If you want the flavor of freshly-brewed coffee with the convenience of instant, a Nespresso machine could be exactly what you need. I’m TechRadar’s resident coffee expert, and I test over a dozen coffee makers every year, so I’m perfectly placed to help you choose the right one for your kitchen.
Here I’ve picked out the three Nespresso machines I’d recommend to my own family and friends, including a great all-rounder with a built-in milk system for lattes and cappuccinos, a two-in-one machine that can prepare both espresso and drip coffee, and a tiny portable Nespresso machine for brewing short, strong drinks at the office or on the move.
First though, a quick word on sustainability. Unlike some coffee capsules, which use a combination of metal and plastic, Nespresso pods are made entirely from aluminum, and can be recycled at a specialized facility. Nespresso offers free pre-paid bags to make this as easy as possible – check out the official site for full details. Now, on with the recommendations.
Best Nespresso machine overall
Nespresso Lattissima One
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The Lattissima One is one of few Nespresso machines with a built-in milk frothing system, meaning it can take standard Nespresso capsules, and turn them into delicious, creamy lattes and cappuccinos (in addition to brewing espresso shots and americanos).
It’s a great option if you’ve been thinking about investing in an espresso machine, but you’re daunted by the process of brewing coffee manually, and you don’t have the budget for a full bean-to-cup machine that uses freshly roasted beans.
It’s more compact than most manual espresso machines too, and during testing my tester was surprised just how little space it occupied on her kitchen counter. As its name suggests, the Lattissima One is a single-serve coffee maker, and a good pick if you’re the sole caffeine fiend in your household. Its milk system is designed to use the whole contents of the carafe at once so you don’t have leftovers hanging around, and we found it worked equally well with dairy and plant-based substitutes.
Like the other machines in this guide, the Lattissima One uses Nespresso Original pods. Unlike the dome-shaped Vertuo capsules, Nestlé no longer owns the patent for Original pods, so there’s a huge array of third-party options to choose from. Look online and you’ll find vacuum-sealed pods from big brands like Starbucks, tiny independent coffee roasters, and everything in-between.
Read our full Nespresso Lattissima One review
Espresso and drip coffee combo
Ninja Prestige DualBrew System
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The Ninja Prestige DualBrew System (also known as the Ninja Espresso and Coffee Maker Barista System) is the ultimate all-in-one coffee maker. On the right-hand side you have a Nespresso machine for preparing shots of various sizes using Nespresso Original capsules (with an adjustable-height drip tray for different sized cups), and on the left you have a full-sized drip coffee maker.
That’s not all – there’s also a fold-out arm with an electric whisk attachment to froth milk for lattes and cappuccinos. The only downside of this is that it doesn’t heat your milk like a conventional steam wand, although the DualBrew system does include a table of ‘recipes’ explaining how long to microwave and whisk it to create the best texture for different drinks.
The Nespresso side of the machine performed brilliantly in my tests, producing consistently well-extracted espresso in around a minute, with surprisingly little noise. Spent capsules drop neatly into a bin behind the drip tray, which has a rubberized surface to prevent your drink slipping, and the large water tank means you can brew several drinks, one after another.
The drip coffee maker has everything you could want for preparing delicious pour-over in the morning, including a timer so you can set everything up the night before, and a ‘smart’ hot plate that keeps your freshly brewed drink hot without stewing it. There’s also a drip-stop control that prevents coffee leaking onto the hot plate when you’ve removed the carafe, which is a nice touch, and you can choose to brew coffee directly into a mug or travel flask if you’d rather not make a full pot.
Read our full Ninja Prestige DualBrew System review
Best portable Nespresso machine
Wacaco Nanopresso
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The Nanopresso is a portable espresso maker that was originally designed for use with fresh coffee grounds, but thanks to a cleverly-designed adapter, you can also use it with Nespresso Original capsules. The machine and its adapter are available to purchase separately, or together as a bundle.
The Nanopresso is fully wireless and battery-free. Instead, you use its hand pump to generate up to 18 bars of pressure. We used it for a month, in the office and outdoors, and were pleased to find that it doesn’t take too much effort to use. Once we were familiar with its unusual design, we were able to brew consistently delicious espresso with thick crema, at a fraction of the price of visiting a coffee shop.
The Nanopresso can’t heat water, so you’ll need to have access to a kettle or stove, or carry an insulated bottle full of hot water on your adventures. We also found it a bit of a hassle to disassemble and clean, although using it with Nespresso pods means there’s a lot less mess to deal with.
This little machine feels solid and sturdy in the hand too, which is exactly what you need whether your taking it camping, or tossing it in a bag for your daily commute. A great little investment for coffee-lovers.
Read our full Wacaco Nanopresso review
Nespresso capsules to try
Nespresso machines usually come with a sample pack of pods, but if you’re feeling spoilt for choice once you’ve finished those, here are a few recommendations.
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