Here at Express Pods, we have tried and tested so many different ways of making Nespresso pod coffee that it makes our heads spin thinking about it. After all this experimenting, we are confident that we have a flawless technique when it comes to making the perfect pod coffee.
Now, we’d like to share that method with you!
The Cup
Like all good coffees, it begins with choosing a size. Maybe you’re a small cup sort of person, or maybe the kidlets have kept you up all night and you’re now a double mug, double shot kinda gal. Whatever it is, it’s essential!
Personally, I like to use a double-walled glass that fits around 250mL in total. For a single pod, this is the perfect size. This way, your coffee isn’t overpowered by your milk of choice. A larger mug (say 400mL) will need 2 pods to get a strong enough flavour. As we always say, coffee is subjective so play around a little bit to find your perfect balance.
Working where we do, we get a lot of customers who tell us that one pod isn’t enough, however, don’t want to have to use two pods. The result? They use the dreaded long (lungo) shot. Under any circumstances, this is not a good idea. I repeat, DO NOT USE THE LONG SHOT.
Why? I hear you ask, an outcry across Australia. Well, let me tell you…
The Shot
A traditional barista-made coffee comes in either a small, medium or large. These sizes have 1, 2 or 3 shots, respectively. However, the amount of grounds that go into the basket before the coffee is extracted is dependent on how many shots are going to be used. When making a third shot, a lot of establishments empty the basket and prepare another. A coincidence, I think not!
Our Nespresso compatible pods are designed so that all the necessary flavours and aroma are extracted with a short shot. Similar to how barista coffee is made. How? I hear you ask. It’s all about the volume of coffee grinds that we lovingly pack into our pods.
Using a long shot in a pod not only pushes more water through your machine than necessary – causing an unnecessary pressure build up – but towards the end of the extraction, you’ll be extracting the equivalent of dirty, bitter water. The result? A ruined coffee.
So, please, for all our sanities (and taste buds), use the short shot.
The Milk
Beautifully silky, smooth milk is difficult to get at home, where our options are limited to the frother attached to the machine or one that sits on our countertops and spins the milk. Unless you have a steam wand at home, perfect milk is hard to make in comfort.
But we think we’ve come pretty close.
I’ve found inbuilt frothers create milk that’s too frothy – by the time you’ve poured it into your cup, you’ve basically made the strongest babycino known to man. My favourite frother to use to avoid this issue is the Aeroccino frother.
Aeroccino frothers are super easy to clean, where inbuilt ones are a little more complicated. It is recommended that you scrub your frother with a scourer after every use to prevent burnt milk build-up. If you’re like me, with all the fiddly bits of an inbuilt frother, you’ll put this complicated task off for as long as you can – not ideal since we’re dealing with milk here!
When you purchase your milk frother, you’ll notice a small silver whisk or spring attachment that can be removed. I highly recommend removing this in order to avoid over-frothed milk – with it, it can become something to the effect of whipped meringue.
Adding milk to your frother is a little less complicated – just pour to the top of the whisk, which is roughly 200mL. If you’re having a small coffee, this will be perfect.
The Pour
Channel your inner salt bae or traditional Moroccan tea ceremonialist and pour! Bonus points for extra flamboyance.
To Remember
If your machine is extracting particularly long or short shots, or your coffee just isn’t tasting like it used to, there are a few reasons this might be the case:
- You need to reset your machine to factory settings. This should, optimally, be done every one or two months. If your machine is shared with your family, or if you’ve had it for a while, it’s normal for the shot length on the machine to fluctuate between being longer or shorter than what it should. Resetting the machine ensures you will get that 40mL extraction – allowing for you to get the best flavour from that shot of coffee. Don’t know how to do this? Not to worry! We’ve written another article here that will show you how.
- You need to descale your machine. A coffee machine is a warm, wet environment. Coffee grains are flushed through the machine every time it is used and trust me when I say you don’t want to THINK about what sorts of nasties will grow in your machine if you neglect to clean it regularly. As excepted, these nasties do not taste good and they are the last thing you want ruining your coffee. To keep your coffee tasting amazing (and free of mould and gross bits), you should descale your machine and clean the waffle plate every 2-3 months. Don’t know how to do either of these? Don’t fear! We’ve written another article here that will talk you through it.
By now, you have all the tools and wisdom needed to make the perfect pod coffee. But don’t take our word for it – go and try it out yourself!
Any questions?
Check out our FAQ's, send us an email at hello@expresspods.com.au or call us on 1800 370 656. We’re happy to help!
