Love the look of the KitchenAid Artisan Nespresso 5KES0503 and want to know if it’ll deliver barista-style coffees without the need to get out of your pyjamas and leave the house? We have the lowdown. I tested a wide selection of the best coffee machines to see how much of your worktop they’ll take up, how easy they are to use, how quickly they’ll deliver your drink, which coffees they’ll make, and – crucially – what the brews taste like.
This is one of the best small coffee makers to buy if you have a smaller kitchen to work with. Keep reading for the rest of our verdict.
The techy stuff
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- Type: Nespresso pods
- Pressure: 19 bar
- Capacity: 1.4 ltr
- Dimensions: H33 x W20.8 x D33cm
Who will the KitchenAid Artisan Nespresso 5KES0503 suit?
Family homes wanting the convenience of speedy, quality coffees for one or many.
What is the KitchenAid Artisan Nespresso 5KES0503 like to use?
Selection and brewing of drinks is simple with a sleek dial to operate, and regular cleaning can mostly be done in the dishwasher.
The KitchenAid Artisan Nespresso 5KES0503 is a top choice if you’re tired of trekking to the high street for a great espresso. It’s also a winner because – like the rest of the brand’s Artisan range – it has top design credentials, so you’ll be happy to have it on show on the work surface.
Coffee options and taste
The KitchenAid Artisan Nespresso 5KES0503 offers a choice of coffee sizes: 25ml ristretto, 40ml espresso; 60ml, 90ml, 110ml lungo, and 130ml, which will suit you if, like me, you like to swap between different coffees during the day and evening.
The drinks it produces have barista-brewed credentials: lovely taste, a good crema (that’s the foamy head of the coffee created in the brewing process), and a delicious aroma.
Brewing up with the KitchenAid Artisan Nespresso 5KES0503
The machine promises an under 30 second heat-up time, and it was ready to brew as soon as I was. It has a pump-style handle to open the capsule loading compartment that’s satisfyingly hefty (though not hard) to operate, and then the dial proved simple to use to select the volume of the coffee. All that was needed to set the machine going was to press the centre of the dial. You can press it again to add extra to the cup, or to stop the brew early, too. At the end, you have to move the handle up again to eject the capsule, and the whole process proved beautifully quick and hassle-free.
Cleaning and maintenance
The capsule disposal container of the KitchenAid Artisan Nespresso 5KES0503 holds up to 14 capsules, so emptying it isn’t a too-frequent chore. Sliding out the components from the base to get at the capsule disposal container was easy, and the drip grid and drip tray easy to separate out. These can be washed in the dishwasher. Re-assembling shouldn’t prove a chore, but when I first did this the drip tray appeared to be in place but wasn’t, so the machine didn’t click back together as it should on first attempt.
When you’re cleaning, the water tank of this machine can’t be put in the dishwasher, which is a downside.
This coffee machine needs descaling from time to time with a Nespresso descaling agent recommended: the manufacturer suggests a monthly cycle, but with the proviso that if you live in a hard water area, you might need to do this more frequently. The procedure is simple, though, so this shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.
What to watch for
I like the style of this machine, and the Almond Cream version I tested looked great on my worktop. A little retro for your kitchen? Try the shining red of Candy Apple, chic Onyx Black, or the pop of Empire Red to match your room’s decor, or other Kitchen Aid worktop appliances.
Negatives for some will be the size of the machine: with dimensions of H33cm x W20.8cm x D33cm it’s going to claim a fair amount of space on a worktop, and small kitchen owners probably won’t want to give up the work area.
It’s also a weighty machine, coming in at 8.96kg. This makes the die-cast metal coffee maker feel substantial, but, once it’s found its place in your kitchen, you probably won’t want to be moving it around.
Another possible negative? You’re tied to Nespresso (or compatible) capsules. This isn’t an issue in terms of coffee choice as there’s a huge range, but you will need to buy them online, or go to your nearest Nespresso boutique if you want the branded pods. Compatible pods can be found on the high street as well as on the web, however. Used Nespresso capsules will also need to be recycled via Nespresso.
Milky coffee fan? This machine doesn’t have a milk frothing option, although you could opt for a package of machine plus Aeroccino, which will produce cold and hot froth.
How does the KitchenAid Artisan Nespresso 5KES0503 rate online?
The buyers of this coffee machine via John Lewis gave it a delighted 4.5 out of five overall score. Happy users remarked on the machine’s quality and appearance as well as the great coffee it produces. Drawbacks for some included the fiddliness of putting back the capsule disposal container, and excess noise.
About our review – and our reviewer
Sarah Warwick has specialised in homes and interiors for over 20 years. She was Executive Editor of Ideal Home magazine, and has written for nationals, magazines and websites including Real Homes, Homebuilding & Renovating, Grand Designs, Homes & Gardens, Houzz, The Guardian, House Beautiful and Country Homes & Interiors. She put the coffee machines to the test on a variety of drinks, as well as checking out how easy they were to set up, and to clean.