Would you still spend $4 or more a day at Starbucks if you had a great espresso machine at home that saves you all the trouble? If a cup of espresso is what you need every morning but you hate having to grind, tamp, brew and wash up portafilters afterward, go for the NespressoCitiz.
This automatic espresso machine gives you your regular espresso or a lungo if you like in as little as 30 seconds, and you’ll only have your cup (plus the milk frother if you are using it) to wash up afterward.
The best thing about this espresso maker is that you don’t have to learn how to make espressos. Anyone can use this espresso maker to make a consistently tasty espresso because it uses pods or capsules. Simply make sure there is water in the container, insert the Nespresso capsule of your choice into the slot, then press the button for espresso or lungo when the lights come on.
The brew stops automatically and the machine transfers the used capsule (fully recyclable!) into a trash compartment that you may empty when it’s full. That’s it! That’s how simple it is to make an espresso shot with the Citiz.
You do have to use espresso pods from the Nespresso brand, but there’s nothing to worry about the quality or the taste of these pods. The Nespresso capsules are filled with real espresso grounds and come in a variety of aromatic profiles and intensity, all priced very reasonably from $.70 to $.75. This means that each cup of espresso made with the Nespresso machine will save you a few bucks!
A tip: It’s normally cheaper to purchase these pods from the Nespresso website itself but do check out the price on Amazon too. Also, the Nespresso site only sells the pods in bulk, you may want to buy smaller variety packs to try out the flavors and these are available on Amazon.
Cleaning the espresso machine is as easy as running a clear shot through it. There’s no need to descale or backflush this machine at all.
If you are making milk based espresso drinks such as lattes or cappuccinos, the Citiz’s milk frother is something revolutionary. It’s not a steam wand, nothing so messy at all, but a bottle-like container that works to steam or froth your milk at the press of a button.
The milk frother creates a thick froth quickly and quietly. There are indicator lines in the frother for either steamed milk or frothed milk and I love how the smooth interior is so easy to clean.
If you don’t need the milk frother at all you may like the Nespresso Pixie which is a similar espresso maker with a very small footprint. Or if counter top space is your concern but you’d like to have the frother, you could buy the Citiz or the Pixie and the frother separately, so that the frother could be kept in a drawer when not in use.
To conclude, the NespressoCitiz is an espresso maker that gives you convenience comparable to a super automatic but offered at a price of a mid-range semi automatic. What could be better than that?
