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If you’re after the original Nespresso experience with the convenience of pod coffee, the Nespresso Atelier is the machine for you.

It offers a familiar look if you’re used to the styling of Nespresso’s other pod machines as it’s got a deep yet narrow frame, although key differences, including nine recipe buttons on the top, signal the types of drink it can make. This is a machine capable of dealing with regular Nespresso coffee – lungo, espresso, and ristretto – as well as hot drinks in the form of hot foam, latte macchiato, cappuccino and mocha, and if you want it to, the Atelier can also make cold drinks – both cold foam and iced frappes are available there.

The ability to make such a vast selection of drinks comes by the fact the Atelier features a milk frother with the machine’s magnetically attached whisk. The ability to get the drinks right isn’t as a result of the fact this machine is able to froth milk in the cup you’re using, but in the quantity of milk you use. To make sure to get it right, you need to either use Nespresso’s own View glasses or mugs that have a 7cm opening and can fit a minimum of 80ml of milk, and that quantity of milk shouldn’t exceed the halfway point of the mug. While it may sound scientific, once you get the right glasses, using the Atelier is easy with coffee only a button press away.

In addition, the 1-litre water tank will allow you to make multiple drinks before it needs refilling and simply lifts out of the machine when you need it.

Nespresso machines offer an excellent variety of pods, whether you want to go for smaller espresso-style drinks, or the longer Lungo variety. Regardless of which type you go for, the Atelier makes an amazing cup of coffee with a brilliant flavour that rivals more advanced bean-to-cup style machines. The coffee it makes hot, with a measured temperature of 67.9ºC, but still towards the upper limit of what a good espresso should. The milk frothing here is also remarkably consistent with the combo of steam and whisking helping the Atelier along nicely; milk came out with a wonderful velvety texture in a cappuccino which tasted great.

The main benefit of Nespresso machines is the wide range of pods available, both in traditional espresso volumes and the Lungo longer-drink variety. It’s the quality of the brew that counts, and a Nespresso machine is capable of producing a quality shot of espresso, one that can rival what you’d get with actual coffee beans and a manual machine.

In terms of its maintenance, the Atelier largely takes care of itself and there isn’t much to do. Its used capsules drop into a bin, and as they tend to be a little wet, as well as emptying the used capsules (and recycling them via Nespresso’s free scheme), it’s worth cleaning out the bin and drip tray to keep things dry. The Atelier also features a light to tell you when the machine needs descaling, which is handy, so you can keep it in the best working order possible.

Reviewer: David Ludlow

Full review: Nespresso Atelier review