Home & Kitchen · Head-to-head
Nespresso VertuoPlus Deluxe (by De'Longhi) vs Nespresso Essenza Mini (by Breville)
Which should you buy? Here's the honest call, pulled from our full The Best Nespresso Machines: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The VertuoPlus Deluxe is the safest all-round choice: reliable, versatile across cup sizes, and easy to live with thanks to its large swivel tank. The Essenza Mini is the runner-up and the smarter pick for espresso purists who want the lowest running cost and smallest footprint.
Nespresso VertuoPlus Deluxe (by De'Longhi)
Buy itThe most versatile, most reliable all-rounder in the Vertuo line, with a big swivel water tank.
- Brews five cup sizes from espresso up to the 14 oz Alto, with the thick Vertuo crema reviewers praise
- Large swivel reservoir mounts left, right, or rear and refills far less often than the smaller Vertuo machines
- Strong long-term reliability record in owner reports compared with the Vertuo Next
- One-touch brewing with automatic barcode pod recognition sets volume and temperature for you
- Locked to Vertuo pods, which cost more and have almost no third-party alternatives
- Larger footprint than the compact Vertuo and Original machines
Nespresso Essenza Mini (by Breville)
Buy itThe smallest, cheapest way into genuine 19-bar Nespresso espresso, with the widest pod savings.
- 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
- Two-button operation heats in roughly 25 seconds and is almost impossible to get wrong
- 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
Side by side
| Nespresso VertuoPlus Deluxe (by De'Longhi) | Nespresso Essenza Mini (by Breville) | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Most households that want variety, big cups, and set-and-forget reliability from a single machine. | Solo espresso and lungo drinkers who want the lowest running cost and the smallest footprint. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Nespresso VertuoPlus Deluxe (by De'Longhi) - The most versatile, most reliable all-rounder in the Vertuo line, with a big swivel water tank. Choose the Nespresso Essenza Mini (by Breville) instead if solo espresso and lungo drinkers who want the lowest running cost and the smallest footprint.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Nespresso Machines: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).