Tassimo or Dolce Gusto? Dolce Gusto or Tassimo? It’s a debate that’s raged on in the coffee community for quite some time and the debate is only just getting started.
With Tassimo and Dolce Gusto in an innovation war, both companies are racing to create the best coffee pod machine (although Nespresso will have something to say about that). So with so many varieties of both machines currently on the market, how do you decide whether to buy Tassimo or Dolce Gusto?
We’ve broken down the argument by categories such as the range of machines on offer, the variety of pods you can buy for the machines and how durable they are. We’ve also added a quick guide for the best machines under a certain price just incase you were curious about purchasing one. With all that said, let’s get reviewing…
Tassimo or Dolce Gusto?
Range of Machines
First of all, we’re going to look at the range of machines available from both Tassimo and Dolce Gusto.
Tassimo
Tassimo have a variety of different coffee machines available, all with varying quality differences which is reflected in the price. For example, models such as the Suny and Vivy cater to those on a smaller budget and the features of the machines reflect the price.
They have smaller water tanks and have limited personalisation capabilities. The more expensive models such as the My Way 2 however allows you to customise everything from temperature to the strength of the coffee.
Overall, Tassimo have a great range of products available to most budgets.
Dolce Gusto
Dolce Gusto’s machines tend to be a little bit more expensive than Tassimo with their entry machine, the Infissima, costing roughly £50. The Infissima is similar to Tassimo’s Suny with limited features and no real scope for customisation.
On the opposite end of the scale you have Dolce Gusto’s Majesto (roughly £250) which is able to make multiple drinks, has automatic functionality and the potential for customisations such as temperature control and coffee strength.
Between these two models are several machines (Jovia and Genio for example) that incorporate a mix of simplicity and added functionality.
Winner: Dolce Gusto
Pod Variety
Our second judging category is pod variety. Both brands offer a number of options but which one is better?
Tassimo
Tassimo machines have a unique barcode scanner which tells the machine which kind of pod has been placed in it and whilst this might seem like a convenient system, it does mean that only Tassimo branded pods (often called T Discs) can be used in their machines.
That’s not to say they’re holding themselves back though. Tassimo have partnered with brands including L’OR, Costa, Kenco and Cadbury’s to name but a few. The types of pods vary considerably and offer a great range to coffee lovers. Staples such as lattes, flat whites and Americanos are joined by more exotic choices such as macchiatos, iced lattes and hot chocolates.
As mentioned above, as Tassimo machines are only compatible with T Discs it means you’re essentially at their mercy when it comes to prices. With little competition, pods can cost anywhere between 25p – £1 per pod.
Dolce Gusto
Like Tassimo, Dolce Gusto machines have a number of brands such as Starbucks, Costa, L’OR, Segafredo and Nestle making Dolce Gusto compatible pods.
Where Dolce Gusto differ however is that they allow any company to make compatible pods. This means that you’ll often find a cheaper choice out there which tastes just as good. Take independents such as Black Donkey for example who create Dolce Gusto pods and price them at around 25p per pod.
Winner: Dolce Gusto
Maintenance and Durability
Perhaps the category where you’re not going to find too much disparity is maintenance and durability. With millions of UK homes having these machines in their kitchens, you can comfortably make the assumption that whatever model you opt for, it’s going to last you a fair amount of time. But let’s dig into the specifics…
Tassimo
Tassimo machines, especially the more expensive models are going to last you a number of years if maintained properly. Regularly washing and descaling, which literally takes 10 minutes, will help you keep your machine in tip top condition. It’s also helpful that Tassimo have their own brand of specific descaling tablets and have a cleaning T-Disc too.
Dolce Gusto
Much like Tassimo, Dolce Gusto machines are fairly simple to clean and is definitely a great reason to buy such a machine. Maintenance is as simple as cleaning the components such as the water tank and drip tray and make sure to descale/clean once a month. Some of the more expensive models will even alert you as to when your machine is ready for a good clean.
Tassimo or Dolce Gusto: Draw
Overall Winner: Dolce Gusto
Whilst we wouldn’t say there’s an absolute clear winner here, Dolce Gusto just edges it for us in terms of their overall quality machines and the fact that you won’t be confined to JUST using their own brand coffee pods. Tassimo however have more budget-friendly machines and still offer a vast selection of coffee pods for any coffee drinker.
There’s really not too much in it but if forced to choose, I’d probably go for a Dolce Gusto machine.
Best Dolce Gusto Machine Under £50: Infinissima by DeLonghi
If you’re looking for a budget Dolce Gusto machine, the obvious starting point would be the Infinissima by DeLonghi. At around the £50 mark it’s affordable yet offers convenient coffee making capabilities as well as scope for slight customisations.
It takes around 2 minutes to heat up and brew the coffee and the design makes it very easy to clean when compared to other models. Talking about the design, we should mention that the slimline model is ideal for use in kitchens where space might be an issue.
The water tank is a little bit fiddly so you’re probably better off using a jug to fill it up. Other than that it offers good value for money and essentially does the job.
Key Features:
- 1.2L capacity
- 25.5 x 37.2 x 28.5 centimetres (L x W x H)
- 15 bar pump pressure
- Adjustable drip tray
- 5 minute eco mode
Final Verdict
As far as budget coffee machines go, the Infinissima is a great starting point.
Best Dolce Gusto Machine Under £100: Genio S
You can configure the Genio S to pour your drink at 4 different temperatures which is ideal if you want a quick coffee before leaving the house as you won’t need to wait around for it to cool down.
It also has a useful option to choose exactly how much water you want in each cup by simply rotating the wheel. This is especially useful if you just want a quick shot of coffee or are looking to fill a whole travel mug for whilst you’re out.
With more customisations comes a bigger learning curve and the instructions for how to use the machine are a bit too basic to fully understand how it works so this is a slight downside.
Key Features:
- 0.8L capacity
- 15 bar pressure pump
- 50 different coffee options
- Energy saving eco mode
- Easily makes cold coffees
Final Verdict
If you’re looking for something that offers you more customisation but is still reasonably priced, we’d recommend the Genio S.
Best Premium Dolce Gusto Machine: Majesto
The Majesto has a fantastic touch screen interface and allows you to save your favourite coffees via the settings.
Key Features:
- 1.8L water tank is great for making multiple coffees at once
- Makes hot or cold drinks
- 15 bar pressure creates professional standard coffee
- It’s very easy to use
Final Verdict
If you want to make quality coffee for multiple people at the same time, the Majesto might be the coffee pod machine for you.
Best Tassimo Machine Under £50: Suny
Key Features:
- Intellibrew system
- 0.8L water tank
- Very easy to use
- Compatible with over 70 different coffee pods
Final Verdict
The Suny is cheap and cheerful and does the basics well. It’s worth the purchase if you’re not overly bothered about customisation.
Best Tassimo Machine Under £100: Charmy
The Charmy is a good step up from the Suny model, sporting a 1.4L water tank that’s able to serve multiple coffees before needing to be refilled.
On top of the large water tank, the Charmy has a Brita filtration water system to ensure you’re getting the best possible taste from your coffee. It also has some more customisation capabilities that the Suny doesn’t offer including the ability to manually adjust the strength of your coffee.
As the coffee is designed to make multiple beverages it also has an automatic steam purge at the end of each brew to ensure there’s no leftover taste.
Key Features:
- Brita filtration system
- Steam purge ensures you’re not getting leftover tastes
- Offers the ability to adjust the strength of your coffee
- 1.4L water tank
Final Verdict
The Charmy offers more functionality and customisation capabilities than the Suny and is perfeect for those who want a little bit more control over their coffee.
Best Premium Tassimo Machine: My Way 2
Aside from the ability to alter the strength of your coffee and the temperature, a big selling point for the My Way 2 is the fact that it contains a Brita filter. Having pure water is one of the most underrated aspects of making great coffee so bear this in mind.
Key Features:
- Intellibrew system knows exactly which pod has been placed in the machine
- Large 1.3L tank
- Has built in Brita filter
- Compatible with over 70 different coffees
Final Verdict
For those after that extra bit of customisation, the Tassimo My Way 2 is worth the investment.