It could have been a real quaint MINI Cooper cuddling my kitchen cabinet, but alas, the kitchen is not my garage. Instead this MINI Limited Edition by Nescafé Dolce Gusto single-serve coffee machine found itself nested prominently on the counter, and quietly purrs whenever I need my caffeine fix.
The MINI Dolce Gusto® coffee machine turns the user into an artist, promising a masterpiece with each cup. At the launch event, we had lots of fun playing with different recipes and strength settings. This is a Limited Edition Genio 2 machine with a beautiful MINI wrap over it, but the insides are exactly the same as the original and reliable Genio 2. The sleek body and monochrome stripes are characteristic of the MINI automobile and exude the same chic confidence and reliability. Branded with a stylish MINI logo, this coffee machine is anything but bland, fueling your kitchen with style.
Mini but powerful, the 2.7 kg machine produces authentic espresso and the perfect cream with a maximum 15 bar pump pressure, so that the finest flavours and aromas can be extracted from coffee capsules. The MINI coffee maker allows you to choose from 19 different hot or cold drinks. You can quickly customise beverage strength and preparation with the seven-level LED display controls, with no preheating required with special thermoblock heating system. The machine goes into energy-saving automatic stand-by mode after five minutes of inactivity.
A selection of coffee capsules with the MINI Dolce Gusto® coffee machine. Photo © Gel ST.
Operating the MINI Dolce Gusto® coffee machine is easy with a little more manual control ceded to the user.
One simply loads each capsule into the capsule tray, pushes in the machine, and close the machine so the needle will puncture the seal on top of the capture. Use the “play-and-select” dial on the top of the coffee machine to instruct the machine how much of the drink you want. Nescafé’s capsule labels shows the recommended amounts, but one can always override this and make it more or less, depending on what you want.
Having a great selection of drinks at our disposal, we proceeded to try out all the various combinations possible. Albeit a tad sweet for my taste, the Cappuccino is a great perk-me-up with hot milk cushioning the espresso base. Of course, for a stronger brew, one can opt to increase the volume of the expresso base by pushing the “play-and-select” dial accordingly.
At the official unveiling event, Nescafé also introduced the brand new Ristretto Ardenza, Nescafé’s strongest coffee yet. The indigo-coloured capsule gets its name from Italian origins. Ristretto, which means limited, suggests that this coffee is made with only half the volume of water as an Espresso, but uses the same amount of ground coffee. This results in a deliciously potent espresso coffee that you can savour with every sip.
The Ristretto is bolder, more concentrated and less bitter than a regular cup of espresso. The reason for this lies in the time taken to extract the coffee under pressure. All the attributes associated with quality coffee will be the first to be extracted, and as it progresses, the less desirable qualities follow. As the Ristretto shot requires lesser time to brew, only the best flavours will be accentuated. The Dolce Gusto® Ristretto Ardenza boasts a smoky aroma with a deliciously peppery aftertaste that will delight your senses, aided by the wonderful essence of hazelnut and liquorice.
Depending on your point of purchase, each capsule (usually sold in a box of 16) should cost you around S$0.70 to S$1.00, about four to five times more affordable than a brew by a trained barista at a regular coffee house.
The Ristretto Ardenza, touted as Nescafé’s strongest coffee yet. Photo © Gel ST.
A bold and dark shot of Ristretto Ardenza. Photo © Gel ST.
Crafting a custom Tiramisu at the unveiling event. Photo © Gel ST.
A guests adds the finishing touch to a custom tiramisu, made from a generous serving of Ristretto Ardenza, Nescafé strongest espresso yet. Photo © Gel ST.
Dolce Gusto’s Limited Edition MINI coffee machine is perfect for the space-conscious and can be easily stowed away after use. It sits just as comfortably at home or in a small office. It doesn’t have a lightsaber or a food-warmer function, but it does turn your working space into a comfy coffee house at the press of a few buttons.
A sampler of 6 capsules comes standard with every purchase of the MINI Dolce Gusto® coffee machine. Photo © Gel ST.
The Genio 2 series allows for 7 different strength settings, adjustable by the jog dial on the top. Photo © Gel ST.
Try the MINI Dolce Gusto® if you crave for your own cuppa each morning and dread the cleaning-up associated with a traditional espresso machine. From bold espressos to frothy latte macchiatos, there is no drink you can’t do with the Genio 2 series and its 19 selections of capsules.
The MINI Dolce Gusto® is available online, and in selected stores around Singapore.
