Convenience or craftsmanship? When industry giants Nestlé invented the Nespresso machine, they found a route for easy-to-use coffee making for the masses, bringing the taste of an espresso into the home without any of the difficulty of making one. Today, the manufacture of Nespresso capsules is an industry segment of its own worth $21.6 billion, and the popularity of the system continues to grow thanks to a large number of third party capsule makers.
But how does a Nespresso taste? Can it possibly produce a better brew that making an espresso?
Let’s find out.
A brief understanding of Nespresso
Nespresso was first invented almost five decades ago when Nestlé employee, Eric Favre, was inspired by the thriving business of a coffee bar in Rome to try to make a machine that replicated their aerated espresso making technique. It took ten years before it was saleable, and another decade before anyone really took notice, but with some solid marketing, Nespresso finally made an impact in the early 2000s.
For those who haven’t encountered a Nespresso machine, Nespresso makes a pressured, extremely consistent, coffee that’s similar in many ways to an espresso, right down to a golden-brown foamy crema - and fans of the system argue its as good as a barista espresso. But can an automated machine making coffee from a single-shot pod of coffee grounds that’s many months from its grind date be any good? Is Nespresso espresso?
We don’t think so.
The difference between espresso and Nespresso
Though there are similarities, an Nespresso machine does not make espresso. It uses high water pressure that’s the same as many espresso machines, a key factor in making the drink, but like so many other things, there’s something missing when a machine takes over the entire process of making your coffee - and for many coffee connoisseurs, that thing is the subtlety and richness of taste.
When you have a palette that appreciates fine coffee, Nespresso tastes flat and lacks nuance. For many, you need only look to the crema to see the difference.
Crema, that delicate golden foam that forms on top of a freshly brewed shot, is a key indicator of a good espresso. It’s produced as coffee is extracted at high pressure, when the natural oils of the beans and the carbon dioxide that’s been released during roasting emulsify, mixing to become the signature layer that tells us so much.
When crema is good, it’s smooth and velvety and will sit on the top of the espresso for a minute before the bubbles that form it pop and dissipate. A perfect rich golden crema tells an experienced barista much about the craftsmanship of the espresso: too light and lacking longevity and it’s under-extracted; too dark and thick signifies over-extraction.
Nespresso defenders will argue that a Nespresso machine will create a crema just like an espresso; this very fact has featured in Nestlé’s marketing. Yet the crema produced by a Nespresso is inauthentic, generated by the machine to provide the illusion of a true espresso, lacking depth and adding nothing to the flavour complexity of the drink. Even Nespresso themselves subtly allude to the fact that their crema is generated by the technology of the machine rather than the natural result of a pure espresso crema:
’The extraction system at the heart of every Nespresso coffee machine manages every variable to ensure optimal aroma and flavour extraction, including the formation of the crema.’ - When it Comes to Taste, Crema Matters on nestle-nespresso.com, 2012.
Close, then, but not quite right.
A Nespresso machine vs. espresso machine - When it’s not all about taste
It would be nice to live in a perfect world where taste is the only factor, but it’s not. There are many other factors that influence our choice in coffee brewing techniques. Is Nespresso as good as real espresso if you take these other considerations into account?
The cost of a Nespresso machine vs. espresso
Many home Nespresso machines are available for under a few hundred pounds. In fact, you’d be very hard pressed to spend as much as £1,000 even if you wanted to. The same can’t be said when it comes to getting a decent espresso machine. If initial cost is the focus, Nespresso is a clear victor.
When you consider the other equipment that you need to make a good home espresso setup, including a premium grinder such as the Niche grinders, the difference is even more noticeable. The truth is good equipment requires investment.
But it is all about taste!
For us, the problem with the Nespresso vs. espresso argument is that it is all about taste. Of course, a machine designed to be cheap and convenient is exactly that: cheap and convenient.
If that was all we were looking for when it comes to a cup of coffee, then barista-driven coffee shops and artisan coffee wouldn’t even exist.
We’re not looking for cheap and convenient when it comes to our espresso; we’re looking for sublime delight.
In the debate between Nespresso and espresso, it isn’t about cost, and it isn’t about efficiency; it’s about passion and excellence. Why is Nespresso convenient? Because it doesn’t provide any way to adjust the experience. You get the same cup time and time again - and while we are strong advocates in trying to attain consistence, it shouldn’t be at the expense of never being able to tweak the variables.
A Nespresso pod doesn’t produce perfection. For many, it’s a good taste; even a great taste. The idea of being able to get a quick, effortless, consistent cup of good coffee in the morning is extremely appealing. But espresso making is more than just a quick cup of coffee; it’s a hobby, a lifestyle choice, a never-ending striving for delicious perfection. It’s about being able to change those variables, to make it a little better each time, perhaps even having a happy accident that produces a taste sensation we never expected.
Yes, we measure our beans to make sure we can replicate the cup; we use a zero-retention Niche Zero or Niche Duo grinder to be certain that nothing is lost in the grinding process and that we can accurately control our grind level; we take care with our tamp pressure; we time our pour; and we delight over the crema. We try to hit that perfect brew time and time again because what we achieve when we do is nothing short of wonderful. Handcrafted. Personal. Inspiring.
Nespresso vs. espresso machine - the final verdict
Is Nespresso as good as real espresso? Ultimately no, but that’s not to say it doesn’t have a valuable space in the coffee world. There’s a lot of benefit to being able to make a convenient and quick morning coffee that tastes good.
For anyone who takes their home espresso brewing seriously, a Nespresso machine is never going to replace the cultivated setup that includes a premium grinder and quality-grade espresso machine, but there’s nothing to say that they don’t have a place in the world of coffee – they’re an ideal and cheap way to start a beginners coffee journey.