Best Nespresso espresso machines

Top pick: Nespresso Essenza Mini. It's the purest espresso machine here — small, simple, one-touch, and the most consistently well-rated of the original-line machines. If you mainly drink espresso or ristretto, this is the one.

Who the others suit:

• Vertuo Pop+ / Vertuo Pop — best all-rounder if you want big mugs of coffee as well as espresso; Vertuo pods are pricier per cup.
• Vertuo Next — same idea with a taller cup clearance and more water capacity.
• Vertuo Lattissima — for milk drinks: built-in automatic frother, no separate jug.
• Inissia / Pixie — compact original-line alternatives; Pixie is sturdier, Inissia simpler.
• Vertuo Next Premium + Aeroccino — bundle with a standalone milk frother.
• Wacaco Minipresso NS2 — hand-powered, for travel, no outlet needed.

Skip the Essse Caffe and Kimbo machines: they take capsules but aren't Nespresso machines.