Cool Hunting

The Lattissima marks a successful collaboration between Nespresso and the Italian household appliance company De'Longhi. The new home espresso machine is capable of combining the perfect brew that results from Nespresso’s hermetically sealed capsule system with the perfect milk froth.

By far the easiest-to-use home espresso maker we’ve tested, the Lattissima also makes the best-tasting coffee. Besides its sturdy construction, the device also boasts more than a few features that make operation near effortless: a “one touch” fresh milk froth function for preparing a range of espresso-based beverages, an adjustable cup platform for filling coffee cups as well as latte glasses, “auto clean” automatic rinsing function and (exclusive to the chrome model) a heated upper surface for warming cups. A twin pump and heating systems allow for simultaneous coffee making and milk frothing at the same time.

Among our favorite features is the clever design that uses a simple red button to indicate water level in the overspill tray simply by floating into visibility. Renowned designer Antoine Cahen from Ateliers du Nord created the Lattissima with an emphasis on “one-of–a kind functionality and user-friendliness mirrored by its classic, modern design”.

The machine also features an automatic capsule disposal, collecting them in a removable bin. Also, we were pleased to discover an answer to one of our long-standing gripes about pod-based espresso machines—the coffee capsules are recyclable and, at around 50 cents a pop, more affordable than expected.

Available online at Sur La Table in chrome for $800 and red for $700.

Also on Cool Hunting Espresso Accessories, Coffee Classics, Coffee Innovations, and Nespresso Romeo.