Breville Nespresso Vertuo review

Why choose Breville Nespresso Vertuo coffee and espresso machine?

In the process of preparing this Breville Nespresso Vertuo review, I wanted to better understand why one could choose this coffee machine over others. The answer was quite easy: innovation, ease, convenience, and… price.

Earlier this year, we reviewed similar coffee makers: Nespresso Lattissima Plus and Nespresso Lattissima Pro. Though both Nespresso machines ranked well in our evaluations, we did not like their egregiously high prices or limited functionalities.

In our opinion, this is where Breville Nespresso Vertuo has a huge advantage over other Nespresso coffee machines:

• Nespresso Vertuo has a new, innovative functionality.
• Nespresso Vertuo coffee and espresso machine is easy to use and clean.
• The coffee maker offers a uniquely short heating time, thus decreasing the time required for the brewing cycle.
• Brews tasty, creamy espresso and coffee.
• Easy and convenient to use (very few buttons to push).
• Strong brand (Breville) behind this coffee maker.

Who is Nespresso Vertuo perfect for?

As I was testing the product for this Nespresso Vertuo review, I really wanted to understand who would most likely fall in love with this product.

Given the technology that goes behind this coffee maker, I feel like it could be a great choice for coffee lovers who are interested in innovation. It brews delicious coffee quickly and easily.

Nespresso Vertuo can be an excellent choice for the following:

✓ Users of single serve coffee makers who wish to upgrade their machine

✓ Next generation coffee maker

✓ Innovative and high-technology

✓ A welcome kit with a range of 12 single serve coffee capsules with unique aroma profiles

✓ The machine itself is in the $$$ price range

Who is Nespresso Vertuo NOT perfect for?

I would love to remain honest in this Nespresso Vertuo review. I think that there are a couple of examples where where Nespresso Verto might not be a perfect choice:

✗ Low budget: although the machine itself is not among the most expensive in the market, the coffee capsules are very costly

✗ Coffee capsules have limited availability: some can be ordered only from the Nespresso shops at the moment

✗ Standard Nespresso coffee pods are not compatible with this machine

✗ Users who prefer flexibility and ownership in the coffee brewing process

✗ Does NOT use ground coffee

✗ Machine contains plastic, and capsules are aluminium

Nespresso Vertuo Review and Evaluation 🕵️

→ Appearance

I was really happy when I received my Nespresso Vertuo. For the purposes of this review and evaluation, I purchased a version with the machine and aeroccino. This set came with a welcome kit, which contained 12 different single serve capsules. Nespresso Vertuo was made mainly of plastic.

The machine looked good on my kitchen counter and had an air of sophistication in spite of its minimalist design and apparent simplicity. It was available in 3 colors on Amazon (black, chrome and matte black), but the Nespresso online store sells this machine in 2 additional colors: red and titan.

The pouring outlet sits in the middle of the front side of the machine, flanked on both sides by two transparent containers: one for water and one for dumping used capsules.

Located on the top of the machine, the control panel was super easy and straightforward. It featured two controls:

• 1 button to turn on/off brewing, and
• 1 dial to lock or unlock the capsule holder

The on/off button was the only button Nespresso Vertuo has, and it is this button that I press when I want to turn the machine on or off, when I want to start brewing, as well as when I want to start the self-cleaning process or the descaling cycle.

→ Features and technical specs

Voltage: Nespresso Vertuo is made for 120V, and can be used in Canada and the US only.

Basket size: Nespresso Vertuo uses VertuoLine capsules that come in 3 different sizes and can make 5 different coffee cup sizes. The machine reads the barcode on the rim of the capsule using laser technology, and automatically knows which cup size to brew.

Beverage size: An in-built laser technology detects the type of a capsule and brews an appropriate size, accordingly. The VertuoLine capsules can make 5 different coffee and espresso cup sizes:

• espresso (1.35oz/40ml)
• double espresso (2.7oz/80ml),
• gran lungo (5oz/150ml),
• mug (7.77oz/230ml), and
• alto (14oz/414ml).

However, these sizes can be modified and reprogrammed to fit the user’s desired cup size. To reprogram a certain cup size, I just need to put a capsule in the machine, press the on/off button and keep pressing until the desired coffee quantity has been poured in my cup.

Weight: Nespresso Vertuo weights about 11 lbs, which makes it quite easy to lift and to handle. However, since all the controls and both the water and the capsule containers are located either on top or on the sides of the machine, it is highly unlikely that the Nespresso Vertuo will need to move a lot.

Unit size: The machine is rather compact and fits really well on my countertop. It has a width of 8.3in, a depth of 11.93in, and a height of 11.91in.

Milk frother: The machine I got for this Nespresso Vertuo review came with a milk frother known as the aeroccino. When you buy this machine, make sure that it comes with aeroccino, a hand frother. If purchased separately, this hand frother can run at about $40. Though aeroccino is nothing like Breville BES870XL milk frother, it still did a nice job to create milk froth for lovely cappuccinos and lattes.

Pressure / pressure gauge: Nespresso Vertuo has a pressure pump with a capacity of 19 bar, which helps the machine create coffee that is both rich and creamy.

Water reservoir: Nespresso Vertuo has a removable water tank with a capacity of 40 oz. In case I wanted to clean or fill the reservoir with water, I was able to do so by pulling upwards.

Additional perks: I was so excited for this Nespresso Vertuo review. The machine comes with some really great and unparalleled features.

✓ Nespresso Vertuo automatically detects your desired coffee blend and adjusts brewing accordingly. the machine uses laser technology and barcode reading system to recognize the cup size and the coffee blend of each capsule. The Nespresso Vertuo is a laser class 1 product.

✓ Ability to extract coffee fully by blending water and coffee through a patented centrifusion technology. Nespresso Vertuo coffee and espresso machine uses Centrifusion, a patented extraction technology developed by Nespresso, which means that during the brewing cycle capsules spin inside the machine with 7000 rotations per minute, which ensures that water and coffee are completely blended, and which also produces the perfect crema on top of my coffee.

✓ Though a cup size is detected automatically, I was still able to adjust water and coffee volume to my liking. Despite pre-set water and coffee volumes, I was able to program according to my own preference. All I have to do is insert a capsule inside the machine, press the on/off button and keep pressing until the desired amount of coffee has been poured in my cup. From this moment on, every time I introduce this type of capsule in the machine, I will get the same amount of coffee.

✓ Great features for ecologically mindful users. – Automatic power off after 9 minute. The machine turns itself off after not being used for 9 minutes in a row, in order to save energy.

✓ The container can store up to 13 large empty capsules. The container where the used capsules are dumped after usage is large enough to hold 13 large capsules.

✓ Coffee capsule recycling program. Nespresso sends its customers UPS bags that can be filled with the used capsules and dropped for free at any UPS centre in order to be sent back to Nespresso for recycling.

→ Performance

Brewing time: The water heating time is vey short (15 seconds) and the brewing time itself takes under one minute.

Flavor: Flavors are rather impressive in this machine. Coffee is rich and strong and there is always a generous, thick layer of crema on top.

Temperature: My understanding is that this machine automatically adjusts brewing according to the coffee blend in a capsule. In my tests, Nespresso Vertuo yielded temperatures below 195 degrees. I registered temperatures of around 165 degrees F (vs 195 – 205 F degrees). It always helps to heat the cup before pouring coffee into it, as cold ceramic can absorb heat quite fast and cause the temperature of the coffee to drop.

Noise levels: There were no remarkable noises coming from the machine. It performed similarly to others. There was a small winding noise, but this was nothing unusual.

Cleaning: Cleaning of Nespresso Vertuo is rather simple. The machine dumps the used capsules in the capsule container after each use. All I have to do is to lift the cover of the capsule chamber. I recommend taking the capsules out of the capsule chamber each time after the brewing is over.

The machine has an automatic self-cleaning feature that can be started by pressing the on/off button for a total of 3 seconds. The self-cleaning cycle can last up to 15 minutes and can be stopped at any time by pressing the on/off button once. During this cleaning cycle, the machine runs clean water through its inner system and then throws it out through the pouring outlet. I have to make sure that I have placed a recipient under the pouring outlet during this process, so that the dumped water could be collected.

The machine is also equipped with a descaling alert. The light will blink alternately 3 times and then it will become stable. The machine can only be used a few more times after the alert comes on and before the descaling becomes mandatory. To descale the Nespresso Vertuo, I just need to follow the steps described in the user’s manual. It is recommended to use only descaling solution and to never use vinegar for descaling this machine.

Customer-reported technical issues

This Nespresso Verto review comes only after a couple of weeks of testing this product. I have personally not encountered any challenges or problems with the unit. Overall, it seems that Nespresso Vertuo is a highly rated and loved product.

There are a couple of user complaints about this product

• Coffee was not hot enough
• Customer support not very helpful
• Limited availability of Nespresso capsules compatible with this coffee maker
• Nespresso capsules can be rather expensive

→ Health and safety

I was somewhat sad about Breville Nespresso Vertuo coffee and espresso maker. As I was preparing the Nespresso Vertuo review, I tried to research what the product is made of.

On one hand, Breville claims that Nespresso Vertuo is BPA-free. On the other, the practice shows that Nespresso Vertuo is made mostly with plastic. Whether it is BPA-free or not, this plastic comes into direct contact with scorching hot water. As you may know by now, I am personally very concerned about using products in which boiling water touches plastic.

Further, there have been some health issues concern regarding the coffee pods/capsules.

The BPA-free status is helpful to know, but it typically does not guarantee that there are no other potentially dangerous substitutes used in the production process.

Reports show that many manufacturers replace BPA with other types of plastic. These types include but are not limited to BHPF (fluorene-9-bisphenol), TPP (triphenyl phosphate), and bisphenol S (BPS). The exact health effects of the BPA substitutes, such as BHPF, TPP and BPS, are unknown at this point.

Further, I strongly recommend that anyone who thinks about purchasing a machine that uses coffee pods should first do a thorough research on the health and environmental concerns that have been associated with the use of coffee pod brewers over the years.

→ Price to value: is Nespresso Vertuo worth the money?

Nespresso Vertuo sells in a low- to mid-$$$ price point. This is substantially lower than other Nespresso coffee makers, such as Lattissima, which did not perform nearly as good as Nespresso Vertuo. Nespresso Vertuo is a high performer. It offers convenience, ease and speed. There’s a lot of technology to speed up and improve coffee brewing. As a result, coffee that comes out of this machine is rather tasty.

On the other hand, the machine can still feel limiting. Yes, there are 5 cups sizes, but I can only brew espresso and some specific types of coffee. Brewing cappuccino, latte or any other coffee style option that is not pre-defined is not likely.

Overall, the machine offers a very strong price-to-value ratio. The cost is more than reasonable given the quality that the machine offers. I personally like flexibility. I would personally invest my hard earned income in either a machine that costs less or a machine that offers more flexibility (e.g. has a frother and makes the coffee just as good). There are some machines in the Nespresso range that fit the description.

Should I buy Breville Nespresso Vertuo? Owly’s verdict! 🔨

As I attempted to show in this Nespresso Vertuo review, this is a very innovative coffee machine that may look attractive to some coffee lovers. It is among the very strong coffee machines in the Nespresso line.

Nespresso Vertuo offers an innovative way to brew coffee and an exciting blend of old and new by bringing together the coffee cups system with the laser technology. The machine can certainly make a great conversation subject and it can also brew some good cups of coffee with some consistent creamy layers on top.

Though the price is more than reasonable, I prefer coffee makers that offer flexibility in brewing. Specifically, machines that use coffee pods in addition to ground coffee.

Nevertheless, I still think that some coffee lovers may really enjoy this machine for its functionality and convenience.

Will you get Nespresso Vertuo? What was your experience with Nespresso Vertuo? Do you love coffee brewed from capsules? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, under this Nespresso Vertuo review!