If you are someone that enjoys a good cup of espresso or a delicious cup of coffee, then you have probably heard of Nespresso. This company has been hard at work since 1986 Trusted Source Nespresso - Wikipedia Nestlé Nespresso S.A., trading as Nespresso, is an operating unit of the Nestlé Group, based in Lausanne, Switzerland. Nespresso machines brew espresso and coffee from coffee capsules (or pods in machines for home or professional use), a type of pre-apportioned single-use container of ground coffee beans, sometimes with added flavorings. en.wikipedia.org , creating a variety of machines and pods to help folks at home get café style beverages at a fraction of the cost. The two most popular models of pods are their Original line, which has been around for the longest, and the Vertuo line, which has been on the shelves since 2017.
While these two pods and the machines that use them are similar in a number of ways, they are also quite different. As such, it is hard to pick a side in the debate of Nespresso Vertuo vs. Original line. That is precisely what we are aiming to help you out within this article. Of course, your final verdict is going to come down to your personal taste, but we will do our best to keep you well informed of your options and what makes each of these lines unique.
First things first, we need to get a general feel for what these two different lines of pods offer, which you can see in the chart below.
| Nespresso Vertuo | Nespresso Original | |
| What coffee drinks it makes | The Vertuo pods work well for pretty much any type of coffee-based drink that you desire. You can make espressos or much larger coffees and anything in between. | The Original Nespresso is a bit less versatile than the Vertuo. This type of maker and pod can only be used to make cups of espresso. |
| Serving sizes | Unlike the Original line of capsules, the Vertuo don’t only come in one size. You can get them in Espresso (1.35 ounces), Gran Lungo (5 ounces), Mug (7.8 ounces), and Alto (14 ounces). | The Original line of capsules is meant to be used for more than one cup of coffee at a time. As such, you can usually get between 2 and 3 cups with each capsule. Of course, these cups are usually smaller and more concentrated shots of espresso. |
| Milk frother | Unlike the Original line of makers that come with a milk frother, the Vertuo line of makers does not include one. These pods are actually designed to be used with cold milk on the top, though you can buy a milk frother with some Vertuo makers. | Most Original machines will come with a built-in milk frother that can automatically be used to add a nice bit of frothed milk to your drink. While others might not come with one, they can be bought separately and added into the mix easily enough. |
| Capsules | There are several different capsules available for the Vertuo maker. There are 23 solid options that are usually available, with several different special offerings that come in and out of stock.
Each of these pods has a special barcode that the maker scans that tells it the water temperature and cup size for that particular brew. As of right now, you can only get Nespresso brand Vertuo capsules. There are no third-party offerings on the market currently |
One of the biggest advantages that the Original line has over the Vertuo line is that there are third-party capsules available. This makes it much easier to find the flavors, boldness, and caffeine content you desire with an Original Nespresso machine. The company itself offers around 24 different capsules. |
| Price range | These machines are more expensive than the Original line of makers. They will cost you anywhere from $159 to $250.
The pods are also more expensive for Vertuo makers. They will usually run between 90 cents and $1.25. |
If you are someone that is looking for a bargain, then you can’t go wrong with an Original machine. Nespresso Original coffee makers start as low as $95 dollars and range all the way up to $250.
The capsules for these machines are also a bit less expensive, usually only costing between $0.70 and $0.85 per capsule. |
| Best for | The Vertuo line is a great option for anyone that wants to variety in the size of their coffee cups, from smaller espressos to larger full cups of coffee. | If you are looking for a traditional style espresso shot for your morning or a cappuccino or latte, then the Original line of makers and capsules might be right for you. |
These makers and capsules are the new kids on the block for Nespresso. They first debuted in
2017
Trusted Source
Nespresso - Wikipedia
Nestlé Nespresso S.A., trading as Nespresso, is an operating unit of the Nestlé Group, based in Lausanne, Switzerland. Nespresso machines brew espresso and coffee from coffee capsules (or pods in machines for home or professional use), a type of pre-apportioned single-use container of ground coffee beans, sometimes with added flavorings.
en.wikipedia.org
and have remained popular ever since.
The biggest advantage offered by the Vertuo line of makers is that they can make more than just a cup of espresso. These machines can still make a great espresso but can also be used to make a large cup of coffee. Not only that but the machine does all of the hard work for you. Each capsule has a barcode that the machine scans to adjust the temperature and length of the brewing time to make a perfect cup every time. These machines are also a lot quieter than the Original line since they brew without pressure, which really cuts down on the noise level.
As you would expect from anything newer, these machines and their capsules are much more expensive than the Original line. There is also a much smaller selection of machines, and, perhaps most critically, there is a much smaller variety of capsules to go around. There are no third-party capsules for the Vertuo line of makers, which makes it a bit harder to get the exact taste you are looking for in your morning cup of coffee.
The Original makers are, as the name implies, the original line of machines for Nespresso. They were first introduced back in 1986 and have been utilized ever since to create delicious drinks right at home.
There are several different things that help to provide the Original Nespresso machines with their staying power throughout the years. The first, and possibly most important, is that these machines offer a huge selection of coffee capsules. Since they utilize third-party sellers to make their capsules, there is no limit to the flavors you can get in your espresso with these machines. Another great quality is their built-in milk frothing accessories. This helps to make these machines a great value, all while remaining much less expensive than the Vertuo line of makers. Finally, there are also a lot more of these machines than there are for the Vertuo line.
While there are a lot of different makers and capsules available for the Nespresso Original line of makers, they can still only make espresso. While this is a great drink if you are looking for a quick shot of concentrated caffeine, it isn’t very useful if you are looking to make a tall cup of coffee to help get you through the day.
Now that we have covered the basics of each of these different Nespresso lines, it is time to finally figure out which one is better.
When it comes to making coffee or espresso, you are going to have to use some sort of extraction method. This is the method that actually makes the coffee. It usually involves moving hot water over ground-up coffee beans with or without pressure. Both the Original and Vertuo line of Nespresso makers use different methods to make this magic happen, which both result in delicious drinks.
The Original line of makers is very similar to a true espresso machine. These machines use heated water that is pressurized to varying amounts to create the drink you desire. These machines use a powerful pump to get the job done. These pumps can be quite noisy, but that is not surprising since they can up the pressure to 19 bars in total.
The Vertuo line of Nespresso makers goes about this process in a very different and very unique method. While this machine can produce espresso, it also needs to be able to make other caffeinated beverages as well, which include a much larger cup of coffee. This machine gets this job done by rapidly spinning the capsule within the maker, all while forcing the water into it. This creates a system without the pressure that still is capable of creating a cup of espresso with tons of frothy crema on the top, as well as a variety of other drinks as well. In fact, each capsule has a barcode that the machine scans so that it knows exactly how fast to spin the capsule and the proper water temperature that is needed as well. This system is also much quieter than the Original lines pump.
When it comes to caffeine-based drinks, most folks are creatures of habit. They usually like to stick to what they are used to since what they are used to usually works well for them. Still, there are those that like a bit of adventure and variety in their drinks as well. No matter what, you need to make sure that you get the maker that works best for you.
If you are someone that only likes to drink espresso or espresso-based drinks, then you should probably choose the Original line of makers. These machines are capable of making a brew in three different sizes, which include the 3.7-ounce lungo, 1.4-ounce espresso, and 3.7-ounce ristretto.
If you are on the other end of the caffeine spectrum and need a bit more variety, then you will want to go with the Nespresso Vertuo line of makers. These machines can make 5 different size cups for your drinking pleasure. These include the espresso, a 2.7-ounce double espresso, a 5-ounce gran lungo, a standard 8-ounce cup of coffee, and a gigantic 14-ounce alto extra large.
Milk frothingIf you are truly looking to make your coffee taste as it came from a café, then you might want to look for a model that comes with a milk frother. These machines aerate the milk, which helps to develop a thick and heavy foam. Since air is added to the milk during this process, it expands its volume and makes it a bit lighter. By adding this frothed milk to espresso or coffee, you can create lovely lattes or creamy cappuccinos right in the comfort of your home.
There are several different models of Original makers, like the CitiZ by De’Longhi, that come with built-in milk frothers. While this might make them more expensive, it does help to make them a bit more useful as well. Without a frother, you can only make espresso with an Original maker. By adding a frother to the machine, you can make cappuccinos and lattes as well.
There are no Nespresso Vertuo makers that come with a built-in milk frother. While this might seem like a big issue, it actually isn’t too big of a deal. Nespresso makes a milk frother called the Aeroccino that can be bundled with a machine like the Vertuo Next, when you buy your machine so that all of your coffee making and milk frothing needs are met right out of the gate.
As you would expect, the Original line of the makers has a lot of variety. After all, this line of machines has been around since the 1980s, so there has been plenty of time for innovation by Nespresso. In fact, the Original Line has eight different base models and 12 different products. Each of these machines is slightly different and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. They also have a variety of features as well. The reason for all of this innovation is also thanks to Nespresso’s long-running partnerships with other manufacturers, such as Kitchenaid and Delonghi.
Just as it isn’t a huge surprise that the Original Line has a lot of different models, it shouldn’t come as a shock that the Vertuo Line of makers doesn’t quite have as many options. This line has, after all, only been on the market for four years or so. As such, Nespresso handles all of the building and designing for these machines. There are only three models, which include the Vertuo, VertuoPlus, and the Evoluo. Each of these machines is quite similar, though some additional features are present as the models get more expensive.
Each of these different makers uses a designated capsule to create delicious drinks for you to enjoy. The Original Line of makers uses capsules that only come in one size. This makes them perfect for making smaller-sized drinks only. When the company first introduced these capsules, they had the market cornered and were the only ones to make them because of the patent they had for them. Once this patent expired, however, a ton of third-party makers swooped in to start making a wide array of different boldness levels and many different flavors. Since there are so many different options on the market for the OriginalLine machines, it is much easier to find them pretty much anywhere that coffee is sold.
The VertuoLine cannot compete with the OriginalLine when it comes to the variety of capsules available on the market today. Since these capsules are designed differently, they are only produced by Nespresso itself, which limits the variety that is available for consumers to purchase. These capsules do offer some advantages, however, that you might want to carefully consider before you make your final decision. For instance, each of these capsules contains a barcode that tells the machine exactly how to make the drink that you desire to perfection each and every time. These capsules also come in a variety of sizes. This makes it much easier to make a larger drink that has just as much caffeine as a smaller one without having to worry about diluting the flavor or the crema in the least.
One of the best things about Nespresso makers is how simple they are to operate. This is true for both the OriginalLine of machines and the VertuoLine. The OriginalLine of makers is a bit more complicated to use but is, by no stretch of the imagination, difficult. Depending on the model that you choose to buy, you can expect to have 1, 2, or 3 buttons to choose from. Each of these different buttons will alter the size of the cup of espresso that is made by the machine.
The VertuoLine of makers is even easier to use. Basically, all you need to do is place the capsule in the machine and press the single button to get the process started. From there, the machine will scan the capsule’s barcode and make the necessary adjustments to make the right size cup at the right temperature. This process will begin immediately after you push the button, making for a very quick turnaround for a cup of coffee.
No matter how you slice it, Nespresso is not a cheap brand to purchase, own, and operate. These are top-of-the-line machines. As such, they can cost quite a bit. In the end, however, you will probably agree with us in that it is totally worth it. Their design and products are second to none, making them a great buy, even at a higher price.
Between the two lines of machines and capsules, the OriginalLine is definitely the more budget-friendly. This is mostly because there is such a wide variety of maker options to choose from. No matter what your budget is, there is probably an OriginalLine maker to fit it. The capsules are also a whole lot cheaper. This is again thanks to the variety that is available on the market. Since there are so many different capsules to choose from, you are sure to find one that works for your needs and budget.
The VertuoLine, on the other hand, is definitely the pricier option. There are only three different machines to choose from, and each one is quite expensive. The technology built into them necessitates this since they can automatically adjust the brew based on the capsule you choose to use. The capsules are also more expensive because they are only made by Nespresso currently.
On the whole, there is not going to be all that much of a difference between the two different lines of Nespresso coffee makers. Generally speaking, the VertuoLine of makers is going to be a bit smaller than the OriginalLine, however. This is mostly due to the fact that the VertuoLine makers do not come with an attached milk frother. Even still, the more advanced OriginalLine models and the VertuoLine options are basically the same size and weight.
If you are looking to get something on the smaller side, then you are going to be better off getting something from the OriginalLine. There are lots of different models, some of which are quite small, especially when you consider that the VertuoLine only has three different models to choose from overall.
Well, there you have it. Now you know everything that you need to know in order to find the perfect coffee maker for your home. Even though making up your mind is going to be quite difficult in this debate, you can rest assured that you are going to be getting a quality product no matter which way you decide to proceed.
If you think that the OriginalLine of makers is more your speed, then you are someone that likes to have a quick shot of coffee each and every morning. You most likely don’t need a gigantic cup of coffee to start your day, making the smaller size options of an Original maker appealing. The OriginalLine is also an excellent option for anyone that likes a lot of variety for their daily cup of caffeine. The pods for these makers are made by lots of different manufacturers, making it much easier to find flavors that work for your needs.
The VertuoLine of makers is an excellent option for anyone that is looking to take the guesswork out of their daily coffee. Thanks to the patented technology in each capsule and maker, this line of machines automatically adjusts to make the perfect cup of coffee whenever you need it. While these capsules and machines are a bit more expensive, they also provide a larger array of size options, making it easier to make pretty much any type of coffee-based drink you can imagine.
Both VertuoLine and OriginalLine from Nespresso are excellent coffee makers. They both provide you with the ability to craft café quality beverages right in the comfort of your own home. Not only that, but they are super simple to operate, with both only requiring a few simple buttons pushes to make a great cup of coffee each and every time.
The debate of Nespresso Vertuo vs. Original is not an easy one to settle, however. Both lines offer up some admirable features and functions that are designed to help you get a great start to your day. No matter which side of the debate you end up on, we are sure that you will be making great drinks at home in no time at all.
