There are plain old coffee people. Then there are espresso aficionados.
Then again, people like us also exist and our coffee cravings are just as unpredictable as the Northeaster!
This doesn’t mean that we will have to invest in heavy-duty espresso machines or spend a lot of time toying with hands-on manual tools.
Nespresso Vertuoline Coffee and Espresso Maker is precisely designed to bridge this gap.
Ergo, its job is to bring us the best of both the worlds ( and more ). And that too with the minimum hassle and maximum convenience.
How can we NOT COVER a pod brewer like this one when dipping into the world of coffee is our all-time favorite pursuit?
So, we designed this all-inclusive Nespresso Vertuoline review so that you can explore everything this coffee brewer has to offer.
Nespresso Vertuoline Review: The Whole Nine Yards
[amazon box=”B00ILLV3JC”]When you eye a coffee maker, there are some vital features that you must look into.
While no one really misses out the highlighted features and specifications, sometimes we tend to overlook the more subtle trivialities.
Where your search for the details ends your chances of making an unwise purchase begins.
Now we can’t let that happen!
So, here goes the Nespresso Vertuoline coffee review. The whole nine yards, that is.
Back to the Basics: What is Nespresso Vertuoline?
Nespresso Vertuoline is a compact single-serving coffee machine.
Instead of brewing a whole pot, it utilizes pods of different flavors and aroma. You can brew an espresso shot or a cup of coffee depending on whichever you feel like having.
Your purchase comes with a handful of complimentary pods from Nespresso so that you can enjoy a wide array of aromas before settling with your favorite.
What’s in the Box:
Nespresso Vertuoline doesn’t come alone. It’s a complete package to get your day started with the perfect cuppa.
You already know about the pods. Here is the complete list of what comes inside a box of Nespresso Vertuoline:
- The Vertuoline machine
- Aeroccino Plus milk frother
- Different pods
- An instruction manual and
- An information folder
Didn’t we already tell you that it’s a complete package?
What We Love about Nespresso Vertuoline:
Functional Design:
The Vertuoline is designed to impress.
It is one of the simplest appliances that your kitchen will have. Mind you, we said ‘simple’, not ‘basic’.
The main unit, the Vertuoline machine, consists of a plastic housing with a removable clear compartment on each side. One compartment is the water tank and the other holds pods.
The water tank and the pod holder attach and detach effortlessly.
A front-facing button, flexible cup support, and an easy lift-up extraction head make the unit ergonomically superior to many of its contemporaries.
Even though this is made of plastic, it gives you a premium feel. The Vertuoline never looks flimsy or cheaply built.
The casing is sturdy enough to promise a great mileage.
The second attraction of this unit is the Aeroccino Milk Frother. Using it is a cakewalk.
When it comes to appearance, Nespresso Vertuoline is easy on the eye. Molded with a retro look, it comes in three attractive colors- red, black, and chrome.
This functional yet handsome unit will easily blend with your kitchen decor and will add a premium feel to your countertop.
Comfort Size:
Nespresso Vertuoline is packed with features, not with bulk.
This is a real compact unit that weighs only about 10 pounds. With dimensions of 11.91 x 8.30 x 11.93 inches, it easily gels in your kitchen, study, or office space.
The small footprint makes it highly portable as well. Moving it from one place to another is no trouble at all.
Quick Brew:
Nespresso Vertuoline Machine never lets you miss your morning cuppa in a rush.
It has a quick 20 seconds pre-heating period following which the unit is ready to serve.
Clumsily navigating through a complicated control panel and wasting a lot of time in the process isn’t an option. The Vertuoline is a single-button operating system.
Just insert your pod, close the extraction lid, and let it go!
Centrifusion Technology:
Centrifusion technology is one of the prized features of Nespresso Vertuoline Coffee and Espresso maker.
Once you insert the pod, the machine rotates at a speed of 70,000 rotations per minute. This creates a perfect blend of coffee.
If you are a fan of crema, just tell it to do so. The Vertuoline creates a thick, rich crema.
Versatility:
Vertuoline is compatible with two different pod sizes. Use the larger pod for a cup of coffee and the smaller pod for a shot of espresso.
It doesn’t end here.
This coffee maker can read the barcode of your coffee pod and determines the brewing process accordingly to give you the best results.
Your choice isn’t only limited to basic coffee and espresso. You can brew an array of milk-based coffee recipes using the separate Aeroccino Plus Milk Frother that comes with your purchase.
Frothing milk, as well as hot and cold milk froth is a matter of seconds with this frothing unit.
Auto Shut-Off Feature:
Vertuoline is an energy saver.
The brewing unit shuts itself off after 9 minutes of inactivity. The Aeroccino Plus Milk Frother also shuts down after 50 seconds of inactivity.
This doesn’t only save power but also takes the confusion of whether or not you switched it off before leaving for work, away from your shoulder.
It does a lot of good for the environment too.
Ease of Use:
Nespresso Vertuo reviews almost invariably chime about the user convenience that this device offers.
The water reservoir is easily accessible and you can take it off and reattach without any hassle.
The whole brewing process is a single button operated chore so there is absolutely no learning curve involved.
After brewing is complete, the pod is ejected into the pod holder, so there is no messy business.
Cleaning and maintenance of Nespresso Vertuoline are also undemanding.
Our overall experience with this coffee maker has been neat and smooth, just like the crema it churns out.
What We Didn’t Like about Nespresso Vertuoline:
It Doesn’t Work with Pods of Other Brands:
The Vertuoline has been designed to work with Nespresso Vertuoline Capsules only.
It doesn’t respond to pods of other brands. Not only that, but it also doesn’t comply with Nespresso Original Pods either.
Bad news for users who crave flexibility.
However, there is a variety of Vertuoline cartridges available. These are Aluminum sealed pods that preserve the aroma and integrity of coffee to give you flavorful cuppas.
So, if you are willing to stay content with the Vertuoline line of cartridges, you’ll be guaranteed different flavors to indulge into. Nespresso offers 150 pods for Vertuoline.
Yes. 150.
So, if you try one different flavor a day, you’ll go about 5 months without repeating a flavor. Wink.
It’s a Tad Pricey:
The price point of Vertuoline is a bit on the upper side. You’ll get cheaper alternatives saturating the market.
However, the level of user convenience and satisfaction that Vertuoline offers is not something that you get everywhere.
Considering that, Vertuoline is a good pick, even for a penny-wise person.
Nespresso Vertuoline: What You Should You be Aware
Nespresso Vertuoline isn’t cheap. This is a premium device and best purchased after you are well informed about it.
Before adding it to your cart, these are the things that you need to know.
It Brews a Single Cup at a Time:
Nespresso Vertuoline utilizes one coffee pod at a time.
Pod brewing is quick, simple, and prevents wastage. There will not be a pot of stale coffee to drain.
However, if you are a slow drinker and your seconds roll into minutes faster than others, often leaving you with a stale brown liquid instead of a heartwarming cuppa, we believe that Vertuoline cannot help you there.
Our solution to this problem is to bring home a great coffee mug warmer.
The Cup Size is Adjustable:
The default settings of this barista allow it to produce 7.77 ounces of coffee and 1.35 ounces of espresso.
You can change that.
Vertuoline lets you adjust this on a 0.3 to 17.0 oz scale so that you can enjoy your coffee in three different pouring heights:
- Small, served in espresso cups.
- Medium, served in regular coffee mugs.
- Large, to fill your travel thermos.
In case you are wondering how to fit all these different sizes of mugs, the adjustable cup support takes care of that for you.
Has Different Flavor Offerings than the Original Capsules:
The line of pods that Vertuo offers are all different from the Original Nespresso Capsules. They come in different flavors and are even shaped differently.
The Vertuoline capsules are dome-shaped and come in three different sizes.
You’ll Need to Buy Pods!:
Pods will run out and you will have to buy them. Keep this in mind when you purchase a pod brewer such as Nespresso Vertuoline.
This isn’t a big deal. Regular coffee machines require you to buy beans. Here, you’ll have to purchase capsules.
There isn’t much of a difference in terms of the cost when you go for regular pods. The capsules come at a little over $1 per count.
However, if you are planning to buy big multi-packs of flavor pods, your overall cost will increase.
How to Use Nespresso Vertuoline Machine
Using the Nespresso Vertuoline Machine is a no-brainer. Here is a step by step account on what you need to do:
Brewing with Vertuoline:
- Switch it on and allow it 15 seconds to preheat.
- Remove the water tank, fill it, and put it back.
- Choose from two different capsule sizes. The larger one is for coffee and the smaller one for espresso.
- Position the cup support.
- Open the extraction head and insert the capsule in such a way that the flat side of the capsule points upwards.
- Close the extraction head.
- There is a rotating lever on the extraction head. Turn it so that the marked lines align.
- Now your Vertuoline is all loaded.
- Press the button and you will see rich coffee filling your cup in just about 15 seconds or so.
- Now what? Enjoy!
Frothing with Aeroccino Plus:
To make milk-based coffee such as a latte, use the Aeroccino Plus. here’s how you do it:
- Open the milk frother. You’ll find two milk levels scored on the inner surface of the jar.
- The lower mark is for cold froth and the upper level is for hot milk. Fill it with milk accordingly.
- For cold milk froth, press the button lightly until it turns blue.
- For hot milk press the button until it turns red.
And that’s all. Aeroccino Plus froths milk into a rich blend and turns itself off after 50 seconds.
To use this froth to make a cup of latte, place the cup of milk under the Vertuoline, and command it to prepare a shot of espresso.
The espresso shot streaming down on the cup of milk froth is indeed a delicious sight! Your latte should be ready!
Maintaining & Cleaning Tips for a Nespresso Vertuoline Machine
Nespresso Vertuoline Machine is low maintenance. One cleaning cycle takes only about 5 minutes. Descaling is also simple.
If you have already used an automatic espresso machine and are used to the hassle of maintaining it, then cleaning your Vertuoline is bound to seem like a child’s play to you.
Cleaning the Nespresso Vertuoline Coffee and Espresso Maker:
Grab a sponge and cold water and follow these simple instructions. In 5 minutes, your Vertuoline will be spick-and-span.
Descaling the Nespresso Vertuoline Coffee and Espresso Maker:
The hardness of the water we use vary across regions. But no matter where you are, your machine will always be exposed to a level of hardness.
Hard water is mineral-heavy and contains a lot of heavy metals that accumulate inside your coffee maker over time. Not descaling it once in a while may hamper its performance.
Don’t worry about keeping tabs on your descaling schedule. The Vertuo will tell you when to with a descaling alert.
The light on the button will blink three times before becoming steady. That’s when you know that it needs descaling.
Here is how you descale your Vertuoline:
Where to Buy Your New Nespresso Vertuoline Coffee Machine
[amazon box=”B00ILLV3JC”]In case you were wondering whether your Amazon purchase will come with a sample pack that physical stores offer, rest assured, it does.
FAQs: All Your Vertuoline Quizzes Answered!
Below you’ll find answers to questions we get asked the most about Nespresso Vertuoline Machine:
01. Why is My Nespresso VertuoLine Blinking?
If your Nespresso Vertuoline is blinking, it’s probably just warming up. If that’s not the case and it refuses to brew, then here are the probable reasons for Vertuoline’s strange behavior.
- The machine is in descaling mode and will be just fine after you descale.
- There is a blocked capsule inside the system.
- Your water reservoir needs to be refilled.
02. Can I Use Ground Coffee and Reusable Coffee Pods with Nespresso Vertuoline?
We haven’t tried that yet but our research and different Nespresso Vertuo Delonghi reviews
says you can.
These reusable stainless steel capsules are designed to comply with the Vertuoline.
03. How Can I Get Hot Water from Nespresso Vertuoline?
If you do not insert the Vertuoline capsule and run a cycle without it, you will get a cup of steaming water.
However, it’s better to discard the first cup as it may contain residue from the previous brew. Run it a second time and collect clean, hot water.
04. Are VertuoLine and VertuoPlus the Same Thing?
No.
There are a handful of differences between these two units. Here are a couple of differences worth mentioning:
- VertuoPlus has a motorized brew head, while VertuoLine operates with a manual one.
- VertuoPlus is reported to be quieter than the VertuoLine.
05. How to Reset a Nespresso VertuoLine?
Looking to reset your Nespresso VertuoLine? Follow these steps for factory reset:
- Open the machine head to eject the used capsule.
- Now close the head but don’t lock the lever.
- Push the button 5 consecutive times in 3 seconds.
- Check the button.
If the button gives 5 slow blinks, your Nespresso VertuoLine factory reset is complete.
The Final Verdict: Our Take on Nespresso Vertuoline Coffee and Espresso Maker
No machine is perfect. Nespresso Vertuoline isn’t either.
The verdict, therefore, depends on the delicate balance of drawbacks and benefits.
While the VertuoLine is no fancy technology, it sure is a decent barista. We believe that it’s ideal for anyone who wants to get their daily dose of quality coffee without investing any time or effort on it.
This pod brewer offers you a versatile choice of beverages and brews the exact quantity you want. It accommodates all sizes of cups and mugs, which we really appreciate.
With this single-serve coffee machine, your coffee wastage will come down to zero.
If you like Nespresso flavors then Vertuoline offers 150 different flavors to choose from.
Cleaning and maintenance are undemanding. And the machine is handsome, compact, and portable.
Overall, with Nespresso VertuoLine, the perks outweigh the hitches and we think The Nespresso Vertuoline Coffee and Espresso Maker IS ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT.
Here goes our ranking, category wise:
- Ease of Use 5/5
- Blending Power 4.5/5
- Flavor 4.8/5
- Promptness 5/5
- Durability 5/5
- Maintenance 4.5/5
- Price ⅘
Total Score: 4.7/5
So, what do you think? Have you decided to bring the VertuoLine home? Let us know.
Till then, Adios!
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