Verdict

A neat upgrade for Vertuo lovers who have been hankering for automatic milk frothing, the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima can make the full range of standard black coffees plus one-touch cappuccinos and latte macchiatos. Simple to use and with excellent results, this machine automatically doses based on the capsule size selected, which does require some thought before pouring. If you like the Vertuo system and want quality milk drinks, then this is the machine to buy.

Introduction

While the Nespresso Vertuo range is more flexible than the original in terms of the amount of coffee dispensed (everything from a shot of espresso up to a carafe), the machines that I’ve reviewed before have not had integrated milk frothing. That changes with the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima, which adds one-touch milk drink dispensing, cleverly varying the ratio of milk to coffee based on the capsule used.

Easy to operate and capable of producing some excellent coffee, this is the Vertuo machine to buy if you want the added convenience of milk frothing built-in.

Design and features

• Not much bigger than a Vertuo Next
• Large water tank
• Removable milk carafe

I’ve got the black version of the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima on review, although there’s also a white version if you prefer. That’s not quite the full range of colours you get with the Vertuo Pop or Vertuo Next machines, but unless you’re dead keen on colour-matching your coffee machine to your other appliances, I don’t think the more limited colour range matters.

Externally, the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima looks quite similar to the Vertuo Next, and is just a little bit wider to make room for where the milk carafe attaches to the front. If you’re upgrading from that machine, it’s good news as you won’t need to dedicate more counter space to it.

Here, there’s a 1.6-litre water reservoir that connects to the back of the machine. I find it very handy having such a large water tank, as it means that I can make six full cups of 230ml coffee, with some water spare for other-sized drinks (overfill by 10ml and it’s seven full-sized mugs).

I found that the small tank on the Vertuo Pop was a big hindrance, as I could only make two mugs of coffee from a tank before refilling.

As with the Nespresso Vertuo Next, the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima has an adjustable drip tray, which can be fixed at different heights. As this drip tray is solidly locked into place, it can also hang over the side of a counter or cupboard, which is handy if you want to place the coffee machine on a shallow-depth surface.

By contrast, the Vertuo Pop’s drip tray is fixed at one height that’s not right for standard mug sizes, and it’s not locked into position, so it has to be placed flat on a surface.

When making standard coffee, the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima works like other Vertuo machines. Manually flip up the lid, drop your capsule into the holder, close the lid and then hit the single button to make coffee.

It’s important to fully close the manual latch on top, otherwise the coffee machine can throw up an error, with the button flashing orange. It can take a little bit of practice, but use a bit of force and the lid will lock each time.

Reading the barcode on the capsule, the machine knows exactly how to spin the capsule, using centrifugal force for brewing, and how much water to dispense.

It is possible to override the defaults for each type of capsule (25ml, 40ml, 80ml, 150ml, 230ml and carafe) by pressing and holding the button as coffee is dispensed and releasing at the volume you want, although I see little point in doing so.

Cleverly, the milk system works in tandem with the coffee pods. Once the carafe is filled and attached, the dial on the front has to be set to the Milk position. There’s then a choice of three buttons: hot foam, latte macchiato and cappuccino.

Hot foam just steams milk and continues until 200ml of milk is poured, or you hit the button again before this to manually stop foaming. It’s handy if you want to free-pour your milk or use it elsewhere, such as with a hot chocolate.

With the other two buttons, you need to insert a capsule (25ml, 40ml or 80ml varieties are the best; you can use larger capsules, but the machine stops pouring at 80ml). Just hit the milk drink of your choice, and the machine pours the coffee first and then dispenses milk at the right ratio for the chosen capsule.

That results in coffee between 180ml and 590ml, depending on the capsule size used and the drink selected, so make sure you’ve selected a suitable cup.

As with other recent Nespresso machines, the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima can connect to a Wi-Fi network. This lets the machine ping the app with any errors, plus there are guides and controls for maintenance jobs, such as rinsing the milk carafe or emptying the machine should you not need to use it for a while.

Coffee quality

• Huge range of coffee
• Smooth and rich coffee

Since its launch, the Vertuo range has equalled (if not exceeded) the original range in terms of coffees available. Due to the larger pod size, there’s a wider range of serving sizes, including ristretto (25ml and not yet available in the UK), espresso (40ml), double-espresso (80ml), gran lungo (150ml), and mug (230ml). Plus, this machine supports the larger XL (355ml) and Carafe (535ml).

Coffee is delivered using Nespresso’s centrifugal brewing system, which spins the capsule for extraction and results in long, fluffy shots with lots of crema, even when getting a mug full. The result is coffee that’s different to that from other machines: richer with a longer crema. Temperatures at all cup sizes came in at around 67°C, which is spot-on.

Taste varies by the capsule used (see my guide to the best Nespresso Vertuo pods for more details), but there’s enough range available that you’ll be able to find a coffee that you like. I’m a big fan of this system, preferring a mug-full of coffee, rather than a shot, and the Vertuo delivers consistent and tasty results.

Milk frothing

• Automatic dispensing
• Need to consider the capsule size used
• Manual pouring

It’s usually at this point in the review that I have to say if you want to froth milk, you’ll need to buy an Aeroccino or Nespresso Barista. Here, that’s not the case, as the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima can automatically froth milk from its carafe.

As noted at the start of the review, the amount of milk that’s dispensed is based on the size of the capsule that you insert, which means you’ll get different volumes of coffee based on whether you insert a 25ml, 40ml or 80ml and larger capsule (larger capsules default to pouring out 80ml before adding milk). This does take a little while to get used to, matching the cup size to the type of drink you want and the capsule you use.

As you can see from the image below, get the wrong combination and you’ll end up with half a cup of coffee, when you may have been expecting a full cup. Not that the results vary. Rich and tightly packed foam make for ideal cappuccinos, all available at the touch of a single button.

With the milk frothing option, I could dispense as much milk as I wanted into a jug and then free pour. There’s no control over the output, so the milk tends to be quite foamy. Free pouring, it was hard to produce latte art, but it did mean that I could add the amount of milk that I wanted to my drinks.

Maintenance

• Easy to empty
• Simple milk carafe rinsing
• Descaling alert

As with all pod machines, the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima is easy to look after. Capsules automatically drop back into the used pod bin, which can be removed from the side of the machine. Nespresso operates a free recycling service (in-store or via post), which you should use. Alternatively, you can use the Dualit EcoPress for Vertuo, which pops the used coffee grounds out of a pod and leaves you to rinse out the aluminium for local recycling.

Once the pods have been emptied, the bin should be cleaned and the drip tray washed in soapy water.

The milk carafe has a rinse cycle that cleans out the spout and pipe. For deeper cleaning, the unit can be split into its parts and then put in a dishwasher on the top shelf.

That leaves taking care of the main machine. A rinse cycle, which can be started via the app or by hitting the coffee button twice, runs hot water through an empty system to clean it out. I recommend doing this monthly.

When the descaling light turns on (this varies based on the water hardness level you set following the manual), you need to follow the instructions on how to descale a Nespresso machine. Again, this can be done manually at the machine or by using the app to put the Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima in the right mode.

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