I'm a huge lover of coffee, yet I still wouldn't go as far as grinding my beans each morning. If, like me, you too want a delicious fresh cup of joe in the morning and throughout the day, but deep down, you're a little lazy - no shame here - then the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima machine is the best coffee maker for you.
I've found that this Nespresso machine is the ultimate low-effort, high-reward coffee machine because it just does exactly what you want it to. It doesn't come with many separate parts, so it's easy to set up, and once you're ready to go with your favorite choice of Nespresso Vertuo coffee pods, this machine does all the hard work for you. The autopod recognition means this machine creates either single espresso, double espresso, Gran-Lungo, carafe, or mug-sized coffees - without you having to do anything extra.
It's perfect for bleary-eyed morning folk like myself who want tasty coffee in two simple steps: put the pod in and hit the brew button. And just like that, my apartment is filled with the sweet smell of freshly brewed coffee; I have my hot, tasty elixir of life, and there's no mess to clean up afterward—the used pod is simply jettisoned back into the machine, ready to be emptied later. Nice.
Of course, the milk frothing carafe is added - the 'Lattissima' element of the machine - which is perfect for when you want a frothier experience. Just fill it with milk, connect it to the machine's body, and hit one of three buttons for either creamy latte, hot foam, or frothy cappuccino - it's as simple as that.
If what I've just described sounds like the ideal coffee user experience, keep reading for more details on the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima coffee machine, available in the US and the UK. Then, head to our best pod coffee makers and best espresso machine guides for comparisons and even more great coffee maker options.
Olivia is a Staff Writer at Top Ten Reviews, a new Bath (UK) resident, and a recent addition to the Future team, looking to flex her writing muscles and get stuck into the reviews! With a background in writing reviews of theatre pieces, video games, and music, she is looking forward to learning more about home products and appliances and testing some of them, too!
She also loves coffee and has enjoyed testing out the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima coffee machine for the past couple of weeks; if they want this review model back, they'll have to take it out of her over-caffeinated hands.
Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima: Key specs
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Row 0 - Cell 1 |
| Type | Pod |
| Dimensions | 7.4 x 16 x 12.4 inches |
| Settings | One button for coffee, 3 for milk: hot foam, latte, or cappuccino. |
| Type of coffee needed | Nespresso Vertuo coffee pods |
| Capacity | 54 ounces |
| Milk capacity | 16 ounces |
| Heating time | 30 seconds for coffee, 3 seconds for milk |
Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima: Price & availability
The Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima (in matte black and glossy, which is the exact model I tried out) is available directly from the Nespresso website. It's currently on sale, down from $499.00 to just $374.25. It's also available in different colorways, matte white and glossy.
For the same price, you can find this machine in both colorways at Best Buy and on Amazon (although, at the moment, there are weird buying options at Play on Amazon, so the price isn't listed). It's also on De'Longhi's website, too, for $374.25.
Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima: Setup
This was my first time testing a coffee machine for Top Ten Reviews. However, my family has owned two Nespresso coffee machines in the past, so I'm used to using this particular brand.
I was sent the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima Coffee Machine with a detachable milk frothing carafe, a selection box of 12 different strength and flavor Vertuo coffee pods, and two additional boxes of Vertuo coffee pods, in the variations 'melozio' and 'Bianco doppio'. The pods arrived separately from the machine; I was impressed by the amount of cardboard packaging and the lack of plastic components involved. As usual, the Nespresso branded packaging looked high quality, and so did the machine itself, so I was stoked to set it up and try out some coffee flavors.
The Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima Coffee Machine is large and heavy; however, I didn't struggle to lift it onto my countertop or find space. It fits snuggly beside my microwave, and although my other appliances are white, this coffee machine stands out in a good way due to its modern design and matte black colorway. As the machine is fairly large and projects quite far forward, due to the milk carafe in front and the water tank at the back, I recommend clearing some space for it, certainly making sure shelves or cabinets above it do not hamper it, as this machine uses a mechanism that lifts to reveal the coffee pod receptible.
I had to plug it in at the wall and follow the user manual to get started. You have to connect to your machine via Bluetooth by downloading the Nespresso app (I already have an account, but you'll need to set one up if you don't). A QR code to scan on the box takes you straight to your phone's version of the app store. If, like me, you're super impatient and want to get going, then this manual has incredibly helpful QR codes that you can scan with your smartphone to access convenient setup videos on the Nespresso YouTube channel that show you how to set up your machine, how to wash it out during the first rinse and how to set the water hardness.
Like most coffee machines, this one needed a thorough rinse before first use. I gave the water tank a good rinse before filling it to the max line and attaching it to the machine body. I put a travel coffee mug under the coffee outlet and turned the machine on by pressing the main coffee button. The light blinks while the machine heats up, but this only takes roughly 30 seconds; you aren't kept waiting long. When the light glows, the machine is ready to use. This machine has so few buttons that the setup was self-explanatory, especially if you've owned a Nespresso coffee machine before, as they all work similarly.
You have to press the main coffee button three times within 2 seconds, and the machine will start rinsing through with the clean water from the tank. During this process, the light on top will blink orange to let you know your machine is 'busy' - the whole process lasts roughly 5 minutes. I then disassembled the milk carafe and gave all six separate components a thorough hand washing in warm, soapy water - although this can be done in the top rack of your dishwasher (if you're expensive enough to own one of those; me and my tiny apartment could never.) This was the process's only tedious part; in the past, I owned Nespresso milk frothers like the Aeroccino, where you just had to wash out the carafe, heating element, and lid. In contrast, the six separate parts on this one made this a fiddly process, and it took me a hot minute to figure out how to put all the parts back together again once dried.
Then things got interesting. In the Quick Start Guide, you'll find a water hardness test strip. You have to quickly dip it into fresh water from your faucet for a second and let it dry. This little slip of paper will tell you how hard your water is through colored squares. This is useful if you don't already know your water hardness situation because you have to say how hard your water is when you set your machine up in the app.
Then, you press and hold the hot foam button (that looks like a cloud) until the clean and descale alerts blink orange together. Then, you immediately press the cappuccino button (the smaller coffee cup icon.) You have to do all this within 15 seconds, or else the machine will forget, and you will have to restart. The Quick Start Guide tells you which of the three buttons on the side to press to indicate how hard your water is, and the machine will remember this input; the main coffee button on top blinks three times rapidly to confirm. The machine then goes back into ready mode and is ready to use.
I, however, found my machine didn't do this last step - blinking three times to confirm - perhaps because I already input how hard my water is in the app. This was the only step of setup I found a little confusing. I still did it, but to this day, I'm unsure if I did it right despite attempting it several times. Hard water affects coffee machines over time, so I'll be interested to see how mine holds up. I've not yet had to describe it, though, and my water is very hard, so to me, this is a good sign.
Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima: Design
With dimensions of 7.4 x 16 x 12.4 in, I found this coffee machine not too big; in fact, it was just the perfect size for me to sit perfectly on my kitchen countertop, snugly next to my microwave. But most importantly, it's not too cramped, even in my tiny galley kitchen, and I feel I have enough room to reach around the back to remove the water tank for filling. It is weighty, so it's best not to perch this on a shelf or flimsy surface. Go for a hard, sturdy surface like a kitchen countertop.
The design is long and sleek; as with most Nespresso machines, it has a stylish, modern design and looks great in the matte black and glossy finish. I saw on the Nespresso website that it's also available in matte white and glossy, which keeps the matte black body and adds a shiny white top to the machine's lid, which would look great in a modern kitchen.
A great little design choice is the silver cup stand, which can be removed and inserted into one of the notches at the front of the machine, depending on how large your coffee mug or travel cup is. This means that if you brew a small espresso into a little espresso cup, it won't splash everywhere and make a mess. Likewise, you can remove the cup stand completely if you want to fit a large travel mug or carafe under the coffee outlet.
Overall, the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima feels like a quality product and is easy to use. I figured out how to use it within hours of setting it up and felt confident creating different coffees in the weeks that followed. I'd recommend this machine to someone wanting quality and simplicity.
Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima: Performance
From the get-go, I enjoyed using the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima coffee machine. Once I had the setup figured out—it only really took me a morning to rinse out the machine, fill the tank with water, wash the milk carafe, and connect everything via my smartphone—I was ready to go. Thankfully, I had been provided with many different Vertuo coffee pods to use, so I was stoked to try them out.
Vertuo pods are larger than classic Nespresso pods and come in different shapes. I went left to right across my selection box, first for the strongest pod. It was as simple as lifting the pod lid by pushing the silver lever on top to the right, inserting the pod into the obvious hole, and closing the lid by pushing down while pushing the lever left into the locking position, clearly marked by a tiny padlock icon on the lid. You'll hear a pleasant 'pop' as the pod inside is pierced, and the coffee button in the middle will flash for a moment (roughly 30 seconds) while the machine heats up. Press the button once the light is steady, and it'll whirr into life and brew you a delicious coffee. It only takes a few moments to pour, perhaps 2-3 minutes, and doesn't splash while brewing all over your counter, which is good.
The type/length of coffee you get is dictated by the type of pod you use. The Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima coffee machine has several options for coffee size/length: espresso (1.35 oz), double espresso (2.7 oz), gran lungo (5 oz), mug (8 oz), XL (12 oz), and carafe (18 oz) - and will do so according to the corresponding pod, recognized automatically by the machine. The only thing for you to do is to remember which pod you've used and ensure that your coffee cup is big enough - don't accidentally forget to pour a granlungo into an espresso cup, an easy mistake to make first thing in the morning.
This is perfect for those who want to vary the length of their coffee drinks; you don't have to have mastered the art of being a barista; you can simply choose the type of pod you want. Considering the wide array of brew strengths and flavors available through the Nespresso app and on their website, you're spoilt for choice if you like to experiment with flavor.
This great coffee pod auto-recognition technology means that the only other settings you can consider are the milk settings. There are three buttons: a cloud-shaped icon for hot foam, a larger cup indicating a latte, and a smaller cup for a cappuccino. Simply fill the milk carafe with your choice of milk, attach it to the coffee machine, turn the dial on the milk carafe to 'milk,' and select one of those buttons, and your choice of milky coffee will be made in mere minutes. You can also use the carafe without a coffee pod if you want to foam hot milk for a hot chocolate.
Once finished, the 'rinse' icon will light up orange to let you know you need to rinse out the milk carafe. Turn the dial on the milk carafe to 'rinse', and hot water from the tank will run through the outlet that the milk came from, ensuring that the outlet stays clean throughout the day if you plan to make more than one cappuccino, for example. After rinsing, you can even detach the milk carafe from the coffee machine and keep it - and any unused milk inside - in the fridge, ready for the next use.
As this machine is a single-serve coffee maker and I live alone, I could have several cups of coffee before having to re-fill the water tank and empty the pod container, perfect for a lazy soul like me. This couldn't be easier; you simply lift the tank off the back, remove the lid, and fill it with water from the faucet before putting the lid back on and replacing it onto the body of the coffee machine. You'd probably only need to do this once a week, but of course, that depends on how much coffee you drink and if you use any extra water by cleaning the milk carafe, etc. Because I like lattes, I refill the water tank once a week.
The machine itself never needs cleaning, except for emptying the used pod compartment and washing/wiping out the accompanying drip tray - I did this about once a week, too. It'll need descaling every six months, too. But other than that, the machine looks great on the countertop, and I'd only ever need to wipe it down if I thought it looked a bit dusty. The little silver drip tray doubling up as the cup stand will need cleaning, but only rarely, as this machine doesn't drip unless you pull the cup away before it has finished.
Overall, this machine is super easy to use and get used to, and it doesn't require lots of maintenance or cleaning, but it still makes high-quality coffee.
Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima: Taste test
The coffee this machine made was delicious, but then again, you can hardly go wrong. As it uses pods, the coffee can't get scorched or overheated during brewing, the same way that freshly ground beans can. I preferred the flavor of some pods more than others; for example, some of the stronger pods were a bit too bitter/strong for me, whereas pods in the mid-range of the strength scale were perfect.
Although you can't control the temperature, I found the coffee was hot enough to drink immediately, and I never scalded my mouth on it. I recommend using the milk carafe to get the perfect temperature, as this heats the milk, too, rather than pouring cold milk into your granlungo or mug-sized coffee. Unless you select a milk option, the machine assumes your coffee is black and makes it to the perfect temperature; adding cold milk could ruin this.
If you have concerns about the pods, try to use a different type - there are so many Vertuo pods available, some in limited edition or seasonal flavors, that you're bound to find your favorite. My favorite pod to use was the 'Bianco doppio,' as this pod is specifically designed to be used with milk to create a frothy drink and has a beautiful creamy texture and a 'vanilla custard pie' flavor. You can even make a selection of barista coffees with the Nespresso machine. I think the beauty of this coffee maker is that you feel you have full customization over your drink without messing around with many settings or buttons on the machine.
Should you buy the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima Coffee Machine?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
How does the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima Coffee Machine compare?
If you want a coffee machine with a more retro-modern design and a lower price, you could try the Vertuo Titan, the machine that launched the Vertuo range. This cool-looking machine is cheaper than the Lattissima at $164.25, as it doesn't include a milk carafe. However, you can add a milk frother for about $50, and this bundle will still be cheaper.
However, if you want to go fancy, you could opt for the Vertuo Creatista, which sells for $561.75 on Nespresso's website. This coffee machine is available in striking stainless steel and has an integrated milk wand for barista-style coffee at home without the clean-up needed for a milk carafe.
How I tested the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima Coffee Machine
- Used the machine to make coffee every morning and afternoon for two weeks
- I used every single type of Vertuo pod provided, meaning I made espresso, double espresso, gran lungo, and mug-sized coffees
- I didn't make a 'carafe-sized' coffee, as although this is an option according to the box the machine came in, I didn't have any pods that would provide that amount of coffee, nor did I need it as I live alone.
- I used the milk frothing carafe to create hot foam, lattes, and cappuccinos.
I tested the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima Coffee Machine for over two weeks in my apartment in Bath, UK. I made coffee at least twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, using all the different Nespresso Vertuo coffee pods provided and the milk-frothing carafe to create frothy, milky drinks. I also made coffees for guests who came over to get their opinion on the taste—they loved it, too.
Read more here about how we test.
- First reviewed: November 2023
