Call me old-fashioned, but I've never been a great fan of coffee machines which really puts me out on a limb compared with most people.
But I won a Nespresso-U machine in a raffle (RRP $199). To be honest, if we had needed one at work, I would have left it there but we have a much larger one at the office, so I took it home and gave it a try. The short verdict is - I'm glad I did.
The first thing I liked about it was its styling. It looks good; I love the plain and simple design and colour (white); and the on/off button.
I liked the simplicity of the functions. It's just about the coffee, and not all the bells and whistles. There are three buttons for the type of coffee you want - espresso, ristretto or lungo (long). But it also has a built-in memory which 'remembers' your favourite type of coffee so it can figure out what type of coffee style you want based on the size of the cup. I would imagine this is a very helpful function if you're in a single person household.
Finally, there's the small design elements. The water tank can move which means if you're pushed for space, for example, on the depth of a bench, it can be moved to the side. It's also possible to move the cup support which is great if you want something really long, or you're making something fancy. The cables are also storable within the unit.
The downside is the capsules can only be purchased online or at a Nespresso shop, not at the supermarket. That's okay if you're organised but with two small kids, I'm not always that organised.
If you like coffee like me - rich and aromatic with just a touch of cold milk added - this is the best coffee machine I've come across for everyday use, especially for its price.
There is also a model which offers a milk function which is $299. But if I want to have a latte or cappucino, I still have the option of doing so by going out with my partner or friends, and not feeling obliged to have one at home because I have a more expensive coffee machine whose cost I need to justify!
Overall? 4 stars
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The Nespresso U is the personal property of Cara.
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