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Coffee pod machines are becoming a rising trend- it’s pretty fashionable to have one, actually. A friend of mine doesn’t even like coffee- but they own a Nescafé machine just because of how trendy it is to have one. Well, face it, don’t they look cool? All those fancy flavours, all at the pop of a pod?
In this article, we’ll be reviewing all three of the following star competitors: The Bosch Tassimo Vivy 2 T14, the Nespresso Vertuo Plus, and the Nescafé Dolce Gusto Mini Me.
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Tassimo Vs Nespresso Vs Dolce Gusto: Complete Guide
Below we discuss the three different coffee machine models you’re looking to learn more about, whilst giving you an ownership cost comparison and taste check.
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Success Criteria
There are a few main points we’ll be exploring here to help you decide which coffee machine suits you best, out of the Tassimo, Nespresso, and Dolce Gusto:
- Pod coffee taste
- Pod cost vs Machine cost (Ownership cost- cheaper pod price equates to greater cost efficiency)
- Third-party pod compatibility (can you use pods from other brands?)
We’ve split the article up, first we’ve got some individual reviews, followed by ownership cost comparison, coffee quality comparison, and pod comparison. Read on to learn about what we think of the three coffee pod machines.
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1) Tassimo By Bosch Vivy 2 T14 TAS1402GB Coffee Machine
Bosch are renowned for their spectacular quality, particularly their power tools. While Bosch isn’t a name you’d normally associate with coffee, it certainly is a name you’d associate with quality. This is surely reflected in the Tassimo Vivy 2 TAS1402GB.
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With over 1,400 4.8-star reviews on the Bosch website alone, don’t hesitate- the price is great too!
Read below to see what we think of this coffee machine.
What We Love:
- INTELLIBREW™ Technology: This specialist technology by Bosch is what makes this coffee machine so special and luxurious. The Tassimo brews your coffee for you, like your own personal coffee robot- at the touch of one button. All you need to do is scan the barcode on the T-Disc- the INTELLIBREW™ technology will automatically adjust everything: brewing time, water-to-coffee ratio, and temperature. All to perfection. We were amazed at how delicious the final drink came out- I guess we can trust robots to make our food after all. Every time, you just have to load a T-Disc, press start, and relax. Await your delicious, piping hot beverage.
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- Zero Taste Transfer: One annoying thing about a lot of coffee pod machines is the taste that remains in the next drink from the one you made previously. When we tried this machine out, we made a strong beverage first (boy did that wake me up!), and then made a mellower, sweeter drink after. There was no taste transfer at all, despite two polar-opposite flavours. Impressive!
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- So Much Variety! You can create all sorts of beverages, which is perhaps the best thing. You are limited to the brand’s own pods however, which can be expensive, but there is a lot of variety including: COSTA, Kenco, L’OR, Cadbury’s and more!
- Quick Brew: The My Way technology features a one-touch system which means you can create beverages at any time of the day- even if you haven’t used the machine for a long time. There is no heating-up time, so it’s ready to go instantly.
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2) Nespresso Vertuo Plus Bundle 11387 with Aeroccino by Magimix
Nespresso are the OG’s (originals) when it comes to coffee pods. We see them everywhere, and they’re arguably the first name you associate with coffee. With 5 coffee preparation options and hundreds of coffee flavours, the price is most certainly worth it.
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Plus, the buzz associated with having a Nespresso machine is a reason in itself to grab one yourself.
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Read on to see what we think of this coffee machine.
What We Love:
- Centrifusion™ Technology: The bespoke Centrifusion™ technology designed by Nespresso is in place to offer you naturally formed, light and airy crema while gently extracting every drop of flavour for your beverage- whatever it may be.
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- Intelligent Barcode Technology: The signature barcode technology is pretty much what everyone raves about, rightfully so! Each pod has a unique barcode that, when scanned, adjusts all the specifics according to the recipe of the pod. These include the flow and volume of water, temperature, infusion time and capsule rotation.
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- 5 Drinks Sizes: There are five signature Nespresso drink sizes to choose from, so it’s great for various recipes and occasions. The sizes are: Alto (414ml), Mug (230ml), Gran Lungo (150ml), Double Espresso (80ml), Espresso (40ml). If you’re looking for a shot of energy in the morning, Espresso is great. Want a more indulgent, friday-evening treat? Go for the Alto, with some froth.
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- One-touch Brewing: With a super-fast heat-up time, you don’t need to worry about rushed mornings. The machine heats up very fast, creating the optimal drink creating environment for your beverage- and all that at a single touch of a button. The light indicator informs you that the beverage brewing process has begun.
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3) NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto Mini Me- Krups
Let’s talk more about the Nescafé x Krups coalition here- perhaps the most winsome, yet beguiling coffee machine you’ll come across. It sure doesn’t look like the coffee-making beast it is- by this we mean, it’s a very strong competitor amongst the best coffee machines. Nescafé themselves are another strong, prominent name we all associate with coffee, and Krups design some excellent machines of their own.
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In fact, the Krups Arabica Digital made it’s way to our top 5 bean to cup coffee machines in the UK for 2021!
Read on to see what we think of this coffee machine.
What We Love:
- Ultra-Compact Build: The best and most iconic thing about this particular coffee machine is, as the name suggests, the size. It’s pretty much compact enough to take on the go! But this is a home coffee/beverage system, and it’s perfect for a kitchen of any size. With all the colour options, you can personalise it further to suit yourself. It goes by its name really- mini me! Your very own miniature coffee robot.
- Small but Mighty: Despite its compact size, this coffee machine packs a punch of power. With a 15-bar pressure, you will experience a rich, aromatic, and full-bodied flavour from your beverage. The greater the pressure, the more oils and flavours are extracted and infused into your beverage. For reference, mini machines usually have around 10-12 bars of pressure, so 15 is pretty darn impressive!
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- Drink Customisation: You don’t need to use the pre-programmed pod settings. You can alter the drink volume if you wish, which worked perfectly fine when we tried other capacities per pod. However, we also recommend using the pod recommendation. The recipe is optimised for the pod- and the taste is wonderful.
- Vast Nescafé Recipe Selection: There are over 30 drinks to choose from, which is expected from Nescafé. They’re renowned for their vast selection of drinks after all! From a long black Caffè Americano to a rich and foamy Latte Macchiato, a piping hot chocolate to an aromatic chai tea latte- you can have your NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto your way. Whenever you want, in the comfort of your own home. If you want the best coffee machine from Dolce Gusto, check this review for more details.
Ownership Cost Comparison
Do you own a printer at home? Have you considered owning one? If you have- you’ll probably recognise the following scenario pretty well. It can be expensive getting documents printed from libraries, so buying a home printer seems like the best bet. Since you’re trying to save money, you’d look for the cheapest printer possible.
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Oh no. The ink ran out. And the cartridges are starting to cost more than the printer itself!
A similar model applies to pod coffee machines actually- an uncannily similar situation. Don’t worry too much about the upfront cost of the machine itself- focus more on the pod cost. The cheaper the pods, the more expensive the machine will likely be- but it will have paid for itself eventually, especially if you drink coffee often.
With Nescafé Dulce Gusto machines, as we discussed with the models above, you can actually use third-party pods in the machine. You aren’t restricted to their own pods. This is great, because branded pods can cost a lot of money and may not be as diverse as you want. Lidl’s own pods cost half the price- but you do sacrifice a little in terms of flavour and authentic taste. You can use Milka, COSTA, and all sorts in there too.
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If you choose the Tassimo, you aren’t getting the same level of flexibility. You have to use their own pods.
Hence, the Nescafé may be more cost-efficient for you.
Coffee Quality Comparison
All three of these machines produce some pretty delicious coffee to be honest. We’ve tried them all- they taste pretty much on par with cafe coffees- seriously! Nothing can beat the occasional Starbucks gingerbread ones, or the COSTA pumpkin spice lattes, but nevertheless- you’ll make some delicious coffee at home with these machines.
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Tassimo is a child company of Jacob. D. Egberts, who also owns L’Or. L’Or are famous for their coffee specialisation. Nespresso and Nescafé are also linked, and they’re all names associated with a delicious beverage.
I prefer the Nespresso pods the best- their flavour range is very diverse and the taste is usually spectacular. The recipes have the right balance of richness and creaminess, and the aroma is very strong. Tassimo pods tend to have the mellowest, faintest aroma, but their taste is much richer and creamier- more like a cafe coffee.
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The Dulce Gusto pods are also fun in terms of flavour variety, and they’re also a strong competitor.
If you prefer a rich, indulgent beverage- go for Tassimo. If you’re after a more varied, interesting, and aromatic cup- go for Nespresso. Neither will disappoint.
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The Final Verdict
We’ve rounded up all the quick features about these coffee machines below, so you can compare them adjacently and see which one works best for you.
Tassimo By Bosch Vivy 2 T14 TAS1402GB
The Tassimo can be purchased online for around £100, but we bought ours off of Amazon because it was much cheaper and came with free, fast delivery. While this machine costs £98 on Bosch’s website alone, the one we bought on Amazon was around £60- it’s quite a steal! Here are some of the things you should know about this product:
- INTELLIBREW™ technology automatically adjusts parameters to make the drink perfect (brewing time, water-to-coffee ratio, and temperature)
- Tassimo-only pods: Over 40 drinks to choose from- from many well-known brands such as COSTA, Milka, Cadbury’s, Kenco, L’Or, and more
- Adjustable cup stand for varying cup sizes- even travel mugs!
- No taste transfer from previously brewed drinks
- One-touch coffee brewing for a speedy drink
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Nespresso Vertuo Plus Bundle
The Nespresso Vertuo Plus bundle that we’ve got can be purchased online for around £250, but we bought ours off of Amazon because it was much cheaper and came with free, fast delivery. This machine costs £249.99 on Nespresso’s website, but the one we bought on Amazon was around £129! Here are some of the things you should know about this product:
- 5 coffee preparations including espresso, double espresso, gran lungo, mug, and alto
- Automatic capsule ejection
- 1.8 litre capacity
- Adjustable cup support
- One-touch brewing
- Electrical turn-on and shut-off; auto shut-off after 9 minutes of inactivity
- Movable water tank
- Centrifusion™ Technology
- Intelligent barcode technology controls flow and volume of water, temperature, infusion time and capsule rotation
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Nescafé Dulce Gusto KP120540 Mini Me by Krups
The Nescafé Mini Me is available online for around £105 on Amazon with free, fast delivery. Here are some of the things you should know about this product:
- Automatic “Play and Select”; pop in your pod, select your volume, adjust how hot or cold you want it- and wait for your drink to be done
- 15-bar pump pressure
- 40 different drink varieties, both hot and cold!
- Automatic Eco-mode activation after 5 minutes of inactivity to save electricity
- Compatibility with other brands of pods such as Milka, COSTA, Kenco, L’Or, and Cadbury’s
- Ultra-compact design that can fit in any space
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Leave a comment or drop us a message if there’s any particular coffee machines you’d like us to try, and we’ll be onto it for our next articles. Stay tuned!
