About Nespresso
Nespresso was founded in 1986 as a subsidiary of Nestle and remains headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland. The company built its business on a single-serve capsule system for espresso, and in 2014 it expanded into the US and Canadian market with a second, larger platform called Vertuo, which uses a barcode on each capsule to automatically set brew volume, water temperature, and extraction speed for a given cup size. The two systems, Original for espresso and lungo, Vertuo for cup sizes up to a full carafe, now run alongside each other as parallel product lines with their own machines and capsules.
Nespresso is a certified B Corporation, a designation reserved for companies that meet an outside standard for environmental and social performance. Its capsules are made primarily from recyclable aluminum: Original capsules use 80% recycled aluminum and most Vertuo capsules use 85% recycled content, and the company runs doorstep and curbside capsule-collection programs in multiple countries, including an expansion to Jersey City in 2024 that built on a New York City program launched in 2019. In our own testing, the Vertuo Next and Essenza Mini machines stood out for consistent, repeatable results with minimal technique required, and the companion Aeroccino3 frother was the most consistent one-touch foam we tested across every frother in that roundup.
Brand website: nespresso.com
What Nespresso makes
Nespresso's range runs wider than the products we review. The lines we know best from our own testing are marked with a star:
Vertuo line espresso and coffee machines
barcode-read capsules that auto-set brew volume, temperature, and speed for cup sizes from a 1.35-ounce shot to an 18-ounce carafe -- featured on Brew Gazette — featured on Brew Gazette
Original line espresso machines
compact 19-bar pump machines built around Nespresso's original espresso and lungo capsule format -- featured on Brew Gazette — featured on Brew Gazette
Aeroccino milk frothers
one-touch electric frothers sold as companions to Nespresso machines -- featured on Brew Gazette — featured on Brew Gazette
Nespresso capsules (Original and Vertuo)
proprietary aluminum coffee and espresso pods sold through Nespresso and licensed retailers
Nespresso Boutiques and Club
brand-run retail stores and a membership program that also runs the capsule-recycling collection points
Why we recognized Nespresso
The Brew Gazette Top Brand recognition isn't paid for and can't be applied for. We award it to the brands whose products consistently stand out in our hands-on category reviews. Nespresso earned it on the strength of the products below, evaluated the same way every product on this site is: bought, brewed with daily, and judged on what lands in the cup.
Nespresso products we rated highly
Nespresso Vertuo Next Coffee and Espresso Maker by Breville
In our testing, the spinning-capsule Centrifusion process produced a noticeably thicker crema than any K-Cup machine in the roundup, and the barcode on each capsule set brew volume and speed automatically so the cup could not be mis-brewed. Five cup sizes, from a 1.35-ounce shot to an 18-ounce carafe, covered everything from a quick espresso to a full mug from one machine, and owners consistently praised how quiet it runs.
Read the 11 Best Single-Serve Coffee Makers of 2026 guide →
Nespresso Essenza Mini Espresso Machine by Breville
This machine tied for the highest rating of any single-serve brewer in our roundup at 4.6 stars, and it is a true 19-bar pump that pulls pressure-extracted espresso rather than a whipped-crema imitation. It also has the smallest footprint of any espresso machine we tested and heats up in under 30 seconds, with two programmable volumes for simple, repeatable shots.
Read the 11 Best Single-Serve Coffee Makers of 2026 guide →
Nespresso Aeroccino3 Milk Frother
In our testing this made the most consistently pillowy, well-structured foam of any one-touch frother, which is why it is the near-universal pairing for a Nespresso machine. Operation is genuinely one button: pour milk to the fill line, press once for hot foam or hold for cold foam, and it stops itself. The nonstick interior wiped clean in seconds and the compact body tucked beside a coffee machine without crowding the counter.
Read the 9 Best Milk Frothers of 2026 guide →What earned Nespresso the recognition
- In our testing, the Vertuo Next produced a noticeably thicker, richer crema than any K-Cup machine in the same roundup, driven by its barcode-read Centrifusion brewing process.
- The Essenza Mini tied for the highest owner rating of any single-serve brewer we reviewed, at 4.6 stars, while using a true 19-bar pump for pressure-extracted espresso.
- The Aeroccino3 produced the most consistently pillowy, well-structured foam of any one-touch frother in our milk frother testing, with fully automatic one-button operation.
- Nespresso is a certified B Corporation and manufactures its capsules from primarily recycled aluminum, backed by doorstep and curbside capsule-recycling programs in multiple countries.
- The brand runs two parallel capsule systems, Original and Vertuo, giving buyers a genuine choice between a compact espresso-only format and a larger-format machine that covers everything from a shot to a full mug.