The Best Nespresso Machines: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)

RBE top pick

Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima (by De'Longhi)

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The Vertuo Lattissima is the most complete all-round choice: Vertuo coffee in a range of cup sizes, a built-in milk system for cappuccinos and lattes, and the largest water tank here at 54.1 oz. The Essenza Mini is the runner-up and the smarter pick for espresso purists who want the lowest running cost and smallest footprint.

Nespresso runs two separate ecosystems: Original, which pulls true 19-bar espresso and accepts cheap third-party pods, and Vertuo, which spins barcode-read capsules for big American-style cups topped with crema. The machines are built for the brand by De'Longhi or Breville depending on where you buy, and identical models from either maker perform the same. We looked at four widely sold models and landed on two easy recommendations, one that depends on how you drink coffee, and one we would steer most people away from.

RBE top pick

Nespresso

Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima (by De'Longhi)

Buy it

The most complete Vertuo machine here, with a built-in milk system and a 54.1 oz water tank.

Best for: Households that want variety, milk drinks, and big cups from a single machine and will pay for it.

$$$ · premium

Why we like it

• Integrated milk solution makes cappuccino, latte macchiato and warm milk froth at the press of a button, with no separate frother
• 54.1 oz water container, the largest here, so refills are rare
• One-touch brewing with automatic barcode pod recognition across Vertuo cup sizes, plus drink personalization and a mobile app
• Auto-clean for the milk system and a descaling alarm

Know before buying

• Locked to Vertuo pods, which cost more and have almost no third-party alternatives
• Costs well above the other machines here, and at 14.19 lbs and 16 in deep it needs real counter space
• A newer model, so it lacks the long owner track record of older Vertuo machines

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Nespresso

Nespresso Essenza Mini (by Breville)

Buy it

The smallest, cheapest way into genuine 19-bar Nespresso espresso, with the widest pod savings.

Best for: Solo espresso and lungo drinkers who want the lowest running cost and the smallest footprint.

$ · budget

Why we like it

• One of the smallest espresso machines you can buy, slim enough to fit where nothing else will
• Delivers proper 19-bar Original-line espresso with rich crema, per independent testing
• Takes Original pods, so you can drop to inexpensive third-party and refillable capsules
• Simple two-button operation (espresso and lungo) that heats quickly and is hard to get wrong

Know before buying

• Only makes espresso and lungo, with no large American-style cup or carafe option
• Tiny 0.6 L tank and small used-pod bin mean frequent refilling and emptying

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Nespresso

Nespresso Vertuo Pop+ (by De'Longhi)

It depends

The most compact, most affordable Vertuo machine, but its cup sizes stop short of the carafe.

Best for: Tight counters and single drinkers who stay in the espresso-to-mug range and want Vertuo crema cheaply.

$ · budget

Why we like it

• Smallest footprint in the Vertuo range and the lowest entry price
• Same centrifugal brewing and crema as pricier Vertuo machines, per independent testing
• One-touch brewing with automatic barcode pod recognition

Know before buying

• A 25.36 oz tank, standard or Deluxe, the smallest of the three Vertuo machines here
• Tops out at a 12 oz XL cup and cannot brew the 18 oz carafe pod
• Vertuo pods only, with little third-party choice and higher cost per cup

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We'd skip it

Nespresso

Nespresso Vertuo Next (by De'Longhi)

Skip it

The only machine here that brews the 18 oz carafe, but persistent leaking and failure reports undercut it.

Best for: Only buyers who specifically need the 18 oz carafe pour and accept the reliability risk.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• Brews six cup sizes up to the 18 oz carafe, which the Pop+ cannot
• Compact and lightweight, with a 37 oz removable tank
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity for cup customization and maintenance

Know before buying

• Widely documented water leaking, with a manual lever head that often fails to seal the capsule
• Owner reports describe failures within the first year, and replacements that fail just as fast
• Owner reports suggest a shorter typical lifespan than other Vertuo machines

See our pick instead See it on Amazon anyway Read our detailed assessment ↓

How we judged the field

We do not run our own lab. Instead, we synthesized independent testing and aggregated owner reports across both Nespresso ecosystems, then weighed the trade-offs that actually shape daily use. Nespresso splits into two systems: Original, which uses a 19-bar pump for true espresso and accepts cheaper third-party pods, and Vertuo, which spins a barcode-read capsule to produce larger, crema-topped American-style cups from Vertuo-only pods.

The criteria that mattered most were cup versatility, taste and crema consistency, water-tank size, build quality and long-term reliability, footprint, ease of use, and the cost and availability of pods. One practical note: Nespresso machines are manufactured for the brand by either De’Longhi or Breville depending on your region, so we treated the same model from either maker as equivalent.

This is the machine we would put in most kitchens that can spare the budget and the space. It brews the Vertuo range of coffee varieties and cup sizes with the thick, even crema the centrifugal system is known for, and its integrated milk solution makes cappuccino, latte macchiato or warm milk froth from one button, so there is no separate frother to buy. The 54.1 oz water container is the largest here, it heats up in about 30 seconds, and it auto-cleans the milk system and warns when it needs descaling. The costs are real: you are locked into Vertuo pods, it is the most expensive machine here, and at 14.19 lbs and 16 inches deep it takes real counter space. It is also newer than the other Vertuo machines, so the long-term owner record is still building. For hands-off variety, milk included, it is the strongest overall pick. It takes the place of the VertuoPlus Deluxe, which is no longer sold.

If you drink espresso and lungo and little else, the Essenza Mini is the smart buy. Nespresso calls it its most compact espresso machine, it heats quickly, and independent testing confirms it pulls genuine 19-bar shots with real crema despite its size. Because it is an Original-line machine, it opens the door to inexpensive third-party and refillable pods, giving it the lowest running cost in this group. The limits are real: it only makes espresso and lungo, and its 20.3 oz tank and six-capsule bin need frequent attention. For a solo drinker who values footprint and savings, none of that is a dealbreaker.

The Pop+ is the smallest and cheapest way into the Vertuo system, and it delivers the same centrifugal brewing and crema as its pricier siblings. The catch is scale: its largest cup is the 12 oz XL, so it cannot brew the 18 oz carafe, and De’Longhi lists the same 25.36 oz tank for the standard and Deluxe versions, the smallest of the Vertuo machines here. Whether it is right for you depends entirely on how you drink. If you stay in the espresso-to-mug range, want Vertuo crema, and have tight counter space, it is a good value. If you routinely make large cups or serve more than one person, you will outgrow it quickly.

The Vertuo Next has one genuine draw: it is the only machine here that brews the large 18 oz carafe pod. Unfortunately, it is undercut by well-documented reliability problems. Independent coverage and many owner reports describe water pooling under the machine, a manual lever head that often fails to seal the capsule, and brew cycles that stall, with many units failing in the first year and replacements failing just as fast. Unless you specifically need the carafe pour, the Pop+ or the Lattissima is the safer Vertuo choice.

Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima vs Essenza Mini: which should you buy?

These two are our recommendations, but they answer different questions. The Vertuo Lattissima is the versatile crowd-pleaser: big crema cups, a range of sizes, one-touch milk drinks and a 54.1 oz tank. It is the better machine if more than one person drinks coffee, if you like a full mug or a latte, or if you simply want one-touch convenience.

The Essenza Mini is the specialist. It makes only espresso and lungo, but it makes them properly at 19 bar, takes up almost no space, and costs the least to run because Original pods have cheap third-party alternatives. Choose it if you are a solo espresso drinker who cares about footprint, upfront price and long-term pod cost more than cup variety.

In short: pick the Vertuo Lattissima for versatility, milk drinks and big cups; pick the Essenza Mini for real espresso, minimal space, and the lowest running cost.

What to look for

• System first: decide between Original (true espresso, cheap third-party pods) and Vertuo (large crema cups, locked-in pods) before comparing individual machines.
• Cup sizes you actually drink: confirm the machine reaches your preferred size; among these four, only the Vertuo Next brews the 18 oz carafe, while Original machines cap at lungo.
• Water-tank capacity: larger tanks mean fewer refills, which matters most for households and big cups.
• Reliability track record: favor models with strong long-term owner reports and be wary of ones with documented leaking or early failures.
• Pod cost and availability: Original opens the door to budget and refillable pods; Vertuo pods cost more with few alternatives.
• Footprint: slim machines like the Essenza Mini and Pop+ suit tight counters, while the Vertuo Lattissima needs more room.
• Milk drinks: only the Vertuo Lattissima froths milk built-in here, so for the others budget for a separate frother or a bundle if you want lattes.

Our final take

For most people who can spend more, the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima is the best machine here: versatile across cup sizes, with milk drinks built in and the biggest tank in the group. Espresso-first solo drinkers should instead choose the Essenza Mini, which delivers genuine 19-bar shots in the smallest footprint and at the lowest running cost. The Vertuo Pop+ is a reasonable budget Vertuo if you stay at 12 oz cups or smaller. The Vertuo Next is the one to skip unless its exclusive 18 oz carafe is non-negotiable, because the leaking and early-failure reports are too consistent to ignore. Match the system to how you drink coffee first, and the right machine follows.

Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima (by De'Longhi) vs Nespresso Essenza Mini (by Breville).

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