Since you are looking for the best Nespresso Vertuo machine, then you’ve probably settled on buying a Vertuo instead of an OriginalLine machine. Great decision! Now, on to the next…. which Vertuo machine should you buy?
The Takeaway…
- Best Overall Nespresso Vertuo: VertuoPlus or VertuoPlus Deluxe
- Best Value-Priced Nespresso Vertuo: Vertuo Next If you’re looking for the best overall, VertuoPlus or the Deluxe version of it has proven itself to be the best release out of all Nespresso Vertuo machines. But if you’re looking for a decent Vertuo and wouldn’t mind giving up on some features, Vertuo Next is a good pick.
- Also check out Vertuo Pop, a smaller version of the Vertuo Next
Best Nespresso Vertuo Machine to Buy
There are several Nespresso Vertuo machines available, VertuoPlus and Next are the most popular. While they all use the same technology and pods to make coffee, there are some design differences that can your experience better.
Nespresso VertuoPlus
The VertuoPlus is the best overall machine in Nespresso’s Vertuoline. It has a beautiful retro modern design, a somewhat compact and adaptable size and it’s available in different colors.
The VertuoPlus has a motorized lid, lightly press the notch for it to open up, place in your pod and press again for it to close.
The 40 oz water reservoir is removable for easy refilling and cleaning, and it’s also rotating. So to adapt to your space, you can have it on the back of the machine or next to it.
Serving sizes: Espresso 1.35 oz, Double Espresso 2.7 oz, Gran Lungo 5 oz, Mug 7.7 oz and Alto 14 oz (travel mug/tall cup). Alto has been discontinued.
VertuoPlus vs. VertuoPlus Deluxe:
Very small differences between the two models:
- VertuoPlus has a 40 oz water reservoir, and all plastic housing/accents.
- VertuoPlus Deluxe comes with a larger 60 oz water reservoir. And it has some chrome accents.
Why I Like The VertuoPlus
I have personally owned the VertuoPlus (not the deluxe version) for several years now. As an owner of an Essenza Mini, which I also still use, I wanted to upgrade to the VertuoPlus to experience larger coffee cups of Nespresso.
Ever since, I have had ZERO problems with it. The motorized head ensures that the pods get punctured without applying any force, which takes some pressure of the machine. And because it locks automatically, too, there’s no way to go wrong. The pod always gets punctured and is always correctly in its place. If you have incorrectly placed a pod, the lid will automatically rise up and alert you. The automation of the head means that you’re never applying force in any way, which means less to no breakage.
As for the pods, I found the Gran Lungo size to be my favorite for black coffee. Double espresso pods are best for milk based drinks, especially Barista Creation pods.
Nespresso Vertuo Next
VertuoNext is Nespresso’s 2020 machine release, and it’s made from 54% recycled materials.
In addition to the 4 brewing sizes that all Vertuo machines can brew, the NEXT model has one serving size that is exclusive to it, an 18 oz serving size that Nespresso calls ‘Pour-over style’.
Vertuo Next is also a connected machine. It can pair to your smartphone or tablet to allow for several things: firmware updates from Nespresso, water reservoir alerts, descale alerts, factory reset.
Unlike the VertuoPlus, Vertuo Next’s lid is manually opened/closed. So you have to lightly force it to close and pierce the capsule, rotate the lock then hit the brew button.
Vertuo Next is available in several models:
Vertuo Next which is fully plastic housing, Vertuo Next Premium with some chrome or rose gold accent or the deluxe model which has some dark chrome or chrome finishes.
The difference between models is just aesthetic, all other features are the same.
Some Possible Problems with Vertuo Next Models
I have not personally used a Vertuo Next, but reading the experience of Next owners, this model is a bit temperamental and they’re always a hit or miss.
A lot of uses over are Reddit are reporting issues of leaking, not brewing correctly or simply just dropping dead. Go through the comments on this reddit post to get an idea.
But there’s also many happy customers with flawless Next models.
Why You Shouldn’t Worry…
Here’s the great news. Whichever Nespresso machine you choose, you’re getting the best customer service. If your machine breaks within warranty, you’ll get a free replacement, no questions asked. You can also change the model of your replacement. You get one-year warranty, and you can also purchase extended warranty if you like.
Nespresso VertuoPlus vs Vertuo Next
Apart from the design, there’s no real difference between the VertuoPlus or Next model. At their core, they are the same. They also use the same pods and same brewing technology.
The major design difference is the motorized head of the VertuoPlus vs the manual lock of the Vertuo Next. When it comes to serving sizes, Vertuo Next has one large 18 oz serving size exclusive to it.
Other Nespresso Vertuo Machines
There are two other machines that go by the name Vertuo or Evoluo. These are earlier releases of Vertuo machines. While they still work okay, many customers mentioned that they has unstable temperature or lower than desired brew temperature. All has been fixed in the newer Vertuo machines (VertuoPlus and Vertuo Next). Which is why I don’t recommend you buy an older model.
Pros and Cons of Nespresso Vertuo Machines
Pros of Nespresso Vertuo
Serving Sizes:
It’s great that you can finally get a full cup of coffee out of your Nespresso machine. The variety of serving sizes is great for most people’s daily coffee needs.
Convenience:
Nespresso is very convenient. It’s a quick, one-button operation that gives you a high quality cup of coffee in no time. And the best part it, it does not require regular clean up after each use.
Cons of Nespresso Vertuo
Pod compatibility is still limited to Nespresso. To me personally, it’s not a problem as I really like the variety of blends that Nespresso offers. But I know some people would prefer to buy from other brands, too. You can find Starbucks branded pods at this time, which contains Starbucks coffee and is made by Nespresso, they are available in many supermarkets across the US.
Somewhat pricey: The pods vary is price depending on the size, and sometimes on whether it’s a seasonal blend or a regular one. Price range for Vertuo pods are $0.85 to $2 per pod.
Nespresso Vertuo Breville vs DeLonghi
When shopping for a Vertuo or OriginalLine machine from Nespresso, some machines will be labeled under the brand name Breville, others will be under DeLonghi. Is there a difference between them?
No, they are all the same internally. Operation and performance wise, they are the same. The differences could be aesthetic, as some brands might have colors that the other brand doesn’t have or slight changes in exterior design.
It doesn’t matter which name you go for, they are all the same Nespresso machines.
Nespresso Vertuo Pods
Vertuo machines are compatible with capsules by Nespresso only. There are no 3rd party pods available. So if you’re buying a Vertuo machine, you’re committing to capsules by Nespresso only.
Nespresso offers a wide range of capsules and are continuously adding more blends, single-origins and limited edition blends and flavors.
Vertuo capsules vary in size as their contain different measurement of coffee ground, depending on the cup size you’re brewing. They also vary in prices depending on the size.
You can buy your Vertuo capsules directly from Nespresso or Amazon.
What Does Vertuo Coffee Taste Like?
If you’re switching from drip coffee machine or a Keurig machine, it’s important to note that Vertuo’s coffee (as in serving sizes 5 oz, 7 oz and 14 oz) will not taste like those. Drip coffee and Keurig coffee are brewed using a different process so it produces different taste. Vertuo’s coffee tastes closer to an Americano if you’ve ever tried one. And with Nespresso’s different varieties of coffee blends, you’ll experience coffee of different intensities and flavors.
Can You Use Your Own Coffee in Nespresso Vertuo?
Using Refillable Vertuo Pods
Using a refillable capsule for your Nespresso could bring down your coffee expenses and allows you to use your favorite coffee ground.
Refillable pods have been available for OriginalLine machines for a long time now. For Vertuo, there’s been some recent and very few refillable pods.
Before we look into available refillable pods for Vertuo machines, there are a few things I’d to say on why I truly DON’T like refillable pods:
- To start, they take away from your Nespresso experience. The whole idea is for you to get the coffee you like with a push of a button. Using a refillable pod, you have to fill up a pod, measure coffee grounds and clean the pod after each use.
- The coffee does not always come out right. According to customer reviews, some cups come out quite weak, others are okay.
- Reusable capsules could affect the performance of your machine. And if your machine breaks because of a reusable pod, it will no longer be covered under warranty.
That said, if you’re still curious about refillable pods for Vertuo, here are some of the available pods:
Can You Use a Nespresso Vertuo Pod Twice?
Technically, the machine will not know if you’re running the same pod twice, so, it can be done. But the only thing you’ll be getting out of it the second time is watered down coffee.
Cleaning and Maintaining Nespresso Vertuo
Day to day, there’s little to no cleaning required for these machines. As long as you discard used pods which the container fills up.
Doing a cleaning cycle (running hot water through) is recommended once a week. While a full descale can be done every three to six months depending on your usage of the machine.
Problems with Nespresso Vertuo Machines
Like any appliance you have at home, Nespresso machine can run into some problems, but nothing that you can’t fix. And like previously mentioned, if it’s not fixable at home, Nespresso customer service should help you out. Below, you can read about problems that usually occur after a long time of using a Nespresso machine (and not properly maintaining it)
- Nespresso Vertuo Orange Light Blinking
- Nespresso Stuck in Descaling Mode
- Nespresso Not Pumping Water
- Nespresso Not Making Crema
- Nespresso Not Puncturing Pods
Nespresso Vertuo vs. OriginalLine, What’s The Difference?
Nespresso has two range of machines:
OriginalLine – Their original machines which brew espresso and can be used to make any espresso based drink.
Vertuo line – which can make 5 to 6 different cup sizes from espresso, coffee mug to a large travel mug size. It’s an espresso and coffee machine.
These two ranges of machines also use different brewing technologies:
OriginalLine work like most espresso machines, using a pressure pump to force water through the capsule to produce a shot of espresso.
Vertuo machines use a whole new technology, exclusive to Nespresso, called Centrifusion. This technology rapidly spins the coffee capsule, at 7000 rotations per minute, while forcing the water through the capsule to produce a cup of coffee or espresso. This allows for better distribution of water and full saturation of the coffee ground in the capsule.
The third big difference between OriginalLine and Vertuo machines is the capsules. They are completely different in size and design and cannot be used on interchangeably.
Since OriginalLine only produces espresso, the machines use smaller capsules. The capsules are available from Nespresso as well as other brands.
Vertuoline’s capsules vary in size, depending on the coffee size you’re brewing. They also have a unique design. The rims of each capsule feature a barcode that is read by a laser inside the machine to recognize the type of capsule and adjust brewing parameters (water volume, brew time, temperature) to match it.
Vertuoline capsules are only available from Nespresso. There are no capsules available from other brands
Related: L’OR Barista System – Nespresso OriginalLine Espresso and Coffee Maker
Can You Use Nespresso Original Pods in a Vertuo Machine?
No, they are completely different designs and non will fit in the other system.
To tell them apart, you can see from the photo that the OriginalLine pods are small. Vertuo pods are circular and have a barcode all around the rim which helps your Vertuo machine identify the type and size of pod you are brewing.
Should You Buy a Vertuo or an OriginalLine Machine?
Here are the two questions you need to ask yourself:
What coffee drinks do you enjoy the most? If you’re mostly making espresso based drinks such as cappuccino, lattes and so on… an OriginalLine would be more than enough. Bundle it with a milk frother and you’re all set for an at-home coffee house experience!
When do you pick Vertuo over the OriginalLine? If you want to brew larger cups of coffee (5 oz, 7.7 oz and 14 oz).Vertuo will give you every possible coffee drink, from espresso and up to a large coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Buy Nespresso Vertuo Pods in Stores?
Nespresso pods are sold via Nespresso’s website, Nespresso boutiques and some authorized online retailers like Amazon. You can find Starbucks Vertuo pods in some supermarkets, but not Nespresso’s own line of pods.
How Do You Clean a Nespresso Vertuoline Machine?
You can run an automatic cleaning cycle where the machine will dispense hot water (without the use of a pod) to clean the inside pipes of the machine and get rid of any residues. This can be done once a week to maintain your machine’s performance.
Can You Use Nespresso Tea Pods in Nespresso Vertuoline
No, there is no tea pods available for Nespresso Vertuo. Tea pods are available for OriginalLine machines.
Can You Make Hot Chocolate with Nespresso Vertuo
I’m afraid not. Hot chocolate pods are available for OriginalLine machines, but none are available for Vertuo machines just yet.
Can You Set Temperature of a Nespresso Vertuo
No, this isn’t possible. Vertou machines automatically alter temperature (only slightly) to match the pod you are brewing. You can’t manually select a temperature.
