Turn Up The Temperature Of Your Nespresso

Last Updated on December 3, 2023

A Nespresso machine is one of the easiest ways to brew a perfect cup of coffee. However, lovers of very hot coffee often complain that Nespresso coffee does not reach their ideal temperature.

While the Nespresso machine produces reliably hot water, these single-serve coffee makers do not reach the same temperatures that many other machines do, which is particularly strange for many Americans who are used to hot coffee.

And if you’ve just found your ideal Nespresso machine, this may not be what you want to hear. But it doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on your coffee temperature. We’ll give you some tips for how to enjoy the gorgeous flavors and convenience of your Nespresso coffee at the temperatures you want.

Why you can’t adjust a Nespresso machine’s temperature

Nespresso takes its coffee temperature very seriously. That means their machines’ temperature settings are calibrated to brew coffee at the right temperature to extract maximum flavor from the coffee capsules. Temperature is one of the most important brewing parameters.

Although hot coffee is comforting, water that is too hot scorches the coffee grounds and compromises the taste.

That means most Nespresso machines heat water to about 180 F. The Vertuo version is even cooler at 172 F. While this is cooler than some people are used to, Nespresso has determined it’s best for extracting flavor from their capsules.

The Vertuo is among the coolest Nespresso machines when it comes to brew temperature.

So you may have to adjust your expectations regarding temperature when brewing Nespresso. There’s nothing wrong with your machine. A Nespresso machine draws enough power to reach the temperature you prefer, but the designers have chosen not to have it brew at that temperature.

Heating your coffee

You can still have a cup of coffee at your desired temperature, even if the Nespresso machine’s hot water isn’t hot enough for you.

Heat the machine

Your Nespresso machine is sitting at room temperature when you begin brewing your coffee. You can increase the temperature of your coffee by heating up the machine before brewing.

With an Original line machine, the easiest way to do this is by leaving the last spent capsule in place and running one or two brew cycles with your cup under the dispenser. That will preheat your cup as well.

With a Vertuo machine, try running the cleaning cycle for about 20 seconds before you begin to brew.

Heat your coffee cups

Pouring hot coffee into a cool cup will immediately start the cooling process for your beverage. To keep your drinks at the right temperature, heat your cup first. You can run a blank brew cycle into your cup as described above, or you can fill your coffee cup with water and heat it in the microwave for a minute before making your espresso. Dump the water and you’ll have nice warm cup for your coffee. That will maintain the heat.

Heat your milk

Unless you’re drinking straight espresso, you can still create a coffee drink that’s as hot as you want it to be by heating your milk. You can’t properly steam milk without a steaming wand, but you can buy an automatic milk frother that heats milk and generates microfoam to create the perfect, foamy drink.

Improving a decline in temperature

If you’re researching ways to adjust your Nespresso machine’s temperature because you’ve noticed that the temperature has declined over time, then that could be a sign that something is wrong with your coffee maker.

Descale your machine

Nespresso machines need to be descaled regularly to ensure they keep heating water to the ideal temperature. If you haven’t done that in a while, get a descaling kit (use the Nespresso brand for best results). Put the machine into descaling mode and follow its descaling instructions.

Improve machine pressure

If your machine is clean but still not heating water properly, that could be a sign that the pressure is not high enough. To recalibrate the Nespresso machine’s pressure, try brewing five cups without inserting a capsule, only water. If this doesn’t work, your Nespresso machine might need to be reset. Our earlier post at the link has instructions for how to do this with most models.

A Nespresso machine with temperature control

We are aware of one Nespresso machine with temperature control. An Original line machine called the Nespresso Expert has a temperature control dial with three settings: warm, hot and very hot. Users report that the “very hot” setting is indeed very hot.

There is no way to manually adjust a Nespresso machine’s temperature unless you have the Expert model. However, you can make your favorite coffee hotter in other ways and fix a decline in temperature if you notice that the machine is not working properly.

To continue to get the most out of your machine, visit our other post featuring more Nespresso tips.