Capsule systems · review
Eleven centimetres wide, twenty-five seconds to heat, and it takes the Original capsules that dozens of brands make. The cheapest sensible way into the system that stays cheap to run.
The bottom line The cheapest way into the capsule system that does not lock you in.
Capsule machines are usually chosen on the machine and should be chosen on the system, and the Essenza Mini is the clearest illustration of why.
It is the cheapest and smallest Nespresso Original machine, and within the Original range the coffee is essentially identical across models — the same capsule, the same pressure, the same shot. What changes between machines is tank size, footprint and how much of a lever you have to pull. So paying more inside the range buys convenience rather than a better cup.
Meanwhile the choice of Original over Vertuo determines what you spend for the next decade. Original patents expired years ago, which is why supermarkets, independent roasters and dozens of brands sell compatible capsules at roughly a third of Nespresso’s own price. At three cups a day, that difference exceeds the price of this machine within about two months.
The compromises are exactly what eleven centimetres implies. The tank is small enough that you will refill it every couple of days. Two cup sizes, both programmable, and no third. And it is light — closing the lever briskly slides it across the worktop until it has a full tank in it.
At 150 $, it is the 4 cheapest of the 6 models in this category published here.
| System | Nespresso Original |
|---|---|
| Width | 11 cm |
| Water tank | 0.6 L |
| Cup sizes | 2, programmable |
| Heat-up | ≈ 25 s |
No. Within the Original system, the machines differ in tank size, footprint and convenience rather than in extraction. An Essenza Mini and a CitiZ make the same shot from the same capsule.
Running cost. Original patents have expired, so supermarkets and independent roasters sell compatible capsules at roughly a third of Nespresso’s price. Vertuo capsules are effectively single-source, so the machine price is the smallest part of what you will spend.
7.7/ 10
The cheapest way into the capsule system that does not lock you in.
A small kitchen, a studio flat, an office desk, or a second machine.
Same category, nearest prices. Only the specifications every one of them states are shown — a half-empty column compares nothing.
| Model | Price | System | Water tank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nespresso Essenza Mini | 150 $ | Nespresso Original | 0.6 L |
| Nespresso Vertuo Next | 180 $ | Nespresso Vertuo | 1.1 L |
| NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto Genio S | 110 $ | Dolce Gusto | 0.8 L |
| Nespresso CitiZ | 190 $ | Nespresso Original | 1 L |
A reference exists on these Amazon stores: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, United States. Listed is not the same as in stock — availability changes daily.
Details checked on August 8, 2026.
Specifications: manufacturer sheet and Amazon product page. Prices and availability: Keepa. No product on this site has been physically tested.
15 bar · hot & cold drinks · milk capsules
Makes hot chocolate, chai and iced drinks as well as coffee, using a separate milk capsule instead of real milk. Good at being a drinks machine, mediocre at being a coffee machine.
Best for: A household with mixed tastes where not everyone drinks coffee.
≈ $110 / £70 / 80 €
A Modo Mio system · 0.5 L · 12 cm wide
A third capsule system worth knowing about, because A Modo Mio capsules are among the cheapest in Europe and the machine costs almost nothing. The coffee is Italian-roast dark and unapologetic about it.
Best for: Espresso in the Italian style, at the lowest running cost of any capsule system here.
≈ £70 / 75 €
Centrifusion · 5 cup sizes · 54 % recycled plastic
The Vertuo machine with the full range of cup sizes, up to a 414 ml carafe. Same excellent long coffee, same single-supplier capsules, in a body made largely from recycled plastic.
Best for: Someone who drinks large black coffee and occasionally wants a carafe.
≈ $180 / £130 / 140 €
