Coffee Connoisseur Machine

High quality, and extremely stylish machine for the true coffee Connoisseur. This is a long lasting machine and is worth the price tag. I use it multiple times a day and we love it. Easy to use, easy to clean and is a required appliance in my home.

Worth every penny

Delicious coffee Everytime ! We bought this after another brand we had stopped working and we wish we had this all along. There are many varieties of pods you can purchase. Single serve coffee which is ideal. Each person in our family can select their own flavour and there is no mess as each pod is individual. We love it

Thumbs up!

The best part of the Vertuo, to me, is its simplicity. It’s a product designed to do one thing and one thing only, and there’s no extra bells and whistles to distract from that. It makes individual cups of coffee from special one-use pods. That’s it. You can purchase pods which come in over a dozen different varieties, from super bitter dark blends to light fruity blends and everything in between. This particular one comes with a sample pack of 12, so you can figure out your favourite before you buy it. Note: scroll down to 'Conclusion' for a bare bones review.

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Using the machine.
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Set-up could not be more simple, just run the cleaning program and you're ready to go. There aren't any parts to put together or get confused over. You only need attach the mug stand, which simply slots on with no effort. It comes with a delightfully sensible instruction manual, that's easy to follow, with simple diagrams. Better yet, it has a 'quick start' welcome guide to get you started even more quickly.

Here’s how the machine works: you unlock the top (simple twist of the handle) and place your pod of choice inside. You close and lock the top, then put your mug underneath. Different pods lead to different coffee sizes, so you can adjust as needed for small or large mugs. Make sure there’s water in the reservoir on the side (which is clear, so you can check easily). Then just press the only button the machine has to make your coffee. The machine takes care of the rest, and your coffee should be ready to drink within about a minute’s time. When you unlock the top of the machine again, the pod is automatically shifted into the pod disposal for easy clean-up.

Start to finish, using the Vertuo is a very simple exercise. Filling the water reservoir is simple (just detach it, fill and re-attach), cleaning the machine is simple (press the button three times and it runs its own cleaning cycle), and disposing of the pods is simple (because they fall into a disposal, you can throw them all out at once rather than one at a time). One concern about single use pods is the environmental impact. Nespresso dodges this by offering a recycling program and making the pods out of aluminum. (See 'Pods' section for more details).

The whole Vertuo line is designed for ease of use, and it shows. Some coffee machines I’ve used in the past are very complicated and can do a dozen different things, but that doesn’t help much when you only care about making a simple, individual cup of coffee in a hurry. Cleanup is a literal dream and there's no hidden complex parts that need to taken off. The mug stand comes apart (and off) easily for cleaning, as does the reservoir and 'disposal' containers. Other than that, the machine cleans itself. Simple and easy are the words I keep coming back to.

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Milk Frother
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Included with the Vertuo is a milk frother which is also very bare-bones. It has one button, and two functions. Press it once to froth milk for hot drinks, and hold the button for three seconds if you want to froth milk for cold drinks. It’s easy and works quickly, though it can only froth enough milk for one or two cups of coffee at a time. It's also pretty cool to watch. It's similarly easy to clean, don't submerge, but you can wash it.

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Pods
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There are some issues I have with this machine. Finding pods which are compatible with the Vertuo has been very difficult for me, though they do apparently exist at some retailers. I used Nespresso’s own brand pods (12 are included), and while I do love their design it’s hard to ignore how much waste is involved in every cup of coffee, as they’re quite large. However, the aluminum they're made of is endlessly recyclable, which makes it more environmentally friendly than many similar machines and also avoids plastic. You can buy a third party reusable pod, but I found it in the US and the reviews aren't great.They also offer a recycling program.

The recycling program is pretty good. Either request a bag from a Nespresso store (or it will be included in your next online order of pods), fill it up with empty pods and pop it in your usual recycling bin. It will be sent back to Nespresso. Pretty simple and easy. Check on their website as it might vary from province to province (I'm in QC).

To make the coffee the pods are pierced and essentially WHIRLED around with the water until the 'perfect' cup is delivered. You might look at the foam and think there's no need to add milk. Coffee nerds will know that the 'foam' is Crema, a result of the centrifugal process. You'll still need to add regular or foamed milk, if you so desire, as well as sugar or anything else you like.

There’s nowhere to easily store the pods, though conveniently Nespresso is willing to sell you a very expensive pod holder. You can pony up for that, or buy literally anything you like to store them, so it's not a big issue.

One of my worries was that it didn't accept 3rd party pods, but apparently they do. However, I have found it difficult to find them outside of the US, I didn't look that hard, but due to the barcode system which makes the 'perfect' cup, any 3rd party pod supplier has to figure out how to add a barcode and many haven't bothered, thus if you're interested in 3rd party pods, there isn't much. However, Nespresso has so many different blends, if money isn't an issue, you really won't worry about looking elsewhere.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that the Nespresso pods are definitely on the expensive side for these types of machines, especially if you plan to drink a cup or two every single day.

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Conclusion
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Overall, I think this is a very easy to use machine which has a great design. It’s simple to use and can make a large variety of individual coffee flavors, and the only drawbacks are minor ones that didn’t majorly affect my enjoyment of this product. If you're the kind of person who likes a more simple coffee or wants a lot of options, or even to learn more about the art of coffee making, a different machine might suit you. However, the Nespresso Vertuo is absolutely perfect for someone who likes fancy coffee, or espressos, tends to buy them at high cost at a local coffee shop and is looking for a cheaper, fast option. It's a great option to switch to at-home coffee and make a saving, if you're already spending a higher amount daily.

Pros
+ Beautiful, simple design that won't clash with kitchen decor.
+ Large reservoir that doesn't need refilling as often.
+ Super simple setup. Quick start guide and clear manual.
+ Comes with a 12 pod sampler of coffee for you to try.
+ Lots of different flavours available.
+ So easy to use. One button.
+ So easy to clean.
+ Has a 'discard' section so you can save up and empty multiple pods at once (ideally for recycling).
+ Recycling program available to offset environmental cost of single-use pods. (simple and easy)
+ Can order pods online or in stores.
+ 3rd party pods available (see cons).
+ Includes Milk Frother.

Cons
- 3rd party pods are not as common.
- Pods can be expensive.
- No storage for pods.
- Doesn't have as many options as some more basic machines. (but very easy to use).

Recommended: Yes. This is perfect for those who buy fancy coffee at shops and are looking for a cheaper, home option. Especially good for those who want a simple, automated process and don't mind paying extra for it and pods that can be recycled.