By: The Caffeinated Gear Team
When searching for a Nespresso-compatible machine that satisfies a genuine coffee connoisseur’s palate, the Grind One stands out from the crowd. Coming from Grind, the renowned Shoreditch-based coffee roasters with an impressive presence across London’s vibrant coffee scene, this machine brings something distinctly different to the pod coffee market.
What sets this machine apart is its position in the speciality coffee world. Unlike standard Nespresso machines, the Grind One is a compatible device that’s caught the attention of serious coffee enthusiasts. We’ve noticed that while mainstream Nespresso users might overlook this gem, it’s become increasingly popular among those who appreciate craft coffee and want to explore the growing world of speciality Nespresso-compatible pods.
Current Special Offer from Grind:
25% off when you spend £40,
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Understanding the distinction between official Nespresso machines and compatible alternatives is crucial for making an informed choice. Through our testing and research, we’ve discovered there’s more to this difference than meets the eye.
The key distinction lies in licensing agreements. Official Nespresso machines operate under strict licensing from Nespresso, incorporating identical brewing technology across their Original line machines – a fact confirmed by Nespresso representatives
While the exact specifications of this “brewing technology” aren’t publicly detailed, our experience suggests it primarily involves the brewing chamber design. Whether specific temperature and pressure parameters are mandated for licensed manufacturers remains somewhat unclear.
The landscape of Nespresso-compatible products has an fascinating history. The market breakthrough came when Dualit, a modest British company, successfully challenged Nestlé’s patents. This David-versus-Goliath victory opened doors for other manufacturers, leading to what we’re seeing today – an exciting surge in speciality coffee roasters offering their carefully crafted beans in pod form.
For coffee enthusiasts who prefer supporting independent roasters and savour the subtle complexities of freshly roasted beans, compatible pods have created a welcome bridge between convenience and quality. While dedicated Nespresso users with existing subscriptions might prefer to stick with official machines, we’ve found that speciality coffee lovers often gravitate toward compatible machines like the Grind One.
If you’re specifically interested in exploring official Nespresso machines, you might want to check out our comprehensive guide:
After extensive hands-on testing, we’re impressed by the Grind One’s distinctive design approach. What immediately caught our attention was its striking resemblance to a miniature Italian lever espresso machine – a deliberate design choice that speaks directly to serious coffee enthusiasts.
Our initial impressions from promotional materials suggested a larger machine, given its professional espresso maker styling. However, upon unboxing, we were pleasantly surprised by its compact footprint. At just under 19cm wide, 34cm deep, and 26cm tall, it’s remarkably space-efficient while maintaining its premium aesthetic.
The thoughtful design elements – from the cup warmer rails to the lever mechanism and the E61-inspired brew nozzle – create what we’d describe as the world’s most charming micro-traditional espresso machine. The 1.2L water tank offers generous capacity for a pod machine, while the drip tray, though compact, provides more substantial depth and width than typical Nespresso alternatives.
In terms of practicality, the machine accommodates various cup sizes. The standard setup with the drip tray allows for cups up to 10cm tall, while removing the tray increases clearance to nearly 16cm – perfect for taller drinks.
One standout feature we appreciate is the flat top design with cup rails. Unlike many pod machines with curved tops or awkward control placement, the Grind One’s surface doubles as valuable counter space. While it’s not the most effective cup warmer (the thermoblock heater only generates significant heat during brewing), it’s an excellent cup storage solution. Depending on your cup size and stackability, you can comfortably fit between four to eight small cups on top – though we’re talking about espresso cups rather than large mugs.
When it comes to noise levels, we were pleasantly surprised. This Nespresso machine runs significantly quieter than most competitors we’ve tested. The pump operates with minimal noise – you won’t disturb anyone’s sleep unless you’ve made the bold choice of installing it right next to your bed!
One interesting quirk worth noting: there’s no auto-off function, which is rather unusual in today’s market. The machine uses a classic metal toggle switch – it’s either on or off, with no timer functionality. After extensive testing, we’re actually quite neutral about this feature (or lack thereof). Even if it did power down automatically, it only takes about 25 seconds to heat up again. Plus, the machine essentially sits in standby mode when not actively brewing, so energy efficiency isn’t a major concern.
What truly sets this machine apart is the sheer joy of using it. The brewing experience is a genuine pleasure, which we believe is crucial for any coffee machine that you’ll interact with daily.
Perhaps we’re easily amused, but there’s something oddly satisfying about operating the lever mechanism for pod loading and ejection. Our only minor gripe was that occasionally, pods needed a gentle nudge to eject properly. We found ourselves having to pull out the pod drawer and give stubborn pods a little tap to help them along.
We’ve exclusively tested this machine with Grind’s pods, as they provided their house selection for our review and we subsequently ordered their complete range for thorough testing. We suspect the occasional pod sticking issue (which occurred during our video review and a few times afterwards) might be related to the compostable pod material rather than the machine itself.
Here’s our breakdown of the Grind pods we tested:
House Blend: Specifically crafted for flat white perfection
Light blend: A harmonious mix of Ethiopian and Peruvian beans
Dark blend: A robust combination from Brazil, India, and Uganda
Decaf: Single origin Mexican beans
Long blend: Brazilian and Guatemalan beans designed for longer drinks
Editions India: A distinctive Indian single origin
Editions Ethiopia: An aromatic Ethiopian single origin
The dark blend and Ethiopian single origin particularly impressed us, though we found the entire range delivered solid pod coffee quality. Price-wise, they’re quite reasonable – a bulk box of 100 pods costs £45 (at time of writing), working out to 45p per pod.
Temperature performance is worth highlighting, as it addresses a common Nespresso complaint. While we don’t currently have another Nespresso-compatible machine for direct comparison, we found the coffee temperature consistently hot and satisfying.
Grind has recently expanded their decaf options with a new dark blend:
We believe this machine would fit perfectly alongside high-end equipment like the La Pavoni, Londinium, Quickmill, Rocket, ECM, or Profitec for specialty coffee enthusiasts. However, it really shines as an office or home office machine.
Its appeal stems from both its stylish appearance and enjoyable operation – because who doesn’t need more enjoyment at work? The quiet operation means discrete coffee breaks (your supervisor won’t hear those frequent brewing sessions!), while its compact size and well-designed water tank, drip tray, and pod drawer capacity minimize kitchen trips.
For additional options on home espresso machines, see:
Based on our testing, we find ourselves agreeing with Derek Adams from T3, who dubbed it the best Nespresso machine and rather colourfully described it as a “Silvery Slab of Sensational Sexiness”.
Of course, “best” depends entirely on your preferences. If you appreciate the aesthetic of gleaming lever machines, this might well be your ideal Nespresso-compatible device. From our professional assessment, we consider it one of the strongest contenders in its price bracket. Its unique design and lever mechanism certainly set it apart from the crowd.
However, if milk-based drinks are your primary focus, you might want to consider the Sage Creatista range. Just keep in mind the significant price difference – the Creatista Plus commands over £200 more, while the Creatista Pro sits at a whopping £400 premium!
When our team of baristas and coffee experts explores the world of pod machines, Nespresso consistently stands out – but they’re not the only choice worth considering.
For a comprehensive look at various pod machine options, check out our detailed guide:
What makes Nespresso and Nespresso-compatible machines particularly fascinating for serious coffee enthusiasts is the expanding universe of speciality coffee pods available.
While pod machines offer fantastic convenience, they represent just one path in the broader coffee landscape. If you’ve landed here while researching coffee machines in general, you might want to explore other brewing methods that could better suit your coffee preferences. Our comprehensive guide covers all the options:
Breaking News in Ready-to-Drink Coffee
Breaking News in Ready-to-Drink Coffee
We’ve had the pleasure of sampling Grind’s latest innovation – their ready-to-drink iced coffee range. Available in bundles of 4, 8, 12, or 20 cans, these 250ml servings come in both vegan-friendly and classic varieties. Our team particularly enjoyed testing the diverse flavour range, including:
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