Review of the Nespresso Lattissima Pro

Fact Checked and updated on 4/27/2023 with current pricing and model information.

For those looking to make excellent espressos, lattes, and cappuccinos at home, without the hassle of a manual machine, Nespresso’s top-of-the-line Lattissima Pro is the way to go. I’ve been a Nespresso user for years and have used various models, including the original Lattissima, the Pixie, and the CitiZ. I’ve been reviewing the Lattissima Pro (manufactured by DeLonghi) for the last few months, and it is by far my favorite for its combination of design, features, and performance.

If you’re not already familiar with Nespresso, it’s a pod-based system that uses hermetically sealed coffee pods to brew your espresso. The advantages of the pods over grinding beans are that the coffee is always fresh, there is no measuring or grinding required, and cleanup is simply a matter of emptying the pod container when it fills up. Pods typically cost around $.80 each, and are available in a variety of roasts and both caffeinated and decaf. Nespresso’s strength has always been its espresso (though it has a coffee-focused Virtuo line), as opposed to its competitors Keurig and Tassimo, whose focus has been on coffee.

Comparison of Nespresso models

All models of original Nespresso machines (excluding the Virtuo line) use the same pods and work pretty much identically as far as making espresso. Differences are mostly design-based. However, the Lattissima models are the only ones that offer integrated milk handling for lattes and cappuccinos; the other models all rely on separate frothers. Having an integrated frother makes pouring a cappuccino as simple as pushing a button, and the milk unit goes straight back in the fridge, requiring cleaning every few days.

Within the Lattissima line, there are three models: Gran Lattissima, Lattisima One, and Lattissima Pro. The Lattissima Pro model I’m reviewing here is the largest, with highest capacity water tank (44 ounces vs 34 ounces on the other models) and one of the highest capacity milk containers (17 ounces for the Pro and Gran Lattissima versus 4.2 ounces), so you’ll be able to make more drinks before refilling. The Pro offers a super-fast 15-second heat-up time, with the others taking a somewhat slower 25 seconds.

Beyond its capacity, the Lattissima Pro offers a touch-based display that supports both drink-making and various machine settings. All other Nespresso models use a simple push-button method. I’ll get more into the details on that later.

Of course, the additional benefits of the Lattissima Pro come at a price. The Pro and Gran Lattissima retail at a rather hefty $649, and the One at $399. The Gran Lattissima is the current top-of-the-line model, with more one-touch recipe choices, but it's slower to heat up, lacks the stainless steel finish. Regarding the One, is it worth the extra $250? I say “yes”, for the conveniences of the larger water and milk capacity alone.

Design and features of the Lattissima Pro

The Lattissima Pro has an elegant, stainless steel industrial design that will work well in any kitchen or on the counter at your office. It looks solidly built because it is solidly built, with a far higher quality look and feel than your typical plasticky Keurig machine. It also offers numerous convenience features over the other Lattissima models.

A foldable, metal cup rest, unique to the Pro among the Lattissima models, lets you accommodate glasses up to 5.5 inches tall or small espresso cups. You’re not going to fit a giant America-style coffee travel mug in there, but that’s really not what Nespresso is intended for. There's also an integrated light that helps you see where your cup is placed under the spout without cranking on your kitchen lights (helps when you want to sneak in that late night or early morning espresso shot).

The removable milk handling unit slides into place when needed and right back out again into the fridge when done. Unlike first-generation Lattissimas, the lid locks in place to prevent spills. Conveniently, the spout for hot water stores behind a sliding door on the side of the Lattissima Pro. Hot water is not available on other Lattissima models.

Refilling the water reservoir is simple. A pop-up lid on the top of the tank lets you refill the tank without removing it from the machine, or pulling the tank off and filling in your sink. The lid is strong enough to serve as a handle to carry the reservoir when full.

Size-wise, the Pro is a little smaller than the Gran, at 7.6 inches, 13 inches tall and 10.8 inches deep, and about an inch bigger in all dimensions than the One. My Lattissima Pro sits on the counter of my small New York City kitchen without much sacrifice.

To save energy, the Lattissima will automatically shut off after nine minutes (adjustable through the control panel).

The Lattissima is available in any color combination you want, as long as that combination is stainless and black.

Lattissima Pro control panel

The core operation of the Lattissima Pro is the same as the other Lattissima machines; stick a pod in, close the lever, push a button and out comes espresso, lattes and cappuccinos. Where the Lattissima Pro differs is in its touch-sensitive control pad, rather than the physical buttons of the Plus and Touch, offering seven drink options – ristretto, espresso, lungo, hot milk, cappuccino, latte and hot water.

The control pad also provides textual information about the drink being served, as well as reminders for when it's time to clean the milk unit and descale the machine. While there's no significant advantage to the touch control pad, it makes customizing the settings of the machine easier, so you can make your espresso a little stronger or add a little more milk to your cappuccinos. One potential risk: the touch-sensitive panel makes it a little easier to accidentally start the machine going if you touch it inadvertently.

The Nespresso capsule system

Nespresso machines use hermetically sealed capsules containing coffee in a variety of roasts and flavors. Pop the capsule into the machine, close the lever, choose your drink option and a 19-bar pressure pump forces hot water through the coffee capsule and into your waiting cup. Because the pods are self-contained, prep and clean-up is minimal, making Nespresso perfect for a those who are in a rush to get their morning latte or to make a round of cappuccinos for your next dinner party.

Currently, Nespresso offers 50 variations of coffee, from medium to very dark roast, caffeinated and decaf, and even flavored blends that change seasonally (right now, you can purchase Coconut Flavor Over Ice). As you taste your way through them (which you can do for free at one of the Nespresso boutiques if you’re buying pods), you’ll find your favorites, any of which can be ordered online through the Nespresso club.

The downside to the capsules is their cost. The pods typically run between $.80 and $.90 each, so if you like a double cappuccino in the morning like me, you’ll be putting out $1.60 plus the cost of your milk. That’s more than you would spend if you were buying your own coffee beans (unless you buy very expensive coffee), though it is still considerably less than what you would pay at your local Starbucks and far more convenient.

Performance of the Lattissima Pro

We've used the Lattissima Pro multiple times a day for months, and performance over the course of hundreds of espressos, cappuccinos, and lattes has been excellent. The Lattissima Pro heats up incredibly quickly (as little as 15 seconds for an espresso and a little longer for a cappuccino), so there's practically no wait to get your caffeine kick. And, once hot, the Lattissima Pro will continue to knock out drink after drink with no delay.

The quality of drinks is very good. If you're a frequent Starbucks drinker, you'll be very pleased with the results from the Nespresso. Espressos are full-flavored with nice crema. Cappuccinos and lattes are served with rich foam that is denser than with earlier Lattissima models (foam density and quantity can be adjusted to your liking). And all drinks come out hotter than on earlier Lattissima models, with no preheating of cups required. We typically use skim milk in our machine (works great), though you can use low-fat, whole milk (if cardiologist approved), or even non-dairy milk if desired.

For true aficionados, Nespresso doesn't brew with the intense richness the best manual espresso machines or top-end fully-automatic machines (like the DeLonghi Eletta) can muster. But you're not going to find anything with the convenience or price point of the Lattissima Pro that can compete.

Cleaning the Lattissima Pro

The Lattissima requires little effort as far as regular cleaning. All of the coffee is contained in the Nespresso capsules, and the built-in used capsule container can hold 15 of these pods before it needs to be emptied (the Plus and Touch have a 9-capsul capacity). Removing the capsule container also requires sliding out the bottom drip tray, which is a little tricky if you have the milk container in place.

To clean the milk carafe after each use, you turn a knob on the top to the "clean" position, and hot steam blows out any accumulated milk into a container. Then you just pop the carafe back in the fridge. When the carafe is empty, the components of the carafe can be deconstructed for cleaning in your dishwasher's top rack.

Your Lattissima will need to be descaled occasionally. Depending on the hardness of your water, you'll need to descale every 6 months to a year, at most. The Pro will provide a message on the display when descaling is required. It takes about ten minutes to run through the process using the descaling solution available through Nespresso ($8.95 for two descaling packets).

Warranty and service

The Lattissima Pro comes with a two-year warranty. If you need service, you can either get it done through your local Nespresso boutique or via phone through the Nespresso Club. Nespresso will provide a shipping crate and a loaner machine while your own is in the shop so you don't go into caffeine withdrawal.

Review summary

The Lattissima Pro is, without question, the best Nespresso machine available. It is very easy to use, makes excellent drinks and offers the best combination of features of any of the Nespresso models. Once you get used to having one around, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. I've had mine or four years now and it makes perfect cappuccinos and lattes every time.

The major downside to the Lattissima Pro is the cost; at $649 retail, it has a $250 premium over the basic One model. That said, I would still recommend it because of the additional capacity of the water and milk tanks, taller spout, and faster heat-up time.

[Image credit: Techlicious]

Josh Kirschner is the co-founder of Techlicious and has been covering consumer tech for more than a decade. Josh started his first company while still in college, a consumer electronics retailer focused on students. His writing has been featured in Today.com, NBC News and Time.

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