How Big Should an Espresso Cup Be, and How Much Bigger for a Cappuccino or Latte?
Summary
A 3 oz (90 ml) cup holds a single or a double shot from a machine like the Breville Bambino, whose preset double is about 60 ml, and De'Longhi sells both its porcelain demitasse and its double-wall espresso glasses at that size. Milk drinks need three to four times that, and De'Longhi's own cappuccino cups are 9 oz and its latte glasses 11 oz. Once a cup is that large, its height under the spout decides more than its volume does.
How much liquid a shot actually is
| Drink | Breville Bambino preset | Nespresso Vertuo factory setting |
|---|---|---|
| Single espresso | About 30 ml (1 oz) | 40 ml (1.35 fl oz) |
| Double espresso | About 60 ml (2 oz) | 80 ml (2.7 fl oz) |
| Gran Lungo | No preset | 150 ml (5.07 fl oz) |
| Coffee | No preset | 230 ml (7.77 fl oz) |
A Bambino double leaves a third of a 3 oz cup empty. A Vertuo double espresso at 80 ml comes within about 10 ml of the rim, so doubles from a Vertuo sit better in a 4 or 5 oz cup. Both volumes can be changed. The Bambino saves a new 1 Cup or 2 Cup volume when you stop the shot by hand in programming mode, and a Vertuo cup size can be set anywhere from 10 ml to 500 ml, with a cup support that has three positions.
De'Longhi's cups from espresso to latte
| De'Longhi set | Capacity | Cup height | Material | Price for 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DLSC308 Tognana demitasse cups and saucers | 3 oz / 90 ml | 3 in | Porcelain | $39.95 |
| DLSC310 espresso glasses | 3 oz | Not listed | Double-wall borosilicate glass | $24.95 |
| DLSC309 Tognana cappuccino cups and saucers | 9 oz / 270 ml | 3.75 in | Porcelain | $49.95 |
| DLSC311 cappuccino glasses | 9 oz | Not listed | Double-wall glass | $29.95 |
| DLSC312 latte glasses | 11 oz | Not listed | Double-wall glass | $23.99 |
Two of these are labeled differently on De'Longhi's category page than on their own product pages. The category links call DLSC310 "2 oz" and DLSC312 "7.5 oz," while the product pages say 3 oz and 11 oz. The two porcelain sets are the only ones with a stated height, and both are listed as microwave and dishwasher safe. The glass sets are listed as dishwasher safe.
Will the cup fit under the spout?
Some manufacturers publish the clearance. De'Longhi gives 5.85 in as the maximum cup height for the Dedica Duo EC890M and describes a "double-height drip tray" for latte glasses. Gaggia gives the Magenta Prestige a cup height range of 4.3 to 5.9 in, with a cup riser that slides up from the drip tray to bring an espresso cup closer to the spouts. Breville's Bambino and Bambino Plus pages and manuals, the Gaggia Classic Pro page and the Profitec GO page give only the machine's outside dimensions.
On the Dedica Duo, the 3.75 in Tognana cappuccino cup leaves about 2 in of room. A scale placed under the cup takes its own thickness out of that 2 in, and a latte glass taller than 5.85 in will not fit on the tray at all.
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Sources
- De'Longhi — Coffee Cups and Glasses, U.S. collection
- De'Longhi — Tognana Italian Espresso Demitasse Cups & Saucers, 3 oz (DLSC308)
- De'Longhi — Double Wall Thermal Espresso Glasses, 3 oz (DLSC310)
- De'Longhi — Tognana Italian Cappuccino Cups & Saucers, 9 oz (DLSC309)
- De'Longhi — 9oz Cappuccino Double Wall Thermal Glasses (DLSC311)
- De'Longhi — 11oz Latte Double Wall Thermal Glasses (DLSC312)
- De'Longhi — Dedica Duo EC890M
- Gaggia North America — Magenta Prestige
- Breville — the Bambino BES450 instruction book
- Breville — Vertuo (BNV250) instruction book
We have not tested these products. Specs, prices, stock and terms are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; check the manufacturer or retailer before you buy.