Nespresso Pixie

Neat, convenient and with a reputation for making good-quality coffee – the Nespresso Pixie has been attracting a lot of attention. This is from buyers who like authentic coffee but don’t like their worktops cluttered up with big machines that need cleaning and fussing over – and don’t want to spend hours mastering the complexities of brewing.

But is the compromise between simplicity of operation and a good tasting result really going to work? Well, a combination of personal experience and the opinions of many other users of these machines suggest to me that the answer is yes – a few minor reservations, but on the whole, yes.

What is the Nespresso Pixie?

Basically the Pixie is a super-compact espresso machine that uses pods of pre-packed coffee grounds, and is designed to produce coffee on demand, with the minimum of fuss and bother.

Unlike a traditional espresso machine, where you have to measure out ground coffee into a holder, or a bean-to-cup machine which actually does the grinding and measuring for you, a pod-based machine such as the Nespresso uses sealed pods of coffee. These are inserted into the machine, which pierces the seal and forces hot water in the right volume through the pod, dispensing coffee into your cup while keeping the messy used grounds contained in the pod for later disposal. So there’s no grinding, measuring or cleaning to bother about. Hence the convenience.

How does it work?

Basically, the operation of the Pixie could not really be simpler:-

Fill the reservoir with water and switch the machine on
After 25 seconds (about the fastest heat-up time around) the machine is ready
Push the chrome handle back and put a capsule into the holder; close the holder
Put a cup or glass under the outlet – the drip-tray can be lifted out of the way to accommodate a taller mug or latte macchiato glass
Choose the water volume, espresso or lungo
Done…
When you open the holder the next time, the spent capsule is dropped into the container for disposal later.

There are a few other features worth mentioning:-

The machine will turn itself off after 9 minutes or so – a good energy-saving wheeze I think, which means that the Pixie is said to use 40% less energy than comparable machines.
You can customise the exact volume of water per brew. If the standard measures are not quite right, you can alter them – I won’t go into how just now, it’s a simple enough process, well described in the manual.
The level of water in the tank is monitored, and you get a warning when the level is low.

What do users have to say?

Taking a bit of time to research the opinions of those who have bought one of these machines and have taken the time to report on their experiences, it’s fairly apparent that the vast majority are pretty happy with their purchases.

Using a Nespresso Pixie myself, I can happily confirm the positive aspects that are most often reported:-

Good tasting coffee (the most important point I suppose!)
Simple operation
Compact – not much space taken up on the worktop (Actual dimensions 111 x 235 x 326mm, weight 3 kg)
Useful selection of coffee varieties come with the machine, so you can experiment to find your favourites before you buy a quantity.
Full three year guarantee.

Are there any negatives? Just a couple:-

A few people report that their machines leak water from the tank. It’s not a problem I’ve experienced, but some have. Replacements are usually quickly made from any reputable retailer.
The coffee is not hot enough for some. Those who like a super-hot brew should think about warming the cups first (after all that’s what happens in any professional coffee-shop). Some have even suggested using hot water in the tank for extra temperature.

Krups vs Magimix

You’ll see that there are two varieties of Pixie on the market – made by Krups or Magimix.

The important specifications of each are identical, but there are mostly cosmetic differences.

The outlet on the Krups machine is silver, teardrop-shaped whilst the Magimix spout is a plain tube.
The side panels on the Krups are fluted, while the Magimix panels are plain.There are also different colour ranges between the two.

The RRP of all machines is the same, but you will probably find different deals on offer.

The cost of the Pods

Every Pixie comes with a sample pack of 16 different coffee capsules: 7 espresso blends, 3 pure origin espressos, 3 blends for large cups, and 3 decaffeinated blends. This should give you a good idea of which pods to buy.

Supplies of pods are widely available, either single-flavour or assorted and work out at around 35p – 40p or so, depending on quantity.

It’s worth mentioning that it’s also possible to buy supplies of empty pods, for around £10 per 100, which you can fill with your favourite espresso-ground coffee, at a considerable saving.

Milk frother

Nespresso have brought out an electric milk frother, called an Aeroccino (left). This is designed to fit alongside the Pixie and give you hot, frothed milk for cappuccinos and so on.

The best way to buy one of these if you want one, is in a package with a Pixie – otherwise they work out pretty expensive.

An alternative is to go for a simple frother jug, such as the Bodum (right – click on the image for up-to-date price). The cost is around £16 – £17, but does require preheated milk and a bit of frothing effort! Easy though.

The Choice

We think that overall the best deals are to be had from Amazon – they generally offer the best prices, as well as the fullest range of models, both Krups and Magimix.

Click on the images to take you to Amazon’s page for each model

First of all, the three Krups models, in Blue, Titanium and Red:-