Have you been considering a switch from a Nespresso® Original coffee machine to a Nespresso® Vertuo? Perhaps you have heard of the Vertuo and would like to know how it differs from other Nespresso® machines.
We decided to clear things up and discuss the difference between the Nespresso® Original and Nespresso® Vertuo and see what's brewing between the two capsule machines.
Nespresso® Original
Nespresso® Original consists of their original series of coffee capsule machines, such as the Essenza Mini®, Inissia®, Pixie®, U®, Lattissima® and many more. The Original machines all have a specific name, as there is a big variety of machines with the Original line, and also a variation in prices. In the Original series there's a machine for everyone.
The Original Nespresso® machines offer compatibility with a greater variety of coffee capsules from several coffee brands. These capsules, however, limit you to brewing espressos, ristrettos, or lungos only.
Some Nespresso® Original machines, like the Lattissima® and Creatista® offer milk steaming and frothing capabilities, allowing you to make delicious lattes. They do, however, cost a bit more than the standard Original machines.
Nespresso® Vertuo
The Nespresso® Vertuo was first released in North America, where larger coffees are often preferred over smaller espressos or cappuccinos. The Vertuo allows users to brew larger coffees (up to 414 ml), using "barcoded" coffee capsules and a unique extraction system.
The Vertuo offers larger drinks with thicker crema, without having to run too many capsules. However, there is a smaller variety of machines, at slightly higher prices.
Additionally, the Vertuo uses entirely different capsules to the Original machines. The dome-shaped coffee capsules for the Vertuo can only come from Nespresso® directly due to the barcode needed on the capsule to be recognized by the machine. This makes the variety of capsules limited and also expensive. There is no compatibles or alternative capsules on the market if you decide on getting the Vertuo machine. Sadly, the Original capsules cannot be used in the Vertuo machines, the standard original capsules only fit Original line machines, and the Vertuo capsules only fit in the Vertuo line machines.
The final take
Both line of machines offer their own perks; from getting larger volumes of brew from the Vertuo, to a greater variety of capsules from the Original. If you don't mind paying Nespresso® coffee capsule prices, the Vertuo could be for you. But if you like choice and want to support local brands, go Original!
