Nespresso Vertuo Next Automatic Pod Coffee Machine for Americano, Espresso and more by Magimix in Dark Grey

Product Information

You’ll have to empty the drip tray and occasionally descale the machine, but these are simple processes Nespresso’s Vertuo machines, including the Vertuo Next and the Nespresso Vertuo Plus, give you more choice in terms of cup sizes than the brand’s Original line, and you’re able to choose from five different cup sizes, ranging from an espresso up to a 41ml drink. The cup stand on this machine is adjustable so that you can use cups and mugs of different heights. Milk steam wand: perfect for lovers of milky coffees, steam wands give you control over the quantity, temperature and froth level of your milk and are common features on espresso machines and bean-to-cup coffee machines.

Double cup functionality: some machines will comfortably make two cups of coffee at a time, which is a convenient function if you like drinking your cups with company. Coffee pod machines do not do this. It’s an impressive system, with plenty of coffee choices, including espresso, double espresso, grand lungo, mug and alto (large mug) options. Nespresso launched with an impressive array of coffee types, including flavoured ones, and the range has extended: see my best Nespresso Vertuo pod round-up for more details.You’ll need to clean the drip tray from time to time, although the centrifugal system means that you don’t get many drips once you’ve removed your mug of coffee. If you don’t like the defaults, there are options: you can manually stop the flow of coffee when you’re done, or you can top up with extra water; and, you can press and hold the button down until you have the right amount of coffee to set a new delivery amount. Defaults are stored per coffee type, so you need to remember to press-and-hold the button for each coffee type. The main difference between this machine and the original Nespresso system is that the Vertuo pods are designed to deliver larger, mug-fulls of coffee, rather than just espresso or lungo shots. This means that Vertuo machines need larger water tanks, so you don’t have to constantly refill them, which in turn means that they tend to be bigger coffee machines than those that use original pods. We were pleased to find that there wasn’t any splashing when the machine was working, and it reached 68 decibels on our meter -around the equivalent of ambient office noise. The coffee that the machine produced again had a good crema, and as with the espresso test, the crema on this larger coffee reformed even after we stirred in sugar and added a splash of milk. It has a few refinements and a wider choice of buying options but delivers the same quality coffee, delivered by the innovative centrifugal brewing system, with a growing range of capsules to choose from. Build and features

Finally, when the machine blinks orange, it’s time to descale. You’ll need to grab the manual to follow the exact instructions, but it’s a straightforward process. Should you buy the Nespresso Vertuo Next? The Vertuo Next is a smaller, leaner coffee machine that fits into a smaller space (320 x 140 x 380mm). Part of the space-saving is down to the smaller 1.1-litre water tank at the rear. Even so, with the majority of Nespresso Vertuo pods delivering 230ml of drink, you can get four mugs out of this machine before having to refill it. The Vertuo Next has a removable drip tray that’s easy to clean, and the used pods collect in the capsule holder, which slides out of the machine with ease. We did find that pouring out the used capsules into the recycling bag was sometimes a bit messy, as the pods tend to have dregs of coffee left inside them.Adjustable drip tray or espresso outlet: a silky layer of hazelnut foam called crema is one characteristic that defines espresso, so you don't want the coffee to splash out! These will also mean the machine can accommodate your favourite mug, whatever the size.