Nespresso Vertuo Pop+ Deluxe Pod Capsule Coffee Machine By Breville Review

Nespresso Vertuo Pop+ Deluxe Pod Capsule Coffee Machine By Breville Review

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. #CommissionsEarned
Buy it at Amazon: Nespresso Vertuo Pop+ Deluxe Pod Capsule Coffee Machine By Breville [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Simple to use, fully automatic, lots of varieties of rich and tasty espresso or coffe drinks at the push of a button.

This coffee maker has a high-end, matte black and gold trim aesthetic and measures 14.5” deep, 10.5” tall and 7.5” wide including the water tank at the back left-hand side. The clear acrylic water tank is removable for filling and washing. It has a drop in lid that does not clip or lock into place, so be careful when carrying it that you don’t flip it over or it will fall out. The capacity of the tank is about 4 cups or 1 Litre. On the left side of the machine is the waste bin that holds the spent coffee pods. It has a removable insert tray with holes on the bottom to let excess water drip into the compartment below. Both of these pieces are top rack dishwasher safe. It has a thick heavy duty grounded cord that is around 2 ft long, and on the bottom are small rubber feet that help prevent it from sliding on your countertops.

At the front of the machine is a single dispensing spout and below it are two notches in the housing to set the drip tray in. The top notch is for shorter glasses up to 3” tall, while the bottom is for larger vessels up to 4.75” tall. Without the drip tray installed you can use a vessel up to 5.5” tall. At the top of the machine is a single function button with a coffee cup icon on it. This button will perform different actions depending on how many times you press it and for how long. In front of it are two symbols lock and unlock, which correspond to the gold lever around it that you turn to open and close the top lid. When turning to the lever counter clockwise to open, if you stop at the unlock symbol the lid will partially pop up. Turning the lever past this point will activate the spring to fully open the lid, and inside is the cup where you’ll load your coffee pods. Just behind it is the chute where spent pods drop into the waste bin. After closing the lid, turn the lever clockwise, to the left, to lock the lid again. I did find the lightness of the machine makes this a two-handed operation.

You’ll receive 12 different varieties in your starter sampler. Each pod has a unique barcode around its rim allowing the machine to identify it and automatically select the optimal settings for brewing. Decaf pods available which are distinguishable by the red ring around the top of the pod, and the pods are recyclable as they are made entirely of aluminum. While XL pods can be used in the Vertuo Pop+, note that Nespresso’s branded vessel sizes like Alto and Carafe are not compatible with the machine as they are too tall. I suggest using a 16 oz vessel for Gran Lugo size pods as the drinks takes up more than 12 oz of vlolume when accounting for the foam.

Connecting the Nespresso smartphone app with the machine provides firmware updates over WiFi and maintenance features in addition to a storefront for re-ordering coffee capsules, add-ons, and other accessories. You'll need to run a flush cycle before first use with 3 quick presses. Then to brew a coffee drink, load a pod and press that button once. When running the machine sounds a bit like a blender and that’s because the pod inside is spinning at 7000 rpm in order to infuse the water with the coffee, rather than the traditional high pressure method of brewing espresso. The centrifusion method is still able to extract a thick, rich crema from the grounds with a smooth, foamy result. From start to finish it took about 70 seconds to pull a double shot. There is a secondary “Expert mode” function that dispenses half the amount of liquid when you press the brew button twice, designed for more concentrated brews like ristretto or using in milk drinks. The Pop Vertuo doesn’t have the ability to steam milk, so I use a separate machine for that to add to my coffee. After brewing, make sure you open the lid of the machine to automatically eject the pod into the waste bin and leave the lid open for the machine to air dry. The bin can comfortably hold around 4 pods.

There currently isn’t a “re-usable” pod option that you can fill with your own coffee grounds, nor are there third-party capsules available, making the pods slightly on the higher priced side. You also won’t be able to dispense plain hot water for tea drinkers in your household.

Overall, the Vertuo Pop+ is a simple-to-use pod style coffee machine that makes brewing the exact style and amount of coffee you want easy. From single shots to full carafes, you’ll get consistent results in minutes at the push of a button with automatically optimized water temperatures and brew times. While personal customization options are limited, there are plenty of varieties to choose from and unique flavors as well as limited and seasonal blends to keep things interesting. Plus, many pods can be purchased individually or in sleeves of 5 or 10, so you can try them out without having to commit to a large quantity all at once.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. #CommissionsEarned
Buy it at Amazon: Nespresso Vertuo Pop+ Deluxe Pod Capsule Coffee Machine By Breville [Affiliate Link]