Article summary
DYK: The Nespresso CitiZ is the winner of the prestigious Red Dot design award, an award that the espresso machine got for its design that combines high-technology and a beautiful retro-modern look.
There are a few Nespresso machine models in the market, each of them good representatives of the brand behind them, but few are like the CitiZ; not even the famous Nespresso Pixie compares to the CitiZ. Shortly after it was made, the uniqueness of this espresso machine put it on the spotlight when it won the international Red Dot design award. Of course, the award complimented the retro-modern appearance of the CitiZ as much as it complimented its technologically-advanced features.
After analyzing the unique needs of customers, the manufacturers packed the Nespresso CitiZ with features like flow control and programmable coffee volume— something that set the standards for prestige among compact and user-friendly espresso machines. Ten years after its production, the CitiZ remains a powerful catalyst for revolutionary inventions in the espresso machine industry, and we celebrate that by talking about this outstanding machine in our Nespresso CitiZ review.
Key features:
- 19-Bar pump
- Programmable espresso and lungo
- Coffee flow and volume control
- 34-ounce removable water tank
- Removable drip tray
- 25-second heat up time
- Programmable auto off
Pros
A fast and well-performing coffee maker that doesn’t complicate coffee-making, but keeps it simple
Compactly-sized for its own easier maintenance and for the easy maintenance of the space around the machine
With a 19-Bar pump, espresso actually is espresso, but made conveniently, from a Nespresso capsule
Easy to use and program, meaning no fuss when you’re personalizing your drinks
Cons
A bit loud when making coffee
A beautifully-thought-out design
Saying that the CitiZ is compact doesn’t quite explain the complexity of its design. This Nespresso machine has a design that accents the impossible— the CitiZ’s performance that thrives from the compactness of the machine instead of being limited by it.
When calling an espresso machine beautiful is not enough and when saying that it performs incredible is just a brief outlook on its capability, you know for sure that the espresso machine you’re talking about is a special one. That’s it, as simple as that, you just know it.
The Nespresso CitiZ leaves you speechless with its black, white, or chrome exterior shaped to look classy, smooth, and refined. So small, and yet its 5.1 x 14.6 x 10.9 body is quite the presence in the room. Cleverly accented with both colors and components, this espresso machine makes the lines between fine aesthetics, functionality, and space efficiency very blurry.
With its reservoir at the back, the drip tray and the cup holder at the front, and the coffee dispenser at the top center of the machine, the CitiZ creates a story about user-friendliness, compactness, and functionality. Its design embraces three important principles of great operation: a one-touch button function; easy accessibility and handling of the drip tray, the cup holder, and the reservoir; and a smart outline of components that gives you the pleasure to use both shorter and taller cups.
19-Bar pump for true espresso
Like we said, the design of the CitiZ is a smart combination of beauty, compactness, and functionality. That said, this incredible Nespresso Original machine has a small body that holds inside a 19-Bar pump that makes you true espresso and even lungo. The pressure of the pump makes sure that water and your favorite Nespresso Grand Cru capsule collaborate well and saturate, brew, and extract the coffee with dense crema as a finish. You can then convert the drink into a milk-based fantasy with the Aeroccino milk frother, or leave it be and have it as perfect as it is.
Espresso in the morning and lungo in the afternoon
Isn’t it fun to have two coffee drinks at the touch of a small, round button? Many people have asked the Genie in the bottle for this and the CitiZ made it come true. Just turn the machine on and press one of the intuitive buttons to get a shot of espresso or a longer shot of lungo to prolong the coffee pleasure.
If you feel like you need a shorter lungo or maybe a taller espresso, make good use of the flow control that the CitiZ brings you and drink the coffee that you know is the best. Certainly, the CitiZ respects the well-crafted espresso tradition of coffee lengths, but where this tradition goes on from here is up to the customers to decide.
14 Grand Cru capsules to explore and countless more to enjoy
With the Nespresso Original capsules, the lungo and the espresso are two very fast results of a machine that saves and values your time. To bring you the Nespresso world closer, the CitiZ comes with 14 OriginalLine capsules for you to start your espresso and lungo adventure with.
These capsules, and all the other capsules by Nespresso, are hermetically-sealed, made of aluminum, and are recyclable to guarantee the coffee quality, but not harm nature in the meanwhile. As long as you choose your favorite flavor and take the used capsules to a Nespresso boutique or capsule waste collector, you will be embracing the full Nespresso CitiZ experience.
Heating up fast and turning off cleverly
Two more features that witnesses CitiZ’s idea about the preciousness of time are the fast heat up period and the automatic turn off function. Waiting for your coffee is something that is, fortunately, not part of the Nespresso experience, but the adjustability of the auto off feature certainly is. Program your CitiZ to automatically turn off after 9, 10, or 30 minutes after you’re done making espresso or lungo and your next electricity bill will bring you a little more joy.
Removable 34-ounce tank
The more attention manufacturers put to the tanks of espresso machines, the more we like to review them because the tank holds one of the two most important coffee ingredients— the water. In the case of the CitiZ, the water is safely held by a 34-ounce water reservoir put at the back of the machine.
The tank is removable for better management of the coffee-making process and, with the weight that it has, it won’t put a strain on your hands when you’re refilling it. The design of the tank follows a cylindrical shape that perfectly blends with the overall design of the CitiZ, with the tank being kind enough to not take too much space on your kitchen counter.
FAQ about the Nespresso CitiZ
Why does my Aeroccino3 milk frother froth the foam cold?
The Aeroccino3 milk frother froths both hot and cold milk foam. Press its button only briefly to get hot foam and hold it for 2-3 seconds to make the foam cold.
How tall of a cup can the Nespresso CitiZ fit?
The tallest cup this espresso machine fits is a 6-inch one without you removing the drip tray. If you do remove the drip tray, however, the machine can fit a 7-inch cup without a problem.
Can I use third-party capsules with this machine?
Yes, you can. This is a Nespresso Original machine.
Conclusion
By picking the Nespresso CitiZ, you’re picking great coffee made in the most convenient way. You are picking an espresso machine that is compact, but one that brews serious coffee. You are picking the retro charm over ultra-modern designs, the good crema over flavorless coffees, and you’re picking a beverage quickly made at the touch of a button anytime.