How Much Caffeine is in Coffee & Espresso?

Question: How Much Caffeine is in Coffee & Espresso?

I know coffee and espresso have caffeine, but I don't know the amounts of caffeine in different coffee drinks. How much caffeine is in coffee drinks, like decaf coffee or instant coffee, and in espresso drinks, like Starbucks latte drinks?

Answer: Caffeine is a naturally occurring stimulant in coffee, tea and chocolate, but the amounts of caffeine in drinks and foods vary widely. Here's a basic guide to how much caffeine is in coffee and espresso.

Caffeine in Coffee

Although caffeine levels in coffee vary, this list of caffeine levels in coffee will give you a general idea of what to expect from some of your favorite coffee drinks.

• Drip Brewed Arabica Coffee (6 oz) - 80-130 mg (often around 110 mg)
• Drip Brewed Robusta Coffee (6 oz) - 140-200 mg
• Drip Brewed Passiona Excelsa/Arabica Low-Caffeine Coffee Blend (6 fl oz) - 40-60 mg
• Drip Brewed Decaf Coffee (8 oz) - 2-12 mg, although testing has shown that decaf coffee levels are sometimes much higher
• Instant Coffee (8 oz) - 27-173 mg (often around 65 to 90 mg)
• Instant Decaf Coffee (8 oz) - 2-12 mg
• Dunkin' Donuts Coffee (16 oz) - 143-206 mg
• Einstein Bros. Coffee (16 oz) - 206 mg
• Percolated Coffee (5 fl oz) - 80-135 mg
• Starbucks Clover Brewed Coffee (Short) - 180 mg
• Starbucks Clover Brewed Coffee (Tall) - 260 mg
• Starbucks Clover Brewed Coffee (Grande) - 330 mg
• Starbucks Clover Brewed Coffee (Venti) - 415 mg
• Starbucks Decaf Pike’s Place Roast (Short) - 15 mg
• Starbucks Decaf Pike’s Place Roast (Tall) - 20 mg
• Starbucks Decaf Pike’s Place Roast (Grande) - 25 mg
• Starbucks Decaf Pike’s Place Roast (Venti) - 30 mg
• Starbucks Iced Coffee (Tall) - 120 mg
• Starbucks Iced Coffee (Grande) - 165 mg
• Starbucks Iced Coffee (Venti Iced) - 235 mg
• Starbucks Iced Coffee (Trenta Iced) - 285 mg
• Starbucks Iced Coffee with Milk (Tall) - 90 mg
• Starbucks Iced Coffee with Milk (Grande) - 125 mg
• Starbucks Iced Coffee with Milk (Venti Iced) - 170 mg
• Starbucks Iced Coffee with Milk (Trenta Iced) - 195 mg
• Starbucks Pike’s Place Roast (Short) - 180 mg
• Starbucks Pike’s Place Roast (Tall) - 260 mg
• Starbucks Pike’s Place Roast (Grande) - 330 mg
• Starbucks Pike’s Place Roast (Venti) - 415 mg

The caffeine levels of Starbucks' Bold Pick of the Day Coffee vary, but they are generally 180 mg of caffeine in a Short, 260 mg of caffeine in a Tall, 330 mg of caffeine in a Grande and 415 mg of caffeine in a Venti. For more information on coffee drinks from Starbucks, see this listing of caffeine levels in Starbucks drinks.

For more information on why different coffee drinks have different amounts of caffeine, read this article on factors influencing caffeine levels in coffee.

If you're interested in cutting down on caffeine from coffee, check out this guide to caffeine reduction and this video lesson on reducing caffeine in coffee.

Caffeine in Espresso

Espresso is a type of concentrated coffee drink made by extracting the essence of roasted coffee beans with heat and pressure. Espresso drinks like lattes and cappuccinos contain varying levels of caffeine. Here are some estimated levels of caffeine in various espresso drinks:

• Espresso, Single Shot - 29-100 mg (often around 75 mg)
• Espresso, Double Shot (Doppio) - 58-185 mg (often around 150 mg)
• Decaf Espresso, Single Shot - about 8 mg
• Decaf Espresso, Double Shot (Doppio) - about 16 mg
• Most Starbucks espresso drinks (no chocolate or coffee added -- for more information, see Starbucks Caffeine Contents) - 75 mg (Short or Tall) or 150 mg (Grande or Venti)
• Nespresso Espresso Capsules - 55-65 mg
• Nespresso Lungo Capsules - 77-89 mg