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Tried and Tested: I used the Nespresso Lattissima One for a month, and here’s my review of the ₹39,999 coffee machine
I used the Nespresso Lattissima One for a month to test its coffee, milk frothing, pods, cleaning and ₹39,999 price tag.
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I am someone who absolutely loves coffee. It is not just a drink I have when I need a caffeine fix. It is part of my daily routine. My mornings start with a coffee smoothie blended with protein, and somewhere between 3 pm and 4 pm, I start craving another cup. That afternoon coffee is practically mandatory for me.
The funny thing is that I am also constantly experimenting with how I make it. I have made Bella Coffee at home with jaggery, tried Vietnamese iced coffee, used everything from a filter coffee machine and Moka pot to a French press, and even relied on a simple battery-operated whisk when I was feeling particularly determined. I have tried Blue Tokai, Starbucks at home, Nespresso pods, Sleepy Owl sachets and plenty of other coffees along the way. The common theme has always been the same: I want good coffee without having a kitchen full of machines.
So when Nespresso offered to send me the Lattissima One to try for a month, I was genuinely excited. This was a machine that had been on my bucket list for some time, but I had also been slightly sceptical about pod coffee machines. Could a capsule actually give me a coffee I would want to drink every day, or would I use it for a few weeks and go straight back to my Moka pot?
After a month of using it almost every day, I have a pretty clear answer. Yes, I would spend the money on a Nespresso machine. In fact, I would happily buy one. The interesting part is that I probably would not buy this exact version for my home, and that has everything to do with the kind of coffee my husband and I like.
2. Nespresso Essenza Mini Coffee Machine (Black) with 4 Coffee Sleeves| One-Touch Brewing | 40ml Espresso & 110ml Lungo |Compact Coffee Machine for Home | 2 Years Warranty | Authorized Distributor
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Nespresso Lattissima One: The quick specifications
Specifications
Setup and unboxing: Was it easy to get started?
The actual setup was fairly simple. The one thing that slowed me down was the instruction manual. The machine came with instructions that were not in English, so I ended up on YouTube trying to make sure I was doing everything correctly. This is not an appliance I wanted to experiment with blindly, especially when the machine costs ₹39,999.
Eventually, I found a much easier solution. I took photos of the instruction pamphlet, put them into GPT and had them translated. Once I understood what each button did, the installation became much less intimidating, and I got the machine running in around 25 to 30 minutes.
I also decided to clean the machine before making my first coffee. That meant the first few attempts were not actually about drinking coffee at all. I ran water through the machine, tested the controls and played around with the milk system. I wanted to know how everything worked before putting an actual capsule in.
That turned out to be a good call because the first few coffees still came with their own little learning curve.
The first few coffees taught me one thing: Pods matter
The machine came with a selection of different pods, and I very quickly learnt that they are not interchangeable in terms of taste. Some were strong, some were lighter, and some had a distinctly chocolatey profile that was not quite what I usually go for.
So I experimented.
- For a few days, every coffee was slightly different as I tried to work out which pod and which setting actually suited me. Eventually, I found my favourite combination and, like most people who finally find a coffee they love, I stopped experimenting and started making the same thing every day.
- The biggest surprise was the Lungo setting. I had not expected that to become my favourite way of using the machine, but it did. My easiest afternoon coffee became a Lungo poured over a glass full of ice. Add that to a little water, and I had a very easy iced Americano at home without making a whole production out of it.
- I also do not like putting too much sugar into my coffee, so this worked particularly well for me. After all the experimenting, I finally found my groove, and the machine became much less about trying different things and much more about making the coffee I actually wanted.
How good is the coffee compared with a café?
For my kind of coffee, the Lattissima One works really well. I enjoy espresso, Lungo and a little milk foam, and the machine delivers that combination with very little effort. There is a consistency to it that I appreciate, especially on days when I want coffee but do not want to spend 15 minutes making it.
The milk system is probably the biggest convenience here. You add the milk to the container, attach it to the machine and choose your drink. The milk comes out frothy, so you do not need to use a separate cup, steam wand or handheld frother. There is also no need to stand around trying to get the milk texture right.
For me, the foam was just right. I like a slightly foamed coffee, but I do not want a mountain of foam taking over the cup. The Lattissima One gave me enough texture to make an espresso or cappuccino feel like a little treat without making the milk the main event.
This is also where my husband and I had completely different experiences with the machine.
He likes his coffee full-bodied and milky. He wants proper milk in his coffee rather than a lighter layer of foam, and he was not particularly impressed by the experience. For his taste, I would actually recommend a more traditional coffee setup where the milk can be heated separately and added in the quantity he likes.
So, if you like espresso, Lungo, cappuccino and lighter milk foam, I think this machine makes a lot of sense. If you want a large, full-bodied milky coffee, you may be happier with a traditional setup.
3. Nespresso Essenza Mini Espresso Machine By De'Longhi, Black, Pack of 1
The pod variety makes it fun
One of the things I enjoyed most was having different pods sitting around and being able to change my coffee depending on what I felt like drinking.
You can go for something stronger on one day and choose a lighter blend the next. I particularly liked the fact that I could experiment with different profiles without buying a large bag of coffee and committing to one flavour for weeks.
It also made having people over slightly more fun.
This machine became a bit of a coffee corner flex for me. Every time someone came home, there was usually a little coffee brewing session. I would ask what they wanted, pick a pod, press the button and let the machine do the work while everyone watched.
There is something satisfying about serving a coffee that looks and feels a little more special without having to turn your kitchen into a café.
And yes, if you have been bitten by the coffee corner trend, this machine fits right into it. It looks premium sitting on the counter and is the kind of appliance you are actually happy to leave out.
The milk attachment is convenient, but you cannot forget about it
The milk system is one of the best things about this machine for me, but it also comes with one very simple rule. CLEAN it. I learnt that the hard way.
One night, I forgot to remove the milk container before going to bed. The next morning, I woke up ready for coffee and realised I first had to deal with the milk that had been sitting there overnight. At that point, coffee was no longer the highlight. Cleaning the machine was.
It is not difficult to clean, though. Once you get used to the routine, it takes very little effort. After making a milk-based drink, the milk system needs to be rinsed, and the container should go into the fridge if there is milk left. Nespresso also recommends regular cleaning of the milk system and its individual components.
In Indian summers and humid weather, I would personally clean the milk attachment after every use. In colder weather, a proper clean once a day should be manageable, provided you are rinsing it after making your milk coffee. The machine does need a little care, but I would not call it high maintenance. The coffee side is quite straightforward. The milk attachment is the part that needs your attention.
Is ₹39,999 too much for a coffee machine?
At ₹39,999, the Lattissima is not a casual purchase. You also have the continuing cost of buying capsules, so the machine is only one part of the spending.
I received mine with four full boxes of pods, which made the testing period particularly enjoyable because I had enough capsules to properly try different coffees. If I were buying it myself, though, I would still think about how often I drink coffee and what kind of coffee I actually make.
For me, the answer is quite simple. I would spend the money on a Nespresso machine, but I would buy the smaller model without the milk attachment.
That is not because I disliked the Lattissima by Nespresso. Quite the opposite. I really enjoyed having the option of making milk foam whenever I wanted it. If my husband also liked that lighter milk coffee style, I would have bought this machine without thinking twice.
But I mostly drink black coffee, and he prefers a full-bodied milky coffee. So the milk attachment sits somewhere in the middle of our preferences. If I lived in a home where everyone enjoyed espresso topped with a little foam, cappuccino or Lungo, I would absolutely choose the Lattissima.
Nespresso Lattissima One: Pros and cons
| What I liked | What I did not like |
| Very simple coffee preparation once you understand the controls | ₹39,999 is a significant investment |
| Consistent coffee with minimal effort | The milk attachment needs regular cleaning |
| Lungo and espresso work particularly well for my taste | The milk container is relatively small |
| Easy milk frothing without a separate frother | Capsules create additional waste |
| Plenty of pod varieties to try | It may not suit people who want very full-bodied milky coffee |
| Looks premium on the kitchen counter | The initial instructions were not as easy to follow as I expected |
| Great for serving guests | The milk system needs more attention than the coffee side |
So, would I actually buy the Nespresso Lattissima One?
Yes. That's the simplest answer I can provide after a month of using it.
I went into this review curious about pod machines and slightly sceptical about the whole concept. I came out knowing exactly why people like them. Once I found the pod I liked and figured out my preferred setting, coffee became incredibly easy. I did not have to grind anything, measure anything or stand over a machine trying to get the right result.
The Lungo was my biggest surprise, and it became my favourite everyday drink from the machine. The milk system was another win for me, especially when I wanted that little bit of foam over an espresso.
Would I personally spend ₹39,999 on this exact machine? Yes, if I wanted the milk function regularly.
For me, that is the real verdict. The Lattissima One is worth the money. It just depends on how you drink your coffee.
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