Are you looking to add a user-friendly coffee maker to your home?
If your answer to that question is yes, then you should look into a pod-compatible coffee maker. Pods are pre-ground servings of coffee or cocoa that come in capsules that can be easily inserted into a coffee maker for effortless brewing.
There are two main pod manufacturers on the market today: Keurig and Nespresso. Keurig machines commonly can use Keurig’s K-cups, while different coffee maker brands partner with Nespresso to make machines capable of using Nespresso’s capsules.
In this guide, we’ll be putting the Keurig K Elite vs Delonghi Nespresso, two coffee makers capable of using pods.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Traits the K Elite and De’Longhi nespresso share
- What makes these coffee makers different from each other
- Our guidance on how to choose between them
Quick Summary
Mobile users can scroll left and right on the table by swiping left and right.
Attribute | Keurig K-Elite | De'Longhi Nespresso |
|---|---|---|
Image |
|
|
Single-Serve Brewing | Yes | Yes |
Pod Compatibility | Yes | Yes |
Removable Drip Tray | Yes | Yes |
Temperature Adjustability | Yes | No |
Drink Sizes | 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12 oz | 1.35, 2.7, 5, 8 & 14 oz |
Water Tank Capacity | 75 oz | 54 oz |
Ideal Uses | Home | Home |
Pricing |
The Keurig K Elite comes with a massive amount of options, including the size of your cup, the temperature of your drink, and even iced beverages. Pick this coffee maker if you want more control over each drink you make.
Its famous one-touch operation makes the De’Longhi Nespresso extremely intuitive to use – it even ejects the capsule by itself for you after brewing. This is the one for you if you want a machine that’s the easiest possible to use.
Similarities
Single-serve Portions
We all like our drinks a specific way, which is what makes the K Elite’s and De’Longhi’s single-cup servings exceptional.
When you brew large batches of coffee, it’s likely that not everyone is getting what they want. When you allow everyone to brew their own individual cups, they can put their own personal spin on each drink.
An additional advantage to making individual cups is less waste. No more dumping out leftover cold pots of coffee, because everyone will be making exactly the amount they want when they want it.
Pod Compatibility
The De’Longhi Nespresso and the K Elite both can use pre-measured and ground pods.
The only difference here is the kind of pods they can use. The De’Longhi Nespresso uses Nespresso pods, while the K Elite uses Keurig’s pods.
However, the concept is the same. Either one of these machines can make perfect cups of coffee achievable even by those who have never used a coffee maker before.
No need to grind your own beans and put in a filter – just choose a pod flavor you like and pop it into the coffee maker.
Removable Drip Tray
The drip tray on the De’Longhi and K Elite can easily be removed.
This has a couple different benefits for you: it allows you to fit larger cups beneath the brewer and makes for simple cleaning.
Travel mugs, for example, are usually too large to brew into. But if you want to squeeze one underneath either of these coffee makers, you can remove the drip tray for more room.
You can also remove the drip tray to comfortably clean it out wherever you need to, such as giving it a rinse in your kitchen sink. There’s no need to move the entire coffee maker to empty the drip tray on either of these models.
Cup Size Options
Moods change, and so do your cravings.
That’s the beauty of both these coffee makers being able to brew five different drink sizes. You’re able to get the exact amount of coffee you need at any time, instead of brewing too much or too little.
The De’Longhi offers the following sizes: 1.35 ounces (for espresso), 2.7 ounces, 5 ounces, 8 ounces, and 14 ounces.
On the other side, the K Elite has 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12-ounce cup sizes.
The bottom line is, both of these machines can address just about any size coffee craving you have.
Automatic Switch-off
Do you want appliances that are environmentally friendly?
Either the De’Longhi Nespresso or Keurig K Elite fits the bill. They’re built with energy-saving automatic switch-off functions that power the machine off when it’s not in use.
For the De’Longhi, the automatic switch-off will occur after nine minutes of inactivity. The K Elite, on the flip side, allows its users to program when it will shut itself off.
The end result is that neither of these machines will needlessly run if you forget to turn them off, lowering their energy consumption and your utility expenses.
Differences
Water Tank Size
If you want a coffee maker that’s especially easy to use, you’ll probably want one that doesn’t need to have its water tank refilled too often.
That’s particularly true if you’re new to the world of coffee makers. Their maintenance can take a little learning.
The Keurig K Elite was specifically designed with a humongous 75-ounce water tank for that reason, and it also lets you make several drinks in a row with no inconvenient water tank refills.
A 54-ounce water tank comes built into the De’Longhi Nespresso. Although it’s a bit smaller than the K Elite’s, this is still big enough that most home users won’t need to stop to pour water in constantly.
Delonghi Nespresso Centrifusion Technology
Intelligent Centrifusion technology in the De’Longhi helps make every cup as good as the last.
How does it work?
Each Nespresso pod has a bar code printed around the bottom of the rim. When you put it in the De’Longhi, it reads the bar code to ensure it brews the flavor in the pod correctly.
That translates to dependable results no matter when or where you use the De’Longhi.
Keurig K Elite Ground Coffee
Coffee purists will say that when you freshly grind your coffee right before brewing, you get the best taste.
Regardless of your preference, it’s still nice to have the option. The K Elite will let you use your own coffee grounds, making the possible flavors for each cup pretty much endless.
This also lets more experienced coffee drinkers experiment with flavors as they see fit, trying different blends at their leisure.
Delonghi Nespresso Rapid Heat-up Time
The De’Longhi’s lightning-fast heat-up time will have you sipping on your coffee even sooner.
This coffee maker can heat up in 15 seconds. You’ll get even more use out of this model when you don’t need to wait for a long time for it to be hot enough to brew.
It’s a life saver when you’re in a hurry in the morning before work and you need a quick cup.
Keurig K Elite Iced Coffee Button
Craving an ice-cold drink on a hot day?
No problem – just press the Iced button on the Keurig K Elite to brew any of your favorite drinks over ice. You’ll be savoring a cool, refreshing cup in no time.
It’s true that on the De’Longhi Nespresso, you could just fill a cup with ice before brewing, but doesn’t have the programmed iced setting like the K Elite.
Using the K Elite’s Iced button creates a balanced and cold drink that won’t be watered down or overflow.
Delonghi One-touch Operation
There’s no need to worry about having a difficult time figuring out how to operate the De’Longhi Nespresso.
With other coffee makers, you’ll often have to put the grounds or pod in place, press the button, remove the grounds or pod afterward, and power it off.
All these steps are conveniently combined on the De’Longhi. After you put the Nespresso capsule in and start this coffee maker, it will automatically eject the capsule into an attached container for you.
No messy cleanups here.
Keurig K Elite Temperature Adjustability
The K Elite takes customization even further by letting you adjust the temperature of your hot drinks.
Instead of just having one temperature across the board for every cup, you can make each cup from 187 to 192 degrees Fahrenheit.
Even if you aren’t likely to use the temperature adjustment setting, others who share the coffee maker with you might. This is an option that makes it so the K Elite really does have something for everyone.
Which One Should You Buy?
If you’re reading up on Nespresso or Keurig, you’ve probably already decided that you want the ease of use naturally associated with using pods.
But there’s more to either one of these coffee makers than just being compatible with pods. How do you decide between them?
Consider user-friendliness first. If all you want is a coffee maker that’s extremely simple to use every day, then you really can’t get any more straightforward than the De’Longhi Nespresso.
Once you’ve placed the capsule and started this machine, there’s nothing else to do but wait. The De’Longhi will even discard the pod into a convenient holding compartment for you afterward.
If customization or control are the name of your game, however, you’ll want to look at the Keurig K Elite. Users have more input over the qualities of each cup, from size to temperature.
Time is something else you can think about. If you need a coffee machine that can hit the ground running in the morning, then you’ll absolutely love the De’Longhi’s 15-second heat-up time.
Once the Keurig K Elite is warmed up, though, it can brew a cup for you in 60 seconds or less.
This is our advice:
Pick the De’Longhi Nespresso if you need an intuitive and straightforward machine. This is perfect for homes who are not familiar with coffee maker use.
On the other hand, if you want a coffee maker that will get you closer to what you can buy in your favorite coffee shops, get the Keurig K Elite. Temperature control, iced coffee, and various cup sizes make it a wonderful addition to homes filled with discerning and diverse coffee lovers.
Looking for more information on the De’Longhi Nespresso or Keurig K Elite? Here are there Amazon listings:
