Do all coffee capsules look the same to you? They do, but they are not. There are different sizes and shapes, sometimes even different materials, between capsule formats. Many people wonder exactly how many grams of coffee a capsule contains. The answer is neither unique nor the same in all cases.
First, we must clarify that capsule coffee machines mainly make espresso coffee. According to the standards of authentic Italian espresso, this drink should be made with 7 grams of coffee. This would be the reference amount if we were to make the coffee with a traditional espresso machine and had to add the ground coffee to the portafilter.
But, as we will see, we do not always find this amount in the capsules, being most of the time a smaller amount. Depending on its format, let’s look at how much a coffee capsule weighs, starting with the most popular ones.
How many grams does a Dolce Gusto capsule weigh?
When talking about the weight of a Dolce Gusto coffee capsule, we have to differentiate between the weight of the complete capsule (the coffee plus the capsule’s plastic packaging) and the ground coffee’s weight inside.
We have used an espresso and americano capsules for this experiment, and we have obtained the following data:
- The whole espresso capsule weighs 9.70 grams.
- The ground coffee inside the espresso capsule weighs 6.70 grams.
- The whole americano capsule weighs 11.20 grams.
- The ground coffee inside the americano capsule weighs 8.20 grams.
How many grams does a Nespresso coffee capsule weigh?
Following the same methodology that we use in the case of Dolce Gusto coffee capsules, we know that Nespresso coffee capsules will have two different weights. The first weight corresponds to the ground coffee inside, and the second weight corresponds to the weight of the ground coffee plus the aluminium in the capsule itself.
In this case, we have selected an original Nespresso capsule of espresso and lungo coffee variety. The data we have obtained from the weighing is as follows:
- The whole espresso capsule weighs 6.15 grams.
- The ground coffee inside the espresso capsule weighs 5.26 grams.
- The whole lungo capsule weighs 7.40 grams.
- The ground coffee inside the lungo capsule weighs 6.51 grams.
How many grams of coffee does a Tassimo capsule have?
The full Tassimo capsules weigh almost as much as a Dolce Gusto. However, the amount of ground coffee inside is more similar to Nespresso.
For the Tassimo coffee capsules, we have chosen a standard espresso capsule, obtaining the following data on the weighing of the complete capsule and the ground coffee alone:
- The complete capsule weighs 10.94 grams.
- The ground coffee inside weighs 6.23 grams.
How much does a Senseo pad weigh?
E.S.E. pods (paper bags) usually contain 7 grams of ground coffee because they make espresso coffee. Remember that E.S.E. stands for Easy Serving Espresso.
We have measured an original Senseo Espresso pad with the following data:
- The complete capsule weighs 7.20 grams.
- The ground coffee inside weighs 6.91 grams.
Conclusion
Each brand of capsule coffee machine uses its system to prepare the best possible coffee. Like the capsules, water pressure and temperature are different in each case, and so is the amount of coffee inside.
This information does not help us determine whether one coffee is better or worse than another. Still, it does help us understand that nothing can be taken literally in the world of coffee and coffee machines.
