Wondering if Nespresso capsules can satisfy your caffeine craving?
Well, that depends on the caffeine content of your favorite coffee drink.
Today, we’re doing an in-depth rundown of Nespresso caffeine content.
Let’s dive straight in!
Nespresso Caffeine Content
You might have noticed that Nespresso doesn’t actually state the exact caffeine content on its pods. Instead, what we get is just a vague range estimation of caffeine concentration.
According to Nespresso, the caffeine amount inside a pod is affected by several factors. These include bean variations and serving size. So not only that caffeine content can vary from batch to batch, but also between pods from the same sleeve.
To avoid stating the wrong amount, the brand simply states the range between the highest and lowest possible values.
So for instance, single espresso pods generally have between 60 and 150 mg of caffeine. This practically means that certain pods within the same box can have three-times higher caffeine amounts than others.
Officially, Nespresso strictly sticks to these imprecise and good-for-nothing numbers. But the actual discrepancy between possible caffeine amounts in a certain drink isn’t that big.
In certain countries, each product that contains caffeine must be labeled with the exact amount. And guess what? You can just go to the Nespresso web domain for that certain country, and read these “top-secret” numbers on the ingredient list, black on white.
Original Line
The Original Line collection is specialized in espresso-based drinks. It offers such a wide range of roasts and blends available, that you can make your cup of coffee taste different each time.
Aside from the Master Crafted Single Origin range, all Nespresso coffee capsules are blends of Arabica and Robusta varieties.
Why am I telling you this?
Well, because Robusta beans contain twice as much caffeine as Arabica beans. So logically, blend composition affects the amount of caffeine in a Nespresso capsule.
The majority of Nespresso coffee capsules from the Original line contain about 60 mg of caffeine, which is exactly how much a single cup of espresso should have.
But the one product that goes against the grain is Palermo Kazaar, containing as much as 125 mg of caffeine per single espresso cup.
Inspired by Italian coffee-making tradition, this dark roast has a generous Robusta content. Not only does Robusta highlight the dark and spicy notes, but it also increases the caffeine content.
Extraction time also affects the amount of caffeine in your coffee. The longer you pull the shot, the more caffeine you extract from the ground coffee.
Lungo capsules contain slightly more caffeine compared to other Original nespresso coffee pods. That is thanks to the longer brewing time, as well as a higher amount of coffee grounds.
Espresso – 1.35 ounces
| Pod | Intensity | Caffeine |
| Cosi | 4 | 60 mg |
| Volluto | 4 | 60 mg |
| Capriccio | 5 | 60 mg |
| Livanto | 6 | 60 mg |
Variations – 1.35 ounces
| Pod | Intensity | Caffeine |
| Vanillio | 6 | 60 mg |
| Caramelito | 6 | 60 mg |
| Ciocattino | 6 | 60 mg |
Intenso – 1.35 ounces (espresso); 0.84 ounces (ristretto)
| Pod | Intensity | Caffeine |
| Roma | 8 | 60 mg |
| Arpeggio | 9 | 60 mg |
| Ristretto | 10 | 60 mg |
| Dharkan | 11 | 60 mg |
| Kazaar | 12 | 125 mg |
Pure Origin – 1.35 ounces
| Pod | Intensity | Caffeine |
| Bukeela ka Ethiopia | 3 | 60 mg |
| Dulsao do Brasil | 4 | 60 mg |
| Rosabaya de Colombia | 6 | 60 mg |
| Indriya from India | 10 | 60 mg |
Lungo – 3.72 ounces
| Pod | Intensity | Caffeine |
| Linizio | 4 | 80 mg |
| Vivalto | 4 | 80 mg |
| Fortissio | 8 | 80 mg |
| Envivo | 9 | 80 mg |
Decaffeinato – 1.35 ounces (espresso); 0.84 ounces (ristretto)
| Pod | Intensity | Caffeine |
| Vivalto Decaffeinato | 4 | <2 mg |
| Volluto Decaffeinato | 4 | <2 mg |
| Arpeggio Decaffeinato | 9 | <2 mg |
| Ristretto Decaffeinato | 10 | <2 mg |
Vertuo Line
The Venturo Line offers a smaller capsule selection compared to the Original Line. But that makes up by letting you choose between different types and sizes of coffee drinks.
Why I’m bringing that up? If you were to compare the caffeine contents of different Vertuo capsules, you should also take the size of the drink into consideration.
However, all the pods from this range have pretty much the same amount of caffeine. The exceptions are, obviously, the half-caffeinated and decaffeinated versions.
| Pod | Intensity | Caffeine |
| Solelio | 2 | 165 mg |
| Giornio | 4 | 165 mg |
| Elvazio | 4 | 165mg |
| Half Caffeinato | 5 | 70 mg |
| Decaffeinato | 6 | <2 mg |
| Melozio | 6 | 165 mg |
| Hazelino | 6 | 165 mg |
| Caramelizio | 6 | 165 mg |
| Vanizio | 6 | 165 mg |
| Odacio | 7 | 165 mg |
| Stormio | 8 | 165 mg |
| Intenso | 9 | 165 mg |
Single Espresso
As far as single espresso capsules go, most of them have a caffeine content of 85 mg, which is slightly more than your typical cup of espresso.
With that being said, Diavolitto, Orafio and Il Caffe are even more caffeinated. This is, of course, mainly thanks to the high content of Robusta grounds.
Espresso – 1.35 ounces
| Pod | Intensity | Caffeine |
| Voltesso | 4 | 85 mg |
| Decaffeinato Intenso | 7 | <4 mg |
| Altissio | 9 | 85 mg |
| Diavolitto | 11 | 150 mg |
| Toccanto | 5 | 85 mg |
| Orafio | 6 | 110 mg |
| Il Caffe | 11 | 129 mg |
Gran Lungo
Nespresso lungo capsule has between 120 and 200 mg of caffeine, which is almost half the recommended daily caffeine intake. But once you learn that Gran Lungo is a 5-ounce coffee drink, that number isn’t so big anymore.
Gran Lungo – 5 ounces
| Pod | Intensity | Caffeine |
| Inizio | 4 | 120 mg |
| Fortado | 8 | 195 mg |
| Fortado Decaffeinato | 8 | <2 mg |
| Arondio | 6 | 150 mg |
Double Espresso
Double espresso is literally what the name says it is – a double shot of espresso. So naturally, this drink has about twice the caffeine a single shot has.
Double espresso – 2.7 ounces
| Pod | Intensity | Caffeine |
| Double Espresso Dolce | 5 | 133 mg |
| Double Espresso Scuro | 11 | 150 mg |
| Double Espresso Chiaro | 8 | 135 mg |
Decaf Pods
You might think that a decaf coffee pod is free of caffeine – I mean, that’s literally what the name suggests. But that’s not actually the case.
Decaffeinated coffee is simply coffee that had the caffeine dissolved from the beans through a chemical process. But the process isn’t perfect, and there’s almost always at least a tiny bit of residue left.
Nespresso offers three decaf formulas: Voluto, Firenze and Ristretto. They all contain up to 3 mg of caffeine per cup, which is in accordance with coffee standards.
The Difference Between Caffeine and Intensity
As I previously said, real caffeine values of particular coffee pods are a well-guarded secret at Nespresso.
So how can one know how strong a certain Nespresso coffee pod is without trying it first?
Well, Nespresso uses intensity to describe the flavor of each pod. Intensity is expressed in numbers from 1 to 11 and it’s defined by three things – roasting degree, coffee body, and bitterness.
Intensity simply indicates how robust coffee is, but it doesn’t determine the amount of caffeine in any way.
That’s not to say coffee with a high intensity rating can’t also be high in caffeine. Robusta coffee, for instance, has both strong, intense flavor and high caffeine content.
So while a certain Nespresso pod can be both strong and highly caffeinated, that’s more of a coincidence than a rule.
FAQ
Still have unanswered questions about caffeine in Nespresso pods? Let’s solve that now. Here are the answers to some most common questions I get about the subject.
Is there more caffeine in Nespresso than regular coffee?
A cup of regular brewed coffee contains roughly 83 mg of caffeine, which is more than the majority of Nespresso pods. With that being said, certain Nespresso drinks contain over 100 mg of caffeine, making them more energetic than regular coffee.
Which coffee pods have the most caffeine?
Depending on the roast and coffee bean type, certain Nespresso capsules contain more caffeine than the others. As we already established, Robusta varieties have twice the amount of caffeine of the Arabica bean. Likewise, dark roasts are generally more caffeinated than light ones.
But the Nespresso drink with the highest caffeine content is definitely Diavolitto, with as much as 150 mg of caffeine per cup.
How much caffeine should you have in a day?
According to FDA, 400 milligrams a day is considered safe for healthy adults. That roughly translates to about four to five cups of coffee. As for teens, they shouldn’t consume more than 100 mg per day.
Keep in mind, if you use stimulants like caffeine too much, your body will get used to it.
Final Thoughts
Without a precise caffeine content stated on the packaging, keeping up with your daily caffeine intake can be quite a task.
But with a few tricks up my sleeve, I’ve managed to find out the caffeine amounts of Nespresso capsules. Whether you’re trying to stay within the daily limit or simply don’t tolerate high caffeine well, I’m sure this list will help you find the right drink for you.
Just remember – these numbers are more of a guideline than strict rules, so treat them as such.
