Vertuo Plus Deluxe Coffee and Espresso Maker by De'Longhi, Matte Black with Aeroccino Milk Frother

I am incredibly happy with this machine! It brews fantastic coffee—I go through the Melozio Boost and Roasted Hazelnut pods like crazy—and the crema it produces is always perfect. It's incredibly easy to use and looks great on the counter. The only feature I really wish it had out of the box was a dedicated hot water button, since I also like making tea and the occasional Americano. However, I actually found a really great workaround! If you just start the machine's cleaning process without a pod in it, it dispenses perfectly hot water. You just have to push the button again to stop the cycle once your mug is full. It’s a bit of a hack, but it works flawlessly for exactly what I need. If you're looking for a great espresso maker that can technically do plain hot water too, this is definitely the one to get!

"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.

This Nespresso machine has completely leveled up our morning coffee routine—honestly, it’s been life-changing. The espresso that comes out of this machine is rich, smooth, and absolutely delicious, easily café-quality at home. One of my favorite features is the milk frother. It heats and froths the milk at the same time, and if you time it right, it finishes perfectly as the coffee is done brewing. Having warm, perfectly frothed milk ready to pour right into your coffee is such a small thing, but it makes mornings feel effortless and elevated. I also love how customizable the machine is. You can adjust the larger coffee pods to brew as a shorter pour just by holding the button, which was a total game changer for me. I had purchased several coffee pods that I didn’t enjoy as much as the espresso pods, but being able to shorten the pour made them much more enjoyable—and the machine even remembers your preferred size for next time. If you’re on the fence, don’t be. This machine has transformed our coffee experience, saved us trips to coffee shops, and made every morning better.

A big improvement over standard Nespresso, Vertuo produces coffee with lots of crema, whether espresso- or Americano-sized. The milk frother works great, too — better than barista.

LOVE this machine. The top opens and closes with a button which makes it easier to use

It does a nice job, just wish you could make bigger cups of coffee.

Makes great coffee and espresso

This is the best coffee machine I’ve ever had. The colour is really nice and the coffee comes out great everytime. You can use any size nespresso pod which is a plus

Me encanta, me ahorro mucho tiempo por eso la compre además es hermosa, elegante, el café y el servisio de nexpreso es muy bueno. El espumador de leche también es lo más práctico y fácil de usar

Easy to use. Great foam.

Pleased with this purchase