There is not much I enjoy more, than indulging in good quality coffee. It is a big passion in my life. Needless to say, it is important to me, that I own a terrific coffee machine, to provide such a pleasure.
I have been for the last few years a big Alessi enthusiast: I admire the quirkiness of their products: and the superior quality of their products . Therefore; when I first saw 'The Coben Alessi Nespresso Machine' I knew: I had to own it.

Alessi have a theory that we all have a powerful need for 'art and poetry', they attempt to reintroduce beauty into 'a world of mass-produced electrical appliances, where objects tend to be anonymous and boring'. Alessi use artistic disciplines in their designs; that best characterizes our epoch.

The machine itself is an artwork, keeping with the Alessi image, it is grand and quirky in appearance (see pictures).
As well as being a superb artwork, it functions as an espresso machine: as such, it possesses all the features necessary: a high pressure pump, heating element, removable steam nozzle and steam functions (to heat and froth milk) and a removable water tank (which has a 1.1 litre capacity) and a power of 1300 watt.

To use the machine, and make yourself an espresso, there are incredibly simple steps to follow:
- Fill the water tank
- Press the on button
- Press the coffee button; let the water run through until the light (temperature indicator) turns off.
- Wait for the light to turn back on.
- Put a capsule in the capsule holder.
- Place an espresso cup underneath and press the coffee button.
- Press the coffee button: allow the coffee to come out, until the espresso cup is filled to the desired level.

With the ability to create espresso's; combined with the steam function; your options are endless. We can create, in our own homes, superior: cappuccinos, lattes, mocha chinos, hot chocolate etc.

Alessi is an Italian Design company. It began with one man in 1921; Giovanni. Giovanni bought a plot of land in Omegna, on lake Orta: and founded Alessi. Initially, he began by hand making household objects with metals. He was a stickler for quality and well done work. He soon earned acclaim for the workmanship and perfect finish.
In the mid 30's his son, 'Carlo' (trained as an industrial designer) joined the company.
The market for household items, during the war lessened and so Alessi made stars for uniforms and mechanical parts for Savoia Marchetti aeroplanes. Then after the war, there was a huge demand for 'brass ladies', for the us army. Due to this Alessi expanded and mass production began.
In the 1950's he took over from Giovanni.
Carlo's brother 'Ettore' Joined the company in 1945 and was appointed the head technical developer. In 1955, he opened Alessi up to collaborate with external designers.
Carlo's son has now joined the company (in1970) and is still a family business. They work with many designers to create household objects, specialising in stainless steel manufacturing.

Nespresso use certain beans from certain origins to create 'blends' The have specific requirements of characteristics: based on, aroma, finesse, quality of crema and lasting aftertaste.
They then have a specific and precise roasting process - the more the body of the coffee is developed, the more aroma is lost; therefore they have to make it perfect.
Next is the grinding: this affects the flavour and flow time of water, when making your espresso. The finer the grind, the slower the flow of water. Thus the stronger and full bodied the espresso is.
They then package the perfect amount of coffee for each espresso, in an aluminium capsule (a protective film protecting the coffee from the aluminium) - this preserves the freshness for at least nine months, meaning each espresso you drink, the coffee is at it's optimum - perfect.

Nespresso have several blends available to buy either over the telephone or from www.nespresso.com. Here you can peruse the blends, at your leisure, learning the origins of the coffee, it's qualities and the description of the overall flavours: the strength, the smoothness or bitterness etc.
This means you can pick the coffee to your own specific personal taste.

The capsules are approximately 12p each and are sold in packs of ten. There is a very small delivery charge, if you order before 2pm, generally you will receive your coffee the very next day (

Pictures of Alessi Nespresso Coban

The Machine, with the supplied espresso cup + Nespresso capsules.

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The machine is sold, constructed; and is good to go, once plugged in. The instruction manual is very easy to follow, with step by step instructions on how to make your drinks.
It does, only teach you, how to make espressos and cappuccinos. To be more creative and extravagant, you will need to do a little research. The internet has an wealth of ideas: and the staff (the nice ones) in Starbucks or Costa etc will give you a few tips.

The machine capsule holder and the drip tray come apart from the machine, making it very easy to clean after use. The steam nozzle just needs wiping with a cloth. The water tank just lifts off, making it very practical to use.

The service is superb from Nespresso, I have never had a problem and my coffee has always been delivered promptly. It is a well established company, owned by Nestle: therefore it is unlikely to 'go bust' any time soon, if ever.
If that catastrophic day arrived, the machine would be rendered useless. It is only made, to use Nespresso capsules, nothing else.

There are an abundance of accessories available for the machine; a tremendous amounts of cups and coffee related products. Carry cases, to make your machine mobile. Dispensers and uber posh wooden cases for the capsules. All items are displayed online and Nespresso sporadically send books with all the products available to purchase.

The history of Alessi and Nespreso, has been interpreted and vastly condensed from www.alessi.com and www.nespresso.com. For the full shebang; visit those web sites.