Sometimes Black, Sometimes White

A simple, elegant, fuss-free machine to bridge the gap between black and milkbased Nespresso beverages.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

A simple, elegant, fuss-free machine to bridge the gap between black and milkbased Nespresso beverages. 

Nespresso Lattissima One

What separates the Lattissima series from the regular range of Nespresso machines is the convenience of an integrated, automatic milk frother, as opposed the separate Aeroccino frother purchase, which you’d still have to manually pour out. Except, previous Lattissima machines were designed for people who wanted milk in their coffee more often than not. If you liked your beverage black, and only occasionally dabbled in the world of lattes, getting a regular Nespresso machine and Aeroccino bundle was always the more logical choice.

In comes the Lattissima One, the “entry-level” Lattissima that Nespresso hopes would become the gateway drug into the frothy world of cappuccinos and latte macchiatos. I use quotation marks here because at $448, the cheapest Lattissima is still pricier than the most expensive core range, which is the CitiZ + Aeroccino bundle ($428). But of course, you could technically make the same beverages with any of Nespresso’s machines, and the Essenza Mini costs only $168, so it’s a moot point trying to argue price. The value of any Nespresso machine is in how well it fits your caffeine-imbibing lifestyle. And speaking of lifestyle, the One is one dashing fella, with its blend of matte and glossy plastics.

Like the rest of its ilk, the Lattissima One has an integrated milk jug in the front that would froth and dispense milk automatically if you choose to make any milk-based beverages. The difference is that the One is a single serve machine. There are only three buttons on the One, two standard Espresso and Lungo pulls for black coffee just like any standard Nespresso machine, plus an additional Milk beverage button. There is no other configuration to be made, and you cannot adjust froth settings either.

With the One, milk is designed to be completely depleted with every beverage made. A sensor on the machine behind the milk jug ensures this, though you can manually stop brewing halfway by pressing the Milk beverage button again. So, while Nespresso has provided friendly markings on the jug to indicate ideal milk levels for a cappuccino or latte macchiato, you can safely ignore them and fill the amount of milk that you want in your own coffee. Just make sure your cup is large enough to avoid spillover.

My Reading Room
My Reading Room
Instead of pre-set milk levels, this
sensor depletes all the milk in the
jug with every brew.
Instead of pre-set milk levels, this sensor depletes all the milk in the jug with every brew.
AT A GLANCE
BREW SIZE
Espresso, Lungo,
PRESSURE
19 bar
WATER TANK
1 liter
DIMENSIONS
(W X D X H) 15.4 x 32.4 x 25.6 cm
WEIGHT
4.2 kg
PRICE
$448
By Zachary Chan Pictures NESPRESSO