Which Nespresso Machine Is Right for You? (2026 Guide)

Choose a Vertuo machine if you mostly drink mugs of coffee, and an Original machine if you mostly drink espresso. Nespresso's two pod systems each use their own pod size, and Vertuo pods are the ones that brew a full mug. Our pick for most people is the Vertuo Next, and our pick for milk drinks is the Vertuo Creatista.

Specs current as of September 2026.

Vertuo machines brew mugs of coffee, and Original machines take pods from other roasters too

Original machines push water through a small pod with a pump and make espresso and the lungo, a longer espresso made with more water. An Original pod holds 5 to 6 g of coffee. Other roasters also make pods that fit Original machines, including compostable ones.

Vertuo machines spin the pod and read a barcode printed on the pod's rim, which tells the machine how much water to use. Vertuo pods make drinks from a 40 ml espresso to a 535 ml carafe, and the spinning beats air into the coffee to make a thick layer of foam. Nespresso makes all Vertuo pods, including the Starbucks and Blue Bottle ones sold for these machines.

If most of your coffee is a mug, choose Vertuo. If you drink only espresso and want pods from roasters other than Nespresso, choose Original.

A Nespresso machine makes a cup in about 30 seconds, and an Original pod holds a third of the coffee in a cafe's double espresso

A Nespresso machine makes a cup in about 30 seconds from a sealed, pre-measured pod, and every cup tastes the same as the last. Nespresso says the sealed pod keeps the coffee fresh for months. An Original pod holds about a third of the coffee in a cafe's double espresso, so the espresso tastes weaker, and the difference is clearest in a latte, where milk dilutes it. Our Nespresso vs espresso machine guide explains how the smaller dose changes the taste, and Nespresso pods vs coffee beans works out the cost per drink.

Best overall: Vertuo Next

Choose the Vertuo Next if you drink mugs of coffee most mornings and an espresso now and then, or want to brew a carafe for guests. The Next brews every Vertuo size, from a 40 ml espresso to the 535 ml carafe, and the Next's 1.1 L tank holds four 230 ml mugs before a refill. For milk, Nespresso sells the Aeroccino, a separate jug that heats and froths milk. Owners like how easy the Next is to use. The common complaints are a blinking light that signals a fault, leaks and noise. Owners reported these faults most often in earlier years. Reviews from 2026 report problems about as often as Pop+ reviews do.

Best value: Vertuo Pop+

Choose the Vertuo Pop+ if one or two people drink a mug or two a day. The Pop+ is the least expensive Vertuo machine Nespresso Canada sells. It brews every size up to the 355 ml Alto, so for a carafe choose the Next. The Pop+'s 0.75 L tank holds three 230 ml mugs. Owners like how small and simple the Pop+ is. The common complaints are leaks, machines that stop working, and noise while brewing.

Best for espresso only: Essenza Mini

Choose the Essenza Mini if you drink espresso or a small black coffee and want a small machine. Nespresso sells the Essenza Mini as the smallest machine in its Original line. Some owners report four to six years of daily use. Owners' common complaint is the small capacity. The 0.6 L tank holds about five lungos and the bin holds 5 or 6 used pods, so you refill the tank and empty the bin every day or two. For milk, Nespresso sells the Essenza Mini in a bundle with the Aeroccino.

Best for milk drinks with one button: Lattissima One

Choose the Lattissima One if you drink a cappuccino or latte most days and want the machine to make the milk. You pour milk into a small jug that clips onto the front, press a button, and the Lattissima One froths the milk and adds the espresso. The jug holds enough milk for one drink, so making drinks for two means refilling the jug in between. Owners like how easy the milk drinks are. The common complaint is the milk jug or the whole machine failing within months.

Best milk for lattes: Vertuo Creatista

Choose the Vertuo Creatista if the milk in a latte or flat white (a smaller latte with a thinner layer of foam on top) matters most to you, and you also drink mugs of coffee. The Vertuo Creatista has a steam wand, a metal tube that blows steam into a jug of milk. You choose one of 3 temperatures and one of 3 textures, and the wand steams the milk to that setting automatically. The milk comes out smooth enough to pour a pattern on top of a latte. The Vertuo Creatista brews every Vertuo size, and the Vertuo Creatista's 2 L tank holds about eight 230 ml mugs. Owners praise the milk. Leaks are the most common complaint in recent owner reviews.

A bean-to-cup machine grinds fresh beans at the press of a button

A bean-to-cup machine grinds whole beans for each cup and keeps the one-button routine of a Nespresso. The De'Longhi Magnifica Start is one. Our Nespresso vs espresso machine guide compares the Magnifica Start with the Essenza Mini.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Nespresso Original and Vertuo?

Original machines use a pump and make espresso and lungo from pods holding 5 to 6 g of coffee. Vertuo machines spin the pod and read a barcode on the pod, and Vertuo pods make drinks from a 40 ml espresso to a 535 ml carafe. Each system uses its own pod size.

Which Nespresso machine makes the best milk drinks?

The Vertuo Creatista makes the best milk drinks. Its automatic steam wand, a metal tube, blows steam into a jug of milk. The Lattissima One is simpler: one button makes a cappuccino or a latte macchiato.

Can you use other brands' pods in a Nespresso machine?

In Original machines, yes: several roasters make Original pods, including compostable ones. Vertuo machines take only pods made by Nespresso, including the Starbucks and Blue Bottle pods Nespresso makes for them.

Which Nespresso machine is best for a mug of coffee?

A Vertuo machine is best for a mug of coffee. The Vertuo Next brews up to a 535 ml carafe, and the Vertuo Pop+ brews up to a 355 ml Alto.

For more, see Nespresso vs espresso machine, Nespresso pods vs coffee beans, and our guides to Breville and De'Longhi espresso machines.

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