Caffe Misto vs. Latte: the Two Milk-Based Coffee Drinks Battle

This article explains the main differences between Caffe Misto and Latte in terms of brewing procedures, caffeine content, taste, and flavor.
By
Samanta Fryer
Samanta Fryer
Writer
Samanta Fryer is our senior editor and content writer, at CoffeeVibe. Apart from writing and reading, she’s fond of the coffee brewing process and enjoys tasting new coffe read more
reviewed
Reviewed By
Ryan Hendricks
Ryan Hendricks
Expert
Ryan Hendricks is our tester, who puts products through their paces. He used to be a barista and is now a full-time coffee enthusiast. He’s always testing out new gadgets, read more
Last updated: August 27, 2023
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Several people love to start their day by taking a cup of coffee. Coffee is a popular beverage that helps boost one’s energy to make it through the day. Although caffeine is a well-known substance that could interfere with sleep, moderate intake of coffee has some positive health benefits. 

Coffee can help reduce the risk of contracting lifestyle diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and liver cancer. According to this study Trusted Source Coffee Drinking Is Widespread in the United States, but Usual Intake Varies by Key Demographic and Lifestyle Factors | NCBI Coffee is widely consumed in the United States, with usual intakes varying by lifestyle and demographic factors, most notably by age. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov , 64% of American adults consume coffee every day. This article explains the main differences between Caffe Misto vs. Latte since they are the most popular beverages drunk in the United States. 

What is Caffe Misto?

Caffe Misto vs. Latte: the Two Milk-Based Coffee Drinks Battle
Caffe Misto is a coffee drink that is made with espresso and steamed milk, originated in Italy.

Misto is an Italian word that means Mixed. Caffe Misto is a popular beverage made from equal parts of steamed milk to brewed coffee, meaning mixing milk and coffee. Different coffees have different mixing ratios. At Starbucks, the ordinary mixture contains 5% milk, but clients can customize it to a non-fat beverage containing 1% milk or other milk alternatives such as almonds and soy.

Caffe Misto is made using a few different brewing techniques. The pour-over creates a mellow tasting and balanced coffee beverage due to the filter used. The other popular method is the French press technique which offers a robust-tasting and full-bodied Caffe Misto. It is easy to make Caffe Misto at home since it does not require equipment. 

However, you can purchase the Capresso Froth Select Automatic Milk Frother machine to make a sweeter tasting Caffe Misto. The device contains two frothing disks and one milk warming disk that produces perfectly frothed milk automatically. It comes with an auto shut-off with four settings: hot froth, hot milk, cold froth, and a unique hot chocolate setting. In addition, it is easy to clean and has illuminated controls making it easy to use. 

What is Latte?

Latte Trusted Source Like coffee a latte? | The NAU Review The iced coffees got us through the hot months and now, as the season starts to change, we turn to hot coffee to warm up. news.nau.edu is an exceptional blended coffee containing espresso as the basis together with steamed milk and topped with a thick layer of foamed milk. These layers of milk provide it with a unique taste and texture. Unlike the Caffe Misto, one requires special equipment such as the milk frother to make Latte because you will need to froth and steam the milk and brew the espresso.

The Illy Y5 Milk machine is one of the best machines to create a delicious Latte. It has the best design consisting of a 30oz water tank and a 16.9oz removable milk frother with 6 beverage options, including cappuccino, Latte, coffee, espresso, and hot milk. 

Caffe Misto vs. Latte: What’s Better for You?

Choosing between Latte vs. Misto can be challenging, and some people regard them as the same. 

The challenge comes because both coffee types contain milk and coffee. But it is essential to take note that the two beverages are different in taste and texture.

 

Below are some of the facts that can help you differentiate what is a Caffe Misto and a Latte.

Coffee Making Method

One of the main differences between Caffe Misto vs. Latte is the brewing technique. Latte is made using espresso as the base, while Caffe Misto adopts either drip brewed or French pressed. Espresso facilitates crema production, which is the foundational component of latte art. Using espresso is one of the main reasons Latte costs more than the Caffe Misto, even though they look similar.

Milk Ratio

Caffe Misto vs. Latte: the Two Milk-Based Coffee Drinks Battle
Caffe Misto vs. Latte milk and coffee ratio.

Both beverages contain milk and coffee. However, the significant difference comes with the mixing ratio. Traditionally, Caffe Misto was made using a 1:1 coffee to milk ratio, and it is the main reason it is made with a stronger and darker roast coffee. The ratio significantly waters down the coffee creating a strong drink. The French press is the best technique when making it at home. It produces a thicker and heavier that balances well with warm milk than cold milk, making it sweeter. 

On the other hand, Latte uses a 1:2 espresso to milk ratio, but different coffee shops use different ratios depending on their formula. Best latte machines provide the perfect coffee and milk ratio for most restaurants. The main idea behind Latte is that the milk should be more than the espresso. When Using a 1:1 ratio when making a Latte creates a different coffee beverage known as a cortado.

Caffeine Content

Caffe Misto contains more caffeine content than the Latte. Even though espresso is a stronger choice, the black filter coffee is stronger because of its milligrams. It is challenging to drink more than one shot of espresso in a single sitting, but it is easier to take a large cup of black coffee. This explanation makes Caffe Misto a stronger choice because of the 1:1 ratio, which gives you more coffee in a single cup, making it stronger.

Taste and Flavor

Caffe Misto vs. Latte: the Two Milk-Based Coffee Drinks Battle
You can think that Latte tastes better than Caffe Misto because it has more creaminess to it.

As a frequent coffee drinker, it may not be easy to notice the difference in taste and flavor between the two beverages. The Caffe Misto and the Latte almost have a similar taste and flavor. However, more coffee results in increased coffee flavor in the cup, which means there is more water in one cup due to the 1:1 ratio of water to milk. 

It makes Caffe Misto lighter with a stronger coffee flavor and tastier than the Latte. Caffe Misto is rarely sweetened, but you can opt for flavored syrup such as caramel or vanilla, which pairs well with the coffee.  

Calories

There is a significant difference between Latte and Caffe Misto calories. Below is a table containing the difference in calories between the two beverages.

Caffe Misto Latte
Serving size 16 fluid ounces 16  fluid ounces
Calories  110 190
Cholesterol 15mg 30mg
Caffeine content 150mg 150mg

 

From the table above, it is clear that Latte contains more calories than Caffe Misto. The huge difference results from the amount of milk used to brew the coffee. However, depending on the type of milk used, you can lower or raise the number of calories, but it will still be higher than the Caffe Misto.

Main Differences Between Caffe Misto and Latte

Below is a table showing the key differences between these two milk-based coffees.

Caffe Misto Latte
Brewed using filter coffee  Brewed using espresso
Uses a 1:1 coffee to milk ratio Uses 1:2 coffee milk ratio
Contains more caffeine in one serving due to the half milk – half coffee mixture Contains less caffeine in one serving due to the quarter coffee and three quarters milk
Specifically served with steamed or frothed milk Served with any milk that may not be necessarily steamed
Contains fewer calories in one serving since it uses less milk Contains more calories in one serving because of the amount of milk used per serving

How to Make a Caffe Misto

Due to its simplicity, you can make Caffe Misto at home, and you will only need to identify how to froth the milk. If you don’t have an electric whisk, you can use the French press, drip coffee, or pour it over in the process. The two main ingredients when making Caffe Misto include:

  • Coffee beans
  • Milk

As you brew the coffee, steam the milk. You can boil using a cooker or stove while stirring it with a whisk to produce the textured milk. It does not necessarily have to boil but ensure warm enough to add to your coffee. The best way is to use a saucepan while heating since it helps avoid the milk from simmering. When the milk simmers, it loses its taste and cannot be reversed.

When using the French pressing technique, you can froth the milk by half filling the French press then plunging back and forth for at least thirty seconds until it becomes foam. This process doubles the amount, and that’s why you only need half of it. You can also use a hand whisk to help you froth the milk. Alternatively, you can purchase one of the nine best milk frothing pitchers to help steam and froth milk save you time.

Fill your cup halfway using the brewed coffee. On top of that, add the warm frothy milk to fill the cup. To improve the taste, you can add some sweetener to the coffee before adding the milk since it is easier to stir. 

Final Thoughts

Some people are unaware of the main differences between the Latte and Caffe Misto. These two types of beverages have the same appearance, and frequent coffee drinkers may not notice the change between the two types of coffee. However, reading this article can help identify the Caffe Misto vs Latte differences.

You can try making the Caffe Misto at home since it does not involve any complex process or machinery. People who prefer a creamier and smoother beverage can opt for Latte. 

Enjoy your coffee!

References

1.
Coffee Drinking Is Widespread in the United States, but Usual Intake Varies by Key Demographic and Lifestyle Factors | NCBI
Coffee is widely consumed in the United States, with usual intakes varying by lifestyle and demographic factors, most notably by age.
2.
Like coffee a latte? | The NAU Review
The iced coffees got us through the hot months and now, as the season starts to change, we turn to hot coffee to warm up.

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