I was asked to try out the Nespresso Vertuo Pop at the perfect time. I have just moved into a creeky old Victorian house that needs a lot of work, which has now turned into a bit of a building site. My usual coffee routine is to grind my own beans and then add them to my filter coffee machine. But with my current coffee machine and grinder in storage, I wasn’t really looking forward to instant coffee in a paper cup.
What I needed was a decent cup of coffee with the minimum amount of fuss and mess. And that’s what I got from the Nespresso Vertuo Pop.
So why drink filter coffee over a Nespresso machine? My major reservation about capsule machines has always been the amount of packaging used, plus the cost of capsule made each cup expensive. But could the Vertuo Pop win me over?
First impressions
Unpacking the Vertuo Pop, I instantly liked what I found. It’s a good-looking coffee machine. It’s both sleek and substantial, without taking up too much precious counter space. I don’t think this machine would look out of place in a stylish kitchen. Not that my kitchen is anywhere near stylish yet.
As well as the coffee machine, there was a water tank for the back, choice of capsules, a recycling bag and a cup container for the front – which seemed to fit if you were using a smaller espresso-sized cup.
How to set up your Nespresso Virtuo Pop machine
Set up was super easy.
Rinse the water tank and lid before adding water.
Put the cup container on the front and the capsule container in the side of the machine.
Plug in the coffee machine.
Close and lock the machine. The cup light will blink while the machine heats up and then will stay lit up when the machine is ready.
Place a container of at least 1 litre at the front of the machine. Then press the cup button three times to start the rinsing cycle. This will take a few minutes but will complete automatically.
Download the Nespresso app and then pair the machine with you phone. Click on the machine icon on the app (making sure Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on), then just follow the instructions.
I found this process fairly simple to follow. The only snag was rinsing the machine. It took a couple of attempts before the rinsing program kicked in, but once it got going it was fine.
Capsules
What a choice! The box came with a colourful variety of different capsules, plus there was a Podback bag you could use to keep your used pods for recycling. Since nearly 30,000 coffee pods go to landfill every month, schemes like Podback can make a vital change. The fact that these capsules can be recycled is a huge step in the right direction and makes me feel much better about using them.
The labelling on each capsule is also much better. Rather than just using names like “lungo” I like the fact that each pod tells you how much coffee you’ll get. I like to get a decent sized cup of coffee, so something like the Stormio (at 230ml) was about the perfect amount.
When you’ve made your coffee and want to make another, simply open the machine and the old capsule will be smoothly sent back to the old capsule container with a satisfying whir. Then you can pop in a new one. It’s actually pretty fun!
Nespresso app
I love tech that comes with an app. It’s a much easier way to get to know your coffee machine, plus you can get alerts - like when the tank is low on water or if the machine isn’t closed properly. It’s a much better to have the info at your fingertips than having to respond to random flashing lights.
You also get handy guides to maintenance – descaling, rinsing and emptying. So, there’s no endlessly searching online to keep your machine in tiptop condition.
The Nespresso app lets you order more pods as you need them or set up a recurring order, so you don’t have to remember. And with capsules starting at about 39p (not including delivery) it was perfectly possible to get a good cup of coffee at a decent price. It’s still quite a lot more than I pay per cup for my filter coffee (about 15p) but I can imagine that convenience and variety of coffee on offer would win lots of people over.
And…the taste test
I like a good-sized cup of coffee. The Pop gives a foamy and light crema – which survived several sips – even after adding milk. Handing a cup to my girlfriend (without telling her what it was) she took a drink and said: “this is a nice coffee!” which she’s never said about my filter coffee. 1-0 Nespresso!
Here’s a crema close up!
While you can buy a pre-made capsules, you can also just make an espresso and then use a milk frother to create your favourite milky coffee. So, whether you want to press a button and grab a quick coffee or take your time with some latte art, it’s very much up to you. You could even cook with Nespresso coffee!
If the idea of weighing and grinding beans seems like too much bother, this machine can give you great barista style coffee at the touch of a button. For those rushed days when I have to go into the office, I could see a coffee machine like the Vertuo Pop being an essential piece of kitchen tech for consistently good coffee without the guesswork. Plus, the option to recycle and order new capsules through the app are big pluses.
Need more help?
If you’re looking for quality coffee at home, check out our coffee machine buying guide.
