If you own a Nespresso Vertuo machine and want to use it to dispense hot water for tea or hot chocolate, you might have noticed that there is no straightforward way to do this.
A Vertuo machine does not operate without a coffee pod inside it. And there is no hot water function that allows you to dispense hot water directly. So, what do you do?
Can Nespresso Vertuo Make Hot Water Only?
Technically, yes you can.
A Vertuo machine can bring up water temperature to around 170F almost immediately, which makes it perfect for dispensing hot water on demand.
The problem is that there is no hot water button on any of Nespresso’s Vertuo machines.
To get hot water from your Vertuo Plus, Vertuo Next, or any other Vertuo model, there are two hacks you can try. One involves a used Vertuo pod and the second method utilizes the cleaning cycle.
Using my own Vertuo Plus, I tried both methods to help you understand what to expect and if any of these hacks are a reliable method to get hot water from a Vertuo coffee machine.
These hacks should work on any model, whether you have a Vertuo Next, Pop, Evoluo… etc.
Two Hacks To Dispense Hot Water From a Vertuo Machine
These are the results of my experiments. I understand that results vary from one person to another, but I am certain you will get the same quality of hot water no matter which Vertuo model or method you use.
Use an Empty Vertuo Pod
This is a hack that I consistently read about on Reddit. It involves cleaning out a used coffee pod and using it to get the Vertuo machine to dispense the amount of hot water you need.
You’ll need a coffee pod that matches the amount of hot water you want to get: for 5 oz you can clean out a Gran Lungo pod, for 8 oz of hot water, clean out a Coffee pod… and so on.
When trying this method, two things happened:
The machine brewed the hot water as if it were a coffee pod. So it actually worked. However, I noticed that the machine leaked some water into the used capsule bin. The pod fills up with water because there is no foil and no ground coffee to absorb the liquid.
The other thing is, the water never comes out clean or clear enough. Of course, I expected the first brew to come with residue from my previous coffee brew, but the water still kept coming out ‘brownish’ even after several tries.
I don’t recommend this hack because of the water leaking into the bin, which can turn into a mess eventually.
Use the Cleaning Cycle Function (Without a Pod)
This is an easier method to dispense hot water from a Vertuo machine without the need for a pod.
Simply, you’ll use the cleaning cycle, which is normally used to dispense hot water to clean out the coffee machine, and use the water for tea or hot chocolate.
To start the cleaning cycle, first make sure that there is no pod inside your machine, then press the brew button three times in a row. This will turn the brew light orange.
The cleaning cycle takes about a minute to get started, then hot water will start to dispense. You can press the brew button again to stop the machine from pouring hot water.
Here’s what you need to keep in mind:
- This is a cleaning cycle, so expect a lot of coffee ground residue in your first brew.
- You’ll have to run this two or three times until you get clean hot water from the coffee machine.
Do I recommend this method?
While I find it a better option than using the empty pod, I still don’t like it because the water never comes out completely clear.
Can You Get Clean Hot Water From a Nespresso Vertuo?
As I mentioned earlier, my only issue with these hot water dispensing hacks is that the water never comes out clear.
Vertuo does not have a dedicated spout to dispense clean hot water, it’s not designed for this function.
You can run the hot water hacks several times to clear out any coffee ground residue, which I find to be a total waste of water. Yet, the water will still come out not clear.
However, I must note the dispensed hot water, while it looks mildly brown, it is odorless and tasteless. So if you do decide to use it for tea, it won’t ruin the taste of your beverage.
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