The premise of a Nespresso machine is good coffee, fast. But with the sheer number of different machines out there, how can you choose the one that will be right for you?
(And when the user manual warns you that your machine may not work out of the box, is that a huge red flag? When it comes to Nespresso, there is no “one-size-fits-all” model which is why Nespresso has such a big product portfolio with the Nespresso Vertuo being one of the bestselling products in the family. In this review I’m doing a hands-on review in my home of the Nespresso Vertuo. I’ll show you what you’re getting, what kind of drinks it can make, how it works and what makes it different from other Vertuo machines like Vertuo Next and Vertuo Plus. I’ll tally up the pros and cons and let you know if I think I can recommend this machine to you.
Out of the many coffee machines we reviewed in the past, many of them are Nespresso machines. While these types of coffee machines adopt Nestle’s coffee capsule standard, the category is quite fragmented to the point that you must carefully examine the different models to ensure you get the machine that best fits your needs. You can check out my reviews of other Nespresso machines here:
Full review: Nespresso Essenza Mini (Original)
Sound familiar? I actually reviewed the Nespresso Vertuo Next by De’Longhi back in 2021 and found it to be a versatile, compact Nespresso machine. However, despite its name, Nespresso didn’t design the Next to replace the original Vertuo model which the company introduced way back in 2014 (known as the VertuoLine back then). In this review, I’ll explain what the Nespresso Vertuo is, who should buy it, and how it compares with other Vertuo models.
What is Nespresso Vertuo?
The Nespresso Vertuo is special kind of Nespresso machine designed for the coffee lovers who enjoy more variety in their coffee and may want larger cups.
The Vertuo machines are a bit more complex, so they tend to be bigger, in order to accommodate larger cup sizes without compromising on flavor. The difference in Vertuo machines lies in the Vertuo’s patented “Centrifusion” technology which works by spinning the coffee pod really fast, creating centrifugal force while injecting hot water to infuse it into the coffee grounds inside the pod. This creates more crema than the traditional method but it also allows for more different coffee types outside of the usual espressos. That means Vertuo coffee pods come in several different sizes, for making drinks from single and double espressos, to more traditional, large-cup brewed coffees, all from one machine.
Watch my hands-on review video of Nespresso Vertuo
What you get
First off, the Nespresso Vertuo is the original model released 3 years before the Vertuo Plus. The fact that Nespresso and its manufacturers continue to sell Vertuo nearly a decade later is a testament to its build quality.
Vertuo is what I’d call more of a manual operation machine. While the look of the top portion here may vary depending on the style you order, and my review model has a pretty chrome dome on top, Vertuo machines need you need to lock and unlock it yourself, and the lever, while it’s large, can be a challenge to grip correctly, depending on where you place it.
The machines use a single button on top to make coffee.
Nespresso Vertuo machines have an adjustable cup riser for accommodating different types of coffees.
The original Vertuo has a slightly powerful heating element that shaves a few seconds off the overall prep time and the waste container on the righ hand side is a bit larger being capable of storing up to 12 capsules. The water tank is on the left holds The overall dimensions of the original is slightly smaller and has a longer power cord.
Set up and priming: Defective units common?
Before you make your first coffee yo have homework to do. You need to prime the machine by running water through it.
While this sounds like it should be easy, there is a specific process you need to follow and it’s apparently common enough that the machine won’t initialize that Nespresso has laid out what to do in the manual.
The first Vertuo I bought was one of these defective models. I spent 30 minutes trying to get it to pump water to no avail. I contacted Nespresso customer service, as the manual recommends, and did get great help, but after nearly an hour of trial and error, I was told the machine was defective and to simply return it where I bought it from.
Fortunately my replacement worked and I had it primed in about 5 minutes, and ready to make the first coffee.
Using Nespresso Vertuo
Using this machine is very simple. Just fill the water tank, choose your pod, and ready a cup to match. There is that adjustable cup rack which just slips into place underneath the spout.
Twist the lock to open the lid and place the pod into the holder, round side down. Push the lid back down and lock it onto place with the locking lever.
When you’re ready, press the single button on top. You’ll hear the machine start to spin up and within about 15 seconds you should start to see coffee flowing. Depending on the size of your drink it will brew up in anywhere from about 30 seconds to about a minute.
I like the design of the machine since it uses a concave recess to allow you to get the cup in snugly; this is different from the Vertuo Plus, which bows out in front.
A removable drip tray sits underneath.
When you unlock and lift the lid to brew your next coffee, pod is automatically lifted and ejected into a discard bin around the back of the machine. This bin should hold about ??? 10?
If your municipal recycling program doesn’t accept coffee pods, Nespresso will send you a free return recycling bag so you can collect your used pods and ship them back.
Coffee taste & temp
So what’s the coffee like? When it comes to the espresso I found it extremely delicious. The coffee quality is high, the beverage is silky and never bitter, and it’s smooth with a beautiful crema on top. The shots brew up fast and they seem to be at just the right temperature.
Conversely I found the coffee pods were not as much to my taste. I found them kind of dull and a bit watery tasting. But with that said I’d like a big, bold, punch-you-in-the-mouth brew first thing in the morning so lighter coffees and gentler roasts are generally not for me.
Let’s touch on the Cost of Nespresso pods
The price of these Vertuo pods does vary a little more than the original; not surprising since you might be getting different sizes of beverage from them. For the most part you can expect to pay about 80 cents to $1.20 for espressos and up to about $1.50CAD for bigger coffees. Reasonable, considering what some coffee shops charge for fancy or large coffees.
Coffee types and sizes
The original Vertuo can make 5 different cup sizes of drink from ristretto and the usual 1.35-ounce espressos and 2.7-ounch double espressos as well as 5-ounce Gran Lungo and 8-ounce cups. Because of the extra flexibility, some of the Vertuo coffee pods are considerably larger. When you shop around for Vertuo pods, you will also notice how each one is tailored to a specific size.
This might seem a bit odd at first given the single-button operation of the Nespresso Vertuo. But one of the unique features exclusive to Vertuo machines is its ability to recognize the pod and automatically apply the cup setting so you get the brew as intended by the supplier. The Nespresso Vertuo detects this by scanning the barcode embedded on the rim of the pod.
Customizing Vertuo
Of course, the best brew is totally subjective and the Vertuo does offer a way to tweak the coffee size to your liking. Simply hold the top button when the machine is ready to brew and let go as soon as you want the machine to stop. The Nespresso Vertuo will then save that specific setting for that pod size until you revert the machine to factory settings.
Vertuo vs. Vertuo Plus vs Vertuo Next
Be careful when choosing your Nespresso Vertuo machine because their names do not tell the full story. As I noted, there are several Vertuo machines including Next and Plus, so what are you getting with this one?
In essence, the Vertuo is a more manual machine while Vertuop Plus offers some automation.
The key improvement of the Nespresso Vertuo Plus over the original model is the motorized head where you just gently touch a lever to open the pod chamber.
The design of the Vertuo Plus is also a bit sleeker with a redesigned water reservoir that you can swivel to the left or right which opens up more placement possibilities on your countertop.
These extra improvements don’t make the original Vertuo less appealing though as you might even notice the Vertuo model being more expensive than the Plus. Vertuo vs. Vertuo Next
Choosing between the Vertuo against the Vertuo Next is even more confusing because the Vertuo Next is often priced in between the original model and the Plus model. The Vertuo Next is the newest and slimmest model of the three, but least powerful in both heating and coffee extraction. It also has a slightly smaller reservoir which is forgivable given its focus on having a smaller footprint.
Perhaps the biggest reason to consider the Vertuo Next over the other models is if you want to brew the larger 12-ounce Alto and 18-ounce Carafe cups.
Overall Thoughts: Nespresso Vertuo
The Nespresso Vertuo is something of an icon in coffee pod machine space. Nespresso clearly didn’t want to mess with its original formula, making it a great choice if you want reliability and performance above all.
Let’s go over the pros and the cons.
On the pro side, Vertuo gives you more options for different sizes of espresso and different types and sizes of coffee depending on which pod you order. That alone may make it a major upgrade from Nespresso Original. This is ideal for a household where everybody likes their drink just so.
The large water tank is a good size if you stick to espressos but feels small if you like a coffee or two each day and big pod discard bin means you shouldn’t have to fuss with emptying as often. I found the espresso from this machine to be really delicious and extremely high quality. I appreciate the fact the cup riser is adjustable to accommodate different sizes of mugs which also helps to eliminate splashing. There is also the option to run a manual extraction of you don’t like the pre-set Nespresso sizes.
When it comes to the cons, getting a defective machine seems like it might be common, which is kind of frustrating and would make me pretty wary of this machine. Also, the Vertuo has a larger and wider footprint than a Nespresso Original machine, if that’s a concern. I also didn’t love the clunky operation of the manual locking mechanism enough that I may actually prefer the Vertuo Plus over Vertuo.
On its own merits, the Nespresso Vertuo is a capable and versatile coffee pod machine that will deliver on what it says, and that’s great coffee and espresso—fast.
But comparing it head to head with other Vertuo Machines, I actually like the Vertuo Plus better thanks to its narrower footprint, moveable water tank and automatic motorized lid.
Nespresso Vertuo sells for about $279CAD/$199USD while Vertuo Plus sells for mostly the same price.
Still unsure which Nespresso machine is best for you? Check out my Nespresso buying guide which covers other models outside of the Vertuo lineup.
