter machine. Nespresso's ristretto size is 25 ml, on Original machines that have a ristretto button.
- Espresso: About 30 to 40 ml on a portafilter machine. The Nespresso Original espresso button pours 40 ml.
- Lungo: About 60 to 90 ml on a portafilter machine. The Nespresso Original lungo button pours 110 ml.
Ratio of coffee to liquid
On a portafilter machine, keep the coffee dose the same and change how much liquid you let out.
- Ristretto: About 1 to 1.5 times the coffee's weight in the cup.
- Espresso: About twice the coffee's weight.
- Lungo: About 3 to 4 times the coffee's weight, sometimes more.
A bigger dose gives more liquid at the same ratio, which is why the ml figures above are ranges. The extra water in a lungo thins the body, and the longer pull brings out more bitterness. On a capsule machine the capsule is the dose and the button sets the water.
How ristretto, espresso and lungo taste
- Ristretto: Thick, sweet and intense, because the pull is short. The shot stops while the sweet part is still in the cup, before the dry bitterness shows up.
- Espresso: The balance most recipes start from. Body, a little acidity, some sweetness and a clean bitter edge, with crema on top.
- Lungo: A bigger, lighter cup. Water keeps extracting after the sweet stage, so bitterness comes forward.
Which has the most caffeine
On a portafilter machine with the same dose of coffee, a lungo extracts a little more caffeine than an espresso, and a ristretto a little less. With capsules, an espresso and a lungo from the same capsule come out close in caffeine, and a ristretto has a little less. A ristretto still tastes stronger, because the flavor is packed into less water. The amount changes with the capsule, the dose and the machine.
Lungo vs Americano
An Americano is an espresso shot with hot water added in the cup, so the shot stays as it was pulled. A lungo sends the extra water through the coffee, the grounds keep extracting, and the cup turns more bitter.
Which button for ristretto and lungo capsules
Match the button to the size in the capsule's name. A capsule labeled Ristretto or Lungo is made for that cup size. If your machine has only espresso and lungo buttons, start a ristretto capsule on the espresso button and press it again to stop the pour at about 25 ml.
Most of our Nespresso Original product titles name the cup size: Original Ristretto, Original Espresso or Original Lungo. Ristretto Italiano is a ristretto, Arpeggio and Roma are espressos, and Shanghai Lungo and Buenos Aires Lungo are lungos. The Nespresso capsule types guide covers intensity and the rest of the range.
Other brands make capsules compatible with Nespresso Original machines, in the same three sizes:
- Ristretto: Starbucks Ristretto Shot, Lavazza Espresso Maestro Ristretto, Movenpick Ristretto Espresso and Gimoka Ristretto.
- Espresso: Illy Classico Espresso, Lavazza Qualità Rossa and Kimbo Espresso Barista Napoli.
- Lungo: Illy Classico Lungo, Movenpick Crema Lungo, Davidoff Crema Elegant Lungo and Caffè Borbone Lungo 100% Arabica.
Stock changes daily, and each product page shows what is available. The capsule compatibility guide matches a capsule to a machine.
For Dolce Gusto machines, examples include Nescafé Dolce Gusto Ristretto Ardenza and Nescafé Dolce Gusto Lungo. Caffè Borbone Lungo Sublime 100% Arabica is a lungo capsule compatible with Dolce Gusto machines. Dolce Gusto machines have no ristretto or lungo button, so you set the water level shown on the capsule.
On a portafilter machine, whole beans and espresso grounds give you the same three sizes. Stop the shot early for a ristretto, or let it run for a lungo. One bean example is DolceVita Ristretto 20% Arabica, a 1 kg bag.
FAQ
What is the difference between espresso and ristretto?
Same dose of coffee, less water in the ristretto. It stops at about 15 to 25 ml on a portafilter machine, or 25 ml as Nespresso's ristretto size, so the cup is shorter and more concentrated. Espresso runs to about 30 to 40 ml, or 40 ml on the Nespresso Original espresso button.
What does ristretto mean?
Ristretto is Italian for restricted. The water is restricted, and the shot stays short.
Is an Americano an espresso?
Yes, an Americano is an espresso shot with hot water added to the cup afterwards. The shot stays as it was pulled, and the cup gets longer and lighter. A lungo is a different drink, because the extra water runs through the coffee.
Is ristretto stronger than espresso in caffeine?
No. From the same dose, a ristretto extracts a little less caffeine than an espresso, because less water runs through the grounds. It tastes stronger because the flavor is packed into a smaller cup.
What is the point of a ristretto shot?
You get a thick, sweet, concentrated shot, and you leave the drier bitterness of a long pull out of the cup. In a milk drink, that small shot still comes through. The latte, cappuccino and Spanish latte guide covers those drinks.
What is the difference between an espresso and a lungo?
A lungo uses about twice the water or more, so the cup is longer, lighter and more bitter. On a portafilter machine a lungo is about 60 to 90 ml and an espresso about 30 to 40 ml. On Nespresso Original the buttons are 110 ml and 40 ml.
How much caffeine does a lungo have?
On a portafilter machine with the same dose, a lungo extracts a little more caffeine than an espresso, because the water runs longer. With capsules, a lungo and an espresso come out close. How much depends on the capsule, the dose and the machine.
Pick ristretto, espresso or lungo capsules from Nespresso capsules, coffee capsules or Dolce Gusto pods. For a portafilter, start with espresso ground coffee or whole coffee beans, and find the machine in espresso machines. To choose a capsule machine, see the coffee machine comparison. For the other drinks built on a shot, see types of coffee drinks.