Nespresso Coffee Machines
Nespresso coffee makers are compact and small and are not as bulky as drip coffee machines. They're black in color and vary in price and complexity. Some come with a milk frother to create latte art. They can also be connected 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 to make more complex drinks. Other machines can make larger sizes of drinks, like Gran lungos.
What is an Nespresso machine?
Since 1986, Nespresso has marketed single-serve machines that make use of capsules to make espresso and coffee drinks. The brand has a loyal following due to its ease of use of use, speed and consistency when brewing a hot espresso-like drink. These machines are a great alternative to making espresso at home using a moka pot, which both require a lot of time and attention after each use.
A Nespresso machine makes use of a pressure system to extract the flavor of a pod. It then heats up water and froths the milk to create coffee drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. Nespresso offers a wide selection of coffee and blends that can be adapted to your preferences and mood as well as decaffeinated and flavor choices. The machines are compact, stylish, and easy to use, making them the ideal choice for those who want an instant cup of coffee in the morning or an afternoon refreshment.
Original Nespresso machines, that brew espresso-style shots from the company's Original capsules, were the only machines available until 2014 which was when the Vertuo line was introduced. The Essenza Mini is the smallest model in this line. It's compact, with a small water tank and room for capsules that are used. Its simple operation, with just two buttons, one for an espresso and the other for a lungo -- makes it easy to master.
Contrary to Keurig machines, which require you to manually add water prior to each use, all Nespresso models automatically dispose of any capsule that is not used after brewing. They can store anything from four to twelve pods used up, based on the size of their water reservoirs as well as capsule storage. They are then disposed of in an internal receptacle time you open the machine.
Many of the most well-known models are compatible with the mobile app developed by the company, which lets you customize recipes and reorder the capsules at home. This feature was tested on the sleek stainless steel Vertuo Creatista. It also allows you to make hot coffee and iced tea using a dedicated frothing room. The only issue with the machine we tried is that it does not support all milk types. You'll need to purchase a separate frothing machine for making drinks using whole or 2% almond milk.
The Original Line Original Line
The Original line of pod-only machines includes the elegant Citiz and the Essenza Mini. Both machines pierce the capsule and pump hot water at high pressure through it to deliver an espresso or a lungo. The original machines utilize an increased pressure of 19 bars than the Vertuo models, which have pumps that range from 15 to 18 bars.
The Original machines produce a crema (a thin layer of tiny microbubbles layered on the top of the espresso), which is thicker and richer than the foam found in the Vertuo line. The crema is more than just froth, though--as the Spruce says, it can make up 25% of espresso's flavor. The Original line also has more expensive 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 is perfect for those looking for a machine that can make cappuccinos, lattes and other milky coffee drinks. It comes with three user-friendly recipes, and its 4.2-ounce milk container is reusable and dishwasher-safe. It's also lightweight, making it easy to transport and store in a compact space. Some users claim that it's not as intuitive as other Nespresso machines.
The jug's lines for drinks are etched into it, so you can decide beforehand which drink you'd like to prepare before the machine heats up. It is equipped with a sensor that will stop the steaming automatically when it runs out of milk.
The Lattissima One is a good value for the money and is available in four colors including black with gray accents, dark gray, porcelain white, and silky white. It's easy to clean and has a minimalist design that doesn't take up too much space in smaller spaces. It is also reasonably priced, with a suggested retail cost of $385/PS279
Like the OriginalLine models, it has an automatic drip tray that collects any loose grounds as you pour your espresso. It's a nice feature to minimize the mess, and helps prevent overflow that can alter the taste of your coffee.
The Pro and Gran Lattissima both have a larger water tank than the Lattissima One, allowing them to hold more liquid before needing to refill. Both models come with faster heating times (15 seconds for an Espresso and 25 seconds for Lungo) and hot water functions that can be used to make iced coffee or tea.
The only real disadvantage of the Lattissima line is the difficulty of adjusting the consistency of the foam you make. The machine can only be used with skim milk (sorry vegans and those who are lactose intolerant) and the foaming mechanism doesn't work well with almond or vegetable milks. The wand for frothing is difficult to clean. This is a common complaint from Nespresso users. The Lattissima Pro or Gran Lattissima features a self-cleaning function that removes the milky insides of the frothing device after every use.
The Vertuo Line
The Nespresso Vertuo makes a small, concentrated cup of coffee. It's the perfect choice for espresso lovers. Each capsule is equipped with a barcode along its outer rim that is read by the machine's software to determine what size beverage it will create. Nespresso utilizes an innovative extraction process to ensure that you get the best flavor from each Vertuo pod.
The Vertuo Line offers a wide range 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 coffee machine heats quickly and is ready to brew in less than 30 seconds. They have a smaller water reservoir than the Original Line and require less maintenance. There are a variety of models to pick from, so you'll be able to find one that matches your style and budget.
Vertuo Line machines can also make regular filter coffee, unlike Original Line machines that only make Nespresso. This is done via a separate spout situated at the bottom of machine.
VertuoLine machines are equipped with a revolutionary brewing technique that makes use of centrifusion to softly extract espresso and coffee. This allows the creation of natural crema that protects and enhances coffee aromas. The VertuoLine System also comes with an intelligent recognition feature that can adjust the extraction parameters to each Grand Cru blend.
Each VertuoLine machine comes with a manufacturer's warranty and an initial pack of Nespresso capsules. The company also offers a subscription service that delivers fresh new Nespresso capsules each month.
The Nespresso VertuoPlus machine is the most efficient machine overall. nespresso coffee maker to operate, quick to heat up and comes in a variety of colors. It can make five different sizes of espresso and coffee, including a ristretto, espresso, lungo and flat white. It also brews a latte macchiato and can be used together with the Aeroccino milk mixer to create a cappuccino or Latte.
The VertuoPlus has one drawback, which is that it takes longer to brew compared to other machines, especially when making an Americano. Comparing the Bunn Fastbrew with the Nespresso VertuoPlus, which can make an 8-ounce Americano in just 42 seconds, it took 1 minute and 51 seconds. It is possible to accelerate the process by selecting an automatic mode.