10 Best Nespresso Machines [2022 GUIDE]

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Welcome to the best Nespresso machines review and buying guide to help make your purchase decisions easier.

Best Nespresso machine for the money:

Nespresso Essenza Mini Original Espresso Machine by De’Longhi

Appearance can be deceiving. This compact machine packs a punch in performance, making you excellent espressos from a wide selection of pods.

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Best Nespresso machine for beginners:

Nespresso Essenza Mini Original Espresso Machine by Breville

Price is a factor for beginners, but so is a reliable machine that does not frustrate. This Breville machine is easy to operate and compact yet performs admirably for the price.

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Best portable Nespresso machine for camping & travel:

Wacaco Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker

The perfect traveling companion for espresso lovers on the go. It is lightweight, makes excellent coffee, and has four refreshing colors to suit your personality.

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Best Nespresso machine for small spaces:

Nespresso Essenza Mini Original Espresso Machine by Breville

At 3.3 inches wide, this Nespresso machine is the narrowest on the list but without compromising built quality or performance. Portable and great for small kitchens.

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Best Nespresso machine for heavy use:

Nespresso Pixie by Breville

Dressed in black and metal, this little machine is simple yet practical. The machine’s operations and maintenance are relatively straightforward, with a central focus on making great coffee for you, cup after cup.

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Best Nespresso machine for Airbnb:

Nespresso Essenza Mini Original Espresso Machine by De’Longhi

The Essenza Mini Original is a reliable coffee machine that brews barista-style espressos at the touch of a button. With the lime green, red, and black color options, it is an excellent reasonably-priced investment for your short-stay accommodation.

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Best Nespresso machine for students:

Nespresso Pixie by Breville

It is reliably efficient and affordably priced for coffee lovers on a budget. The 24 oz water tank means you can make up to 10 cups of double espressos before refill.

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Best Nespresso machine for small business:

Nespresso Vertuo Evoluo Espresso Machine with Aeroccino Milk Frother

The extra-large 54 oz water tank and 17 used capsules container capacity ensure this machine is built for small offices and large families of coffee drinkers. Designed for Nespresso Vertuo capsules only.

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Best Nespresso machine with milk frother:

Nespresso Lattissima Pro Original Espresso Machine with Milk Frother by De’Longhi

An automatic Nespresso machine that lets you control every facet of the coffee-making and cleaning processes. The built-in milk frother and carafe ensure you get your coffee exactly the way you want it.

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Best high-end Nespresso machine:

Nespresso Creatista Plus Coffee and Espresso Machine by Breville

A coffee machine that gives you the ultimate control with 8 coffee settings, auto frothing, 8 texture levels, and 11 milk temperature settings. Its brushed stainless steel finish will match most modern home appliances and décors.

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Best looking Nespresso machine:

Nespresso Lattissima One Original Espresso Machine with Milk Frother by De’Longhi

Black or white, this coffee machine has the look and finish that beats the competition in the design department. However, its performance can improve given the price.

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Best Nespresso machine alternative:

Keurig K-Café Special Edition Single Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee, Latte, and Cappuccino Maker

This machine does not make espresso, but excellent lattes, cappuccinos, and hot chocolates are well within its capability. Its large capacity water reservoir, milk frother, and easy operation make it an able all-round performer for coffee lovers.

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If you are an espresso lover looking for an alternative to Nespresso machines, you may want to head to the best espresso machines review.

Before the push-button automatic coffee making – Nespresso experience – fans of quality espresso had to master the time-consuming art of grinding, tamping, and heating water to the perfect brew temperature.

Nespresso machines remove the human labor to give you barista-quality coffee in under a minute. Finally, you are in control of your coffee habit.

Nespresso is a brand name for a style of coffee machine that brews coffee under pressure to produce an intense barista-style experience.

Their most notable competitor in North America is Keurig and the K-cup instead of the pod.

THE 10 BEST NESPRESSO MACHINES REVIEW

#1 Nespresso Essenza Mini Original Espresso Machine by De’Longhi

Delonghi’s version of the Nespresso Essenza mini original is portable and compact and will not occupy much space in your kitchen or office.

It is ideal for the coffee lover who wants a short or tall coffee to go in the morning or for the office worker who prefers high-quality coffee to fuel their day.

What you get with this Nespresso machine:

One-touch operation and extraction system.
19 Bars of pressure giving the barista experience at the touch of a button.
Single serving.
Energy-efficient – reaches serving temperature in under 30 seconds.
Energy-saving – low energy mode after 3 minutes and switches off automatically after 9 minutes.
Adjustable cup size with two options: 1.35oz (Espresso) and 5oz (Lungo).
20.3 oz water tank capacity.
Will contain 5 to 6 used capsules.
Includes starter kit of 16 Nespresso capsules as an introduction to the flavors available.

Style features:

Racing red.
Curvy design with rounded edges.
Small footprint. Dimensions: W4.3 x H12.8 x D8.1 inches.
Portable and compact.

Drawbacks:

Relatively loud – louder than the Pixie.

Suitable for:

Small kitchens.
People who like to travel with their coffee machine.
People who drink fuss-free straight coffee drinks.
University and college students with a taste for quality coffee.

#2 Nespresso Essenza Mini Original Espresso Machine by Breville

Breville’s version of the Nespresso Essenza Mini Original coffee machine is more rectangular than the equivalent De’Longhi. Still, it is slightly narrower to take up a fraction less space on your kitchen counter.

The classic black fits with most kitchen styles, and you get an excellent Espresso or Lungo at the touch of a button.

What you get with this Nespresso machine:

One-touch operation and extraction system.
19 Bars of pressure giving the barista experience at the touch of a button.
Single serving.
Energy-efficient – reaches serving temperature in under 30 seconds.
Energy-saving – low energy mode after 3 minutes and switches off automatically after 9 minutes.
Adjustable cup size with two options: 1.35oz (Espresso) and 5oz (Lungo).
20.3 oz water tank capacity.
Will contain 5 to 6 used containers.
Includes starter kit of 16 Nespresso capsules.

Style features:

Piano black or white.
Classic coffee machine design with rounded edges.
Small footprint. Dimensions: W3.3 x H12.9 x D8 inches.
Portable and compact.

Drawbacks:

Relatively loud.
Small water tank capacity.
Small cup holder.

Suitable for:

Small kitchens.
People who like to travel with their coffee machine.
People who drink fuss-free straight coffee drinks.
University and college students with a taste for quality coffee.

#3 Wacaco Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker

The Wacaco Nanopress relies on human muscle power to pump hot water through coffee grounds to create espresso coffee anywhere. It is a combination of a travel mug and coffee maker.

If you have an eco-conscious friend with a coffee habit or want access to an espresso maker for well under $100 that is affordable to run, then try this delightful ergonomic manual coffee maker.

Coffee and a workout in one portable package.

What you get with this Nespresso maker:

Manual operation – no power needed except to provide the hot water from a separate device.
Protective case.
Streamlined, portable, and easy to clean.
Reaches 18 bars of pressure purely through hand operation.
Requires 15% less force to pump compared with earlier models.
6.14” long – super compact.
Weighs less than a pound.
80ml water tank.
Cup as part of the system.
Use any ground coffee.
Can increase capabilities with an additional barista kit.

Drawbacks:

Expensive when compared to other similarly-sized portable espresso makers.

Suitable for:

Camping, backpacking, and travel.
Energy-saving.
Gift for eco-conscious friends.

#4 Nespresso Pixie by Breville

The Breville Nespresso pixie is still compact enough to fit in smaller kitchens but is slightly more imposing than the mini options.

The increased size of the water tank means more coffee before you need to refill. The black and silver design gives a touch of barista-style to your kitchen or sideboard.

What you get with this Nespresso machine:

One-touch operation and extraction system.
19 Bars of pressure giving the barista experience at the touch of a button.
Single serving.
Energy-efficient – reaches serving temperature in under 25 seconds.
Energy-saving – low energy mode after 3 minutes and switches off automatically after 9 minutes.
Adjustable cup size with two options: 1.35oz (Espresso) and 5oz (Lungo).
24 oz water tank capacity.
Includes starter kit of Nespresso capsules.

Style features:

Neat package in black with metal side panels – barista style.
Fold-out drip tray for a neater appearance.
Still compact with a width of 4.4 inches and depth of 12.8 inches, it fits in most kitchens.

Drawbacks:

Customer service issue: Used machines delivered for new purchases.

Suitable for:

Small family kitchens – compact but with a larger water tank.
Supplying coffee in a home office.

#5 Nespresso Vertuo Evoluo Espresso Machine with Aeroccino Milk Frother

One button operation and the Vertuo Evoluo uses the bar code to decide on water temperature, pressure and brewing time to deliver you a cup of artisan coffee.

The larger water tank and range of cup sizes give you a lot of variety in the amount of coffee one person can drink.

The addition of the milk frother to the bundle means you can create all the tall milky drinks your heart desires.

What you get with this Nespresso machine:

VertuoLine model means automatic recognition of the barcode sets the machine to produce the perfect coffee.
Single-serve.
Range of cup sizes: Espresso (1.35 oz.), Double Espresso (2.7 oz.), Gran Lungo (5 oz.), Coffee (7.7 oz.), and Alto (14 oz.)
Extra-large 54oz water tank.
Used capsule capacity – 17.
15 seconds to serving temperature.
Automatic shutdown after 9 minutes.
Aeroccino three milk frother included in the bundle giving further options in coffee styles including lattes and cappuccino.

Style Features:

Classic black and silver, graphite, titan, or red.
The water reservoir is on the side of the machine, so you can quickly check the supply.

Drawbacks:

Complicated descaling instructions.

Suitable for:

Serving a variety of coffee sizes.
Large families.
Small offices.
People who like to change their coffee style throughout the day.

#6 Nespresso Lattissima Pro Original Espresso Machine with Milk Frother by De’Longhi

You are going to pay substantially more for this machine because it does everything. If you want a barista bar in your kitchen, this is the machine to buy.

The integrated milk carafe stores in the fridge for freshness when not in use.

You can program the automatic power down to suit your environment. If yours is a kitchen where there is a constant stream of coffee drinkers, you want the machine up and running for longer.

What you get with this Nespresso machine:

Integrated milk carafe holds 16oz and cab refrigerate when not in use.
19 bars pressure
The design makes sure no milk contacts the machine – no issues with cleanliness.
Thermoblock heating system.
15 used capsules capacity.
Digital touch screen.
Cappuccino, Latte Macchiato, Espresso, Lungo, warm milk froth, or hot water.
Automatic rinsing of milk system.
40 seconds to serving temperature.
An intuitive scaling system changes the cycle to counter water hardness.
Choice of energy-saving shutdown from 9 minutes to 8 hours.

Style notes:

Classic black and silver in a square shape.
Intuitive touch screen operation.

Drawbacks:

The milk frother performs inconsistently with the amount of froth and milk temperature.
Warranty for the frother is separate from the base machine.

Suitable for:

Large families.
Guesthouses.
Offices.
Coffee aficionados who love barista-style coffees and experimenting with new flavors and styles.

#7 Nespresso Creatista Plus Coffee and Espresso Machine by Breville

The machine that gives you the ultimate control over your coffee-making with eight automatic beverage settings and all the tools you need to create coffee and art.

Throw in self-cleaning and an intuitive display panel, and you can make any coffee you or your guests desire in less than a minute.

What you get with this Nespresso machine:

Single-serve.
Attached milk frother for making lattes and other milky coffee styles.
Buttons for Ristretto (0.5 oz.), Espresso (1.35 oz.), Lungo (5 oz.).
Settings to adjust coffee volume, milk temperature, and mixture.
Fast 3-second heat up time.
Create more complex coffee drinks such as flat whites, cappuccinos, and latte macchiatos.
Easy TFT LCD display that assists you in all preparation, setting, and maintenance.
1.5L removable water tank.
Auto-purge steam wand.
19 bars of pressure.
Fast, automatic cleaning process.
Automatic off mode after 9 minutes.
Barista style milk jug.
Pour spout designed specifically for Latte Art to achieve cafe quality micro-foam.
Expert steam pipe capable of adjusting milk temperature (11 settings), froth quality (8 texture levels).
Automatic purge of the steam wand after each use.

Style notes:

Sleek stainless steel.

Drawbacks:

Less than reliable milk steamer.

Suitable for:

Wannabe baristas.
Coffee lovers.
Families, guest houses, and offices.

#8 Nespresso Lattissima One Original Espresso Machine with Milk Frother by De’Longhi

This machine makes enjoying a barista-style espresso possible in the comfort of your home. Its compact size fits into most kitchen spaces, and the design ably complements modern interior styles.

What you get with this Nespresso machine:

19 bar high-pressure pump that allows for a barista-style result.
Automatic power off after 9 mins
33.8oz water tank.
Fast heat-up – 25 seconds for espresso and 40 seconds for milky drinks.
Button for Espresso (1.35oz) and Lungo (5oz) and frothed milk.
Integral milk reservoir (fill with exact amount) and frother for Latte and Cappuccino.
Integral used capsule container.

Style features:

Dishwasher safe milk container.
Silky white or black finish; compact shape – 12.8 x 6.1 x 10.5 inches

Drawbacks:

Unreliable milk frother.

Suitable for:

Fans of hot milk coffee combinations.
Home office.
One or two people in an apartment.
Small families.

#9 Keurig K-Café Special Edition Single Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee, Latte, and Cappuccino Maker

The Keurig does not produce an espresso coffee, but it will help you make excellent coffee beverages with or without milk. The Keurig machine is efficient and affordable as a supplier of plentiful hot drinks.

If you are a coffee snob searching for an authentic espresso experience, this is not the machine for you.

But if you like to fill up your travel mug before your commute, enjoy mugs of coffee throughout the day, and occasionally want to switch it up with frothy hot chocolate, then the Keurig will give you all that and more.

What you get with this Nespresso machine:

Four cup sizes – 6,8, 10, and 12oz.
60oz water reservoir.
Integral milk frother.
Heats and brews in one process.
Automatic switch-off in 2 hours to save energy. This feature is programable for different settings.
Can use with your ground coffee with a compatible reusable filter – buy separately.
Maintenance alert for cleaning and descaling.
Choice of hot or cold milk settings.
Capable of producing a hot coffee shot.

Style notes:

Looks like a classic barista machine.
Accommodates standard travel mugs for easy fill-to-go.
Dishwasher safe milk jug.

Drawbacks:

Unreliable milk frother.

Suitable for:

Anyone who likes their coffee long and milky.
Versatile hot drinks maker for an office as it will accommodate tea and hot chocolate drinkers.
Families who drink a lot of hot drinks throughout the day.

#10 NESCAFE Dolce Gusto Coffee Machine, Genio 2, Espresso

The Dolce Gusto is best for serving under ten cups a day of specialty hot and cold coffee creations. The cute, curved shape pleases the eye and occupies surprisingly little space in your kitchen.

This mall machine with Nescafe pods gives you access to a range of specialty coffee drinks with the touch of a button.

What you get with this coffee machine:

Compact machine for specialty coffee from pod including cappuccino and Latte Pod
6 Cups capacity in the water reservoir.
Easy interface with a toggle switch to select the size, intensity, and temperature of your brew.
15 bars of pressure for high-level extraction giving optimal flavor, aroma, and body.
Energy rating A as it switches off after 5 minutes of inactivity.

Style notes:

Curvy ergonomic shape in silver and black.
Small footprint.
Simple to operate.

Drawbacks:

The red electric cord may be visually unacceptable to some users.

Suitable for:

People who want only one or two cups at a time.
Home use (single person of a couple).
Small office.
Fans of Starbucks coffee.
Coffee drinkers with a varied menu of preferred drinks.

Best Nespresso machine under $500:

Nespresso Lattissima Pro Original with Milk Frother by De’Longhi

The sleek and robust industrial design comes integrated with a milk frother and carafe and equipped with the Thermoblock quick-heating system. The digital touchscreen lets you control your coffee-making experience, energy-saving settings, and descaling function.

The best automatic Nespresso machine at or under $500 (depending on promotional periods).

Best Nespresso machine under $300:

Nespresso Vertuo Evoluo with Aeroccino Milk Frother by De’Longhi

Automatic coffee and Nespresso machine with a large capacity water tank and used capsule container. It brews a wide range of single-serve cup sizes – Espresso, Double Espresso, Gran Lungo, Coffee, and Alto – at the touch of a button.

Best Nespresso machine under $200:

Nespresso Essenza Mini Original by Breville

This Breville machine might be the smallest single-serve Nespresso machine you can find but is mightily big on performance. Its 2 programmable cup sizes – Espresso (1.35 oz) & Lungo (5 oz) – will meet most single-serve needs.

Best Nespresso machine under $100:

NESCAFE Dolce Gusto Espresso, Cappuccino and Latte Pod Machine

You want to extract the most value from your money, and this machine delivers. The low tank capacity may mean less than 6 cups between water refills, but its price and ease of use more than make up for it.

Accessories for Nespresso Machine

Best reusable pods for Nespresso machines:

SEALPOD Reusable & Refillable Stainless Steel Pods

A reusable stainless-steel capsule compatible with your Nespresso Original Line machine gives you the convenience of almost instant coffee with control over your blend.

It also saves money on relatively expensive pods and is planet-friendly by reducing the number of aluminum pods in your recycling.

What you get with these reusable Nespresso pods:

Durable Stainless Steel – with new foil covers.
SealPod is a Patented Designed Capsule and 100% harmless to your OriginalLine Nespresso Machines.
Pre-fill capsules in advance to benefit from quick and ready access to your next coffee fix.
You choose the coffee.
Stainless steel 304 can last a lifetime – reduces your environmental footprint.
Removes contact with hot plastic in the brewing process.
Foil seals enable pressure to build, resulting in the great crema of the Nespresso capsules.
Save 80% on the cost of your coffee pods.

Best for:

People who want to save money, choose their own flavor profile and reduce waste.

Best espresso pods for Nespresso machines:

Nespresso VertuoLine Medium and Dark Roast Coffee Pods

A sensible bundle of 40 VertuoLine pods giving you the options of twenty Diavolitto (intensity 11) and twenty Altisso (intensity 9) flavors. This pack is for those that like their coffee deep, dark and rich.

The bundle includes a further 30 pods for Lungo coffee with a different blend and roast of beans.

Best features:

Brews traditional espresso – dark and slightly bitter in a 1.35 oz serving for true coffee lovers.
Alternatively, you can opt for a different coffee for a longer Lungo style with the second pack of 30 pods.
Fully recyclable after use.
Suits people who love the intense flavors of deep, dark coffee.

Best hot chocolate pods:

Single-Serve Hot Chocolate K-Cup Pods

You can mess around with hot milk, solid chocolate, whisking, or frothing for the ultimate luxury hot chocolate in a mug.

But sometimes you want hot chocolate that is good to go in seconds, and you have a crowd of tired and hungry kids for a sleepover.

That is when you reach for a pack of these to pop in the machine – add some optional marshmallows, and you are ready to relax in your slippers or serve bedtime drinks to a crowd.

Best features:

Mixture of chocolate and milk powder – one pod, and you have hot chocolate in a mug.
Caffeine content less than 10mg because bedtime chocolate is for sleep.
Bundle includes two packs of 24, letting you serve 48 mugs.
Suits those occasions when you want a fast, hot chocolate for yourself at the end of the day or have a crowd of youngsters all wanting a hot sweet treat.
Works only for Keurig machines, not Nespresso machines.

Nespresso Machine Buying Guide

You’ve decided that you are tired of drinking inferior coffee at home, and while you love your local barista, you’d like to spend less time and money there.

You are ready to invest in a coffee machine, but how do you make your choice?

One of the first decisions is where and who you will buy your coffee from because coffee capsules are like printer cartridges – they only fit compatible machines.

What is the Difference Between Keurig (K-cup) and Nespresso (pods)?

These are two brand names for efficient, user-friendly coffee machines that deliver a single serve of coffee perfection. Both types of appliances use the same principle of forcing hot water through a pod or capsule containing pre-ground coffee.

The difference between Keurig and Nespresso is in the capsules’ shape – K-cup (Keurig) and pods (Nespresso) are not exchangeable as they fit the specific coffee machine. Further, Keurig machines cannot brew espressos, but Nespresso machines can, plus other regular coffees.

There are two types of Nespresso pods – those for the OriginalLine and those for the newer model VertuoLine.

VertuoLine does not currently have third party competition for the coffee pods. Nespresso OriginalLine machines now have some third-party compatible pods, but these don’t have Nespresso approval, and using them may invalidate your warranty.

Keurig started out supplying office coffee machines and then expanded into the domestic market. Keurig has partnerships with other brands and has over sixty different suppliers of k-cups, so you find it easy to shop around to find a bargain price for your coffee fix.

How to Choose Nespresso Pods?

Your choice depends on your machine – OrignalLine or VertuoLine as these are different shapes owing to the slight difference in coffee production technology.

After that, your choices of Nespresso pods depend on your values and your preferences:

Sustainability: around 80% of Nespresso pods meet their AAA sustainability quality program, working with farmers and adopting eco-friendly measures. The aluminum pods are entirely recyclable. The packaging is minimal.
Flavor – the blend of coffee bean, the degree of roast, and the country of origin influence the flavor profile.
Quantity – the number of pods in a pack lets you know if you are paying a fair price per cup of delicious coffee. Typical pack sizes contain 50 or 100 pods, but there are variations.
Caffeine level – varies from intense to almost zero in the decaffeinated versions.

Nespresso Guide to Intensity

Nespresso assesses the intensity of flavor on the following scale:

1-4 is delicate but still full-bodied with all the flavor notes.
5-7 is the middle of the road, rich and balanced in the flavor profile.
8-10 is the most intense, with the strong coffee smell and a round-bodied flavor.
11 is the most intense with the authentic bitter notes.

Nespresso Guide to Category

What are the different types of Nespresso pods?

When you buy Nespresso pods, you opt for one of four categories:

Espresso – rich, dark short coffee.
Pure origin espresso – bean come from a specified source.
Lungo – more water and a taller coffee – Americano.
Decaffeinated – coffee without the buzz.

The standard capsule sizes are 25ml, 40ml and 110ml, and these determine how much coffee you use per serving.

You can’t pick an organic option, but Nespresso does have a policy of working with farmers for more sustainable coffee production.

Nespresso Guide to Freshness

Sealed Nespresso pods preserve the coffee at peak freshness. If you can smell the coffee, then the seal is broken, and the pod is not fresh.

The expiry date is a year after production, but a sealed pod remains viable for a long time after this date.

Can You Use a Nespresso Pod Twice?

The idea behind a Nespresso capsule is that you get the right amount of coffee combined with the perfect shot of hot water to make a single serving of fresh coffee.

Physically you can return the Nespresso capsule to the machine and run the hot water through the grounds a second time to produce a cup of weaker coffee.

However, just because you can do something does not mean you should.

Returning a single-use Nespresso capsule to the machine for a second cup risks the capsule distorting and damaging your machine. But the main issue is the quality of the second cup of coffee – it is inferior to the first because most of the coffee flavor was extracted the first time.

Yes, you can use the Nespresso pods a couple of times, but why choose to drink inferior coffee?

Most people buy a Nespresso machine to enhance their coffee drinking experience. It is better to drink one delightful cup of coffee, savor the flavor and the memory than sloshing down coffee-flavored water all morning.

Is a Nespresso Machine an Espresso Machine?

Espresso is a true coffee lover’s drink of choice with its robust, complex flavor in a short, intense shot. It is the base material for a galaxy of other hot beverages and classic desserts.

Higher-end espresso machines are an expensive luxury that requires a range of coffee preparing skills to master.

These include grinding the beans to the right grade, packing the coffee to the proper density and firmness, judging the water temperature to extract the coffee flavors with adjustments for the degree of roast and oiliness. Some people go as far as roasting their own beans.

The master of the espresso machine is a coffee alchemist who devotes hours to getting their craft skills honed to perfection.

Nespresso is the brand name of a coffee machine that produces a cup of espresso coffee from disposable or reusable pods without you becoming a coffee alchemist. A Nespresso machine is not an espresso machine. Still, it does create a cup of barista-quality espresso coffee on demand in your kitchen at a fraction of the capital cost of an espresso machine.

Scientifically, both the espresso machine and the Nespresso machine use the same process to turn coffee grounds and water into drinkable coffee.

The Nespresso machine requires minimal effort from you and produces the goods in well under a minute. Plus, it does it reliably and consistently.

Types of Nespresso Machines

There are two models of Nespresso machines:

OriginalLine, and
VertuoLine.

Nespresso partners with appliance makers worldwide to produce Nespresso trademarked machines using the same technical specifications and know-how.

The appliance manufacturers tweak the design for color, footprint, and general style, but the base machine is standard.

The leading manufacturers of Nespresso machines are De’longhi, Breville, and Kitchenaid. De’longhi produces an own brand Nespresso machine (Lattissima), and so does Breville (Creatisa).

Different models in the range offer various features for different prices.

If you are only going to drink espresso, opt for a basic model without a milk frother. If you prefer tall or Americano coffee, your must-have feature is a Lungo button.

Suppose you like some variety in your coffee drinks, a milk frother as part of the package is essential.

Whatever your coffee drinking style, you will find a Nespresso machine that fits your needs.

Why are Nespresso Machines Made by Different Companies?

There are excellent reasons for Nespresso to partner with different appliance companies to produce their coffee machines:

Nespresso supplies the engineering expertise and research but doesn’t have to set up a dedicated factory and recruit a workforce to create the machines.
Appliance manufacturers have established distribution networks.
Appliance manufacturers have an established and loyal customer base, which saves on marketing costs.
Customers like to have matching appliances to suit their kitchen and preferences.
Partnerships reduce costs for everyone.

How to Choose a Nespresso Machine?

A Nespresso machines buyer’s guide includes looking first at why you want the Nespresso Machine.

You choose a Nespresso machine by looking at your coffee drinking habits:

Style of coffee – do you have a favorite coffee drink, or do you like to mix and match between your drinks. It would be best if you had the Nespresso machine that fits all your coffee drinking needs to gain the maximum benefit from the device. You may need a basic model or one with all the accessories.
Daily consumption – some people only drink one or two cups a day, where others use coffee to fuel their day from morning to night. Perhaps with a switch to decaffeinated in the afternoon. The amount of coffee you want to drink will influence the water tank’s size and used capsule container that accommodates your habits.
Kitchen space – a coffee machine is likely to be in daily use and occupy valuable kitchen worktop space. If you have a small kitchen, you may prefer a compact machine with a small footprint.
Servicing many people – if you have guests, a Nespresso machine with a fast heat to serve cycle means you spend less time on the coffee production and more time with your guests.
Cost – more features increase the price, so you may want to pick the best machine within your budget range as a way of selecting the right machine for you.
Color and style – Nespresso machines have the same technical specification, so that the final decision may depend on your preference for curves and the color red. The final details are often the deciding factor in many buying decisions.

How Much Does a Nespresso Machine Cost?

The costs of a Nespresso Machine include:

Cost of buying the machine.
Running costs – capsules, energy, and water.

A basic OriginalLine Nespresso machine with two buttons for Espresso and Lungo will cost under $200. Add in a milk frother and other features, and the cost rises. The Nespresso VertuoLine costs about 50% more because it does more. You can pay more than $500 for a Nespresso machine, but you can get a decent machine for much less.

The significant factor in running a Nespresso machine is the cost of the pods. You can decrease this expense by careful shopping, using compatible third-party pods if available, or opting for a refillable pod system.

Most Nespresso systems have an automatic eco mode after three minutes and a shut down after nine minutes of inactivity to save energy.

A single-serve coffee machine like Nespresso heats and uses the exact amount of water needed for a single serving, which is more energy-efficient than boiling a full kettle for one drink.

Why are Nespresso Machines so Expensive?

Nespresso machines are specialized coffee makers engineered to use patented pressurization, extraction, and temperature systems in producing consistent-quality espressos quickly and conveniently from pre-apportioned capsules – hence the high price tag.

Items like kettles and toasters have mass-market appeal and are uncomplicated with simple heating elements, and these items benefit from mass production and high demand, driving the cost down.

The Nespresso machine’s price reflects the production cost and patented technology necessary to deal with processing water to a high temperature and pressure. Plus, automating the process so that each activity takes place in the correct sequence.

As the patents expire, competition drives down the prices. However, monopolies will continue to experiment with newer patentable technologies to protect their market share and profit margins.

How Long Does a Nespresso Machine Last?

You expect your Nespresso coffee machine to last between six and ten years if you treat it with respect and care. Typically, the warranty is around two years, but this covers manufacturing faults and is not a reflection of your purchase’s expected lifetime.

To prolong the life of your Nespresso machine:

Keep it clean – many models have a self-cleaning function and alerts when you need to clean it. A clean machine produces excellent tasting coffee and lives longer.
Switch off when not in use – you don’t leave your car engine running overnight, and leaving your coffee machine switched on decreases its life expectancy. Most Nespresso devices automatically switch off after nine minutes.
Be gentle with your capsules, and don’t force them into place. If you buy the wrong capsules, don’t try brute force to shove them into the machine. A properly fitting pod pops easily into the machine and ejects into the used capsule container without causing damage.
Fill up the water tank – pumping air into your machine when you should be pumping water will decrease its life expectancy.

Your Nespresso coffee machine will wear out and may break after years of use.

The high cost of repairs (upwards of $75) means that it is probably better to invest in an upgrade so you can benefit from innovations in design and process.

Plus, after using your machine for a while, you may want to add some new features to your next model.

When do you know that your Nespresso machine is past its best?

When your coffee fails to heat up properly and a cleaning doesn’t resolve the issue, you know it is time to move on.

How Does a Nespresso Machine Work Inside?

The precise configuration and layout may differ inside each Nespresso machine model, but the principle remains the same:

The inner workings of a Nespresso machine: Water is pumped from a reservoir, heated, and forced through the coffee grounds in the capsules explicitly made for the Nespresso machine.

How Does a Nespresso Machine Heat Water?

The Nespresso machine’s piping from the reservoir to the coffee capsule spirals around a heating element. As the water travels around the heating element, it becomes hot, reaching the right brew temperature before pumping into the coffee capsule.

Coffee-Making Sequence by a Nespresso Machine

From start to finish, this is how a Nespresso OrignialLine machine creates your coffee:

You insert your pod into the machine.
You press a button.
The machine punctures the pod three times to provide access to the hot water.
The selected amount of water pumps from the reservoir under pressure (typically 19 bars) to the pod.
The water heats up as it travels around a heating element.
The water is forced into the coffee pod – the foil lid bursts releasing the coffee through a filter into your cup.
The used pod drops into the internal waste container.

All this activity takes under a minute, from pressing the button to getting your coffee.

A Nespresso VertuoLine works similarly but with some tweaks:

You insert your pod into the machine.
The machine reads the barcode and sets up the instructions for the water’s volume, temperature, and flow rate.
The machine punctures the pod around the rim.
The selected amount of water pumps from the reservoir under pressure (19 bars) to the pod.
The water heats up as it travels around a heating element.
The water is forced into the coffee pod through the flat top and not through the domed container.
The pod spins at 7,000 rpm, and the coffee is forced out through the micro punctures in the rim by centrifugal force.
The used pod drops into the internal waste container.

Spinning the pod lets you make a larger coffee serving with the same proportion of crema as an espresso.

What Can You Make with a Nespresso Machine?

You have a machine that can heat water in single-cup servings.

Is it a one-trick pony, or can you do more with it?

Can You Make Hot Water with a Nespresso Machine?

If your Nespresso machine produces hot water, can you use it for hot water?

If you don’t put a coffee capsule in the machine, the hot water pumps directly into your cup and essentially contains no coffee. There will be coffee residues in the machine parts, so the first cup of water will taste slightly of coffee.

To get a cup of hot water with your Nespresso machine without the coffee taste, you need to run the machine twice – once to clean it and again for the clean hot water.

The advantage of using your Nespresso machine for hot water is that you heat a single serving, and you can have one machine in your office, man cave, or she shed to cover all your beverage requirements.

Can You Make Tea with a Nespresso Machine?

If you can make hot water with a Nespresso machine, you can undoubtedly make tea. Add a teabag to your hot water, and you get your tea of choice.

Alternatively, use a tea pod instead of a coffee pod with the Lungo button on your Nespresso machine. The advantage of using a tea pod is that you get tea in under a minute. The disadvantage is that you get it at the pod manufacturer’s predefined strength and if you prefer a more delicate tea strength that may not suit your palate.

You will still need to clean the machine before using your tea pod, or you will have tea with a hint of coffee. This cleaning and rinsing also warm the mug to enhance your tea drinking experience – like warming up the teapot.

If you want to offer your guests a self-service option of tea or coffee, there is a pod for each preference.

Can You Make a Chai Latte with a Nespresso Machine?

You can find many recipes for a chai latte with a Nespresso machine. Some of these involve coffee, but those are not authentic chai latte.

A chai latte is a mixture of black tea, spices infused in hot milk and topped with milk foam. You can add a shot of espresso to create a “dirty chai” as invented in London in the late nineties. The best coffee blends for this drink have a hint of hazelnut.

You can also serve your chai latte over ice for a different taste.

Ideally, you can make a chai latte with a Nespresso machine with a milk frother and the right Chai Latte pod, or you can warm milk with black tea and chai spices and add a shot of espresso.

Either way, your Nespresso machine can help you create the perfect chai latte in many different ways.

Can You Make a Mocha with a Nespresso Machine?

Mocha is a combination of chocolate syrup, espresso shots, steamed milk, and milk foam. If your Nespresso machine can make a latte, it can make a mocha.

Can You Make Hot Chocolate with a Nespresso Machine?

If you fancy a cup of hot chocolate, you can opt for a hot chocolate pod for your Nespresso machine in a range of flavors, from sweet caramel to the richest dark chocolate.

Everything you need in one straightforward pod.

If your Nespresso machine can make cappuccinos and lattes, then you can make luxury hot chocolate with chocolate squares and milk.

Can You Put Milk in a Nespresso Machine?

If your Nespresso machine is a model that makes cappuccino and lattes automatically, it has a milk reservoir and the water reservoir. These models use milk as part of the coffee production process.

A Nespresso machine that produces coffee without the milk frother has a water reservoir. You might wonder if you could substitute milk for the water and get hot milky coffee. Don’t do it!

You don’t boil milk in a kettle because milk deposits scum on the element – ruining it.

If you put milk in a Nespresso machine’s water tank instead of water, you will deposit milk scum all over the interior pipes, and these will be difficult, if not impossible, to clean.

It is not worth the risk of damaging your expensive coffee machine.

If you need to heat milk and you have a basic Nespresso machine without a milk frother, heat your milk in a pan and add it to your coffee cup, not your coffee machine.

How to Maintain a Nespresso Machine?

Maintaining your Nespresso machine includes a mixture of daily cleaning and regular descaling and rinsing.

Building maintenance tasks into your routine mean that your Nespresso machine is a joy to own and requires minimal attention.

How Often Should You Descale Your Nespresso Machine?

Your precious Nespresso machine will give you years of high performance if you look after it.

The essential maintenance involves descaling your Nespresso machine at least every 300 capsules or three months and more regularly if you live in a hard water area.

After descaling, cleaning your machine to remove coffee residues keeps your machine producing clean tasting coffee.

How Long Does It Take to Descale?

The descaling program on your Nespresso coffee machine takes minutes as it involves running a descaling solution through the machine a couple of times and subsequent rinsing.

Combining the automated descaling on your Nespresso machine with an overall manual clean means allowing 30 minutes to descale and clean your machine thoroughly.

How to Descale Your Nespresso Machine?

Some models have a warning light that tells you it is time to descale your Nespresso.

Otherwise, make a calendar commitment to descale with a descaling solution regularly.

The process of descaling a Nespresso machine:

Remove all capsules and empty the drip tray and water tank.
Fill the water tank with your chosen descaling solution, and place a container to collect the solution when it has gone through the machine.
Check the instruction manual for running the descaling program – press the buttons in the right sequence and let the machine run.
After all the descaling solution has run through the machine, return the solution to the water tank, and repeat.
Wash all the machine parts that contacted the descaling solution – the water tank, cup support, drip tray, and container. Allow them to dry.
Reassemble the machine and fill the water tank with fresh, clean water. Place your container ready to collect the water.
Run the descaling cycle with clean water – at least two cycles for proprietary descaling solution and five if you use vinegar, lemon, or citric acid.
Let your machine dry for 5 to 10 minutes before using it for coffee making.

Benefits of Descaling a Nespresso Machine

Removing limescale as part of descaling a Nespresso machine has many benefits:

Your Nespresso machine runs more efficiently as it is no longer heating limescale and water, so it uses less energy.
The water runs freely through the pipes when you remove limescale’ fur.’
Removing limescale reduces the potential breeding spots for bacteria. Limescale is rough and porous, while your Nescafe machine parts are smooth. Limescale provides a home for mold and bacteria – regular removal removes the potential problem.

How to Clean Your Nespresso Machine with Vinegar?

Vinegar is a weak acid – acetic acid, and it will react with limescale (calcium carbonate) and dissolve it. Lemon juice is another acid (citric acid), and it will also remove limescale.

When descaling your Nespresso machine, you choose a proprietary brand of descaling solution or a homemade version. Check your warranty before you begin because using a homemade vinegar or lemon solution may invalidate your warranty.

You can make a Nespresso machine descaling solution with 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts water. Never use neat vinegar because you risk corroding the pipework.

How to Clean Nespresso Machine with Lemon Juice?

If you want to use fresh lemon juice for descaling, use 1 part lemon juice to 1 part water. If you prefer citric acid, then the best mix is 1 part citric acid to 20 parts water.

How to Rinse a Nespresso Machine?

Rinsing clean water through your Nespresso machine is a part of the descaling process.

To rinse a Nespresso machine:

Allow a cup of water to run through the machine without a coffee capsule.
Empty the water tank, drip tray, and used capsule container.
Fill the tank with 1 part premixed descaling solution or vinegar and 2 parts water; run your machine’s descaling cycle.
Now fill the tank with fresh, clean water, and run a second descaling cycle.
Disassemble the parts and let them dry before reassembling.

It is also good to run water through the Nespresso machine without a capsule to remove coffee flavors before switching to making other beverages like tea or providing hot water.

Best Way to Clean a Nespresso Machine

Some cleaning tasks are daily for a Nespresso machine in use every day.

These include emptying and rinsing out the drip tray and emptying the used capsules container (some capsules are recyclable), and water reservoir.

These tasks are best done after your last cup of coffee because these parts can air-dry overnight, ready for you to reassemble and use the machine in the morning.

Best way to clean:

Wash your Nespresso machine’s drip tray, used capsules container, and water reservoir with warm water and dish soap, rinse, and allow them to dry to help avoid the build-up of dirt, bacteria, mold, and smells. Weekly (or more often), wipe the capsule detector lens (dry, soft cloth) and use a clean, damp cloth to wipe the coffee outlet and the machine’s external parts to keep it clean and fresh.

Every three months, or more frequently in hard water areas, or for extensive use of the machine, run the descaling program and rinse to deep clean the machine.

Best Water to Use in Nespresso Machines

You can use tap or filtered water in your machine. It is a personal preference depending on the quality of water in your area.

Filter water contains fewer deposits than tap water, and its cleaner taste is the preferred option for Nespresso machines. Plus, it reduces limescale build-up.

Regardless of water usage, it is essential to remove water from the reservoir overnight. Standing water in the tank encourages mold growth.

How to Calibrate a Nespresso Machine?

The Nespresso machine comes pre-calibrated to deliver a fixed amount of water depending on what button you press.

Typically, these amounts are:

25ml for ristretto.
40ml for espresso.
110ml for Lungo.

The volume of water to coffee creates the coffee drink, but people have different preferences for the perfect water and ground match.

You can recalibrate the Nespresso machine’s settings as follows:

Fill up the water tank, and insert a Nespresso capsule.
Choose the function you want to program; press and hold the button until your desired amount of liquid enters your cup or glass.
Next time you press that button, it will deliver your preferred volume of liquid.

Over time the settings may slip back, but you can quickly recalibrate to your preferences.

How to Do a Factory Reset?

A factory reset may be necessary if your coffee extraction takes longer than specified or if the pods are sticking in the machine.

Each Nespresso machine has a slightly different button sequence to reset, so it is best to consult the manual or the manufacturer’s website. The whole process takes at most a few minutes.

How to Recycle a Nespresso Machine?

When you are done with your Nespresso machine, what are your options?

The answer to that question depends on why you need your Nespresso machine to leave your home or office.

Here are your old Nespresso machine recycling options:

You upgraded, but the old machine is still working: Sell or donate your machine to someone who needs it.
Trade-in your old machine for a newer model – the program runs occasionally and varies between countries and at different times, but it is worth checking if you are eligible.
The right environmental practice is to repair a broken machine, but only if it is economically viable.
If you opt to replace it, take the old machine to your local recycling center.