While the Essenza Mini doesn't come with a preset button for Americanos (espresso + hot water, like a regular coffee) like the Essenza Plus does, you can easily use the programmable buttons to set up your own Americano system: We must point out that the smaller water tank may need fairly frequent refills (it’s only 0.6L), and the spent-pods hopper will need frequent emptying too. If your machine is near a sink however, neither of these points should cause you much heartache though. If you live in an area where the water is very hard, you may wish to descale more often. Does the water tank need to be cleaned? The Nespresso Essenza Mini Coffee Machine is a pretty small model. So as you’d expect, there’s not really that many features and functions to get lost in. Even the dimensions themselves tell you that everything’s going to be easy and straightforward. At 33 cm by 8.4 cm by 20.4cm and 2 Kg, it leaves a very small footprint making it easier to place and move about in the kitchen.

Essenza Mini | Breville (US) Essenza Mini | Breville (US)

For our money, OriginalLine machines are better than VertuoLine machines because their pump produces more authentic espresso, the coffee tends to be hotter, and there's no barcode scanning system meaning you can find less-expensive third-party capsules. For a daily average usage of 4 cups and if the water is hard, we recommend descaling your machine at least every 3 months.If priming is not possible after these manipulations, take the appliance to an authorized service center. What should I do if my appliance is not working? Capable of brewing shots from 1.35 oz to 3.70 oz, the Essenza Mini has two programmable brew buttons that easily allow you to customize your shot size. Here's how it works: At only 2 Kg, the Nespresso Essenza mini is so compact it barely takes up half the space of a toaster. But don’t think for a second that the smaller size means lower performance. Surprisingly, the Essenza mini carries an incredible 19 bar high pressure pump – that’s enough juice to produce barista style results every time. This works pretty well with the already programmed cup sizes for lungo and espresso.

Nespresso Essenza XN110840 Mini Coffee Machine by Krups

Just like all the rest of us Nespresso addicts, you’ll have to find a way to deal with the brand’s rigid way of doing things. By rigid, I mean your machine will not work with any other coffee except Nespresso capsules. If you’re still reading though, you probably realise from this review, that the Essenza Mini XN110B40 may be the perfect coffee machine for you. Likewise, the control panel is as easy to use and as intuitive as it gets. All you have to do is decide whether you’re having the programmed espresso, or pre programmed lungo and the machine takes care of the rest. Follow the instructions in your personal instruction manual for descaling your machine as techniques vary according to the model you own.

Is the Nespresso Essenza Mini for you?

The dimensions of the Essenza Mini, or XN110B40 if you want it’s Krups model number, come in at just 8.4cm wide! We’ve reviewed quite a few coffee makers, and while pod coffee machines are easily the smallest footprint, the Essenza Mini is tiny! (The full dimensions are 8.4cm x 33cm x 20cm) This can prevent clogging in the water outlet and hygiene issues. Technical support What if there is water or coffee under the appliance?

Nespresso Essenza Mini Review - The Coffee Maven Nespresso Essenza Mini Review - The Coffee Maven

This machine is compatible with Nespresso’s range of Original Line capsules, of which there is a great selection and variety of flavours from around the world. But does the coffee live up to the same standard as those cups you’d get whilst out and about? Take out and reposition the tank every 3 seconds. There should be air bubbles escaping from the tank valve.This requires a pressure of 15 bar (achieved only by espresso machines), water heated to 90-92°C and finely ground and measured coffee (7 g per cup). Where can I dispose of my appliance at the end of its life span? At only 5.1 lbs it’s one-third or one-half the weight of many other OriginalLine models, and it has a minuscule 3.2″W x 12.8″D base to limit its footprint on your countertop. In fact, an expresso can be distinguished by its rich aroma and the creamy foam on the surface of the cup.