20 Questions You Should Ask About Nespresso Machine Before You Buy Nespresso Machine
Nespresso Coffee Machines
Buy Nespresso Machine coffee makers are compact and small and are not as bulky as drip coffee machines. They're black in color and can vary in terms of price and complexity. Some have a milk frother to make Latte art and can be linked to an app that allows you to manage recipes or get notifications on descaling.
The most basic machines, such as our pick, the Essenza Mini, are simple and affordable but forgo features that make more complicated drinks. Other machines can also make larger drinks, such as Gran lungos.
What is an Nespresso Machine?
Since 1986, Nespresso has marketed single-serve machines that utilize capsules to make espresso and coffee drinks. The brand has a huge number of loyal customers thanks to the speed, ease and consistency their machines brew up a hot, espresso-like beverage. These machines are an excellent alternative to making espresso at home using a moka pot, which both require time and care after each use.
A Nespresso machine uses the pressure system to extract the flavor of a pod. It then heats water and makes froths of the milk to make coffee drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos. Nespresso provides a range of blends and coffees that can be adapted to your mood and taste, including decaffeinated and flavored options. Their machines are sleek and compact, making them easy to use and make Nespresso a fantastic option for those who want to grab a quick cup of coffee or tea in the afternoon.
The Vertuo line replaced the original Nespresso machines in 2014, which utilized the Original capsules to brew espresso shots. The Essenza Mini is the smallest model in the line. It is small and comes with a tiny water tank and room for used capsules. Its user-friendly operation that has only two buttons - one for an espresso and another for a lungo - makes it simple to master.
Contrary to Keurig machines that require you to manually add water before every use, all nespresso pop machine models automatically dispose of the capsules that are used after making. The machines can hold anywhere from four up to twelve used pods depending on the size of their water reservoirs and capsule storage. They are then disposed of into a built in receptacle every time you open the machine.
Some of the more well-known models also support the mobile app of the brand that lets you modify recipes and buy nespresso Machine order capsules from home. This feature was tested on the sleek stainless steel Vertuo Creatista. It also allows you to make hot coffee as well as iced tea with a separate room for frothing. The only issue with the machine we test is that it does not support all types of milk. You'll need to purchase a separate frothing machine if you wish to make drinks with whole almond, 2% or 2% milk.
The Original Line
The Original line of pod-only machines includes the elegant Citiz and the Essenza Mini. Both models are pierced by the capsule, then pump hot water at high pressure, and then deliver an espresso or lungo. The Original machines use a higher pressure of 19 bars than the Vertuo models, which have pumps of 15 to 18 bars.
The Original machines produce crema (a thin layer of tiny microbubbles on the top of the espresso) that is thicker and more affluent than the foam in the Vertuo line. The crema is more than just froth. As the Spruce says, it could make up as much as 25 percent of an espresso's flavor. The Original line is more expensive and comes with Creatista or Lattissima espresso machines with built-in milk frothers to create lattes and cappuccinos with the press of the button.
The Lattissima Line
This line is perfect for those who want a machine that can make cappuccinos lattes, and other milky coffee drinks. It comes with three different recipes and its 4.2 1 ounce milk container can be removed and washed in the dishwasher. It's also light, which makes it easy to transport and store in a tight space. However, some users complain that it's not as easy to use as other Nespresso models.
The jug's drink-specific lines are etched into it, so you can pre-select which beverage you'd like to prepare before the machine heats up. It also has a sensor that automatically stops steaming when the jug is empty and prevents the waste 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. The machine is easy-to-clean and has a minimalistic design that won't overwhelm smaller spaces. The machine is also reasonably priced, with a retail cost of $385/PS279
Similar to the OriginalLine models, it has an automatic drip tray that captures any loose grounds while you pour your espresso. It's a great feature to reduce the mess, and helps prevent overflow that can alter 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 water before needing to refill. The two models also have a faster heat-up time (as little as 15 seconds for an espresso and 25 seconds for a lungo) and also have an improved hot water function for making tea or iced coffee.
The only real disadvantage of the Lattissima line is the difficulty in altering the consistency of your milk foam. The machine is only compatible with skim milk (sorry vegans and those who are lactose intolerant) and the foaming mechanism doesn't work well with vegetable or almond milks. The frothing wand is also difficult to clean. This is a typical complaint from nespresso commercial machine users. Fortunately, the Lattissima Pro and Gran Lattissima come with a self-cleaning system that cleans the milky innards after every use of the frother.
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, intense drink. Each capsule is equipped with a barcode along the outside of its rim, which is read by the machine's software to determine the size of drink it should create. Nespresso's Vertuo pods are extracted using a unique technology.
Vertuo Line has a variety of drinks, including Ristretto, Espresso, Lungo (mini espresso), Americano, and Cappuccino. The machines can be combined with the Nespresso Aeroccino Milk Frother to make frothy cappuccinos and lattes.
Each Vertuo Line coffee machine heats quickly and is ready to brew in less than 30 seconds. They use smaller water tanks than the Original Line machines and require less maintenance. There are a myriad of models to choose from, so you can choose one that suits your home's style as well as your budget.
Vertuo Line machines can also make regular filter coffee, unlike the Original Line machines that only can brew Nespresso. They do this via a separate spout at the bottom of the machine.
VertuoLine machines have a brand new system of brewing that softly extracts espresso and coffee by using the patented centrifusion technology. This allows the creation of natural crema, which preserves and enhances coffee aromas. The VertuoLine System also comes with an intelligent recognition feature that adapts the extraction parameters to each Grand Cru blend.
Each VertuoLine machine comes with a manufacturer's warranty and a starter pack of Nespresso capsules. The company also offers a subscription service which delivers new Nespresso caps each month.
There are a variety of VertuoLine machines to choose from however, the Nespresso VertuoPlus is our pick for best overall machine. It is simple to use, heats up quickly and comes in a variety of colors. It can produce five different sizes of coffee and espresso including a ristretto espresso, lungo and flat white. It also makes a latte-macchiato, and it can be used in conjunction with the Aeroccino Milk Frother to make cappuccino or lattes.
The VertuoPlus' only downside is that it takes longer to brew compared to other machines, particularly when making an Americano. Comparing the Bunn Fastbrew to the Nespresso VertuoPlus, which can make an 8-ounce Americano in just 42 seconds, it took 1 minute, 51 seconds. You can accelerate the process if you select an automatic mode.
