Nespresso Lattissima Touch Review
There is a time and place for pod coffee machines. That time is normally on a weekday morning when you’ve overslept and have to get the kids dressed and to school before then miraculously transforming yourself from a bleary-eyed zombie to a functioning member of the workforce – and for that you are absolutely going to need caffeine.
(Sometimes, as a writer, you can inadvertently reveal a little too much about your life, and your inadequacies in your work…)
Anyway, my point is that often you will need decent coffee made quickly, which is exactly what a pod coffee machine can provide.
Picking the right one is another problem altogether though – the market has exploded over the last few years with so many options now available. But don’t worry – we’re here to help guide into making the right choice when it comes to pod coffee machines.
In this article we will be taking an in-depth look at the Nespresso Lattissima Touch from De’Longhi. This represents one of the higher price options for a coffee pod machine – so what we are looking for is one of the best on the market. Let’s see how it performs in our comprehensive Nespresso Lattissima Touch review.
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Lattissima Touch Specifications
As you would expect, this machine appears to be capable of doing everything you could possibly want to do with your coffee pods. With a whopping six drink settings (Ristretto, Espresso, Lungo, Cappuccino, Latte Macchiato and warm milk froth – each with their own button), you can make pretty much whatever drink you would normally order from a coffee shop – and without paying a small fortune. The adjustable milk froth knob as well means that you really do have complete control over your drink.
With a 0.9 litre water tank you will have plenty of water so that you won’t need to keep refilling it every day, although this is a pretty standard size throughout the market. The 0.35 litre milk carafe is also big enough to satisfy all of your needs, but with the added bonus that it is fully removable and so you can store it in the fridge when you are not using it – perfect for keeping your milk at the perfect temperature and avoiding waste.
As with all Nespresso machines, this comes with a 19 bar water pump – this is key to getting a good crema on top of your espressos. The heat function on this is also better than most, being able to fully heat up to the perfect temperature within 25 seconds.
While not being the most glamorous selling points, the intuitive descaling function means that you can program it to work around the hardness of your water (if you aren’t sure how hard your water is, you can find it very easily with a quick search on your preferred search engine). This means your coffee will continue to taste great for longer, without having to do the descaling yourself.
Measuring 17 x 32 x 25.8 cm, this is quite a compact little machine, even for a pod machine, and comes in a convenient box-shape. It will fit nicely on the worktop in most kitchens without taking up too much space.
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What It’s Like To Use
The six-button, one touch settings mean that this machine is incredibly easy to use. Actually, I should clarify: The six-button, one touch settings mean that this machine is incredibly easy to use once you have learned what the six symbols mean. It doesn’t take a genius to work out, but you will find that you need to consult the manual the first few times you use it and when you are experimenting with different drinks.
The integrated milk frother means that making milky coffees (cappuccinos and latte macchiatos etc) is a really straightforward process. You just fill the milk container with milk (we find that skimmed or semi skimmed works best) – no need to measure out the exact amount, just put plenty in.
From there, you simply reattach the container to the machine and wait just 15 seconds for the milk to heat up. In the meantime you can position your cup and aim the milk spout into it before adjusting the milk froth knob to your desired milk texture (you’ll want minimum milk froth texture for a cappuccino and maximum for a latte macchiato, but part of the fun is experimenting with it).
Next, you simply insert your Nespresso-compatible coffee pod and press the button that correlates to your drink of choice – the machine takes care of everything from there! Your drink will be ready in a matter of seconds. With the automatic turn off feature, you don’t even need to worry about turning the machine off after you’ve finished using it!
We tried it with a number of ‘alternative’ milks (almond/soy etc) and found that it produced fantastic results every time. The milk frother really is a high-end piece of kit.
After every time you use the milk frother, a small ‘clean’ light comes on. I think I’ve been conditioned to let out a little sigh at the thought of cleaning (a hangover from my student days), but this is just a way of the machine highlighting another one of its cool little features.
In order to rinse the milk spout, you simply place a cup below it and hold down on the ‘clean button’ for, according to the manual “approximately 16 seconds” – cleverly assuring that they don’t receive complaints from all those people that have somewhere to be in 17 seconds. In all seriousness though, it really is so quick and simple to ensure that you keep a clean and safe machine.
They recommend that you clean the rest of the milk compartment every couple of days (sensible advice when milk is involved) but again, you don’t need to worry, or even sigh, because all of the parts are detachable and dishwasher safe. Again, a very easy process.
Obviously if you just fancy an espresso or ristretto, the process is even simpler – just pop the pod in the compartment, place your cup underneath and press the button. You’ll have your drink in seconds.
A quick word on the pods themselves: If you haven’t had a Nespresso machine before, you may not be aware of quite how many compatible pods that there are on the market. It’s a lot! And they range from supermarket own-brand to ‘gourmet’ pods that cost more than a coffee in a coffee shop would! Which ones you go for will have a huge bearing on your experience with this (or any other) machine, so please bear this in mind when you purchase a machine.
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Nespresso Lattissima Touch Taste Test
This is what it all comes down to, right? It’s all very well being easy to use and with loads of settings, but if it doesn’t make a decent cup of coffee, it’s all pretty irrelevant.
Well, I bring good news! You can get fantastic results with this machine, no matter what your drink of choice is.
As I mentioned above, the quality of the actual coffee will largely depend on which pods you use. While the 19 bar water pump does produce excellent results, it is pretty standard for a pod machine and, for the money you will pay for this machine, it is the least you should expect.
Where this machine really separates itself, however, is with the milk frother.
It’s the consistency of the results that impressed us the most. Having been used to using a machine with a frother separate to the coffee dispenser, I am tasked with both the timing of adding the milk (not as easy as it sounds) and the amount that I add. If I’m in a rush, or simply a bit distracted by the chaos that surrounds me in the morning, I can easily get this wrong.
The real beauty of the Lattissima Touch is that all of that is taken care of for you. You can get the milk container straight out of the fridge, pop it on the machine, put in your pod and press one button – that’s it and your drink is ready in seconds. On top of that, it will taste exactly how you like it, because you have already got the settings calibrated to your preferences.
There really is nothing like a milky coffee made with fresh milk. Not many machines available on the market can compete with the results you get here – and this machine looks fantastic too.
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Verdict
As you have probably already gathered, we are big fans of the Nespresso Lattissima Touch.
I began this article by highlighting how pod coffee machines held a place in our lives for the busy mornings when you have a million-and-one things to do. Well this machine is so easy to use that it is the perfect solution to those situations.
While this is one of the more expensive products available, I fully believe the expense is justified. The results are fantastic, and you can tinker with it so that you can get the exact cup of coffee that you want. I really believe that you will end up saving you money in the long run as you’ll be going to the huge coffee chains much less once you can make better coffee at home.
I will say, though, that if your go-to drink is a simple black coffee, then there are plenty of other machines that can produce just as good cups that won’t cost you anywhere near as much as this one. However, if you like any type of milky coffee, then this is a wonderful option for you to consider. I am near certain that you will be delighted with the results.