Best Nespresso machines 2024 – for every kind of coffee drinker

Even people who don't drink coffee know the name Nespresso. For nearly thirty years the brand has been refining their coffee makers so that they brew simple, speedy, delicious coffee.

Over that time, there have been plenty of different Nespresso machines, all deserving of a spot in our buying guide for the best single-serve coffee makers. Generally, these are divided into the Original line (making classic espressos with the Original capsules) and the more modern Vertuo line (which makes five different cup sizes, using you guessed it, Vertuo capsules, and a spin-extraction technology).

I've tested most of what Nespresso has to offer and their best blanket model is easily the Nespresso Vertuo Next. It covers all your coffee sizes, flavors, and styles within one sleek appliance, that's often a great price in the Black Friday sales. The only downside is that you'll need to buy Nespresso's milk frothing Aeroccino separately if you want a cappuccino or a latte.

If you know you have more niche needs, you might want to have a look into the best Nespresso has to offer. There are milk-frothing models, ones with petite footprints, and bigger machines for the whole family. I've used them to make all of Nespresso's coffees, from Lungos to Insenso. Here's all you need to know.

The quick list

If you want to find a Nespresso machine fast, here are the headlines. I go into all the details further down.

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The best Nespresso machines in 2024

The best Nespresso machine overall

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In my mind, this is the classic Nespresso machine. You can't go wrong with it. The simple, single-serve functions work at the touch of a button. That's not a cliché – you control it with a single button at the top of the machine. All you do is insert your pod, hit the button, and wait half a minute for a coffee. It's the archetype of all single-serve machines.

As for the coffee the Vertuo Next brews, our expert tester said 'much better than an instant or filter alternative.' It's not as good as an espresso machine, but it's the gold standard of single-serve coffee makers. While you can only use Nespresso's Vertuo pods in the Next, but that's not limiting. They make over thirty different types and flavors. That doesn't include limited edition brand collaborations, seasonal coffees like festive gingerbread spice, or summer's watermelon coffee. You can buy these coffees in several different sizes to suit your needs, too. In fact, the pod options are so vast our experts wondered whether there's almost too much choice.

On the countertop, this looks sleek and subtle, easy to incorporate into any coffee nook or countertop station. It comes in a good breadth of colors that suit a range of different kitchen styles.

The only thing I would change about the Vertuo Next is its ability to steam milk. You need to buy this in a bundle with Nespresso's Aeroccino, available at Walmart (or invest in one of the models in our buying guide for the best milk frothers on the market) if you want to add textured milk to your coffees.

You can find out more in our Nespresso Vertuo Next review.

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The best Nespresso machine for lattes

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Slim, sleek, and neatly designed, this is another one of Nespresso's best machines. If you like to switch-up your coffee order according to the time of the day, I think you've just found your greatest kitchen companion. Whilst the Vertuo Latissima can make espressos and Americanos in a matter of seconds, where it really shines is on more complex, milky coffees.

I loved the latte and cappuccinos I made in this, and best of all, that's not just true of dairy milk. I also tested alternative milks like almond and oat milk and they both worked equally well. Not only that, but the If you've admired Nespresso's professional coffee makers before, you might recognize the different milk frothing method (normally Nespresso sells a bundle with their proprietary Aeroccino). The innovative, sleek milk carafe will sit neatly in any refrigerator door and then, when needed, slots into place and delivers silky smooth milk straight into your cup. That's a lot less for you to do, both in terms of prep work and cleaning-up.

Most other Nespressos use their Aeroccino milk frother, which is a completely separate appliance. This is great if you often make other milky drinks, such as matcha, chai, and hot chocolate. This is an advantage over the Latissima, because this machine only froths milk when a coffee pod is inserted. If, for example, you just wanted to froth some milk for a hot chocolate, you'd still have to use a pod, which seems very wasteful.

You can read more in our Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima review.

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The most luxurious Nespresso machine

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Coffee makers will live on your countertop year round, so you need a coffee maker that looks as good as the coffee it makes. Thankfully, the Verto Creatista more than delivers on style and substance.

On the countertop, this is surprisingly compact. It has all the signature, stainless steel aesthetics of a professional barista's machine, but when you would normally need to get technical with dials and pressure gauges, you just push a button. It really is that easy.

Straight out the box, this felt like it was overheating the milk, but after a few cups of coffee, the Creatista seemed to settle down. Once I was used to its foibles, I found that the sensitive steam wand can make silky milk in seconds that is perfect for both lattes and cappuccinos. Not only is that true for the usual dairy milk, but I also tested it on almond and oat milk and it was consistently delicious.

Yet for all that I adore the Creatista, there's no escaping the fact that it's expensive. I'm not sure the price tag is proportional to the single-serve experience: you still have to use Nespresso's own Vertuo pods and nobody else's and you can't adjust the settings beyond adding a different pod. There are proper espresso machines like the KitchenAid Espresso machine that are much less expensive. However, it has plenty of celebrity approval (you've likely seen the David Beckham ads) and it has my barista approval too.

You can find more detail in our Nespresso Vertuo Creatista review.

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The best Nespresso machine for large homes

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I love the Vertuo Plus because it has got so many things right about the single-serve experience. It's efficient, consistent, and good value (for a Nespresso). The sleek design comes in a range of colors (from cherry red through to navy blue), all of which are at home in almost any kitchen.

I could write about the subtle, yet stylish, aesthetics for a whole article, but that would neglect the very useful, highly practical features that Nespresso has included too. For example, the 40 oz water tank makes this capable of quickly caffeinating a whole family first thing in the morning. Unlike most machines, this tank isn't fixed: you can move it around the machine, sitting it at the back, right, or left of your Vertuo Plus, depending on your countertop space. I suspect a lot of other single-serve coffee maker brands will be following suit very soon.

As expected, this makes consistently delicious coffee shots. There's very little to do except insert your Vertuo (and only Vertuo) pods into the machine and push a button. The coffees have Nespresso's signature (artificial) crema and photo-worthy gradient colors, so there's a lot to love.

The biggest limitation of the Vertuo Plus comes from the lack of an integrated milk frother. If you want your single-serve to combine coffee and milk as it brews, you'll find the Vertuo Plus a little lacking. The Vertuo Plus, of course, comes in a bundle with Nespresso's signature Aeroccino milk frother (like this, which is available at Walmart). However, you'll still need to use your Vertuo Plus and Aeroccino separately, which is one more appliance to manage in the morning and it's more space that you'll need to clear on your countertop.

Our experts are in the process of testing the Vertuo Plus. We'll have a formal review coming soon, but here are our initial thoughts.

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The most compact Nespresso machine

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A small footprint and speedy brew time are two signature single-serve coffee maker features. It's hard to be the best at both of these, but that's what makes the Vertuo Pop so special; it has the balance just right.

Our experts loved testing the Pop for so many reasons, but the first is the colorways. This has the brightest and most diverse offering of all Nespresso's models. You can choose from aqua mint, mango yellow, spicy red, and Pacific blue. If you don't want these bright (but not gaudy) colors in your kitchen, there are tasteful monochrome and metallic offerings, too.

Of course, the Vertuo Pop is small, so it can almost guarantee itself a spot in the most compact of kitchens. It's also quick to set up, and even quicker to brew coffee. There are hardly any buttons to press, so it's hard to make anything that isn't the perfect cup of coffee. Simple, speedy and small: that's another three qualities to add to the list of reasons the Pop earns a top spot in our coffee maker buying guides.

When our expert tester arrived at the all-important taste test, she was 'very, very impressed.' Vertuo offers over thirty different pods, spanning from the very basics to watermelon cold brew. She tested an older model, which only takes original capsules, and still enjoyed the 'deep, thick crema, and the aroma which filled my kitchen in a way that I have never experienced before'.

You can read more in our Nespresso Vertuo Pop review.

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The best basic Nespresso Machine

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The Essenza Mini is a classic for a reason. The huge number of reviewers all love the svelte design of this petite machine. It's one of the brand's most affordable and compact models, offering quality coffee without much compromise.

The reason this didn't steal the spot for best Nespresso machine for small spaces is because this is almost too small. It's great if you have an urban apartment and still want to create a coffee nook, but I think that the compact design inhibits the Essenza's capacity too much for it to be the best compact option.

For value, however, the Essenza Mini is unrivaled. It can make some awesome, consistent espressos in less than fifteen seconds. Reviewers couldn't fault the flavors or quality, especially since this is exclusively compatible with Nespresso's original pods (these are brewed hotter and taste full of flavor according to the online reviews).

If you want to challenge the Essenza Mini to a longer cup of coffee, say a large Americano, you'll start to feel its limits. Also, you'll need to invest in Nespresso's Aeroccino Milk Frother (or one of the other models in our best milk frothers buying guide) if you want to expand into milky treat-yourself coffee orders.

Let's address the elephant in the room: the Essenza Mini is the only non-Vertuo model in this guide. Coincidentally, it's also the only one we haven't tested. Whilst threads online will tell you not to worry about this being discontinued (it's immensely popular), I'm finding that behind the scenes Nespresso are paying much more attention to their Vertuo pods and appliances, so I wouldn't be hugely surprised if the pods for this machine were discontinued in a few years.

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How to choose the best Nespresso machine

Narrowing down the best Nespresso machine for you is easy when you can answer a few simple questions about your coffee habits. Here are the ones I would ask myself:

How many people are using the machine?

Capacity and the needs of your household can help you to cut a number of these models from your shortlist. If it's just you drinking coffee in the morning, opt for a smaller model. If you know there'll be a queue of five at the Nespresso every morning, make sure it has a big enough water tank to make all your cups at once.

What's your countertop space like?

This will tie into my question about capacity, but it's important to consider aesthetics. Some Nespressos come with a range of bright color options, whilst others are only available in more muted, metallic or monochrome tones. Some Nespressos, like the Vertuo Pop, can nestle in amongst cereal boxes. Larger models like the Vertuo Creatista need more room. If this is going to be the focal point of your coffee nook, it should look beautiful too.

What kind of coffee do you drink?

Some Nespresso machines are more limited in choice than others. All of them are exclusively compatible with Nespresso pods. Models such as the Essenza Mini will only make small shots of coffee. You can't texture milk (unless you buy the Aeroccinoseparately) and you certainly won't be filling a travel mug up. Whereas the Creatista can draw on Nespresso's full range of Vertuo pods, offering you over 30 different blends in five cup sizes.

What's your budget?

Nespresso machines are luxury single-serve coffee makers, so they'll never be your budget option (unless you're shopping in the sale). However, there are some which are more of a splurge than others. The Creatista costs between $650 and $750, whereas the Vertuo Next sits around the $200 mark. If you want to texture milk, you'll also need to budget for a milk frother. Nespresso often offers bundles with the Aeroccino, but you might want to buy one from a different brand.

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FAQs

Do Nespresso make the best single-serve machines?

I've written a buying guide for the best single-serve coffee makers on the market and Nespresso features heavily. Their machines are sleek and stylish, plus the coffee they make tastes really good by single-serve machine standards. However, they do have some quirks. For example, you can only use Nespresso pods in your Nespresso machine, which is frustrating if you want to grind your own coffee freshly, use another brand's flavors, or use reusable capsules. So whilst Nespresso makes some impressive single-serve machines, it's always worth checking out the competition too.

What's the difference between Nespresso's Vertuo and Original machines?

The Vertuo line introduces a different style of brewing single-serve coffee. Using 'centrifusion' technology, the coffee is spun around, creating a vortex inside the machine. This means that the coffees appear to have a thicker crema, so they look more aesthetically pleasing and they feel smooth when you sip them. Nespresso also offers larger coffee sizes and more of a range of flavors with their Vertuo pods. Although these are more expensive to buy, you can subscribe to their pods to make a more significant saving. It's worth noting that you can't use Vertuo pods in non-Vertuo machines and vice-versa.

Where can I buy Nespresso pods?

Nespresso capsules are widely available: you can find them in stores, such as Walmartand Target, as well as on Amazon , or you can sign yourself, or a loved one, up for a pod subscription at Nespresso).

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How we tested these Nespresso machines

At Homes & Gardens we treat our coffee like it's something really special, because it is. That's why we have a dedicated team who review and research every product before we recommend them to you.

I've headed up the Nespresso tests, because, in another life, I trained as a barista. This might make be a little overqualified for tasting capsule coffee, but we'd rather go over the top than under. Plus, we have high standards for you and we think speedy single-serve coffee should taste as good as if it was made fresh.

Before our team tested any of these Nespressos, we did our research. We're always looking at what the brand is doing, making sure we're up to date on their latest, greatest, and most innovative models. We'll look at other single-serve coffee makers too, so we know what the competitors have to offer.

Once we've found a model we want to test, we take it to our test kitchens or our own homes, where we put the Nespressos through a series of standardized tests. If we have made an espresso, Americano, and cappuccino (where possible), we can directly compare between machines. If there are other coffee settings, we make sure to test them too. Our experts often get a little too enthusiastic and will end up testing double espressos and specialist coffees (such as cold brew and seasonal specials) too.

When we test espressos, we time how long they take. If you use a single-serve coffee maker, time is of the essence for you, so it's important that it's speedy. We'll also look at the temperature of the espresso (it should be between 190 and 196 degrees Fahrenheit) as well as the quantity and color of the shot too. Once we've done our empirical tests, we do a taste test too, making sure that the flavors have been well-extracted from the capsule. After all, if it doesn't taste delicious, you don't want the machine.

Americanos go through a similar process to the espresso. We look at the temperature (it should be between 194 and 204 degrees), quantity, and color of our cup of coffee. Our experts also give it the all important taste test, making sure the Nespresso's hot water doesn't burn our coffee flavors into a more bitter result.

It's a similar story for cappuccinos. Although, in this instance, we expect the Nespresso to be able to froth milk. If this is the case, it needs to be tested on both dairy and plant-based milks. Nut and oat milks need to be textured at much lower temperatures so that they don't separate or burn. Dairy milk shouldn't burn either, so we always check that it's between 145 and 155 degrees Fahrenheit. We'll look at the density (the less air bubbles the better) and the ratio of milk to coffee. We expect our lattes to have a layer of foam about as thick as a finger, whereas a third of the cup should be coffee when making a cappuccino.

After that, we make sure to test other special features and pod flavors. For example, when Nespresso released cold brew, we were fascinated. The brew time for this popular coffee should be 24 hours, so Nespresso's claim to make it in less than five minutes seemed implausible. However, it did it and the flavors were pretty good – not perfect, but close.

We'll also consider the aesthetics of the Nespresso, because we know you'll keep this on your countertop or in your kitchen coffee station. Alongside that, we think about maintenance and cleaning too. Again, you won't want to use a machine which takes more effort and time to maintain than it does to make a coffee.

In short, we make sure that we can tell you everything you need to know about a Nespresso machine before writing about it, so that you don't have any unwelcome surprises when it arrives at your door.

If you want to know more, you can visit our dedicated page for how we test coffee makers.

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