Is a Nespresso, a Moka Pot, or a Coffee-and-Espresso Combo Enough Instead of an Espresso Machine?
Summary
It depends on which drink you make most. A Nespresso Vertuo covers everything from a 1.35 oz espresso to a mug of coffee with no grinding, but only with Vertuo capsules. A Bialetti Moka Express makes a small, strong pot on the stove with nothing to plug in, and De'Longhi's All-in-One brews a carafe of drip coffee and an espresso at the same time. Next to a portafilter machine and grinder, each gives up something different: Nespresso replaces grinding and dosing with capsules, the moka pot brews without a pump, and the combo splits one housing between two jobs.
The four options side by side
| Nespresso Vertuo | Nespresso Original | Bialetti Moka Express | De'Longhi All-in-One | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model checked | Vertuo, VertuoPlus, Vertuo Bundle | Essenza Mini Bundle | Moka Express (US store) | COM530M, COM532M |
| Price | $199.95 to $269.95 at Breville | $229.95 at Breville | $39.99 (1-cup) to $119.99 (18-cup) | $379.95 and $399.95 |
| What it makes | Espresso 1.35 oz, double espresso 2.7 oz, Gran Lungo 5 oz, coffee 7.77 oz | Espresso 1.35 oz, lungo 3.75 oz | 2 oz (1-cup) to 27.3 oz (18-cup) of concentrated coffee | A 10-cup carafe of drip coffee plus espresso from a 15-bar pump |
| What goes in | Vertuo capsules only | Original capsules | Ground coffee | Ground coffee for the drip side |
| Milk | Aeroccino3 frother in the Bundle only | Aeroccino3 frother included | None | Steam wand |
The two Nespresso lines don't share capsules. Breville's Vertuo manual says the machine works with Vertuo capsules only and that classic capsules can't be used in it.
How a Vertuo decides what to brew
A Vertuo reads a code on each capsule, then sets the brewing parameters and cup length for that blend. It spins the capsule at up to 7,000 rotations per minute to mix the coffee with water, which Nespresso calls Centrifusion. The factory cup sizes can be reprogrammed anywhere from 10 ml to 500 ml (about 17 oz). Someone who wants a 12 oz mug at 7 a.m. and an espresso after dinner gets both from one machine, as long as the capsules keep coming.
What a moka pot asks of you
You fill the base with water to just below the safety valve, add ground coffee to the funnel, and heat it on the stove. As it heats, the air between the water and the coffee pushes the water up through the grounds, and a pot takes 3 to 6 minutes depending on its size and the heat. Bialetti's US store notes that a moka "cup" is an espresso-sized serving. The aluminum pot is not dishwasher safe, and Bialetti says to rinse it with warm water without soap. Bialetti New Zealand lists it as not suitable for induction, while the US page points induction cooks to Bialetti's induction plate adapter.
What a combo machine saves
De'Longhi's COM532M ($399.95) and COM530M ($379.95) have a Dual Heating System, so the drip side and the espresso side can brew at once. That suits a house where one person fills a travel mug from the carafe while another makes a cappuccino. The COM532M has a 24-hour programmable timer and an adjustable frother with two texture settings. The COM530M has a simpler frother with no texture setting.
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Sources
- Breville — the Vertuo Bundle
- Breville — the VertuoPlus
- Breville — Vertuo instruction book (BNV250)
- Breville — the Essenza Mini Bundle
- Breville — Nespresso Original instruction book (BEC250)
- Bialetti USA — Moka Pot 3 Espresso Cup
- Bialetti USA — Moka pots
- Bialetti New Zealand — Moka Express
- De'Longhi — All-in-One Combination Coffee and Espresso Machine (COM532M)
- De'Longhi — All-in-One Combination Coffee and Espresso Machine (COM530M)
We have not tested these products. Specs, prices, stock and terms are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; check the manufacturer or retailer before you buy.