Nespresso Vertuo Plus Review (2026): Pros, Cons & Verdict

The Vertuo Plus is the mid-priced model in the Vertuo line, and it is the one we recommend most often. Our kitchen rates it 4.5 out of 5. The current price on Amazon is the number to watch, since street pricing swings with the sales season.

Key Specs

Pros and Cons

The Vertuo Plus is the mid-priced model in Nespresso's Vertuo family, brewing espresso shots and full coffee cups from aluminum capsules. It launched in 2017 and has been the line's mainstay since. List price is $199, but street pricing varies widely by color, retailer, and sale timing, and the US warranty is 1-year limited.

How Centrifusion and Barcode Brewing Work

Instead of a pump and high pressure, the Plus spins the capsule at up to 7,000 RPM. Hot water enters while it spins, and centrifugal force pushes the coffee out the bottom. A barcode on the capsule rim sets the water volume, temperature, and spin profile for that blend. That is why a 14 oz Alto and a 1.35 oz shot both come out right from one button. Centrifusion brewing technology is what separates the Vertuo family from classic espresso machines.

What's in the Box

The box includes the machine, an adjustable drip tray, a starter set of capsules, and a recycling bag. The capsule assortment varies by promotion. Setup is genuinely plug-and-play. Fill the tank, run a couple of blank rinses, drop in a pod, and the first cup brews within minutes. The aluminum capsules are recyclable through the free return program, which we cover under cost of ownership.

We bought the Vertuo Plus and the Vertuo Next at retail. Both ran through weeks of daily use, with the original Vertuo for comparison. We brewed every cup size and took in-cup temperatures, then tasted the results blind against the other two machines.

We scored brew quality, consistency, ease of use, cleanup, noise, and build, and we logged what the machines did over time. The Next leaked from its capsule chamber within three months of daily use, then again later in the test. The Plus brewed daily for 18 months without issue. We also track long-term reports on the Plus, because the parts that fail first matter as much as the first cup.

Coffee Quality: Crema, Temperature, and Cup Sizes

The Plus brews all five Vertuo sizes, each set by the capsule's barcode, from a 1.35 oz espresso to a 14 oz Alto. The water volume per size is programmable. Three notes from testing:

• In-cup temperature runs about 155 to 165 F, cooler than a drip brewer. Pre-warm your mug if you like your coffee hot.
• The thick top layer is aerated foam, not true espresso crema. It dissipates within a couple of minutes, so treat it as a textural bonus, not a flavor one.
• When both machines worked, blind tastings found the Plus and the Next nearly indistinguishable.

A full brew cycle takes about a minute. The machine spins up loudly, like a small blender on low, and the sound carries through thin walls. Former Keurig owners called the taste a clear step up, close to cafe quality. The 7.7 oz pods read as mild to some drinkers.

Design, Build Quality, and Footprint

The Plus is the most solidly built machine in the family. Its brew head is metal-encased and the base feels planted, while the Next beside it felt light and flimsy. The body is slim at about 5.6 in wide but roughly 16.2 to 16.9 in deep, so measure your counter before buying. Weight lands about 9.7 to 10.1 lb, and wattage runs 1350W on De'Longhi builds versus 1300W on Breville ones.

Motorized Brew Head and Auto-Ejection

One touch opens the motorized head and you drop in a capsule; another touch closes it and starts the brew. When the cup is done, the spent capsule drops automatically into the bin. It is a real upgrade over the manual levers on the original Vertuo and the Next.

It is also the part to watch long term. In a small share of units, the head jams after about 18 to 24 months. The auto-eject can also fail with the pod holder stuck down. Our own unit never skipped a beat in 18 months. It is still worth knowing the failure mode before buying used or skipping the warranty.

Adjustable Water Tank

Current and Deluxe builds carry a 60 oz movable tank that rotates for tight corners. Older 2017 units hold 40 oz, so check the listing. The tank is why the machine needs depth, and the used-capsule bin sits behind it, so the tank comes off to empty it.

Heat-Up Time and Energy Use

The Plus is brew-ready in 15 to 25 seconds, from about 15 on Deluxe units to roughly 25 on standard ones. A brew cycle runs 20 to 60 seconds by cup size, so the morning ritual stays under two minutes. Auto-off kicks in after 9 minutes of inactivity, which keeps the standby draw low.

Ease of Use and Cleaning

Daily operation is about as no-fuss as coffee gets. Insert a capsule, press one button, and you are done, with almost no learning curve. Cleanup takes under a minute: empty the used-capsule bin, which holds about 10 to 13 capsules, and wipe the drip tray.

A weekly blank-water rinse keeps stale oils from dulling mild roasts, and the sealed pods mean the brew head never needs scrubbing. The self-clean cycle can trip the overheat safety in some units, so we stick with the rinse.

The Vertuo family has three machines, and they differ more than their price tags suggest.

The original Vertuo is the first of the line, with a manual lever and a 40 oz tank. It brews four cup sizes up to 7.7 oz, and its list price runs around $219. Pricing against the Plus drifts by season and retailer, and the Plus has often run $30 to 50 less despite more features.

The Vertuo Next is the cheaper, slimmer sibling at about $115 to $170 street, though pricing moves week to week and varies by color. It packs a 37 oz tank, a lever-operated head, and 54% recycled plastic. It is the only Vertuo machine that brews the 18 oz carafe pod, and its app adds Bluetooth brewing. It is also the model with the reliability problems: our Next leaked from the capsule chamber, and some units die within their first weeks. One documented flaw drips water onto the barcode sensor until the machine throws read errors.

When both machines work, the coffee is nearly identical in a blind tasting. That makes the choice simple. Pay a little more for the Plus and get the motorized head, the bigger tank, and the track record. Choose the Next only for the 18 oz carafe or a tight budget. For pod machines beyond Nespresso, see our guide to the best coffee makers.

Both machines are worth a look at their own prices, and both are available through Amazon and Nespresso directly.

Capsule Prices and Cost per Cup

The machine is the cheap part of this purchase; the capsules are the ongoing bill. Vertuo capsules run about $0.80 to $1.30 apiece across the regular range, with limited editions running higher. At two drinks a day, that is 730 capsules and about $657 a year, more than the machine itself after three months. Each capsule is priced like a coffee-shop drink, not a home brew, so the costs add up quietly.

One shopping note: capsules run about a dollar each and mostly live online. Local shelves carry only a couple of varieties, so plan around a delivery order.

Pod Compatibility and the Closed Ecosystem

The Vertuo Plus accepts only Nespresso Vertuo capsules. No third-party line is coming soon, because the barcode technology is patent-protected until about 2030. Reusable pods do not work either, since the barcode carries the brew instructions. If you like switching roasters or buying supermarket pods, this is not your machine.

Where to Buy and Current Deals

You can buy the Vertuo Plus from Nespresso directly or through Amazon. The list price holds near $199, but street pricing varies widely by color and sale timing. Deluxe builds and seasonal colors go on sale regularly, so it pays to check current pricing on Amazon before you commit. Amazon also gives you standard return protection, which matters given the failure reports above.

Descaling and Cleaning Schedule

Descale every 3 months or after about 300 capsules, sooner with hard water, and the machine prompts you when it is due. Nespresso sells a dedicated descaling kit for the job.

Common Problems and Light Codes

The ring light is your first diagnostic when something goes wrong. Steady green means ready, while flashing orange or red means it needs descaling. Blinking red, usually with an empty tank or a jammed capsule, means an error.

Long term, the Plus has a strong reliability reputation that the Next does not share, and two faults show up most often. Water reservoir leaks are the most common fault report, sometimes present from day one. Motorized head jams appear after about 18 to 24 months in a small share of units. Out-of-warranty repairs can run 60 to 80 percent of a new machine. Some units fail early, one we tracked at five days and another around nine months, while others run for years. That is why we treat the 1-year warranty and the return window as part of the purchase.

Who It's For

Buy the Vertuo Plus if you want espresso and full coffee cups from one machine with a one-button morning. It suits single-serve households, couples, and anyone who values consistency. Former Keurig owners are the clearest fit, and they call the coffee a clear step up, close to cafe quality. The 5.6 in body also fits tight counters on width, as long as you have depth for the tank.

Who Should Skip It

Skip the Plus if you want true espresso. The foam is aerated, not crema, and the brew reads as smooth cafe coffee rather than a concentrated shot. Skip it if you brew three or more drinks a day. The capsule math gets brutal, and a drip machine wins on cost within a year. Skip it if you like switching beans and roasters. Also note the 155 to 165 F cup temperature if you want piping-hot coffee without pre-warming your mug.

Yes, for most single-cup households, with the budget and foam caveats front and center. At a $199 list price, with street prices that often run lower, the Plus pays for itself in convenience. That math works if you already buy cafe coffee daily. Heavy brewers get different numbers. Three drinks a day makes the closed ecosystem expensive, so we point them at a drip brewer or a real espresso machine.

The reliability picture tips the scale for us. This is the Vertuo machine with the long-term record, the one we would trust to still be brewing in two years. One honest warning: the motorized head and tank seals fail first. Repairs can approach the cost of a new machine, and some units fail early despite the good record.