Here’s a more in-depth exploration of the most popular Nespresso machines to discover what exactly makes a great Nespresso machine and find out once and for all which is the best one.
Ideally, you’d be arriving at this article without yet owning a Nespresso machine. Don’t worry: this list will illuminate each of these machine’s best qualities and maybe some of their flaws. But every Nespresso owner still asks themselves the same question, so it’s okay if you already own one. It’s never too late to upgrade!
The 10 Best Nespresso Machines
Nespresso VertuoPlus Machine Back when Nespresso was in the regular capsules game, their designs were already worthy of praise. Innovative, too. But they wanted to blow our minds off by introducing a coffee maker for their new and exclusive capsules that would draw us into their world.
And they did it. The machine itself is already gorgeous, but the water tank is almost a separate part. It’s like a mirage next to your coffee maker, and -with the right lighting- it feels just like a work of art.
The Nespresso VertuoPlus is incredibly convenient- we can adjust this water tank at various angles depending on where you want to fit your coffee maker. Unique.
Here are the VertuoPlus’ best features:
- Brews 5oz, 8oz, and 14oz, as well as espressos and double espressos.
- Automatic machine opening system.
- Precision brewing system. VertuoLine machines read the barcode in every capsule to adjust brewing settings such as temperature, water, etc.
- Adjustable water tank
- Designed for Nespresso Vertuo capsules only.
Specs:
- Water tank: 40 ounces.
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 8.7 x 12.7 x 12.8 in.
- One year warranty.
- Automatic shut off after 9 minutes. Programmable.
- Used capsules container capacity: 10 capsules (vertuo).
- Heat up time: 20 Seconds.
- Nespresso CitiZ
Though the Nespresso CitiZ appears to have been discontinued, you can still get it at most online stores that sell coffee equipment. We think it’s one of the great Nespresso machines, and we hope for a sequel to this legendary Nespresso coffee maker.
The CitiZ was designed to be the peak of ergonomic espresso machines and being incredibly portable. It is the kind of device that fits anywhere, no matter how little kitchen space you have. It’s the kind of machine that you’re glad you bought whenever you have to move.
Here are CitiZ’s best features:
- Most ergonomic Nespresso machine
- 1-button brewing
Specs:
- Removable water tank: 33 Ounces.
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 5.2 x 14.6 x 10.9 in.
- Used capsule container capacity: 9.
- Automatic shut off after 9 minutes. Programmable.
- One year warranty.
Small and powerful, the Inissia is a force to be reckoned with. It’s tiny at less than 5 inches wide and can be ready to make coffee in less than thirty seconds. That’s the equivalent of sound-barrier-breaking speed when it comes to home espresso machines!
They come in various colors that you don’t often find in Nespresso machines, which is a big plus for a lot of people who are tired of monochromatic coffee makers.
It’s also the most portable Nespresso machine, as the inissia can partially fold it into itself and picked up by an adjustable lever – so you can take it with you anywhere! It has a neat space for the power cord, even. It just looks like a small briefcase of sorts when folded.
Best features:
- Lever for easy transportation.
- Partially foldable.
- Saves a lot of energy, probably Nespresso’s greenest machine.
Specs:
- Water tank: 23.7 ounces.
- Used capsule container capacity: 11.
- Dimensions (W x D x H): 4.7 x 12.6 x 9 in.
- Separate used water and used capsule containers for hygiene.
- Automatic switch-off after 9 minutes. Programmable.
- Folding drip tray for using tall glasses instead of cups.
- One year warranty.
Right around the unveiling of their Vertuo machine, the first one to be capable of brewing using VertuoLine coffee capsules, we also witnessed Nespresso’s first milk-frothing device, the Aeroccino.
The Aeroccino is a beautiful device that almost looks like a coffee canister or maybe a travel mug and works by introducing the milk, closing the lid, and simply pushing a button. It froths milk automatically and gives you the perfect milk to go with the espresso. Making lattes at home has never been this easy.
The Aeroccino is a separate device but comes in a bundle and the Vertuo machine here, making the whole thing much more affordable. And, honestly, it seems like they were made for each other. The design matches the Vertuo machine perfectly.
Best features:
- Hot or cold milk froth.
- One button operation.
Specs:
- Water tank 40 Ounces.
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 8.32 in x 11.91 in x 11.93 in.
- Automatic switch-off after 9 minutes. Programmable.
- Automatic capsule ejection.
- Easy cleaning of the Aeroccino.
- Coffee and Espresso.
- Used capsules container capacity: 13 mug capsules (large).
- One year warranty.
- Descaling alert.
- Heat up time: 15 seconds.
However, Nespresso wasn’t leaving it at that. Since a good portion of people who want to make espresso want it to prepare a latte (or some other espresso-based drink), Nespresso got to work on an integrated system that would work similarly to their coffee brewing system. Simple and convenient, in a few words.
The Latissima system is one-touch, as all Nespresso things should be, being able to prepare things like a cappuccino or a latte macchiato in just one tough. Once you fill the milk jug with enough milk depending on the recipe (it holds up to 300ml so that you can make several drinks in a row anyway), select the drink you want, and it’ll not only froth it to perfection but also pour on your cup. How perfect is that?
The Latissima is the perfect machine for lovers of espresso-based drinks. The quality of the frothed milk will surprise you no matter how used you are to barista-quality drinks.
Best features:
- Very compact for what it does.
- Makes ristretto, espresso, lungo, one-touch cappuccino, and latte macchiato.
- Programmable milk/coffee quantities.
Specs:
- Removable water tank: 0.9 Litre.
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 6.6 x 12.6 x 10 in.
- Automatic pump refilling.
- Descaling alert.
- Programmable water hardness. It comes with a test for you to know whether your tap water is soft, medium, or hard. Adapts to your tap water for better filtration.
- Energy class A.
This is the Latissima, one-upped like you wouldn’t believe. It has a seamless touch display on top that’s slick and easy to use. Of all the many touch displays we’ve tried in our years, the Nespresso Lattissima was by far the one that we are most impressed with.
The design is also breathtaking. It comes washed black, silver, or white. All three are breathtaking, and instead of blending in, they will instantly catch the attention of guests, etc. Hard to imagine growing used to how well-looking this machine is!
Best features:
- Touch screen.
- 6 one-touch beverages.
- Breathtaking design.
Specs:
- Water tank: 40 ounces.
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 6.6 x 12.6 x 10 in.
- Automatic pump refilling
- Descaling alert
- Simplified clean system
- Programmable water hardness. It comes with a test for you to know whether your tap water is soft, medium, or hard. Adapts to your tap water for better filtration.
- Energy class A
Breville and Nespresso come together in an unprecedented collaboration that has spawned what is to some the best Nespresso coffee maker to date. The Creatista Plus has an advanced milk-delivering system that works by frothing the milk to give it a texture so rich that it feels just like what you get with a professional machine that would otherwise cost tens of thousands of dollars.
The Nespresso Creatista puts great emphasis in letting you, the coffee lover, enjoy the best coffee possible at home – with as little effort as possible! It’s now possible for everyone to enjoy all sorts of coffee shop drinks at home, like a cappuccino or a latte.
The steam wand purges itself automatically after each use, which is just one of the many practical features you’ll find in this machine.
You’ll find that the look of the Creatista Plus is similar to traditional espresso makers -especially Breville ones- and it’s quite a breath of fresh air from the usual direction that Nespresso takes with their machines. Instead of looking like modern, high-tech devices, the Creatista Plus looks just like an espresso machine of old.
Best features:
- State-of-the-art steam wand.
- Automatic steam wand purging.
- 19 bars of pressure brewing
- One-button ristretto, espresso, and lungo.
Specs:
- Water tank: 50.7 ounces.
- Descaling alarm.
- Two year warranty.
- Used capsule container capacity: 12.
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 15.4 x 12 x 6.7 in.
- Heat up time: 3 Seconds.
De’Longhi, not really the kind of company that would put forward their own single-serve coffee makers, partnered up with the guys at Nespresso to make the Essenza Mini. And, at first glance, it seems like it’s not that much different from a regular Nespresso machine.
But instead of being flashy and appealing to that vintage side like Breville did with the Creatista, the Essenza Mini instead focuses on delivering the same quality of coffee of any other Nespresso machine all the while being the smallest, most portable Nespresso machine ever!
This is without a doubt the best Nespresso maker for small spaces, office environment, and so on. Truly a gift to all those who don’t have a lot of space to fit giant coffee makers in their kitchen!
Best features:
- Smallest Nespresso coffee maker.
- Heat up time under 30 seconds.
- Inexpensive.
Specs:
- Water tank: 20.3 ounces.
- Used capsule container capacity: 6.
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 3.3 in x 12 in x 8.03 in.
- Automatic shut off after 9 mn, programmable.
With the latest addition to the VertuoLine, Nespresso looks toward the future as they put a laudable effort into outdoing themselves. Let’s see why.
First of all and maybe most importantly, the Vertuo next is made of 54% recycled plastic. That’s huge, more so in the world of capsule coffee, which is seen as exceedingly wasteful because of all the plastic and other materials that go into just one dose of coffee – most of which isn’t recyclable, at least not Nespresso’s capsules.
So it’s very important and surely a step in the right direction that this machine is made out of recycled materials, as it shows an attempt to at least mitigate the negative environmental impact of Nespresso machines – which is more than you can say about other coffee machine makers. We fully believe this is going to be the top-rated Nespresso machine for many years to come.
You can choose between 4 packages: Machine only, machine plus the Aeroccino or machine plus a selection of capsules, and machine plus Aeroccino and the capsule coffee.
Let’s check out the Vertuo Next’s best features:
- Brews three different sizes of coffee, and has the all-new carafe option, which brews 18 ounces of coffee in one go.
- Made from recycled materials
- Super tight model, measuring only 5.5 inches wide. Fits perfectly in any setting.
Specs:
- Water tank: 37 ounces.
- Used capsule container capacity: 10.
- Weight: 8.8 pounds.
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 5.5 x 16.8 x 12.4 in.
- One year warranty.
- Barista Recipe Maker
This is technically not a coffee machine, but it’s still a machine. And it’s one that has the potential to change the entire way you go about making coffee at home, so it’s very important that we tell you about Nespresso’s most undervalued device: the Barista Recipe Maker.
You know about the Aeroccino, Nespresso’s milk frother. The Barista Recipe Maker is designed to be an intelligent milk frother. While the Aeroccino seems more like a glorified electrical whipper, this device is incredibly complex. It has three touchscreen buttons along with a small but slick digital display that lets you know what’s going on.
But the Barista Recipe Maker’s true charm is that you can connect to it via Bluetooth. You download an app and, while connected to it, you can control it and customize and optimize the kind of milk you want. You can also discover new recipes and take full control of your milk frother. It is a dream come true for many of us.
Buyer’s Guide
Ease of Use.
The thing with Nespresso machines is that ease of use is one of the main points. So, with any Nespresso machine, making coffee is super easy, and operating them in general is a breeze. Even cleaning them is incredibly easy as they have descaling alerts and intuitive descaling cleaning programs. Thank you, Nespresso!
Ease of Cleaning
When it comes to Nespresso machines, the smaller the machine, the easier the clean tends to be.
As long as we remember to wipe them every couple of days to prevent build-ups, it should be fine. It’s also important to keep the capsule storage clean and as dry as possible.
Cost
When shopping for Nespresso machines, we have one huge advantage: price is not as arbitrary as with espresso makers.
Nespresso machines have very defined price ranges, which can be divided into two categories: under $300, and over $300.
Since every Nespresso machine has a concept behind it – being ergonomy, latte-making, or simplicity, it’s not as hard to get lost in comparing prices and features as it is when shopping for other types of machines and devices. Instead of being headache-inducing, it’s more a relief.
Your Drink Preferences / Versatility
Very important that you decide what kind of drink you’re going to be having most days before committing to a machine.
A lot of these Nespresso machines can only make two, maybe three different sizes. Even then, the whole point of Nespresso is for coffee drinkers that are okay with an espresso— although the best thing you can do is make yourself an americano with a Nespresso coffee as the base. Another great option is brewing over ice for a whole different experience.
Other than that, you also have machines here that are more than capable of making you other types of drinks like lattes and cappuccinos, however the price goes up, inevitably, according to how many different types of drinks you can brew with it.
It’s definitely odd that Nespresso has this, because they already have several versions of the Aeroccino, but we welcome it with open arms. It’s a much more interactive way of making your drinks. And who doesn’t love an app just for a milk frother?
Then you have machines like the Vertuo Next that can brew a carafe, which is certainly something a lot of Nespresso owners have been waiting for.
Size
Here’s where a Nespresso machine shines: their size. Machines like the CitiZ, the Essenza Mini: that’s what a lot of buyers have responded to- how convenient the size of these machines is.
Because of how complex an espresso machine is, they can’t be too small. You need space for a water tank, a water pump, heater, and so on. The good thing is that single-serve machines are tailored to serve little coffee, so a lot of the space can be reduced, making for a conveniently-sized machine.
Obvious enough, the smaller a machine is, the less features you’re going to get. Here, you need to think about whether you value size and portability more than the amount of features you can get out of your Nespresso machine.
FAQ
Here’s some frequently asked questions about Nespresso.
What is a Nespresso Machine?
Nespresso’s parent company is Nestlé, a Swiss company that has long been in the coffee game and are probably one of the most influential, most wealthy coffee companies in the world.
Nespresso came about when a Swiss engineer had the idea to make a single-serve coffee and transformed that idea into a design that was patented back in 1976. Of course, the technology back then was very limiting and they had quite a bit of pushback. It wasn’t only until 1990 that Nespresso machines became a reality, cementing their place in the world in 2000 with the opening of the first Nespresso boutique store.
Why buy a Nespresso Machine?
Everybody likes convenient coffee. Why else would we go to the coffee shop if we didn’t?
But as convenient as it can be, coffee shops are much more expensive than making coffee at home. Furthermore, you can’t just go to the coffee shop every time you want an espresso!
Nespresso is so far the easiest, most convenient way to enjoy an espresso in the comfort of your own home. You don’t need to learn how to operate a machine, you don’t need to be a barista: just insert a capsule, push a button, and a delicious espresso will be ready in a matter of seconds!
Conclusion
It would seem that every Nespresso machine has been made to be the best it can be in their own way. The beauty of this is that no matter what kind of coffee you like, there always seems to be one Nespresso machine that feels like it was designed for you, specifically.
One thing to remember: machines of the original line do work with third party coffee capsules, while those from the VertuoLine don’t. You can check which is which real quick at their website.
And of course, it’s really hard to beat capsule coffee. Nespresso’s capsule coffee, particularly, is one of the best in the market and the hits keep coming, as they are always on the lookout for newer and more exotic coffees from all over the world to add to their collection of capsule coffee. You’ll never get bored as long as you own a Nespresso!
Finally, as much as other competitors come up with new features and machines that try to outmaneuver Nespresso’s by making them more powerful and bigger, the reality is that Nespresso is always one step ahead. So save yourself the time and hassle and go for a Nespresso, instead!
