When you purchase a Nespresso machine, you are not just purchasing a coffee machine, you are buying into a lifestyle. The marketing niche for these machines is exclusivity and class. When you open to box you are greeted by the solidly made, quality looking welcome folder, which contains slick, glossy pages, listing the varieties of coffee in the nespresso range. There is no point nipping to the supermarket to stock up on capsules/pods (insert the current trendy name for the coffee containers), nespresso is above that. You have 2 options when you run out of the sample pack, a trip to a 'boutique,' (at the time of writing there are 3 in the uk) or join the nespresso club and sent off for your capsules. If you choose to order from the club, there is a minimum or of 50 capsules or 5 sleeves of 10 capsules. Each capsules works out at around 30p per unit.
Unlike other similar drinks machines, nespresso is exclusively about esspresso, there is not hot chocolate range, no creamer capsules for making frothy lattes. Nespresso is not hostile toward the latte, some models include a milk frother, but sadly not this one. A milk frother can be purchased as an expensive add on, retailing around £60-70 pounds.
The unit itself is sturdy and stylish. When you insert the capsule and press the lever to break the seal, the action is reasurringly smooth. Lifting the lever after brewing releases the capsule and there is storage for roundabout 8-10 spent capsules. Brewing is as simple as pressing one button, the machine has a 19 bar pump which produces a creamy layer on top of your coffee. There are no issues around clearing up spent coffee grounds, simply remove the container and drop the spent capsules in the bin, no mess at all. Water is stored on a container at the back of the machine and filling is straightforward.
I am no connoisseur, but have drunk enough to know the difference between a pleasant coffee drinking experience and an indifferent one. The coffee is smooth and there is no bitter after taste, it is very drinkable. There is also a decaf range so you can brew anytime of day or night.
These machines are pricey, but if a good coffee is your passion then this is a solid invesment with a bit of panache.