This review is from: Nespresso CitiZ Automatic Espresso Maker and Milk Frother (Kitchen)
With all the new style espresso machines on the market (Tassimo, Keurig, Flavia, etc.) I was convinced that Nespresso was more of the same: a set of stylish gimmicks designed to convince you that this "espresso" (though not real at all) was "the real thing." It never is.
Which is why the Nespresso is so great. It IS the REAL THING. The capsules contain nothing more than espresso coffee grounds. The machine is simply an automated and miniaturized "real" espresso rig. And the results speak for themselves:
-- full bodied crema like you get from the best barista
-- speedy and HOT cups of espresso
-- the espresso produced is crisp and clear, full bodied, and smooth
-- my Sicilian wife and all her relatives (numerous, and mostly named "Maria" "Antonina" and "Dominic") all fully approve of the espresso that comes out. Comparing is to "Nonna's" would be sacrilege, but although those words have not been spoken yet, I am conviced the thought has crossed a couple minds. :-)
-- all this in under 30 seconds and within a square foot of counter space.
The frothing unit that comes with the machine is nothing short of black magic. I have NO IDEA what it does or how it does it, but the results will amaze you. And the best part is it's easy to clean: no sticky milk mess left behind to make you wonder who's gonna get sick first.
Coffee for this machine is 55 cents per cup, and Nespresso delivers online orders with astonishing speed (which is good, because you can't get the coffee from anyone else!). A bit pricey, but in this case you DO get what you pay for... and then some.
For 5 years I have owned Italian coffee equipment: espresso maker and grinder, grinding fresh locally roasted beans and making our family's lattes every morning. I love it, we get excellent coffee drinks (much better than the well known chain!) in the comfort of our own home and we save an estimated $3000 per year vs going out to get them. It is also loud, messy, and time consuming!
We recently stayed with family in Europe and they had the Nespresso Citiz and Aerochino combo. My first thought was "how good an espresso drink can this little job make?", my first sip was "Wow this is pretty good", and the first set of drinks I made with it was "Wait, I am done and cleaned up and drinking my latte in less time than it took me to steam the milk at home!"
The footprint on the kitchen counter is something my wife really appreciates. The Citiz is about the size of my current grinder. Another big plus is the quiet operation. Since I value my hearing I use earplugs when making espresso with my current rig, and if everyone is asleep I still run out to get my coffee since I would wake everyone up. Not with the Citiz....
I also like the variety of coffee offered, and the long-lasting packages will allow me to offer my guests decaf - something I never do now because we don't use it ourselves and I could not keep the beans fresh enough. I can also make the robust drink I like and choose a less "aggressive" roast for my wife if she wants it.
The only downside is the need to purchase the coffee directly from Nespresso. I really hope someday I will be able to get the coffee via Amazon Subscription....
Being the sort to not to needlessly waste, I have not dumped my Italian espresso maker quite yet - it still works - but I know what I am getting when it gives up, and the lure of the convenience may induce me to sell it in favor of the Citiz.
PS - When I got home these were still not available in the US, so I decided to try using espresso pods in my maker as a shortcut. Their brand pods in their brand adapter, factory sealed fresh. YECHHH!!! It was not acceptable quality at all. Nespresso wins this one hands down.
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