According to one survey, about 40% of USA homes own single-serve coffee machines. An average American spends about $1,100 per year on coffee, over $3 a day. This shows the importance of coffee in an individual life.
If you own your coffee maker, you can surely save hundreds of dollars per year on your coffee spending. With too many brands available in the market, it is quite complicated to figure out the best coffee maker.
In terms of producing quality coffee machines, “Nespresso” is undoubtedly one of the best names in this industry. Nespresso machines offer unbeatable convenience in making espresso or coffee at the touch of a button.
But it’s also true that the Nespresso machines are way more expensive than its competitors. So you might be wondering if is Nespresso worth it or not. Nespresso machines are a hefty investment, but are they really delivering that much?
Now, look at the cost versus the value they provide of this High-quality machine.
are Nespresso machines worth it?
It’s definitely worth it to invest in Nespresso machines because of their simplicity and convenience. By using Nespresso machines, you can brew decent espresso shots without learning brewing skills or spending too much time on brewing.
But if you are willing to learn and brew espresso manually, you must go with traditional Espresso machines as they are cheaper and you will get better-tasting espresso shots.
The best way to figure out the answer is to analyze the pros and cons of the Nespresso machine, its integrated features, technologies, cost, and convenience, and then make the final decision of whether you should invest in the Nespresso machine or not.
Read a detailed comparison between Nespresso vs Espresso machines
Why should you buy a Nespresso machine? The Goods
Undoubtedly, Nespresso machines come with a hefty price tag, but there are several factors that these special espresso brewing machines are worth it.
1)Design
Compared with traditional espresso machines, Nespresso machines are sleek and compact, look good on the counter and take up little space.
If you live in a small apartment you definitely want a machine that doesn’t cover too much space on your kitchen countertop. Nespresso machines combine innovative technologies while maintaining a friendly design.
If you have limited kitchen countertop space, Nespresso machines are the ideal solution because you don’t want a heavy and bulky espresso machine taking up too much space.
Just look at the picture below you can easily fit five Nespresso machines in the space of traditional Espresso machines.
2) Quick and Convenient
A major advantage of the Nespresso machine is the convenience it offers.
Whether you need coffee in busy mornings or you have a visitor at your home, you can easily brew an Espresso-style coffee at a touch of a button in no time.
A typical espresso machine requires grinding, tamping, and pulling to get the perfect shot of espresso. The process of brewing also takes a lot of time, and you need to be experienced in it.
Nespresso machine brew espresso-style drinks with much ease in under 1 minute. All the brewing process is completely automated. All you need is to insert the capsule, hit the brew button, and wait!
You will get strong, creamy espresso topped with a thick layer of gorgeous crema in 1 minute. Sounds amazing!
Additionally, Nespresso machines with milk frothers are also available for latte lovers to make lattes and cappuccinos that too in a single click.
3) Easy to use
Even a kid can brew a perfect shot of Espresso using a Nespresso machine.
If you are looking for the easiest and simplest Espresso machine then there is no other option than Nespresso.
With a typical Espresso machine, you need to know all the ins and outs of the brewing process. You must grind the beans to the perfect size, you must tamp them properly, must froth the milk separately for Lattes.
Yeah the taste you will get with traditional Espresso is more overwhelming but only if you are an expert at the brewing process. Otherwise, you will end up with a terrible cup of coffee.
So, if you are a complete beginner and want to enjoy espresso drinks at home with the ease of touching a button, then a Nespresso machine is the best choice.
4)Taste
It’s true that the flavor of the espresso shot from the Nespresso machine will differ from that of an espresso shot from a traditional Espresso machine brewed by an experienced barista.
In spite of that, you won’t be disappointed with the shot. It will be rich, strong, and topped off with a thick layer of cream.
And the other good part is you will always end up with the same consistent taste. On the other hand, You can easily mess up some variables when using a traditional machine and end up with a terrible shot.
The best part is Nespresso pods come in a variety of flavors, from light roasts to dark roasts, from sweet and smooth to bold and intense you can easily find the flavor you prefer.
5)Variety of Drinks
Another great advantage of the Nespresso machine is the variety of drinks they offer.
Even though you have to use coffee capsules in the machine, the Nespresso Company does a great job by offering varieties of tastes in capsules that fit every taste bud.
Nespresso has two lines of capsule-based espresso machine lines, i-e Original line, and the Vertuo line machine
- Compact Original Line Machines: Prepare a single shot, a double shot, and a lungo coffee.
- Lattissima and Crearista Original Line machines: Prepare a single shot, a double shot a lungo coffee, and also milk-based espresso drinks like cappuccino and latte.
- Vertuo line machine: Brew five different coffee sizes (Espresso (40ml/1.35oz), Double Espresso (80ml/2.7oz), Gran Lungo (150ml/5oz), Mug/Coffee (230ml/7.77oz).
With original line machines, you can use all the 3rd party capsules while with Nespresso Vertuo machines you can only Nespresso capsules explicitly designed for these machines.
6)Cleaning
Cleaning and maintaining the Nespresso machine is quite easy.
Regular cleanup is highly recommended for prolonging the lifespan of the Nespresso machine. And it is also recommended to descale your Nespresso machine once in a period of 3-6 months.
As for descaling the machine, you simply pour the descaling solution in and begin the cycle.
In short, Nespresso machines also need cleaning and descaling like regular Espresso machines but you can do it with much ease.
Also read: how to descale Nespresso Vertuoline machine
7) LONG-LASTING CAPSULES
Another reason to love Nespresso is its long-lasting capsules.
The coffee in the capsule stays fresh for a long period without losing its freshness. The reason is capsules are packed with nitrogen that avoids oxidation and degradation of flavors.
The fact that you can buy bulk capsules and not have to worry about them going bad is very comforting.
8) Environmental Friendly Company
For years, Nespresso has been accused of damaging the environment by producing aluminum capsules at scale.
But now Nespresso is dedicated to recycling aluminum capsules. According to Nespresso:
“Our recycled capsules go back into the aluminum value chain, where they are recycled into a range of uses – such as car engines, bicycles, computers, soda cans, or even new capsules. We also re-use the coffee grounds to create nutrient-rich compost or green energy.”
With over more than 100,000 used capsule collection points around the globe, it also encourages customers to recycle the capsules by rewarding them.
Still, the environmental concerns are far from perfect but the good thing is Nespresso is striving to make things better.
Why shouldn’t you buy a Nespresso machine? The Bads
Every product has a downside, and Nespresso is no exception. There are some reasons that you might not want to buy a Nespresso machine.
1) Cost of the capsules
The main drawback of the Nespresso machine is you have to invest a lot in coffee capsules. These coffee capsules are relatively more expensive than coffee grounds or whole-bean coffee.
Nespresso actually earns more by selling the coffee capsules than by selling the machines themselves.
There are two lines of Nespresso machines i-e Vertuoline and the Original line. And there are two types of coffee pods, i-e, the Vertuo line, and the Original line.
With original line machines, you can use less expensive 3rd party coffee capsules or you can buy a reusable Nespresso capsule for using coffee grounds. While with Vertuoline machines you are only restricted to using original Vertuo capsules designed specifically for these brewers. So, if the cost of the capsule is a major concern then you must buy an original-line Nespresso machine.
The cost of Nespresso capsules falls typically in this range
| Coffee pods | $1.2-1.50 each |
| Single Espresso pods | $0.9-1 each |
| Double espresso pods | $1.1-1.3 each |
| Gran lungo pods | $1.2-1.4 each |
| Carafe pods | $1.5-1.60 |
So more or less you end up spending a dollar on a shot of Espresso while using the Nespresso machine.
Yeah! it’s a lot more expensive than traditional Espresso wherever you can easily brew an Espresso shot within 0.50 dollars using whole-bean coffee. But it’s much cheaper than spending 4-10 dollars on espresso shots in cafes or restaurants.
Also Read: Can you Nespresso pods twice
2) Cost of the machine
Nespresso machines are quite expensive. They cost quite a bit more than those typical espresso machines.
The basic models like Nespresso Essenza Mini or VertuoPlus start around 100-150$. On the high-end spectrum, Nespresso Lattisssima models with built-in frothers fall in the range of 400-600 dollars.
That’s quite a lot for pod-based Coffee machines.
However, you could end up saving a lot of money if you compare your Nespresso machine expenses with those of coffee from the cafes.
| Machine cost | Average cost per cup | Days in Year | Total year cost | |
| Coffee at Cafe | 0 | $2.5 | 300 | $750 |
| Nespresso | $100-$200 | $1 | 300 | $450 |
3) You have to compromise on the Taste a little!
I’ve tried espresso shots from Nespresso machines and traditional machines, and I can say without hesitation that there is a difference in taste.
No pod-based machine can deliver an authentic Espresso. Period!
If you are buying a Nespresso machine you are looking for convenience and you have to pay the price for that convenience by compromising on the quality of the Espresso shot.
But don’t worry you will not end up with a disappointment. The Espresso will still be rich and thick in flavor.
The difference may not be noticeable to those who are not Hardcore Italian Espresso Lover.
Read the comparisons of Nespresso machines:
- Nespresso Vertuo Next vs Plus
- Nespresso Essenza Mini vs Plus
- Nespresso Lattissima One vs Touch
- Nespresso Gran Lattissima review
FINAL THOUGHT on whether the Nespresso machine is worth it or not?
So finally, to conclude the debate on whether Nespresso is worth it? I can say without a doubt that investing in a Nespresso machine is 100% worth it if you are looking for convenience without compromising a lot on taste.
Comparing your daily spending on a coffee shop to the average daily cost spent on your Nespresso machine. We can definitely say that Nespresso is a lot cheaper.
And while comparing the Nespresso machine to the traditional Espresso machine you have a lot of benefits in terms of convenience and ease of use and only some drawbacks like the cost of the coffee capsules and a little difference in the taste of Espresso.
And I can say for sure that the convenience this machine offers easily covers its drawbacks.
frequently asked question
is Nespresso real Espresso?
The Nespresso coffee capsules and brewers are designed to brew real Espresso.
As far as the occasional coffee drinkers and beginners are concerned they will not notice any difference in the quality of Espresso shot from the Nespresso machine.
However, if you are a hard coffee lover like me, you will definitely notice a difference since it will not be as flavorful.
What is Better Nespresso or Keurig
This question is very subjective.
Nespresso is specifically designed to make espresso. While Keurig machines are designed for brewing drip coffee.
So, it entirely depends on your taste whether you want a pod-based Espresso machine or a drip coffee machine.
However, both these brewers offer one thing in common: Convenience.
Read a detailed guide on Nespresso vs Keurig
Does Nespresso actually save money?
Nespresso machines are actually quite costly than traditional Espresso machines and the coffee pods are also double the price of normal coffee beans. But the point is you have to pay something for convenience.
However, Nespresso machines are a way cheaper option compared to spending money regularly in Cafes.
Can you use your own coffee in Nespresso?
Nespresso won’t recommend using coffee grounds or refillable coffee pods in their machines.
However, if you are looking to save costs you can use your own coffee in Nespresso original line but it’s virtually impossible to do that in the Vertuo line without damaging the machine.
