Should you get a DeLonghi or Breville Nespresso coffee machine?

If you’re looking at Nespresso coffee machines you might have noticed that as well as having the ‘Nespresso’ logo on them, they also have a Breville or DeLonghi badge. What’s all that about?

Here, we take a look at the Nespresso coffee machines available in Australia, and the differences between Delonghi and Breville Nespresso models.

A few decades ago, you’d have been hard put to find much more than percolated or French press coffee in most homes. That’s no longer the case. Good quality coffee’s such an integral part of Australian life these days that coffee makers have become commonplace in kitchens across the country. In many homes and workplaces, the coffee companion of choice will be a Nespresso capsule machine.

Since 1986, Nestlé’s Nespresso brand has built a reputation for crafting coffee pod machines that deliver consistently rich coffees - minus the risk of human error that can spoil a manually made cuppa. Without the need to measure, grind or tamp the coffee grounds, there’s no chance of misjudging the amount of ground coffee needed to make the perfect macchiato, latte, or cappuccino.

No, Nespresso designs its own coffee machines but doesn’t make them itself. Instead, it licenses the designs of its capsule espresso machines to a number of different appliance manufacturers around the world, including Magimix and Krups in Europe. In Australia, the Nespresso machine you buy will most likely be made by the Australian brand Breville or Italian appliance maker Delonghi.

Both Delonghi and Breville make high-quality Nespresso machines. In fact - and here’s where some confusion can arise - for some models, both brands make slightly different versions of the same machine. In some cases, like the Essenza shown here, the designs vary noticeably.

For other models, like the Citiz shown here, the differences, such as a slight design tweak to the drip tray or spout, are minor.

While DeLonghi and Breville share the honours with those machines, there are other models that each brand specialises in.

The Creatista range in Australia is made by Breville and includes the Creatista Pro, Creatista Plus, and Creatista Uno. The Creatista range of machines all incorporate steam wands and look more like a domestic version of the espresso machine your barista might use in your local cafe.

Of the Creatista range, the Pro is the premium machine, with larger water capacity and more advanced milk frothing capabilities than the Plus, as well as touchscreen controls. Otherwise, they are fairly similar in terms of their speed and ease of operation. The Uno is the entry-level Creatista machine, and while it takes a little longer to make your coffee and doesn’t have the same number of options as the Plus and the Pro, it’s still a high-quality, well-reviewed machine.

Where Breville has Creatista, DeLonghi has the Lattissima range, which includes the Lattissima One and its big sibling, the Gran Lattissima. Both of these have integrated milk compartments.

The main differences between the Lattissima One and the Gran Lattissima lie in their milk tank capacities (they have the same 1-litre water capacities), frother functionality, and user interfaces. The Lattissima One is more compact and has fewer milk frothing and coffee preparation options than the more versatile Gran Lattissima.

The next step in Nespresso pods, the Vertuo coffee capsule system, is compatible only with Nespresso VertuoLine coffee makers, not Nespresso original machines (aka OriginalLine). In Australia, the Vertuo machine you buy will be made by either Breville or DeLonghi.

Vertuo machines use a different system (‘Centrifusion’) from the original Nespresso machines, and can make more styles and cup sizes of coffee, from an 80ml double espresso with a rich crema head to a 400ml Alto, with minimal effort.

The range includes a version of DeLonghi’s Lattissima machine, the Vertuo Lattissima which, as you might expect if you’re familiar with the OriginalLine Lattissima machines, has integrated milk tank and frothing capabilities. This premium feature takes the effort out of making your latte, lungo or flat white and means that you don’t need a separate Nespresso Aeroccino milk frother.

Next in line is the Vertuo Next, which has similar functions to the Lattissima, minus the milk tank and frother. Then, there's the older Nespresso Vertuo Plus, and the newer Nespresso Pop, the smallest and most colourful addition to the Vertuo range.

If you’re looking for capsule coffee on a budget, the Nespresso Essenza Mini is a great place to start, with models from both Breville and DeLonghi often priced at under $200. Despite its compact size, smaller water tank and lower price tag, the Essenza Mini gets high consumer ratings. If you have a small household or are buying your first coffee machine, this is a nice choice, at a nice price.

Not really. Whether you choose a Delonghi or Breville Nespresso machine, it will have been designed by Nespresso and will meet its exacting standards in terms of build and operation.

In their Creatista and Lattissima lines, both brands offer machines that cater to different preferences and needs - and in their other models, they cater to exactly the same ones! For the models that both brands make, the functionality will be near identical, so your decision may simply come down to the availability of stock, or a preference for a particular look.

As with all appliances, what suits one home may not be right for another. A Vertuo Lattissima might have all the bells and whistles, but if you live alone, have a small kitchen and only drink espressos, it won’t be the best choice of espresso maker for you.

For coffee lovers that don’t love messing around with grinders and hot water, Nespresso coffee machines have become a firm fixture in the kitchen, delivering precisely brewed coffee at the push of a button. Whether you opt for a Delonghi or Breville Nespresso machine, you can have peace of mind knowing that it’s been designed by the experts in coffee, and then made by one of the world’s most established appliance manufacturers.