Those of us with coffee addictions need a daily fix and while we’re after the end result, the process of making coffees can often be long and cumbersome, but it doesn’t have to be. The Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima is an automatic coffee machine that uses Nespresso capsules to create your coffee fast and easily.
As is the case with many modern appliances, the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima features WiFi connectivity, and while it’s not required to make coffee (that happens with the press of a button), it can be a convenient way to order capsules, get personalized recommendations, and set up automatic refills.
This machine is is a good choice for those households that have a variety of coffee lovers with a variety of make coffee options, and the machine supports a varletry of different cup sizes.
Having used (and enjoyed) coffees from the Vertuo Lattissima for a few weeks now, it’s time for a full review.
Design
While to primary objective of any coffee machine is to make great coffee, the design and how it looks on your countertop is also important. While some homes have the luxury of hiding appliances like this in a discreet butler’s pantry, many don’t which means you’ll place the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima on your bench, in sight of your family, friends and visitors to your home.
Thankfully it features a sleek and modern design that will look great with almost any backdrop. I never felt like I wanted to hide it away, it looks great while also being fairly quiet in its operation.
The machine is mostly made of plastic, but the metal cupholder gives it a more premium feel, as does the metal finish on top to eject the coffee pods.
The water canister is large and sits on the back of the device and given its volume, it lets you make many cups of coffee before requiring your attention. When you need to fill it, it simply snaps out, you fill to the max indicator line and replace it.
The milk canister simply clips in to the front of the machine, hanging from its mount. Once attached, you simple rotate the frother to position it over your cup.
On the left side of the coffee maker, you’ll find the compartment that catches the disposed coffee pods. This can easily be removed and the pods emptied (a bag to recycle these is included). Given these pods have had pressurized water pushed through them, there can be some residual water in this canister, so when emptying it’s worthwhile check and emptying this.
The top of the device is where you interface with the machine the most. The top circular section rotates to open between coffees. This opens and automatically ejects the previous coffee pod into the pod bin as detailed above. From here, you simply drop in a new pod, close the lid and flick the latch to clamp it down and pierce the new pod, ready for coffee extraction.
The next decision you have is which coffee you’re after, a latte or cappuccino, and you simply press the appropriate button. I do wish they had the words written next to the icon, as the coffee selection isn’t immediately clear for new users and some consultation to the manual or videos online may be necessary if you want to avoid trial and error.
By far one of the best attributes of this machine is its ability to accept coffee cups and mugs of almost any size. I’ve been frustrated by other brands and models that don’t allow you to use your favourite coffee mug, as they have a fixed height. The Vertuo Lattissima offers a removable and adjustable height option for coffee cups. If you have a tall coffee mug, you can remove this completely which is a fantastic design choice.
The machine is available in a either black (reviewed) or white. Even with the white version, the primary chassis is still black, so the colour choice really changes just the top section of the coffee maker. Either way, It think the design looks great and it’s efficient design won’t consume much space, great for limited sized kitchenettes.
Features
The Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima has a number of features that make it a great choice for coffee lovers.
This machine can brew 5 different cup sizes:
- Vertuo machine makes 5 different cup sizes:
- Craft Brew: 535ml, for shared coffee moments
- Mug: 230 ml, a mug of coffee ideal with a dash of milk
- Gran Lungo: 150 ml, an ideal long black
- Double Espresso: 80 ml, a double-shot espresso
- Espresso: 40 ml, a classic espresso
The machine is also relatively easy to use. There are just a few buttons to press, and the instructions are clear and easy to follow.
In terms of features, the Lattissima offers:
- Centrifusion technology: This technology uses a barcode on each capsule to customize the brewing process for each type of coffee. This ensures that you get the perfect cup of coffee every time.
- One-touch operation: With just a few button presses, you can brew your favorite coffee drink.
- Auto-off function: The machine turns off automatically after a few minutes of inactivity, which helps to save energy.
- Removable water reservoir: The water reservoir is easy to remove and fill, making it easy to keep the machine clean.
- Milk frother: The milk frother is easy to use and produces a rich, creamy foam.
The WiFi on the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima allows the machine to connect to the Nespresso app. The app can be used to:
- Order Nespresso capsules
- Get personalized recommendations for coffee drinks
- Set up automatic refills
- Get alerts when it’s time to descale the machine
- Get troubleshooting help
- Update machine with new software features and bug fixes.
To connect the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima to WiFi, you will need to download the Nespresso app and create an account. Once you have created an account, follow the instructions in the app to connect the machine to your WiFi network.
Performance
So after all the design and features are said and done, does the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima actually make good coffee?
The answer is yes!
The machine is relatively fast to heat up, taking around 30 seconds to get warm, then its ready to brew a cup of coffee. Once the process starts, you’ll have a coffee in about a minute. For those on tight schedules and busy morning routines, this will be appreciated.
The machine consistently delivers good coffee, in fact, it’s hard to mess this up, once you understand the icons on top. Once you understand how to use it, the hardest part will be selecting which coffee pod to add.
Another important metric is the sound and noise that the machine makes. This is particularly true in smaller homes where loved ones are sleeping and with coffee makers that need to grind before making you coffee, this is often prohibitively loud. Thankfully this one is relatively quiet, so you can enjoy your coffee without disturbing others.
Issues
There are a few minor issues with the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima.
My biggest complaint is the icon design for the coffee selections, these do not immediately indicate what type of coffee you’ll receive by pressing each one. As such, they should reconsider how this is labeled to make it simpler.
If they can solve this issue, the use it quite straight forward and this could quickly become a default choice for those running AirBnB or hotel rooms that offer a coffee maker as part of the accommodation package.
Any machine that uses pods will attract some criticism for the disposable nature of the pod packaging, but for the convenience I’m not opposed to it. I think they’ve done a good job of trying to mitigate this by including a recycle bag with the coffee maker. Despite this, buying coffee pods can be more expensive than coffee makers that use beans which can make, many, many cups of coffee.
Price and availability
The Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima is priced at A$749.00, however if you by from DeLonghi, their curren price is 20% off at A$599.00.
Another option is to buy it with a $80 monthly subscription plan, the machine cost reduces to just $350.00.
This subscription option won’t be for everyone, as it requires a 24 month plan, but if you know you’re hooked and will always need your daily coffee hit, then this may work for you. The $80 goes to credit on your account which you would typically spend on coffee pods, with free delivery on orders of 50 capsules.
You can get more information on the Nespresso subscription here.
The machine is available now and is available from Nespresso online, or at most major retailers.
Overall
The Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima is a great choice for coffee lovers who want a machine that is easy to use and makes great coffee.
The price of the machine is quite affordable, and represents decent value for what’s on offer here.
I think the design is one of the best attributes of this coffee maker, it should look at home in virtually any kitchen, regardless of your interior design.
Once you’ve learnt how to make your favourite coffee, its a joy to use, quick, easy and simple. It won’t add sugar for you, but this is about as simple as making coffee can be.
If you’re chasing a coffee maker that gets the job done without fuss, then this is a great option, if you’re someone who wants more control over the final result, then you may want to look elsewhere.
