When it comes to pod coffee machines, two names dominate the market: Keurig and Nespresso. While convenience is a key factor in choosing a pod machine, there are other important considerations. In our opinion, Nespresso leads in terms of quality. Read on for a deeper dive into the highs and lows of both brands to help you make an informed decision.
An Introduction to Nespresso and Keurig
Keurig is an American company that initially targeted office coffee solutions before expanding into the home market with a wide range of models. It’s estimated that 25% of American households have a pod coffee machine, with most of these being Keurigs. If you’re considering a Keurig, check out our top picks and video guide on the Keurig K-15.
Nespresso, based in Switzerland, is more popular in Europe and Asia but is known for producing high-quality espresso. They collaborate with brands like Breville and DeLonghi to manufacture their machines. Nespresso offers a way to enjoy a decent espresso at home without the complexity or cost of traditional espresso machines.
Nespresso’s Vertuo line caters to the North American preference for larger coffee servings. In this comparison, Nespresso stands out for the quality of both its machines and its coffee. Keurig, on the other hand, excels in affordability and variety, offering a wide range of brewers and K-Cup flavors. Check out our thoughts on some amazing Keurig pod flavors.
Keurig vs Nespresso: A Features Face-Off
Price
You get what you pay for with both brands. Keurig machines are generally more affordable than Nespresso machines, although the Vertuo line from Nespresso comes closer in price. However, Nespresso’s Swiss-built machines are more durable, often outlasting Keurig’s plastic components.
Keurig coffee is also less expensive per cup. Thanks to third-party partnerships, K-Cups are more widely available and cheaper than Nespresso capsules or even other Nespresso-compatible brands.
The Nespresso Vertuo line uses barcode scanning technology available only with select pods, making it even pricier. Likewise, Keurig has a 2.0 line with a scanner designed for proprietary pods, but the system is easy to circumvent.
Both brands offer the option of a refillable pod, which will save money but eliminate some of the convenience for which these machines are known.
Winner: Keurig takes this one, offering both cheaper machines and cheaper K-Cups.
Taste
For many prospective buyers, taste is the most important category. While both companies use a pod system, the way they extract coffee is quite different. In a Keurig coffee maker, the pod is pierced at the top and bottom, and water is forced through, yielding a result akin to drip coffee. Nespresso-compatible capsules act like tiny espresso machines.
They are pierced three times, and the machine pumps hot water at 19 bar, pressurizing it until the broader side foil ruptures, allowing water to flow through the ground coffee at a controlled rate for better extraction and rich crema.
Vertuo brewers scan the unique barcode of each pod to learn the time and temperature required, then use a patented Centrifusion process to yield the perfect cup of coffee.
Winner: Nespresso wins on taste, offering rich and complex coffee and espresso.
Types of Drink Available
The winner of this category depends on your preferences. If you want espresso or espresso-based beverages, opt for a Nespresso machine. It crafts legitimately tasty espressos, and many models come with a milk frother. Coffee lovers can either brew an Americano or get a Vertuo machine for a great cup of coffee. Though Keurig’s K-Cafe has the option of an espresso shot, it just produces a small serving of strong coffee, not a true espresso.
But if you’re not interested in espresso and enjoy beverages beyond coffee, a Keurig coffee maker will suit you better. Hundreds of available K-Cups offer a broad selection of coffee roasts and flavors. If you like your drink cold, there’s no problem making iced coffee with the Keurig. Keurig machines can also brew tea, hot cocoa, and cold drinks, or dispense hot water.
Winner:This one is a tie. If you want your machine to specialize in making a small amount of certain drinks well, Nespresso wins hands down. If you want a versatile machine that can make almost every type of hot drink, Keurig will win.
Sustainability
Keurig has received criticism for the environmental effects of coffee pods and their growing presence in landfills. The commonly cited chilling statistic is that the number of K-Cups manufactured in a year could circle the planet 10 times. In response, Keurig has promised to deliver fully recyclable K-Cups, a goal they hope to achieve soon. They’re slowly chipping away at the problem, trying to make things less terrible. Reusable and refillable options are the wave of the future.
Nespresso’s aluminum pods are already recyclable, so they’re focused on making recycling as easy as possible. They’ve set up a network of capsule recycling stations and accept used pods at a number of retail outlets. They also offer a prepaid shipping envelope so customers can recycle by mail. Nespresso is also striving for environmental and socioeconomic sustainability throughout its supply chain via its Ecolaboration and AAA Sustainable Quality programs.
Winner: Nespresso is a clear winner here, but we hope to see Keurig pushing hard to try and take this one too.
Stand-Out Features
- Programmability:** Keurigs offer more programmable features than Nespresso machines, which usually just have the option to brew. Many Keurigs are equipped with an LCD touch screen that offers a clock, timers, and the ability to adjust brew strength and temperature.
- Automatic Capsule Ejection:** When you open a Nespresso machine to insert a capsule, any used pod in the machine is automatically ejected into a separate bin. This saves time between brews and means you won’t burn your fingers removing the hot capsule.
- Water Reservoir and Carafes:** Unlike the exclusively single-serve Nespresso machines, most Keurigs have a large water reservoir, and some can brew a full 30-ounce carafe at a time. While this makes them a bit bulkier on the countertop, it’s worthwhile if you want a lot of coffee.
- Cleaning:** Both brands are easy to clean, but only Nespresso features a built-in descaling mode. This means you’ll have to clean and descale Keurigs manually to keep them in good shape. And while the Keurig’s puncturing needle needs regular cleaning, the Nespresso design eliminates this requirement.
The Verdict
From this head-to-head showdown, it’s clear both Keurig and Nespresso contribute unique and valuable products to the marketplace. So, Nespresso vs Keurig: which is the one for you?
You should buy Keurig if:
– Affordability is a priority.
– You want a bigger selection of coffees, teas, and other drinks.
– You want to brew full carafes of coffee.
You should buy Nespresso if:
– You want to drink espresso or espresso-based drinks.
– You’re willing to pay a premium for better taste.
– You want a more durable machine.
Depending on your budget, neither coffee maker brand is particularly expensive, so if you can’t decide, why not get both?
Also, consider reading our comparison of the Keurig vs Ninja if the latter is one of your options.
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