# ESE Paper Pods Source: https://dailyextraction.com/methods/pod-espresso-ese/ Last updated: 2026-10-19 > ESE, or Easy Serving Espresso, pods are single doses of espresso coffee, about 7 g of ground, pre-tamped coffee sealed between two sheets of filter paper, 44 mm across. You put one in an espresso machine fitted with an ESE basket or adapter, lock in the portafilter and brew as usual. There's no dosing or tamping, and no grounds to clear up. ## At a glance - Grind: Fine - Category: Machines, Pods & Commercial (Pressure) - Difficulty: Beginner - Origin: Italy - Also known as: Easy Serving Espresso, ESE pods, espresso pods, paper espresso pods ## Steps 1. **Fit the ESE basket**: Fit the ESE pod basket or adapter in your machine's portafilter, if it isn't already. 2. **Insert the pod**: Put an ESE pod in the basket, following any marking on the pod or its pack. 3. **Lock in the portafilter**: Lock the portafilter into the machine. There's nothing to dose or tamp. 4. **Brew**: Brew a single espresso as you normally would. 5. **Remove the pod**: Take out the portafilter and lift out the used pod. **ESE pods**, short for **Easy Serving Espresso**, are single doses of espresso coffee in a **paper filter**. Each pod holds about **7 g** of ground coffee, already **tamped**, sealed between two sheets of filter paper **44 mm** across. You drop one into an espresso machine fitted with an **ESE basket**, lock in the portafilter and brew. There's no grinding, dosing or tamping, and no grounds to knock out. Because ESE is a **shared standard**, pods from different roasters fit any machine built for it. Here's how to use them. ## The short version - **7 g of pre-tamped espresso coffee** in a paper pod. - **44 mm across**, a shared standard. - **Needs an ESE basket** or adapter in your machine's portafilter. - **No dosing, tamping or mess.** - **Paper pods**, not plastic or aluminium capsules. ## How do ESE pods work? An ESE pod replaces the loose coffee in an [espresso](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/espresso/) machine's portafilter. The coffee inside is already **ground, dosed and pressed** into a puck, so it sits in a dedicated **ESE basket** that holds it in place. When you brew, the machine pushes hot water through the pod under pressure, just as it would through loose coffee, and the paper acts as the filter. ## How do you use an ESE pod, step by step? 1. **Fit the ESE basket** or adapter in your portafilter. 2. **Put a pod in**, following any marking on the pod or its pack. 3. **Lock in the portafilter.** 4. **Brew a single espresso** as usual. 5. **Lift out the used pod.** Brew mode on this page times a typical shot for you. ## Which machines take ESE pods? Any espresso machine with an **ESE basket or adapter** for its portafilter. Many home machines come with one, and some small machines are designed for ESE pods only. Without the right basket, a pod can sit loosely and let water around it, so check before you buy pods. Senseo-style **soft pods** won't do: they're **70 mm** across, against the ESE pod's 44 mm, and hold untamped coffee for filter-style drinks. ## Where do ESE pods come from? The ESE design came from **illy**, the Italian roaster. Its date is disputed: MaxiCoffee's guides say paper espresso pods were invented in the **1970s**, while Wikipedia, citing The New York Times, says illy created the ESE design in **1989**. In **February 1998**, Wikipedia says, **seven** coffee roasters and machine makers founded a non-profit **consortium** to protect the standard, which is open to any roaster or machine maker. I haven't been able to confirm which seven companies, so I've left them out. ## ESE pods vs capsules | | ESE pods | [Nespresso Original](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/nespresso-original/) | [K-Cup](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/k-cup/) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Material | Paper | Aluminium | Plastic, with a paper filter | | Machine | Any with an ESE basket | Nespresso only | Keurig only | | Coffee | Espresso | Espresso-style | Filter-style | | Standard | Open, shared | Brand system | Brand system | ![Chart of coffee grind sizes from extra fine to extra coarse, with fine highlighted for ESE espresso pods](https://dailyextraction.com/diagrams/grind-size.svg#fine "ESE pods hold finely ground espresso coffee.") *General guidance only. Follow your machine's instructions for using pods, and take care with the hot portafilter and pod after brewing.* ## ESE pods vs other methods - **[Espresso](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/espresso/):** freshly ground and tamped by hand. - **[Nespresso Original](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/nespresso-original/):** sealed capsules for Nespresso machines. - **[Bean-to-cup machine](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/bean-to-cup/):** grinds and tamps fresh coffee for you. - **[Manual espresso](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/manual-espresso/):** hand-powered espresso makers. Explore every machine method in the [machine chapter](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/machine/). ## Words used in this guide - [Tamping](https://dailyextraction.com/glossary/tamping/): Tamping is pressing ground coffee down into a firm, flat, even layer with a tool called a tamper. - [Portafilter](https://dailyextraction.com/glossary/portafilter/): A portafilter is the handle-and-holder you fill with ground coffee and lock into an espresso machine. ## FAQs ### How big is an ESE pod? 44 mm across, holding about 7 g of ground, pre-tamped coffee between two sheets of filter paper. ### Do I need a special machine for ESE pods? You need an espresso machine with an ESE basket or adapter for its portafilter. Many machines come with one, and some are designed for ESE pods only. ### What does ESE stand for? Easy Serving Espresso: a shared standard for paper espresso pods, so pods from different roasters fit any machine built to the standard. It's looked after by a non-profit consortium founded in 1998, and is open to any roaster or machine maker. ### Are ESE pods compostable? The pods are made with paper filters. Whether a particular pod can go in your compost or food waste depends on the brand and local rules, so check the packaging. ### ESE pods vs Nespresso capsules? ESE pods are an open standard of paper pods for espresso machines with an ESE basket. Nespresso capsules are sealed capsules for Nespresso's own machines. Soft pods for Senseo machines are different again: at 70 mm across, they don't fit an ESE basket. ## Sources - [How big are ESE pods?](https://delonghi.com/en-gb/faqs/How-big-are-ESE-pods/a/8750) - [What are ESE pods?](https://www.delonghi.com/en-gb/faqs/What-are-ESE-pods/a/33600) - [ESE pods guide](https://www.coffee-spirit.maxicoffee.com/en-gb/guide/ese-pods/) - [Best ESE coffee pods](https://www.coffee-spirit.maxicoffee.com/en-gb/guide/best-ese-coffee-pods/) - [Easy Serving Espresso Pod](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easy_Serving_Espresso_Pod)