Nespresso Coffee Machines
Contrary to drip coffee makers Nespresso models are small and compact. They're black in color and vary in price and sophistication. Some come with a milk frother for latte art, and can be linked to the company's app to manage recipes and receive alerts about descaling.
The Essenza Mini is a simple machine that is reasonably priced however it lacks the features required to make complex drinks. Other machines can also make larger sizes of drinks, like the gran lungos.
What is a Nespresso machine?
Since 1986, Nespresso has marketed single-serve machines that use capsules to make coffee drinks and espresso. The brand has gained a devoted following due to its ease of use, speed and consistency in making a hot espresso-like beverage. These machines are a great alternative to making espresso at home with a moka pot. Both require time and care after each use.
A Nespresso machine makes use of pressure to extract the flavor of a pod, then heats water and froths milk to make coffee drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos. Nespresso offers a wide selection of coffee and tea blends to suit different moods and tastes as well as decaffeinated and flavored choices. The machines are compact, stylish, and easy to use which makes them the perfect choice for those who need an instant cup of coffee in the morning or a mid-day pick-me-up.
The Vertuo line replaced the Nespresso original machines in 2014, using the Original capsules to make espresso shots. The smallest model in this line is the Essenza Mini, which is extremely compact, with a small water tank and a space for used capsules. Its easy-to-use operation with only two buttons - one for an espresso and another for lungo is easy to master.
All Nespresso machines automatically dispose of capsules that are used after brewing. This is in contrast to Keurig machines that require you to manually add water each time. Depending on the size of the water reservoir and the capsule storage, these can hold anywhere from four to 12 pods that are used up, and are discarded into the built-in receptacle every time you open the machine.
Some of the more well-known models are also compatible with the app for mobile, which allows you to customize recipes and reorder capsules from your home. We tested this feature on the sleek, stainless steel Vertuo Creatista, which also offers the option to make hot chocolate and iced drinks using an ice-making chamber that is specifically designed for frothing. The only drawback of the machine we tested is that it doesn't support all types of milk. You'll need purchase a separate frothing device in order to make drinks with whole, 2% or almond milk.
The Original Line
The Original line of pod machines comprises the sleek Citiz Mini and Essenza Mini. Both machines penetrate the capsule and then pump hot water at a high pressure through it to deliver an espresso or a lungo. The Original machines use 19 bars of pressure, which is more than the 15-18 bar pumps that are found in the more expensive Vertuo models.
The Original machines produce a crema (a thin layer of tiny microbubbles layered on top of the espresso), which is thicker and richer than the foam found in the Vertuo line. The crema is more than just frost. As the Spruce says, it could make up up to 25% of an espresso's flavor. The Original line also has more expensive Creatista and Lattissima machines, which include built-in milk frothers that can create cappuccinos, lattes, and macchiatos with the touch of the button.
The Lattissima Line
This line of machines is perfect for those who enjoy milky coffee drinks, such as lattes and cappuccinos, and want a machine that does it all. It comes with three user-friendly recipes and its 4.2-ounce milk container is reusable and dishwasher-safe. It's also light, making it easy to transport and store in a compact space. Some users have complained that it is not as intuitive as other Nespresso machines.
Its jug has drink-specific lines in it, so you can pre-select which beverage you'd like to make as the machine heats up. It also comes with a sensor that automatically stops steaming when the jug has run out, preventing the waste of milk.
white nespresso machine offers a great value for money. It's available in four different colors that include porcelain white, dark gray and silky-white. It's easy to clean and has a minimalistic design that doesn't take up too much space in smaller spaces. It's also fairly affordable and has a price of $385/PS279.
It comes with an automatic drip tray just like the OriginalLine models. This tray catches any loose ground while you pour espresso. This feature is fantastic to prevent spills and overflow, which could spoil the flavor of your espresso.
The Pro and Gran Lattissima have larger water tanks than the Lattissima One. This allows them to hold more water without having refill. These two models also have a speedier heating process (as as short as 15 seconds for an espresso and 25 seconds for a lungo) and feature an upgraded hot water function for making tea or iced coffee.
The only downside to the Lattissima is the difficulty in adjusting the consistency and density of your milk foam. The machine is only compatible with skim or almond milk. Sorry Vegans and those who are intolerant to dairy. The wand for frothing is difficult to clean. This is a common complaint from Nespresso users. The Lattissima Pro or Gran Lattissima comes with a self-cleaning feature that cleans out the milky insides of the frother after every use.
The Vertuo Line
The Nespresso Vertuo makes a small and concentrated cup of coffee. It's perfect for espresso lovers. The machine reads the barcode that is located on the outer rim of each capsule to determine the amount of coffee it should make. Nespresso's Vertuo capsules are extracted using an exclusive technology.
The Vertuo Line offers a wide selection of different drinks including Ristretto (mini espresso), Espresso, Lungo, Americano and Cappuccino. The machines can also be used in conjunction with the Nespresso Aeroccino Milk Frother to create frothy cappuccinos and lattes.
Each Vertuo Line machine heats up quickly and can be brewed in about 30 minutes. They have a smaller reservoir for water than the Original Line and require less maintenance. There are many models available, so you can choose one that is compatible with your style as well as your budget.
In contrast to the Original Line machines, which only make Nespresso capsules however, the Vertuo Line also brews regular, filter-brewed coffee. This is done via an additional spout that is that is located at the bottom of the machine.
VertuoLine machines feature a new system of brewing that gently extracts coffee and espresso using the unique centrifusion technology. This allows for the production of natural crema that protects and enhances coffee aromas. The VertuoLine system also has an intelligent recognition system that adjusts extraction parameters to suit each Grand Cru blend.
Each VertuoLine machine comes with a manufacturer's assurance and a starter pack of Nespresso capsules. The company also offers an optional subscription service that provides new Nespresso capsules every month.
There are many VertuoLine machines to pick from however, the Nespresso VertuoPlus is our choice for the best overall machine. It is simple to use, warms up quickly and comes in a range of colors. It can make five different sizes of espresso and coffee including flat white, ristretto, and lungo. It also brews a latte macchiato and can be used with the Aeroccino milk frother to make a cappuccino or the latte.
The VertuoPlus' only downside is that it takes longer to brew when compared to other machines, especially when making an Americano. In comparison, for instance, to Bunn Fastbrew, which could brew an 8-ounce Americano in just 42 seconds The Nespresso VertuoPlus required 1 minute and 51 seconds. Luckily, you can speed up the process by selecting an automatic mode.