Original suits anyone who drinks espresso, short blacks or milk coffees built on a shot, and anyone who wants to buy pods from the supermarket: dozens of brands make Original-compatible capsules for well under a dollar. Vertuo suits anyone who drinks large, long coffees by the mug and is happy to buy Nespresso's own capsules.
The two systems don't share capsules, so this is a decision you make once. The machines are similar money; the running cost and the kind of coffee they make are not.
Nespresso Original
The 19-bar pump system Nespresso launched with. Capsules are the small aluminium cups, two sizes in the cup (espresso 40ml, lungo 110ml), and every supermarket sells compatible pods from other brands. Current machines run from the Essenza Mini around $160 to the Creatista Pro around $1,000. The CitiZ pictured is the mid-range model, with 4.6 stars from more than 1,000 reviews at The Good Guys.
Long blacks and mug coffees mean adding hot water; the system makes shots.
What We Like:
- Third-party capsules everywhere
- Real espresso-style shot
- Machines from around $160
What We Don't Like:
- Long drinks need topping up
Nespresso Vertuo
Vertuo capsules are domed, carry a barcode the machine reads, and spin at up to 7,000rpm (Centrifusion) instead of using a pump. Sizes run from a 40ml espresso to a 230ml mug, and up to 414ml on some machines. Machines run from the Vertuo Pop around $180 to the Vertuo Creatista around $900. The Pop pictured has 4.6 stars from about 45 reviews at The Good Guys.
Capsules come only from Nespresso and a small number of licensed partners, and they cost more per cup than Original pods.
What We Like:
- Mug-sized coffee in one press
- Barcode sets each capsule's brew
- Thick crema
What We Don't Like:
- Nespresso-only capsules at a higher price
Side by side
| Original | Vertuo | |
|---|---|---|
| Extraction | 19-bar pump | Centrifusion, spins the capsule |
| Cup sizes | Espresso 40ml, lungo 110ml | 40ml to 230ml on most, 414ml on some |
| Capsule brands | Nespresso plus dozens of third parties | Nespresso and a few licensed brands |
| Typical capsule price | Under $1 for third-party, about $1 for Nespresso | About $1.20 to $1.60 |
| Cheapest machine | Essenza Mini $150–200 | Vertuo Pop $150–200 |
| Milk machines | Lattissima, Creatista | Vertuo Lattissima, Vertuo Creatista |
| Heat-up | 25 seconds | 30 seconds (3 seconds on Vertuo Up) |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years |
What actually differs
What comes out. Original makes an espresso shot with the body and crema of a pump machine. Vertuo makes a longer, smoother coffee closer to a café long black or a filter coffee, with a thick foamy crema that some people love and some find odd on a black coffee.
What it costs to run. This is the biggest long-term difference. At two cups a day, the gap between a 70-cent supermarket Original pod and a $1.40 Vertuo capsule is around $500 a year.
Where you buy capsules. Original pods are in every supermarket. Vertuo capsules come from Nespresso's site, its boutiques and a few retailers.
Milk. Both systems have machines with built-in milk (Lattissima, Creatista) and both bundle an Aeroccino frother with cheaper models. The Creatista machines on Original have a real steam wand; the Vertuo Creatista does too.
If Original is the answer, the choice of machine is covered in Essenza Mini vs Pixie vs CitiZ. If Vertuo, it's Pop vs Next vs Up.
FAQs
Can I use Original capsules in a Vertuo machine?
No. The capsules are different shapes and Vertuo reads a barcode Original pods don't have. Neither system takes the other's capsules.
Is Vertuo coffee stronger?
Vertuo capsules hold more coffee for the larger cup sizes, so a mug tastes like a proper coffee rather than a diluted shot. Cup for cup at espresso size, Original tastes more like espresso.
Is Nespresso discontinuing Original?
No. Nespresso sells both systems and released new Original machines in 2025. Vertuo is where its marketing money goes, which is a different thing.
