Tried & Tested
On trial: Nespresso Vertuo Creatista Coffee Machine by Sage
This article is part of a paid-for partnership with Sage
Can you really make barista-quality artisan coffee at home? And do you need a degree to do it? We put the state-of-the-art Nespresso Vertuo Creatista by Sage through its paces
What’s in the box
In the UK, we drink 98 million cups of coffee every day. That’s a lot of joe, my friends. But we’re also becoming increasingly fond of a finer brew, investing in high-performing machines that will recreate the coffee-shop cappuccino experience at home. Nespresso has been leading the march with its range of machines that use aluminium pods to deliver top-quality coffee at the push of a button, and now the brand has collaborated with Australian appliance giant Sage on a range of prestige machines that deliver next-level brews.
At the top end is the Sage Oracle Touch Fully Automatic Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine that costs more than £2,000, but the Nespresso Vertuo Creatista by Sage is a more compact model at a more affordable price. In stunning stainless steel, it’s an eye-catching addition to your kitchen and comes with everything you need to start brewing delicious coffee – from the milk-frothing jug to a box of Nespresso Vertuo coffee pods.
What is the Nespresso Vertuo Creatista by Sage?
Simplicity is at the core of this machine’s function. It uses Nespresso’s premium aluminium Vertuo pods, which you can buy from our Nespresso Boutiques in store or direct online, so there’s no faffing about with grinding fresh beans. There is a huge range of flavours and roasts to play around with and they come in different serving sizes, from espresso to carafe.
The Vertuo Creatista also has an Auto MilQ frother wand, which heats your favourite type of milk to a choice of three temperature and three texture settings at the push of a button, meaning you can create a cappuccino, caffè latte, flat white or latte macchiato at home in less than a minute.
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How easy is it to use?
Unlike some coffee machines, the Vertuo Creatista doesn’t need you to have a degree to work it. Your coffee is set to brew with a single button, while the milk frother has three simple options each for temperature and texture.
Should you want more information or inspiration on how to make your dream coffee, you can link the machine to an app that offers tutorials, recipes and an easy buying function for topping you up with coffee pods or accessories.
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What I love about it
As someone who works from home four days a week, I love how easy it is to make myself an artisan-café-worthy flat white. It’s saving me a fortune on my £3-a-cup habit (compared to no more than £1 per cup at home) and I’m loving experimenting with all the Nespresso flavours to get my perfect cup just right.
I’ve been nicely surprised at how easy it is to recycle the coffee pods with Nespresso too. They send a free Podback bag, which I fill with used pods then order a free kerbside collection when it’s full.
Plus this bit of kit is crazy easy to maintain. The milk wand cleans itself with hot water after each use, then just needs a quick wipe on the outside with a damp cloth, and the app alerts me when it’s time to use a descaler to keep the machine functioning at its best.
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The metrics that matter
The looksLet’s just say my father-in-law gave me a very approving nod when he saw the slick stainless steel Creatista on the kitchen counter. It’s a looker.
The flavourWith scores of Nespresso coffee pods to choose from, you won’t be short of flavour options, which you can’t necessarily say for your local coffee shop. I like the Intenso best (it’s as rich and sturdy as it sounds).
The savingsSaving at least £2 on each coffee means this dream machine will pay for itself in less than a year, even if it's only me that uses it – which is unlikely now my mates have got wind that Oli’s café is open for business.
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