If you want to buy a capsule coffee machine, look here to compare and experience a variety of popular models

Hello, I am Space Orange.

Since I started working, I have become more fond of drinking coffee and have bought a lot of related coffee supplies, from entry-level French presses to semi-automatic and fully-automatic coffee bean grinding machines, and capsule coffee machines. In terms of cost, it is cheaper to grind the beans yourself than to use coffee capsules, but in terms of time cost, capsule coffee machines are undoubtedly a more convenient choice, and there is no need to worry about the storage of coffee beans, so I now use capsule coffee machines more frequently than traditional coffee machines.

Speaking of capsule coffee machines, we have to mention NESPRESSO, a sub-brand of Nestlé and the global leader in capsule coffee. It produces coffee capsules of various flavors, as well as capsule coffee machines of cooperative brands and a variety of beautiful coffee peripherals. I personally like them very much, but the disadvantage is that the product is expensive. I am currently using EN500, a cooperation model between NESPRESSO and Delonghi, which is called Lattissima One in China. It features its own milk jug, which allows you to make cappuccino or latte macchiato with just one click.

In addition, when I just started playing with capsule coffee machines, I bought the S1102 from the domestic Xinxiang brand. Xinxiang is also an OEM for international brand capsule machines, and the quality is also good. It also has many innovative functions that are in line with the usage habits of Chinese people. I happened to be at home during this holiday to compare them with you.

I will skip the unboxing here. First of all, in terms of appearance, both models are versatile and will not look out of place when placed at home. The price difference is a bit big. The official price of S1102 is 799 yuan, while that of NESPRESSO Lattissima One is 2388 yuan.

In addition, I also think there is a basic model S1103, which supports nine concentration presets for coffee extraction and also supports NESPRESSO capsules, and is cheaper.

Thinking S1102

I thought that S1102 could be seen as an upgraded version of NESPRESSO's Essenza Mini or Inissia. In addition to maintaining the 19Bar water pump pressure, it also added some new functions.

For example, next to the coffee outlet, there is a separate hot water outlet.

This way, I thought that in addition to making Espresso or Lungo, the coffee machine can also make American coffee with hot water.

Because the machine has its own instant heating function, this capsule coffee machine can also be used as a desktop water dispenser.

The water tank capacity is average at 580ml, and the hot water function alone can heat up to 300ml at a time.

It is not difficult to operate a capsule coffee machine. Just open the top cover and put the capsule in.

The operation can be done by turning the knobs on the machine, namely concentrated, American, hot water and power.

Of course, the coolest thing about domestic products is that you can fine-tune the coffee machine through the App, such as the size of the cup, the amount of water, and the temperature.

The buttons for adjusting the cup size on traditional coffee machines are rather cumbersome to operate, so I just followed the instructions step by step.

In addition, you can also use the App to remove scale with one click. Overall, it is very convenient to use.

NESPRESSO Lattissima One

Lattissima One has always been my favorite model. Although it is a bit expensive, it is still the entry-level model of the milk frother among NESPRESSO.

The store also has the higher-end Lattissima Touch and Lattissima Pro.

The Lattissima One milk jug is pitifully small, only 125ml, but in actual experience it is more than enough for daily life. Because a cup of the largest latte macchiato is about 170ml, which is enough for one person.

Touch and Pro are high-capacity milk jugs that are rarely necessary at home, because it is rare for several people to drink macchiato/cappuccino together, and if milk is not cleaned immediately, it is easy to leave a smell. Of course, one advantage of the Pro model is that it can automatically clean the milk foam component.

I can only take it apart after drinking, soak it in warm water, and then clean it.

The function of the black rectangle is to detect the remaining amount of milk in the milk jug. When the milk jug is empty, the machine will stop foaming.

The top of the ONE is the operating area of ​​the coffee machine, from top to bottom, there are milk froth, Lungo and Espresso; when the machine is ready, a light will flash, and the user just needs to press it lightly. There are also two indicator lights on the top to remind you to descale and clean the milk tank.

The water tank capacity is 1L, but I always add purified water when I drink coffee to reduce scale as much as possible.

The water outlet is very simple, with only one coffee outlet and no separate hot water outlet; the coffee cup volume is preset, 40ml for Espresso and 110ml for Lungo, and the cup volume can be adjusted according to the instructions.

Coffee Extraction

The same capsule coffee is used, and the amount of coffee extracted is 35ml.

The extraction time of both coffee machines is also basically the same.

In terms of extraction degree, NESPRESSO is better, but considering the price of the coffee machine and the fact that it has been used for more than one year, it is acceptable.

By the way, I'd like to tell you a little maintenance tip. Before and after the capsule coffee machine extracts coffee, you can rinse it with a cup of hot water without putting capsules in it to clean the capsule coffee circuit.

Milk frothing function

NESPRESSO Lattissima One

Let’s first talk about NESPRESSO’s milk frothing accessories; there are actually two scales on the milk jug, representing two types of coffee. You can choose to put in different amounts of milk according to your taste.

Install the milk jug onto the machine, aim the nozzle at the cup, wait for the machine to preheat, and then you can make drinks directly.

The heating speed is very fast, and the milk foam is generally uniform, but it will spray from time to time.

Using a glass teacup makes it easier to demonstrate. The milk foam produced by NESPRESSO is very dense, with very little milk.

Milk frother

I thought that the capsule coffee machine didn’t have the milk frothing function, but they produced an electric milk frother separately.

Compared with N’s milk frother, it’s really cheap, only 300 yuan.

In terms of functions, in addition to heated milk foam or room temperature milk foam, a new function of hot milk has been added.

The magnetic rotation principle is used to produce milk foam.

Milk foam making process

The density is not inferior to big brands, and the delicate taste is also good. I would also like to remind everyone that you should use whole milk to make milk foam for the best effect.

I also made a latte art cup design, but I don’t know how to make latte art…

At the same time, it is also qualified as a tool for heating milk. The milk will be heated to about 60 degrees, and very little milk foam will appear. Office workers can use it to heat milk in the morning.

One thing worth complaining about, just like the NESPRESSO milk jug, is that the cup volume scale for milk is not very obvious; by the way, the milk foam capacity is 150ml and the hot milk capacity is 250ml.

Capsules and accessories

Both coffee machines come with a lot of capsules when you buy them.

NESPRESSO has a mellow taste, but is a bit expensive. The basic version is 3.5 yuan, and the high-end series is 4.5-5 yuan, which is still quite expensive.

Later, I tried the regular versions that I had in mind. They were cheaper than N’s basic versions, with an average price of 2.5 yuan, and there was no obvious difference in taste between them and N’s.

Later, I bought the JACOBS and LOR series that I had been looking for, including ESPRESSO and LUNGO styles, priced at around 3.5 yuan, and even cheaper during promotions.

Like N, the capsule shell is made of aluminum, which better preserves the quality of the coffee itself. In addition, ESPRESSO and LUNGO are marked on the bottom of the capsule for easy removal.

Three comparisons, from left to right: NESPRESSO, JACOBS, and basic style.

Simply put, the average price of Xinxiang's coffee capsules is one yuan cheaper than N's, and the quality difference is very small. It is worth stocking up during promotions. In addition, there are some cheaper capsules on Dama.com, many of which are about to expire, so everyone should pay attention when purchasing.

I bought the capsule rack from Jack Ma’s house for just a few dozen dollars.

It is convenient to take the capsules and it also brings a little fun to the kitchen.

In addition, Jack Ma’s house has a variety of storage racks, you can take a look.

For cups, I like to use NESPRESSO's Pixie. I was attracted by its shape. It is made of stainless steel and has good heat preservation effect.

Summarize

For capsule coffee lovers, NESPRESSO Lattissima is a one-time choice. Although it is expensive, its quality is stable and it comes with integrated milk frothing for convenience. The Xin Xiang series is a strong competitor. The machine and milk frother are cost-effective, and compared with N's machines, it can provide more functions, making it a good choice for entry-level students.

As for capsules, N is the best, but Xinxiang is not bad either. It all depends on how much money you have.

Thank you for reading my article. If you have any questions, please leave a message.