Nespresso Vertuo Review: Is the First Vertuo Still Good?
The Nespresso Vertuo doesn’t take up a lot of space on your counter, looks good, and customizes your coffee depending on the pod you use with the touch of a button.
A milk frother would make a good addition but The Nespresso Vertuo offers the flexibility of far more expensive machines.
In 2014, Nespresso released a new range of single-serve coffee machines, the VertuoLine. With it came some new features such as barcode recognition, different capsules, and a wider choice of coffee sizes.
It all started with this Nespresso machine, the Nespresso Vertuo.
Has it stood the test of time?
You’re about to find out, as we review the first coffee maker in the VertuoLine, the Nespresso Vertuo.
We’ll let you know whether the Nespresso Vertuo is for you by discussing the features, its price, the coffee quality, and more! We'll also see how the Vertuo compares to other VertuoLine models so that you can make an informed purchase decision.
So, sit back with a nice cup of coffee and we’ll begin.
Nespresso Vertuo Review
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Design & Build Quality
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Features & Ease of Use
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Coffee Drink Quality
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Cleaning & Maintenance
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Value for Money
Overall
Nespresso Vertuo Summary
The Nespresso Vertuo features a sleek retro-modern look that comes in in 5 colors. It doesn’t take up a lot of space on your counter, looks good, heats-up quickly, and it's very easy to use and clean. It is compatible with 4 sizes of Vertuo capsules, and you can customize the brew size for each of the capsules. The Vertuo offers good value; however, other newer VertuoLine models are cheaper.
Pros
Cons
Specifications
- Line: VertuoLine
- Display: None
- Materials: Plastic
- Colors: Titan (silver), black, chrome, red, and matte black
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 8.3 x 11.9 x 11.9 inches (21.1 x 30.3x 30.3 cm)
- Weight: 10.8 pounds (4.9 kg)
- Water Tank: Removable, 40 (1.2 L)
- Spent Capsule Capacity: 13 large (mug) capsules
- Power Rating: 1350 Watts
Key Features
- Brew Pressure: N/A - Centrifusion Technology
- Heat-up time: 15 seconds
- Brewing Sizes: Espresso (1.35 oz), double espresso (2.7 oz), gran lungo (5 oz), and mug (8.0 oz)
- Customizable Brew Sizes? Yes
- Pre-programmed drinks: None
- Milk System: None
- Milk Settings: N/A
- Milk Jug: N/A
- Hot Water Dispenser? No
- Auto-off: 9 minutes
- Cleaning: N/A
- Suitable for Latte Art? No
- Warranty: 1 year
Nespresso Vertuo Review
Design and Build Quality
The Nespresso Vertuo is as sleek as their previous OriginalLine coffee machines, but it offers a retro-modern look with its rounded shape. It also looks similar to other VertuoLine models, with the main difference being the transparent spent capsule container other VertuoLine models lack.
It's also of similar size, with the Vertuo Next slightly thinner (2.8 inches thinner) but slightly taller and longer. The VertuoPlus models are also of similar size but feature a multi-position water reservoir which can help in cramped spaces.
The Vertuo has a compact drink holder and spout with the water container and used capsule container in transparent plastic at the back which juts out at either side of the machine.
The Nespresso Vertuo comes in 5 colors including Titan (silver), black, chrome, red, and matte black. This gives you a good range of options to match this coffee machine with your kitchen design.
It also comes in two slightly different designs (aesthetical differences only), one design made by Breville (the one with the rounder head) and the other one made by De'Longhi (the one with the flatter head).
This Nespresso machine has a removable 40 oz water tank. This is enough so you don’t have to refill it constantly unless you’re a coffee fiend who drinks more than five cups a day...
The used capsule container for the Nespresso Vertuo is larger than most Nespresso models, holding up to 13 large pods. Again, this means emptying it less and is more convenient.
A handy design aspect is that the Vertuo has an adjustable cup holder which can be removed to allow for taller cups to be placed under the spout for the larger brew size options.
There are some complaints about the build quality of the machine with some having problems with it leaking water and others saying there is a plastic taste or smell.
However, cleaning the machine thoroughly several times should get rid of any plastic taste. Leaking can also sometimes be resolved by thoroughly cleaning the disk under the domed head of your machine.
Features and Ease of Use
With the introduction of the Vertuo coffee machines, came the barcode recognition system.
Each Vertuo pod has a code the whole way around the lip that the coffee machine scans. This lets the machine know which pod you are using, so it will adjust the brewing parameters, including the flow, volume, infusion time, and temperature of your water to extract the best flavor from the coffee.
The Nespresso Vertuo keeps the convenience of the OriginalLine models with its fast heat up of 15 seconds, even with the Centrifusion Technology. This is quicker than other newer VertuoLine machines, due to the Vertuo's slightly higher power rating.
It then takes up to a minute to brew a full cup of coffee, depending on the capsule size you've selected. This means you get your caffeine hit faster.
The Nespresso Vertuo keeps its promise of ultimate simplicity with its One-touch system. Making coffee has never been this easy. There is only one button that is used to power your machine or to brew.
This Nespresso machine also has a power-off function after 9 minutes, which has become a standard feature on most Nespresso machines. This saves you energy and is a helpful safety feature.
The Nespresso Vertuo only takes Vertuo capsules, which are dome-shaped, compared to the OriginalLine ones. It's not compatible with third-party capsules or reusable ones due to its capsule recognition system.
These are more expensive and some people find them hard to source, depending on where you live. You can of course order them online but this can take time, so you need to be organized. No one wants to go without coffee...
...and no one wants to be near me when I've missed my AM coffee.
Similar to other VertuoLine machines, the Vertuo allows you to customize your brew size. This is done by pressing and holding the brew button until the desired amount of coffee has been dispensed.
Besides this, the Vertuo does not offer any coffee customization features given its capsule recognition system.
Coffee Drink Quality
As we've noted, the Nespresso Vertuo models all use Centrifusion instead of pump pressure like the original line machines.
Centrifusion injects water into the coffee grounds and uses rapid capsule rotation to extract as much flavor as possible.
Depending on your taste, you will either prefer the new Centrifusion method or pump pressure. Pump pressure gives authentic espresso beverages whereas the Centrifusion espresso tastes less like a European espresso and more like drip coffee.
This Nespresso machine gives a wide range of choices of coffees with four cup sizes from espresso (1.35 oz), double espresso (2.7 oz), gran lungo (5 oz), and mug (7.7 oz). It makes great coffee but the espresso is not what we would call perfect crema, it's a bit too airy.
Insert the appropriate capsule, push and hold the button until the correct volume is reached. The water volume level is stored for the capsule size used for programming. If you program a particular volume the machine will stop at the user-programmed cup size.
You can create any type of coffee including pour over ice. There are several Nespresso capsules especially for ice coffees to get the taste of coffee without the bitterness that you can get with iced coffee.
You will need to purchase the Aeroccino3 milk frother separately though to be able to make any of your milk-based coffees. It can froth hot milk and it's capable of making cold milk froth. Alternatively, there are some workarounds to froth milk without a milk frother.
The espressos may be a little weaker than the OriginalLine models but they taste good and have a thick crema. The Nespresso Vertuo offers a good compromise between coffee and espresso.
If you are an espresso drinker who likes the convenience of pod machines, then we recommend you check out the Nespresso Pixie or Nespresso Essenza Mini. They are compact and simple to operate machines that deliver something closer to authentic espresso.
Cleaning and Maintenance
The Nespresso Vertuo is very easy to clean thanks to its simple design.
You only need to spend a few minutes each day to keep your Vertuo in top shape. Typical chores include emptying and rinsing the water tank and spent capsule container and rinsing the adjustable cup support.
There is also a rinse cycle you should regularly run. Nespresso states in their user manual to run it every day if the Vertuo is used in the office. Even though your home machine will see a lighter use, we still recommend you run the rinse cycle every few days to keep it clean and avoid impurities affecting the flavor of your coffee.
To do so, close the head and turn the lever to the left before pushing the button 3 times within 2 seconds. The light will blink to show you it is working and will run for around 5 minutes.
You can stop the procedure at any time.
Your coffee machine will also need to be descaled from time to time. When it's time to do so, the light will blink 3 times and then become steady.
Descaling requires descaling liquid and approximately 20 minutes to complete.
Value for Money
The price of the Vertuo is very reasonable for any coffee machine.
It offers great flexibility to brew any type of coffee you want, from espresso to coffee mugs, without having to spend many hundreds of dollars. However, a milk frother is not included in case you want milky drinks such as lattes. You can get the Aeroccino3 frother for an additional $100 or try to look for a bundle.
Something to note is that the Nespresso VertuoLine capsules are a little more expensive than the OriginalLine ones. They cost $1.20 per capsule, whereas the OriginalLine ones cost about $0.80 per capsule.
This translates to about $440 a year for one coffee a day. At the time of writing, the Vertuo costs around $199. So the first year of operations, assuming you prepare one coffee per day, is about $640.
Buying a coffee from a coffee bar could cost around $3 per day, meaning around $1,100 per year.
So, using the Vertuo instead of buying coffees could save you at least $450 a year.
With that money, you could go on holiday!
However...
Note that this is the most expensive Nespresso VertuoLine machine. It does not offer as good value as the Vertuo Next, the VertuoPlus, VertuoPlus Deluxe, and the Evoluo since they are all slightly cheaper, and depending on the model, they come with additional features such as connectivity or compatibility with the coffee carafe capsule.
Final Verdict
Nespresso Vertuo Review
-
Design & Build Quality
-
Features & Ease of Use
-
Coffee Drink Quality
-
Cleaning & Maintenance
-
Value for Money
Overall
Nespresso Vertuo Summary
The Nespresso Vertuo features a sleek retro-modern look that comes in in 5 colors. It doesn’t take up a lot of space on your counter, looks good, heats-up quickly, and it's very easy to use and clean. It is compatible with 4 sizes of Vertuo capsules, and you can customize the brew size for each of the capsules. The Vertuo offers good value; however, other newer VertuoLine models are cheaper.
Pros
Cons
Suggested Reads:
- Read our review of the Nespresso Creatista Plus, our highest-rated Nespresso Machine.
- If you like One-touch specialty drinks then you should check the Nespresso Gran Lattissima!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Nespresso Vertuo and the Nespresso VertuoPlus?
The key differences between the Nespresso Vertuo and VertuoPlus are:
- The Nespresso VertuoPlus can potentially save counter space thanks to its swivel water tank - it can be positioned on the sides or back. The water tank of the Nespresso Vertuo is static.
- The Nespresso Vertuo is rated at 1350W whereas the VertuoPlus is rated at 1300W. This translates to slightly faster heating up times for the Nespresso Vertuo.
- The Nespresso Vertuo has a larger spent capsule container capacity than the VertuoPlus.
- Slight differences in size and aesthetics.
What is the difference between the Nespresso Vertuo and the VertuoNext?
The key differences between the Nespresso Vertuo and the Nespresso Vertuo Next are:
- The Nespresso Vertuo Next is slightly smaller than the Vertuo, in terms of width.
- The Nespresso Vertuo Next is compatible with the "coffee carafe" pod (18 oz), whereas the Vertuo is not.
- The Nespresso Vertuo Next is more environmentally friendly as it's made with 54% of recycled plastic, and shuts off after 2 minutes. The Vertuo shuts off after 9 minutes and is not made out of a significant amount of recycled plastics.
- The Nespresso Vertuo Next offers Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, whereas the Vertuo does not.
- The VertuoPlus (Deluxe version only) has a larger water tank capacity of 60 oz versus the Vertuo's at 40 oz.
Is the Nespresso Vertuo being discontinued?
No, the Nespresso Vertuo is not being discontinued.
How do you make coffee in a Nespresso Vertuo?
The Vertuo works similarly to other Nespresso models. Simply unlock and open the machine head by turning the lever to the right. Then insert your capsule, which dictates the type of drink you'll get. Then lock and press the brew button. All that's left to do is wait for the delicious aroma of coffee to fill your nose as it trickles from the spout.
What pods can you use in the Vertuo?
You can use 4 sizes of Vertuo capsules, including the espresso, double-esspresso, gran lungo and coffee pods. Only Nespresso VertuoLine capsules can be used in the Vertuo machines. No other third-party pods can be used.
How do you clean the Vertuo?
Pour water into the water tank, open and close the machine head and lock it.
Press the button three times within two seconds to run the clean cycle. Just don't forget to put a mug under the coffee spout. Dry your machine with a soft towel after, then rinse the water reservoir and the removable drip tray.
Who makes the Nespresso Vertuo?
The Vertuo is made by De’Longhi and Breville.
