Looking for the best Nespresso for lattes? I've got it all right here!
Great Lattes don't have to be hard to make. If you don't have a lot of coffee machinery at home, but you do have a Nespresso machine, lattes are a breeze!
Don't know what lattes are?
Read this and I'll catch you up!
With an aisle full of capsule varieties, it's hard to choose which ones will help you make the best latte at home.
In this article, I share all the info you need about Nespresso capsules and I review the best Nespresso pods for lattes.
Best Nespresso Capsules For Lattes in 2020
There are so many Nespresso capsules options these days, but these are my favorite Nespresso capsules for lattes at home:
What Are Nespresso Capsules?
Nestle Group is a big player in the food and drink processing industry. They developed a machine to brew espresso in a home kitchen.
In less than a minute or two, without any technical coffee processing or prepping, home brewers can get pretty good European espresso with crema on top!
But of course, you won't be able to make a nice warm cup of espresso without a Nespresso capsule.
Nespresso capsules are the pods that hold roasted and ground premium coffee for Nespresso and have been pre-apportioned for single-use.
Each Nespresso capsule contains around 5-7 grams of ground coffee. This is enough to yield a standard 40 ml espresso shot or a Lungo, which is around 110 ml brewed.
Pods made by Nespresso are made of aluminum, whereas those made by third-party manufacturers are either made of plastic or aluminum, or both.
One alternate manufacturer of pods, Keurig, uses plastic for their pods.
Learn more about the difference between Keurig and Nespresso in my article comparing the two here!
In most systems, the pointy end of the capsule is pierced by the machine's injector, which pumps hot water into the coffee pod.
The flat bottom of the pod is designed to be significantly thinner compared to the capsule's top portion.
Under high pressure, the foil ruptures at specific points through the aid of the capsule holder.
Espresso then flows through the nozzle and straight to your coffee mug.
Are Nespresso Capsules Bad For You?
Health concerns revolving around the use of Nespresso capsules are linked to the materials that are used to make the pods and not the coffee.
Capsules manufactured by Nespresso are made with aluminum.
Today, food-grade aluminum is classified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as non-carcinogenic.
In most cases, aluminum is naturally discarded by the human body, although some recent studies show that trace amounts of aluminum can accumulate in the body with regular, prolonged exposure.
And there are claims that this aluminum build-up in the body can lead to various illnesses such as kidney infections and Alzheimer's disease, but there isn't hard evidence to suggest this 100% true yet.
Fortunately for espresso enthusiasts, the interior of each Nespresso capsule is layered with food-grade lacquer to avoid having the slightest traces of aluminum mixing into the brew.
On the other hand, capsules made by third-party manufacturers are mostly made of plastic.
If you're using any plastic capsules, see to it that the maker is using BPA-free material.
According to experts, BPA in plastics isn't great for you. Consuming BPA can have serious effects on the brain and prostate glands of infants and children.
Why Does Nespresso Use Aluminum?
According to Nespresso, aluminum is the one product that they have tested and proven to be safe and best preserve the quality and freshness of their coffee.
Aluminum is extremely lightweight, but highly dependable in locking in the freshness of premium grade ground coffee.
Nespresso also does the added work to be environment-friendly. Their pods can be recycled.
The following video will tell you more about Nespresso's efforts to help limit waste by recycling its capsules:
What is the Shelf Life of Nespresso Capsules?
Nespresso capsules come with a "best before" date imprinted on them. And this date ranges from 8-11 months from the date of production.
The "best before" date only refers to the cutoff point one can enjoy the coffee's optimal freshness and taste.
According to the company Nespresso, their coffee inside the pods can still be consumed (provided that the seals are intact) even after the "best before" date.
In other words, the "best before" date is not the same with the "expiry" date and is simply a target date for consumers to enjoy a product's optimal freshness.
Is Nespresso Coffee Real or Instant Coffee?
Instant coffee is an end-product derived out of dehydrating the brew base from real ground coffee. These coffee crystals contain a considerable amount of acrylamide.
Compared to real coffee, instant coffee has significantly lower caffeine but almost the same amount of antioxidants.
On the other hand, Nespresso capsules contain real ground coffee beans. The powder is 100% real coffee and it doesn't contain even the slightest traces of sugar, milk, and other additives.
Nespresso capsules yield a special type of espresso shots that you can use for your latte. However, the end result is still not the same to that made from a more complex espresso machine.
Top Nespresso Capsules for Lattes in 2020
Don't sleep on some of these other brands! These are the top 5 Nespresso capsules reviewed so you can make great lattes at home:
Products Reviewed
Here's a flavorful bundle that can help you get a fresh start every single day of the week. This variety pack includes 50 capsules from five of Nespresso's original line flavors - Roma, Capriccio, Livanto, Arpeggio, and Ristretto.
Each capsule contains only the finest grade of real Robusta and Arabica coffee beans that have been ground to perfection.
If this is your first time to try out latte through Nespresso capsules, this starter pack can help you enjoy the rich and best selling flavors of its original line.
Pros:
- 50 capsules in one pack
- Five best selling flavors from Nespresso's original line
- Top quality Arabica and Robusta coffee beans
- Dark and medium roast coffees
- Aluminum capsules with 100% recyclability
Cons:
- Capsules are incompatible with VirtuoLine machines
Enjoying a cup of Italian coffee straight from your kitchen has never been this simple and easy. Lavazza brings you the full-bodied flavors of a country that has coffee as part of its tradition.
The package is composed of six boxes with 10 single-serve Nespresso compatible capsules each. It includes two boxes of Armonico, and one box each of Decaffeinato Rico, Avolgente, Leggero, and Deciso.
The only problem with these capsules is that they are only designed to be compatible with Nespresso's Original Line machine.
Pros:
- Blended and roasted in Italy
- Bundle is composed of 60 capsules with five different Italian coffee flavors
- 4-10 intensities
- 100% Arabica on Armonico Espresso and Leggero Lungo flavors
Cons:
- Pods are compatible only with Nespresso Original Line machine
Itialian coffee lovers will love this coffee pod set for their lattes.
Gimoka Nespresso capsules include Deciso, Intenso, Cremoso, Vellutato, and Lungo sleeves with 20 capsules each.
There are 5 espresso intensities in this set of 5(Lungo), 6(Vellutato), 7(Cremoso), 9(Intenso), and 10(Deciso). With 100 capsules in this bundle, it'll last you a while.
Pros:
- 100 capsules in one bundle
- Five different Italian coffee flavors and intensities
- Hermetically sealed
Cons:
- Capsules are only compatible with Nespresso Original Line machines
- 60 Nespresso compatible capsules
- Processed and packaged in Canada
- Six different flavors
Cafe Agga offers Intenso, Fortissimo, Lungo, Orgasmo, Ristretto, and Cremoso. With six creamy flavors to choose from, latte lovers will have their entire week of latte making covered.
These pods are a lot cheaper than Nespresso and competitors, but they still taste great in a latte.
Pros:
- Six flavors with 10 coffee pods each
- Roasted and packaged in Canada
- Cheaper than Nespresso capsules
- Compatible with Inissia, Essenza, and Delonghi Nespresso machines
Cons:
- Not compatible with Virtuo Line
- Decaffeinated variety
- Made in Switzerland
- Three flavors with 10 capsules each
Here's one way to enjoy a nice and warm cup of joe even when you are about to sleep.
The Nespresso Decaffeinated Variety helps you relish three great tasting coffee flavors while limiting your caffeine intake.
This bundle offers three different flavors - Decaffeinato Coffee, Gran Lungo Decaffeinato Ontuoso, and Espresso Decaffeinato Ontuoso with 6, 4, and 7 intensities respectively.
You'll need to have a VirtuoLine machine and the pods are not compatible with the OriginalLine.
Pros:
- Decaffeinated variety that you can enjoy at any time of the day
- Offers three different flavors with 10 capsules each
- Made in Switzerland
Cons:
- Not compatible with OriginalLine machines
With the help of Nespresso machines, it's so easy to greet mornings with tasty lattes without having to run towards your favorite coffee house.
Although there's a handful of Nespresso compatible capsules that you can choose from nowadays, nothing beats the capsules from the brand that started it all - Nespresso!
In one cost-efficient bundle, you get to relish five of the best-selling flavors from the Nespresso Original Line System.