Nespresso Essenza Espresso Maker Review
The Nespresso machine has been popular in Europe for over a decade. From swanky restaurants to the finest hotels, they are everywhere. And with good reason. In less than 30 seconds you can have a delicious cup of espresso, with a rich crema, and no mess.
For years it was popular to have a “traditional” style espresso machine, people would buy them thinking they’d never go to Starbucks again. This would save them so much money. But after a few tries, back into the cupboard it goes, and hello to Starbucks. Why? Because pulling the perfect shot was difficult, messy and time consuming. But no more! With Nespresso all you have to do is turn the machine on, insert your favorite flavored pod and press the button. No mess, no fuss. So simple a 3 year old could do it. (But please, do not let children operate this machine, the liquid is hot 
For my Nespresso machine, i chose the Essenza automatic in piano black. It came in a bundle package with the Aeroccino plus milk frother. My decision was based on price. All the Nespresso machines have the 19 bars of pressure and the espresso and lungo buttons. So, all that was left was esthetics. While i prefer the art deco feel of the Citz, i loved that this machine was a) $100 less and b) came with the milk frother, which i so desperately wanted. Up until i received the Aeroccino i had been warming my milk in the microwave (gross) so i felt this was a safer method to warm milk.
The package came with a sample of all 16 flavors of coffee and a book that describes each flavor and intensity. The machine itself has Thermoblock technology which guarantees precise temperature control.
The buttons themselves are programmable, if you wish to have a longer pull for either the espresso or lungo shot. It is easy to re-set if you ever want to start from the beginning too.
A few helpful tips: Do not leave water in the container. The condensation may cause algae to form, as well as a stale taste of water for your espresso. For the Aeroccino, do not leave the machine on the stand when not in use. The base still drains energy from the cup and will lessen it’s life. Store them separate for a longer lasting machine.
Some people on the internet complain that the espresso is not hot enough. I find that if you run a shot of water through your cup first (do not insert a pod, just press the button) that helps keep your drink warm longer. I don’t have an issue with the heat to begin with though, but your mileage may vary. As for the heat from the Aeroccino, it does get hot. Not scalding hot, but it’s more than luke-warm. I do have to drink my latte slowly, that’s how hot it gets. It’s pretty impressive and i love it. The foam you get is great and i feel comfortable knowing that i didn’t just microwave my milk. I have heard you will get better foam from using 2% milk, but i get great results with using fat free.
Some of the more technical aspects of the machine are as follows:
-
Espresso Maker
- 10″ x 6 1/2″ x 11 1/2″ high.
- 30-fl.-oz.-cap. water tank.
- 6 lb. 10 oz.
- 1200W.
- This product is intended for use in the United States and Canada and is built to United States electrical standards.
- Made in China.
Milk Frother:
- Stainless-steel and plastic construction.
- 3 1/2″ diam, 5-3/4″ high.
- 6-oz. cap.
- 450W.
- This product is intended for use in the United States and Canada and is built to United States electrical standards.
- Made in China.
You can only buy the Nespresso pods from Nespresso.com but they have 2 business day shipping, so if you order before you run empty, you will be fine. There is a 50 pod minimum purchase and shipping is $5.95 but i am ok with that. They have seasonal flavors that are “but now or miss them forever” which are fun. There are a few ebay and Amazon vendors that sell the pods, but they are more expensive that way. Each pod works out to about $0.55-0.65 each, depending on which flavor you select. Much cheaper than the $4.00 for a grande latte at your local coffee house.
All in all, i highly recommend this machine, or any machine from Nespresso. They are a convenient way to have delicious espresso in your house with the push of a button. And the fact that it’s all the rage in Europe makes it that much better for me
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