The best Nespresso capsules for lattes and cappuccinos are Ristretto, Kazaar and Cosi.
If you like a moderate intensity to your latte or cappuccino, you’ll like Ristretto the most.
If you like your latte or cappuccino a little stronger, you’ll like the darker, smokier taste of Kazaar.
Finally, if you like your latte or cappuccino as smooth and light as possible, with only a mild coffee taste, you’ll want to use Cosi capsules, which are the lightest of the three I recommend for lattes and cappuccinos.
If you have a Nespresso machine with a milk frother, or you have a French press or other device you can use to create milk foam, you can easily make great lattes, cappuccinos and other café quality coffee using your Nespresso machine.
In fact, the capsules I’ve listed above — when combined with properly frothed milk — can all create café-quality lattes and cappuccinos at home. Here are my three recommended Nespresso capsules for lattes and cappuccinos again, in a table with links for you to check the current best prices on Amazon:
| Capsule Name | Image | Flavor Summary: | Intensity Level: | Customer Rating: | Price: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ristretto |  | Ristretto is one of the most popular Nespresso capsules on the market. These capsules are made using a blend of two Robustas sourced from Brazil and Guatemala, giving them a creamy taste. These are the best Nespresso capsules for smooth, neutral-tasting lattes and cappuccinos. | ******* | 4.3 out of 5 (Read reviews) | Check price on Amazon |
| Kazaar |  | Kazaar is the most intense Nespresso capsule. These capsules are great if you like your latte or cappuccino to be smooth and pleasant, but still have a bit of a kick to it. Recommended for coffee enthusiasts. | ********** | 4.7 out of 5 (Read reviews) | Check price on Amazon |
| Cosi |  | Cosi is a tasty, non-intense Nespresso capsule with a light, pleasant flavor. If you like a relatively mild cappuccino or latte to start your day and want Nespresso capsules that won't provide too much of an extra kick in terms of taste, these are the ones to get. | **** | 4.5 out of 5 (Read reviews) | Check price on Amazon |
With the introduction out of the way, let’s get into the full guide and recommendations for making lattes and cappuccinos using your Nespresso machine:
The Best Nespresso Capsules for Lattes
Making a latte is simple. You’ll need:
- An espresso machine (like your Nespresso machine)
- A shot of espresso coffee (or a Nespresso capsule)
- A milk frother (or a French press)
- Five to 10 ounces of milk, depending on how strong you like your latte
To start, you’ll need to brew a shot of espresso. This means you’ll need to use a Nespresso capsule from either the Intenso or the Espresso range, since these capsules are designed for a 25 to 40mL espresso brew size.
Although you can make a latte using a Lungo-sized cup of coffee (110mL, made up of espresso and water), it’s going to taste quite watery and lack the creamy, milky texture of an espresso-and-milk latte.
The best Nespresso capsules for lattes are smooth and moderately intense. The #1 rated Nespresso capsule for lattes is the Ristretto capsule, which has an intensity level of 9/12 and a smooth, creamy taste that’s perfect for mixing with milk. If you want a cafe-style latte that isn’t too strong or too weak, the Ristretto capsules are the ones you’ll want to buy.
| Ristretto | | Our top recommendation for lattes, Ristretto capsules have an intense (but not too intense) taste and a smooth texture that makes them perfect for milk-based coffee. | 4.5 out of 5 (Read reviews) | Check price on Amazon |
Ristretto capsules are the top-selling Nespresso capsules overall, largely because of their great taste and versatility. They’re creamy and rich, but don’t have the overly strong flavor that some people don’t like in their coffee.
For a more intense latte…
If you like your lattes to have a more intense kick, you will probably prefer Kazaar capsules. These are the strongest capsules available for your Nespresso machine, and deliver a richer, fuller and more intense taste than most.
Don’t worry — they don’t taste too strong. In fact, mixed in with the frothed milk you’ll use to make a latte, Kazaar capsules have a very pleasant taste. Overall, the result from using Kazaar capsules to make your latte is a slightly more intense drink that has a stronger coffee taste and less of a milky taste than your standard café latte.
Personally, I almost always use Kazaar capsules to make lattes using my Nespresso machine, but my taste in coffee is definitely a little on the stronger side.
| Kazaar | | Kazaar capsules are also a great option for lattes, especially if you prefer a more intense, rich taste. These are the most intense capsules available, with a 12/12 intensity rating from Nespresso. | 4.7 out of 5 (Read reviews) | Check price on Amazon |
For a lighter latte…
Finally, if you like a very mild taste to your latte, you’ll like Cosi Nespresso capsules. These capsules have an intensity level of only 4 out of 12, giving them a very light, smooth flavor that’s perfect for very creamy, milky lattes with only a light coffee taste.
Basically, if you like your lattes to taste much more like milk than pure coffee, you’ll get the best results from the Cosi capsules.
In general, these are the only three capsules I recommend for making lattes. While you can use any Nespresso capsules, these three offer the best mix of smoothness, intensity and overall flavor. I do not recommend using Lungo capsules to make lattes, as the extra water volume used to brew the coffee makes the latte feel too thin and “watered down” for my taste.
| Cosi | | Kazaar capsules are also a great option for lattes, especially if you prefer a more intense, rich taste. These are the most intense capsules available, with a 12/12 intensity rating from Nespresso. | 4.5 out of 5 (Read reviews) | Check price on Amazon |
The Best Nespresso Capsules for Cappuccinos
For the most part, you can use the same capsules to make cappuccinos as you would for lattes. The “rules” are exactly the same: use a 40mL espresso capsule like the Ristretto, Kazaar or Cosi capsules and you’ll get the best mix of smooth, rich coffee and foamy milk.
Just like making a latte, you’ll need a Nespresso machine, the right capsule and a milk frother or French press. However, for a cappuccino, you’ll want to cut the amount of milk you froth down to approximately three ounces.
The most popular Nespresso capsule for cappuccinos is the Ristretto capsule, which is also one of the best capsules for making lattes. Ristretto capsules have the best mix of intensity (they’re rated 9/12 on Nespresso’s intensity scale) and smoothness for milk-based coffee. Just like with lattes, if you like your cappuccinos to taste like what you’d get in a café, the Ristretto capsules are the best option.
| Ristretto | | Our top recommendation for lattes, Ristretto capsules have an intense (but not too intense) taste and a smooth texture that makes them perfect for milk-based coffee. | 4.5 out of 5 (Read reviews) | Check price on Amazon |
For a more intense cappuccino…
If you like a more intense cappuccino, you can do the same thing as you would for a latte and use Kazaar capsules. These coffee capsules have a more intense taste and will give your cappuccino a stronger coffee taste, making them good if you’re a coffee enthusiast.
As you can probably guess, I use the Kazaar capsules to make my cappuccinos, since I like the stronger, richer flavor they provide.
| Kazaar | | Kazaar capsules are also a great option for lattes, especially if you prefer a more intense, rich taste. These are the most intense capsules available, with a 12/12 intensity rating from Nespresso. | 4.7 out of 5 (Read reviews) | Check price on Amazon |
For a lighter cappuccino…
Finally, you can also use Nespresso Cosi capsules to make a cappuccino. Just like with a latte, a cappuccino made using Cosi capsules will have a lighter, less intense flavor that tastes more like milk than it does coffee. These capsules are the best choice if you’re not a “coffee person” but still like a tasty cappuccino in the morning to perk you up and provide a little extra energy.
| Cosi | | Kazaar capsules are also a great option for lattes, especially if you prefer a more intense, rich taste. These are the most intense capsules available, with a 12/12 intensity rating from Nespresso. | 4.5 out of 5 (Read reviews) | Check price on Amazon |
Other Good Options:
Feel like adding some variety to your Nespresso capsule collection? The capsules listed below are also suitable for lattes, cappuccinos and other milk-based coffee:
| Arpeggio |  | With a creamy taste and an intensity rating of 9/12, Arpeggio capsules have a subtle taste of cocoa. While these capsules aren't quite as popular as Ristretto or Kazaar, they're still a great option if you want to experiment with a more chocolatey, cocoa taste for your lattes, cappuccinos and other milk-based coffee. | 4.3 out of 5 (Read reviews) | Check price on Amazon |
| Vanilio |  | Made up of a mix of ground espresso beans and vanilla flavoring, Vanilio capsules are perfect if you like a hint of vanilla in your morning latte or cappuccino. These capsules are designed for a 40mL espresso brew, making them ideal for vanilla cappuccinos and lattes. The intensity level of the coffee is a little on the mild side, making these perfect if you like a light, milky coffee that's not too intense. | 4.2 out of 5 (Read reviews) | Check price on Amazon |
Want to learn more about the best Nespresso capsules to use with your coffee maker? Our complete guide to the best Nespresso capsules includes tasting notes and user reviews for all 24 Nespresso capsule varieties.