Nespresso Essenza Mini Espresso Machine by Breville, Piano Black

Johnny United States

Nespresso Original Line vs. Vertuo vs. Keurig: Which is best? Are Nespresso coffees a must?

I specialize in kitchen reviews. Of the countless gadgets I’ve evaluated, none gets more use than my superb Nespresso Essenza Mini. We’re coffee connoisseurs and get 99% percent of the quality we used to from time-consuming fiddling with my high maintenance Saeco Classico espresso machine. But is the Original Line as good as the more recently introduced Vertuo? Can Keurig complete with these European wonder machines? Read on to learn more: First, if you are going to order an Original Line machine, this Essenza Mini is THE ONE to get. Don’t let its diminutive size scare you. It’s so small you can leave it on the counter or conveniently store it and effortlessly use it daily with wonderful simplicity. Everything about this machine is FANTASTICO—ease of use, simplicity of cleaning, and no maintenance whatsoever. Second, if you are reading this review, may have a Keurig and possibly find its results mediocre. We sure did. The Nespresso gives you all of the convenience of Keurig, great coffee varieties, yet flavor worth of any expensive high end coffee house. Even the better Keurig coffees are simply not up to the flavor excellence of the Nespresso machines. ORIGINAL LINE VS VERTUO: DOES IT MATTER? So what about Original vs. Vertuo lines? It’s no secret that Americans like a big cup of java and Nespresso developed the Vertuo solely for the American market. Compared to Nespresso’s original line, the Vertuo claim to fame is the variety of drink sizes it offers. If dainty little Ristretto’s are not your thing, you can choose coffees that make cups of quite large sizes. For example, big mama Alto XL Intenso is the Mac truck of Nespresso coffees, yielding a giant 14 ounce cup. But the downside of Vertuo is that it utilizes a different extraction method. While the Original is 99% undetectable from old school ground espresso that’s hand tamped (a pain let me tell you!) the Vertuo is more about convenience while still giving a very fine tasting cup. Time and time again, professional reviews give a slight nod to the Original machine’s flavor, though. With the original system like with the Essenza Mini, you do get three size settings, tiny Ristretto which we never use, Espresso, and the largest volume Lungo. Although Nespresso makes lungo-specific pods with 20% more coffee, we like the Lungo setting while still using the regular sized pods. Compared to ploddingly slow Keurig machines, your amazing espresso (on any size setting) is ready in under 40 seconds! WHICH TYPE OF CAPSULE IS MORE ECONOMICAL? This was the deciding factor for us: The OriginalLine patent ran out some years ago and there is now a wonderful variety from competing brands, too. Some swear only true Nespresso-branded coffee is worthy of the machine and I am here to counter respectfully with one word: “Bunk!” I’ll admit that Nespresso’s coffees are consistency wonderful, yet they can be double the price of another famous brand we have found at our supermarket, Lavazza. Try the Deciso. It’s a 10 intensity roasted in Italy—fantastic and sometimes on sale as a BOGO at our market. Another great brand found here at Amazon is Cafespresso. It’s half the price, or less, than Nespresso coffee. We have only tried the 6 intensity Medosto and it rivals any mid strength coffee from Nespresso at only .37 a pod! Truly wonderful. One downside of Vertuo is that it is still under the patent. Unless you want the tedious habit of buying a contraption to tamp your own pods, you must use only Nespresso branded Vertuo at a fairly high cost, depending on size selected. I PREFER A BIG CUP OF COFFEE: DOES THAT MEAN MY CHOICE IS VERTUO? Nah! This machine, and any Original Line machine can knock out a double in less than 90 seconds! Just put your cup under the machine, add the capsule of your choice, brew. And QUICKLY repeat. Now, even with two capsules used, you have a cup as large as the Vertuo machine that remains very reasonably priced. DO I NEED A MORE EXPENSIVE MACHINE WITH A FROTHER? No! It is far better and cheaper to get a separate simple to use frother. We drink cappuccinos and lattes almost exclusively. The Nespresso Aeroccino frother is sometimes bundled with this machine but is quite overpriced. I’ve reviewed several frothers and highly recommend the Miroco ones. I use mine every morning. It’s half the price of the Aeroccino and easy to clean. In terms of quality froth and easy of use, the Nespresso Aeroccino and Miroco are equally good. Don’t bother with those cheap wand stick frothers. They are inferior and a pain to use. Here’s a link to Miroco’s stainless model review if this has frothed your interest: https://www.amazon.com/review/R3E10Y90RV2IZ0/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B07HH9BHL1 WHAT ABOUT NESPRESSO’S DOLCE GUSTO POD MACHINES? Before Nespresso developed the Vertuo line, it tried another pod system for the American market called Dolce Gusto. Think of it as Keurig-deluxe but no where near the quality of either of its Original or Vertuo lines. Nespresso is no longer marketing Dolce Gusto consumers but instead to the professional market of businesses, etc. Pods are only available through Amazon and each pod is expensive. We have a little used Dolce Gusto and abandoned it in favor of this magnificent Esssenza Mini. Jumpin’ Java! This sure has turned out to be a long review. Hope it has been of some help. Now time for good cup of coffee, for sure! HAPPY BREWING!

Tim G. Canada

No regrets. Don’t let it’s small size fool you. Essenza Mini (Breville) vs. Innisia (DeLonghi)

We decided to get an Essenza Mini (Breville) because of its sleek modern look. We saw it on our last visit to the Nespresso boutique and for the months following I had been thinking it’s super-compact size would fit us better. We had-had an Innisia (DeLonghi) for years, the vibration from it was loud enough to wake the whole home. Of course the noise is to be expected from an espresso machine, but over time our Innisia became too loud for the morning calm. Black Friday sales galore and the Essenza Mini came home with us. At almost half the size of the Innisia, the platform at which your cup sits on is surprisingly tall enough to fit a standard size mug for your frothy latte. This can be done without having to lift or remove any parts from the machine like in the Innisia. It is much quieter and vibrates less and much easier to keep clean. Our Innisia had many books and crannies that got funky over time unless you gave it a good brush. The mechanism for the pod has a nice machine gun “clunk” to it, however it is missing the nice “pop” sound the Innisia makes when it punctures the coffee pod right before extraction. The coffee pods seem less prone to getting stuck compared to the Innisia. Oftentimes we are fishing for pods that didn’t drop in properly or got stuck dropping out. This has yet to happen with the Essenza Mini Créma is good, almost better than other machines I’ve used and as long as you’re using Nespresso branded coffee pods the taste is always as good to be expected. Overall it’s compact, no-nonsense and quality crafted as you would expect from both Nespresso and Breville.

Kentz United States

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Compact, Beautiful, and Surprisingly Powerful

The Breville Essenza Mini has completely elevated my morning routine. For such a small machine, it delivers a seriously impressive espresso—rich, smooth, and topped with a beautiful crema that rivals what I’ve had in cafés. ✅ Effortless operation: Just one button and you’re off. No learning curve, no fiddling—just great coffee, fast. ✅ Slim and space-saving: Its thin profile is a dream for tight counters. It tucks neatly into a corner without hogging space, and still looks sharp doing it. ✅ Multiple cup options: Whether I want a quick espresso shot or a longer lungo, the programmable buttons make it easy to switch it up. ✅ Stylish design: Minimalist and modern, it adds a touch of elegance to my kitchen without being flashy. ✅ Surprisingly good espresso: I wasn’t expecting this level of flavor from such a compact machine. The crema is thick and golden, and the taste is bold without bitterness. If you want a sleek, reliable espresso maker that punches above its weight, the Essenza Mini is a fantastic choice. Highly recommend for anyone who wants quality and simplicity in one package. Its a little pricey for what you get, but it is a great little machine!

Stephen Lusk United States

Pricey, but worth the money. Perfect size for apartment living!

This is a great little Nespresso maker. It uses the original, smaller size capsules which is why I purchased it. The newer, larger pods use a different technology (The Spin) as opposed to a more traditional pressure system that this device uses. It's heavier than I thought it would be and ALSO smaller than I thought. Having said that, the quality is there and it does a great job for a simple Espresso maker. It does allow you to adjust both cup sizes as well as temperature which I love. I like my espresso a bit hotter. An added benefit is that the smaller pods have been on the market longer so there is a large variety available. Things I don't like, the small water reservoir means more refills. ALSO, there is no alert when you are low on water and if you are not careful to check the water level, you will waste a pod if the device does not pump water. Outside of that, it's a great little unit. The price is a bit high but you get what you pay for. Betting the cheap espresso makers you get at box stores will fail long before this unit. Worth the money!