The Complete Guide to Nespresso Pod Sizes: Original & Vertuo Line

Nespresso is the most advanced way of brewing your coffee within seconds and Nestle has introduced two lines of Nespresso machines in the market that are:

• Nespresso Vertuo.
• Nespresso Original.

The difference in both these machines lies in the size and type of capsules because Nespresso original capsules are of one size. Still, Nespresso vertuo pods vary in size and you can choose whether you want to make a large drink as strong as the small one. This article will give you a complete guide regarding the pod sizes of the Nespresso Vertuo machine and the Original Nespresso machine.

What is a Nespresso Pod Size?

The Nespresso pod size means the amount of coffee that is included in the pod and the pod size determines how strong your coffee will be. For example, if you are adding the same amount of water to each coffee but each coffee is stronger than the other one then it will mean you are using different pod sizes to make your coffee strong or light.

Are there different size Nespresso pods?

Yes, the Nespresso pods are available in different sizes but it is only in the case of Nespresso Vertuoline because the pods of Nespresso Original come in only one size.

Why do you need to know the pod sizes?

Knowing the pod size is important because it will help you to easily know what pod to use when you are craving a strong coffee. For example, in the Nespresso Vertuo machine, the Espresso pod is the strongest one among the five capsules and Alto XL is the lighter one.

What’s the difference between Nespresso Original and Vertuo Pods?

There are two main differences that you will see between Nespresso Original and Vertuo pods.

1. The pods of Nespresso Original are narrow, small and are only available in one size while the Vertuo pods vary in shape and size because they can be small or large with a round and wide shape.
2. Another difference between these pods is that in Nespresso Original you can make Americano by adding water to it and can also make Single Espresso and Double Espresso with it.

Consideration	Nespresso Original	Nespresso Vertuo
Types of Capsules	Nespresso original capsules (smaller)	Nespresso Vertuo capsules (larger)
Brew Sizes	3 brew sizes ranging from 1.35 oz to 3.7 oz	6 brew sizes ranging from 1.35 oz to 18 oz
Coffee Quality	Small cups of coffee with a normal crema layer	Large cups with an extra thick crema layer
Brewing System	Brewing system with pump pressure	Brewing system with centrifuge
Coffee Temperature	78° or can be 5° less or more than that	Between 83°-86°
User Controls	Choose cup size	Automatic capsule recognition

Nespresso Originalline pods sizes

Nespresso Originalline pods come in only one size and there are three types of pods available in the market whose sizes are mentioned in the given table.

Originalline Pod	Brew size (oz)	Brew size (liter)
Espresso	1.35 fl oz	0.4 liter
Lungo	3.7 fl oz	0.10 liter
Ristretto	0.85 fl oz	0.025 liter

1. Espresso (1.35 fl oz)

This is a concentrated type of Nespresso Original pod that is served in the form of small shots. You can add milk to it and make various coffee recipes like Americanos, Macchiatos, lattes, and cappuccinos from it. But if you don’t like milk you can drink it black. Its total volume is 1.35 ounces.

2. Lungo (3.7 fl oz)

Lungo is a bit more bitter than the Espresso but you will get more coffee in this one as the total volume will be 3.7 ounces. That means with more volume, the intensity level of the flavor will be less.

3. Ristretto (0.85 fl oz)

This one is more concentrated and is in the form of a small shot that you can determine with its volume being 0.85 ounces. You can brew Ristretto shot by Creatista Plus or Creatista Pro and you can make recipes like Affogato and Traditional flat white with your brewed coffee.

Nespresso Vertuoline pods size

Nespresso Vertuoline pods are available in six different sizes and the intensity and caffeine content of each pod is different depending upon different volumes.

Vertuoline Pod	Brew size (oz)	Brew size (liter)
Espresso	1.35 fl oz	0.039 liters
Double Espresso	2.7 fl oz	0.07 liter
Gran Lungo	5 fl oz	0.14 liter
Coffee	7.77 fl oz	0.23 liter
Alto XL	14 fl oz	0.41iter
Carafe	18 fl oz	0.53 liter

1. Single Espresso (1.35 fl oz)

This is a concentrated coffee type served in pods and you can clearly see from the volume (1.35 fl oz) that the amount of coffee will be small. But you can make macchiato, cappuccino, and lattes out of it by adding milk.

2. Double Espresso (2.7 fl oz)

This is also Espresso and the taste is the same but the difference lies in the volume as Double Espresso will have the double volume at less cost. The cost for single espresso is 95 cents while double espresso costs you $1.10. Besides this, if you are craving more coffee then you can get it by brewing double espresso once instead of brewing the single one twice. The double Espresso pods are also available for iced lattes and you can make iced lattes like Iced Leggero from it.

3. Gran Lungo (5 fl oz)

This pod will give you more coffee than you can see from the volume. You can add more water than espresso in it which will increase the quantity but the intensity of the coffee will be decreased. Despite the decreased density, your coffee will taste more bitter than espresso.

4. Coffee (7.77 fl oz)

You will get around 8 ounces of coffee from these coffee pods, which means you can have more time to read your favorite book while having it. If you love your coffee without milk but still want to have more volume then these Vertuo Coffee pods can be the best option for you.

5. Alto XL (14 fl oz)

You will get almost double the volume of coffee than the Vertuo Coffee pods by using Ato XL. The company has introduced two such pods but they have stopped producing them due to some reason. Though there were rumors that 14 ounces pods will be again continued in 2022 but there is no such update about that.

6. Pour-Over Carafe (18 fl oz)

This is the best option if you are making coffee for several people because the total volume that you will get by it is 18 ounces, which is enough for 3-4 people. But you can only brew pour-over carafe if you have the Vertuo Next model.

How to choose the right Nespresso pod?

You can set the volume of water from 10 ml – 500 ml depending on how much coffee you want to make. You can simply close the lid and push the button until you reach the desired level. Your chosen level will be the amount of water that you want for each capsule. There are five various sizes of pods available for Nespresso Vertuoline ranging from 1.35 fl oz to 18 fl oz and capsules of three sizes are available for Originalline machine and you can choose any depending upon your desire. Here are some factors that you should keep in mind while choosing the right Nespresso pod for you.

1. Machine line you have

Vertuo pods will only fit in a Nespresso Vertuo line machine so you should have one if you want to enjoy all flavors offered by this machine line. But if you have a Nespresso Originalline machine then you can only use Originalline pods in it or you can also use the Originalline pods designed by third parties.

2. Expiry date

You should also check the expiry date of your pod before buying it as an expired pod will not taste good or there might be bacterial reactions taking place in it. 

3. Caffeine content

The caffeine content of each Nespresso pod varies depending upon its size as larger pods will have more coffee so you should choose the pod depending upon how much caffeine content you want in your coffee. Because the Vertuo cups have a caffeine content between 170-200 mg per cup while the caffeine content in Originalline cups ranges between 50-100 mg per cup. For example, an As Espresso is stronger than a Lungo so you should be clear on how much caffeine content you want in your coffee.

4. Intensity level

Espresso or double espresso are the most intense ones as they come with less volume and you cannot add more water to them. But if you want low intensity then you can use Ato XL or pour-over carafe.

5. Sealed pack

The seal of the pods should be packed while buying them as the seal protects the coffee from external pollutants and maintains the taste of the specific coffee so that you can enjoy the original essence of each flavor.

6. Recipes that you want to make

Different capsules can be used to make different Nespresso recipes so you can choose any capsule depending on the recipe you want to make. For example, iced pour-over carafe can be used to make iced lattes etc. Moreover, Espresso can be used in lattes, macchiatos, and cappuccinos, and Ristretto can be used to make Affogato. You can even use Lungo to make many other recipes as well. So you should choose the pod depending on which recipe you want to make.

How do I reset Nespresso Cup Sizes by Machine Model:

A Nespresso machine is already set on different volumes mentioned above depending upon the capsule that you are using. But if you still want to change the volume then you can reset your Nespresso machine but all custom settings will disappear once you reset your machine. But here are a few points that you should keep in mind if you are thinking of resetting your Nespresso machine.

1. You should double check that there is enough water in the reservoir.
2. Always use the capsule designed for the machine that you are using.
3. You cannot change all the cup settings at one time so you have to reset for each cup individually.

Once you have checked all these things you are ready to reset your Nespresso machine whichever you have. Let’s get into the procedure on how you can do it.

Nespresso Pixie

This machine will have two separate buttons for lungo and espresso and you can set any one of them or both one by one by following the given process:

Step 1:

Press the on button of the pixie machine and wait until the lights get steady. 

Step 2:

Insert the capsule in the lever and close it.

Step 3:

Place your cup under the outlet and press the lungo or espresso button to reset it. 

Step 4:

Keep on pressing the button until you will get the volume of your desire.

Step 5:

If you still want more volume then press the button again.

Step 6:

You can repeat the same process for the other button to reset it as well.

Nespresso Lattissima One, CitiZ, Essenza Mini, Inissia

All these machines have the same buttons so their programming is also identical.

Step 1:

Press the on button on the machine and place a cup or coffee mug under the coffee outlet.

Step 2:

Insert your desired pod and close the lever.

Step 3:

Now press the button whether lungo or espresso that you want to reset.

Step 4:

Keep on pressing until you get desired volume.

Step 5:

Repeat the same process for the other button.

Gran Lattissima

This one has three buttons i.e for lungo, espresso, and milk.

Step 1:

Put the machine on and wait until the lights steady.

Step 2:

Place the coffee cup under the coffee outlet.

Step 3:

Press the button that you want to reset and keep on pressing it until the desired volume is reached.

Step 4:

Once you get desired volume, release the button and your cup size resetting is completed.

Step 5:

The same process can be repeated for the other button.

Nespresso Lattissima Pro/Lattissima Plus

Nespresso Lattissima Pro/plus not only gives you the option for lungo and espresso but you can also make latte and cappuccino from it. Four buttons are available on the machine for each coffee type. In order to reset the coffee type you need to:

Step 1:

First of all, turn on the machine and wait for 25 seconds until the water is hot and the machine is ready to use.

Step 2: 

Place your coffee cup under the coffee outlet, open the lever and place your coffee capsule into it.

Step 3:

Keep on pressing the button until you get the desired amount of water.

Step 4:

You will see the light blinking three times, which is an indication that your settings are stored.

You can make latte and macchiato in the same way and can control the quantity of milk by following the same procedure to get the desired amount of milk in your coffee.

Creatista Plus/Creatista Pro

This machine has two buttons, one for lungo and the other for espresso. You can simply set the cup size for any of them by:

Step 1:

Turning the machine on.

Step 2:

Placing the cup under the coffee outlet.

Step 3:

Press any button out of the two and you will see coffee dispensing out of the machine.

Step 4:

Keep on pressing until you get the volume of your desire.

Step 5:

Repeat the same process to reset the other button.

Frequently Asked Questions – Nespresso Pod Sizes

What is the largest size Nespresso pod?

Nespresso Original pods are of the same size but in the case of the Nespresso Vertuo pour-over carafe is the largest one with 18 fl oz/ 0.53 liter volume.

What are the dimensions of a Nespresso capsule?

The outer diameter of Nespresso capsules is almost 37 mm, the inner top diameter is 30mm and their height is almost 29-30mm.

Do all Nespresso machines use the same pods?

No, the same pods cannot be used for all Nespresso machines because the Originalline pods are narrow, small and come in single size while for Vertuo machines the capsule sizes vary. So you can only use pods designed specifically for a certain machine.

Can you use Nespresso pods in Keurig?

No, you cannot use Nespresso pods in Keurig because the capsules sizes vary because they are not compatible to be used in both machines lines. If you want to know more reasons for this then you can see the complete guide on can you use Nespresso pods in keurig.