Single-serve capsule / pod
A pre-dosed sealed capsule or soft pad brewed by a compact pump machine at the push of a button. Consistent and fast, with an ongoing debate over cost per cup and packaging waste.
Pressure
- Ratio
- 1:5.0to 1:10.0
- Temperature
- 85–95°C
- Time
- 20–60 s
- Grind
- Fine
How it works
Cut away, step by step0:35
Lungo: about 110 ml; large-cup programmes run longer
Parameters
Working ranges- Ratio, coffee to water
- 1:5.0 to 1:10.0100–200 g per litre
- Dose
- 5–12 g
- Water
- 25–230 ml
- Water temperature
- 85–95 °C185–203 °F
- Contact time
- 20–60 s
- Grind
- Fine
- Pressure
- 15 bar
- Filter
- Sealed aluminium or plastic capsule, or paper pad
Ranges are this atlas's summary of common practice, not a standard. Published standards are listed separately below, with their sources.
Where it sits among 29 methods
Temperature 0°100°
Time 10 s25 h
Strength 0 g/L650 g/L
Pale bars are the other methods; strength is grams of coffee per litre of water.
Published standards
Numbers as facts, with their sourceNo competition or certification body publishes figures for this method.
Origins and brewers
Origins of the method
- Year
- 1986
- Where
- Switzerland; United States
Nespresso (Nestlé) launched in 1986 from Eric Favre's capsule work; Keurig's K-Cup system followed in 1998 (Wikidata dates)
Brewers
Capsule