5 Nespresso Hacks You Need to Know

The Nespresso market is booming. According to data from Market Research Future, Nespresso’s global market size hit an estimated $8.26 billion in 2024. So yes, it’s rather popular. However, many users may not know how to make the most of every Nespresso pod. Don’t worry — we’ve rounded up some fantastic advice from across the internet to help enhance your next cup. 

Use your Nespresso frother for your next matcha latte 

Matcha is typically prepared through a careful whisking process using specific tools such as a bamboo whisk (called a chasen) and a small bowl (chawan). However, not everyone has these items readily available at home.

Creator Thainha Pham (@thainha.p), known on TikTok for creating content about all things matcha, recently demonstrated how to make a quick iced matcha latte at home with a Nespresso frother. The recipe is simple: add one cup of milk to the frother and set it on the “Cold Foam” mode. While the frother is running, sift in 1.5 to 2 teaspoons of matcha powder. Serve iced in a glass with your favorite sweetener. 

Pham shared with Food & Wine that this method is also “a little accessible if you’re not able to use a whisk.” As she noted in the video, this iced latte technique works well with a matcha that has more bitter notes. 

Use a metal spoon for a full-bodied iced espresso

If you’re like me, you prefer iced lattes, but they can be a pain to make if you want to avoid a watery drink. One coffee enthusiast on TikTok, @brookelynlikesespresso, shared a surprising tip: place a metal spoon over your ice. 

The spoon absorbs some of the heat from the coffee and helps disperse the espresso as it brews, preventing it from hitting the ice so directly and melting it. Although it may seem unusual, the hack works. For a greater effect, you can freeze the spoon ahead of time and brew the espresso over frozen milk or coffee cubes.  

Switch up your settings 

The default settings on an Aeroccino milk frother make a stiff cappuccino foam, but you can also make a milkier latte with the same machine. Although it may not be immediately apparent, the round spring on the whisk is removable and can be stored on the lid of the Aeroccino. The frother also features two max-fill lines on the inside: a lower line for use with the whisk and a higher line without it. Since the latte foam contains less air than the dry cappuccino foam, you can add more milk without risking overflow. 

Unlock “Expert Mode” for more control

While Nespresso Vertuo machines automatically detect the size of your pod and dose the water accordingly, many Nespresso users online report that you can still use the large pods for a more concentrated espresso, overriding the standard settings on the newer machines with a simple double-click. Nespresso calls this function “Expert Mode,” which allows you to have more control over your coffee maker. Some flavors are only available in larger sizes, so Expert Mode also allows for experimentation with the various size options. Remember that Nespresso offers a wide range of models and co-branded machines, so always research your specific coffee maker before wasting any capsules.

Give those used grounds a second life 

Yes, you can save money on fertilizer and recycle your used Nespresso pods at the same time. Food personality Violet Witchel shared that leftover coffee grounds helped her plants grow like wildfire. To do it yourself, carefully remove the tops of a used capsule and add the coffee grounds directly into your houseplant soil. You can then send the deconstructed pods back through the company’s recycling program to close out the sustainability loop.