To make iced coffee for brunch, first choose capsules or pods designed for your exact machine system: Nespresso Original, Vertuo, Dolce Gusto and Senseo formats are not interchangeable. An espresso base leaves room for ice and any extras you want to add yourself. For a larger glass or a milk-based recipe, check the volume and ingredients of the product you choose. Coffee brewed and then chilled over ice is not cold brew, which is made by steeping coffee in cold water for an extended period.
If you’re making coffee for several people at brunch, check the system shown on your machine before choosing a recipe. Nespresso has Original and Vertuo systems, while Dolce Gusto capsules and Senseo pods also use their own formats.
Starting with a coffee base and adding your own ice, water or milk means you can decide exactly what goes into your glass. Nespresso explains that coffee chilled over ice and cold brew are two different preparations.
The cappuccino and latte macchiato recipes featured by NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto use coffee and milk capsules. Check the ingredients and allergens for the product you choose, along with its preparation instructions if you plan to serve it cold.
Your machine’s system determines which format you can use. Then choose the coffee volume to suit your glass and planned extras, rather than relying on the recipe name alone.
Choose this if: you have an Original machine and want to make iced coffee using a ristretto, espresso or lungo.
Keep in mind: Nespresso says this system makes drinks up to 110 ml for a lungo. A capsule labelled as compatible with Original won’t necessarily work with Vertuo.
Choose this if: you have a Vertuo machine and want to choose a drink size from espresso to mug, according to Nespresso.
Keep in mind: leave enough room in your chosen drink size for ice and any other extras. Don’t buy a capsule simply because it says it’s compatible with Original.
Choose this if: you have a Dolce Gusto machine and want to serve black coffee or a milk-based recipe designed for this system.
Keep in mind: some recipes use a milk capsule as well as a coffee capsule. Check the ingredients and instructions before serving them cold.
Choose this if: your machine uses Senseo soft pods and you plan to chill the brewed coffee.
Keep in mind: a Senseo pod isn’t a substitute for an espresso capsule. Adjust the amount of ice to suit the coffee it makes.
| What to consider | What to check | What matters to shoppers? |
|---|---|---|
| Compatibility | Check your machine’s system and look for the exact wording on each box: Original, Vertuo, Dolce Gusto or Senseo. | If I already have a machine, I want to avoid buying a format I can’t use. Around 36% of consumers would make compatibility their top priority. |
| Volume in the glass | Check the recommended volume for the product, then consider how much room ice, water or milk will take up in your recipe. | If I’m filling a glass with ice, I want to leave enough room for the coffee and any extras. This would be the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Choice for guests | Depending on your guests’ preferences, compare black coffee, decaf and milk-based recipes, and check the ingredients of the latter. | When my guests don’t all drink the same coffee, I want to offer a choice to suit their preferences. Around 21% of consumers would put variety first. |
| Packaging recycling | Check the product’s packaging material and recycling information. In France, ADEME provides recycling guidance for aluminium and plastic capsules, as well as composting options for paper capsules. | After serving several drinks, I want to know how to dispose of the used capsules. Packaging disposal would be the top consideration for around 14% of consumers. |
Nespresso lists these as separate systems. Auchan’s listings for Carte Noire Espresso Intense No. 9 and Lungo Classique No. 6 capsules state that they’re compatible with Nespresso Original, not Vertuo.
Check your machine’s system, then look for the same wording on the product you’re ordering.
A box in the wrong format won’t work in the machine you’ve set up for brunch.
A lungo or mug-size coffee leaves less room for ice and milk than an espresso in the same glass. Nespresso says the available sizes differ between Original and Vertuo.
Decide on your recipe and glass size before choosing a drink format, and try out the proportions before serving your guests.
As Nespresso explains, cold brew is made by steeping ground coffee in room-temperature water for an extended period. It’s not the same as brewing a capsule and pouring the coffee over ice.
If you use a capsule and then add ice, call it iced coffee. For cold brew, make a separate batch using the cold-steeping method.
The cappuccino and latte macchiato recipes described by NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto combine coffee and milk capsules. Check the ingredients for the specific product you plan to serve.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging. If you’d rather add and measure the milk separately, choose a black coffee capsule that’s compatible with your machine.
Nespresso has Original and Vertuo systems for people who already own one of these machines.
According to NESCAFÉ, this system offers black coffees and milk-based recipes, including cappuccino and latte macchiato.
Auchan lists Carte Noire espresso and lungo products as compatible with Nespresso Original, while Carrefour also lists a product compatible with Dolce Gusto.
The Carrefour range includes Carrefour Selection capsules compatible with Nespresso, including espresso, lungo and decaf options.
The Auchan range includes its own-brand capsules compatible with Nespresso, in espresso, lungo and decaf varieties.
This range includes coffee capsules for different systems and soft pods. For brunch, compare only the products that work with your machine, then choose a coffee size that leaves room for the ice and any extras you’re planning.
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Make an espresso base and add ice yourself, along with milk or water if you like.
Box of 10 capsules. Check that the compatibility information matches your exact Nespresso machine system, and check the recommended extraction volume for your glass.
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An espresso option to consider if you’re planning to serve several coffees over ice.
Box of 60 capsules. Before choosing it, check the packaging to confirm the machine system specified for this version and the recommended volume. The name alone doesn’t confirm compatibility.
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A ristretto can make a short coffee base, with ice or milk added separately.
Box of 30 capsules. Check that the stated Nespresso compatibility matches your exact system; don’t assume it works with Vertuo unless this is explicitly stated.
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For Dolce Gusto machine owners who want to start with an Americano-style coffee before serving it cold.
Box of 16 capsules, 112 g. Check the recommended extraction volume and adjust the amount of ice to suit the size of the drink.
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Worth considering if you’re making several coffees with soft pods to serve over ice.
Pack of 60 pods. Confirm they’re compatible with your Senseo machine and check the recommended coffee volume before deciding how much ice to use.
No. Nespresso describes Original and Vertuo as two separate systems. Auchan’s listings for Carte Noire Espresso Intense No. 9 and Lungo Classique No. 6 capsules specify compatibility with Original. For a Vertuo machine, look for an explicit compatibility claim for that system.
Brew a capsule and chill the coffee over ice, and you’ll have iced coffee, not cold brew. Nespresso describes cold brew as ground coffee steeped in room-temperature water for an extended period. Choose this separate preparation if that’s the method you’re after.
If you have a Dolce Gusto machine, you can consider the cappuccino and latte macchiato recipes featured by NESCAFÉ, which use coffee and milk capsules. Before serving them cold, read the preparation instructions and check the ingredients and allergens for the product you’ve bought. You can also use a black coffee capsule and add the milk separately.
According to ADEME, aluminium and plastic capsules go in the recycling bin, bag or container for paper and packaging. For paper capsules, ADEME advises home or shared composting, or using a food waste collection scheme where available. Check the product’s recycling information too.