Espresso is a well-known drink for coffee lovers. But do you know what is Gran Lungo?
A Gran Lungo is much larger than a lungo which is larger than a shot of espresso. Gran Lungo is the perfect size if you would like to enjoy your cup of coffee for a longer time.
After reading this article, you will know much more about the gran lungo meaning and the different sizes and pods of this popular Nespresso coffee. So grab a Nespresso and some funny coffee puns, and let’s get into it!
What is a Gran Lungo? Gran Lungo Meaning

First, what does Gran Lungo mean?
Lungo means “long” in Italian, and a Lungo is a 3-oz-sized coffee. A Gran Lungo is even longer and bigger than a Lungo. Think of a long grande coffee. A Gran Lungo is a 5oz (150 ml) sized coffee drink that Nespresso invented.
Lungo coffee drinks use more hot water than a standard espresso shot, and the extraction time is more than double that of espressos.
Because the time it takes to make this coffee is longer, different flavors will get added to your coffee cup and more caffeine too.
Don’t let the slightly more watery long coffee trick you, though. A 5 oz cup of coffee will pack between 150 and 200mg of caffeine. The coffee beans will be in contact with the hot water longer, so plenty of time to get all that caffeine extracted.
So who is this coffee for?
We recommend this Nespresso if you want to make a larger, milder coffee drink that you can enjoy for much longer. If you are a fan of Americanos and long blacks, you will love the Gran Lungo.
It’s no surprise that the large lungo drink will appeal mainly to the US market because customers prefer larger coffees, and fewer people drink small Italian espressos.
READ MORE: Best Coffee Bean Deals in 2023
Nespresso Vertuo Sizes

Gran Lungo is Nespresso’s answer to Lungo coffee drinks. Nespresso Vertuo machines can make you a barista-style coffee at a touch, whether Gran Lungo, a single espresso, or a large mug of coffee; you are covered. There are many different Nespresso capsules you can try, from full-bodied to mild and floral styles.
A Vertuoline machine brews with great precision and allows you to enjoy your favorite coffee style with ease. The system adjusts the brewing parameters, and the water flow extracts the maximum flavor and gives you a rich, generous crema on top as pictured below.

The VertuoLine offers five different cup sizes:
- 1.35-oz espresso
- 2.7-oz double espresso
- 5.07-oz Gran Lungo
- 8-oz mug of coffee
- 14-oz alto XL
The 5 oz Nespresso strikes the perfect balance between a small espresso drink and the extra-large alto coffee. The result is a brew that most Americans can enjoy.
Best Nespresso Vertuoline Pods
Our number one pick is intense and full-bodied. That’s because we’re really excited about how hard this Nespresso capsule can punch. The Fortado is a dark roast Arabica and Robusta blend from South and Central America and India, and it’s full of complex cocoa notes with oak wood hints.
We like that all these flavors can be crammed into a little pod, and we love that intensity is no longer a feature only used to describe an Italian espresso.
Overall, we think the Fortado is the best gran lungo size Nespresso VertuoLine pod on the market this year. If you are looking to try a larger size, then the 7.8 Oz Intenso Coffee is perfect for an even longer drinking experience.
Get affordable Nespresso-compatible capsules and K-pods without skimping on quality. Use code WELCOME15 for 15% OFF on any Bestpresso coffee capsule.
What’s the Difference Between Espresso and Gran Lungo?
A standard single shot of espresso is one ounce or 30 ml. In comparison, a Gran Lungo coffee is 5.07-oz or 150 ml. This makes it five times larger than an espresso shot.
Please note that Nespresso Vertuo machine espresso cup sizes are 35% bigger than the standard-sized espressos brewed by a good old espresso machine. This is Nespresso’s interpretation of espresso sizes which is different from the size you get in traditional coffee shops.
Gran Lungo vs Double Espresso
A standard double espresso is 2-oz or 60 ml, and a Gran Lungo is 5.07 oz or 150 ml. Therefore this Nespresso drink is 2.5x larger compared to a double espresso.
As mentioned above: Nespresso machine cup sizes for espresso are 35% bigger than the standard size made by a traditional espresso machine.
Conclusion
The Gran Lungo coffee is the perfect size if you are after a long drink. Our favorite gran lungo, the Fortado offers the intensity of a regular espresso in a much larger beverage.
SEE ALSO:
- What is Shaken Espresso? Everything You Need to Know
- Cortado Recipe (Creamy & Delicious)
- Starbucks Strawberry Acai Refresher Copycat
Featured Image Credit: Elle Hughes, Unsplash
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