Takeaway

Nivona’s 6-series is the practical middle of the brand’s line. It is for people who want a removable brew group, a quiet conical grinder, Bluetooth app control, and a real say in taste via Nivona’s Aroma Balance System. The 6xx machines use a manual Easy-Spumatore frother rather than a one-touch cappuccino carafe, which keeps cleanup light and skills transferable. Across current models like the NICR 680, 690, and 695 you get a 2.2 liter tank, a 250 gram bean hopper, a height-adjustable spout, 5 strength levels, 3 temperature steps, three Aroma Balance taste profiles, and five “My Coffee” memory slots. If you want a one-touch milk carafe and two cappuccinos at once, the 7- and 8-series exist. If you want control of flavor and an honest daily workflow at a friendlier price, the 6-series is the sweet spot. 

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At a glance

• Format. Bean-to-cup superautomatic with TFT display and rotary control, removable brew unit, Bluetooth for the Nivona App on current 6xx trims.
  
• Taste control. Aroma Balance System with three profiles that vary flow and contact time: Dynamic, Constant, and Intense.
  
• Milk. Manual Easy-Spumatore at the spout. Quick to rinse. No one-touch milk carafe on the 6-series.
  
• Capacities. Water 2.2 L. Beans 250 g. Two-cup function for espresso and coffee. Removable brew group. Typical footprint ~24 × 34 × 46 cm. Weight about 8.4 kg on the NICR 690.
  
• Profiles and memory. 5 user “My Coffee” recipes you can save and recall.
  
• Adjustments. 5 strength steps, 3 temperature steps, grind adjustment at the hopper, live volume control per drink.
  
• Extras by trim. Bluetooth, cup illumination, and rear castors are present on newer models like the NICR 695. Check your exact code.
  

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Glanceable specs (typical 6-series)

• 2.2 L removable water tank
  
• 250 g bean hopper
  
• Height-adjustable spouts up to about 140 mm
  
• Conical grinder, hardened steel
  
• 5 coffee strength steps, 3 temperature steps
  
• Aroma Balance System with three profiles
  
• Removable brew unit
  
• Easy-Spumatore manual milk frother
  
• Two-cup function for coffee and espresso
  
• Bluetooth for Nivona App on 660/680/690/695 depending on market stock
  All of the above are documented across Nivona’s 6-series page, model listings, and retailer spec sheets.
  

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Build and design

The 6-series sits in a compact, kitchen-friendly shell. The NICR 690 data sheet lists roughly 24 cm wide, 34 cm tall, and 46 cm deep, with a 2.2 liter tank and a 250 gram hopper. That footprint slips under standard cabinets and leaves headroom for the hopper lid. At about 8.4 kg on the 690, the chassis feels planted without being a back-breaker if you need to slide it forward for service.

Material choices are pragmatic. A plastic body keeps weight and price in check, while the parts that matter for taste and stability are steel or engineered for repeat use. The grinder is a hardened-steel conical set, and the brew group is removable through a side door with a single latch. For a machine at this price, that owner-serviceable core is the headline. It lets you rinse and inspect the part of the machine that makes your coffee instead of outsourcing hygiene to software prompts alone.

The fascia evolves through the line. The 660 and 680 show a clear color display and rotary knob. The 690 and 695 adopt a 2.4-inch TFT with simple icons and a firmer, quieter selector feel. Several 695 listings also call out cup illumination and rear castors that make it easier to move the machine to fill the tank or wipe behind it. These sound like small quality-of-life touches until you live with the machine every morning. 

Bluetooth is standard on many 6-series trims now. It is not a gimmick. The app mirrors panel controls and makes it easy to rename drinks, store a handful of “My Coffee” recipes, and step through cleaning prompts without crowding the on-machine UI. Multiple official manuals and product pages confirm the Bluetooth module and app control on current models in the series. 

The milk hardware is the visual tell. You do not get a one-touch carafe here. You get Nivona’s Easy-Spumatore integrated at the spout. It is a manual frother that draws milk via a short hose and injects air to form foam. You will move the cup yourself when a recipe calls for milk and espresso. The upside is that cleanup is easier and faster, and you learn to stretch milk to your preference. Nivona’s own pages and multiple retailer spec sheets call Easy-Spumatore out explicitly for the 6-series. 

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Workflow

Startup and rinses

Power on. The machine runs an automatic rinse that warms the brew path and clears the spouts. Let it finish before pulling your shortest espresso. If you are fussy about temperature, flush a small shot or catch the rinse in the cup to pre-warm it. The rinse and cleaning cadence is documented across 6-series spec sheets and manuals.

Strength, temperature, and Aroma Balance

Your three primary levers are strength, temperature, and Aroma Balance. Strength changes dose inside the brew unit in five steps. Temperature offers three steps. Aroma Balance is the important one: Dynamic, Constant, or Intense. These are not flavor adjectives pasted onto a static brew. Nivona varies flow and contact time across each profile so the same bean, dose, and water yield a different cup. Dynamic tends to open fruit and brightness. Constant balances acidity and bitterness. Intense pushes extract for a bigger, darker cup. That is straight from the manuals. 

Grind and beans

Adjust grind only while the grinder is running. Start in the middle for espresso and let strength and Aroma Balance do most of the taste work. If a shot runs thin and fast, go one click finer during the next grind cycle. If bitterness creeps in and crema looks muddy, go a click coarser and drop temperature a step. Nivona’s user guides are blunt about changing grind only while the burrs are turning. 

“My Coffee” memory

The 6-series gives you five memory slots to lock in favorite recipes. Build the drink on the panel or in the app, run it once, and save the settings to a name that makes sense to your household. This saves domestic peace when three people like three different cappuccino ratios. Multiple 6xx pages list “My Coffee” with five memory locations. 

Two cups and tall glasses

The spout adjusts high enough for latte macchiato glasses on the 690/695, with a max height around 140 mm, and drops low for short cups so you do not beat up crema. The two-cup function works for espresso and “coffee” programs. Leave the large mugs to an Americano approach: espresso first, then hot water. Height range, two-cup, and spout adjustability are spelled out in the model pages and retailer specs. 

Milk workflow with Easy-Spumatore

Clip the silicone tube into your milk container, turn the Easy-Spumatore knob to froth, texture milk to your liking, then close the knob and move the cup under the coffee spouts for espresso. Rinse the frother by opening the knob for a brief blast of hot water and air. Easy-Spumatore is designed to clean quickly, which is why owners actually keep it clean. It is simple and predictable. 

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Espresso performance

What the machine is aiming for

The 6-series targets balanced espresso from everyday blends. With a medium roast and sensible volumes, you get a compact crema, mid-weight body, and a clean finish. The reason it works at this tier is the Aroma Balance System. Rather than a single default flow, you can bias the cup without touching grind. Dynamic is your fruit-friendly profile. Constant is the all-day setting for most households. Intense is where you go for an after-dinner hit or to pull body out of a darker bean. Manuals and catalog materials explain that the machine changes flow and contact time to create these profiles. 

How to dial a new coffee

Start at mid grind, mid temperature, strength 3 of 5, Constant profile. If the cup is flat, stay in Constant and raise strength one notch. If acidity is there but the middle is thin, keep the new strength and switch to Intense. If the cup is lively but sharp, try Dynamic at a lower temperature and keep strength mid. With these three levers, you usually land in two or three cups, no drama. Again, Nivona’s documentation is clear that a profile switch changes the extraction pattern, not just a label on screen. 

Long coffee and Americano

The “coffee” recipe is a longer extraction from the brew unit. It is fine for normal mugs. If your household likes very large cups, pull an Americano instead of stretching a “coffee” to the point where the compact chamber struggles. That means espresso first, then hot water from the machine. The two-cup function helps when two people want Americanos at once. Nivona’s 6-series product page and retailer docs cover two-cup and hot-water delivery. 

Light roasts

Very light Nordic-style roasts are outside any compact superautomatic’s comfort zone. You can drink them, but keep volumes tight, use Intense, raise temperature, and accept that texture and density will not match a 58 mm manual setup. The 6-series gives you more taste control than most peers through Aroma Balance, but physics still applies.

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Milk foaming and milk drinks

What Easy-Spumatore does well

It produces consistent, fine-bubbled foam for cappuccinos and a gentler texture for flat-white-style drinks once you learn your milk’s behavior. Because the frother is at the spout, path length is short and rinses are quick. Manuals and model pages confirm that the 6-series ships with Easy-Spumatore rather than a one-touch carafe. 

Manual versus one-touch

If you want to press “Cappuccino” and walk away, the 7- or 8-series with OneTouch Spumatore and Cappuccino-Connaisseur is the better match. If you care about how milk feels and you want to keep parts to a minimum, manual frothing wins on texture and cleanup time. The 6-series is unapologetically the manual-milk zone. It is also a better teacher. When you can hear and see froth form, you learn what your beans and dairy prefer. Nivona’s catalogs reserve one-touch cappuccino logic for the higher series and position the 6-series as the entry point to their aroma tech with the concealed Spumatore. 

Plant milk reality

Barista-formulated oat and soy hold structure best here. Almond can be lighter. The Easy-Spumatore’s quick purge makes it painless to switch between dairy and plant milks without flavor carryover on the next cup.

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Maintenance and reliability

Removable brew unit

Pull the group weekly, rinse under warm water, let it air-dry, and pop it back in. This is why people buy a removable-group machine. You own hygiene. The 6-series explicitly supports owner removal, and spare brew units are widely available. 

Cleaning programs

Run the guided tablet clean on schedule, respect descale prompts, and set water hardness in the menu so the machine times filtration and descale correctly. The 6-series provides automated cleaning, descaling, and rinsing programs, which you can trigger from the panel or the app on Bluetooth trims. Retailer summaries and the model pages list these maintenance routines.

Milk path hygiene

Open the Easy-Spumatore after milk service and run a short purge. Disassemble and soak the tip and tube weekly. The point of the manual frother on this series is friction-free care. It takes seconds, so people actually do it. Nivona’s 6-series page describes the concealed Spumatore and quick cleaning by turning the knob. 

Filters

Nivona sells Claris-style filters for the tank. If your water is hard, use one. Filtered water stabilizes brew temperature and reduces descale frequency. Some 6-series trims include a bean sensor that warns when you are running low; that keeps the grinder from free-spinning on empty. Both features are called out on 6xx product pages.

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Model guide: what changes across 6xx codes

• NICR 660. Color display, Bluetooth in many listings, Aroma Balance, Easy-Spumatore, removable brew unit. Good baseline pick if you do not need the newest cosmetics. )
  
• NICR 680. Same core brew platform. Bluetooth module for the app, Easy-Spumatore, 2.2 L tank, and a set of up to eleven programmable beverages including 6 factory presets plus 5 custom “My Coffee.”
  
• NICR 690. Updated TFT display and cosmetics. Five strength steps rather than three on the 5-series, Aroma Balance present, profiles memory available, and the same manual frother. Data sheet confirms the 2.2 L tank, 250 g hopper, size, and weight.
  
• NICR 695. Adds niceties like cup illumination and rear castors. Bluetooth, Easy-Spumatore, 5 “My Coffee” slots, three Aroma Balance profiles, 2.2 L tank, 250 g hopper. Several retailer pages lay out the feature set clearly.
  

The brew architecture and taste controls are consistent across the series. Differences are in the UI details, cosmetics, and a few convenience features.

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Espresso deep dive: Aroma Balance in practice

Nivona did not invent the idea of changing contact time to influence taste, but they did put it in a friendly package. The Aroma Balance System changes the way water moves through the puck during the shot. It is not a single pre-infusion and a fixed ramp; it is a profile that alters throughput. Manuals describe the three named profiles. Retailers sometimes add tasting notes: Dynamic tends fruity and bright; Constant feels rounder and balanced; Intense pushes toward a spicier, more bitter edge for body or dark roasts. When you keep dose and grind constant and only move the profile, you can hear the change in pump cadence and see it in the stream. That is the point. It saves you from chasing grind for every bag. 

It also saves mixed households. One person can live on Constant at mid strength, and another can hit Intense with a smaller cup size. The machine will remember both if you save them to “My Coffee.” Five memories are enough to cover espresso, coffee, Americano, and two milk favorites without clutter. 

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Milk deep dive: Easy-Spumatore technique

The manual frother is simple. Start with cold milk. Sink the tip just below the surface. Open the knob and listen for a steady, soft hiss. Keep the tip just under the surface to introduce air for 4 to 6 seconds for cappuccino foam or less for a denser flat-white texture. Then lower the pitcher so the tip sits deeper to finish heating and polishing. Close the knob, wipe the tip, and purge. Because the path is short and exposed, you do not need a dedicated milk cleaner every day. That is one of the 6-series’ biggest practical advantages for people who make one or two milk drinks at a time. Nivona explicitly positions the 6-series with the manual Easy-Spumatore and notes how quick it is to clean. 

If you want taller, drier foam for macchiato, stay shallower and longer in the first phase. For denser microfoam, introduce less air and spend more time polishing. Plant milks vary. Barista-label oat and soy behave the best. Almond often needs a shorter first phase to avoid big bubbles.

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Competitive comparisons

Philips 3200 LatteGo
Philips leans on speed of cleanup. LatteGo has only two parts and no milk tube, and the brew group is removable like Nivona’s. The 3200 gives you more one-touch drink icons, but there is no Aroma Balance equivalent, and the carafe’s texture is lighter than a practiced Easy-Spumatore. If you just want the lowest friction milk cleanup and a longer menu for the same money, Philips 3200 is strong. If you want to shape taste with extraction profiles and prefer manual milk control, the Nivona 6-series is more satisfying. (Philips details omitted here since this review focuses on Nivona.)

De’Longhi Magnifica Evo
Evo hits value with a removable group, a conical grinder, and a LatteCrema carafe. It wins if you want a one-touch cappuccino and a “MyLatte” milk-to-zero feature on the US trim. It lacks a direct analog to Aroma Balance, and the one-touch milk path adds a little maintenance complexity compared to Easy-Spumatore. If cappuccino at one tap is your priority, Evo is easy to love. If taste control and quick, minimal-parts milk care matter, Nivona takes it.

Jura E8
Jura is the polished, sealed-group option. You get one-touch milk with guided hygiene and the brand’s Pulse Extraction Process, but you cannot pull the brew group to rinse it, and there is no direct “five-minute milk lesson” path like Easy-Spumatore. Pricing is higher. If you want a guided ecosystem and one-touch milk in a more expensive package, Jura makes sense. If you want owner-serviceable internals, flavor profiles on tap, and lower spend, the 6-series stays compelling.

Nivona 7- and 8-series
If you want a one-touch cappuccino, “Cappuccino-Connaisseur,” and two milk drinks at once, step up inside Nivona’s own line. The 7/8 keep Aroma Balance and add milk automation. Nivona’s catalog materials assign Cappuccino-Connaisseur and twin milk service to these higher series. The 6-series remains the entry point to Aroma Balance with manual milk. 

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Pricing snapshots and availability, November 2025

• Germany/EU. NICR 695 widely lists between about €659 and €709 at specialty retailers, with periodic sales. The 680 often posts near €629. Check accessories and color codes.
  
• United Kingdom. Recent trackers show the NICR 695 around £519 to £549 at UK retailers when in stock. Availability can be patchy, so watch authorized sellers.
  
• Broader retail. Marketplace prices vary wildly, often above authorized dealers. Verify warranty terms and voltage. A mix of EU shops and marketplaces list the 695 with inconsistent pricing.
  

Nivona’s distribution is strongest in Europe. If you are shopping outside the EU and UK, confirm voltage, plug type, and service coverage before purchasing.

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Scores

• Build quality: 8.3
  
• Temperature stability and brew consistency: 8.2
  
• Grinder quality: 8.0
  
• Milk system performance: 8.1
  
• Workflow and ergonomics: 8.6
  
• Cleaning and maintenance: 9.0
  
• Value: 8.7
  

Overall: 8.5

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Verdict

The Nivona 6-series earns its place by giving you real taste control without drowning you in complexity. Aroma Balance is the engine. Three profiles let you steer the same bean into three very different cups, and you can do it from the front panel or the app with names that make sense to the household. That is a smarter way to live with a superautomatic than bouncing between grind steps for every bag.

The rest of the platform is unashamedly practical. A removable brew group you can rinse in the sink. A hardened-steel conical grinder that is quiet and stable at home volumes. A manual Easy-Spumatore frother that makes honest foam and rinses in seconds. A 2.2 liter tank and 250 gram hopper that cover a morning without constant refills. Bluetooth that actually helps you program and maintain instead of just looking cool in a spec sheet. The 695 even throws in cup lights and rear castors as a bonus.

There are trade-offs. You do not get a one-touch cappuccino on this series. If pressing a single button for milk drinks matters more than owning texture and cleanup, the 7- or 8-series or a rival with a carafe is the better buy. Very light roasts will never sing at tiny ratios in a compact brew unit, even with Aroma Balance in your pocket. Accept physics, keep volumes appropriate, and you will be rewarded with consistent cups. Nivona’s positioning of the 6-series as the entry into their aroma tech with a manual Spumatore is honest about that scope. 

If you want a dependable daily driver that respects your palate, keeps maintenance simple, and teaches you milk along the way, the CafeRomatica 6-series is right on target.

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TL;DR

Nivona’s 6-series pairs a removable brew group and a quiet steel conical grinder with the Aroma Balance System. You get three extraction profiles that actually change taste, five “My Coffee” memories, Bluetooth app control, and a manual Easy-Spumatore frother that cleans quickly. Capacities are generous at 2.2 L water and 250 g beans, and the newest 695 adds cup lighting and rear rollers. If you want one-touch milk, move up to the 7/8-series. If you want flavor control and low-friction care at a fair price, buy the 6-series. 

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Pros

• Aroma Balance System with three real extraction profiles that change taste
  
• Removable brew group and clear, automated cleaning programs
  
• Manual Easy-Spumatore delivers consistent foam and fast rinses
  
• Bluetooth app control and five “My Coffee” memories on current trims
  
• Sensible capacities in a compact footprint; 695 adds cup lighting and rear castors
  

Cons

• No one-touch cappuccino on this series
  
• Macro grind steps limit fine tuning of very light roasts
  
• Feature set varies by code; confirm Bluetooth, cup lights, and cosmetics before buying
  
• Distribution is Europe-centric; pricing and support can vary outside the EU/UK
  

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Who it is for

• Households that want balanced espresso and long coffee with a real say in taste
  
• People who value a removable brew group and quick milk cleanup over one-touch milk
  
• Medium-roast drinkers who like predictable results and small adjustments
  
• Buyers who want app control and taste profiles without jumping to premium pricing
  

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Setup checklist I recommend

1. Set water hardness and fit a filter. Program hardness so the machine times descale correctly. Use a compatible Claris-style filter if your water is hard. Some trims include bean-level sensing; turn it on in settings so you are warned before the hopper runs dry.
   
2. Baseline espresso. Mid grind. Strength 3 of 5. Temperature medium. Profile Constant. Pull two cups to heat-soak the group, then change only one lever at a time. Use Intense for bigger body, Dynamic for more fruit.
   
3. Program your five “My Coffee” slots. Save Espresso, Coffee, Americano, Cappuccino, and a short Flat White. Rename them in the app so everyone knows which is which.
   
4. Milk routine. Keep milk cold. Froth with Easy-Spumatore, wipe and purge. Disassemble and wash the tip and tube weekly. The concealed Spumatore is designed for quick knob-turn cleaning, so use it every time.
   
5. Weekly brew-group rinse. Pull, rinse, dry. Run tablet cleaning and descale when prompted. The machine’s programs handle timing.
   

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Variant callouts and small notes

• Cup illumination and rear castors are a 695 highlight. Nice to have, and they do make living with the machine easier.
  
• Spout height on the 690/695 reaches about 140 mm. Tall glasses fit. Keep the spout low for short cups to protect crema.
  
• Grinder changes should be made while grinding. If you forget, do not force the ring. Wait for the next cycle. The manual is clear on this point.
  

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Pricing quick view

• Germany/EU: NICR 695 commonly €659 to €709 depending on shop and promotions. NICR 680 around €629 recently.
  
• UK: NICR 695 seen near £519 to £549 at retail when in stock.
  

Always match the exact code on the box to the features you expect. Bluetooth, cup lights, and finish vary by sub-model. Nivona’s 6-series page and retailer listings are transparent about those differences. 

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