We are currently getting a large number of write ins asking which machine we prefer – the Nescafe Dolce Gusto or the Bosch Tassimo Hot Beverage System (Tassimo pods review). We really like both machines, but do understand why some single serve coffee shoppers might be considering one over the other.
The big factor for choosing one machine over the other for most people writing in is price. Both machines are in similar price range – the Bosch Tassimo Hot Beverage System is $139.99 and the Nescafe Dolce Gusto is $169.99, and we can understand why this could be a big factor. The price per single serve coffee cup is also similar, with both machines at the $.50 for a single cup of coffee and the milk based drinks coming in at about $1.00.
As we stated above price is usually a big factor, but we always go on taste and coffee preference. Both machines make very tasty cups of almost all of the hot beverages you would want in a multi-hot beverage system.
Contents
Drink Flavors
The Bosch Tassimo Hot Beverage System can make a large range of drinks including the following:
- coffee, tea, espresso, lattes, cappuccinos, and hot chocolate.
The Nescafe Dolce Gusto can also make a large variety of drinks including the following:
- lungo coffee (larger cup of espresso based coffee), espresso, lattes, cappuccinos, and hot chocolate (iced drinks as well)
The big number to think about is also the total number of drinks available. The Nescafe Dolce Gusto has 8 different types of smart capsules you can purchase for it all under the Nescafe coffee brand. The Bosch Tassimo Hot Beverage System has 40+ coffees, teas, and other drinks it can make including coffee from well known brands such as Starbuck’s Coffee and Seattle’s Best. So if you just picked on the number of drinks the Tassimo is clearly going to give you more choice, but we also always pick on flavor as well.
Deciding Factors
So here’s how we break it down. If you like the flavor of a Nespresso based coffee beverage as the Nescafe Dolce Gusto has a very similar flavor, texture, and quality – you’ll be very happy with the Nescafe Dolce Gusto here. If you have a large variety of coffee needs or other hot beverages in your house – the Bosch Tassimo Hot Beverage System may be for you.
We think on the quality of the latte vs. latte or the hot chocolate – we really prefer the Nescafe Dolce Gusto. The texture and taste is what we expect in a such a drink. Each time we make a latte from the Nescafe Dolce Gusto we could be in Italy or the North End in Boston. On the coffee front the matter is different.
We really think the Tassimo is clearly ahead. You’re only going to have one flavor of coffee with the Nescafe Dolce Gusto and you’re going to need to really like it. How much? Well since there’s only one flavor it’s going to be like having your own house blend of coffee you never change. The Tassimo Hot Beverage System is going to give you a full range of coffees from Starbuck’s, Seattle’s Best, and others. The Seattle’s Best is really excellent tasting coffee. But if you really want to get an exceptional range of coffee you could also just go with the Keurig single serve coffee system as well.
Design of Both Systems
Both are pretty funky cool space age appliance designs. We think most people are more struck with the design of the Nescafe Dolce Gusto, but we also like the clean lines of the Bosch Tassimo Hot Beverage System. The water reservoir design on the Tassimo is clearly easier to use, but we love the round funky design of the reservoir on the Nescafe Dolce Gusto.
The controls on both machines are straight forward as well. The Dolce Gusto allows for more control – with a simple lever setup that is manual – but gives you more choice on amount of beverage in the cup. The Tassimo doesn’t allow for as much control – you can always add more water at the end of the cycle or stop in mid cycle – but it’s designed to be a one button push instead of having you manually control the beverage delivery.
Pros and Cons
We pulled this set of pros and cons from our reviews of both systems.
The Nescafe Dolce Gusto:
Pros
- Heats up quickly
- All the beverages the machine produces we really like – some we love
- Insertion of the smart capsules into the machine is easy
- Controls are easy to use and are made out of high quality metal – great feel
- Both cold and hot water brewing options are available for all drinks
- Really solid milk flavor and taste in all milk based drinks
Cons
- Bin for used smart coffee capsules can get messy and full quickly
- Limited amount of coffee flavors and blends available
- No water filter – for the price we’d expect a water filter in the reservoir
- Water reservoir is hard to fill in our fridge filtered water dispenser
- The machine is priced about $30 more than the Tassimo Hot beverage system for similar
- functionality
The Bosch Tassimo:
Pros
- Large variety of coffees available
- Machine heats up quickly
- Large reservoir includes a water filter
- LED Controls on front are easy to use
- Improved cup stand – will handle a travel mug
Cons
- Removal of the clear top to see brewing is kind of a bummer
- The machine is deeper on the countertops than the earlier model
- Not the best latte
- Crema top on the espresso is also a bit weak
- Availability of Coffee Capsules for Both Systems
You’ll be able to get most of the T Discs for the Tassimo Hot Beverage System at your local Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, or other locations offline. Online both the Nescafe Dolce Gusto and the Bosch Tassimo Hot Beverage System capsules are readily available. You can find both machines at online retailers such as Amazon, CoffeeWhiz, and others.
Wrapping Up
We really like both the Bosch Tassimo Hot Beverage System and the Nescafe Dolce Gusto. Both machines make excellent single serve coffee, and you’re going to have to decide on your coffee flavor and preference on what machine is for you. Also another factor may just be the aesthetic – some people love one machines general look and appeal over the other. Whatever you decide, we think you’ll be very happy with either of these single serve coffee machines.