Not as well known as their larger, more established siblings in the coffee family (e.g., latte, cappuccino), both the Americano and macchiato are served in small glasses and drunk in a few slurps.
But despite the similarities, these two small coffees have a few differences that make it difficult to distinguish between them.
Key takeaways
- Verdict: Water versus milk is what separates these two: an Americano is one espresso shot extended with about 2 oz of hot water, while a macchiato is a double espresso marked with roughly 1 oz of steamed milk. The macchiato is stronger, creamier, and carries twice the caffeine.
- Caffeine: An Americano has 68 mg of caffeine from one shot, while a macchiato has 136 mg from two. The extra caffeine comes from the second espresso shot, not from the milk.
- Calories: An Americano has virtually no calories. A macchiato lands between 5 and 18 calories depending on the milk, from about 5 with almond up to 18 with whole milk. Add a sweetener and both numbers rise.
- Watch out: If you order a macchiato expecting something light, most cafés build it with a double shot, so it carries twice the caffeine of a single-shot Americano.
- Best for: Start the morning with an Americano for a clean, milder cup. Switch to a macchiato when you want concentrated espresso with a touch of creaminess, and it works well after dinner with decaf.
Now that you know the main difference between an Americano vs. macchiato, let's get into detail about what makes these coffees unique and which of the two suits you better.
Americano vs. macchiato, how do they differ?
Before getting into each difference in detail, you can have a look below at what makes these drinks unique and different from each other:
You can have a detailed look at the table below for each difference between these small drinks:
| Comparison: | Americano: | Macchiato: |
| Coffee? | Yes, one espresso shot | Yes, two espresso shots |
| Milk? | No milk added | Yes, 1 ounce (30 ml) |
| Water added? | Yes, 2 ounces (60 ml) | No water added |
| Flavor notes | A slightly bitter and robust taste | A slightly creamy but intense flavor |
| Caffeine content | 68mg of caffeine | 136mg of caffeine |
| How many calories? | Virtually no calories | Between 5 and 18 calories |
Now that you have a good idea about what makes these coffees different from one another, let's get into each difference in-depth.
After reading through this article, you'll have all the information to decide which coffee might suit you better!
What is an Americano, and how do you make it?
An Americano is a coffee drink made by adding hot water to espresso, giving a similar strength but less bitterness than a straight shot of espresso.
To make an Americano, start by making espresso. You can do this with a stovetop espresso maker or with an electric espresso machine.
I found that an AeroPress can also make great-tasting espresso-like coffee, which works well in this recipe.
Then, add hot water to the espresso until it reaches the desired strength (usually, a 1:2 coffee-to-water ratio is used). Finally, add some sugar to taste.
Do you want to make this drink at home? You can check out how to make a blonde Americano here, or you can make one with milk added; you can learn more about it here.
What is a macchiato, and how is it made?
A macchiato is an espresso coffee with a small amount (usually about 1 ounce) of steamed milk added, which creates a light milk foam.
To make a macchiato, the espresso coffee is poured into the glass, and then the milk is added.
The milk can be frothed or not, according to preference. The resulting drink should be a brownish color with a thin layer of white foam on top.
It's okay if the milk mixes with the espresso coffee below. The macchiato is known for its "stained" look.
If you'd like to learn more about the macchiato and how you can easily make one at home, you can check out this guide.
Is a macchiato stronger than an Americano?
A macchiato is stronger than an Americano because it has more espresso. An Americano is just an espresso diluted with hot water, while a macchiato is made with a double espresso shot with a dollop of milk foam.
So, in general, a macchiato will be stronger than an Americano because there is more espresso in it.
However, there are variations from café to café, so you may find that some places make Americanos with more espresso than macchiatos.
How many calories are in an Americano and macchiato?
There are many ways to make an Americano and macchiato at home, but when comparing the most basic version of these coffees, there's a big difference in calories:
- An Americano has virtually no calories because it is made up of only espresso and water.
- On the other hand, a macchiato has a small number of calories because it contains milk, so it has about 5 to 18 calories.
The number of calories in the macchiato can change depending on the milk that you'd like to use.
In the table below, you can see how many calories there are in your macchiato, depending on the milk that is used:
| The milk used: | The number of calories: |
| Whole milk | 18 calories |
| 2% fat milk | 15 calories |
| Non-fat milk | 13 calories |
| Oat milk | 15 calories |
| Soy milk | 12 calories |
| Almond milk | 5 calories |
As you can see, there's quite a difference in calories depending on the milk that you like to use.
The number of calories in both drinks can be higher if you like to add a sweetener to them.
Coffee syrups are most often used in coffee, especially when ordering your coffee at your local coffee bar.
If you'd like to check out some homemade coffee syrups, you can find them here.
Americano vs. macchiato, what is the caffeine difference?
An Americano has 68mg of caffeine, while a macchiato has 136mg of caffeine. This is because a macchiato uses an additional shot of espresso. (source)
If you want to make a stronger-tasting Americano at home, you can consider adding an extra espresso shot to it.
This will also increase the caffeine content in your drink, making it have the exact amount of caffeine that the macchiato has.
The caffeine content can differ from coffee bean to coffee bean.
Did you know that a blonde roast espresso has more caffeine than an espresso made with dark-roasted coffee beans?
Which is better, an Americano or macchiato?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question - it all depends on what you like.
An Americano is made with espresso and hot water, while a macchiato is made with espresso, steamed milk, and foam.
- So, if you prefer a stronger coffee flavor, then an Americano is the better choice.
- But if you prefer a creamier and richer coffee flavor, then a macchiato is the better choice.
Most of the time, the Americano is easier to make and tastes more like regular coffee to most people, but with a different flavor profile because it uses espresso coffee as the basis.
Personally, I like to make an Americano in the morning, and I switch to drinking a macchiato later in the day.
I find that the macchiato tastes especially good after dinner, where I most often make it with decaf coffee.
Decaf doesn't taste that much different from regular coffee beans, and with the added milk foam topping that the macchiato has, it's a real treat.
Related coffee comparison articles
Are you wondering how the Americano and macchiato compare to other coffees?
Great! Check out the articles below for more in-depth coffee comparisons:
- Americano vs. Coffee
- Americano vs. Espresso
- Americano vs. Latte
- Macchiato vs. Cappuccino vs. Latte
- Macchiato vs. Mochaccino
And to compare more coffees, visit the coffee comparison hub!
Conclusion
These two espresso drinks are similar, but they taste different. The macchiato is made with a little bit of foam on top, while the Americano has no foam at all because it's simply espresso combined with hot water.
I hope you enjoyed this article on the differences between these espresso-based drinks. I like both drinks equally as much, and I hope you've found a new favorite coffee drink.
If you'd like to check out some delicious coffee recipes, you can have a look below!
