Nespresso Essenza Mini Review (2023) - Best Value Nespresso Machine?
Summary
Pros
Cons
Nespresso Essenza Mini Summary
The Nespresso Essenza Mini is one of the more compact Nespresso models on the market today. It is also very easy to use and prepares espresso and lungos quite fast. It lacks many of the bells and whistles when compared to other machines. However, the lack of features renders this machine extremely affordable.
The Nespresso Essenza mini is all about simplicity, compactness, and convenience. To keep its cost low, it lacks many features but this may not matter for some users.
Should you get this machine?
It depends on your needs, so read this Nespresso Essenza Mini review to find out about the pros and cons of this compact espresso machine!
And then decide if you should get this machine or not!
Specifications
- Line: OriginalLine
- Display: None
- Materials: Plastic
- Colors: Intense Grey, Pure White, Piano Black (Mini C by Breville) and Piano Black, Ruby Red, Lime Green (Mini D by De'Longhi)
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 3.3 x 8.0 x 12.9 (Mini C by Breville) and 4.3 x 8.1 x 12.8 (Mini D by De'Longhi)
- Weight: 5.1 pounds
- Water Tank: 20.3 oz removable
- Spent Capsule Capacity: 5-6 capsules
- Power Rating: 1310 Watts
Key Features
- Brew Pressure: 19 bar
- Heat-up time: 25 seconds
- Brewing Sizes: Espresso (1.35 oz) and Lungo (3.7 oz)
- Customizable Brew Sizes? Yes
- Pre-programmed drinks: 2 (Espresso and Lungo)
- Milk System: None
- Milk Settings: N/A
- Milk Jug: None
- Hot Water Dispenser? No
- Auto-off: 9 minutes
- Cleaning: No prompts, descaling, and water removal programs.
- Suitable for Latte Art? No
- Warranty: 2 years
Nespresso Essenza Mini Review
Design and Quality
The Nespresso Essenza Mini comes in two designs.
The Nespresso Essenza Mini C is made by Breville and features clean-cut lines and a rectangular shape. You can find it in Intense Grey, Pure White, and Piano Black colors.
The Nespresso Essenza Mini D is made by De'Longhi and features a more funky design with a triangular shape. You can find it in Piano Black, Ruby Red, and Lime Green colors.
In our opinion, the Essenza Mini D has a more interesting design, but it's 1 inch wider at the base (4.3 inches wide).
In any case, both variants offer a sleek compact machine design. However, they are made of plastic materials that don't feel particularly premium. If you want a compact Nespresso machine that has a more premium feel check the Nespresso Pixie.
In terms of functionality though, the Nespresso Essenza Mini C and Mini D are identical. So chose the design you like best!
Neither of these two Nespresso coffee makers have a screen or display, and both are operated using two buttons, each identified with an espresso and lungo icon. These are located on top of the machine by a lever under which the coffee pods go.
The removable water tank is located at the back and is removable, which is great since you will be filling it up quite often since, at 20.3 ounces, it is quite small.
Features and Ease of Use
The Nespresso Essenza mini is one of the simplest machines, lacking many of the bells and whistles we've grown accustomed to.
However, this is a design decision to provide a compact, reliable and affordable espresso machine that is easy to use.
Still, this Nespresso coffee maker comes with some handy features worth mentioning.
The first one is its very quick heating up time of 25 seconds. The design of this machine allows you to insert a coffee pod and then press the espresso or lungo button, even while heating up. It'll simply dispense the coffee when it's ready.
You can also customize your brew size. To do so, simply press and hold the espresso or lungo button until the desired amount of coffee is served. The LED will blink 3 times, confirming the new brew size, and that it'll remember it for next time.
Easy-peasy, no?
This mini espresso machine only prepares 2 drinks: espresso and lungo drinks. Like all of the OriginalLine Nespresso machines, you cannot make regular coffee.
So if you like regular coffee, check other Nespresso machines that are part of the VertuoLine.
However, if you have a kettle you could add hot water to your espresso to make an Americano.
As you might have guessed, this machine does not steam or froth milk. So if you like milky drinks, you could buy the Nespresso Essenza Mini bundle, which comes with the Aeroccino milk frother.
Coffee Drink Quality
If you are a purist yet like the convenience of pods, this compact machine is for you.
It uses the same brewing technology as all other Nespresso OriginalLine machines. That is, it uses a high 19-bar pressure pump to extract all the flavors from the grounds contained in the pod.
In other words, the espresso quality of the Essenza Mini should be the same as all other OriginalLine machines. And for a pod machine, the espresso drink quality is fairly good.
And similar to other OriginalLine machines, you have the option to use 3rd party pods, or even purchase reusable pods.
The advantage of re-usable pods is that you could use freshly ground coffee beans, which will definitely improve your coffee drinks. Another advantage is lower costs per coffee preparation and a smaller environmental impact.
Cleaning & Maintenance
The simplicity of this machine means it's very easy to clean and maintain.
For starters, there is no milk system - one of the biggest culprits in terms of bacteria is the milk, so with the Nespresso Essenza Mini you won't have to worry about that.
In terms of daily cleaning, Nespresso recommends in their manual:
- Emptying and rinsing the drip tray and capsule container.
- Emptying and rinsing the water tank.
- Drying the machine and parts with a cloth.
This is pretty typical of most espresso machines and should take you 5 minutes per day.
The Nespresso Essenza Mini also comes with a descaling program, which takes about 15 minutes to run. Just make sure you are using an original Nespresso descaling solution.
However, it won't tell you when it needs descaling so you will need to keep track of the days. Thankfully, the instructions manual provides some guidance. Depending on your water hardness descaling should take place after 300 to 1200 cups.
There is also an "Emptying Mode". The intent of this mode is to remove any water from the machine to prevent frost damage if you wish to store it or ship it.
Value for Money
The Nespresso Essenza Mini provides excellent value.
It fits everywhere, it quickly and reliably makes great coffee while looking good!
All of this for only about $145 to $165 (depending on where you get it and if there are deals going around).
Even by accounting for the cost of purchasing Nespresso capsules (the reason why this machine did not get a perfect score), purchasing this machine will save you tons of money if you buy coffee at coffee shops.
Each pod costs about $0.80, so your yearly coffee pod cost would be about $292, and with the cost of this machine, you're looking at about $450 for the first year. In contrast, a daily $3 cup of coffee will cost you almost $1,100.
Yikes!
Our Verdict
Summary
Pros
Cons
Nespresso Essenza Mini Summary
The Nespresso Essenza Mini is one of the more compact Nespresso models on the market today. It is also very easy to use and prepares espresso and lungos quite fast. It lacks many of the bells and whistles when compared to other machines. However, the lack of features renders this machine extremely affordable.
Who Is the Nespresso Essenza Mini For?
The Essenza mini machine is made for people who want a low-cost, no-fuss, easy-to-use machine that fits anywhere and prepares espresso drinks quickly, and is even smaller than the Nespresso Essenza Plus.
It is not for those who like all the bells and whistles, fancy LCD screens, or like milky coffee drinks. If that is you, check the Nespresso Creatista Plus or Nespresso Gran Lattisima.
Or make sure to check our top Nespresso machine picks!
Frequently Asked Questions
What pods work with Nespresso Essenza Mini?
The Nespresso Essenza Mini works with all of the Nespresso OriginalLine pods. It is also compatible with 3rd party pods, as well as re-usable Nespresso pods.
Does the Nespresso Essenza Mini make coffee?
The Nespresso Essenza mini does not make regular coffee. It prepares espresso and lungo drinks. You could add hot water to make an Americano.
If you're looking for Nespresso machines that can prepare regular coffee, check the VertuoLine ones.
Is Essenza Mini better than Inissia?
Yes, it is. The Essenza Mini is a tad smaller, faster and quieter than the Inissia. In addition, the Nespresso Inissia is being discontinued.
Is the Nespresso Essenza Mini Programmable?
Yes, you can program the brew size of the espresso and lungo drinks it prepares. However, you cannot prepare any new coffee drinks.
