Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima review: a miracle worker on milk

As a barista, it's very hard to please me with coffee pods, but this is the most impressive array of coffees that I've tested. Nespresso’s Vertuo Lattissima is an updated version of the iconic brand's single serve range, and the step us has seen some positive improvements. 

Whilst it might not look different from the Latissima models, this model comes complete with De'Longhi's advanced milk frothing system, a range of Vertuo pod compatibilities, and a sleek design. 

When I took it to the test kitchen, I tested Nespresso’s most up to date flavors as well as the classics. There's a lot to love and a lot to know before buying one, but after testing out a wide range of flavors, this is easily one of my favorite single-serve coffee makers.

Specifications

Unboxing

Firstly, I'd like to give credit even to the Vertuo Lattissima's packaging. Everything is completely recyclable, including the durable handle. It's great to see more places where you can recycle pods too; they even have local drop-offs which you can find online.

The front side of the box also opens out, so there’s no need to prise your coffee machine out of a box on the floor – something I've done too many times. Opening the front out makes it easy to extract the Vertuo Lattissima from the box.

There’s plenty of information online and in paper instructions about setting up the machine, but you don't really need them; it arrives almost ready to go. All I had to do was fill the water reservoir, which is straightforward. I wish it had a handle, because these make a world of difference to a machine's usability, but it's actually not too difficult to hold on to both sides. With a full reservoir and all the stickers removed, this was ready to go.

Who would it suit?

If you like the convenience of single-serve machines but want a more luxurious coffee experience, this is a good investment. It’s compact, well-designed, and built with premium materials.

Where you’ll reap the rewards of the Lattissima is with milky coffees, such as cappuccinos and lattes. The frothing technology is the same as De’Longhi’s and it shows. The milk was expertly textured, on both plant-based milks and dairy.

If you live in a large household, the machine has enough capacity for around eight coffees, so wouldn’t struggle with the morning coffee rush either. It could make even the largest coffee in under a minute, meaning you won't have to hang around if you're in a hurry.

What is it like to use?

Pod machines are some of the most simple coffee makers on the market and this was no exception. It's worth noting that this is only compatible with Vertuo pods, hence the name. I would also emphasise that this is a single-serve machine. If you are looking for speciality flavors, single-serve machines will struggle to deliver ones to rival the best coffee makers on the market. However, if you're happy with simple, speedy coffee, you'll love this.

Test 1: Espresso

After the machine was set up and ready to go, I started with the basics. One of my favorite features on the Vertuo Lattissima is the adjustable drinks stand. It doesn't sound like much, but it makes for much tidier brewing and helps to preserve the crema of your coffee. For my espresso, I adjusted the stand to the top setting. It's really easy to do, without detracting from the machine's aesthetics.

I pulled a 1.3 oz espresso shot, using the Altissio pod, which is about average size and strength. This had a really nice, thick crema. Nespresso machines spin the coffee to create a thicker foam, which looks like a crema, but isn't a true representation of the coffee's quality. Once this had settled, the real crema was still thick. The shot's temperature was about the hottest I would tolerate, especially for an espresso. However, this didn't affect the bold, cocoa notes that the Nespresso extracted.

Test 2: Americano

The next test I put any coffee maker through is making an Americano, also known as a simple black coffee. I followed the same process as the espresso, just with the drinks stand back to a normal height. It didn't make noise any louder than 80 dBA, which is great if you need a quiet single-serve coffee maker in the morning. 

Overall, my Americano was well extracted, with a thick crema. Again, I thought it was on the hot side, but the flavors in the pod still came through. For the Americano, I used one of the caramel pods, which has a distinct flavor. I think this was artificially enhanced, but it was still really enjoyable. If I had to compare the Americano length and strength to any coffee, I would say it's more like filter coffee: it's light, delicate, and delicious.

Test 3: Cappuccino

As a single serve machine that claims unparalleled milk frothing capacity, I was keen to test both lattes and cappuccinos. There are some quirks to Nespresso’s milk frothing system. Firstly, you have to press the milk setting that you want to start making coffee. If you press the normal coffee button, you won't get any milk in your coffee and there is no way to change it, because you can't froth milk without having a full pod inserted. Whilst this doesn’t sound like a huge issue, it can actually feel quite limiting. For example, if your cappuccino could do with a bit more milk, it can’t have it. If you’ve made an espresso and decided you want some sweetness or richness, you can’t have it. The machine will also decide whether to put milk or coffee in first, as it changes every time. So there's some drawbacks to the milk frothing.

As long as you are present when making your coffee, you can ensure you always get enough milk. The Vertuo Lattissima won't stop making textured milk, you need to press a button before it stops and even then there's a couple of seconds delay, so don't leave it to the last minute.

I'm picking faults with the milk frothing technology, but really, for a single-serve coffee maker, this is incredibly impressive. The dairy milk, on the foamiest setting created the perfect foam to coffee ratio, with nearly a third of my cup as smooth, velvety foam. Similarly, when I used almond milk and oat, the foam was tightly textured and smooth to drink, even on non-barista versions of almond milk. Some machines over froth and overheat plant based milks in particular, but this did an excellent job.

The latte milk was only slightly less frothy than the cappuccino, so it errs on the generous side of foam, but it’s impressive. The milk also helped bring the coffees to a drinkable temperature, so I was very pleased with the results. This is definitely designed for milky coffees, so if that's the kind you normally drink, you'll love this.

Cleaning, storage, and maintenance

The pod bin held eight pods and I think it could have squeezed in another two. This is the biggest capacity I’ve ever seen on a Nespresso machine, which is useful if you drink multiple coffees or live in a home with lots of coffee drinkers. The milk steamer has cleaning modes which prevent any stale milk from getting sour in the tubes, which is a classic De'Longhi touch. It's easy to use, with straightforward labels for cleaning and rinsing the milk carafe. They've also designed it to be slim enough to sit in the refrigerator door, so you can fill it with milk without any going off, another classic De'Longhi design.

In terms of storage, this is slim and not too tall. It would easily fit on any kitchen countertop. There are a few steel features which show fingerprints, but these are easy to wipe clean. However, I would advise people with more compact kitchens to take a look at other models since this certainly isn’t the smallest one that I’ve seen. The Vertuo Next and Essenza are both smaller.

How does it rate online?

I was pleased to see that this is a popular single-serve option amongst customers and reviewers alike. Even though this only launched in September, it's been popular. Multiple professional reviewers said that these pods were the closest they'd come to making fresh coffee with pods. Unsurprisingly, lots of people found the milk frothing to be the star of this machine. It's well deserved praise.

If you don't have milk in your coffee, there are better coffee makers on the market. This was the most common gripe brought against the Vertuo Lattissima. However, it’s important to judge this Nespresso as a single-serve machine. Pitching it against bean-to-cup models is unfair, because it will never achieve the flavors of freshly ground coffee.

How does it compare?

The most obvious comparison is between the Vertuo Lattissima and its predecessor the Lattissima. Honestly, there's very little difference between the two models. Aside from the new model's exclusive compatibility with Vertuo pods. The milk carafe is slimmer too.

If you like the idea of a Nespresso which can froth milk, it’s also worth considering the Creatista. This is about twice the price, but it really looks it. On the countertop, the Creatista is a wider, shinier, coffee statement. It can also take eight pods in the pod bin, and the Creatista has a Breville style milk frothing system. 

If looks don’t matter, I preferred the milk from the Vertuo Lattissima's system, because the Creatista really overshot ideal temperatures. It was also more maintenance to keep clean, because the whole body is stainless steel. 

Should you buy it?

As a single-serve machine with milk frothing capabilities, this is near-flawless. It’s smart, slick, and an expert at texturing milks. It has a solid and reliable feel, which is ultra premium. Nespresso has replaced lots of the plastic with stainless steel and solid materials too.

Overall, I preferred the pod flavors of the simple drinks, rather than artificially enhanced pods, but these are fun for festivities and seasonal brews. The best coffees, by far were those which had milk in, so this is best suited for milky coffee drinkers. All in all, however, this is my favorite Nespresso machine so far. 

How we test

At Homes & Gardens we really care about coffee that's why we take every machine we recommend to our test kitchen. Laura, a trained barista, put this through its paces, making notes on every part of the Nespresso experience. From unboxing to cleaning up, if there's anything you need to know, we'll tell you about it. Most importantly, we make notes on the coffee flavors. If you want to find out more, there's more information in our how we test coffee makers page.