Nespresso Essenza Mini Review

Nespresso Essenza Mini Review
  • Performance
  • Comfort
  • Noise
  • Maintenance
  • Ease of Use
4.5

Summary

The Nespresso Essenza Mini Coffee Machine may be the smallest unit from Nespresso yet, but it confidently retains all the features and capabilities of some of the brand’s high end machines.

Just when you thought you’d seen it all, here comes Nespresso with its most compact unit yet. Offering a choice between two distinctive contemporary shapes, three different colours to suit your space, and versatile programmable cup sizes, the Essenza Mini truly is a small machine that opens up a whole world of possibilities.

How does it compare to other capsule pod machines on the UK market? Read in my new review.

Nespresso Essenza Mini Coffee Machine review

What I like

  • Compact size
  • Value for money
  • Intuitive controls
  • Nice looking

What I don’t like

  • Not for larger groups
  • No milk based drinks

What are you buying?

For most of us coffee capsule fanatics, the Nespresso brand is as close as it gets to pod nirvana. Unfortunately, we don’t always have the kitchen space or deep enough pockets to get those large high end capsule machines. Lucky for us, Nespresso came out with a machine that’s even smaller than their Citiz.

At only 2 Kg, the Nespresso Essenza mini is so compact it barely takes up half the space of a toaster. But don’t think for a second that the smaller size means lower performance. Surprisingly, the Essenza mini carries an incredible 19 bar high pressure pump – that’s enough juice to produce barista style results every time. This works pretty well with the already programmed cup sizes for lungo and espresso.

But what really got me going was the way Nespresso designed the Essenza as well as the level of technology incorporated. Like its predecessor, this model hides the water tank at the back for an uncluttered look and also makes use of thermoblock tech. This allows heating of water as required for faster brewing and scaling reduction.

How easy is it to use?

The Nespresso Essenza Mini Coffee Machine is a pretty small model. So as you’d expect, there’s not really that many features and functions to get lost in. Even the dimensions themselves tell you that everything’s going to be easy and straightforward. At 33 cm by 8.4 cm by 20.4cm and 2 Kg, it leaves a very small footprint making it easier to place and move about in the kitchen.

Likewise, the control panel is as easy to use and as intuitive as it gets. All you have to do is decide whether you’re having the programmed espresso, or pre programmed lungo and the machine takes care of the rest.

Of course, it is a bit smaller than other models so you might work up a sweat if you’ve got many guests coming. At 0.6 litre water capacity, the machine’s only good for about two or three lungos before it needs a refill. But at least the fast heating time of 25 seconds makes up for this shortcoming.

The safety and automated features also make the experience smoother. The mini incorporates an eco-mode for lower energy consumption in case you’ll be running her for extended periods of time as well as an automatic energy saving function. This function switches off the Essenza after about 10 minutes of inactivity in case you leave her on in your rush to work.

What accessories are included?

With every purchase, you can expect to find the following items in the box:

  • Nespresso Essenza Mini Coffee Machine
  • Assortment of Nespresso coffee pods
  • Users manual

Key features of Nespresso Essenza Mini

Pros

  • Compact size with small footprint
  • Great value for the money
  • Intuitive controls with fast heating time
  • Very nice looking

Cons

  • Not practical for large groups or commercial purposes
  • You may miss some functionalities from high end models, e.g. no milk based drinks

Anything else you should know?

Just like all the rest of us Nespresso addicts, you’ll have to find a way to deal with the brand’s rigid way of doing things. By rigid, I mean your machine will not work with any other coffee except Nespresso capsules.

Fortunately, Nespresso includes a complimentary welcome gift once you purchase the Essenza mini machine. The gift consists of a wide range of Nespresso capsules, all with unique aromatic profiles to suit different tastes.

Conclusion

The Nespresso Essenza Mini Coffee Machine may be the smallest unit from Nespresso yet, but it confidently retains all the features and capabilities of some of the brand’s high end machines. All the way from the 19 bar pressure pump to peak energy savings, it’s clear that the reduction in size and price didn’t have any effect on the coffee quality and taste.

Sure, you won’t be winning any barista competitions or killing it on the latte art scene anytime soon; but it’s a one stop shop for anyone who enjoys a good espresso.

Where to buy?

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