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Nespresso Vertuo Next Review: Easy One-Touch Coffee Experience

Nespresso Vertuo Next Review

Back when Covid-19 lockdowns were a thing, I was one of many coffee lovers trying to replicate the café style coffee experience at home. While I eventually learned the art of coffee-making and bought my own coffee gear, many are relying on coffee pods like Nespresso and Arissto.

While Arissto eventually floundered, Nespresso is still going strong. Recently, the company has introduced the Nespresso Vertuo system in Malaysia with the Nespresso Vertuo Next coffee pod machine, promising to redefine the coffee pod drinking experience.

Nespresso Vertuo Next: Design

The Nespresso Vertuo Next measures at 14cm wide, 42.9cm deep, and 31.6cm tall. It weights 4kg and holds up to 1.1L of water. Our review sample came in red, but you can also get them in white and black. There is also a premium variant in brown with gold trim, but the specifications are the same.

Nespresso Vertuo Next Capsule Tray
The capsule tray houses used coffee pods

In the middle you will find a capsule disposal tray with a built in drip tray that can be easily removed. The water tank is located at the rear of the machine. At the top, you will find a twist lock, along with a button to start brewing.

You can insert the cup holder under the spout, with three different height levels to choose from to accomodate different cup sizes. At the highest point, I could fit either an espresso cup or tea cup. At its middle point, I could place a large sized coffee mug. Finally at the lowest placement, I could fit a carafe or a jug. The cup holder also has its own drip tray, which can be removed and washed.

Nespresso Vertuo Next: Making Coffee

Nespresso Vertuo Next Capsule holder
Capsule holder

Coffee making is a precise endeavour and can be affected by a few factors, including grind size, water temperature, brew time, brew method and more. As it takes time to learn and master the craft, the Nespresso Vertuo system does all the heavy-lifting. Making coffee using the Vertuo Next is an easy via process and I only had to do the following:

  1. Twist open to unlock the machine
  2. Insert the capsule on the capsule holder
  3. Close and lock the lid
  4. Press the brew button
Nespresso Vertuo Next Review: Easy One-Touch Coffee Experience 12
Each capsule have their own barcode to help the machine identify which drink to make

Nespresso Vertuo Next comes with the proprietary Centrifusion technology, which spins the capsule up to 4,000 rotations per minute for an even extraction. Each coffee pod also comes with its own barcode, allowing the machine to identify the type of drink to make and adjust the rotation speed, water flow rate, and brew temperature automatically.

As of time of writing, the Nespresso Vertuo Next can make 37 coffee variations, with 6 different cup sizes, ranging from espresso shots (40-80ml) to carafe pour-over drinks (~535ml).

Making Latte, Cappucino & Flat Whites

If you are a fan of milk-based drinks, I highly suggest getting a milk frother and heater. Nespresso does sell its own Aeroccino milk frother, which can be bought separately or as a bundle with the Nespresso Vertuo Next. If not, you will be limited to iced milk drinks as adding cold milk to hot espresso often results in a disgusting room temperature drink.

What I Like about Nespresso Vertuo Next

Nespresso Vertuo pouring a drink
Brewing iced latte with the machine

One great aspect about the Nespresso Vertuo system is the consistency of each drink. If I am making an espresso using the Altissio capsule, I can expect each drink to taste exactly the same every time I make it.

Aside from that, there is a large variety of drinks already available on launch from different origins and brew styles, so there is definitely the right drink for everyone. My personal favourite would be the Altissio for espresso, Scuro for lattes.

Lastly, I enjoy the convenience of making coffee using the Nespresso Vertuo system. It is so easy to make, that I only had to spend a few minutes to explain the process to my family, allowing them to enjoy a cup of coffee on their own at any time.

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Nespresso Vertuo Next Review: Easy One-Touch Coffee Experience 13

What I Didn’t Like about Nespresso Vertuo Next

Top view of the Nespresso Vertuo Next
Top view of the Nespresso Vertuo Next

Before I explain what I didn’t like about the Vertuo system, I had to preface that I am a home barista, so some of my nitpicks may not be relevant to you.

That being said, I find that the Vertuo Next more restrictive when compared to the original Nespresso capsule coffee system. For example, the Nespresso Inissia allows users to select between espresso and lungo manually, while the Vertuo Next only dispenses the recommended cup size. While I can re-programme the water volume for each pod to my liking, if I want to alternate between two different cup sizes for the same pod, I would have to hold the brew button all the time.

Another nitpick I have is how Nespresso explains their coffee flavours using “intensity”. While most coffee roasters use terms such as acidity, body, and roast level alongside tasting notes to give a sense to what coffee drinkers can expect from their pods, Nespresso instead used “intensity” to indicate “coffee strength”. I could ramble about this misconception of coffee drinks but I’ll leave that for another day.

Final Verdict

If you love to drink coffee and do not want the hassle of making every cup manually every day, the Nespresso Vertuo Next is as simple as it gets. All you have to do is to insert the capsule and press a single button. While the coffee it makes is by no means specialty-grade, it is as good as commercial coffee can be, and that is good enough to fulfill the needs of most consumers.

However, you are paying an upfront cost of RM1,199 for the machine alone, and do expect to pay at least RM2.60 per capsule. It is indeed not cheap for home coffee, but it is definitely cheaper in the long run when compared to buying mediocre lattes from chain cafés.

To learn more about the Nespresso Vertuo Next, please visit the official Nespresso Malaysia website.

Written By

Part-time gamer, writer, & full time weird coffee person.

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Nespresso is introducing the new Vertuo coffee brewing system in Malaysia, anchored by the Nespresso Vertuo Next coffee machine. Powered by proprietary Centrifusion technology...

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