Nespresso Vertuo Plus Coffee and Espresso Maker By De'Longhi, Ink Black

I've been searching for the 'perfect' coffee-maker for some time now, and I have to say, this Nespresso VertuoPlus comes pretty close.We've been using a Keurig for many years now, and while it's certainly convenient and easy-to-use, lately the quality of the coffee has not been good. I can't seem to find any Keurig pods that make decent coffee any more, and even though my Keurig is only about a year old, I was sick of crappy tasting coffee in the mornings.So I bit the bullet and tried the Nespresso VertuoPlus, and it's SO much better than the Keurig--as others mentioned, it's like getting good coffee from a coffee shop. I can make an Americano that tastes virtually identical to what I get at Starbucks or similar shops, and the machine is very easy to use. Even my husband, who is extremely picky about his coffee, was very impressed by the taste, although he thought just the 7.7 oz. pods alone were a bit on the weak side, so has been using a shot of espresso in them which did the trick.The Pros: Relatively low price for the machine; very easy to set up and use; and great tasting coffee.The Cons: Pods are expensive and not widely available in stores; you can find a couple varieties of Starbucks vertuo pods in local stores, but that's about it. They're mostly available on-line via Nespresso or Amazon, and we're talking an average of about $1 a pod. It's also a bit noisy, which doesn't bother me, but may annoy some people.All in all, I'm very happy with this coffee maker, however I've only had it a couple weeks, so I can't attest to its durability. I'll amend my review if I have any problems with it.UPDATE: I've been using this about 6 months now and it's still working well, with decent coffee quality. However, I have to say the descaling process is nuts. The procedure listed in the manual does not work. Had to go to Nespresso website for accurate instructions. Even with the correct procedure, its a ridiculously cumbersome process. Glad I'll only have to do it once or twice a year!

This coffee maker has been a game changer for my mornings! It brews quickly, the coffee tastes great, and I love the programmable timer so it’s ready when I wake up. Cleanup is easy, and the design looks sleek on my counter. Definitely worth it if you want convenience and good coffee every day.

I have grown to love this machine. One piece of advice for first timers, save all the pods. Rip the foil lids off and dispose of the coffee grounds, wash them out and set them aside, you may want to start to load your own and you'll need those pods. I bought the;Reusable Vertuo Pods Kit: 10-Second Fast Sealing Reusable Nespresso Vertuo Pods - Refillable Coffee Pods with Smarter Tools & 50 Aluminum Foil Seals,Spoon, and Lid Opener (Pods not included)and the;AANQQ Aluminum Foil Lids for Nespresso Vertuo Reusable Pods: 100 PCS Foil Seal Cover for Refill Espresso Coffee Pods - Fit with Nespresso Vertuoline VertuoPlus Refillable Capsule(Stickers Only)AANQQ Aluminum Foil Lids for Nespresso Vertuo Reusable Pods: 100 PCS Foil Seal Cover for Refill Espresso Coffee Pods - Fit with Nespresso Vertuoline VertuoPlus Refillable Capsule(Stickers Only)and it's a blast and a savings. Love this machine and i love the coffee.

GET IT!! Amazing quality espresso. The pods are a bit pricey, but if you drink lattes/cappucinos often, it'll def save you money in the long run. It comes with a pack of pods to try out and they're all pretty delicious. It doesn't take up too much space and you are able to move the water container directly behind the machine or to either side of it which is so unique. LOVE THIS THING

"Is this a good coffee maker?" Well, that's going to depend upon your expectations in coffee.If you're looking for a "pod coffee maker" that makes normal drip coffee (think Keurig) then Nespresso is somewhat different, and may or may not meet your expectations.I also have a Keurig. It's just fine for brewing basic, cheap coffee (or more expensive if you buy major-brand-name capsules). I like my Keurig--we've had it for over 5 years, and it works great. But, those who are environmentally conscious will soon realize that Keurig is not recyclable at all, and countless billions of pods a year are making their way into landfills.Nespresso's pods are made of 100% recycled/recyclable aluminum. Nespresso is VERY focused on a goal of 100% recycle-ability, and provides recycling bags with fully pre-paid shipping. Fill the bag (holds about 75-100 capsules), seal it, and drop it off at your nearest UPS store (or Nespresso store/kiosk if you happen to have one in a mall nearby). Nespresso will dismantle the pods, collect all the used grounds and process it into compost for landscaping use, and then melt down the pods and recycle them. 100% recycled!All those recycling costs are already built in to the pod cost, so while these pods are more expensive than Keurig, there is ZERO waste as long as the consumer does their job.The best way I can describe Nespresso is it's a totally new coffee "experience." Espresso or "foo foo coffee" lovers will likely be very pleased with this machine line. Folks who aren't impressed with anything beyond a drip cup may find Nespresso a little "snooty" for them.Nespresso's Vertuo product produces coffee that is much more similar to a cup of espresso. The pods are spun at variable RPM's (typically 3000 - 7000RPM) and use "centrifusion" - a made up word intended to commingle "centrifugal force" and "infusion". Basically, they spin the pod, a pump squirts in water, and the spinning forces produce the coffee which is extracted and drips into the cup. It's not particularly noisy for a kitchen appliance, but you can definitely hear the spinning. Regardless of pod, they all come out with a layer of crema (coffee foam). There are (at the moment) five "sizes" of pods, which produce 1.5oz (espresso) up through 14 oz ("Alto XL").As with any product line, there are pros and cons. There are some fantastic things about Vertuo and a few limitations.Pros: Absolutely fantastic coffee. All cups have a crema layer on them, and there are a relatively plentiful number of flavors and intensities available, ranging from lighter and fruitier/acidic flavors all the way up to very dark bold and smoky options. There are seasonal special pods as well, such as holiday blends or single-origin "master" type coffees. Pods and contents are 100% recyclable. Easy to use out of the box--there's ONE button. You press it. It works. Milk frother (optional add-on, included in our purchase) is FANTASTIC. I thought it was going to be a gimmick, but I use it with every cup! It's easy to use, and creates that "latte experience"--it makes better lattes' than a certain really large chain whose name ends with "bucks"--yeah, you'll spend 'em there. Pod cost, compared to an espresso shop brewing an equivalent latte for you, is cheap. VERY tightly-integrated recycling: drop pods in bag. Bag full? Seal it and drop it off at your UPS store. Pre-paid return shipping means zero-extra cost. Done. Milk frother is VERY easy to clean--takes about 15 seconds, if that. I've only owned the machine for a month, but the build and overall experience lends itself to belief this is a very high-quality unit. Excellent app (iOS/Android)---you can view/order/manage pods, accessories, maintenance/cleaning products and subscriptions right from your phone/tablet. Love a particular flavor? Just add it to your cart. It even supports automatic/routine replenishment if you want that. Seasonal and other specials show up in the app when available, making the app a one-stop-shop. Company is VERY plugged in environmentally and has created a coffee experience that doesn't fill a landfill. If you actually play the game the way Nespresso intends, it's a holistic coffee experience and a great one at that.Cons: No third-party pods, and pods are relatively expensive when compared to other "pod" brewing standards. You want this machine? You'll be buying Nespresso-branded pods from Nespresso, or authorized resellers, and at full-tilt retail which typically runs about $0.90 for an Espresso pod and up to $1.20 for their normal coffees (some origins are as high as $2.00 a pod). So each cup is roughly double the cost of a Keurig brew. There are about 20 different pod flavors and five sizes available, so most people will find SOMETHING they like, but if you don't love one of the 20, you're out of luck as there are no 3rd-party options without "hacking together" a used pod, some self-ground coffee, and some foil cap stickers you found on the Internet.Overall, this is an EXCELLENT machine for those who want more than a pod of coffee. I've owned it for a month and I'm 100% hooked.