If you’re looking to get an espresso machine to use as a college student then the best espresso machine for you will likely be very different to the best espresso machines for most other people.
This post will show you five of the best espresso machines to get if you are a college student.
In this post, I recommend pod-style espresso machines. To make espresso using a pod-style espresso machine you just fill it up with water occasionally, put a pod into the machine and press a button to make the espresso.
Pod-style machines are ideal if you are a college student since they are quick and easy to use, the pods are widely available and you don’t have to worry about making a mess with the coffee grind when making the espresso.
If you are specifically looking for traditional espresso machines to get then look at this post where I recommend five of the best espresso machines currently available.
| Machine | Coffee/Espresso Sizes it makes | Milk Frother included |
| VertuoPlus on Amazon | Large Coffee (14 oz), Coffee (8oz), Gran Lungo (5 oz), Double Espresso (2.7 oz), Espresso (1.35 oz) | Uses Aeroccino, that is sold as a bundle with the machine |
| Keurig K-Cafe on Amazon | 6, 8, 10 and 12 oz | Yes |
| Inissia on Amazon | Espresso (1.35 oz), Lungo (3.7 oz) | Uses Aeroccino, that is sold as a bundle with the machine |
| Nespresso Lattissima on Amazon | Espresso (1.35 oz), Lungo (3.7 oz), Plus up to 4.2 ounces frothed Milk | Yes |
| Citiz on Amazon | Espresso (1.35 oz), Lungo (3.7 oz) | Uses Aeroccino, that is sold as a bundle with the machine |
The above espresso machines are recommended since they have proven to be reliable and high-quality machines based on the feedback that has been given by their many users.
Nespresso VertuoPlus
The Nespresso VertuoPlus is one of the newer espresso machines on offer by Nespresso.
It is a VertuoLine machine which means that it will scan the barcode on the pod and gather information about its strength and length and adjust the way that it makes the espresso.
However, this means that only pods from the Nespresso VertuoLine will work with the machine so they will be slightly more expensive than regular espresso pods but there are a lot of flavors to choose from.
The VertuoPlus also allows you to make a number of different coffee sizes which are:
- Large Coffee (14 oz),
- Coffee (8oz),
- Gran Lungo (5 oz),
- Double Espresso (2.7 oz),
- Espresso (1.35 oz)
You can also get it with an Aeroccino milk frother that you can use to make milk-based espresso drinks such as latte or cappuccino.
It is a medium-sized machine that shouldn’t take up too much space in your dorm if you intend to use it there. If space is an issue then I would recommend either the Inissia or the Citiz which are recommended below.
You can watch the video below to see a review of the VertuoPlus and you can find it here on Amazon.
Keurig K-Cafe
The Keurig K-Cafe is a pod-style espresso machine that has been around for a while now and it has proven to be a very reliable and high-quality machine.
It uses k-pods to make the espresso which are widely available, cheap and can be purchased from third-party sellers.
It also features an automatic milk frother that you can use to make latte, cappuccino or other milk-based espresso drinks all you have to do is to pour the milk into the espresso.
It can also make a number of other coffee sizes which are 6, 8, 10 and 12 oz which is ideal if you like Americano or long black.
The Keurig K-Cafe is a medium-sized machine that should be small enough for your needs but if you need a small espresso machine then I’d recommend the Inissia or the Citiz.
You can watch a video review of the Keurig K-Cafe below and you can find the machine here on Amazon.
Inissia
The Inissia is an espresso machine that is one of the lower-budget options on offer from Nespresso.
It uses pods from the OriginalLine which are cheaper, widely available and you can also use third-party pods with the machine that are even cheaper. However, this does mean that it won’t adjust the strength and length based on the barcode like the VertuoPlus will.
The Inissia is a very compact machine which is ideal for if you won’t have a lot of space to use it in.
It makes two espresso sizes which are espresso (1.35 oz) and lungo (3.7 oz). You can also get the machine with an Aeroccino milk frother that you can use to make milk-based espresso drinks such as latte or cappuccino.
You can watch the video below to see a video review of the machine and you can find the Inissia here on Amazon.
Lattissima
The Lattissima is one of the more premium models on offer by Nespresso.
It is an OriginalLine machine so the pods are widely available, have many flavors to choose from and you can use pods made by third-parties which are cheap.
The Lattissima will automatically steam milk and pour it into the cup for you. This means that if you intend to make a lot of latte, cappuccino or other milk-based espresso drinks then the Lattissima would be ideal as it will do it automatically for you.
It will also make espresso sizes of 1.35 oz and 3.7 oz.
It is a reasonably compact machine so it should be able to fit wherever you want to use it.
You can watch a review of the machine below and you can find it here on Amazon.
Citiz
The Citiz is another popular machine that is offered by Nespresso.
It is an OriginalLine machine so it uses the OriginalLine pods which are widely available, cheaper and can you can use third-party pods with it.
The Citiz allows you to make either espresso or lungo sized drinks and it can be bought with a milk frother that you can use to make milk-based espresso drinks.
It is a very compact machine so it should be able to fit in wherever you intend to use it.
You can watch a video review of the machine below and you can find it here on Amazon.
