Customer Reviews

Nespresso CitiZ Automatic Espresso Maker

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have experienced a holiday 2009 embarrassment of riches. I purchased a DeLonghi EC155 espresso machine as a gift for my wife after much research and we have used it for for 2 days with much pleasure. As a total surprise, we received a Nespresso D110 as a family gift during a party, and we could not refuse it. It will be interesting to compare the $83 DeLonghi (with another $20 rebate in the mail) to, if I have the price right on Amazon, a $279.00 Nespresso D110.

First of all, the Nespresso D110 is really beautiful--as much a work of art as a functional machine. The "winter white" is more of a cream color and the machine itself reminds me of an art deco juke box from the 1950s, if that makes any sense. It is very slim and looks beautiful on the counter top. The DeLonghi is much more utilitarian, with obviously less expensive materials (again, the price difference makes sense). If I use a PC analogy, the D110 is a Mac (elegant, incredibly simple to use, and expensive). Just as there are vocal supporters of MacWorld--I think the Nespresso D110 will have equally vocal supporters if you can justify the price...or better yet, receive as a gift :)!

Initial impressions: it took about an hour and several tries on the DeLonghi EC155 to get the proportions right for a nice espresso with the ESE pods. With the Nespresso D110, it literally took about 5 minutes--and 3 minutes of that was reading the directions. 1-button operation. The crema on the espressos we produced from the Nespresso capsules were better the first time than we have been able to produce from the DeLonghi after several iterations.

My biggest complaint: the Nespresso machine does not have a milk frother whereas the DeLonghi EC155 does. Though I am not a designer, because the design is pump driven--it seems like having a frother would have been relatively easy and could have been incorporated with the elegant D110 design without altering its sleek appearance. Finally, a quick Amazon search tells me that the capsules that are to be used with the Nespresso line are proprietary, so there is not the competition like there is with the ESE pods used by other machines. A quick perusal tells me that the capsules are over $0.60 each, in bulk, while ESE pods can be found for closer to $0.40 online. The lack of frother and the proprietary capsules needed have me taking away 1-star.

Finally, this espresso machine is beautiful, elegant, very quick (you can crank out multiple espressos for a gathering quickly), produces excellent crema, has a small footprint, and is extremely easy to use. You pay a price for all of this and will continue to do so with the proprietary capsules. Again, the PC vs. Mac analogy is a good one.

I would not have thought I would be alive long enough to see a "Jetsons" reality. (I guess Raymond Kurzweil was right when he said technology will grow exponentially) This is truly a futuristic dream come true. The Nespresso produced coffee is the best. Perfectly intense without bitterness. I cannot imagine how someone could invent something so easy to use without compromising even a fraction of quality.

I purchased the bundle, Citiz and Aeroccino Frother and together they make an incredible latte.

I bought this machine as an x'mas present for my mother who loves her coffee but is afraid of the steam from traditional espresso machines, hates the hassle of French Press, and dislikes drip coffee.

This product was an instant hit. Just switch the machine on, run it through once to rinse the machine & heat up the cup, then insert the capsule and press for a tasty cuppa. Repeat for a second cup. So simple a four year old did it too.

Added benefit is that this particular machine has a slim footprint and the water tank holds enough water for quite a few cups so the machine itself can be placed wherever you would like your coffee. So far the machine has been 1. in the kitchen, 2. upstairs in her bedroom on Sundays for a luxurious breakfast in bed 3. out tailgating plugged into the car inverter 4. in various hotel rooms during her spring roadtrips.

The folding cup tray, enables you to use either a cup or mug directly under the spout.

The CONs of this product are:
1 pod makes 1 Nespresso Cup = 4oz = 1/2 US Mug.
A mug of coffee requires 2 pods.

(An espresso shot is standard and is 1oz - 1.5oz. The above 4oz refers to the "coffee"'/long-shot option)

No frother attachment. Milk has to be heated and frothed separately.

Addictive: this machine is so quick and simple to use that my mother has actually increased her daily coffee consumption.

Highly recommended for those who want to but cannot make a decent cup of coffee for any reason.

Coffee extracted at atmospheric pressure can be drinkable, but to truly experience all of the flavor nuances, a high pressure extraction is necessary. The Nespresso CitiZ (all Nespresso machines use the same pump and block heater) pumps steam through the sealed coffee capsules at 19 bars, about 275 lbs. per sq. inch.

Temperature is important too. Do you enjoy the wonderful aroma coming from your drip coffee maker? You can actually sense it from other rooms of your house. That smell is actually volatile chemical components of the coffee that are lost to the air and not in your cup!

I started with a Nespresso C100, which I recently sold to a friend. I bought the CitiZ because the footprint is perfect for my modest kitchen.

The capsules are proprietary, but they're essential to making this system as great as it is. Even a $2000 machine would produce terrible coffee if you used bad beans. All Nespresso models come with a sample pack of capsules, so you can order your favorites right away.

While this machine is marketed as an "espresso machine", it can actually make any kind of coffee drink you can imagine. Wonder why you can't replicate Starbuck's drinks with your drip coffee maker? It's because they use espresso shots as a base for their overpriced drinks. Two programmable buttons allow for a ristretto (short) or lungo (long) shot. If you eject the capsule and hit the button again (this takes 2-3 seconds), you'll get hot water for dilluting your espresso shot to an Americano. But why would anyone want to do a silly thing like that??

The espresso comes out of the machine at a perfectly hot, but still drinkable temperature. This should be a no-brainer, but if you use a room temperature ceramic cup, the laws of physics dictate that the cup will steal heat from the coffee. Either pre-warm the cup using a hot water cycle, or use a thin-walled glass insulated tumbler (Bodum and Nespresso sell them).

In the summer, I love serving iced coffee drinks to my friends and family. Two pumps of flavored syrup (vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, etc. I like Torani or Ferrara), 4 oz cold milk, and three ice cubes. Put this under the spout and pull a ristretto shot using your favorite capsule variety. The hot espresso shot floats on the cold milk, and the espresso crema floats on the top of the drink. Elegant, dramatic, and delicious. Zero bitterness, minimal dilution from melted ice, and impossible to do using drip coffee.

If you get an Aeroccino milk frother, you'll have everything you need for making the best cafe lattes and cappuccinos you've ever tasted.

Personally, I mainly use this machine in the mornings to wake me up and get me going. I prefer a lungo shot or three, black and unsweetened. I take my time, and savor every delicious sip.

This machine will change your life if you let it. The best coffee drinks in town come from my little kitchen.

Stop wishing and start drinking real coffee!

This machine is excellent because it can be used with both small and large cups (Latte Macchiato, for example). The user can program how much water to use for each of the two programmable cup sizes.

CON: you need to warm the cups before using otherwise the coffee will be less than perfect. You can wam the cups by adding hot water to it and waiting for 15 seconds or so. You can do that by running the machine with no capsules in it.

This system makes superb espresso! The Nespresso system easily beats most espresso bars in quality, crema, and palette. When I was considering this machine, the availability and distribution channel of capsules was a concern. However, after tasting the results I understand why Nestle controls the distribution channel - it is the only way to assure customers get a quality product. The pricing is very reasonable considering the quality of the product. The system, capsules and machine, always deliver excellent espresso - every cup is fresh and aromatic.

The design and simplicity of this machine are fantastic but the purpose of getting it is to drink decent espresso and this machine does not meet up to the expectation simply because it doesn't produce a hot enough product. It looks amazing, but the temperature of the espresso is a true disappointment. Style alone is not a reason to keep it.

We are very happy with the Nespresso C110, it is quick and easy to make a cup of espresso, requires minimal cleanup and servicing, and a wide variety of optional concentrate cartridges are available. It's not the cheapest way to get a good espresso, but it is fast and painless.

The CitiZ Nespresso machine is a beautiful, simple, small, and well designed espresso maker.

This machine does exactly one thing, and does it extremely well; it makes the best darn espresso. There are two buttons one for espresso the other for lungo. Essentially they are two different timers; lungo runs the pump for a longer time. These buttons are easily programmed to longer or shorter delivery times.

In use, there is nothing easier. Lift the black handle on the top of the machine. Drop a Nespresso capsule into the slot. Close the lever down. Press the button for the size of drink. When finished, lift the lever and the used capsule drops in a clear plastic reservoir (seen just behind the cup of espresso in the product picture).

From cold machine to a cup of espresso is roughly 1.5 minutes. Warm up time is around a minute, and brew time for the cup is about 30 seconds. Couldn't be faster, couldn't be easier.

On to the quality. You will never ever drink a better cup of espresso at Starbucks or Caribou, you can't. They make those drinks in paper cups and by definition the espresso can't be as good. There is nothing like drinking from a ceramic cup, it enhances the flavor more than you can imagine. You cannot mess up making the espresso. The capsule is hermetically sealed in aluminum; there is absolutely no air exchange, unlike plastic or paper containers. There is no need to refrigerate or freeze these capsules - they do not deteriorate due to air exchange. Nespresso has solved some of the most critical variables in making espresso, fineness of coffee grind, roast time and temperature, preventing air from interacting with the coffee, pressure and temperature of the water, and brew residence time. Each cup tastes exactly the same one after the other.

The espresso itself. Oh my goodness, I have spent a lot of time in Italy drinking espresso at corner cafes. Nespresso is as good as, if not better than, anything I ever had in Italy. It is the rare US or Canadian restaurant that can brew a better espresso. Nespresso has become the gold standard by which I judge espresso when I travel. The crema on these drinks is amazing - thick, rich, and perfect.

This machine is a replacement for a six year old Nespresso model D290. This lovely machine made maybe 15,000 espressos, it was incredibly reliable, up until a few weeks ago, it started to act strange not wanting to heat when first turned on. The only maintenance was descaling the machine every 6 months. I expect the CitiZ to last just as long.

Admittedly I am addicted to this machine, the espresso. Two to three espressos per day is my standard, and my wife usually has one or two lungos per day. Hopefully you can understand that I love this machine, and I love this espresso. This is far superior to any other "on demand" coffee makers, this machine makes real espresso.

Noise - yes this machine makes noise. The CitiZ is slightly quieter than the older models, but it still makes noise. ALL mechanical espresso machines make noise; there is no way around that problem (you have to pump the water to reach the 90 some odd PSI to make real espresso). To me, this machine makes the most beautiful noise ever. It's a solid heavy pump sound, not some wimpy whiny noise. It's also so beautiful because my mind knows what is coming next, a great cup of espresso.

The real competitor to this machine, the Illy line, and $1000 true ground espresso machines. Here's the huge downside to those machines - the Illy machines are well over $750, and the cartridges are paper wrapped (so once you open the can, you need to use all those cartridges quickly - air is ground coffee's worst enemy). The ground coffee versions, you have a long warm up time to build heat and pressure in the vessel, you have to grind your own coffee, there's a huge variable introduced in grind size and coffee packing, and you have messy coffee grounds to clean up.

When you compare this machine to the alternatives for real espresso, this is a cheap machine. Add the convenience, and this is a no brainer choice to me. The one downside to this machine and all the Nespresso machines, you have to buy your coffee from Nestle directly over the internet or phone. Nobody else makes these capsules. Myself, I simply buy 500 at a time and watch my supply. From ordering to delivery is usually 3 days.

One of my biggest concerns in buying this was the longevity of Nestle producing these capsules. I think they will produce these for a long time in the future. The machine dates back to 1986. It is very popular in Europe. The capsule they use is a commodity aluminum capsule that is used by a number of other industries - in other words, Nestle buys these formed aluminum capsules, fills them, and seals them. There is no proprietary container, unlike the other two popular beverages on demand machines. Nestlé's investment in capsule manufacture and distribution (all 100% internet or phone based with no marketing in the US) is really small for a great return to them.

Visiting Italians have told me this is the best espresso they have ever had in the US. And my wife, who rarely ever drank brewed coffee, looks forward to her lungo every morning.

If you are looking for that special $100 arena, and only want an on-demand beverage maker, this is by far the best machine you can buy:
Bosch TAS4511UC Tassimo Single-Serve Coffee Brewer, Silk Silver - just remember, it makes great coffee, cappuccino, hot chocolate, tea - but it does not make espresso (no matter what anyone says or claims, it is incapable of doing that). They have fixed the awful sound of the original machine by working with Bosch.
The other alternative for just coffee making (no cappuccino or hot chocolate) Keurig B60 Special Edition Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System.

The perfect accessory for the CitiZ is the Aeroccino. This is well worth the approximately $100 investment, it makes perfect foamed milk with no skills required. (Nespresso Aeroccino Plus)

I chose the CitiZ without the foamer included in the kit because I like the tiny footprint of this machine. The additional space for the foamer on the base takes up a lot of counter space. I really like the simplicity of this model.

The Pixie is a newer model from Nespresso. I'm not as impressed with that machine. In real life, it doesn't look as cool as this machine. The other option is the Essenza, pretty much the same internal parts as the CitiZ; it is just squat and doesn't come in fun colors. Adjusting the cup height is a little more complicated with the Essenza. These machines have gotten less and less expensive over the years. My C290 list price was $600 almost 7 years ago. These new machines in the $200 price range are an outstanding value.

I am extremely picky about my coffee and have never had an espresso drink made with a home-machine that I truly liked, until now! I am now in the middle of trying to convince my husband to get me one for Christmas;) I sampled the coffee with a Nespresso representative at a high end kitchen store and was absolutely shocked at how good this coffee is. The latte was better than ANY latte I have had at any coffee shop (although I mostly go to Starbucks). The complaint about not have a milk steamer is actually a non-issue. There is an amazing steamer that you can buy separately or you can buy the version of this same machine that has the steamer included (which is a better deal). This steamer has two attachments, one giving you more froth than the other. You put the milk in, push a button, walk away, it stops on it's own, at the perfect temp.