I’m sure they taste fine, and I have NO intention to get a $10k machine - ever. It’s a combination of the waste factor of all the cups and the cost - they are, what, about 90 cents per cup?
I drink the nespreso a lot, i prefer the black…they are decent…but they don’t have depth and richness and they seem to be lacking in oil… but they are completely acceptable…but I would never choose them over most alternatives…
I have owned mine for 2 years now and it does a very acceptable job, and yes, the Ristretto (black) is the strongest of the bunch (intesity:10) and usually the favorite.
I just picked up the Nespresso Citiz with the Aeroccino, happy with the results so far. I agree with Scott that there are definitely better alternatives, but for $235, and a quick shot with no cleanup…works for me! Also, the the automatic froth that the Aeroccino makes is decent…so far, so good.
I am working my way through the sampler pack of pods that came with it…some good options in there, some…not so good.
Client of mine has one of these that I use quite often…quick, easy, clean, and tasty. If I drank coffee on a regular basis I think this might be my selection.
i too recently tried this in a store. it’s easy and convenient. but it doesn’t hold a candle to even a moderately proper setup like a gaggia classic and one of many different $100 burr grinders out there.
not picking on anyone, but it’s frustrating to me when i read stuff like this on a wine board. no one would ever try and claim that a gallo sonoma cabernet was just as good as a good vintage Haut-Brion, yet it’s the same type of claim. of course, nothing wrong with the gallo cab – it’s available everywhere, it’s cheap and it tastes like cabernet. but it ain’t Haut-Brion, or anything approaching a high-quality cabernet. it’s the exact same argument. at some level there is – unfortunately – a direct relationship between price and quality.
While in Verona for VinItaly we stumbled upon a Nespresso store that looked like a combination of The Sharper Image and a Saphora outlet. HAD to cost € 1 million to put that place together.
The one in Paris is beautiful, too, Roberto. I thought I was in a Rolls Royce dealership.
As a Nespresso customer, one can go into any of their stores, anywhere, and have a free cup of espresso.
I have the Citiz, too, and I love the convenience.
I got a Nepresso machine two or three years ago for a present. When I first got it I used it a lot. I don’t think I have used it in over a year. When I make coffee at home I never think about it.
I had a Francis Francis X1 and Illy pod setup like George mentioned, and I was thoroughly thrilled with it until the day that someone on a wine board told me to pretend the coffee was wine and REALLY smell it. And (no offense, George) it smelled terrible. I thought my espresso was great when I thought it “smelled like coffee”, but that’s a lot like people who think red wine smells like red wine.
I was just at a friend’s house this weekend for brunch and they made cappuccinos and americanos using a nespresso. It’s definitely a cool, convenient gadget and the frother made some killer foam.
But, I’m a traditionalist; I like the ceremony of pulling my own shots, frothing the milk and having the freedom to chose a variety of different coffee beans.