Review: Nespresso Coffee Machine vs Keurig

Happy Monday loves, it’s a new start to a wonderful week. Today I’m finally going to share this review of the two coffee machines I’ve owned. My Nespresso I got for Christmas and my Keurig I got about 4 years ago. So let’s dive in to this highly requested post.

So Nespresso is all over Europe, they are pretty popular and used just about everywhere over there and the same with the Keurig here in the US. Nespresso however has been, over the years, making its mark here in the US and for good reason. Even though I have seen the Nespresso around here and there, it wasn’t until our trip to The Chanler hotel in Rhode Island last year that I really got to taste and SEE the difference between my Nespresso and my Keurig coffee machine. After making my first cup of coffee at that hotel I turned to my husband and said “I want this”.

THE COFFEE PODS:

Let’s talk about the pods shall we. The Keurig ones come in so many flavors and from several different brands from Starbucks, to Dunkin to Green Mountain and the same with flavors. With the Nespresso, there are only pods from Nespresso brands of coffee and the same with flavors. There are no Starbucks or Dunkin etc. type brands. POD TECHNOLOGY: With the Keurig all coffees are essentially brewed the same i.e. same temperature. With the Nespresso, every single coffee and espresso is carefully calculated to be brewed at the optimal temperature for that particular coffee. You will notice on every coffee pod there is this bar code, that when the pods are slipped into the coffee machine the bar codes are read so that only the right temperature of water is used to brew that particular coffee. All Keurig pods are white and Nespresso pods are various colors depending on the coffee (we ordered a variety pack to try different coffees and find the ones we love). I will say that the the Nespresso coffee pods are more expensive, but with the quality of coffee and the technology used for brewing, it’s quite understandable.

THE MACHINE:

They both come in a few colors, so there is something to fit everyones taste. The Keurig mainly offers varieties in size and ones that are “professional” office types ones and then models for home use. The Nespresso has a few varieties as well and you just have to do research on the one that best suits your needs (I got a red one from the Vertuoe line, by surprise, and just about lost my mind as I like neutrals colors in my home. My hubby thought it might be cool. I’ve learned to love it but I would have been quite happy with the black or grey machine) They both have wells for the water and for the used pods. The Keurig is so frustrating to clean because it requires the Keurig approved descaling fluid. The Nespresso simply requires the push of a button. (see the video on how to clean the Vertuo coffee machine here) Also one of the best things about the Nespresso machine is you can legit be your own barista and get additional pieces that warm the milk and make barista quality foam.

COFFEE QUALITY:

Let’s just say you can’t compare the two. Many of the varieties of the coffees made with the Nespresso automatically make this barista quality foam at the top of your coffee. Like seriously, in a clean mug you wouldn’t be able to tell a Nespresso coffee with foam vs. one from a coffee shop. With the Keurig, no foam. Nada. If that’s not your thing then no worries, but if you love foam you will be in heaven. As for the coffee out of the Keurig, they brew at the same temperature and honestly doesn’t stay that hot. With the Nespresso, some coffees are hotter than others, again, based on the variety of coffee that requires a certain temperature of water to taste its best. You will definitely appreciate that about the Nespresso.

TO SUMMARIZE: They are both good machines. If you just want an easy way to make a cup of coffee, go with the Keurig, but if you are a coffee connossuer like my hubby and I then, do yourself a favor and get a Nespresso.