Nespresso Expert Original Espresso Machine by De'Longhi, Anthracite Grey

YET ANOTHER UPDATE : The machine stopped working and I called customer service. They couldn't get it working and offered for me to mail it to them to fix it for a mere $400. Ummmmmm...huh? Needless to say I chucked the machine and went with a cheaper nespresso model. I hate to say this, but I regret it. I should've bought this machine again. Even with all the hassle and crap, the machine brewed a great Americano and my fave over sized coffee mug got under the drip. Sigh.ANOTHER UPDATE : This darn app! Arghhhh! So, if you update the coffee size settings in the app - they only work when you initiate a brew manually from the machine itself. If you schedule a brew from the app, it reverts to the factory settings. Just when you think you can't get more frustrated with an app.....🤬UPDATE: if you're looking for a great app and a machine with smart features, this is NOT IT. The machine itself is great. The coffee is amazing.Is the coffee great? Yes. However - at this price point from Nespresso/Delonghi, I expected so much more. The machine itself is attractive, but it's quite loud (which I could live with if there weren't so many other negatives). My main issue is with the app. The app is not geared towards a great brewing experience at all. The app is mainly focused on selling you pods (the pods are NOT the easiest to decipher, unless you speak coffee lingo from the depths of the coffee underworld - level 56).Let me start from the beginning.... I wanted a cool, tech savvy, easy to use brewing machine that was "smart" and I could brew remotely. Let's be honest, technology has made me lazy and I wanted a coffee machine that I could manipulate from my phone with ease. So, I searched retail and online for weeks. I landed on this machine because I liked the look, the footprint, and the features of this one - plus it's made by Nespresso/Delonghi, so it's gotta be a quality machine....riiiiiiight? (reviews on this model were mixed, but I really liked the look and features on this one). I bit the bullet and bought the machine with the jazzy aerochino add on. It arrives and set up is pretty easy. The machine has the look I wanted, so I'm uber happy with the aesthetic. I pull out the pods and immediately I'm confused. What's what? They are categorized in the booklet, but there are different colors in each "category" and there's no indication as to what each color is - except for some embossment coffee jargan on the top of each of each pod (which is destroyed in the brewing process...sooooo....). Attempting to decipher the booklet and tops of the pods-I felt like I was reading a Starbucks rival coffee tribe language. I still am not sure what the heck I'm drinking. It's good, but not sure how to reorder the exact type... So, frustration #1 was the pod situation. I then download the app and after a few tries, the machine is connected. I attempt to personalize things, but there only a few things you can set up. One of which is the ounces per cup setting. I like iced coffee (black), so I set my American Water (Wtf is that, who knows - but it's the only one that'll brew more than 4.4oz). I named the machine Linda and then went searching to schedule my morning cup of Joe. The Quick Brew tab in the app isn't working. I call customer service and a very unpleasant woman attempts to assist me. After uninstalling the machine and the app a few times, the page appeared properly. So, I scheduled a cup to brew at the crack of dawn the next morning. I place my pod in the machine and went to bed. The damn thing didn't brew! So, like a gal from yesteryear - I pushed the button to brew my morning coffee. I have to admit, the coffee is really good. No clue which brew it is, but it's damn good (this one is a black pod from the Intenso line).The entire experience has been a real disappointment. The machine itself is lovely, but the app is beyond horrible. If you're looking for something cool and easy to use via an app, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT IT.

I've owned multiple Nespresso machines, and this is the most high-end one I've had. I purchased it as a Christmas gift, though I've ended up being the biggest user in the house. Keurigs can't even begin to compete with Nespressos when it comes to the quality of the coffee. From the flavor to the crema, Nespresso drinks are far superior.This specific machine has been an... interesting experience. Like all Nespresso machines, it physically feels and looks very well-made. It's thoughtfully designed, and something I'm proud to have on my counter. It's also the quietest single-serve coffee machine I've ever seen. I also love the dedicated spout for the plain hot water, so I don't get coffee-flavored tea. I do wish the resevoir had a little bigger capacity, but it's managable in my opinion.Unfortunately, on my 5th ever drink made with it, something went very wrong with it mechanically. The door on top for the capsules wouldn't close, and there was some sort of metal fragment sticking out into the cavity where the capsule is supposed to be placed. I was not amused, especially considering the price of the machine. I called up Nespresso customer service, which I felt was of sufficiently high caliber. I was sent a box to put the machine in with a free shipping label, they sent the machine out to a facility, repaired it, and sent it back to me, all within the course of a week. The fact that the problem happened in the first place was a huge negative, but the way they handled fixing the machine helped redeem them in my eyes.Oh, and the bluetooth function? I'm very good with technology, and it was a nightmare to set up and a complete vanity "feature" that really offered zero functionality whatsoever. Don't be seduced by the sound of it, like I was. When deciding whether or not to buy this machine, pretend the bluetooth doesn't exist.TLDR:If I were in the market for a new Nespresso machine, I would buy this one again, because1. It's the quietest single-serve machine I've ever encountered in my life2. Nespresso customer service is actually good quality3. The options for different sizes are not available in any other machine (that I know of)4. In the world of the pod/capsule coffee machines, Nespresso is unparalleled in terms of taste and quality of the drink.This is despite:1. A major mechanical malfunction within weeks of purchase2. The steep price tag3. A completely useless bluetooth "functionality"

Bought in April 2021 and love the ease of making an americano. The Bluetooth features were not really useful but an easy way to check what was wrong when the system didn’t work.Most important with this system is always get Nespresso or Starbucks capsules. Any other brand will not work well.That said the water pump for hot water failed after 1.5 years of use. Coffee works but adding hot water with the coffee feature runs a risk of overflowing the capsule collection tray.With 30min of phone support determined it needed service. Was given a $65 service fee option or 35% off new machine. Will update after service is performed. Nespresso stands behind their machines but would be nice if it service could be avoided. The machine was temperamental but could easily be reset by unplugging and am trying again. The Americano feature is unique in the lineup.

I had the chance to obtain the Nespresso Expert as a pretty great sale price on Amazon. I initially saw this model at Williams-Sonoma where it was also on sale a substantially higher price. I was intrigued as I have the Citiz model and overall, I enjoy the taste and ease of Nespresso. My one gripe has always been that the end product (espresso + frothed milk) was too cold. When I saw the temperature control on this model, I knew I had to have it.I took a chance, as it is not entirely clear by the description of the product nor could the salesperson at Williams-Sonoma clarify the temperature settings produced by each knob setting. I was impressed. I believe my mouth was slightly scolded by my first gulp at the highest temp setting.The reason I can't offer up 5 stars is that machine is a bit of a counter hog and the water storage tank sits slightly perched on a base that it locks into. I think that makes removing it somewhat more of a chore as I am nervous that I may break the plastic base locking mechanism. I also wish the entire drip/overflow cup area were deeper like the Citiz model, to accommodate for spilled coffee. You will be surprised by how much these chambers actually accumulate. I also wish the area slid out completely allowing me to clean the base of the chamber in the sink.I have yet to test the bluetooth functionality. I will update the review accordingly.

Previous reviewers have mentioned the machine either uses too much (or too little) water when making cup sizes like espresso, ristretto and lungo. I don't think they're aware you can change the amount of water in exact liquid ounces once you connect to the machine via bluetooth with the Nespresso app! So if they dialed in their desired amount of water, I'm sure they'd be getting the espresso pulls they're looking for.That alone is a pretty killer feature. Besides that: auto-disposal of capsules in a capsule bin, water temperature control for somewhat cooler or hotter drinks, and a dedicated separate hot water dispenser. I'm pretty sure this machine is in a league of its own compared to most other Nespresso machines, which cannot manipulate most of these variables and for which you need to throw away each capsule.I may be partial here but I feel the appearance is superior to most other machines, I like that it's wide rather than long and in general design looks great on the countertop. Most importantly the coffee comes out perfect every time. We're not worried about the longevity because the machine both includes a test for (and an ability to set) water hardness level, and an automatic notification when it's time to descale, as well as automated descaling process. You can't find features like that even in some high level professional machines.We've owned it for about 6 months now and are really enjoying the machine, wouldn't have gotten anything else unless I wanted a more expensive super-auto or semi-auto machine for higher quality coffee than the nespresso platform is capable of producing. For great cost on machine, and some very affordable capsules (we buy the Bestpresso brand at 120 capsules for $40 from Amazon and have really enjoyed a boost in flavor and strength of our morning coffee), I think this machine and Nespresso will be a big upgrade for most consumers looking for a better cup of coffee than their Keurig or drip maker will likely ever produce.