I've had a series of Nespresso machines for 15 years now, along with at least one other (better) espresso machine concurrently. They really are a different category. Nespresso is quick, easy, and surprisingly good for what it is (much better than the other pod systems that came later). It makes espresso that is about half the quality of a high-end machine with properly kept coffee; or about the same quality as your local Starbuck's. The cost is not really expensive per cup for the low-volume environment that it is intended for. Some surprisingly high-end restaurants and airlines use Nespresso, fwiw.