How to Use Coffee Capsules Properly

In shortIf your capsule coffee tastes bitter or ashy, the shot is probably too long. A capsule holds about 5g of coffee, a third of a normal espresso dose, so start at the ristretto button (about 25mL), go shorter if it still tastes bitter, and only use Lungo with capsules made for it.

By The Killer Coffee team

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MachinesNespresso Original line (our capsules fit these)

ShotStart at ristretto (about 25mL), shorter if it's bitter

LungoOnly for Lungo capsules

Long black2 short shots over 100–160mL of hot water

Why a shorter shot tastes better

A café espresso uses 18–22g of coffee. A capsule holds about 5g. Push too much water through that little coffee, and after the sweetness and body come out you start pulling the bitter, ashy end of the shot. Less water gives a sweeter, fuller, better-balanced cup.

How to set your cup size

On most Original line machines:

Turn the machine on and wait for the lights to stop flashing.
Press and hold the espresso button.
Let go when you've reached the size you want.
The machine remembers it for next time.

Steps vary by model, so check your manual if yours behaves differently.

How to make a long black

Put 100–160mL of hot water (about 95°C) in the cup first.
Pull two short shots over the top.

Dial it in

Bitter or ashy: shorten the shot. Start at about 25mL.
Thin: shorten the shot. A pale, watery tail at the end means it's running too long.
Lungo button: only for capsules made for Lungo. On espresso capsules it pulls bitterness.
Never reuse a capsule: the second go is watery and bitter, with almost nothing left to extract.
Look after the machine: clean it regularly and descale it as the manual recommends.