Comparison · Nespresso Original
Nespresso Essenza Mini vs CitiZ
Both take the same Nespresso Original pods and make espresso and lungo. The real differences are size, tank and how easy each is to buy in the UK right now. Here's the honest comparison.
The Nespresso Essenza Mini vs CitiZ choice is simpler than it looks. Both machines take the same Nespresso Original pods, both have a 19-bar pump, and both make two programmable drinks: espresso and lungo. What separates them is size, water tank, looks and, right now, how easy each one is to buy in the UK. We haven’t tested this in person. This comparison is based on Krups UK’s and Currys’ published specs and UK prices checked 3 Oct 2026. Read how we compare.
Nespresso Essenza Mini vs CitiZ: the short answer
Choose the Essenza Mini if worktop space is the main problem. Krups UK lists it at just 8.4cm wide and 2.3kg, which makes it one of the easiest Nespresso machines to tuck into a small kitchen, a desk or a holiday let.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who makes more than a couple of drinks a day. Its 0.6-litre tank needs refilling often, and we couldn’t confirm a current price at a major UK retailer.
Choose the CitiZ if you want the more solid, retro-styled machine with a full litre of water. It was £174.99 at Currys (Krups XN741B40, in stock, checked 3 Oct 2026), and Currys had both the Krups and De’Longhi versions in stock.
Who it isn’t for: anyone short on space or money. It’s much bigger than the Essenza Mini, and at £174.99 at Currys (checked 3 Oct 2026) it’s a lot to pay for a machine that only makes two drink sizes.
Skip both if you want lattes at the press of a button. Neither has a built-in milk system; see our pod machines hub for machines that do.
What they cost right now
- Nespresso CitiZ by Krups XN741B40 (silver): £174.99 at Currys, in stock, checked 3 Oct 2026.
- Nespresso CitiZ by De’Longhi EN167.B (black): £175.00 at Currys, in stock, checked 3 Oct 2026.
- Nespresso CitiZ with Milk Frother EN267.BAE: £225.00 at Currys, in stock, checked 3 Oct 2026. Currys lists an Aeroccino milk frother in the box.
- Nespresso Essenza Mini: check current price. Currys didn’t list it when we checked on 3 Oct 2026, and the Nespresso UK, John Lewis and Argos pages didn’t load for us, so we can’t give you a verified figure.
That gap matters. If you see an Essenza Mini listed, check who’s selling it and that it’s a UK-plug model before you buy.
- See the CitiZ at Currys
- See the CitiZ with Milk Frother at Currys
- See the Essenza Mini specs at Krups UK
Size: the Essenza Mini’s big win
Krups UK gives the Essenza Mini’s size as 204 x 330 x 84mm (height x length x width), and its weight as 2.3kg. In plain terms, it’s narrow and low, but about 33cm long front to back.
Currys lists the Krups CitiZ at 318 x 181 x 396mm (height x width x depth) and 4.25kg. So the CitiZ is about 11cm taller, roughly twice as wide and nearly twice as heavy. (Currys’ listing for the De’Longhi-made EN167.B gives a height of 2,550mm, which is clearly a typo, so we’ve used the Krups figures.)
Who it isn’t for: if you’ve got a decent stretch of worktop, the Essenza Mini’s size advantage doesn’t buy you much.
Water tank and daily use
This is the CitiZ’s clearest advantage. Currys lists a 1-litre tank on the CitiZ, while Krups UK lists 0.6 litres on the Essenza Mini. A lungo uses noticeably more water than an espresso, so a household drinking several longer coffees a day will be refilling the Mini much more often.
Both heat up quickly: Krups UK says 25 seconds for the Essenza Mini, and Currys gives the same 25 seconds for the CitiZ. Both switch themselves off: Currys says the CitiZ powers down after 9 minutes, and Krups UK says the Essenza Mini switches off after 9 or 30 minutes and drops to a low-energy mode after 3.
Who it isn’t for: the Essenza Mini isn’t for busy households. The CitiZ isn’t for anyone who’ll only make one espresso a day and resents the extra bulk.
Drinks and cup sizes
There’s no difference in what they brew. Both make espresso and lungo, with both buttons programmable so you can set your own volume. Both use Nespresso’s Original system, which brews with high pressure rather than the barcode-reading Vertuo method.
Currys lists an adjustable cup stand on the CitiZ, and Krups UK lists a drip tray with two height positions on the Essenza Mini. If you drink from tall mugs, you’ll be removing the drip tray on either machine.
If you’re unsure whether Original is the right system at all, our guide to Nespresso Vertuo vs Original explains the difference.
Who it isn’t for: anyone wanting big mug-sized coffees. Neither machine makes more than a lungo at one press.
Pods and running costs
Because both machines take Nespresso Original pods, they cost exactly the same to run. That includes plenty of supermarket pods made to fit. At Morrisons on 3 Oct 2026, for example, L’Or Supremo was £10.00 for 40 capsules (25p each) and Starbucks by Nespresso House Blend was £9.25 for 36 pods (about 26p each, our sum), both in stock. We couldn’t confirm Nespresso’s own current pod prices, so we haven’t quoted them.
Who it isn’t for: anyone hoping one machine is cheaper to run. Pod costs are identical; only the machine price differs.
Milk options
Neither machine has a built-in milk system. The simplest add-on is a separate frother: Currys’ listing for the CitiZ with Milk Frother EN267.BAE includes an Aeroccino in the box, at £225.00 at Currys (checked 3 Oct 2026). For the Essenza Mini, you’d buy a frother separately. Our guide to the best milk frothers compares UK options.
Who it isn’t for: anyone wanting one-touch lattes from a single machine. Look at Nespresso’s Lattissima range instead.
Downsides of both
- Essenza Mini: a small 0.6-litre tank, and we couldn’t verify a current UK retailer price.
- CitiZ: much bigger and heavier, and it costs £174.99 at Currys (checked 3 Oct 2026) for the same two drinks.
- Both: only two drink sizes, no built-in milk system, and Original pods only.
Where to go next
Our Nespresso CitiZ review covers the CitiZ in more depth. Our Essenza Mini review does the same for the smaller machine.
FAQ
Do the Essenza Mini and CitiZ use the same pods? Yes. Both take Nespresso Original pods, including supermarket pods made to fit the Original system.
Which makes better coffee? On paper, there’s nothing between them: both list a 19-bar pump and the same espresso and lungo sizes. The choice comes down to size, tank and looks.
Is the Essenza Mini being discontinued? We don’t know, and we haven’t seen Nespresso say so. All we can tell you is that Currys didn’t list it when we checked on 3 Oct 2026.
Can you make a latte with either? Not on its own. Add a separate frother, or buy the CitiZ with Milk Frother bundle, which Currys lists with an Aeroccino.