Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #4872 in Kitchen & Housewares
- Color: Pure Black
- Brand: Nespresso
- Model: A+D50-US-BK-NE
- Dimensions: 9.80" h x
4.50" w x
14.50" l,
6.60 pounds
Features
- Includes Aeroccino Plus milk frother: rapid one touch preparation of hot or cold milk froth, Items sold separately valued at $298
- Fully automatic piercing, brewing and ejection of used capsules with a retracting coffee outlet to stop dripping after coffee is brewed
- 27-ounce water tank rotates fast pre-heat time: 25 seconds for use with Nespresso coffee capsules only
- Automatic memorization of one of three cup sizes: Ristretto, Espresso and Lungo Removable magnetic cup/drip tray for larger milk recipes
- Light indicator for empty water tank/full capsule dispenser, holds 12 used capsules, 19 bar pump pressure, Auto off after 9-minute of inactivity
Nespresso U D50 Espresso Maker with Aeroccino Milk Frother, Pure Black
Product Description
U, the ultimate machine in modularity, simplicity and purity. Combining personalization with an ultra-chic aesthetic, U is the perfect machine to create an Espresso in the comfort of your own home. U has been designed to fit modern life and its demands, offering ultra-convenient, yet sophisticated technology. U's first of its kind design allows you to rotate the water tank 180-degree around the machine to suit you and your unique lifestyle and living space, while its cutting edge technology delivers a perfect coffee, time after time. Not only does U memorize the preferred cup size, but the machine's brewing unit will automatically release the capsule when it's done. A pleasure to use and display, U is the machine for those who seek ultimate simplicity, the highest quality coffee and pure design. Set includes the Nespresso Aeroccino Plus milk frother: rapid one touch preparation of hot or cold milk froth. Nespresso began more than 25 years ago with a simple but revolutionary idea, to create the perfect cup of Espresso coffee with exquisite cream, tantalizing aroma and full bodied taste-just like skilled Baristas. As the worldwide pioneer, Nespresso redefined the way coffee lovers around the world enjoy their espresso coffee through a unique combination of premium quality Grand Cru coffees, stylish coffee machines and exceptional customer service. To obtain the perfect espresso, Nespresso Experts seek out only the finest Grand's Crus green coffees, which promise to offer the most tantalizing aromas. You can, depending on the variety of different recipes, enjoy Nespresso with milk. When combined with creamy milk foam, you will experience a whole new variety of flavors. The Nespresso Club is always there for you, online, by telephone or in one of our Boutiques. Order your Nespresso capsules, receive personalized advice and obtain technical support for your machine: whatever you are seeking, the Nespresso Club and its Specialists are with you every step of the way.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
63 of 70 people found the following review helpful.
By I Do The Speed Limit
Comparing this new model to the other machines in the Nespresso lineup, it is obvious that the U was designed for you. It is marvelously and amazingly designed and quality-crafted; a fine little machine that works with expertly-crafted coffee blends to provide you with an amazingly wonderful coffee experience.This particular model offers a milk frother alongside the coffee maker--and that is a real plus. The Aeroccino milk frother is also available for sale on its own, so this duo provides real value.All things considered: The U works every bit as well as the older and taller (but not much taller) CitiZ and the smaller and portable Pixie. The differences are in how the U is designed to fit your needs: The water vessel can be positioned to the left, the right, or behind the machine. There are three volumes from which to choose--not just two (as with the CitiZ and Pixie). And the three volumes can be easily and quickly reprogrammed by you for infinite possibilities. The cup platform can be removed from the front of the machine and stored on the side--with the help of a very nifty and well-placed magnet.It just appears to be the most stylish, the most efficient and the most streamlined machine in the Nespresso lineup.**The ability to position the water reservoir is an important feature.** You should analyze the space where you want to place your machine, taking into consideration that the act of removing the vessel, adding water, and replacing the vessel will happen often. With any water vessel, you must lift it to remove it. Check to see if you have enough clearance. Can you remove the water reservoir without pulling the machine forward? If not, then this machine is the one for you, because you can position the reservoir on either side--instead of behind.My only gripe is that--except for the front and the cup platform--the machine is a very shiny plastic, and not a matte finish. From my experience with it, the shiny surface (especially the black color) shows more dust, fingerprints and scratches. You better keep a soft, clean cloth handy to keep it looking its best. The Pixie, with its metal ribbed sides and matte top is easier to keep clean. The shiny finish prompted me to rate this machine four, and not five, stars. (While I love black; I really dislike shiny black.)I think the whole line of Nespresso machines are far better than Tassimo and Kuerig machines. The Nespresso machines are better designed: They work quicker and quieter; have a smaller footprint and are less bulky; are much better looking, and, most importantly, the quality and variety of the espresso blends cannot be beat. I haven't tried the new Starbuck's machine, but I do know this U has a smaller footprint, has a lot more style, and (when you consider how you can manipulate the water reservoir) it is more user-friendly.YOU CAN STOP READING HERE: While the above paragraphs sum up my opinion briefly, you can keep reading for more information. Sorry, but I found it hard to streamline this review--after all, I've purchased (and dumped) three Tassimo machines; I purchased and use the Nespresso CitiZ and the Latissima on a daily basis--they both sit on our kitchen counter; I own a single-serve Gaggia by illy that sees very little use lately; I acquired a Jura ENA Uno about four months ago, and it daily provides us with freshly ground and brewed beans (we buy Peet's beans)--it sits on an antique buffet-turned-coffee-bar in our family room, and last, but not least, I've also acquired two different-colored Pixies, one with an Aeroccino frother. I'm thinking I've got some experience upon which I base my opinions.COMPARED WITH THE PIXIE: I don't know why this impresses me, but on the Pixie there is a white back-lighting (around the spent capsule compartment) that I think is way, way cool. Plus, the back-lighting allows you to safely grab your hot coffee in the dark. If you're low on water, the light shines red. That nifty light, together with the smaller size, the portability, and the matte and metal finish force me to write that I LIKE PIXIE BETTER THAN U.REGARDING THE AEROCCINO: Several years ago when I first investigated this frother, it was valued at nearly a hundred dollars--so there is great value in purchasing it along with the U espresso machine. It's a great little gadget: It has a beautiful shiny metal outside surface that is very substantial; it is quiet; it is quick; it produces beautiful soft foam; the handle is strong and easy on the hand, and because it has a high quality non-stick inner surface, it is easy to clean by simply rinsing it out. Because it's not attached to the espresso machine, you can move it around and you can use it for other drinks besides coffee. Its DOWNFALLS: The base is lightweight and will not grip a counter top; the heavy electric cord is adequately long, but excess cord cannot be hid in the base, and the worst offense: The spout will leave you with a drip every time. In comparison to the Starbuck's model, this frother is made of a high quality, beautiful metal; the Starbuck's is black plastic.COMPARED WITH THE LATISSIMA MILK FROTH: I like the froth created by the Latissima better than the froth from the Aeroccino. The Latissima foam is finer and thicker, and it is ADJUSTABLE. I also like the fact that the milk container on the Latissima can be easily disengaged from the machine and stored in the frig. There is no waste and clean-up is accomplished with a few seconds push of a button; only enough milk is sucked through the machine per serving. In a morning rush, it is easier to set the container of unused milk back in the frig. If you want easy cleaning with The Aeroccino, the residue milk has to be rinsed before you leave the house.LET'S DISCUSS COFFEE: After all, the machine is just a vessel for the end result. And if the coffee that is made for the machine isn't great, then why even look at the machine. The coffee in the Nespresso pods is superb. It's way better than anything available from Tassimo or Kuerig.It's been several years since we switched from a Tassimo machine to a Nespresso machine. (If you want to hear about why I totally dislike Tassimo, ask me and I'll be happy to elaborate.) At the time of the switch, we were used to drinking large-size cups of coffee. So we felt we were taking a chance on the Nespresso blends--not knowing if we'd be able to tolerate the change from a big cup of brew to just a few sips. But the change has been effortless and so rewarding: Because the coffee is so smooth and rich, it is easier and more satisfying to relish a few sips rather than big gulps of average-tasting coffee. We really didn't know what we were missing.If you think you like more mild coffee and think that espresso will be too strong for you--then you think like I did. And I was wrong, and there is no reason to be afraid of Nespresso expresso and lungo (long cups--still pretty small): This great coffee is not bitter; it has a variety of fragrances, and feel, and flavors in each sip--and I've found that I am now leaning towards the more "intense" blends. With the U, there are three buttons to choose how much water you want to pass through each disc, and they are easily programmable, which offers you an infinite variety of strengths. Now I find that I prefer to go along with the pre-programmed amount of water for each blend. After all, the recommendations come from experts and they know what they're doing!Nespresso has a lineup of 16 blends (plus there are special blends offered throughout the year). The blends by Tassimo and Kuerig cannot compare. It might have something to do with the fact that the Nespresso pods are made of aluminum and keep the ground coffee fresher than the others which are all made of plastic or maybe the Tassimo and Kuerig product is made to suit less savvy, less experienced coffee drinkers. I can't offer a comparison between the Nespresso and Starbuck pods, because I've not tried the Starbucks' Verismo system yet. I can say that Starbuck pods are more expensive than Nespresso pods, and there are way fewer choices. Regarding the "green-ness" of the pods: Nespresso's are recyclable and the others are not.If anyone is interested in more details of the 16 Nespresso Grand Crus: Nespresso uses about 95% Arabica and 5% Robusta in its blends. Their beans come from Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Kenya, Ethiopia and India. Blending, roasting and grinding are all variables that enter into creation of a particular flavor blend. Investigating the blends, it is obvious that most of the beans come from Central and South America, Nespresso does not have a blend that features Kenyan Arabica beans--and that is my only dissatisfaction with the Nespresso lineup. We love Kenyan coffee and own a Jura ENA Uno machine so that we can brew our favorite Kenyan coffee from Peet's on the West Coast. It is interesting to note that the Starbucks' Verismo system does not offer a Kenyan pod at this time. I've got more info on the different Grand Crus--just ask me; I'll keep an eye on this review.You don't give up any flavor by using the convenience of a Grand Cru capsule. And don't think that the capsules "cost too much": You want great coffee? You're going to have to pay for it. Amen. It doesn't matter if you grind your own or buy it in capsule form. In fact, I pay more cup-for-cup when I grind my own.Two other things: Nespresso augments their 16 regular blends with a special, limited-time-only blend about three times a year. And it is very, very easy to buy the capsules. They are available online at nespresso.com. The ordering process is simple, the product is always fresh, customer service efficient and pleasant, and shipment is quick, quick.If someone tells me the Nespresso capsules do not produce the "best espresso you'll ever have", I ask them where to get a better one: If they're being completely honest, the answer will not be "I get a better espresso at home", not unless that person is an expert with a very expensive machine.One last thought on the capsules: The jewel-toned, aluminum capsules are a visual treat. The capsules are like little gems, little bon-bons. They are truly beautiful to look at. While it is surely not the most important point to be made about the 16 Grand Cru, I always like to remember to use all my senses when drinking coffee.
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful.
By Laura
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3IFHGR13AW7AG This is my first attempt at a video review so please be forgiving!This is for the Nespresso U D50 Espresso Maker bundled with the Aeroccino Milk Frother. This machine is not only small, sleek, and classy looking, it is fast, and I am surprised at how good the coffee is. I'm certainly not an espresso expert and prefer my espresso in cappuccino form with foamy half & half so I can't speak to the quality of taste of the plain espresso, but the cappuccinos are excellent and easy to make.The minimal controls are smartly designed, one slider and three touch controls to choose the size of your drink. The touch controls also are used for different programming functions such as to change the amount of minutes of the timer that automatically turns the machine off, or if you want to program more water to be released for a specific setting....you can even release more water "on the fly" by touching a control right when the flow stops, then touching it again to stop the flow. Instructions in the manual are clear, easy to follow and supported with pictures. The tall, slim water container can be rotated to either side of the unit, or left in the back. To heat the machine I have been doing only one run-through on the Ristretto (25ml/.84oz) setting and am happy with the temperature of the subsequent drink. I saw that some are having a problem with the espresso not being hot enough but I have not experienced that with mine. When finished, the capsule drops into a container/tray that easily slides out to empty. Under that is an overflow tray which needs to be emptied around the same time the capsules are emptied, I would estimate around every 4 or so capsules, but it may accommodate more. Sounds like a pain but it isn't, both containers slide out easily and fit together as a unit but separate to empty.I appreciate that Nespresso included 16 capsules, one of each different kind, Grand Crus they call them, so you can try all of them. (EDIT) I wrongly assumed that since a few of my local stores sold this machine they logically would also sell the capsules. I went to one retailer today (10/30) and the person who helped me explained that they are only available directly from the Nespresso site as they actually fill the capsules right before shipping them to you so that the coffee is as fresh as possible. They are available from some sellers here but are more expensive than ordering them from Nespresso.The milk frother makes consistently dense foam using the heated setting. I tried the cold setting and did not get the same volume of foam but maybe that is because I used the max fill level for cold milk which was about twice the amount of the hot setting; I will have to experiment more with that. I was pleased at how easy to clean it is, you simply pull out the magnetized frother ring to clear the space for cleaning.
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful.
By Peter B. Nelson
OVERVIEW: As a long-time coffee snob I couldn't miss the chance to smackdown these upstart espresso wannabees. Well, more fool me. I was no match for the charms of little miss Pixie; this cheeky wench promptly staked a claim on my valuable counter space, right under the wings of old matron Silvia.BACKGROUND: I've had a Rancilio Silvia V1 for over a decade. Years ago I made the popular PID modification: a computerized thermostat for superior temperature control. I've replaced the boiler, twice, and the steam valve. I've upgraded its over-pressure valve and tuned it for optimum steam pressure. I don't just grind my own beans, I buy fair-trade single-origin 20 pound bulk bags and roast to perfection on a homemade roaster. I make at least four lattes a day, and grind through a pound of coffee a week. To be sure, the PID'ed Silvia is hardly the Rolls Royce of espresso machines, but it is the Toyota Camry: a tried and true performer; a middle-of-the road favorite. The Nespresso is the new Smart Fortwo: affordable, stylish, leading edge, versatile and fun. Sure, they'll both get you where you want to go, but they're not really in the same market niche.I've been wanting to give the Nespresso a workout for a couple years, and when Amazon Vine gave me a chance to review not one, but two models, I jumped. They are: the Nespresso Pixie (C60) and the Nespresso U (D50), both with the Aeroccino Plus milk frother. To which I added the Coffeeduck refillable capsules. What follows is a comparison of all of the above versus my old standby, Silvia.SUMMARY: For a quick and tasty single shot of espresso or small cappuccino the Aeroccino frother with the Nespresso U and Pixie do a consistently good job. Compared to my Silvia, well, I've made many worse cups over the years, much worse, but, after a decade of mods and mastering technique, these days I usually make better.INTRODUCTION: To start with, let me say that the Pixie and U model ranges are not Nespresso's top-of-the-line but closer to introductory level. Their least to most expensive model ranges are as follows: essenza, U, PIXIE, citiz, lattissima and maestria. As to temperatures, warmup times, and taste, I couldn't detect a significant difference between the U and the Pixie models, so contrasting them comes down to aesthetics and ergonomics. If I write "the Nespresso" I mean either the U or Pixie models, interchangeably. Also, when I write "cup of coffee" versus "espresso" I'm merely referring to the volume of water pushed through the pod, though a purist would rightly distinguish between a Cafe Americano and a ridiculously over-extracted espresso. Temperatures were taken with my Extech 22-816 digital multi-meter, and weights were taken with a Philips HR2394 kitchen scale. What follows is a particularly long, perhaps overlong, review. If you couldn't care less for technical comparisons, ancillary diversions, personal opinions and supplemental recipes skip to the succinct conclusion at the end.TEMPERATURE: Some people complain Nespresso temperatures are too low, and regarding a cup of coffee it's a fair criticism; though regarding a shot of espresso it's wrong. A shot of espresso was usually around 175° degrees Fahrenheit (though it could range from 165° to 180° - more on that later), but a cup of coffee only reached around 155°. In comparison, my Silvia's espresso temperature was around 165°, but as I can set the Silvia's PID to any arbitrary temperature, that's really only relevant as a way of saying the Nespressos are right in the ballpark for espresso. However, many people recommend coffee temperature at 155°-175°, so at 155° the Nespresso really is on the low side.VOLUME: Because a "normal" shot of espresso is called a "double", it is possible for marketing departments to do semantic gymnastics around the term "shot of espresso" with enough ambiguity to avoid a lawsuit. Without getting into a blizzard of definitions, let me simply assert that a single is 1oz, a double is 2oz, a triple 3oz, and what you would normally get if you ordered a shot from a barrista would be 2oz "double" shot of espresso. Now for some hard numbers:The Nespresso U had the following default shot volumes: small=0.75oz, medium=1.1oz, large=3.25oz.The Nespresso Pixie had these default shot volumes: small=1.55oz, and large=3.5oz (no medium button).I say "default" shot volumes because both models are easy to reprogram. And I eventually did so, practicing without a pod, until settling on 1oz single shots for the small button, and 4.5oz coffee cups for the large.Now, a cup of coffee is obviously larger than a shot of espresso, but even more so these days. My grandma's heirloom coffee cups, circa 1970, hold 5 ounces; the smallest for sale at Starbucks is 8 ounces; and my modern coffee mugs hold 11 ounces. The Nespresso reservoir is only 30oz, so you would get just three ten ounce cups of coffee from the entire reservoir. Be warned: temperature-wise, taste-wise and capacity-wise, using the Nespresso to make "cups of coffee" means making cups of coffee sized just right for Deputy Fife in the Mayberry Diner.ADVICE, TEMP. SURFING: Unfortunately, although the Nespresso machines do a good job of keeping the first few ounces hot, past 3 ounces temperature falls rapidly. As a practical matter, this doesn't affect me because I like the Nespresso for single shots (1oz) of espresso or small cups (4.5oz) of coffee. That gives espresso at 175° which is perfect, and coffee at 155° which is okay.Rancilio Silvia owners learn to their dismay all about temperature variability, which is why the PID is such a popular modification. But what we've learned can help Nespresso owners, too. The technique is known as "temperature surfing" and means operating the machine in a particular way so as to give consistent and optimum temperatures.For the Nespresso, my surfing advice is simple: always draw a large empty shot (3oz) of hot water into your cup before loading a pod and making the espresso or coffee (first tossing the hot water down the drain). This does two things. First of all, it heats the cup. Most of your expensive espresso machines have a warming tray above the boiler expressly for the purpose of keeping espresso cups hot; because a hot cup makes for better taste. The Nespresso doesn't have a warming tray, but by filling the cup with hot water you warm it up even more, plus by running a few ounces of hot water through the Nespresso you pre-heat its internal elements. My measurements consistently showed a 10° temperature increase from the first to second cups, following this technique. The first shot was typically 165° and the second was around 175°. On a couple of occasions I managed to get shots as high as 180°, but this was after dozens of consecutive pulls with hot water alone and not consistently repeatable: the fifth shot might be 180° but the sixth would be back to 175°. Eventually, after 30 minutes of experimentation the cartridge hatch on the Nespresso U model was too hot too touch, but the espresso temp. remained 175°.WARMUP TIME: Compared to Silvia, the Nespresso is a dream: just 30 seconds from powering on to drawing a warmup shot, after which it's as warm as it's realistically going to get. Silvia's vast bulk takes at least 10 minutes to get cosy, but preferably closer to 30. As a practical matter, I turn her on when I wake up in the morning - half an hour later she's ready to give me lattes, but I still have to draw a warmup shot first. In the best case Nespresso's time from power-on to first shot of espresso is under 2 minutes; Silvia's: over 10. As a convenience factor, this should not be overlooked.QUANTITY OF COFFEE GROUNDS: This is where I have a legitimate criticism of the Nespresso. Perhaps criticism is too strong a word, more like demystification. In any case, the criticism isn't against the Nespresso so much, as the pods.Do a little research into the subject and you'll find that an espresso "single" is made with grounds weighing 7-8 grams/single shot, whereas cups of coffee are made with 14-16grams/liter (see Wikipedia articles on espresso and coffee_grounds). Probably not coincidentally my Philips kitchen scale tells me Nespresso pods contain 6-8 grams of coffee grounds (depending on the flavor).Translated into English that means each Nespresso pod contains the optimum quantity of grounds for a single shot (1oz) of espresso, or a 4.5oz cup of coffee.Compare Nespressos 6-8g of grounds to my Rancilio Silvia, for which I have three portafilter baskets with the following capacities: small=11g, medium=17g, large=22g. Most of the time I use my large triple basket and extract only double shot of espresso, which makes for a very rich shot.Not only does "coffee theory" tell us we should be making 1oz shots, or 4.5oz cups, with a Nespresso pod's 6-8g of grounds, but my taste buds do as well. Sticking with those smaller volumes the Nespresso shot flavor compares very favorably with what I get from home-roasted beans on a super-modified Silvia. But a 2.5oz espresso from Nespresso tastes over-extracted; and an 8oz cup of coffee tastes weak, not to mention lukewarm and bitter.Of course, taste is personal, and if you love triple lungo shots from your Nespresso, then more power to you. But before you judge, let me give you one bit of advice: try comparing one triple-shotted pod against three single-shotted pods (one pod against three) and see if the latter isn't astoundingly better.For around ten ounces of top notch espresso Silvia costs me about a dollar a day, about ten cents per (1oz single-sized) shot. With Nespresso pods at sixty cents per 1oz single-shot pod over the course of a year the difference comes to $1800 - enough to buy that Rolls Royce of espresso machines, or at least the Mercedes Benz. Of course, the reality is I would never spend that much, I'd just over-extract the pods and suffer with worse coffee. One can't helping thinking of the ink-jet printer: manufacturers practically giving them away then selling ink for more than its weight in gold.COFFEEDUCK PODS. One way people save money is pod adapters that can be filled at home, and I've tried the black Coffeeduck brand at seven dollars each (for the Nespresso Pixie be sure to get the black ones). The breakeven point is about 15 shots, but I'm not sure they'll last.Be warned, the Coffeeduck pod adapters won't work with the Nespresso U or any other automatic model - only the manual models like the Nespresso Pixie. Not only do the Coffeeduck directions explicitly state this, but I mistakenly tried it before reading the fine print and they're not kidding: for one terrifying moment I thought I had ruined the Nespresso U. It's one reason to prefer the Pixie.Getting the right grind with these is tricky. My Rancilio Rocky grinder must be set eight notches coarser than what I use for Silvia. I fill to the top, tamp with my finger, top off the grounds and finger-tamp again. I don't know how one would use these without an expensive espresso grinder, but since I do have one they let me fill my own pods for about twelve cents apiece. A considerable savings over sixty. The tradeoff is what you might imagine: time and mess from finger-tamping powdery dry grounds, then cleaning out the hot, wet, sticky grounds with a toothbrush. Still, saving fifty cents a pop, more or less, is nothing to sneeze at.The espresso quality is top notch, every bit as good as Nespresso's Pods as long as I grind fresh and brew immediately. There is no advantage in pre-filling a bunch of them, as they go stale in less than a day just like any espresso grounds. This is one area where the Nespresso pods have a real advantage. With their airtight seal and special gases they keep fresh for, as far as I know, forever.MILK FROTHING. First off, let me say that I absolutely adore the Aeroccino frother, and I wouldn't even consider buying a Nespresso without one. The simple reason is hot chocolate. Oh, and it's good for coffee-based milk drinks, too.Using the Aeroccino is simplicity itself. Pour in ½ cup of 47° milk, press the button, and 60 seconds later it stops itself - now pour out frothy 145° milk for your cappuccino. Pour in 1 full cup of 47° milk, press the button, and 120 seconds later you have frothy 145° milk for your latte. Cleanup is 53 seconds with hot water rinse and a paper towel wipe.Now, those are good numbers, but, in a head-to-head face-off, the Silvia really shines in this department. Unfortunately, before it shines it has to warmup. First give it 60 seconds to heat up from espresso stage to steamer stage. At that point ½ cup of 47° milk heats to 160° in a mere 30 seconds. Meaning that on the first ½ cup Silvia is 30 seconds slower than the Aeroccino but 15° hotter. Thereafter no reheat time is required, and Silvia heats twice as fast as the Aeroccino, or given the same amount of time, heats 30° warmer. Even better, if I don't care about getting the world's best micro-foam I can put a two-cup pitcher of cold milk under the Silvia and walk away, returning several minutes later to a full pint of hot, slightly frothy milk for multiple lattes. Silvia's 115 second cleanup time is twice as long as the Aeroccino's 53 seconds.Where I expected the Aeroccino to fall short is in making quality microfoam, and to a certain extent I right to worry, but it's not as bad as I feared. If you stick with only ½ cup of milk you can use the larger of the two Aeroccino paddles (the unused one stores conveniently on the underside of the lid) and it gives decent foam. By the way, they aren't kidding when they say not to use the large paddle with 1 full cup of milk - I tried, and got milk all over the place, like putting too much soap in the clothes washer. Anyway, the larger paddle makes for a nice quantity of froth. It's not exactly microfoam (look it up on Wikipedia), but it's not bad. Needless to say, I can get perfect microfoam from Silvia, but to get it I have to stand there nursing the pitcher, and to be honest I don't usually bother.COCOA. This is the Aeroccino's forte. I've been looking for something like this for years, and The Aeroccino does it. The secret is powered sugar. Nothing could be simpler. Secure the small paddle in the Aeroccino cup. Pour 1 full cup of cold milk into it. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of cocoa power (I've tried Hershey's, Nestle's and Ghiradelli's). Add 1 heaping tablespoon of powdered sugar. Press the button and wait for it to finish. Two minutes later you will have a perfect, unrivalled, sublime cup of hot cocoa. Pour into a drinking mug. Add a dash of vanilla, a sprinkle of cinnamon, a dollop of whipped cream or all three. If you think it's too sweet or too chocolatey, experiment with a half-teaspoon more or less of cocoa or powdered sugar, to taste, until you reach nirvana.After heating and frothing the cocoa might form a film on the bottom of the Aeroccino, and if you don't wipe it out with a wet paper towel before making another cup the Aeroccino might overheat, flashing red. When this happens you can sometimes ignore it, taking the Aeroccino off its base, putting it back on, and pressing the button again, repeating as necessary until it's hot enough to drink. To avoid this altogether just make sure to wipe away any cocoa film from the Aeroccino before making a second cup.If you use granulated sugar instead of powered sugar, then about 50% of the time the small paddle will pop off the nipple inside the Aeroccino. This is because the granulated sugar falls to the bottom of the cup and interferes with the paddle's rotation before dissolving. If this happens you will see the milk stop spinning in a whirlpool and you should press the button to turn off the Aeroccino. I won't tell you to reach in and reseat the paddle with your fingers in case its too hot, but when I've done that I haven't been burned. The paddle won't fall off twice because by that time the granulated sugar will have dissolved. To avoid this, don't add the granulated sugar at first with the cocoa, but wait until the Aeroccino has finished heating and frothing. Or just use powered sugar and forget about it.The practical upshot of this is that I now drink a cup of hot cocoa every day instead of only once a month. I make it for the kids whenever they want instead of only as a very special treat. There simply isn't any comparison to "instant cocoa" mix, whether it be Nestle Quick, Swiss Miss, or whatever. Those substitutes pale in comparison to the genuine article, as every hot chocolate connoisseur knows. In short, if there's a better way than the Aeroccino to make hot cocoa, I'd like to know what it is.ERGONOMICS. It's here where the only real differences appear between the Nespresso Pixie versus Nespresso U. Compared to those two, Silvia is a beast. And when you add in the size of the Silvia's coffee grinder (the Rocky) along with the necessary tray for catching loose grounds, it's safe to say the Silvia easily consumes five times as much counter space as the Nespresso on its worst day. That said, see my uploaded photograph of the various machines, which is the best way to get an impression of their relative sizes.As far as appearance goes, you know what you prefer, but for maintenance I like the smooth surface of the U versus the ridges on the Pixie. The ridges in the Pixie tend to collect coffee and milk splatters and need a meticulous scrubbing with towel or sponge to clean. Whereas the U simply wipes clean. Also, the U cleverly uses magnets to hold the cup base in place, allowing you to remove it entirely if desired. Also, the U has the delightful ability to rotate the water reservoir off to either side or directly behind, letting you customize it to your space. Both the U and the Pixie have a place underneath for storing excess power cord.Unfortunately for the U, I was much less pleased with its "automatic" pod handling. First of all, whenever the pod latch was opened the U eventually pumped hot water. Whether or not any pod was inserted. And not necessarily right away, but when the machine has warmed up, which might take 35 seconds. More than once I was startled by scalding hot water suddenly running out of the spout when my back was turned, because I had plugged it in, fiddled with the latch to see if anything was happening, wondered if it was, decided it wasn't, and forgot about it until whoops! better find a cup.Also, against the U, it had a considerable amount of leakage into the drip tray on every shot: 13ml, to be precise. And as the overflow cup is only 260ml that means after 20 shots your overflow cup overfloweth. It made quite a mess before I worked that out. The Pixie doesn't have that problem, leaking perhaps 1ml per shot.Worse, the automatic pod loader on the U jams up when trying to use the Coffeeduck adapter pods. Coffeeduck warns you about this, but I didn't read the fine print and tried it anyway, and it jammed. Because the U doesn't have a manual open, I wasn't sure how I was going to get the old pod out as I couldn't open the hatch, jiggling it with increasing desperation it finally broke free. Then, just to be sure, I did the same all over again - with the same result. In contrast, the Pixie is easy to open and when a Coffeeduck gets occasionally stuck a simple flick of the fingernail will break it loose. Considering that "automatic loading" just means not having to pull a simple lever, it's hard to understand why you'd want it. Mainly for aesthetics, I think, to get rid of the lever. But I'm a guy - I like levers.AMERICANO VS. LONG BLACK. There are two ways to get a Mayberry sized 4.5oz "cup of coffee" from the Nespresso: the obvious way and the better way. The obvious way is to program your large button for 4.5 ounces, stick in a pod, hit it, and drink what comes out. It tastes exactly like you'd expect from pushing 4.5oz of (under-heated) steam through 1oz worth of espresso grounds: over-extracted, weak and bitter espresso.Fortunately there's a better way: it's called "The Americano", and it's the way Silvia has always made cups of coffee for my many beloved ancestors who haven't yet cottoned on to these Frou-Frou lattes and expressos (sic). An Americano, for those who don't know, is just a shot of espresso with enough hot water to make a full cup. It's surprisingly good. The Long Black is even better, and is made in the reverse order by adding the shot of espresso to the hot water, preserving more crema.To make a Long Black with the Nespresso is simplicity itself. Just program your small button for 1oz and your large for 3.5oz. After warming up the machine and your glass pour 3.5oz hot water into your cup by pressing the large button with no pod loaded. Then load the pod, wait 15 seconds, and press the small button to add a great single shot (1oz) of espresso to the hot water. Voila, a Long Black.Earlier today I did a side-by-side comparison of a 4.5oz Long Black made on the Pixie (1oz espresso shot added to 3.5oz hot water) versus a simple 4.5oz shot through a single pod. As expected, the Long Black was smoother and sweeter. In exchange for a slight decrease in "strength" there is a large decrease in bitterness. If a stronger cup is desired, I'd suggest trying a Long Black made from 5oz water and two single shots (2x1oz) of espresso.CONCLUSION. I'm a coffee snob who's spent countless hours roasting his own beans and nursing great espresso out of his (relatively) expensive and finicky Rancilio Silvia. I really wanted to hate the Nespresso, but I just couldn't. As long as one respects the limits imposed by a mere 7grams of coffee grounds per pod, the Nespresso U and Pixie machines are fine espresso makers. I got both to review and between them decided to keep the Pixie mostly because of its compatibility with the money-saving Coffeeduck adapter pods. The Nespresso's quick warmup time lets my non-coffee-snob wife make herself a quick pick-me-up, something she wasn't willing to do with slow and fussy Silvia. On the downside, respecting limits means pushing no more than 1oz of water through the pod: a "single" shot of espresso, perhaps added to no more than 3.5oz of hot water if making a "long black" cup of coffee. As long as one makes a pod-less warmup shot first, 1oz espresso shots are perfectly hot at 175°; and 4.5oz cups of coffee are acceptably hot at 155°. The Aeroccino makes quick work of foaming ½ cup milk for a cappuccino, and it does a fantastic job of making 1 full cup of hot cocoa - add in the package discount and I would never consider buying a Nespresso without an Aeroccino. Price-wise, the Nespresso package costs well under 1/3rd of my Rancilio Silvia/Rocky combo, but taste-wise they aren't that far apart. On the other hand, the pods are considerably more expensive than raw beans so years from now you may wish you'd saved your quarters and gotten a high-end espresso machine to begin with.
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