Practical luxury machine: Nespresso Creatista Plus
When you think of a home coffee machine, there’s a high chance that Nespresso comes to mind.
Nespresso dominates the home coffee space, and with so many versions available on the market today, it’s easy to see why. They have machines catered to almost every type of coffee drinker. For quick, convenient espresso, its not bad option to have.
As an avid espresso enthusiast myself, the time inevitably came when my old coffee machine had run its course and I needed to upgrade to a new machine.
But which one?
There was such a dizzying amount of options available that I had trouble deciding. I found myself scouring through countless product reviews and videos online in my quest to find the best model, but I still couldn’t settle on the exact one.
Overwhelmed, I threw up my hands and did what I thought would get me the best and most legitimate espresso.
I simply bought the most expensive one.
The Nespresso Creatista Espresso Machine
The Nespresso Creatista Plus is the highest priced home Nespresso machine on the market, coming in at $599 at retail. While a traditional professional grade espresso machine is much more expensive, this was still on the more expensive end for a Nespresso, which generally boasts of more affordable prices than higher end companies. In fact, some of their machines can be purchased for as low as $125.
Prices last updated on 2023-05-17
But was the Nespresso Creatista Plus worth the price tag? After over 3 months of owning the machine, here’s what I think:
A Truly Beautiful Nespresso Machine
First off, the Nespresso Creatista Plus is truly a beautiful coffee machine that looks stunning in the kitchen. The product boasts a shiny, stainless steel exterior and a simple, yet elegant design. It even has an integrated milk frother that captures the attention of any guest that passes through my home. I found it to be a major visual upgrade from my old machine, a Nespresso Pixie.
Once unpackaged and plugged in and ready to go, I was excited to brew my first cup o’ joe.
So how did it do? It was a little bit tough to say, as initially I failed to find any noticeable difference from my old machine.
The Creatista going to work
Nespresso is famous for their decent coffee, and I found that Nespresso Creatista Plus does make a satisfactory cup. But it was difficult to discern any real difference in quality from that of my old machine. The coffee was good, I found. But not great.
The taste, smoothness, and creaminess of an espresso brewed fresh from the bar of an Italian cafe is unmatched. I had been trying for years to mimic the quality and taste that I have come to love, with no luck. And while Nespresso machines generally cost about a tenth of the price of a professional grade espresso machine, I remained hopeful. After all I loved that this machine allowed you to use non Nespresso branded pods as well but I couldn’t make out that much difference.
Certainly grabbing the most expensive model available meant something, right?
Wrong.
But it’s not all gloom and doom. Aside from being let down by my unreasonably high expectations of top espresso quality, let’s focus on what I do like about the machine.
As mentioned earlier, the aesthetic design of the machine is gorgeous, and elevates a level of sophistication to my kitchen counter. Looks do matter, especially in the kitchen, and this machine is a true show stopper.
Nespresso Creatista Milk Frother
The integrated milk frother feature is a major plus, and I found it to be a huge upgrade from the standalone one that Nespresso provides with their other machines. My old machine didn’t have the frother connected, and because it was a separate attachment I found that I hardly used it. Instead, I kept it tucked away in the back of my cabinet, forgotten and collecting dust.
The lack of the ability to seamlessly integrate creamy milk or dairy products simply wasn’t worth the effort that it took to clean the machine afterwords. With the frother integrated, I find myself using the Creatista Plus all the time now.
The LED screen that comes standard on the machine is also a nice touch. Easy to navigate and use, this screen provides custom settings for both espresso and milk. You can seamlessly control the liquid level to fill any sized cup, and even adjust the frothiness of the milk added. While I wouldn’t venture so far as to say that I change these settings often, it certainly is nice to have the option to customize a beverage to any coffee drinkers liking.
Digital LED Menu
Lastly, like any Nespresso machine, the Creatista Plus is excellent for brewing a high number of drinks. If you have a large family or a bunch of guests, this Nespresso machine is a beast. The coffee brews quickly, comes out steaming hot, and can effortlessly brew a high volume of coffee with no performance lags. Some machines must be cleaned often or after a short number of brews, but not the Creatista. This machine heats in mere seconds, which ensures that you can host an entire dinner party while serving up hot espresso in a very short order.
So all in all, am I pleased with my purchase? Should I have shelled out more money for a professional machine, or less money for a different Nespresso model?
In short, the answer is no.
The Creatista Plus is not a small machine, and I find that it takes up a reasonable amount of space on the counter top. But it’s a beautiful piece. If you’re cramped for space, it’s certainly possible that the bulkiness makes it a no-go.
To me it’s a balance of convenience.
The machine is appealing, the coffee is decent, and the quality is consistent. Living on the go New York City, it would be near impossible to find the time to grind beans, brew espresso, and clean a proper machine on a daily basis.
The Nespresso Creatista Plus is a perfect solution.
A Fresh Cup of Espresso
A friend of mine once told me that owning coffee machines is a labor of love. You get out of it what you are willing to put into it.
A perfect cup
I’m not sure that I am quite there yet. Despite my fondness for the drink, perhaps espresso and I just aren’t at the “love” level yet. But for now, the Nespresso Creatista Plus is perfect for my lifestyle, kitchen, and most importantly, for satisfying my coffee addiction.
