Nespresso Nes-tasty

I realize after typing that out that it looks a little like Nespresso Nasty, but it isn't!
It's my lame attempt at saying (in a fun way?) that our new Nespresso machine makes tasty coffee.

Our old coffee maker has been limping along for awhile.  It's a Senseo that Ross bought a couple of years ago.

What our coffee machine looked like when it was new and shiny

The single cup style was great since it meant he didn't end up making or drinking whole pots of coffee on his own.  It had worked just fine, but in the last few months it started leaking whenever it brewed a cup.  I was sooo tired of my counter having a pool of brownish liquid seeping out from under the coffee maker all the time.  We kept an eye out for a new machine, but nothing was jumping out at us and we weren't desperate yet.

Then, as part of the Great Boiler Debacle of 2010-2011 (as yet unresolved.  Blechgh!), something tragic happened.  One evening, after one of the many (many, MANY!) plumbers had come to look at our boiler (and still not fix the problem), we heard a loud bang from the kitchen.  When we went to see what had happened, we saw that a board that was supposed to be attached to the top of our cabinet to camouflage the top of the boiler had fallen off and landed on our poor coffee maker.  So now, not only did it leak, it has a big chunk out of the top.  The search for a replacement became more intense.

The top of the cabinet where there used to be a plank of wood.

The giant crack in our old coffee machine.  Poor thing!

We really would have liked a Keurig.  I got my mom one for Christmas a few years ago and it is awesome!  It makes delicious coffee and is super-easy to use.  Unfortunately, it isn't available in the UK.

Wop wop

After some searching and research, we finally settled on the Nespresso Citiz w/ Milk.  Of the single cup makers, it seemed like the best option.  The pods that it uses are pretty reasonable and it had good reviews online.  I only wish I could have gotten it in red or black, rather than cream... sad face.  It's still very pretty, though.

Oooh Shiny!

This coffee maker is super-fancy.  I mean- for realz.  Like SUPER fancy.  It's got this little container that you put milk in and you can make lattes and cappuccinos.  Are you impressed?  I was.  It's got one attachment to froth the milk and another to just mix it.  The attachments attach magnetically to the thingie, which can make the milk either hot or cold.

The 2 attachments with the milk thingie (technical term) in the background.

The one on top makes foam and the one on bottom just froths is a little bit.

We've been trying out the different flavours that came with the machine.  They come in these adorable brightly coloured capsules.

I was a little overwhelmed the first time I used it because of it's aforementioned fanciness.  Once I read through the instructions and had one latte under my belt, my fears dissolved.  It's very easy to make a drink that is at least as good as one from your local coffee shop.

Here's how you use it to make a latte:

Make sure the water tank has enough in it and turn the machine on.  (Duh!)

The water tank is on the back of the machine.

Pop the capsule into the machine.

Close up.

Further away.

Once you've put on the appropriate attachment in place, pour your milk into the container and place it on the stand.

The little attachment sticks to a nub magnetically.

Put your coffee cup under the spout and press the "big cup" button on top of the machine.

Press the button on the milk container.

Go for milk!

Wait for the coffee to brew and the milk is mix and heat.

Fresh espresso.

Frothy, hot milk.

Pour the milk into the coffee mug.  Add your sugar and enjoy!

Self-portrait of enjoyment.

Overall:  While this machine is on the pricey side, you could definitely make it pay for itself by using it to replace expensive Starbucks runs.  I was pleasantly surprised by the ease of use.   Even though it looks a bit complicated, it isn't and it's certainly easier than an espresso machine with the metal arm to steam milk.  Ross, who like plain black coffee, has struggled a bit to find the right coffee flavour and make up.  I think we'll get some Americano capsules soon and that should solve that problem.  The capsules are available pretty reasonably on amazon.co.uk (48 capsules for £10.38) and you can get refillable capsules if you'd rather use your own blend of coffee than their pre-prepared ones.
Bottom line:  If you love lattes or cappuccinos then this machine will rock your world!

**The Nespresso people have no idea who I am.  They didn't sponsor this post or give me anything in return for it.  I just think our new coffee maker is really cool and wanted to share it with you.