Sitting in your favorite coffee shop is a great time. But sometimes you just want to make your own espressos, largos and other coffee drinks at home. In order to get a café-quality cup of Joe (or something far fancier) at home, you’ll need a great home machine.
Nespresso is an industry leader in home espresso machines. You’ll get a delicious cup of authentic coffee every time! There’s not a lot but price between the Nespresso Citiz vs Inissia. We prefer the Inissia for that reason but we review both below.
Quality and Design – Nespresso Citiz vs Inissia
Both the Citiz and Inissia are single cup machines capable of creating a variety of delicious drinks. Each machine has a 19-bar pressure pump. This produces the maximum amount of flavor from each coffee capsule.
Both the Citiz and Inissia are quick to deliver you a cup of coffee. The Inissia machine warms up and is ready to go in just 25 seconds. The Citiz takes between 25 and 30 seconds. These are some of the fastest warm-up times on the market.
Once the machine is running, you can make several cups of coffee quickly. The 24 fluid ounce tank on the Inissia unit can brew about 10 cups of coffee without needing to be refilled. The 34 fluid ounce tank of the Citiz can brew even more.
The Citiz is bigger than the Inissia. The Citiz is 14 1/2” by 5” by 11” high while the Inissia is 12 1/2″ by 4 3/4″ by 9” high. Both units are made with ABS plastic housing. Thermoblock technologies with stainless steel heating elements keep the temperatures precise throughout brewing.
Both units have a similar stylish, modern design. The Inissia has four color options: red, white, black and Titan (which is a light gray). The Citiz is only available in black. Still, the Citiz and the Inissia will fit right into just about any kitchen or office setting.
Our Verdict on Quality and Design
Nespresso is a Swiss company but they do outsource some of their manufacturing. The Citiz is made in China while the Inissia is made in Hungary. But Nespresso oversees the manufacturing process. In our tests, we found both machines were sturdy and well-built.
We give a slight edge to the Citiz. The Inissia has a plastic exterior, while the Citiz exterior is a combination of plastic and stainless steel. While the Inissia is certainly a solid product, the Citiz is just a bit more durable.
Functionality – Nespressso Citiz vs Inissia
All Nespresso machines use Nespresso coffee capsules. You simply flip open the top, insert a capsule and then close the top, which pierces the capsule. There are a wide variety of flavors and strengths of drinks available. Prices vary but you will generally only spend a dollar or two per cup.
Both units come with some capsules to help you get started. The Inissia has 16 included capsules. The Citiz has 10.
Do you have a favorite coffee mug that’s a bit on the large size? No problem – you can still use it. Just remove the drip tray. This frees up space to fill a travel mug, large glass or any other irregularly sized cup.
Cleaning is also a snap. Both the Citiz and the Inissia can be easily wiped with a damp cloth. You can use regular dish soap to hand-wash the water tank, capsule container and drip tray. Avoid harsh detergents or cleaners as this can affect the taste of the coffee.
Every six to eight months you’ll want to use Nespresso’s de-scaling cleanser. This removes all accumulated debris from within the machine. With the Citiz specifically, you’ll need to avoid cleaning with vinegar as it can interfere with the electronics.
Operating each unit is easy. The Citiz has two rubber buttons. This allows you to select between a single or double shot. The Inissia is even simpler. Insert a capsule and brewing starts automatically.
Our Verdict on Functionality
Before we deliver our verdict, we want to issue this disclaimer: the coffee from these machines is going to taste the same. Both units use the same capsules and the same brewing processes. In a blind taste test, you won’t be able to tell the difference between which cup was brewed in which machine.
We’ll give the edge here to the Inissia. This little dynamo fits anywhere, heats up quickly and is very intuitive to use. There’s nothing wrong with the Citiz by any means. We just prefer the simplicity and ease of the Inissia.
Value – Nespresso Citiz vs Inissia
The Citiz is a bit more expensive…
Of course, the initial price of the unit is only part of the overall cost. You’ll also need to buy capsules. You only want to use capsules made by Nespresso. Generic or off-brand capsules can wreak havoc on your machines – and the damage usually won’t be covered by your warranty.
While prices vary across locations, variety packs can be purchased relatively cheaply, and contain flavors such as Roma, Creamy Arpeggio, Capriccio, Livanto and Ristretto. Unsure what some of those flavors are? No problem – a variety pack is an economical way to try new blends. After all, isn’t trying new flavors one of the most fun aspects of having an in-home brewer? When you find flavors you like, you can then buy them specifically.
Our Verdict
If price is your main concern, you should select the Inissia. You’ll save a fair few bucks. However, the Citiz is also slightly sturdier. Some consumers might find the stainless steel outer cover to be worth the extra. Since the price difference isn’t particularly large, we’re going to call this one a draw.
Our Recommendation
When deciding which Nespresso to buy there are several factors to consider. They are price, performance, design and overall quality. Let’s break it down with this Nespresso comparison:
- Price:
The Inissia is cheaper than the Citiz. This might not be a big enough price difference for many consumers, especially considering the Citiz has a stainless steel casing while the Inissia has hard plastic. - Performance:
Both machines use the same capsules and brew identical types of coffee. - Design:
The Inissia is small and available in four colors. The Citiz is slightly bigger (but still fits fine on a kitchen counter) and only comes in black. Both units have a modern style. - Quality:
These are both quality machines which are backed by Nespresso warranties.
We’re recommending…