Description
The Nespresso Vertuo, built by Breville, works differently from every other capsule machine in this catalog, and understanding how is the key to deciding whether it suits. Nespresso lists Centrifusion extraction, capsule specific brewing by barcode reading, a 40 ounce water tank, a 13 capsule used pod container, a 25 second heat up and energy saving automatic shut off. The machine measures 12 inches wide, 8 inches deep and 12 inches high, weighs 10.8 pounds and runs on 120 volts.
Centrifusion and What It Changes
A conventional espresso machine, and every pump driven capsule machine, forces hot water through packed coffee under pressure. Nespresso’s Vertuo system spins the capsule instead, at up to 7,000 rotations per minute, using centrifugal force to blend ground coffee with water.
Two consequences follow. The first is crema. Spinning produces a thick layer of crema even on a large cup of coffee, which pressure extraction struggles to do at volume, and that is why Vertuo can serve a 14 ounce coffee with a head on it. The second is that the system is closed. Because extraction depends on capsule geometry and spin, the machine only works with Vertuo capsules.
Nespresso states this plainly and it deserves repeating: the machine is compatible with Nespresso Vertuo capsules only and is not compatible with Nespresso Original capsules. Those are two separate Nespresso systems, sold side by side, and buying the wrong capsules is the most common mistake with this machine. The Nespresso Essenza Mini is an Original system machine and its capsules will not fit here.
Barcode Reading
Each Vertuo capsule carries a printed barcode on its rim. The machine reads it and applies the water volume, temperature, spin speed and infusion time that Nespresso has set for that specific blend.
That is genuinely different from a machine with fixed buttons. There is no cup size to select, because the capsule determines it: insert an espresso capsule and an espresso is produced, insert an Alto capsule and 14 ounces are produced. For consistency it is excellent. For control it is the opposite, since the drink cannot be made larger or smaller than the capsule specifies without intervening.
Cup Sizes, Tank and Daily Use
The listing contradicts itself on cup sizes and it is worth stating both versions. The written description lists five: Alto Coffee at 14 ounces, Coffee at 8 ounces, Gran Lungo at 5 ounces, Double Espresso at 2.7 ounces and Espresso at 1.35 ounces. A feature bullet lists four, giving 5 and 8 ounce coffee plus single and double espresso, and omits the 14 ounce Alto. The description is the more detailed and internally consistent of the two, but the listing does not resolve the difference.
The 40 ounce water tank is mid sized: several drinks between refills, but not an office machine. The 13 capsule used pod container empties itself into a bin rather than needing each capsule handled. Heat up is stated at 25 seconds, and an automatic shut off saves standby power.
Nespresso also positions the machine for iced coffee, brewing over ice, which works because the machine produces concentrated coffee at volume rather than a long weak cup.
Highlights
- Centrifusion extraction spinning the capsule at up to 7,000 rotations per minute.
- Capsule specific brewing set automatically by barcode reading.
- Coffee with crema as well as espresso, in cup sizes from 1.35 to 14 ounces per the description.
- 40 ounce water tank and a 13 capsule used pod container.
- 25 second heat up with energy saving automatic shut off.
- Complimentary starter set of Nespresso capsules included, assortment varies.
- Chrome finish. 12 by 8 by 12 inches, 10.8 pounds, 120 volts.
- Average rating of 4.5 out of 5 from more than 15,700 ratings.
Things To Consider
The closed capsule system is the most important consideration and it is a long term commitment, not a one time purchase. Vertuo capsules are sold by Nespresso and a limited number of licensed partners, which is a narrower supply than the Original system where many third party capsules are available. That affects price, choice and what happens if the range changes.
Because the barcode sets the drink, cup size is chosen at the shop rather than at the machine. Anyone who wants to decide the strength and volume of each cup will find that restrictive, and a machine with manual controls such as the Keurig K155 gives more say, at the cost of crema.
The cup size contradiction described above is unresolved in the listing.
The listing gives the voltage as “1.2E+2 Volts (AC)”, which is scientific notation for 120 volts, and publishes no wattage or amperage. The country of origin field says USA while the closely related VertuoPlus listing says China, which is worth noting as inconsistent source data rather than a claim about either.
Capsule machines also carry an ongoing cost and an ongoing waste stream. Nespresso operates capsule recycling in some markets, but that requires the user to participate.
The 40 ounce tank is also modest for a household where several people drink coffee through the morning. The Keurig K155 holds 90 ounces for exactly that reason, and the VertuoPlus deluxe carries 60. Refilling is not difficult, it is simply a step that recurs.
There is also no milk system on this machine. Cappuccinos and lattes require milk to be frothed separately, and Nespresso sells machines with integrated milk systems higher in the range for buyers who want them in one appliance.
Who It Suits and Who Should Look Elsewhere
This suits someone who wants café style coffee with crema across a range of sizes at the press of a single button, with no decisions to make and no technique to learn. The barcode system removes every variable, the 14 ounce Alto size covers people who want a mug rather than a small cup, and more than 15,700 ratings at 4.5 out of 5 is one of the strongest evidence bases in this catalog.
It is the wrong machine for anyone who wants to control strength and volume, or who wants a wide choice of capsule suppliers. Buyers who want a larger tank and a motorized brew head should compare the Nespresso VertuoPlus, and anyone who would rather grind their own should look outside the single serve brewer category entirely.
