De’Longhi vs. Breville Nespresso Machines: What’s the Difference?

If you have your eye on a Nespresso machine, know that the differences between De'Longhi and Breville are mostly cosmetic and they brew using identical technology.

Nespresso Essenza Mini by Breville and De'Longhi

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Last Updated on December 3, 2023

Nespresso Gran Lattissima Espresso Machine by De'Longhi, WhiteAll you wanted was a Nespresso machine, and now you find yourself having to choose either De’Longhi or Breville.

Don’t worry, you’re not the first coffee lover to wrestle with this choice, nor the first to be confused by it.

Shopping for a Nespresso machine sometimes makes you feel like you’re drowning in a sea of brand names, thanks to Nespresso’s manufacturing partnerships with appliance brands around the world. We’re here to clear up some of that confusion. We’ll help you feel a little less stressed about choosing between Breville and De’Longhi coffee makers.

Nespresso machines by De’Longhi and Breville covered in this guide

Machines by De'Longhi

Machines by Breville

Nespresso VertuoPlus by De'Longhi

Nespresso VertuoPlus by Breville

Nespresso Citiz by De’Longhi

Nespresso Citiz by Breville

Nespresso Essenza Mini by De’Longhi

Nespresso Essenza Mini by Breville

De’Longhi Lattissima One

Breville Nespresso Creatista Uno

De’Longhi Lattissima Touch

Breville Nespresso Creatista Plus

De’Longhi Lattissima Pro

De’Longhi Gran Lattissima

Who makes Nespresso machines?

The Nespresso machines you see in stores—and even on the Nespresso website—are not made by Nespresso. They were invented by Nespresso. They were engineered and designed by Nespresso. But when it comes to cranking them out of factories, Nespresso relies on other companies for that.

Five models of Nespresso machines lined up
Nespresso machines are made by a variety of manufacturing companies.

The brands that take care of this for Nespresso differ from country to country. Usually there are two or three such companies in each country. For North America, De’Longhi and Breville oversee almost all of the manufacturing, although KitchenAid makes a Nespresso machine as well.

De’Longhi is an Italian company that has been around since the early 1900s. They are best known for their coffee and espresso machines, although they make a number of other small household appliances as well.

Breville is an Australian appliance brand founded in Melbourne in 1932 that built its name on blenders, kettles, and—most famously—their sandwich presses known informally as “toasties.” They also market the Smart Grinder Pro, a electric burr grinder.

When you buy a Nespresso machine in a retail store, it is usually co-branded: Nespresso, plus one of these manufacturing partners. In most cases, this is either De’Longhi or Breville. So you’ll hear the terms “Nespresso De’Longhi” or “Nespresso by Breville.”

Elsewhere around the world, you might find Nespresso machines made by Krups, Miele, Siemens or Magimix.

The difference between De’Longhi and Breville Nespresso machines

De’Longhi vs. Breville quality is virtually the same. You may find the occasional review where somebody complains of a leak or similar problem, but we have read a lot of these reviews and found that complaints do not lean more heavily toward one brand than the other.

When it comes to the important stuff—a good cup of coffee—there is no difference between De’Longhi, Breville or any of the other manufacturers. The same machine made by different partners will be driven by the same Nespresso technology and have exactly the same technical specs, right down to the water tank. They will make the same shot of espresso.

Nespresso Citiz machine pouring a shot of espresso
Regardless of who makes the Nespresso Citiz machine, the shot of espresso will taste the same. (© Mark Mathosian | Flickr)

The machines might not look exactly the same, though. In several models, you’ll notice slight differences in cosmetic design depending on the manufacturer.

Usually the changes are quite subtle, like the rounded top on Breville’s VertuoPlus compared with De’Longhi’s:

Nespresso VertuoPlus by De’Longhi

Nespresso by De'Longhi ENV155BAE VertuoPlus Deluxe Coffee and Espresso Machine Bundle with Aeroccino Milk Frother by De'Longhi, Black Check availability

 

Nespresso VertuoPlus by Breville

Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Machine by Breville with Milk Frother, Ink Black Check availability

Or the spout design on the Citiz. See the difference?

Nespresso Citiz by De’Longhi

Nespresso by De'Longhi EN167B Original Espresso Machine by De'Longhi, 2.3, Black Check availability

 

Nespresso Citiz by Breville

Nespresso CitiZ Espresso Machine by Breville, Silver Check availability

 

The model with the differences that stand out most is the Essenza Mini, which has a significantly different silhouette depending on which brand made it:

Nespresso Essenza Mini by De’Longhi

Nespresso by De'Longhi EN85R Essenza Mini Original Espresso Machine by De'Longhi, RedCheck availability

Nespresso Essenza Mini by Breville

– Breville-Nespresso USA BEC220BLK1AUC1 Nespresso Essenza Mini Espresso Machine with Complimentary Capsules, Piano Black Check availability

But when you choose between the two, all you need to care about is how it’s going to look on your counter, because the machines operate in exactly the same way and will make the same coffee.

But hold on, each brand makes its own unique models…

Where things get a little more complicated is in the models that are unique to each of the manufacturing brands. For example, KitchenAid, which we mentioned earlier, makes their very own KitchenAid Nespresso machine that looks nothing like any of the others:

KitchenAid KES0503FP Nespresso, Frosted Pearl (Renewed)

 

And it’s also true that De’Longhi and Breville have designed their own lines of Nespresso machines that they manufacture and sell under their own brands. They are called Lattissima and Creatista, respectively.

Nespresso Lattissima machines by De’Longhi

The line of exclusive De’Longhi espresso machines is called Lattissima. It includes the Lattissima One, Lattissima Touch, Lattissima Pro and Gran Lattissima. Only De’Longhi makes these machines.

Lattissima One

Nespresso by De'Longhi Lattissima One Original Espresso Machine with Milk Frother by De'Longhi, Warm Slate Check availability

 

Lattissima Touch

Nespresso by De'Longhi EN560B Lattissima Touch Original Espresso Machine with Milk Frother by De'Longhi, Washed BlackCheck availability

Lattissima Pro

De'Longhi America, Inc. EN750MB Lattissima Pro Original Espresso Machine with Milk Frother by De'Longhi, 10.8Check availability

Gran Lattissima

Nespresso Gran Lattissima Espresso Machine by De'Longhi, White Check availability

The Lattissima is unique for its integration of milk right into the brewed coffee. You don’t have to heat the milk separately or use a standalone milk frother. You just press the button for cappuccino or latte and the machine produces the complete beverage.

Nespresso Creatista machines by Breville

Breville’s proprietary line is called Creatista. It includes the Creatista Uno and the Creatista Plus. These are good-looking machines that are styled much like Breville’s Bambino espresso machines. The major difference is that the Creatista brews from Nespresso capsules while the Bambino asks you to load and lock a portafilter before starting up the hot water.

Creatista Uno

Breville-Nespresso USA BNE500BKS1BUS1 Breville Nespresso Creatista Uno Single Serve Espresso Machine, Black SesameCheck availability

Creatista Plus

Breville-Nespresso USA BNE800BSSUSC Nespresso Creatista Plus Coffee Espresso Machine, 1, Stainless SteelCheck availability

Nespresso machines that De’Longhi and Breville have in common

These unique lines aside, most of the familiar Nespresso models that you know and love are made by both De’Longhi and Breville. They include the Nespresso Pixie, the Inissia and Essenza Mini (see our comparison), Citiz, Vertuo, VertuoPlus and VertuoPlus Deluxe.

In most cases these coffee machines will look exactly the same. Some may have slight cosmetic differences. And one brand may offer the model in a wider variety of colours than the other.

Otherwise, you don’t have to think too much about whether you choose De’Longhi or Breville.

Both are great brands that have been around for a long time. If you read the Nespresso machine reviews, they don’t reveal any significant advantage for one brand over the other in terms of durability and reliability. If the choice is De’Longhi vs. Breville, you can just let your colour and style preferences be your guide.

De’Longhi and Breville Nespresso FAQ

Does De’Longhi own Nespresso?

De’Longhi does not own Nespresso. Nestlé owns Nespresso. Nespresso licenses its designs and engineering to De’Longhi, which arranges for manufacturing and sells them under its brand.

Does Breville own Nespresso?

Breville does not own Nespresso. Nestlé owns Nespresso. Nespresso licenses its designs and engineering to Breville, which arranges for manufacturing and sells them under its brand.

Does Nestlé own De’Longhi?

Nestlé does not own De’Longhi. The De’Longhi brand is owned by the De’Longhi Group, known legally as De’Longhi SpA. They are a public company traded on the Borsa Italiana, the Italian stock exchange based in Milan. Their headquarters are in Treviso, Italy, and they also own Kenwood, Braun and NutriBullet.

Does Nestlé own Breville?

Nestlé does not own Breville. The Breville brand is owned by an Australian-based company called Breville Group Ltd. They are a public company traded on the Australian Securities exchange with headquarters in Sydney. They also own Baratza, known for its coffee grinders.

Where is De’Longhi manufactured?

De’Longhi has most of its espresso machines made in Italy, China and the U.S.

Where is Breville manufactured?

Breville outsources manufacturing to companies in Hong Kong, the U.S., China and Switzerland, among others.

Now check out our in-depth comparison between Jura vs. De’Longhi!

In the realm where coffee beans reign,
De'Longhi and Breville, a harmonious strain.
In each machine, a promise kept,
Through which many a coffee has leapt.
Whether Italian or Aussie in name,
Their brewed essence remains the same.

About the Author

28 thoughts on “De’Longhi vs. Breville Nespresso Machines: What’s the Difference?”

    • I’m not sure but I’d be willing to bet that the machines made by the Italian Coffee company De Longhi with 100 years experience, do not brew like warm coffee like the ones made by the panini press company from Australia .

      Certainly I can vouche fir Delonghi professional machines at coffee bars, as well as Portable Air Conditioners.

      If anyone knows of a site or somewhere that same model of both brands has been tested for water hotness , please advise link.

  1. Just as a comparison, I have tried many machines now and have found that for a straight double shot espresso using 2 pods at 30ml each that the DeLonghi machines give a hotter coffee but not too hot so it burns the beans and that they are quieter than the Breville.
    This is from owning 2 of each and trying them at other places with different machines.
    My money will now always sway to DeLonghi machines.

    • Interesting. I think Breville has made great strides in reducing the noise in its most recent models. The ones that are a few years old can be quite loud.

      • I had a delonghi VertuoLine stopped working after half a decade of use., nice hot coffee, de longhi was only written on the bottom sticker. Nothing was written on drip tray. Classy.

        I ordered a replacement , it has only Vertuo written on it, looks exactly as same machine even same model number on sticker . However huge Breville name was written on drip tray. I didn’t care until:

        I made some coffee and it was barely warm enough to drink. And that with the steamed milk added in!

        I’ve ordered a Nesspresso Vertuo Plus By Delonghi, it’s delayed by a week , if it ever gets here I’ll be hopefully be back to nice hot coffee.

        Why can’t the Australian Breville simply make a hotter cup? Very disappointed with them.

        Don’t get me started on.kitcheaid, ever since the company has been sold 3 or 4 times in 2 decades , they started making their mixers with cheap plastic gears! That wear out quicker. I can’t count on them for a hot nesspresso.

        Clearly Nestle / Nescafe / Nespresso
        Need to have their own QC people at these Mfg facilities. It’s a sure bet every brand is making in China .

  2. I have read more than one review about the machines leaking. One suggested this is more common with the Breville machine. Thoughts?

    • The Essenza Mini that we have in our home is a Breville-made one, about a year old. We haven’t had any problems with leaking. I mean, you do sometimes get a drip or two from the spout when you insert a new pod, or after you pull your cup away, but nothing that the drip tray can’t handle. I have heard of older machines leaking, but they seem to have corrected those issues in recent years.

    • I worry about the same, we had the flat head Vertuoplus Deluxe (Delonghi) leaking coffee, as it was spinning… they were supposed to repair it, they said they need to remake the mold that holds the pod. Or they have offered the round head one (Breville) as a replacement as they no longer have the matte black flat head we had… but I worry about having the same issue. Wondering if it’s the design of the pod holder?

  3. Thank you for taking the time to break it down for us. We were getting overwhelmed and confused trying to figure out the differences and now we know what we need to get!

  4. Thank you, so helpful considering I’m new to the Nespresso market and all the different names and options were getting overwhelming!

  5. hello from Chicago! these are all great however it does not address the price differences. Why is Breville is way more than its equal in De’Longhi?

    thanks in advance
    stay safe

    • I haven’t noticed that. I just did a quick search for a basic Essenza Mini on Amazon and it showed me a De’Longhi for $150 and a Breville for $120, both new. However, with the Citiz/Aeroccino combo, the Breville was more expensive. It may be that Breville makes some models with more expensive materials, but I’d have to do a lot more research to find out if that is the case. Sometimes these machines are marketed along with some extras (for example, does it come with a big sample pack of capsules?). Have to read that fine print to make sure it’s an apples-to-apples comparison.

  6. Hi, this was helpful, but hoping for more guidance if you could! I’m wanting to move away from my coffee pot to something that makes better tasting coffee. I have a french press on the way but also want a fun machine that can make everything (coffee most importantly, but also espresso, lattes, etc)… It’s hard to understand which machines do it all, and if you use a nespresso don’t you have to use only their pods? What if you want to try different coffees? I’m also not wanting something that has me cleaning up constantly, makes really hot coffee without burning, and something quiet enough for mornings when the rest of the family is asleep! Something user friendly that doesn’t feel like a hassle to use… am I asking for the impossible?!
    Gratefully,
    High Maintenance Coffee Lover

    • Nespresso Vertuo machines only use the Vertuo pods and it doesn’t appear that you can buy other brands. The original machine pods are made by a variety of manufacturers (check Amazon), but if you go to the Nespresso website it looks like they are phasing out (at least) some of the flavored coffee pods. Costco also had the original pods last time I checked. I am personally nervous that I’ll buy an original machine and end up only being able to use the Nespresso pods anyway. There’s a big difference in the cost per pod- generally about .70 for original and 1.10 for Vertuo. My brother-in-law has one of the Vertuo machines and the flavored coffee is great. He uses a separate milk frother (not complicated) and the whole thing is pretty easy in terms of clean up. It’s also reasonably quiet- I don’t think it would wake anyone sleeping behind a closed door. Just know that if you want to have the Vertuo and you’re making 3-4 cups of coffee a day you’re spending over $100 a month and need to be sure to order everything in advance so you don’t run out.

      • If you get the round head vertuo that takes the capsule (they still make it. The most famous being chrome,)

        Option 1
        There is a metal aluminum refillable capsule sold on Amazon a few actually. You bc sn use that with your own Kirkland or other brand .

        Option 2
        You can buy new Foil Seals for your used pods , refill them place seal , and voila

        Both methods yield coffee at five cents ($0.05) or under per cup!

  7. My Breville Innizia does not accept easily the capsules. If you just drop a capsule, it does not go in the right way and get stuck. You have to pick it up with pliers to remove it and its wasted. You have to hold the capsule tightly against the front opening and slowly let it in to make it work. This is not acceptable.

  8. I have a Breville Virtuo and found the posts interesting and informative. Would like to be kept in the loop. Thanks.

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