Nespresso Essenza Mini Original Espresso Machine Review
Photo: Breville
Being a more budget-friendly Nespresso machine, Breville’s Essenza Mini is designed to ensure that you can still enjoy some highly flavorful Nespresso coffee without spending a fortune.
Besides being a more affordable option, this top quality Nespresso coffee maker also offers the benefit of being more compact and effortlessly portable, and its smaller size also means it will take up little space on your kitchen counter.
Pros:
Cons:
Features and Specs
- Higher 19-bar pump pressure
- Faster 25-second heat up
- Adjustable cup size and programmable for versatility
- Simpler one-touch operation
- Energy-saving eco-mode
- Sleek design with some nice smooth lines
Product Overview
Photo: Breville
Nespresso coffee machines like the Essenza Mini Original by Breville are a great choice for anyone looking for a fast and efficient single-serve coffee maker. And while every coffee drinker will have a different aspect of this coffee maker that they like most, the following points are what makes it stand out.
Relatively Higher Bar Pressure
For its price, this Nespresso has one of the highest pump pressure which is designed to ensure you get fast, consistent and excellent extraction for the most flavorful cups of coffee.
The 19-bar pressure is even higher than what you get on some other espresso machines that cost way much more than this.
Hence, with the high-pump pressure, you can always be sure of getting barista-style brews with all the delicate coffee flavors.
Faster Heat Up
No one wants to wait for ages for their coffee maker to heat up before you can start making coffee as this can waste a lot of time, especially during the morning dash when you have very little time to spare. But with the faster heat-up of the Essenza Mini, this will never happen.
The highly efficient heating system on this espresso machine will only take 25 seconds to get the machine ready for brewing. And it also maintains the ideal brew temperature to ensure there is no wait between cups.
Most other Nespresso machines by top brands like DeLonghi also heat up fast. But the common problem with some is that they will not be very effective in maintaining the ideal brewing temperature like Essenza Mini and will hence have a longer wait between cups.
More Versatile Performance
Although the Essenza Mini is a typical Nespresso machine, for its price it is quite versatile. It comes with some simple programmable buttons for Lungo and espresso and it will also allow you to adjust the cup size to suit your preferences.
Better yet, you can also use this espresso machine to make your favorite iced coffee drinks by simply adding ice to your brewed coffee.
Other pricier espresso machines like Breville BES870XL can still offer relatively more versatility than this as it will include a milk frother to allow you to make milk-based beverages like lattes and cappuccinos with ease. But with an inexpensive milk frother, you can still make these beverages when using the Essenza Mini Original.
High Energy Efficiency
You will not need to worry about skyrocketing energy bills when you invest in this espresso machine as Breville designs it to ensure high energy efficiency.
Like other highly energy-efficient espresso machines such as DeLonghi’s model EN125S, the Essenza Mini is designed to switch off automatically when it remains idle for more than 9 minutes to save energy.
However, what makes this an even more energy-efficient model is that it will also switch to an eco-mode after 3 minutes which minimizes the amount of energy it uses.
Sleek and Attention-Grabbing
While many other coffee makers in its class will make equally good coffee and also have more of the same features, the Essenza Mini Original seems to have a slight edge when it comes to the looks. And it is the kind of appliance that will look good no matter where you place it.
This small and more compact coffee machine comes in a sleek and attention-grabbing look that has some modern smooth lines to allow it to fit perfectly into any space or kitchen as it will always complement the theme and décor.
More Affordable
When compared to other single-serve espresso machines like the DeLonghi’s EN125S which has quite similar features and performance, the Essenza Mini Original is relatively more affordable.
Although it is still not the cheapest single-serve coffee maker, given the overall performance of this coffee maker, it is quite fairly priced.
But, it is also worth noting that with single-serve coffee makers like this one, most of the cost goes to buying the capsules you need to make coffee which can drive the price high in the long run.
Q&A
Q: Which Nespresso capsules will this machine use?
A: This single-serve espresso machine uses the Originaline capsules and will not take Verturoline which for some users might be very restrictive. And while there are few models out there that can use both capsules, most are designed to use either, and so this should not be a big concern. Furthermore, the Originaline capsules are the cheaper of the two.
Q: Will this work for a small household?
A: Yes, like most other single-serve or capsule-based espresso machines like DeLonghi’s EN125S and DeLonghi EN85B, the Essenza Mini Original is a perfect option for small households. But, given the super-fast heat up and zero waiting between cups, you can make cup after cup which makes it also ideal for larger households.
Q: Does this take up a lot of counter space?
A: No, like many other modern Nespresso machines it comes in a more compact, space-saving design to ensure it will not take up a lot of room. Although it is still not as compact as others like the De'Longhi EN125S, for most users it will take up an almost insignificant amount of counter space which makes it perfect even for those with smaller kitchens.
Q: What gives it an edge over many other espresso machines?
A: Several things make this an outstanding espresso machine, but the highly efficient extraction system and high pump pressure give it a slight edge over others in its class as it ensures you always get highly flavorful barista-style espressos and coffee.
Q: Is this espresso machine easy to use?
A: Yes, this is a fairly easy espresso machine to use thanks to the simple one-touch operation, and it should not take a lot of time even for first-timers to figure it out. And to make things even better it will also include a storage container for the used capsules to give users an even easier time.
Should I Buy this Product?
If you are looking for a reliable, easy to use and more portable espresso machine that takes up little space in your kitchen, this will be a great buy. And to make it even better, it is also more convenient to use and also fairly priced when compared to other espresso machines.
However, for larger households with many coffee drinkers and the heavy coffee drinkers, the Essenza Mini Original might be a little inconvenient given that it does not make a lot of coffee at a go.
All in all, this is a great espresso machine that makes some highly flavorful beverages and will also not take a lot of effort to use and is hence worth a shot whether you are a regular or occasional coffee drinker. But, also keep in mind that using it comes with an extra cost as you need to buy Originaline capsules to make coffee.
