REVIEWED
Gaggia Classic Pro
$450–$550
Manual rocker-switch control, 9-bar pump and commercial group head, so you stop the shot at your target yield.
Espresso Guides
What Is a Lungo? The Long Espresso Explained
What is a lungo? Same dose, more water: brew ratio, taste, caffeine, lungo vs americano vs ristretto, and when the long shot makes sense.
- By Sarah Chen
- Updated October 8, 2026
- 4 min read
Quick answer
A lungo (Italian for “long”) is a long espresso shot: the same dose as a double but 1.5–2x the water (1:3 to 1:4), giving a larger, more bitter, thinner drink. It suits dark roasts; with good beans, an americano usually tastes better.
How does a lungo compare with a standard double?
Same dose, stopped later: longer and milder.
| Parameter | Lungo | Standard double |
|---|---|---|
| Dose | 17–18g | 18g |
| Yield | 54–72g | 34–40g |
| Brew ratio | 1:3 to 1:4 | 1:2 |
| Time | 45–60 seconds | 25–32 seconds |
| Flavor | Mild, bitter, thin body | Balanced |
Dose
- Lungo
- 17–18g
- Standard double
- 18g
Yield
- Lungo
- 54–72g
- Standard double
- 34–40g
Brew ratio
- Lungo
- 1:3 to 1:4
- Standard double
- 1:2
Time
- Lungo
- 45–60 seconds
- Standard double
- 25–32 seconds
Flavor
- Lungo
- Mild, bitter, thin body
- Standard double
- Balanced
The extra 15–30 seconds pulls later, harsher compounds into the cup, trading sweetness and body for volume. A ristretto goes the other way: shorter, sweeter, thicker.
How do you make a lungo at home?
Grind a little finer and stop at about 60g.
Dose. 17–18g and grind 1–2 steps finer than your standard espresso setting.
Pull. At 93–95°C (199–203°F) and 9 bar.
Stop. At about 60g (roughly 1:3.3) after 45–60 seconds.45–60 seconds
Why finer? At the standard grind, resistance drops after about 30 seconds as channels open, so a long pull comes out sour and thin. Some baristas prefer coarser, so treat this as a starting point.
What does a lungo taste like, and which roasts suit it?
Espresso with the best part diluted by the worst: less sweetness, more bitterness.
Crema is thinner and fades faster, and the mouthfeel is closer to strong drip than espresso.
| Roast | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Dark | Works well; bitterness suits a bold, roasty profile |
| Medium | Mixed; the second half competes with caramel and fruit |
| Light single origin | Not recommended; tastes sour and bitter. Pull a ristretto or double instead |
Dark
- Verdict
- Works well; bitterness suits a bold, roasty profile
Medium
- Verdict
- Mixed; the second half competes with caramel and fruit
Light single origin
- Verdict
- Not recommended; tastes sour and bitter. Pull a ristretto or double instead
Lungo vs americano: is a lungo the same thing?
No: the water goes in at a different point.
| Lungo | Americano | |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Forced through the puck at 9 bar | Added to a normal double afterward |
| Volume | About 60 ml (2 oz) | About 180–240 ml (6–8 oz) |
| Effect | Over-extraction, later bitter compounds | Dilution only; extraction is correct |
| Taste | Bitter, mild | Mild, espresso sweetness preserved |
Water
- Lungo
- Forced through the puck at 9 bar
- Americano
- Added to a normal double afterward
Volume
- Lungo
- About 60 ml (2 oz)
- Americano
- About 180–240 ml (6–8 oz)
Effect
- Lungo
- Over-extraction, later bitter compounds
- Americano
- Dilution only; extraction is correct
Taste
- Lungo
- Bitter, mild
- Americano
- Mild, espresso sweetness preserved
Most people who think they want a lungo prefer an americano once they try both. See how to make an americano and americano vs espresso.
Does a lungo have more caffeine than espresso?
Slightly more, from the same dose.
Caffeine keeps dissolving as water passes through, so the total is higher even though the lungo tastes milder. Flavor intensity and caffeine are different things.
How does the lungo setting work on Nespresso?
On Original machines it is a true lungo in extraction terms.
| Setting | Volume | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Ristretto | 25ml (0.8 oz) | Sweet, concentrated |
| Espresso | 40ml (1.4 oz) | Balanced |
| Lungo | 110ml (3.7 oz) | Mild, slightly bitter |
Ristretto
- Volume
- 25ml (0.8 oz)
- Character
- Sweet, concentrated
Espresso
- Volume
- 40ml (1.4 oz)
- Character
- Balanced
Lungo
- Volume
- 110ml (3.7 oz)
- Character
- Mild, slightly bitter
Capsules made for lungo volumes, such as Fortissio Lungo and Vivalto Lungo (Original) or Gran Lungo (Vertuo), taste better at that volume than espresso capsules.
Should you choose a lungo?
Only in a few cases; otherwise a double or americano gets more from the coffee.
Quick decision guide
You use dark-roasted espresso blends
A lungo suits them; traditional Italian blends were designed for this style.
You want more caffeine in a smaller cup than an americano
A lungo extracts more than a double without a third shot.
You are dialing in new beans
Pull ristretto, double and lungo yields from the same dose to see how the beans extract. See how to dial in espresso.
You want a large, mild drink
Make an americano instead.
How does a lungo extract differently?
More water through the puck means more extraction, not more flavour.
A lungo is a long espresso, made with roughly twice as much water as a standard shot. Water keeps flowing after the sweet, balanced part of the shot has finished, so later extraction brings out bitter, drying compounds. That is why a lungo can taste harsher than an espresso, and why it needs a coarser grind to avoid choking.
Because the shot runs longer, the grind is typically set a touch coarser, and a medium or medium-dark roast stands up better than a light roast.
Modern fixes and current best practice
Ways to get a longer shot without bitterness.
- Use a scale to measure yield, not just time; see how to dial in espresso.
- Coarsen the grind slightly to prevent over-extraction.
- Try an americano or a ratio of 1:3 if the lungo tastes harsh; hot water added after the shot avoids over-extraction. See americano vs espresso.
- Even puck prep, such as WDT and a puck screen, keeps flow uniform, so the long shot does not channel.
- Fresh, medium-dark beans work best; very light roasts taste sour.
Which machine can pull a proper lungo?
Any machine with manual shot volume or a programmable lungo button.
REVIEWED
De'Longhi Dedica EC680M
$169–$199
Slim, affordable thermoblock machine. Programmable shot volume makes it easy to calibrate a consistent lungo.
REVIEWED
Baratza Encore ESP
$199–$299
Entry-level espresso burr grinder. The slightly finer grind a lungo needs is easy to dial with its stepped settings.
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Where to go next
Pick the path that matches your gear.
Shopping for a machine that can pull a lungo
Compare the best espresso machines
Want milder coffee in a bigger cup
Try an americano instead
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy.
Sweetness and acidity extract first and bitterness last; a lungo runs past the sweet window into bitter territory.
Not a true one, since it needs 9-bar extraction.
A moka pot brewed to a larger volume gets close in character.
A long black is a normal espresso poured over hot water, which keeps the crema and the correct extraction.
A lungo pushes more water through the puck, so it is more extracted and more bitter.
See how to make an americano, a close cousin of the long black.
No.
A doppio is a double dose of coffee pulled at a normal ratio; a lungo uses a normal dose with extra water.
Read what a doppio is for the dose side of the comparison.
Yes, but the thin body gets lost under milk.
A ristretto or standard double holds up better in a latte or flat white; see what a ristretto is.
Usually the grind is too coarse, so water runs through unevenly and under-extracts parts of the puck while over-extracting others.
Grind a little finer and check why your espresso is sour.
Related Guides
Keep reading: more guides on the same topic.
Explained Espresso3 min readWhat Is a Ristretto? Taste, Ratio & How-To
Ristretto explained: same dose, about half the water. Why it tastes sweeter, how to pull one, the grind adjustment that matters, and caffeine.
Read the guideCompare Coffee Education3 min readAmericano vs Espresso: Which Is Stronger?
Americano vs espresso: same caffeine per shot, very different strength and taste. See the differences and which to order.
Read the guideHow to Brewing4 min readHow to Make an Americano: The 1:4 Ratio
Ratio, pour order and fixes for a better Americano
Read the guideExplained Espresso4 min readWhat Is Espresso? A Plain-English Beginner Guide
How espresso is made, what crema means and what gear you need.
Read the guideExplained Espresso4 min readWhat Is a Doppio? Double Espresso Explained
What is a doppio? The standard double espresso: how it differs from a single shot, its caffeine, the drinks it makes and how to pull one.
Read the guide
