Do you want a Nespresso machine that brews coffee AND steams milk? Let me introduce you to the Gran Lattissima. This machine combines the convenience of a Nespresso machine with DeLonghi’s one-touch milk technology. The result is a premium coffee machine that lets you create barista-quality drinks.
So, what makes the Gran Lattissima grand? Apart from the automatic milk frothing, it has a one-touch brewing system and the ability to make nine recipes. If you want a hands-free coffee brewing process and to do as little work as possible, Gran Lattissima is a strong contender.
Today, I’ll explain everything I did and didn’t like about Gran Lattissima and where it falls within the Lattissima lineup, so you can decide if this is the Nespresso machine for you.
Nespresso Gran Lattissima Product Overview
Nespresso Gran Lattissima is a Nespresso pod coffee machine. It belongs to the OriginalLine of Nespresso devices, so it uses OriginalLine pods (the pods are all the same size and smaller compared to Vertuo ones).
Gran Lattissima highlights:
- OriginalLine device
- Brews 9 coffee drinks
- Rapid Cappuccino milk system
- Customizable coffee volume and milk foam
- 34 oz water tank
- 14 capsules container capacity
- 19 bar brewing pressure
Gran Lattissima is a collaboration between Nespresso and DeLonghi. The machine uses Nespresso brewing technology, which means the convenience and simplicity of Nespresso pods. DeLonghi adds an automatic milk frothing system.
The milk frothing is what sets Gran Lattissima apart from other Nespresso machines. Not only is it automatic, but the entire drink is made at once. Gran Lattissima brews the espresso, froths the milk, and dispenses the milk froth into your cup. It can make milk-based coffee drinks, such as latte macchiato, cappuccino, flat white, and others. All you have to do is tap one of the buttons.
Pros
One-touch espresso drinks and frother milk
Programmable drink volumes
Large capsule container capacity
Compatible with third-party capsules
Fast heat-up time
Cons
No hot water outlet
No water or milk temperature customization
Requires constant cleaning
Gran Lattissima Feature Breakdown
Design and Build
Nespresso Gran Lattissima is available in white and black versions, with touches of chrome. The rounded edges make both versions look modern. Personally, I prefer the white version because the smudges and dirt are less noticeable. Also, the top of the machine tends to get dusty, which is less noticeable in the white version.
Gran Lattissima is a compact machine. Its dimensions are 7.9 x 14.4 x 10.8 in (WxDxH), so it should fit on most kitchen counters and under cabinets.
The machine has some stainless steel accents with high gloss finishes. The top of the machine has a glass touch panel with nine buttons. The buttons make it easy to prepare each of the nine drinks (two are for hot milk and milk froth, so there are technically seven coffee drinks). The power button, descaling, and clean LED alerts are also on top in the back.
The front of the machine has a large round coffee dispenser, which makes the Lattissima recognizable.
The Rapid Cappuccino System is the milk frother, which is next to the coffee outlet. It’s a large rectangular milk container with a spout on the side and tubing inside to froth milk (slightly different from a traditional steam wand).
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I liked there’s a stand to elevate small espresso cups. This means the coffee travels less between the dispenser and the cup. Your espresso will be hotter with less chance of spills.
The removable water tank is located at the back of the machine. It has a capacity of 34 oz, which lets you brew several drinks before refilling. It’s transparent, so you can monitor the water level.
Overall, Gran Lattissima looks compact and modern thanks to the premium materials and finishes.
Ease of Use
Nespresso Gran Lattissima is easy to use thanks to the nine one-touch buttons. Seven of these represent different coffee drinks and two buttons for hot milk and milk froth. Essentially, this coffee machine prepares specialty coffee drinks with a press of a button.
The machine froths the milk automatically. You don’t even have to pour the milk or move the cup to a milk dispenser. All you have to do is switch the milk frothing to the froth position to make foamed milk recipes.
Here’s how to make a drink: insert the pod and choose the type of coffee you want. If you’ve chosen a milk drink, fill the milk container to the max level and attach it to the machine. Rotate the spout so it’s at the center of the cup, and turn the milk froth knob to the froth setting. Finally, press the button for the coffee you want, and the machine will do the work for you.
You can program the machine, so it makes your preferred brews. You can customize the coffee, milk, and froth volume by holding the button corresponding to the drink you want for at least three seconds. The brewing will run as long as you hold the button. Release the button once the volume is right for you, and the machine will save the brew size for future drinks.
The same goes for milk drinks. Hold the button for at least three seconds, and release it when the desired amount of milk foam has been released into your cup. You know the Nespresso Gran Lattissima has saved your preferences when the drink button flashes three times.
Gran Lattissima has a Thermoblock heating system. The machine takes about thirty seconds for the water to heat and another thirty seconds for the milk. The buttons blink while the machine heats up, and once they stop, it’s ready to go. Overall, you can have your drink in about two to three minutes from turning on the machine. This is much faster compared to semi-automatic espresso machines, some of which need 20 minutes or more to warm up.
Finally, the only part of the machine that’s not so easy is the setup and the maintenance. The setup involves disassembling the Rapid Cappuccino System, washing all the components, drying, then reassembling the system and attaching it to the machine. Moreover, you’ll have to do this every time you clean the milk frothing system, which is fairly often (more in the maintenance section).
Rapid Cappuccino System (Milk Frothing)
Nespresso Gran Lattissima’s milk frothing system is called Rapid Cappuccino System.
Remember, this isn’t a steam wand. Instead, it’s a milk container that has an air frothing system. You don’t have any influence over the milk frothing, which means there’s no way to make latte art. Keep this in mind if you hope to work on your latte art skills.
The milk system can dispense hot milk and milk foam. Flat milk recipes include latte and flat white. However, this is an automatic milk frother, so it doesn’t create microfoam. The milk texture for flat white and latte is the same. You can also make foamed milk for a cappuccino and a latte macchiato.
I liked that you could detach the 16.9 oz removable milk container and store it in the fridge. This was very handy, as I didn’t have to pour the milk back into the milk jug or throw it away. You detach the milk container and close the sliding cap to cover the steam connector hole. This keeps the Nespresso Gran Lattissima looking stylish even without the container.
Note: You can’t customize milk textures or temperatures with Gran Lattissima. You get hot milk or milk froth at a single temperature, and that’s all. Traditional espresso machines with a steam wand (and Nespresso Creatista) give you more control over the milk texture than the Gran Lattissima.
Cleaning & Maintenance
Cleaning is one area where I wasn’t thrilled: the Gran Lattisima requires constant cleaning, particularly for the frother. Automatic milk frothing means easier frothing for you, but it also means more cleaning.
The milk frother has several inner parts where the milk circulates. The tube where the heated air combines with the milk gets crusted and can clog the machine, so thorough cleaning is extremely important. Otherwise, you risk your machine breaking or becoming full of bacteria.
A common user complaint is that the Rapid Cappuccino System stops functioning. For those users, the machine sputters hot water instead of milk, and the temperature is inconsistent. However, these issues are almost always due to poor cleaning.
You should clean the Rapid Cappuccino System after every use. This system is self-cleaning (to an extent). After frothing the milk, move the knob to the “Clean” setting. Water will run through the frother tubes, so there’s no milk crust.
However, the milk frothing system also needs a more thorough cleaning after regular use, which can be done in two ways:
- In a dishwasher — Disassemble all six parts of the milk frothing system and place them in the dishwasher. Once they are clean, reassemble them.
- By hand — If you don’t have a dishwasher, you need to clean the Rapid Cappuccino System by hand. Disassemble it, and soak it in hot water with mild soap for half an hour. Dry and reassemble.
Here’s how to clean the rest of the Nespresso Gran Lattissima:
- Remove and rinse the capsule container, the drip tray, the cup support, and the drop collector. You should do this every few days, depending on your use. All components are dishwasher safe.
- Rinse and refill the water tank each time it gets empty.
- Rinse the coffee outlet by pressing the Lungo button (put an empty container under the coffee outlet).
- Descale when the descaling alert is on.
All the cleaning takes a lot of time, even running the automatic rinse of the milk frother. That’s a downside for me, especially because the milk frother can clog up and stop working easily, which would ruin its main selling point.
Coffee Drinks: Quality and Options
Nespresso Gran Lattissima can brew the following nine drink options:
- Ristretto
- Espresso
- Lungo
- Cappuccino
- Flat white
- Latte macchiato
- Cafe latte
- Hot milk
- Hot foam
This covers the main drinks that you’d find in your local coffee shop. You get three espresso drinks, four milk-based beverages, and hot foam and hot milk.
The coffee drinks are good quality. Gran Lattissima has a powerful 19-bar pump, the same as other Nespresso OriginalLine machines. The pump ensures there’s good coffee extraction during the brewing and that espresso has a nice crema.
For milk-based drinks, the machine adjusts the frothed milk texture to match the proper recipe of the respective drink. So for a cappuccino, you get a thicker foam with larger air bubbles. Meanwhile, for a flat white, the milk is less textured and more heated, so it blends in well with the espresso. The Gran Lattisima does an excellent job on this part.
Plus, OriginalLine machines are compatible with third-party coffee pods, which widens your coffee selection. You aren’t limited to Nespresso pods, but you can try Starbucks, Lavazza, and others. You can try different blends until you find flavorful coffee you like.
Value
Nespresso Gran Lattissima provides good value for your money. It has a fast heating system, an automatic milk frother with a removable milk container, and is compatible with both Nespresso and third-party capsules.
This is a good choice if you want the convenience of single-serve capsule machines, espresso drinks, and milk-based drinks. Also, if you want a machine that makes coffee fast, you won’t regret getting Nespresso Gran Lattissima.
However, this isn’t a good investment if you don’t plan to drink milk drinks or don’t need perfect convenience.
Alternative Lattisima Options: Comparing the Lineup
The Lattissima lineup consists of five devices with varying features. Gran Lattissima has the most drink options and the biggest capsule container. In terms of OriginalLine pods, I like the Gran Lattisima the most, and that’s mostly because of the extra drink options and stylish design.
However, DeLonghi recently came out with a Lattissima Vertuo, which is used with Vertuo pods. It quickly shot to the top of my list, as I’m a fan of Vertuo pods.
Here’s how all models differ, so you can choose the best one for you.
Lattissima One
Lattissima One is the basic model in the Lattissima lineup, so it’s the most affordable. This Nespresso machine makes only four drinks, compared to the Gran Latissima’s nine options.
Lattissima One is more compact than the Gran model. This means it has a smaller capsule container capacity (8 vs. 14). However, the water tank capacity is the same for both machines — 34 oz. The milk system functions as on the Gran Lattissima, but the milk container is smaller (only 4 oz compared to the 17 oz).
Here are its specs:
- The most affordable in the Lattissima lineup
- Makes espresso, lungo, cappuccino, and latte
- The most compact Lattissima machine, which means a small water tank, capsule container, and milk container
Lattissima Touch
The next machine in the Lattissima lineup is the Touch. Lattissima Touch has six preset drinks and a milk container capacity of 12 oz. Overall, it’s a good choice if you want a compact machine but are looking for something larger than the One. It’s also a solid option if you prefer a coffee machine with buttons instead of a glass touchscreen.
Here are its specs:
- Makes six coffee drinks
- Capsule container fits 10 pods
- 30 oz water tank capacity
Lattissima Pro
Lattissima Pro also has six preset drink options, the same as the Touch. The main advantage that the Pro has over the other Lattisima machines is the color touchscreen. Also, this is the first Lattissima machine that gives you some control over the milk froth. You use the knob on top of the milk container to adjust the amount of foam you want.
Here are its specs:
- Has six pre-programmed drinks
- Uses a color touchscreen
- Has foamed milk density or texture settings
Vertuo Lattissima
Vertuo Lattissima is the newest model in the Lattissima lineup. This coffee machine is unique compared to the ones I talked about above because it uses Vertuo pods to make coffee (instead of Original ones).
Lattissima One, Touch, Gran, and Pro all use 19 bars of pressure to extract coffee from OriginalLine pods. Vertuo Lattissima doesn’t use pressure but patented Nespresso centrifusion technology. This machine is compatible with Vertuo pods, which have a barcode printed on the edge. Vertuo Lattissima reads this barcode and automatically adjusts the brewing parameters. Once the coffee is extracted, the machine uses its milk system to automatically froth milk.
Here are its specs:
Vertuo Lattissima highlights:
- Uses centrifusion technology to brew coffee
- Compatible with Vertuo pods
- Makes 8 coffee drinks, including 18 oz carafe
Note: Breville also came out with their own version of a Nespresso machine that froths milk and uses Vertuo pods. If you want to learn more, read our Breville Nespresso Vertuo Creatista review.
Lattissima One vs. Lattissima Touch vs. Lattissima Pro vs. Gran Lattissima vs. Vertuo Lattissima: Comparison Table
Recommendation For The Gran Lattisima
Nespresso Gran Lattissima is a grand choice for coffee lovers who want espresso or a latte macchiato with a touch of a button. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of using a traditional espresso machine (grinding, tamping, frothing the milk), you’ll love Nespresso Gran Lattissima.
It’s a good choice if you want convenience and practicality, a variety of drinks, and you don’t want to learn how to operate a steam wand. If you aren’t set on making latte art and you can invest time in cleaning the milk frother, this is the machine for you.
Finally, I’d recommend this machine for beginners and busy coffee lovers who want ease of use and convenience.
Should You Get Nespresso Gran Lattissima?
If you like both espresso and milk-based drinks, you’ll love Gran Lattissima. It makes seven different drinks, plus hot milk and milk froth. The milk frother is completely automatic, which means you insert the pod, choose the drink, and the machine froths and pours the milk for you. You have milk beverages with a press of a single button.
But, if you want more control over the milk frothing system, to work on your latte art, and an easier cleaning process, check out our review of Nespresso Creatista Plus.
