If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you know that I’m kind of obsessed with my Nespresso machine. I purchased it right before Christmas and I have been using it non-stop for the last few months. So, I thought I’d share my thoughts with you as well as my daily recipe for a mid-afternoon coffee break!
First off, I was 100% influenced by my friend Lindsey to buy a Nespresso. Maybe even 120% influenced. Every so often we have what I call “Lindsey Adventure Weekends” where I go to her place and we spend the weekend away from stinky boys doing girl stuff. Like watching lots of rom-com’s, eating way too much cheese, wearing comfy pajamas, putting on smelly face masks, and thrifting/antiquing. And yes, it’s amazing.
Lindsey introduced me to her Nespresso machine and like Pavlov’s dog, when I hear the swoosh sound of the espresso being made, my shoulders are conditioned to retract from my ears and I relax.
Right before Christmas I was telling my husband how I really, truly didn’t have anything I want on my Christmas list, when suddenly I had the thought that maybe I should get my own Nespresso machine. I texted Lindsey to find out exactly which machine she owned, did a bunch of research and made my order off Amazon.
My Nespresso Machine: Nespresso CitiZ
I purchased the Nespresso CitiZ and found a few options online:
- Nespresso CitiZ machine on Amazon
- Nespresso CitiZ machine on Nespresso website
- Nespresso CitiZ with Milk Frother on Amazon
I purchased the version without a milk frother, because I already own one (a previous year’s Christmas gift) that works great. If you don’t have a milk frother, the 2-in-1 version on Amazon is actually a better price.
Things I like about the Nespresso CitiZ:
- It’s slim and fits in easily next to my current coffee maker.
- The removable water tank holds 33 ounces, so I’m not refilling it every time I make a cup.
- It has a fast heat-up system, so it goes from off to making my espresso in 25 seconds.
- It’s delicious!
And yes, I still use my regular coffee maker too (as does my husband). I usually start the day with regular coffee and have a Nespresso in the afternoon as a treat.
My Favorite Nespresso Capsule Flavors
The machine came with a sample pack of coffee capsules, which was great to give a bunch of flavors a try. After I tried them out, I narrowed it down to my favorites and made an order.
You can order capsules off Amazon or the Nespresso website for similar pricing. However, Nespresso often runs specials where you get an extra sleeve for free or your first order is $10 off, so I went with them for my first order. I also ordered a Recycling Bag (for free) so I can recycle my used capsules.
My current favorite capsule flavors:
Firenze Arpeggio (dark purple)
Stokholm Fortissio Lungo (teal green)
Vanilla Éclair (cream)
My Favorite Flavored Syrups
I also purchased a couple gift sets from Monin, so I could try a bunch of different syrup flavors. The Toasted Marshmallow from this holiday set (currently still available) is AMAZING.
Here are three of my favorite syrups off Amazon (be warned, the bottles are HUGE):
My Favorite Nespresso Recipes
I’ve been using my Nespresso machine almost daily since the end of December and I’m not kidding when I say it lights up my afternoon. When I was in the office, I would walk down to Starbucks and pay $6+ for my Caramel Macchiato. Now, I walk downstairs and have a similar drink for less than $2.
My two most frequently made recipes:
My Afternoon Cappuccino/Macchiato type-thing:
Ingredients:
- One Firenze Arpeggio capsule (dark purple) or Stokholm Fortissio Lungo capsule (teal green)
- 2% Milk
- Whipped Cream
- Caramel Sauce
I use my frother and fill the milk to the ‘froth’ setting (about ¼ cup-ish). I let that do its thing – it heats and froths and takes about a minute or so. Then, I walk it over to the Nespresso machine, add my milk to my cup and hit ‘start’ on my Firenze Arpeggio capsule for a Lungo size, when that’s done, I top it with a squirt of whipped cream and a little caramel sauce.
(PS this also works great with Almond Milk, if regular milk isn’t your thing. I make it that way for Travis and it tastes great — it just doesn’t foam much).
Look I made an adorable video to show you how I make it:
My Energy Shot type-thing:
Ingredients:
- One Vanilla Éclair capsule (cream)
- 1 TBSP half and half
- Toasted Marshmallow syrup
- Whipped Cream
I make one Vanilla Éclair capsule for a Lungo size directly into my mug. Then, I add 1 TBSP half and half, 1 TBSP Toasted Marshmallow syrup and top it with a squirt of whipped cream. YUM.
You guys. I’m OBSESSED. And I’m also saving money because I like my own Nespresso recipes better than my old Starbucks orders.
Disclosure: Not sponsored. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.