With the rise in popularity of modern coffee drinks sold by cafes and coffee houses around the world, traditional plain coffee has taken a back seat. Without realizing it, most coffee consumers today are drinking some form of espresso. Espresso is a concentrated “shot” of coffee, made by passing hot pressurized water through finely ground and tamped coffee grounds. Did you know that espresso forms the base, and is the primary ingredient for almost all modern coffee drinks such as cappuccinos and lattés? In actuality your favorite coffee beverage may be nothing more than espresso with a little bit of steamed milk.

Making espresso can be cumbersome and difficult. A special machine, grinder, and a good amount of practice for preparing the shot is required. In addition, the commercial machines require a frequent amount of tedious maintenance. Finally, to complicate matters further, the water temperature and pressure must be precisely maintained, which requires skills and attentiveness. As a result espresso lovers and espresso based drink lovers have been held hostage by outrageous café prices. Nespresso has come to the coffee lover’s rescue! Their revolutionary new espresso machine and coffee capsule system eliminate the complexity in preparing a perfect shot of espresso.

Like a modern day coffee superhero, Nespresso manufactures all things espresso including accessories for both residential and commercial applications. Their three main product lines include: accessories, coffee capsules in a variety of blends, and machines. Nespresso brand accessories are excellent quality items that include anything a coffee drinker could fantasize about. My favorite is the Aeroccino, froths milk and heats milk within seconds so that you can make the perfect cappuccino or latte!

Not all coffee is the same of course, and Nespresso understands that. As a result, the coffee capsules come in a range of strengths and flavors which also includes decaffeinated options. The “Espresso” range of capsules has diverse characteristics and is best enjoyed in a small shot (40ml cup). The Lungo range, on the other hand, includes both mild and intense coffees, developed specifically to be enjoyed in a larger traditional cup (1101 ml cup).

The Nespresso machines come in two models, manual and automatic. For those who like to play Barista on Sunday morning the manual model gives full control of the shot making experience. The automatic model on the other hand is perfect for those who like to push a button and be finished. Other features include a steam wand for heating milk, extra capsule storage on the machine, a cup warming plate, and you can even choose the color of the machine! With prices ranging from $179 to $2099 Nespresso machines might seem costly, but compared to paying $4.00 per drink at a coffee house the nominal $.50 per Nespresso capsule cost will quickly make up the difference.