As you know, the best way to enjoy coffee is when it’s fresh. Coffee lovers worldwide have always desired easier ways of brewing their favorite drink, and many innovations have met that need.
The automated espresso machine, for example, does all the work and provides you with a delicious cup of espresso brew.
Single-serve coffee makers have given coffee lovers more access to a fresh brew whenever required.
A single-serve coffee maker, also known as a coffee pod machine, is designed to produce a single cup of coffee. With these machines, everything is simplified—they’re speedy and convenient.
Two of the most popular brands of coffee pod machines are Nespresso and Keurig. Below, we’ll review and compare both of these brands’ coffee pod machines.
Nespresso
A Nespresso machine is more tilted toward espresso. There are strict standards to making a perfect cup of espresso, from the type of beans to the darkness of the roast.
This machine is produced in Europe (Switzerland to be precise) and is a part of the Nestle corporation, which is why they are more popular in Europe.
Nestle is the producer of the global coffee brand, Nescafe.
These machines are pod-based and are often referred to as simply espresso machines. The devices have two production options: the VertuoLine and the OriginalLine.
The Original line has three cup size options while the Vertuo line has five.
Also, the capsule sizes for the VertuoLine come in five different sizes, while the capsules are all the same size for the Original line. The VertuoLine machines don’t have a milk frother, but some models of the OriginalLine do.
Nespresso uses capsules rather than ground coffee in its machines. For those who prefer espressos, lattes, and cappuccinos, the OriginalLine range of devices is great.
VertuoLine offers coffee in larger servings, which makes it preferable for customers in Canada.
Another important distinction between the two machines is the way in which the flavor in the coffee is extracted.
While the OriginalLine uses pressurized water to extract flavor from the coffee, the VertuoLine uses a mixture of spinning and an infusion of water. The entire procedure takes just under 30 seconds.
However, this brand can’t make drip coffee.
Pros
- Safety off feature
- High-quality coffee
- Recyclable pods
- Compact machines
- Heats in under 20 seconds
Cons
- Costly
- Can’t use pods from other brands
Keurig
Keurig is the leading American brand in the single-serve market, with over 70 different models of single-serve coffee machines.
The idea is that no matter your taste and preferences, you’ll find one that fits your taste and preferences. Keurig uses K-Cup pods to brew single cups of coffee, which take up to a minute to make.
The brand is known for the great convenience it offers. However, you may sacrifice a little bit of flavor quality. One advantage of the Keurig brand though is its number of models.
Keurig makes the K-Cafe, which has a built-in milk frother and is a model that produces a great flavor. Although Keurig is known as a coffee maker, it is also used to make hot chocolate and tea.
If you are a regular coffee drinker who seeks a more straightforward procedure and doesn’t mind the absence of milk steaming, then you will find the models from the Keurig brand worthwhile. Keurig also allows you to use ground coffee and not just capsules.
One more reason why some users may consider purchasing the Keurig brand is its ease of use and cleaning. They are also compatible with more coffee flavors.
Pros
- Cheaper models.
- Wide range of features
- More than 70 models
- Easier to use
- Makes tea and hot chocolate
Cons
- Can’t make espresso
- Difficult to recycle the pods
Comperisment
For a more comprehensive comparison, we’ll look at how both brands rank in the range of their coffee machines, usability, durability, variety of brews, coffee quality, brewing method, and of course, the most important feature for so many people, the prices.
As noted earlier, the Keurig brand is more at home in America, but Nespresso is more popular globally. Let’s start with the range of machines for both brands.
Range of Coffee Machines
Both brands offer a range of coffee machines that meet different needs. But in terms of range, there’s no contest here.
Keurig has a bigger range of devices than Nespresso. Keurig, at the last count, had 87 different models.
Nespresso has two broad lines of coffee machines: the OriginalLine and the VertuoLine. The main difference between the two is the volume and type of coffee you’re able to brew.
In terms of volume, the OriginalLine brews up to a volume of 5 oz, while the Vertuoline makes up to a volume of up to 18 oz.
However, there are well over twenty Nespresso models, which all fall under the two broad lines of Original and Vertuo.
Examples include Nespresso VertuoEvoluo, NespressoVertuo Next, NespressoPixie, Nespresso Inissia, Nespresso Essenza Mini, Nespresso CitiZ (plus milk frother) and Nespresso Gran Lattissima.
Keurig, meanwhile, has a broader range, and while it may not have a machine that can make up to 18 oz, you’ll still be able to find one that suits your needs.
Keurig has small, medium, and large machines, machines that use ground coffee, others that use capsules, machines that make iced coffee, and others that come with a milk frother—and the list goes on.
Keurig has a wide range of models to choose from, including the K-Supreme, K-Elite, K-Mini, K-Slim, K-Cafe, and K-Select.
No matter your taste, you’ll find something that will meet your needs with either brand. But you should go for Keurig if you desire greater options.
Usability
In terms of usability, Keurig models are very easy to use.
However, Keurig machines are not particularly fast and don’t produce coffee with the same level of taste and quality that Nespresso does (which also does the job in less than half the time).
In terms of how often it breaks down, Keurig is again, not the better option. Nespresso also allows for pod recycling, making it even more sustainable.
Remove the coffee grounds from the used capsule and refill it to reuse. However, the pods are not compatible with other machines.
Durability
Keurigs are very popular, but they don’t do very well in terms of durability. Despite having a one-year warranty on most of their products, many users find that the machines break down too soon.
Although Nespresso models cost more than Keurigs, they make up for that in durability.
A Nespresso machine is known to last for as long as five to ten years if well maintained. In terms of durability, Nespresso has a clear edge.
Variety of Brews
If all you care about is espresso, then Nespresso is great. But Keurig is your choice for a greater variety of brews and flavors.
Moreover, Keurig can brew other types of beverages. The downside is that Keurig can’t brew espresso.
Coffee Quality
The coffee quality of Keurig is not comparable to that of Nespresso. The same goes for the taste. Nespresso makes coffee of better quality.
This is mainly due to the higher quality of the Nespresso machine. That is also why it is the more expensive of the two.
Nespresso produces quality coffee because its capsules are well sealed to prevent loss of flavor until it’s time for them to be brewed.
Keurig has grades of machines that make coffee of varying quality, but the best of Keurig still can’t match the coffee quality of Nespresso.
Brewing Method
The brewing method for both brands is similar. For Keurig, open the lid, and put your coffee pack in the coffee chamber. Once there’s water in the tank, hit the brew button, and your coffee will be done in a minute.
The procedure involves heating the water by the heating element in the machine before it passes through the coffee grounds to release the flavor.
The results are filtered before being released into the cup on the plate.
Unlike Keurig, Nespresso has two main lines, which are defined by how the coffee is brewed—-the Original Line and the Vertuo line. The Original line brews coffee by passing pressurized water through the coffee grounds.
The VertuoLine uses a process dubbed ‘centrifusion’, which involves spinning the capsule while infusing it with water.
Prices
One of the pros of the Keurig brand is that it has many models, so you will find one that fits your budget. For that reason, you’ll find cheaper models with Keurig than with Nespresso.
One of the reasons why Nespresso is more expensive is that it partners with some of the best equipment manufacturers, like Magimix, KitchenAid, DeLonghi, and Breville to make the machines.
This is why Nespresso produces better quality coffee. This also means that Nespresso is more likely to last longer.
If you’re lucky, you will find discounts on both brands, but Nespresso machines cost between $149 and $230. While you can get Keurig models costing as much as $230, there are many cheaper models. For example, the Keurig K-Mini Coffee Maker can be obtained for as little as $80.
Conclusion
Lovers of coffee will find our comparison relatively straightforward. Since Nespresso undoubtedly makes better coffee, it wins.
However, not everyone is a coffee connoisseur. Keurig does not pretend to produce a machine that makes the best coffee.
They produce machines that make coffee accessible for everyone. The coffee produced may not be of extreme quality, but it is good enough for millions of users.
That’s why their products dominate the American market.
Nespresso, owned by Nestle (owners of the coffee brand Nescafe), go for nothing less than amazing quality. That is reflected in the difference in their price and taste.
Both brands’ models are easy to operate. But, while Nespresso makes the better cup, the affordability and variety of Keurig’s options (and usage) make this a difficult nut to crack!
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Last Updated on August 29, 2022 by Ashok Parmar
