Six Nespresso machines from about $99 to about $524, for a big mug of coffee, a straight espresso or a latte, and what owners report after months of use.
By Nora Pell · Updated Oct 12, 2026Updated Oct 12, 2026 · 12 machines compared12 machines compared
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If you want a real mug of coffee from a pod, buy the Vertuo Up. It's ready to brew three seconds after you switch it on, and it makes every size Vertuo has, from a single espresso up to an 18 oz mug. The water tank holds 47 oz and turns to sit where your counter has room. At about $159, it costs about the same as the older VertuoPlus, which can't brew anything bigger than 8 oz.
Under $100, the Pop+ brews up to a 12 oz mug for about $99. For espresso, skip Vertuo altogether and get the Essenza Mini: it takes Original pods, which Starbucks, Lavazza and store brands also make, from 30 to 90 cents each against about $1.40 for Vertuo. And for coffee that's mostly milk, the Vertuo Creatista has a steam wand that does the frothing for you.
Every Vertuo size from a single espresso to an 18 oz mug, ready three seconds after you press the button, with a 47 oz water tank you can turn to fit your counter.
The narrowest Nespresso, 3.3 inches wide, with a 19-bar pump for espresso and lungo, and it takes Original pods from Starbucks, Lavazza and store brands at a fraction of Nespresso's price.
Nespresso sells two machine families, and their pods don't fit each other. Pick the family before you pick the machine.
Vertuo is for people who drink coffee by the mug. Each pod has a barcode around its rim; the machine reads it, spins the pod at up to 7,000 rpm and adds the right amount of water for that pod, from a 1.35 oz espresso to an 18 oz mug. You get a smooth cup with a thick, foamy top. Only Nespresso and Starbucks make Vertuo pods, and they cost about $1.40 each on Amazon.
Original is for people who drink espresso. A 19-bar pump pushes water through a small pod to make a 1.35 oz espresso or a 3.7 oz lungo, the longer shot, and that's all. Add hot water for an americano, or milk for a latte. The patents ran out years ago, so Original pods come from Starbucks, Lavazza, Peet's and plenty of store brands, from under 30 cents to about 90 cents each.
The pods are where the money goes. At two drinks a day, a year of Nespresso's Vertuo pods comes to about $1,020. Nespresso's own Original pods come to about $660, and a 100-pack of compatible pods at under 30 cents each brings it to about $200. The gap between Vertuo pods and the cheapest Original ones, about $820 a year, is more than any machine below costs.
Six Nespresso machines, best first
11 · Best overall
Nespresso Vertuo Up
Every Vertuo size from a single espresso to an 18 oz mug, ready three seconds after you press the button, with a 47 oz water tank you can turn to fit your counter.
You drink a mug of coffee most mornings, sometimes iced, and you want it fast with no fiddling.
Skip it if
You drink straight espresso and want cheap pods: the Essenza Mini takes Original pods at a fraction of the price.
Every Vertuo size, with almost no wait
Nespresso lists most Vertuo machines at 25 to 30 seconds to heat. The Up is ready in three, so you put the pod in, close the lever and press the button, and it starts right away. It brews all six Vertuo sizes: a single or double espresso, and 5, 8, 12 and 18 oz coffees. The 18 oz pod is the one that fills a travel mug, and the Pop+ and the older VertuoPlus can't brew it.
The tank is big, 47 oz. That's several mugs between refills, and the tank turns to sit at different angles, so the machine fits a corner or a narrow strip of counter. There's also a Coffee Creations button, which brews the same pod shorter and stronger so it doesn't go watery over ice or under milk, and a quick rinse you can run without a pod.
Taste comes from the pod, so the Up makes the same coffee as any other Vertuo machine with the same capsule. What you get is a smooth, rounded cup with a thick crema on top, the part that makes it look like a coffee-shop cup. I'd start with a medium roast in the 8 oz size and drink it black.
What owners report
The Up is new, so reports are still few, and this is one owner's account rather than a trend. He moved up from a Vertuo Pop and used the Up every day for two weeks. The heat-up was the change he felt most: he timed his Pop at about a minute from cold, against the Up's few seconds. He also liked the separate settings button, the lever he could close with one hand, and a used-pod bin that holds 10 to 15 capsules. When he ran the quick rinse after what looked like a clean brew, the water still came out tinted. He blames leftover residue for the red-light errors on his old Pop. The app and Wi-Fi never connected where he lives, and he found the fit and finish just okay.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
Cup size and temperature adjustments go through the Nespresso app.
The owner above saw it send more water to the drip tray than his Pop did.
Mostly plastic, apart from a metal drip tray cover, cup support and lever.
Vertuo pods only, from Nespresso or Starbucks, at about $1.40 each.
Size and tank
A 47 oz water tank that turns to fit your counter. It also comes bundled with an Aeroccino milk frother for about $30 more.
Ready in 3 seconds6 cup sizes47 oz tank, turns to fitIced coffee button
2
Best under $100
Nespresso Vertuo Pop+
The cheapest way into Vertuo, with five sizes up to a 12 oz mug, hot or over ice, in a body small enough for a dorm or an office.
You want Vertuo mugs and iced coffee for under $100, on a counter, desk or dorm shelf with very little room.
Skip it if
You make several mugs a day. The 25 oz tank fills two 12 oz mugs, then needs a refill.
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The cheapest way into Vertuo
The Pop+ makes the same coffee as the Up from the same pods, with one size fewer: single and double espresso, then 5, 8 and 12 oz coffees, hot or over ice. It's Nespresso's smallest and least expensive Vertuo, and it comes in plenty of colors, from black, white and beige to brighter shades.
It's slower and smaller than the Up. Nespresso says it heats in about 30 seconds, and the 25 oz tank clips to the side, where it's easy to lift off and fill at the sink. That's fine for one or two mugs a day. For a household where three people want coffee before 8, the Up's 47 oz tank is worth the extra $60.
A descaling light tells you when it's time to run the cleaning cycle, which is the maintenance that keeps any Vertuo going.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
No 18 oz size, so a large travel mug takes two pods.
25 oz of water goes fast.
Vertuo pods only, at about $1.40 each.
5 cup sizes25 oz side tankHeats in 30 secondsDescaling alert
3
Best for espresso
Nespresso Essenza Mini
The narrowest Nespresso, 3.3 inches wide, with a 19-bar pump for espresso and lungo, and it takes Original pods from Starbucks, Lavazza and store brands at a fraction of Nespresso's price.
You drink espresso, lungo or espresso with milk, and you'd like to pay well under a dollar a pod.
Skip it if
You want a full mug of coffee from one pod. Original machines stop at a 3.7 oz lungo, so a mug means adding hot water.
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The smallest Nespresso, and the cheapest pods
At 3.3 inches wide, the Essenza Mini is Nespresso's most compact machine, narrow enough to sit beside the kettle without moving anything. It has two buttons, espresso and lungo, both programmable, and the same 19-bar pump as the bigger Original machines. It heats in about 25 seconds and switches itself off.
Buy it for the pods. An Original machine takes Nespresso's own capsules, about 90 cents each, but also Starbucks by Nespresso at about 60 cents, and Italian-style compatible pods sold by the hundred at under 30 cents. Over a year of two drinks a day, that's hundreds of dollars back compared with any Vertuo. For a short, strong espresso, an Original pod is closer to a café shot than anything Vertuo makes.
It's sold by both De'Longhi and Breville, and the two are the same machine in different shells.
What owners report
Plenty of owners keep it for years. One has made coffee with it in an RV for almost three years without a single complaint, and a couple take theirs on the road for four months every winter. People like how little room it takes and how simple the two buttons are.
Leaks are the complaint that comes up most among unhappy owners. One owner is on a third machine in three years, each starting to leak from the base after a few months, and another, three machines in four years, says every one squirted water when the lever went up. A third had twelve good months before the bottom panel warped and water ran out underneath. Two owners say the coffee is never very hot, and one finishes it in the microwave. Two others find it loud.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
The used-pod bin holds about six capsules.
The space under the spout is short: one owner's cups, about 3.8 inches tall, didn't fit without taking the drip tray off.
The lever takes a firm, straight push.
The water tank holds about 20 oz, around five lungos.
Size
3.3 x 13 x 8 inches (W x D x H), according to Breville.
3.3 inches wideEspresso and lungoFits third-party podsHeats in 25 seconds
4
One-touch cappuccino
Nespresso Lattissima One
An Original machine with a one-drink milk jug, so a cappuccino or a latte macchiato is one button, and the jug goes in the dishwasher.
Most of your coffee is a cappuccino or a latte macchiato, you like Original pods, and you want the milk done at one button.
Skip it if
You make milk drinks for several people at once: the jug holds one drink's worth of milk, so you refill it every time.
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A cappuccino at one button, on cheap pods
The Lattissima One is an Original machine with a small milk jug. Pour in milk for one drink, press a button, and it froths the milk and pulls the shot into the cup: an espresso macchiato, a cappuccino or a latte macchiato, plus a plain espresso or lungo. Because the jug only holds one serving, there's no half-full milk tank going back into the fridge. The jug and its lid come apart and go in the dishwasher.
Since it's an Original, it takes the same cheap compatible pods as the Essenza Mini, which matters more on a milk machine than you'd think, because a cappuccino needs a strong, dark pod to still taste like coffee. If you drink decaf, Nespresso's decaf Arpeggio is made for exactly that, and it's in my decaf espresso guide.
At about $322 on Amazon, it's well under the $429 De'Longhi asks on its own site.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
One drink of milk per fill.
The coffee itself is still a 1.35 oz espresso or a 3.7 oz lungo.
You pay about $150 more than the Essenza Mini for the milk system.
You want one-touch lattes and cappuccinos and also big Vertuo mugs of black coffee, from one machine.
Skip it if
Counter space is tight. It's one of the bulkiest machines here, about 7.5 inches wide and 16 deep.
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Lattes for the whole house, in mug sizes
This is the Vertuo answer to the Lattissima One. The milk lives in a 16 oz tank on the side, enough for three or four milk drinks, and one touch gives you a cappuccino, a latte or plain hot foam. The coffee side does all six Vertuo sizes, up to an 18 oz mug, hot or over ice, and it heats in about 30 seconds.
The milk tank comes off and goes in the dishwasher, so cleaning up after a latte takes no effort.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
The used-pod bin holds about eight capsules, so a busy kitchen empties it often.
It closes with a manual lever, like the Vertuo Next, not with a motor.
About $397, against about $189 for the Vertuo Up bundled with an Aeroccino frother.
Cappuccino, latte, hot foam16 oz milk tank6 cup sizesDishwasher-safe milk tank
6
Best for lattes
Nespresso Vertuo Creatista by Breville
A real steam wand that textures the milk for you at three temperatures and three foam levels, on a stainless steel Vertuo with a 2-liter tank.
Milk drinks are your main coffee, you care how the milk feels, and you'd like to pour a heart on top now and then.
Skip it if
You mostly drink black coffee. You'd be paying about $365 more than the Vertuo Up for a wand you don't use.
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Café milk without learning to steam
The Creatista is Breville's take on Vertuo, built around a steam wand. You pour milk into the stainless jug, set it under the wand, pick one of three temperatures and three foam levels, and the wand textures the milk on its own, then cleans itself with a puff of steam. The result is the glossy, fine foam of a café flat white or latte, the kind you can pour shapes with, not the stiff froth of a whisk-style frother.
Underneath, it's a full Vertuo machine: six sizes up to 18 oz, a double-click for a shorter, stronger shot for milk drinks, and a drip tray that comes out so a travel mug or carafe fits. The body is brushed and polished stainless steel, and the water tank holds 2 liters, about 68 oz.
Breville lists it at $699.95 and was selling it for about $524 on October 12, 2026, the same as Amazon.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
About $524, the most expensive machine here.
Nearly 9 inches wide and over 16 deep.
The shot under the milk is still a Vertuo pod, with Vertuo's foamy crema rather than a pressure-pulled espresso.
Size
8.98 x 16.41 x 12.64 inches (W x D x H), with an 8 oz stainless milk jug, according to Breville.
Automatic steam wandStainless steel body8 oz steel milk jugBrews into a travel mug
Is a Nespresso right for you?
These machines suit anyone who wants good coffee with no grinding, tamping or measuring: you press a button and get the same cup every morning. It's also for people already sure they want Nespresso and wondering which one.
If you'd rather brew a full pot for the house, a drip machine makes cheaper coffee per cup, and my coffee maker guide covers those. If you want to learn real espresso with fresh beans, a pod machine will feel limiting, and my macchiato vs. latte guide points to a small espresso machine with a steam wand to start with.
How to choose a Nespresso machine
Mug or shot
If your coffee comes in a mug, buy Vertuo: the Vertuo Up, or the Pop+ on a budget. If it comes in an espresso cup, buy Original: the Essenza Mini. Both families have machines that do the milk too, below.
What the pods cost you
Vertuo pods cost about $1.40 each and only Nespresso and Starbucks make them. Original pods run from about 90 cents for Nespresso's own down to under 30 cents for compatible brands. At two drinks a day, that's the difference between about $1,020 and about $200 a year.
How you want your milk
No milk: any machine. Now and then: buy a machine bundled with an Aeroccino, the jug frother Nespresso sells with many of its models. Every day, at one button: the Lattissima One or the Vertuo Lattissima. Silky milk you could pour art with: the Vertuo Creatista.
How much counter you have
The Essenza Mini is 3.3 inches wide, the smallest Nespresso there is. The Pop+ is the smallest Vertuo. The milk machines take the most room.
The best-known Vertuo, and its motorized head, which opens and closes on its own, is a nice touch. But Breville lists four sizes, the largest 8 oz, so no 12 oz or 18 oz mug, and it costs about $154, close to the Vertuo Up. Owners don't make it sound sturdier, either: one is on a third or fourth machine, another sent theirs back twice for a leak that started on day one, and a few describe the red light that means it has stopped working.
About $114 and only 5.5 inches wide, which is tempting. Owners are hard on it, though. Several report leaks, two say the coffee isn't hot enough, and one couple is on their third machine, none of them trouble-free for a year. Two found that a replacement only carries what's left of the original warranty, and one owner who swapped a four-year-old VertuoPlus for a Next regrets it. The Vertuo Up costs about $45 more and makes the same six sizes.
A good-looking Original machine with a 1-liter tank, nine lungos between refills. But it makes the same two drinks as the Essenza Mini from the same pods, for about $300 against about $171. Buy it only if you love the retro look.
How I picked
Every Nespresso machine sold new on Amazon in the USCup sizes, tank and milk system from the makerWhat owners report after months of usePod prices per capsule on Amazon
I started from the Nespresso machines Amazon sells new in the US and ended with twelve: six Vertuo and six Original. For each one I read the maker's page and the Amazon listing for cup sizes, tank size, heat-up time and what it does with milk, and I read what owners wrote on ProductReview, where the same Breville and De'Longhi machines collect years of reviews. Pod prices are Amazon's on October 12, 2026, divided per capsule.
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Common questions
Which Nespresso machine is best for home use?+−
For most homes, the Vertuo Up: it brews everything from an espresso to an 18 oz mug, it's ready in three seconds, and its 47 oz tank doesn't need filling every day. If you mostly drink espresso, the Essenza Mini is the better buy, because its pods cost so much less.
Should I buy Nespresso Original or Vertuo?+−
Vertuo if you drink coffee by the mug, Original if you drink espresso or milk drinks built on espresso. Original pods are also much cheaper, because many brands make them; Vertuo pods come only from Nespresso and Starbucks.
Which is better, Vertuo Plus or Next?+−
Neither is the one I'd buy now. The VertuoPlus can't brew the 12 oz or 18 oz sizes, and the Next draws a lot of owner complaints about leaks and replacements. The Vertuo Up makes every size for about the same money as the Plus.
What is the smallest Nespresso machine?+−
The Essenza Mini, at 3.3 inches wide. It's an Original machine, so it makes espresso and lungo. The smallest Vertuo is the Pop+.
Which Nespresso machines come with a milk frother?+−
The Lattissima One and the Vertuo Lattissima have a milk system built in, and the Vertuo Creatista has a steam wand. Many other models, the Vertuo Up and the Essenza Mini included, are also sold in a bundle with the Aeroccino jug frother.
The verdict
Buy the Vertuo Up if you drink coffee by the mug
The Vertuo Up is the Nespresso to buy if you drink coffee by the mug: every size up to 18 oz, ready in three seconds, for about $159. If you drink espresso, the Essenza Mini costs about the same and takes Original pods at 30 to 90 cents each. For lattes every day, the Vertuo Creatista is the one with a real steam wand.
