A lot of people get a Nespresso coffee maker so they can make coffee. That’s not surprising. But many people wonder if you can also use Nespresso to make tea.

The answer is that you can use your Nespresso maker to make tea, but it’s not as easy to do as with other pod coffee makers like a Keurig. 

That said, it’s still totally possible to make tea in your Nespresso maker. Here’s how to do it.

Does Nespresso make tea capsules?

If you have a Nespresso machine, you’re probably already familiar with Nespresso’s capsules for making espresso coffee. They are the standard for use in the machine. Several third-party companies also make their own Nespresso-compatible capsules.

Instead of using an espresso capsule, it’s also possible to use a tea capsule to brew tea in your Nespresso machine. Most of the tea capsules on the market come from third-party companies. They’re Nespresso compatible, though. You can find many of these at Whole Foods Market.

One popular option comes from the Republic of Tea. They’re called UMatcha capsules.

I’ve personally tested these, and they brew pretty good matcha tea. You can even combine them with the milk steamer on your Nespresso maker in order to brew a matcha latte. You can read my full review and test of the Umatcha capsules for more details on that option.

Third-party tea capsules come loaded with a variety of different tees. There are black tea and green tea options available, as well as a variety of others. This is probably the simplest way to make tea in the Nespresso machine. Just pop in a tea capsule instead of a coffee one and you’re good to go.

Making your own tea in a Nespresso machine

What if you don’t feel like purchasing tea capsules, or you already have your own special tea that you want to brew with your Nespresso machine? There’s a “hack” or work around that you can use to quickly heat water using an espresso machine. You can then use that water to brew tea the traditional way.

Open up your Nespresso machine as if you were going to put in a capsule. Then, close it without putting a capsule in. This will ensure that any used capsules that were in the machine are ejected.

Now, put a mug where you would normally put your espresso cup. Press the Lungo button on the machine. The boiler in the machine will heat up, and it will produce hot water like it normally would. Instead of the water passing through a capsule, however, it will come straight out of the machine.

The first run without a capsule is likely to come out tasting a little bit like coffee. Dump this first run of water out into the sink or into a plant. Consider it an opportunity to clean any coffee residue out of the machine, as well as to have warmed up your mug. Pre-warming mugs is a traditional part of many cultures’ tea ceremonies.

Next, put a teabag in your mug and place it back into the machine. Run the machine again without placing a capsule in it. This time, the hot water should run clear, and should fill up your tea cup. You may need to press the button multiple times to fill a big mug.

Wait for your tea to brew is normal. You’re good to go!

Two Methods that Work Well

Using your Nespresso maker to heat water quickly is the simplest method for brewing tea. You don’t need to invest in tea capsules, and you can brew any type of tea that you happen to have on hand. Using your Nespresso maker to produce hot water quickly is a lot faster than boiling water in a kettle or in the microwave. You also get just amount of water that you actually need.

Of course, if you’re looking for the most convenient method overall, using a tea-specific capsule makes brewing tea in the Nespresso maker even simpler. Whatever method you choose, you can repurpose your Nespresso maker to quickly and easily produce hot tea.

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