Trying to make your favorite cup of coffee but your Nespresso Vertuo Next won’t brew?
I understand how frustrating this can be!
There are several reasons that could lead to this issue. And luckily, they are easy to fix.
But to understand how to fix your Nespresso not brewing, we have to identify the issue first by looking at the pattern of how this error is occurring.
Why Nespresso Vertuo Won’t Brew
Here are several symptoms to look at when trying to identify why your Nespresso Vertuo Next won’t brew:
1- Nespresso Vertuo Next is Blinking Orange and Won’t Brew
2- Nespresso Vertuo Pod is Spinning but nothing is coming out
3- Nespresso Vertuo Water Not Pumping
Each of these problems will lead to your Nespresso Vertuo not brewing, but the fixes for each one is different. So let’s have a look at each one of these issues and how to fix them.
Nespresso Vertuo Next Blinking Orange
Nespresso Vertuo machines use light indicators to let you know what the problem is. The pattern of the lights can indicate different things:
Nespresso Vertuo Next Blinks Orange Two Times then Pauses
If the light on your Nespresso Vertuo Next is blinking orange twice, pauses then starts blinking again that means it’s time to clean your machine. You’ll have to do the following:
Run a Cleaning Cycle
A cleaning cycle will rinse the internal parts of your Nespresso machine using water only. It’s a quick process used to flush out any coffee ground residues or anything that could be blocking your coffee machine on the inside.
For this, you’re going to need a large container to catch all the water that will come out of the coffee spout. The container should be the same capacity as the water reservoir, so 34 oz.
Now follow these steps to start the cleaning cycle:
- Make sure that your water reservoir is full to the MAX line. Fill it with WATER only, don’t add any cleaning detergent or descaling solution.
- Open up the machine head. Make sure that there’s no pod inside it. Close it and put it in the LOCKED position. Place the container under the spout.
- Now, press the button three times within 2 seconds. The light will immediately turn to blinking orange light, which indicates that you have successfully started cleaning mode.
- The procedure will take 2 minutes to start, then the water will start flowing for around 5 minutes.
- Let it run until it stops automatically.
There are two other things that you’ll have to clean manually:
- The spinning wheel inside your machine which rotates the pod
- The pod holder inside the machine
Steps To Clean the Vertuo Pod Spinner
Before you start, unplug your machine for a minute then open up the lid.
- On the top part inside the lid, you’ll find a dial that should spin freely. Sometimes, that dial gets stuck with debris or dry coffee residues and needs to be manually cleaned until you feel that it is spinning freely again.
- Simply use a damp towel to wipe it clean and dislodge it if it feels stuck.
Steps to Clean the Vertuo Pod Holder
The pod holder is the plastic part when you place the pod inside the machine. If you look around, you could also find some dirt or coffee residue that will need to be wiped clean using a damp towel or a Q-tip.
Nespresso Vertuo Next Blinks Orange Three Times
If your Nespresso Vertuo Next is blinking orange light three times and won’t brew, that means it’s time to descale your machine.
Nespresso Vertuo Next Descaling
Descaling is a longer and more comprehensive procedure than running a cleaning cycle. It requires the use of a descaling solution that will eliminate limescale build up and ensures that the internal parts remain like-new.
Descaling process takes about 20 minutes and it should not be interrupted. So make sure you have the time to actually follow up with the whole process.
For step-by-step guide on descaling your nespresso Vertuo next read my guide on Nespresso Vertuo Blinking Orange. Which explains every Nespresso flashing light meaning and how to fix them.
Nespresso Vertuo Spinning But Not Brewing
If your Nespresso Vertuo Next starts normally, you put your pod in and hit the brew button. You hear the pod starts to spin, but then it stops.
This could be due to two things:
- The machine is not able to recognize the pod you are brewing because the barcode reader is not clean.
- It could be an issue with the pod itself
Fix 1: Clean the Nespresso Vertuo Pod Holder
The gray plastic part, where the Vertuo pod goes inside the machine, is the pod holder. Around this pod holder is a laser barcode reader which automatically identifies which pod you are trying to brew.
If this part of the pod holder gets dirty, the pod will rotate but the machine won’t be able to recognize the pod, which is why it fails to brew eventually.
To clean the pod holder, simply use a damp cloth or a Q-tip and wipe around it until you get rid of all coffee residues that could be stuck in there.
Fix 2: Try Another Pod
This is just to eliminate that the problem is not the pod itself. Sometimes, you’d get a batch of pods with bad barcodes, or with a crushed or damaged rim that the machine won’t be able to brew.
Try another type of Vertuo pod and see if it works.
Also, if you are using a refillable pod, or refilling an old pod, this could be the culprit.
Nespresso Vertuo Next Not Pumping Water
If your Nespresso Vertuo Next won’t brew because it won’t pump water at all, this problem is known as the ‘Nespresso Airlock’.
It’s an annoying issue where an air bubble gets trapped inside the pipes of the machine, which blocks water from flowing freely. It happens especially after a long hiatus or leaving the machine unused.
I have a complete Nespresso Airlock Problem guide that you can refer to help fix this issue.
Related: Nespresso Not Working after storage
Other Common Problems with Nespresso Vertuo Next Not Brewing
Unfortunately, Nespresso Vertuo Next is not the most reliable of all Nespresso models. It is known for being quite problematic sometimes.
If your Nespresso Vertuo Next not brewing after trying all fixes above, check for these common issues:
1- Unplug the machine for a full day and try again. I understand this is a long time to wait, but this is something that Nespresso recommends for the machine’s electric circuit to fully reset.
2- Make sure that the water reservoir is placed correctly in place. This is a really simple issue that often happens without us even noticing. There’s always the possibility that the tank has not clicked into place and is just sitting afloat.
3- If all fails, try to factory reset your Nespresso Vertuo Next. I have a full guide for Nespresso Reset to Factory that includes instructions for all Nespresso models.
