It was just two weeks ago when Nespresso launched their Barista Creations for Ice range. With two distinctive blends: Freddo Delicato and Freddo Intenso, it’s perfect for the summer weather. To enjoy the new ice range, you would definitely need the compact yet stylish Essenza Plus as well as the handy milk frother, Aeroccino3.
I had the chance to try it out and I absolutely love it.
Design 5/5
Truth be told, it is the perfect fit for our kitchen countertop as it won’t take up too much space which is indeed a plus point with this Nespresso coffee machine. To blend in well with your kitchen furniture, the machine comes with two distinctive shapes and colours. There’s the Essenza Plus Nespresso C that comes in a rectangular shape with two colours, Limousine Black or Off White whereas the Essenza Plus Nespresso D is available in Limousine Black or Cherry Red with a more rounded finish.
With that said, the quality of the entire machine is definitely on point and worth your money. That includes the body of the machine. Although it has a plastic finishing, there’s just something about the Essenza Plus that has class and elegance. On top of that, there’s no hint of flimsiness and the lever that you use to load in the coffee pods is quite sturdy too. Overall built, I personally feel it is just top-notch.
As for the Aeroccino3, it also comes in a nice compact shape that’s available in three colours: black, red and white. The milk frother comes with a plastic housing whereas the interior has a Teflon coating.
Features 5/5
The Nespresso Essenza Plus is an absolute handy machine to have in your kitchen especially if you’re a coffee drinker. On top of the machine, there are four programmable buttons. One for Espresso (40ml), one for Lungo (110ml), one for Americano (150ml) and Americano XL (200ml). You can also make tea with the hot water option.
Another good thing about the Essenza Plus is that you can view the water level from the reservoir which makes it much easier.
Unfortunately, the machine’s connectivity functionality through Bluetooth, Wifi, Google Play and App Store application are not available in Malaysia.
Then there’s the Aeroccino3, an ultra-simple and fast milk frother that prepares a light and creamy milk in both temperatures: hot and cold. You can now make your favourite Latte or Cappuccino with just the touch of a button.
Performance 5/5
To elevate your entire morning routine, it only takes a couple of minutes to get a good form of foamy warm milk while your choice of pod coffee is brewing. You’ll be given an assortment that contains 12 capsules of roast and ground coffee along with 2 capsules of decaffeinated roast and ground coffee when you make a new purchase.
To turn on the coffee machine, you can just press any of the buttons on the top of it and when you’re done making your coffee, it’ll switch to eco-mode after two minutes of activity and later on turn off by itself.
Pick any size of expresso that you want, short or long but be sure to know that the machine can only barely accommodate 11oz mugs.
On the other hand, the Aeroccino3 is equipped with a single button, that allows to heat your milk or even make foam. Before you press the button, all you have to do is pour the milk until it reaches the first fill line, then cover it up with the clear, plastic lid. The machine contains a whisk on the inside that transforms your milk into froth.
Once done, half of the milk will turn into foam whilst the other half is perfectly warm. The only concerns I have about this is that the Aeroccino3 is not completely silent when it’s doing its job as it has a slightly loud whirring sound. Another point I’d also like to highlight is that when frothing cold milk, I found out that the foam doesn’t stay in its form for too long.
Value 4/5
The Essenza Plus is priced at RM 899.00 whereas the Aeroccino3 is RM 399.00. But if you’re planning to purchase both, you can go for the Essenza Plus Bundle instead that comes with both machine and milk frother for only RM 1199.00.
Conclusion
Honestly, these machines are certainly worth the money and will definitely satisfy your coffee needs with just a touch of a button. I personally would purchase one for myself and that’s no lie. It’s compact, portable and it also looks good. Compared to all the other bigger coffee machines out there, you’ll be saving some money with this Nespresso purchase.
Specifications – Essenza Plus
Weight: 3.6kg/42cm
Dimensions (WxDxH): 13.4 x 42 x 23.9
Removable water tank: 1 Litre
Used capsule container capacity: 11
Power rating: 1260 Watt
Pressure: 19 bars
Aeroccino3
Maximum capacity if preparing milk froth: 120ml
Maximum capacity if preparing hot milk: 240ml
Diameter: 9cm, height: 17cm
Contact: Nespresso Boutique, F241C, The Gardens Mall 59200 Kuala Lumpur, 1800-80-7001
Pictures by Elke D’haese, Noel Learning, Soleisure, Squarerooms, Nespresso, Tokopedia, Kitchen Stuff Plus, Compare Before Buying & Linen Chest