Nespresso Vertuoline vs Original

Nespresso makes one of the most popular pod-based espresso machines in the world. These machines look great, are very compact, easy to use, and brew great espresso. But the Nespresso machines are different among themselves and they belong to several lines. So, what do the VertuoLine and the Original have in common and what sets them apart?

Summary

Our pick: The Nespresso VertuoLine

Even though the OriginalLine espresso machines are great, the ones from the VertuoLine are better than them. For instance, the VertuoLine machines are great for short, medium-sized, and long drinks. The machines from the OriginalLine, on the other hand, are best for short drinks. Furthermore, the crema in the coffee made by a VertuoLine machine is richer and more voluminous than the crema made by an espresso machine from the OriginalLine. Therefore, the VertuoLine machines are a clear winner in this battle.

About the VertuoLine

The VertuoLine espresso machines are infamous for the quality of their crema and nice features. If you take a look at our best espresso machine under $300 list, you’ll see that we’ve chosen the Vertuo by Breville as the best machine!

Because of how they brew the coffee from the capsules, these machines make espresso with a lot of crema. The brewing process relies on the centrifusion extraction technology which means that these machines rapidly spin the capsules to make coffee drinks with great flavor. As a result, the espresso coming from the VertuoLine machines is a bit less hot than the espresso made by the machines of the OriginalLine.

Another thing about the brew system on the VertuoLine espresso machines is the reinvented capsule system. The capsules that these machines use all have specific barcodes on their rims that tell the machine about the coffee type, strength, and length. Once the machine gets familiar with these parameters, it knows exactly how to brew the espresso. That said, the machine adjusts its water temperature and amount to the requirements of the coffee in a particular capsule.

The reinvented capsule system, furthermore, has to do with the different capsule sizes that the VertuoLine machines are compatible with. The machines from this line can brew espresso from capsules in three sizes which results in short, long, and extra-long coffee drinks.

Three different capsule sizes being available for these machines also means that you won’t have to use more capsules to make good longer drinks. However, the VertuoLine products can currently brew only the Grand Cru capsules that Nespresso makes. Unfortunately, there’s still not a third-party capsule manufacturer that makes capsules compatible with these machines.

These machines are, furthermore, popular because of their long drinks. The VertuoLine machines can brew coffee in the standard 1.35-ounce and 3.70-ounce cups, but they can also make larger drinks up to 17 ounces. Therefore, these are the perfect machines for people who prefer long drinks.

The VertuoLine machines don’t come with integrated milk frothers, but they do produce results that are good to consume without milk or with cold milk. This is what they were designed to do, which is great for customers who prefer cold milk-based drinks than, for example, cappuccinos or lattes. However, VertuoLiners are often sold in a bundle with the Aeroccino milk frother, so you can use them for making hot milk-based drinks too.
The cost of VertuoLine capsules is about $0.9-$1.25 for one capsule.

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About the OriginalLine

The OriginalLine espresso machines, like the Pixie, the CitiZ, and the Latissima Touch, are all about those very hot, strong espressos and coffee drinks. These machines do a great job in making short coffee drinks and espressos. This has to do with their brewing technology that relies on a 19-bar pressure pump in the making of espresso.

The espressos and short coffee drinks that these machines can brew come in two sizes: The OriginalLine machines can make you either a 1.35-ounce espresso or a 3.7-ounce lungo.

Some machines from the OriginalLine come with integrated milk frothers, which is great for everyone who can’t have a day go by without having a milk-based coffee drink. In case the OriginalLiners don’t have a frother that will take care of the milk in your coffee, the frother is usually offered in a bundle with the machine.

The capsules that the OriginalLine espresso machines accept don’t necessarily have to be made by Nespresso. These machines work with capsules produced by third-party manufacturers. Because they don’t rely on the barcode technology, you can get them to make you espresso from a lot of third-party coffee capsules and you can enjoy many different coffee options.

Being more ‘receptive’ for a vast variety of capsules is what lowers the costs that come with these machines in the long run. You would have to pay from $0.75 to $0.85 for Nespresso’s OriginalLine capsules. Then again, the third-party capsules that you could use on an OriginalLine espresso machine can cost less than the Nespresso ones. You could find these capsules at a price as low as $0.35 for a single capsule.

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Similarities Between the VertuoLine and the OriginalLine

The espresso machines from both the VertuoLine and the OriginalLine can brew espresso and lungo. All of the machines from these lines are very easy to use and are very compact. The machines use Nespresso capsules inserted from the top of the machine, and once they’re used, the capsules are put in a capsule container.

Differences Between the VertuoLine and the OriginalLine

The differences between these two Nespresso lines are impossible not to notice. The VertuoLine machines are designed to make great crema. This crema has a greater volume than the crema produced by the OriginalLine machines. On the other hand, the OriginalLine machines make coffee drinks that are hotter and stronger than the ones made by the machines from the VertuoLine.

The difference in how the drinks are made has to do with the difference between the brewing technologies used by the machines that belong to these lines. The OriginalLine machines brew their espressos and short coffees with a 19-bar pressure pump, while the VertuoLine machines use a rapid rotation of the capsules to extract the coffee flavor and aroma.

Another difference between these two lines of espresso machines is that the OriginalLine machines brew espressos and short coffees while the VertuoLiners can brew longer drinks in addition to espressos and short coffee drinks. Furthermore, some machines from the OriginalLine come with an integrated frother which is not the case with VertuoLine machines. VertuoLiners usually don’t come with a frother, which means that you’ll have to purchase it separately or get it in a bundle with the machine.

There’s also a difference in the capsule systems between the machines from these two lines. The VertuoLine machines work with capsules made by Nespresso only, while the OriginalLine machines can brew coffee from both Nespresso and third-party capsules that are compatible with the machines. Also, the VertuoLine machines work with capsules that come in different sizes, while the machines from the OriginalLine work with one size of capsules only.

Finally, on the long run, the costs per buying capsules for the VertuoLine machines might be greater than the costs per buying capsules for the OriginalLine machines. This is because the OriginalLine machines allow you to buy capsules from third-parties which are cheaper than the ones made by Nespresso. The machines from the VertuoLine, on the other hand, only work with Nespresso capsules.

Which One Should You Go With?

VertuoLine espresso machines give you a greater choice when it comes to the variety of coffee drinks they can make. Furthermore, the crema in the coffee drinks made by VertuoLine machines is richer than that made by machines from the OriginalLine.

Even though VertuoLine machines don’t work with third-party capsules, you still get to choose between Nespresso capsules with many different flavors. Furthemore, even though OriginalLiners let you use cheaper capsules on them, you’ll need to use more than one capsule when making a longer drink on these machines, which will increase the cost for buying capsules. Therefore, if you enjoy longer drinks, you could check the espresso machines from the VertuoLine.

Ultimately, VertuoLine espresso machines have clear advantages over OriginalLine machines. However, if you prefer shorter and hotter drinks, you could check out some machines from the OriginalLine. In the meanwhile, we’ll hope that our little effort to compare the two machines helps you figure out which Nespresso machine to buy.