If you’re shopping around for your first Nespresso machine, or maybe you already own one, you must have noticed how Nespresso is really doubling down on their efforts to sell the Vertuo machines.
In a previous post, I have answered the question of whether or not Vertuo is being discontinued. This led to another question: Is Nespresso discontinue OriginalLine machines and pods?
The short answer is no. Nespresso will not discontinued OriginalLine machines or pods.
To understand why Nespresso OriginalLine is here to stay, we have to understand how far back Nespresso OriginalLine goes and how Nespresso simply cannot give up on it or its capsules.
What Is Nespresso OriginalLine and When Did It Start?
OriginalLine is the name that Nespresso now uses to refer to their ‘older’ coffee machines, which came out way before Nespresso Vertuo. Originalline models specialize in making espresso drinks only and use the small Nespresso pods.
Nespresso started back in 1986 with the idea of making espresso available easily to every one at home, without the complication of using a traditional Espresso machine.
Single serve espresso machines and coffee capsules were started by Nespresso for more than 30 years. Ever since, ‘OriginalLine’ machines, which did not have that name back then, became available in every household, business venue and hotels.
Not only Nespresso sold millions of their machines, but they also owned the patent to their espresso capsules. Which means, they were the only ones who could sell Nespresso OriginalLine capsules.
Eventually, the patent came to an end.
Nespresso Patent Expiration
Sometime around the 2012, Nespresso’s capsule patent came to an end. And now, 3rd party coffee makers can make Nespresso OriginalLine capsules and millions of Nespresso machine owners can now get their pods from anywhere. This is a huge loss to Nespresso.
So, how do they solve this problem?
New patent and a new brewing system – Enter: Nespresso Vertuo.
Nespresso Pod Change
Why Did Nespresso Change Pods?
Since Nespresso has lost the patent to Nespresso OriginalLine capsules, they had to come up with a new patented capsule design that only Nespresso can sell to keep the profits to themselves.
That’s when the came out with the Nespresso Vertuo line, a new line of Nespresso machines that uses new capsule design, exclusive to Nespresso.
Vertuo was created for two main reasons:
- Patented pod design and brewing technology that only Nespresso can sell.
- It makes espresso as well as coffee, which makes it more appealing to North American customers who prefer larger cups of coffee to espresso.
With that, and since 2014, Nespresso has shifted focus to their new Vertuo system and is investing heavily on making it their ‘main’ line of machines.
Will Nespresso Phase Out OriginalLine Machines and Pods?
With Vertuo now being Nespresso’s main ‘money maker’, will they phase out OriginalLine machines and pods?
No, Nespresso will not discontinue or phase out OriginalLine machines or pods. Here’s why:
1- Nespresso still makes a lot of money from OriginalLine. Millions of people own their older Nespresso machines either at home, office, dorms, or hotels. They still have to cater to these customers.
2- Nespresso is still actively producing OriginalLine capsules, releasing new capsules and limited edition OriginalLine pods.
3- Not everyone is happy about Nespresso’s exclusivity to Vertuo pods, myself included (I gave up my VertuoPlus for an OriginalLine machine). Customers are still buying OriginalLine machines everyday.
4- Nespresso still sells OriginalLine machines on their website and Boutiques. Also through their partners like DeLonghi, Breville or Krups and Magimix.
Discontinuing OriginalLine machines and pods would lead to Nespresso losing a lot of money and market share.
Related: Nespresso Pod Caffeine Content Chart
Nespresso OriginalLine Discontinued Models
While Nespresso is not discontinuing all of OriginalLine, they have discontinued some OriginalLine models:
1- Nespresso Inissia
Inissia was one of Nespresso’s most compact OriginalLine machines. It has been officially discontinued, but you can still buy it from some vendors.
Inissia was replaced with the Nespresso Essenza Mini. Yet, Inissia is still a popular machine to this day and many people prefer it to the Essenza Mini, although they have exactly the same features.
2- Nespresso U
This model looks a lot like a cross between Nespresso Citiz and Inissia. It did not have any special features, but only a striking design at an affordable price. Which you can still get from many Nespresso machines available now.
3- Nespresso Expert
Expert is Nespresso’s first connected machines. But that’s not its best feature. It had 4 serving sizes: ristretto, espresso, lungo and Americano… and it had three temperature selections: medium, hot and extra hot. No OriginalLine comes with temperature selection.
Why Was Nespresso Expert Discontinued?
Expert was discontinued eventually due to low sales. It was an expensive machine and was marketed as a bluetooth connected machine, which not many people were excited about.
What Happens if You Buy a Discontinued Nespresso Machine?
If you want to buy a Nespresso model that has been discontinued, you’ll get the same benefits of a new or current model:
- If you’re purchasing brand new machine: you’ll receive full support and warranty starting day one of your purchase.
- If you are purchasing a used machine: you can still receive continued support from Nespresso, but the machine could be out of warranty (which is 1 year, most of the time).
Nespresso OriginalLine Current Models
There are SO many options for Nespresso OriginalLine machines. You can buy Nespresso’s own models, or get an OriginalLine from a 3rd part brands.
Nespresso’s current OriginalLine models are:
- Nespresso CitiZ
- Nespresso Pixie
- Nespresso Essenza Mini
- Nespresso Creatista line – Made with Breville
- Nespresso Lattissima line – Made with DeLonghi
For an OriginalLine from a 3rd party brand, I highly recommend L’or Barista System.
Nespresso Discontinued Capsules
Nespresso has discontinued many of their OriginalLine capsules, but they have replaced them with newer ones. For example:
- Nespresso Single Origin range was discontinued, but it has been replaced by the Nespresso World Explorations range and the Master Crafted Single Origins. Both are practically the same thing, but with newer names and packages.
- Flavored capsules were recently renamed: Vanilla is now called Vaniglia, Chocolate is called Cioccolatino, and Hazelnut is Nocciola. These names are more in line with Nespresso’s Italian roots.
- Also, Nespresso periodically releases Limited edition capsules, which are only available for a limited time and then discontinued.
So, while some Nespresso OriginalLine capsules can come and go, some get renamed or rebranded, the are not discontinued.
Should You Buy a Nespresso OriginalLine Machine?
To wrap up this post, and now that you know OriginalLine will not be discontinued, the question is: Is it viable to buy a Nespresso Originalline, when Nespresso has now Vertuo?
Yes, absolutely!
If you want a Nespresso OriginalLine, it’s totally worth it to get one. Especially if you are mostly making espresso based drinks (espresso, latte, cappuccino…).
There’s no reason you should lock yourself up to Nespresso’s own capsules when you can buy your OriginalLine espresso capsules practically from anywhere.
