Nespresso Original machines and capsules

Nespresso Original is the capsule system that started the category: a small aluminium capsule, pierced and pushed through by a pump at espresso pressure, making a short, concentrated drink in about half a minute. It is the older of Nespresso's two lines, and the one that is no longer only Nespresso's.

It makes espresso, not coffee pretending to be espresso

The machines use a high-pressure pump, the same principle as a cafe machine, so an Original capsule gives a genuine short shot with crema formed by pressure. That is the practical line between this system and K-Cup brewers, which drip water through the pod at low pressure and make a mug of filter-style coffee instead. If the drink you want is an espresso, a macchiato or the base for a milk drink, this line is built for it.

The open format is the difference in running cost

Nespresso's patents on the Original capsule expired, and supermarkets, coffee chains and independent roasters now sell capsules that fit. That competition keeps the price per cup in check, and it puts compatible capsules on grocery shelves rather than only on the maker's website. A refillable capsule works in most machines of this line too, which is the one route to putting any coffee you like through a pod machine. The full trade against the newer line is in Nespresso Original against Vertuo.

The sizes are short by design

An Original machine offers a ristretto, an espresso and a lungo, and nothing much bigger. There is no mug button because pushing a large volume of water through a small capsule at pressure over-extracts it, which is why a lungo tastes thinner and more bitter than the same capsule pulled as an espresso. For a large black coffee, pull an espresso and add hot water: an americano by another route, and better than a long pull.

Milk is the real machine decision

The capsule is the same across the range; what separates a cheap machine from an expensive one is mostly milk. Entry machines make coffee only and you froth separately. Mid-range machines add a jug that heats and froths milk at a button, as on the Lattissima One. The top of the range adds a steam wand, slower and the only way to get true microfoam for a flat white. Decide how often you drink milk before comparing anything else.

Who it is for, and who it is not for

It suits someone who drinks espresso or espresso milk drinks, wants the choice and price pressure of an open format, and may want to fill their own capsules one day. It is the wrong system for someone whose morning coffee is a large mug of black filter, who will be happier with Vertuo or a K-Cup brewer. Our picks for Nespresso Original machines and Nespresso pods rank the options.