Nespresso Vertuo Plus review

Our Verdict

The Nespresso Vertuo Plus may change the way you view pod machines. While it's certainly not one of the cheaper at-domicile options, the brewer produces incredibly high quality coffee with a silky smooth flourish. You are locked into Nespresso's ain pod organization, though, which can prove pricey.

For

Produces loftier quality coffee
Incredibly easy to use
Regularly on sale

Confronting

Just uses pricey Nespresso Vertuo pods
Lid sometimes jams when interrupted

Tom's Guide Verdict

The Nespresso Vertuo Plus may modify the fashion you view pod machines. While it's certainly not ane of the cheaper at-domicile options, the brewer produces incredibly high quality java with a silky polish flourish. You are locked into Nespresso'southward own pod organisation, though, which tin can prove pricey.

Pros

+
Produces loftier quality coffee
+
Incredibly easy to use
+
Regularly on sale

Cons

-
Only uses pricey Nespresso Vertuo pods
-
Chapeau sometimes jams when interrupted

The Nespresso Vertuo Plus is the go-to coffee maker for anyone after a luxurious, but still convenient, pod-based brewing experience. While priced at $199/£199, Nespresso's flagship capsule technology sits inside a range of machines produced by different brands, which can skew the final price a piffling.

Nespresso Vertuo Plus Specs

Cup capacity: single serve
Size: 8.7 ten 12.7 x 12.viii inches
Brew sizes: espresso, double espresso, gran lungo, alto
Water reservoir: 40oz

Magimix, De'Longhi, and Breville take all got their postage on these machines, merely you'll observe the aforementioned experience whichever brand yous're eyeing up. We put a Magimix model through its places to come across where information technology falls amongst the best Nespresso machines and whether information technology'southward got what it takes to sit in the best coffee maker hall of fame.

Nespresso Vertuo Plus review: Price and availability

As mentioned above, the Nespresso Vertuo Plus carries a $199 / £199 MSRP, which comes in a little higher than the typical calm pod auto. We mostly see prices hovering betwixt $159 and $179, even so, and this organization has dropped to $99 in the past. This is a machine that has been striking particularly difficult by the growing need on the pandemic, though, which means we haven't spotted sub-$100 cost points in a long time.

If you're because a buy, it's worth besides noting that the Nespresso Vertuo Plus also has a slightly higher running toll than your standard pod brewer. The machine volition but run with official Nespresso Vertuo pods, which are a petty more than expensive than the make'southward Original Line, and considerably pricier than Keurig K-Cups. For comparison, a single Vertuo Plus pod averages at around $ane, whereas a K-Loving cup averages at forty cents.

Nespresso Vertuo Plus review: Features

There are plenty of features that separate the Nespresso Vertuo Plus from its contest, but one of the biggest has to be the centrifusion brewing. At the start of the brewing process, the machine punctures a series of holes around the border of the circular pod, before rapidly spinning it. In doing this, the Vertuo Plus not only achieves balance in its h2o dispersal, simply also produces a rich crema that adds to the smoothness of the texture.

Beyond its brewing technique, the Vertuo Plus is as well putting its smarts to making sure the temperature and speed are just correct for your specific drink of choice every bit well. Each Vertuo pod has its own barcode, read by the car at the offset of brewing. While that does mean yous can only use Nespresso'southward own capsules, you tin also guarantee that the best machine settings will also exist applied.

In that location's no built-in milk frother here, which may be a niggling disappointing considering the higher upwardly front price tag. It's worth mentioning the Vertuo Plus does feel a little restrictive in this regard.

Nespresso Vertuo Plus review: Design

If y'all're struggling for counter infinite, the small footprint and flexible h2o reservoir placement of the Nespresso Vertuo Plus are particularly convincing. The system combines a minimalist aesthetic (y'all'll simply find a unmarried button beyond the whole device) with a simple pattern to make certain at that place's no unnecessary bulk.

One of the most satisfying aspects of this blueprint in my testing, though, was the lid. A quick button on the lip of the machine's summit panel causes the lid to automatically raise, revealing the capsule slot. It'due south a modest design feature, but 1 that speaks volumes to just how slick this feel feels twenty-four hour period-to-twenty-four hour period.

I found this slick functioning to be credible throughout the machine — from the no-splash pour to smaller details like the rotating green light on the chief button matching the centrifugal forcefulness of the brew arrangement.

The design here likewise feels a little more thoughtful than other brewers. The 40oz water reservoir is attached at the rear, right-mitt corner of the motorcar, just can be manoeuvred effectually that anchor point as required by your space. Because the water reservoir is unremarkably the biggest infinite-hogger in larger machines, the flexibility here was appreciated.

Nespresso Vertuo Plus review: Performance

I have always held a distrust of pod java makers, having simply actually interacted with cheaper models. The Nespresso Vertuo Plus changed all that, with an undeniably tasty loving cup brewed with elegance — time after time. This is some of the smoothest java I've been able to produce in my own kitchen, with a rich season and silky texture that I haven't come across in an at-dwelling brewer earlier.

That smoothness stems from the unique centrifusion brewing technique employed here. While it does take a little longer than standard pump machines, it's spending that time producing a far amend loving cup of coffee. Plus, the whole procedure all the same only takes around two minutes from start to finish.

This machine does favor those who prefer black java, every bit larger Alto sizes certainly don't leave too much room for milk and the aforementioned lack of a built-in steamer means you'll exist relying on carve up purchases for specialty drinks. Nevertheless, if y'all do prefer your coffee pure, the Vertuo Plus does a good job of maintaining private flavor notes, even if they're not quite as pronounced equally a more premium espresso auto.

Nespresso Vertuo Plus review: Ease of Use

The slick design of the Nespresso Vertuo Plus is too mirrored in its everyday operation. Put only, I found the Vertuo Plus a joy to use, with shine running beyond weeks of testing and very little setup to begin with.

With an incredibly unproblematic one-button setup, yous could operate this auto in a night kitchen at 4am while running on very little sleep — a fun feel I had the take a chance to test out concluding month. Simply add the pod, close the lid, add your cup, and push the button; the machine takes intendance of the temperature and brewing settings for you, which not only ways easy operation, but consistency between brews every bit well.

Initial setup simply requires cleaning through the system and takes around 15 minutes to consummate.

It'south worth noting that you'll demand to take a piddling intendance non to let annihilation to interfere with the hat closing. On test, a pesky plant placed nearby toll us some pods when the leaves defenseless under the chapeau. The car nonetheless punctured the capsule, merely couldn't brew — and when the lid was opened once more, the automated disposal organisation kicked it back into the used pod container.

Nespresso Vertuo Plus review: Verdict

The Nespresso Vertuo Plus is the brand's best machine to date, and even though in that location are concerns around existence locked into the brand's expensive pods, that'due south the price you lot pay for a convenient brewing system packed with luxurious features. If y'all want the ease of a pod machine, but don't desire to sacrifice the quality of your java, there aren't really any options outside of Nespresso's lineup.

The only thing property the Nespresso Vertuo Plus back is its pods. While the machine often comes with a starter pack to become y'all upward and running, those premium capsules volition showtime to add up. Non only does the Vertuo Plus have a higher MSRP than Keurig competitors, simply the coffee itself is more expensive, which becomes even more frustrating because you're fully locked into the brand's ain pods. Keurig'southward K-Cup make is open up to more coffee roasters, which means y'all're getting far more diverseness and, crucially, a wider toll range hither.

As mentioned higher up, we did too lose a few of those precious capsules to the automatic lid arrangement, where anything getting in the mode leads it to refuse to brew.

While Nespresso pods are recyclable, they tin can't be recycled from home. You'll need to take your pods to a Nespresso boutique or select retail locations, which tin undercut some of the make'southward focus on convenience.

Keurig java makers do come up in a lot cheaper, but the results can be hit and miss and single-push button brew machines similar the Ninja Specialty still require more effort on your part than pod machines. Plus, you'll find the Nespresso Vertuo Plus on sale regularly, then if you take hold of it at a practiced price ($100-$150), nosotros'd recommend checking it out.

If y'all're still torn between the two pod java giants, check out our comparison of Nespresso vs Keurig. Or, for a more than traditional baste-based auto, check out all the best Cuisinart java makers bachelor now.

Tabs is a deals editor on our sister site TechRadar. She spends most of her time searching for the all-time prices on height consumer tech, but has too written about everything from flower delivery to mattresses. Happiest with a DualSense controller in her hand, she's besides contributed to GamesRadar and T3 and specializes in gaming hardware and computing.