Nespresso Review

Perhaps you’ve been seeing commercials for Nespresso lately.  This phenomenon seems to have followed me home from France: I had never heard of it before April, but the apartment we rented in Paris had a machine; and since returning from vacation, I have seen increasingly visible advertisements for it.

Nespresso= Nestle + Espresso.  It’s like a Keurig, except with a smaller capsule designed to draw a smaller cup (think a demi-tasse).

In Europe, Nespresso stores are ritzy affairs.  The sales clerks are dressed all in black.  There are multiple counters where one can purchase a prepared cup of the brew.  You’re shuttled to a different zone of the store depending on what you seek.  Chances are, the store has more style than you do—but they offer the hope that by buying one of their units, some of their hipness might rub off on you.

So what about the coffee?  Honestly, I only had one cup of Nespresso-brand coffee.  The rest of the time, we bought the off-brand capsules that were advertised as being nespresso-compatible.  Otherwise, there would be very little cost savings between brewing a nespresso at home and going to a cafe where a barrista would brew a real espresso for you.  I doubt that extent of competitive infrastructure exists in the US.  If you purchase their machine, you’re likely locked into their over-priced coffee.

The piece of equipment that made the most sense to me was the Aeroccino 3, a milk frothing unit that heats and froths your milk for you in just over a minute.  Thinking we had stumbled upon some piece of Euro-chicness that may never cross the pond, Rory and I sprang for one on the Champs-Elysees, and then bought a FR-EU electrical converter to plug it into our wall.  It’s really something spectacular. Nothing jazzes up a cuppa joe like warm, frothy milk.

I recommend buying it and a stovetop Bialetti as a far more economical way to make a latte or cappuccino at home.  There will be no plastic cartridge to dispose of after each cup; you’ll have a plethora of coffee suppliers from whom to purchase your beans; and you’ll have the opportunity to make a higher-quality cup whilst (and at the same time as) saving money on procurement of both equipment and coffee.

3 Responses to “Nespresso Review”

  1. Occupy EEFC Says:

    (http://aerobie.com/products/aeropress.htm) PLUS one of these (http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-187111/Bodum-Chambord-Manual-Milk-Frother) or just a small French press (to froth the milk) makes far better cafe au lait than a Moka pot and the electric gizmo…for cheaper, too. Moka pot = no/minimal pressure = not espresso. Aeropress is not technically an espresso maker either, but gets very close with a rich smooth strong brew.

  2. ocbrew (NespressoBoard.com) Says:

    Share some of your opinions on our forum.

  3. Salma Says:

    I bought one after coming back from Europe. I had buyers remorse for a few days, for all the reasons: wasteful, feeling locked in to the “club”, grandiose advertising (they call their coffee flavors “grand crus”). But the key is the ease of use and uniform high quality. For a latte, this can’t be beat. One shot is 60 cents US, which means my giant latte in the morning costs $1.20. I too was in love with the aerocinno, but ended up not buying it and I’m so glad didn’t. I have a rechargeable wand frother and a microwave, which allows for a super quick heat, whiz and rinse sequence. The aerocinno would require a real cleaning, takes longer, and doesn’t give me control of the heat. Many reviews complain that it doesn’t get hot enough. I guess I drank the cool-aid, but I kind of love this thing for now. It has streamlined my morning routine to a point where I really think the markup is worth it, for me anyway.

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