Nespresso Coffee Machines
Nespresso coffee makers are compact and small unlike drip coffee machines. They are black in color and can vary in terms of price and complexity. Some include a milk frother to create latte art. They can also be linked to the company's app to manage recipes and receive descaling alerts.
The most basic machines, like our favorite the Essenza Mini, are simple and affordable, but they leave out features that can make more complex drinks. coffeee can make larger drinks, such as the gran lungos.
What is an Nespresso machine?
Since 1986, Nespresso sells single-serve machines which make use of capsules to brew espresso and coffee drinks. The brand has a loyal following because of its ease, speed and consistency in making hot espresso drinks. These machines are a great alternative to making espresso at home using a drip coffee maker or moka pot. Both require time and care after each use.
A Nespresso machine makes use of pressure to extract the flavor of the pod, then it heats water and froths milk to make coffee drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos. Nespresso has a wide variety of coffee and tea blends to fit different tastes and moods as well as decaffeinated and flavored choices. Their machines are small elegant, stylish and easy to use, making them the ideal choice for those who need an instant cup of coffee in the morning or an afternoon pick-me-up.
The Vertuo line replaced the Nespresso original machines in 2014, which utilized the Original capsules to make espresso shots. The Essenza Mini is the smallest model of this line. It is compact, with a small water tank, and room for capsules that are used. Its easy-to-use operation with only two buttons one for espresso, and the other for lungo is easy to master.
Unlike Keurig machines, which require you to manually add water prior to every use, all Nespresso models automatically discard any used capsule after making. Based on the size of the water reservoir and the capsule storage, these can hold between four and 12 used pods, which are discarded into the built-in receptacle every time you open the machine.
Some of the most popular models are also compatible with the mobile app of the brand, which allows you to make your own 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 coffee using the frothing chamber that is built-in to the. The only downside of the machine we tested is that it does not support all milk types. You'll need purchase a separate frothing machine for making drinks using whole, 2% or almond milk.
The Original Line Original Line
The Original line of pod-only machines include the stylish Citiz and Essenza Mini. Both machines penetrate the capsule and pump hot water at high pressure through it, delivering an espresso or a lungo. The Original machines use higher pressure of 19 bars than the Vertuo models, which use pumps of 15 to 18 bars.
The Vertuo machines create an espresso that is more rich and thicker than the crema produced by the Original machines. The crema is more than just froth. However, as the Spruce notes, it can account for up to 25% of espresso's taste. The Original line also offers pricier Creatista and Lattissima models that have built-in milk frothers to make lattes, cappuccinos and macchiatos at the touch of an button.
The Lattissima Line
This line of machines is perfect for those who enjoy milky coffee drinks like cappuccinos and lattes and need a machine that can do everything. It comes with three recipes that can be customized and its 4.2 cup milk container can be taken out and washed in the dishwasher. It's also light, making it easy to move and store in a tight space. Some users have complained that it's not as intuitive as other Nespresso machines.
Its jug has drink-specific lines that are etched into it, which means you can choose the beverage you'd like to prepare before the machine heats up. It comes with a sensor that will stop the steaming automatically when it runs out of milk.
The Lattissima One offers a great value for money. It's available in four colors including porcelain white, dark gray, and silky-white. It's easy to clean and has a minimalistic aesthetic that won't overwhelm smaller rooms. It's also reasonably priced, with a retail price of $385/PS279.
Like the OriginalLine models, it comes with an automatic drip tray that captures any loose grounds while you pour your espresso. It's a nice feature to reduce mess, and also helps prevent overflow which could affect the taste of your beverage.
The Pro and Gran Lattissima both have a larger water tank than the Lattissima One, allowing them to hold more liquid prior to needing to refill. Both models come with an earlier time to heat up (15 seconds for an Espresso and 25 seconds for Lungo) and hot water functions that can be used to make tea or iced espresso.
The only drawback to the Lattissima line is the difficulty of adjusting the consistency of the milk foam. The machine only works 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 frequent complaint from Nespresso users. The Lattissima Pro or Gran Lattissima comes with a self-cleaning feature that scrubs the milky insides of the frothing wand after each use.
The Vertuo Line
A Nespresso Vertuo machine makes a small cup of coffee that's ideal for those who love espresso and prefer a short strong drink. Each capsule has a barcode along its rim that can be read by the machine's system to determine what size beverage it should make. Nespresso uses a unique extraction technology to ensure that you get the most flavor from each Vertuo pod.
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 make frothy cappuccinos and lattes.
Each Vertuo Line machine heats up quickly and can be brewed within 30 minutes. They have smaller water tanks than the Original Line machines and require less maintenance. There are many models available, so you can choose one that fits your home's design and budget.
Vertuo Line machines can also brew regular filter coffee, unlike the Original Line machines that only can brew Nespresso. They do this via an additional spout that is located at the bottom of the machine.
VertuoLine machines are equipped with a new brewing technology that makes use of centrifusion to gently extract coffee and espresso. This allows the creation of natural crema that protects and enhances the coffee's aroma. The VertuoLine System also has an intelligent recognition feature that adapts the extraction parameters to match each Grand Cru blend.
Each VertuoLine machine is backed by a manufacturer's warranty. It also comes with a starter pack of 10 free Nespresso capsules. The company also offers a subscription service that delivers fresh new Nespresso capsules every month.
There are a variety of VertuoLine machines to pick from but the Nespresso VertuoPlus is our choice for best overall machine. It is easy to use, heats up quickly and comes in a variety of colors. It can make five different sizes of coffee and espresso, including flat white, ristretto and lungo. It also makes a latte-macchiato, and it can be used with the Aeroccino Milk Frother to create lattes or cappuccino.
The VertuoPlus has one drawback, which is that it takes longer to brew compared to other machines, especially when making an Americano. For instance, when compared to the Bunn Fastbrew, which made an 8-ounce Americano in just 42 seconds, the Nespresso VertuoPlus took 1 minute and 51 seconds. It is possible to speed up the process by choosing an automatic mode.