Espresso vs coffee: what’s the difference?

Some of the most common questions may feel embarrassing to ask out loud. If you’re a coffee newbie, you’re probably wondering what is the difference between coffee and espresso? Don’t be ashamed! There are plenty of coffee fanatics who don’t actually know, so we’ll delve right in. From brewing methods to how to drink them to the most defining characteristics, once you know the difference between espresso and coffee you can order more confidently and even make your own at home.

What is the difference between coffee and espresso?

It all comes down to the preparation. Both coffee and espresso involve beans and hot water. But espresso is brewed with more pressurised water that shoots through the ground coffee beans in under 30 seconds. This is different to making coffee, which relies on the slow filtering of hot water through the grounds.

To be exact, the pressure to make coffee is simply gravity. But the pressure for an espresso is generally nine bars (130 psi). This is a significant amount, which is what gives espresso such an intense flavour in such a short amount of time. That’s why an espresso machine is ideal for making espresso. While there are various methods that don’t call for a specialised machine, a fully automatic espresso machine can ensure accuracy and overall better-quality espresso.  

The size of the grounds is another difference between espresso vs coffee. Medium ground beans are the standard recommendation for brewing coffee in a drip filter. For an espresso, the coffee cake relies on a smaller grind to better expose the beans’ surface area to the water. But be sure that the grounds aren’t too fine, as this could clog the brew. In other words, you want to use grounds that are somewhere in between small and medium for an espresso.