Very narked to get back to this page to write the review and find that the machine is now £20 less than I paid less than a week ago!
As for the machine itself, it's pretty solidly built (though while the product page says it's made of stainless steel there's more than a few plastic panels on it, just FYI). I bought it to replace a Tassimo machine, which required you to use these "milk discs" if you wanted milky coffees. Those consisted of UHT milk and I found them very nasty. This looked far better.
The biggest difference between the Tassimo and this machine was that the Tassimo pretty much configured itself based on the barcode of the inserted disc, whereas you have to do more of the setup yourself. There's nothing stopping you from using an Espresso pod to make a Lungo drink and vice versa, so you have to remember to check the type of pod you're putting in the machine and press the right button. The machine also won't stop you running water through the same pod twice so don't forget to eject used pods.
Aside from the fundamental differences between Tassimo and Nespresso this machine has a few annoying quirks. The basic controls are fairly clear once you understand which symbol is an espresso, which is a latte, etc, but the menu is quite frankly a nightmare. If I didn't know better I'd swear that the whole thing was deliberately designed to discourage you from tinkering with it. The drip tray is not height adjustable and the default height is too high to allow the kinds of coffee mugs most of us have lying around the place fit under the spout. This means you have to do without it when using such a cup, and as the nozzle tends to drip more than the Tassimo nozzle did after brewing you'll probably have to give the base of the machine a good wipe down. The pods get ejected into a storage bin when used which seems like a good idea at first, but if you forget to empty it then you can get problems with pods jamming in the machine. The water tank is at the back, as opposed to the side on the Tassimo machine, making it rather awkward to access for fitting and removal.
But for all its quirks it does do the most important job right, it does make really good coffee, though the lattes are way too milky. You can get around that by using 2 shots of coffee per latte but that of course means using two pods. Speaking of pods, you do also get a fairly generous assortment of pods supplied with the machine so you don't have to splash out on lots of different pods to find your favourite brew. Pod availability is a bit annoying as the Nespresso-brand ones are not available in supermarkets, only from their own shops or via ordering online. However, there are plenty of third-party alternatives available that are sold in supermarkets, though I can't vouch to their quality as I've not tried any yet.
On the whole I'd recommend it, especially at the lower price than the one I paid (which I'm REALLY annoyed about, did I mention?)
| Brand | Nespresso |
|---|---|
| Model Number | EN550.B |
| Colour | Black |
| Product Dimensions | 17.3 x 32 x 25.8 cm; 2.5 Kilograms |
| Capacity | 1 |
| Power / Wattage | 1300 watts |
| Material | Plastic |
| Auto Shutoff | No |
| Energy Efficiency Class | A |
| Compatible Models | Nespresso |
| Special Features | Milk frother |
| Item Weight | 2.5 kg |
