Espresso vs. Cappuccino: What’s the Difference?

Espresso vs. Cappuccino: What's the Difference? - Featured Image

Coffee is the perfect beverage when it comes to helping you get up in the morning and out of a slump in the middle of the day. At some point, you start to hear cappuccino or espresso, and it makes you wonder how well you know about the beverage that you've been drinking your entire adult life. What are they? How is cappuccino different from espresso? Which one tastes better? Espresso vs Cappuccino?

In this article, you will know what an espresso is as well as what a cappuccino is. Plus, you'll get a glimpse of other popular espresso beverages that you need to know about. Once you know the difference between an espresso vs cappuccino, you can walk into any coffee shop without sounding too uncomfortable about which drink you're going to buy.

What is an Espresso?

What is an Espresso?

Typically enjoyed in shots, the espresso is a thick, rich, and highly concentrated form of coffee. It is created by extracting the flavor from fine ground coffee beans through high pressure. Unlike traditional brewing methods, you can only get a very small but powerful amount for every brew.

It has become the foundation of popular coffee beverages because of its consistent and rich flavor. In Italy, where it was originally from, you'll even find espresso in convenience stores. It is also a popular option among truckers who go on long drives and need to be awake for the entire trip.

What is a Cappuccino?

What is a Cappuccino?

Cappuccino is typically made from 1/3 Espresso, 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 foamed milk. It is the best option for those who like milk in their coffee without completely overshadowing its taste.

Cappuccino is produced with steamed milk and foamed milk. Steamed milk is made by heating up milk over a stove top or microwave, while foamed milk is created by rapidly inducing air into the milk using a whisk, manual milk frother or electric mixer.

Cappuccino is rich in flavor and is not too overwhelming. If you're the type of person who gags on drinking black coffee straight up, you'll probably enjoy this beverage a lot more.

Cappuccino is one of the most popular espresso beverages. Latte is another espresso drink that you may have also heard about. Latte is made of a smaller amount of espresso. It follows the following ratio: 1/4 espresso, 4/6 steamed milk, and 1/6 foamed milk.

Espresso vs Latte

Read this article to find out more about the difference between espresso vs latte.

Wanna create your own homemade espresso and cappuccino? Check out these products that can help you make the cup that you've been craving for.

SimpleTaste Electric Foam Milk Frother

Great For: Cappuccinos and Lattes (and other espresso beverages with foamed milk)

This milk frother from Simple Taste is an economical and convenient way to create your own frothed milk that can be added on top of steamed milk and espresso.


Breville ESP8XL Cafe Roma Stainless Espresso Maker

Great For: Espressos, Cappuccinos, and Lattes

Breville has always been synonymous with amazing coffee. This machine will show you why. It grinds your coffee beans evenly with its built-in conical burr grinder. It also extracts the flavors very well with its Thermo coil system. Additionally, it comes with a milk frother. The rich and creamy coffee it produces is something that you'll absolutely love.

Now, which one do you prefer? Espresso vs Cappuccino? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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