When it comes to coffee, are you on team "drink whatever there is" or team "bean origin matters"?
For us at ProductNation, this opinion is split equally. One-half of us love exploring different coffee tastes whereas the other can't be bothered and are happy with freeze-dried granules you get from the supermarket.
To explain, some of us (the writer cum editor) love all kinds of coffee be it charcoal-roasted 2-in-1 Malaysian white coffees or single-origin Ethiopian beans pour-overs. Meanwhile, some of us (Umar, our reviewer) is more acute to the taste of coffee beans.
Then there are also some of us (Tay, our manager) who scorn how we are overspending and shouldn't be 'picky' on coffee.
At least there's one thing we all agree on; Nespresso machines are a piece of innovation most coffee lovers of all coffee-drinking habits can appreciate and are worth looking into investing in for the home & office.
Today, we're pleased to present our review of one of the more popular Nespresso machines in Malaysia - the Nespresso Lattissima Touch Coffee Machine in Black.
About
Table of Contents
Aside from the capsule coffees, Nespresso has a wide range of premium espresso machines available. Coffee machines are not just for luxury lovers or connoisseurs; they are great for anyone who just wants coffee of good consistent quality.
In business spaces, Nespresso machines are perfect for serving a bigger batch of coffee drinkers without any change in taste. In fact, some bigger corporations such as hotels (W Hotel in Kuala Lumpur has a huge, amazing one) utilise them for their own customers.
Espresso machines are not cheap due to the amount of pressure and acute machinery required to create perfect beans extraction. Luckily, the Nespresso Lattissima Touch makes it possible to enjoy espresso drinks whenever at home.
This is a mid-range Nespresso machine that is meant to meet the demands of a family or small office. The Lattissima Touch is beginner friendly, utilising a one-touch system to operate. That's not to say that this is a simple machine; it has 6 one-touch button recipes, letting you have the pleasure of creating many coffee & milk recipes.
Built-in Recipes on the Nespresso Lattissima Touch:
- Espresso
- Lungo
- Cappuccino
- Milky Latte
- Latte Macchiato
Specifications
- Weight: 2.3 kg
- Removable water tank: 0.6 L
- Used capsule container capacity: 6
- Pressure: 19 bar Bars
- Automatic shut off after 9 mn| Programmable
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 11cm x 32.5cm x 20.5cm
Design
For us, this is an ideal design for a home coffee machine to make lattes, cappuccinos, creamy lattes, latte macchiatos or even just espresso shots. Not only that; the interface is kept simple on this machine, with 6 one-touch coffee selections.
We saw right away that every aspect of the design has been placed strategically, has a purpose and just makes sense. Not only that; this machine has a detachable milk storage unit, a hidden compartment for a descaling tool as well as a spout placement.
Because of the detachable milk compartment, it'll be easy for you to store additional/leftover milk in your fridge as well after use. That aside, this machine just looks good. Frankly, we always feel good when walking up to the machine to make our morning coffee. Additionally, the design allows for cleaning to be much easier since every component is modular.
Set up & Ease of Use
Setting up the Lattissima Touch was quite simple. Following the instruction, essentially it's just:
- Filling up the water reservoir and milk storage container (depending on your coffee type)
- Drop in your favourite Nespresso Pod
- Touch your coffee type & wait for the magic to happen
And just like that. Within a few seconds, you’ve got yourself a perfectly crafted cup of coffee, whether it's espresso, lungo or one of the milk-based drinks.
For us, it's nice that the milk compartment also allows us to pick our preferred froth level. After every milk-based drink you make, the machine will prompt you to clean it via its blinking “clean” light. Don't be alarmed, cleaning is pretty simple.
- In the milk storage compartment, you'll find a little “clean” button that you can press and hold after your beverage is done.
- The machine then starts to flush out any leftover milk within the system by pushing hot steamed air through to keep it clean. That’s really great to help the machine last longer.
- Once done, simply store the milk storage unit in your fridge for the next 2 days so you don’t have to keep refilling it.
Consistency/Performance
Happy to say that this machine will be exactly what you’d expect from Nespresso and that’s a good thing.
In our stint of review, we're able to get consistent cups of coffee regardless of who’s making it or how they make it. As long as you’ve got the right pod to match your taste, you’ll never get a “less than perfect” cup of coffee, but a cuppa that's "just right".
In our month-long test, sometimes we (the reviewer) even went through 2 pods a day. Not once did we get an espresso shot that was over or under-extracted. And if you're like us, who are bad at making milk-based coffee, the milk drink recipes are great too.
Other Features
If you look, there’s a little tool hidden in the machine that allows for the descaling process which is to clear any calcium deposits that should be flushed out of the machine in order to ensure clean consistency of taste.
To use, just follow the instructions provided in the booklet. What did we say about this being a beginner-friendly coffee machine? Here, Nespresso has made it easy to maintain hygiene as well. Kudos!
Bonus: Nespresso offers every machine purchase with a 14-capsule assortment for customers to sample their coffee.
Conclusion
- Our Rating - 9/10
- Pros - Consistent taste; basic hygiene features available including descaling; a few levels of milk frothiness to choose from; detachable milk compartment (so you can keep leftovers in the fridge); few espresso and milk-based recipes included; capsule pods are ~RM3 per unit which is affordable
- Cons - At first use, the level of milk frothiness is not clear until you've used it; Initial upfront spending is high
- Who is this for? Despite the price of over a grand (RM), we'd say that the Nespresso Lattissima Touch is actually worth the price tag. With the quality of consistency and ease of use, this is great for anyone new to espresso machines.
While the initial payment for the machine and capsules upfront won't be nice, in the long term this is a good deal.
We believe the machine offers the best value when it comes to HOW MANY types of drinks it can make. Plus, it looks great, has consistent performance and is easy to use and clean. That's everything most coffee-lovers would love and should expect.
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