Learn why Nespresso Citiz should be considered by discriminating espresso lovers who want to make the best coffee at home.
Nespresso Citiz Review – Best Machine for Espresso at Home
I’ve spent lots of time and money looking for the perfect espresso machine and the one I’ve settled upon and have used for over 15 years has been the Nespresso Citiz. It has been my preferred go-to for the best espresso coffee and trumps other brands for consistency and flavor.
There I said it. And, I truly mean it. But for if you are on the fence about laying out money for an espresso machine, then read on. I have included a plethora of helpful information to help you decide if the Nespresso Citiz is right for you.
Author Note: I was not paid for this review. All opinions and such are mine and mine alone. I am like a lot of conscientious buyers who don’t want to be bamboozled into making a bad purchase. And, when it comes to espresso machines–let’s just say–I’ve tried a lot–unsuccessfully.
For some, buying an espresso machine may seem pretty simple—just look at the number of machines already on the market. But I’m pretty picky about espresso.
That’s why I think it’s worth spending some time looking around, looking at reviews (like this one) to determine if you are doing right by buying a certain machine or not.
The Hunt for the Perfect Espresso Machine
It was a pet peeve of mine that I couldn’t make a decent cup of espresso. I purchased and tried over six different machines from hand-pressed espresso to stovetop moka pots.
In fact, I even have a shelf in my basement dedicated to my now-defunct espresso machines. Still, none of these units produced the creme I wanted. (Creme, for us espresso newbies is that beautiful foam on top of the drawn espresso liquid.) And, none gave me the richness I so desired from grounds that were heated to the proper temperature.
Moreover, these units were too large for my counter space. I needed something compact and slim in design and looked great in a modern kitchen.
I needed something that cleaned easily and also allowed me a larger cup of java should I desire it.
Sound too good to be true?
Why I Chose the Nespresso Citiz
My “hunt” for the best espresso machine happened after I returned from my trip to Italy. I longed for the dark and moody taste of the espresso I drank in one of the many palazzos of Rome.
But I was disillusioned into thinking that making espresso was easy to do back at home. Not so.
True espresso is an art, especially if you grind, tamp and process it. Trust me, I tried–in vain.
That’s why I chose a machine that did all the hard work for me, so I didn’t have to worry about the “right” amount of coffee or process time, or pressure or even the type of coffee. This was all taken care of by Nespresso.
My Criteria for Choosing Nespresso Citiz
As you can see, there are a lot of reasons to buy a great espresso machine.
But why the Nespresso Citiz?
For me, the criteria I used to consider when I purchased my espresso machine was the following:
- deep, rich flavor and creme
- able to change volume from shot-size to lungo (large cup size)
- easy set up
- easy clean up
- great customer service
- ecologically sound
- recyclable capsules
- ecolaboration
- many must-have “espresso” features
- warranty
Let’s go through each of these one-by-one:
1. Deep Espresso Thanks to Nespresso Capsules
Nespresso has chosen to use capsules that have been made from recycled aluminum because it preserves the pure taste of the ground coffee from getting stale or generating an aftertaste from its packaging.
Nespresso offers quite a number of espresso coffee capsules options. Some flavors are composed of pure coffee while others are blends of different varieties. The capsules also come regular or decaf, so depending upon your needs and wants, you won’t have a problem finding one that is right for you.
They even offer variety packs for you to try the different levels and origins to find the best fit for your espresso needs.
Keep in mind, that Nespresso Citiz uses the Original Line Capsules and not the Vertuoline. This will help when you look for capsules that will fit into your machine and the varieties available for purchase.
And, check out these Three Tips to Create Cafe Quality Espresso:
2. Two Sizes of Espresso for the Price of One Machine
Making coffee in the Nespresso Citiz espresso machine couldn’t be easier. You have the option of making a one-shot or two-shot (or lungo) cup of espresso coffee.
The one shot espresso offers you the richest coffee experience in a 2 oz (1 shot) serving.
And, the two-shot or lungo cup (5 oz), offers more of an Americana coffee that is less intense since the machine pushes two shots worth of pressurized hot water through one capsule.
Personally, I splurge and use two pods on the single shot option to get a full two-shot experience.
How to Use Your Nespresso CitiZ Espresso Maker (Video)
3. Easy Set Up
Right out the box, you will get everything you need to start brewing. You’ll get the espresso maker, coffee pods, deep cleaning kit, and instructions. In addition, you will get information on the Nespresso Coffee Club which I took advantage of right away. First of all, you get up-to-date information on new flavors and accessories from Nespresso.
Being that their standard flavor capsules don’t really change, it’s nice at times to try some new varieties.
4. Easy Cleaning
One of things that makes this espresso maker so easy to use is that it cleans up easy-peasy. The pod dispenser comes out and all you have to do is toss the used pods in trash. There is also a drip tray and grill that are removable and washable.
How to Deep Clean Your Citiz
About once a month or after heavy usage, Nespresso recommends deep cleaning your Citiz espresso machine with a descaling kit. Your first cleaning kit comes in the box with your Nespresso espresso machine, but you can order more directly from Nespresso if needed.
The cleaning process only takes about 10 minutes more or less. Just follow the directions and you’ll be making more espresso in no time!
5. Great Customer Service
Whether you call directly or visit the Nespresso website, you will be connected with knowledgable baristas that know their coffee. Amazingly, these folks are also Nespresso connoisseurs.
Because of this, they can easily share their own personal take on different coffee capsules tastes and levels of intensity. This makes it really easy to decide which are the best capsules for you.
And, regardless of an online or person-to-person ordering experience, your order is processed quickly and efficiently–making the turnaround time from ordering to receiving it at your doorstep–approximately 1-4 days– depending upon where you live and the shipping option you choose.
6. Ecologically Sound
Because Nespresso produces so many varieties of coffee and ships these capsules all around the world, you might wonder about the effect on the ecological footprint that these millions of capsules might have on our world.
One of things that I love about Nespresso is that they have made it their mission to work with their different manufacturers in a partnership that allows for more sustainable aluminum. This is important for you and me, because of the limited supply for such metal.
This means that Nespresso has and will continue to work hard making their capsules as eco-friendly as possible. For me being a heavy coffee/espresso drinker, I don’t want to affect the world ecologically any more than already I do.
7. Recyclable Capsules
Most recently, Nespresso and the UK have teamed up so that Nespresso espresso machine users can recycle their capsules. Currently there are four sites around the UK.
Here’s the lowdown of recycling
8. Ecolaboration
Nespresso goes to great lengths to search out the best coffee around the world. However, choosing the right beans isn’t the only criteria they use. They also look at farming practices, best practices with workers, as well as sustainability and yield of the coffee bean varieties. Nespresso calls this ecolaboration.
It is a fancy term but very important when you consider the amount of produce or coffee beans grown around the world. By using good practices, manufacturers, producers, workers, and yes, even those families living in and around the coffee fields are taken into consideration, so that everyone benefits.
With some hot foamed milk from my Nespresso Aeroccino Plus and I changed my espresso into a latte. No longer did I have to go to a coffee shop to purchase my espressos or lattes, I was able to easily make mine and for less cost.
Must-Have Features of Nespresso CitiZ
These are just a few features of the Nespresso CitiZ:
- This espresso machine offers 19 bar pressure, which means that during the extraction process more flavor is pulled from the coffee within the capsule.
- It offers a 30.4 oz/1L water tank that is large enough to satisfy a crowd with beautiful espresso.
- It automatically is set to the perfect coffee volume, although you have the ability to increase the water volume or decrease it.
- Capsule container is by far one of the largest I’ve seen on home espresso makers. I can handle 12-14 easily.
- One button does it all! Just press and go!
Where to Purchase Your Very Own Citiz Espresso Machine
Believe it or not, Nespresso is known worldwide and has over 270 Boutiques in over 50 countries, including quite a number in the United States and Canada. Here are some of the stores in the United States that currently handle Nespresso espresso machines:
- Bloomingdales
- Crate&Barrel
- Macy’s
- Sur la table
- Williams-Sonoma
The Nespresso boutiques are found all over the world and are wonderful to check out. Some are over the top as is the Champs-Elysees Nespresso Boutique and others are found within a chain store like Bloomingdales.
Here you can nestle up to the bar to try out different coffees and strengths to determine what coffee or machine best matches your needs.
Personally, I have been to Bloomingdales in Chicago and I loved the experience, as well as the helpful staff. It’s definitely worth going and checking out a boutique near you.
Warranty for Nespresso Citiz
Depending upon where you reside and place of purchase, Nespresso has a varied limited warranty of 1-3 years. According to Nespresso’s Assistance Site:
“During the warranty period, Nespresso will either repair or replace, at its own option, any defective product at no charge to the owner…”
Obviously, if you have any questions or concerns, Nespresso’s customer representatives are there to help you–and they really do–24/7.
For more great ideas and tips for choosing the best kitchen products for your home, be sure to check out Wisconsin Homemaker’s Cooking Section.
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