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. The only downside is that you'll need to buy Nespresso's milk frothing Aeoccino 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.
The best overall
This really is a one-button-does-all machine. It brews quick and delicious coffee, whilst looking sleek on the countertop. It's the best all-round, but not an expert at anything.
The best for lattes
If you love a latte or cappuccino over simpler coffee, the smart milk frothing function will feel like you have a live-in barista. I just wish the milk frother could froth independently (for hot chocolates and chais).
The most luxurious
This is the most of everything: most beautiful, most technical, most professional, but also the most expensive. It's an iconic machine that has even caught David Beckham's eye.
The best for large homes
This is the sweet spot of everything Nespresso: it has luxury features, good capacity, and is still reasonably priced. The only limiting factor is the Aeroccino milk frother.
The most compact
You won't find a pod machine closer to pocket-sized than the Pop+. It's tiny, speedy, and delivers delicious coffee. The limiting factor, is, of course, capacity: it has a tiny water tank.
The best basic
This is Nespresso's cheapest offering. It's compact and quick to make simple espressos, but it can't do too much more. Plus, it's only compatible with the (less expensive but less diverse) Original capsules.
The best Nespresso machines in 2024
You can trust Homes & Gardens. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing the latest products, helping you choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
The best Nespresso machine overall
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.
The best Nespresso machine for lattes
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.
The most luxurious Nespresso machine
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.
The best Nespresso machine for large homes
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.
The most compact Nespresso machine
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.
The best basic Nespresso Machine
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.