Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus: Specifications
Cup capacity: Ristretto, espresso, lung
Size: 15.7 x 18.7 x 8.9 inches
Libra: 11.4 lbs / 5.2 kg
Pod type: Original line
Automatic capsule detection: NO
Centrifuge brewing: NO
Removable water tank: Yes
Milk frother: Yes
Strength settings: NO
Iced coffee: NO
Nespresso is known for providing a convenient capsule coffee system that delivers coffee with minimal mess and hassle. While many Nespresso machines offer constrained functionality, the Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus has several useful features—features that make it worthy of being called one of the best Nespresso machines.
It’s one of the most exorbitant Nespresso machines you can buy, but its automatic steam wand and barista-style drinks menu make it simple to create your favorite coffee shops. It accepts the widely available Nespresso Original capsules and comes with a stainless steel jug for your choice of milk.
Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus Review: Price and Availability
The Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus will cost $649.95 direct from Breville. In the UK, it’s known as the Sage Nespresso Creatista plus and costs £499.95 from Sage. While that price is outrageously high for a Nespresso coffee machine, it’s not the brand’s most exorbitant model. And if you prefer a version with more bells and whistles, you can upgrade to the Creatista Pro for a more advanced design.
Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus Review: Design
The design shows great attention to detail. For example, the sturdy, barista-style steam wand has a loop at the top that makes it simple to tip forward with one finger. This allows it to be placed in a jug that you simply place on the drip tray. The jug rests on a temperature sensor, which allows the machine to automatically heat and froth the milk to the desired temperature. Overall, it’s very clever and hassle-free.
The coffee spout is high enough to accommodate a high 5 ½ inch/14 cm cup underneath. However, to prevent coffee from splashing when using smaller espresso cups, there’s a handy pull-out cup rest above it. Simply press to extend it, then pull it out all the way. Above it is the used capsule container, which also opens using the same push-and-pull mechanism.
At the back of the coffee maker, you’ll find a enormous, removable, lockable 50-ounce/1.5-liter water tank. Like the steam wand, it has a uncomplicated but effective finger loop, making it simple to grab. It’s made of clear plastic, so you can easily check the water level at a glance, and it also has min and max water level markings. Although they’re not as obvious until you get up close.
On the top of the machine, there’s a sturdy lift-up lever for inserting capsules, and next to it are the display, button, and dial. The dial lets you scroll through brewing options like ristretto, espresso, lungo, cappuccino, flat white, latte, and macchiato. You can also choose to froth the milk only, as well as the auto-cleaning functions and settings.
The coffee volume is adjustable, as are the milk temperature and foam level. These adjustable settings, combined with the barista-style steam wand, mean this is as close as you can get to the extra control of a manual espresso machine, while still maintaining the convenience and ease of exploit of a Nespresso machine.
Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus Review: Performance
Just five seconds after switching on, the machine is ready to brew coffee. Pouring an espresso takes about 25 seconds and the crema is better than other Nespresso machines, but thinner and weaker than with best coffee machineswhat is worth remembering.
The espresso temperature reaches 147°F, which is within the range that a Nespresso machine typically reaches. In terms of noise, the first part of the brewing process is the loudest, reaching 80 decibels on my noise meter for a few seconds, but it quickly drops to a more comfortable level.
Energy consumption is impressive – brewing an espresso uses an average of 0.005 kWh of electricity. This is similar to other Nespresso machines, but the initial warm-up stage usually increases energy consumption. The incredibly compact five-second warm-up time of this machine adds nothing to its total electricity consumption.
For Nespresso machines that take Original capsules, there is no double espresso option. You can only buy ristretto, espresso or lungo capsules. Lungo is longer than a double espresso, at 1.35 ounces/110 ml, but in this machine it is not a long coffee at all. Lungo pours in 35-40 seconds and is slightly hotter than espresso, at around 161°F.
Considering it’s fully automatic, the steam wand does a fantastic job of creating barista-quality microfoam. The duration will depend on the amount of milk you add, but as a guide, it takes around 60 seconds to froth enough milk for one cappuccino, meaning the entire drink takes one minute and 30 seconds.
The milk frothing starts out deafening, reaching 86 decibels on my noise meter, but it’s only deafening for a compact period of time. The milk temperature is adjustable, with 11 possible temperatures to choose from. I left it at the factory setting, frothing to about 170°F. There are also eight texture (amount of foam) levels, giving you plenty of options to personalize your drink.
Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus Coffee Machine Review: Ease of Apply and Cleaning
As with all Nespresso machines, the capsule coffee system means that dispensing coffee is hassle-free. And despite offering a range of drink options, the automatic frothing nozzle makes creating your favourite drink super simple. Simply place a jug of milk on the drip tray and let it do the work – no barista skills required. What’s more, the display allows for simple and intuitive customisation to a degree that is rarely possible with a Nespresso machine.
The capsule container has enough space for about 12 used capsules, and its position at the front of the machine makes it simple to access for emptying. Used capsules automatically fall into the container when you open the lever to add a modern capsule.
One feature I love is the automatic steam wand cleaning. It detects when you remove the jug of warm milk and automatically dispenses warm water into the drip tray to immaculate any milk residue that may have collected inside the wand.
You do have to manually wipe down the outside of the steam wand, though, and cleaning it does mean the drip tray fills up quickly and needs regular emptying and rinsing, but that’s pretty straightforward. All the other removable parts can be hand washed.
I found the exterior of the device to be prone to fingerprints and coffee stains, so you’ll need to wipe and polish it regularly to keep it looking pristine. It’s worth noting, though, that color options other than stainless steel may require less polishing on the sides.
To descale your coffee machine, simply select the descaling option in the menu. Instead of reaching for the manual and following the instructions, the screen will guide you through adding the descaling solution. Before you run the program, you’ll need to place a container under the spout, but it really couldn’t be simpler. The machine also tells you when it’s time to descale.
What’s more, it will guide you through the process of cleaning the steam nozzle by disassembling it.
Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus Review: Verdict
This is a fantastic coffee machine if you’re looking for a Nespresso machine that can do more than your average model. The easy-to-use screen and uncomplicated, customisable settings give you the ability to personalise your drinks. Plus, the barista-style steam wand automatically creates perfectly textured milk and is more real than the standard integrated milk frothers you get on most other Nespresso machines. What’s more, you can even try latte art with a jug of perfectly textured warm milk if you fancy it!
While it is sturdy and simple to exploit, the downside is that it is very exorbitant. And the coffee flavor and crema it can produce from Nespresso capsules cannot compare to the quality you will get from a coffee machine using freshly ground coffee. That said, it is hassle-free, mess-free and you do not need any barista skills. Simply put, if you are looking for a Nespresso machine, this is one of the best you can buy.
