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Nespresso Inissia vs Pixie
A guide to budget coffee makers from Nespresso, their features, and choosing the right one.
Published January 26, 2022
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Jennie Backteman
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
Do you want to make espresso drinks at home, but don’t have the type of money to invest in an espresso machine? Chances are that you might be interested in the line-up of espresso and coffee makers from Nespresso, which are ideal for anybody on a budget. The Nespresso Inissia and the Nespresso Pixie are two great choices for anybody who wants to make espresso-like drinks at home without breaking the bank.
About Nespresso
Before getting into all the details about the Nespresso Inissia coffee machine and the Nespresso Pixie, let’s find out more about Nespresso, the brand behind them both. This Switzerland-based brand is connected to the Nestle Group. They make pod-based espresso machines and coffee pods. Although there are plenty of similar single-serve brewers, Nespresso’s products stand out for various reasons. One of these is that the pods are airtight, which preserves flavors better, and the pods are also recyclable, unlike many others. Along with this, Nespresso brewers are designed to mimic espresso machines and espresso coffee, unlike others that produce coffee similar to drip coffee.
Why Choose Nespresso?
A Nespresso Inissia coffee machine or Pixie is the ideal choice if you are looking for convenience at a low cost. Not only are these single-serve brewers really easy to use, but they are also user-friendly and fast, along with taking up less space compared to a regular espresso machine, making them an ideal choice for a small kitchen. While you won’t get exactly the same shot of espresso as you’d get in Starbucks from these coffee makers, you’ll definitely get a stronger brew in comparison with the average brewer. They are a great choice for anybody who is new to making coffee at home, and ideal for anybody who wants a quick way to make high-quality coffee without spending a lot of money.
What to Expect
Almost every machine in Nespresso’s espresso line-up offers multiple brew sizes, a removeable water tank, and a removeable drip tray. Along with this, most brewers also have a capsule container, so you don’t need to discard a single capsule after each use. Like many single-serve brewers, you can expect your Nespresso machine to heat up in under half a minute.
You can get two lines of brewers from Nespresso; the OriginalLine and VertuoLine. Both the Pixie and Inissia from Nespresso are part of the OriginalLine line and use OriginalLine coffee capsules, which include off-brand pods, unlike the VertuoLine.
Nespresso Capsules
One of the main reasons why Nespresso is so popular is the quality of the coffee offered in Nespresso capsules. You can use any capsules from the OriginalLine in either the Inissia or the Pixie brewer, with a range of blends on offer with unique intensities and tastes. Like all Nespresso machines, you will need to use an Original capsule with either brewer for it to work – the VertuoLine capsules, for example, are not compatible with these machines. You can get six capsule collections from the Nespresso OriginalLine to use with either the Inissia or the Pixie. These are Intenso, Lungo, Master Origin, Espresso, Decaffeinato, and Crafted for Milk.
Similarities
When it comes to the Inissia and the Pixie, there are lots of similarities between the two coffee machines. Both of them are great for low budgets, and don’t take up a lot of space in the kitchen. Either one will be a good choice for a small apartment or a student dorm where counter space is not in abundance.
Both the Inissia and the Pixie are part of the OriginalLine from Nespresso. They can both brew a standard espresso or a lungo with just the touch of a button. They both have a single boiler, a 24oz water reservoir, and nineteen bars of pressure.
When it comes to size, they both have a small footprint. The Pixie is the smallest, but only by a very small amount. Both have a removeable drip tray and an auto power-off function that turns the machine off after nine minutes of inactivity.
Despite being single-serve pod-based machines, both of these have been created through collaborations with De’Longhi and Breville, two of the biggest industry leaders in the production of espresso machines, so you can be sure that they are of the best quality.
Nespresso Inissia
Due to the cost-efficient construction of this machine, the Inissia is the most budget-friendly option of the two. It’s an ideal choice if you are on a very tight budget but want to get the most for your money. It also has more color options than the Pixie, with black, white, cream, red, chrome, and silver options. However, it is lighter due to the cheaper plastic construction, and also less durable. While it has a slightly higher wattage than the Pixie to ensure that you get a hot cup of coffee, there is no low-water indicator, which can be frustrating. The dedicated power button on the side allows you to switch off the machine straight after brewing rather than waiting for the auto shut-off feature to kick in. It comes with a used capsule bin that stores up to eleven capsules after brewing for added convenience, and the 24oz reservoir is fairly large considering the small size of the machine, allowing you to brew several cups before you need to refill it. It heats up and brews coffee very quickly – in fact, in less than a minute you can have your espresso hot and ready to drink.
Another selling point for the Nespresso Inissia is that it comes with the Aeroccino milk frother as standard. It exclusively brews espresso, but you can easily use the milk frother to make lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, mocha, and other milk-based espresso drinks.
Nespresso Pixie
This machine comes in steel, carmine, and electric titan. It’s sleek and has an even smaller footprint compared to the Inissia. The stainless steel and aluminum construction makes it a little more expensive, but it is also more durable and looks more professional. Unlike the Inissia, it does have an indicator light to let you know when you are running low on water, making it more user-friendly, especially as the water reservoir is quite small. However, the dedicated power button is missing on this model, and while the wattage is only slightly reduced in comparison, it does make a difference. It comes with a capsule reservoir where you can deposit up to ten capsules after brewing. It brews a cup of espresso in under half a minute.
What to Consider Before You Choose
If you’re still not sure which of these Nespresso brewers is going to be the best one for you, take a look at some of the most important factors to consider.
Construction
One of the biggest differences between these two coffee makers is how they are constructed; the differences are fairly obvious when you compare the two side by side. While they both have a modern, sleek design and do look great, the Pixie’s metal construction gives it metal paneling on the outside along with metal internal components, which is a very noticeable difference compared with the Inissia’s plastic components.
When choosing an espresso-style brewer, the construction is an important factor to consider since the pressure that is necessary to create an espresso shot is very high. Because of this, the Pixie is likely to be more durable and last longer than the Inissia, despite having a lower wattage.
Durability
The durability is another important factor to consider when choosing the right machine. Neither the Pixie or the Inissia are flimsy machines, making them both great options for people who will be putting them in a high-traffic environment or people who move around a lot. However, the Pixie does slightly outperform the Inissia in terms of durability due to the stronger construction materials used.
Price
How much you want to spend will be of course one of the major factors to consider when it comes to which of these coffee makers is going to be the best one for you. In terms of price, the Inissia is the cheaper option to go for, at around $30-90 less in comparison to the Pixie. Although it might not be a huge price difference, it can certainly add up if you are trying to save as much as possible.
Milk Frother
If you want to make milk-based espresso drinks then the Inissia might be the better machine for you, as it comes with the Aeroccino milk frother included, unlike the Pixie, which will require you to purchase the milk frother separately. You can make both hot milk foam and cold foam with the Aeroccino to add to your espresso shots and make a variety of different drinks.
Both the Nespresso Inissia and Pixie are simple, straightforward coffee makers that are ideal for anybody on a budget. They offer many of the same functions including a convenient used capsule container, a 24oz water reservoir, and a small footprint. While both are great options, the Inissia Nespresso comes with a milk frother included in the price while the Pixie does not. However, the Pixie is constructed with metal, which does make it more durable.
About the author
Jennie Backteman
I´m a ultramarathon runner, landscape designer and a coffee lover.
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