Nespresso Vertuo Pop review: an affordable and compact machine that's perfect for beginners

If you're like me, then a fresh coffee will be one of the first things you reach for in the mornings. There's something about that first sip that's just utterly delicious, and even though there's a lot of advice about not drinking coffee early in the mornings, it's a part of my routine that I'll never change. It would hurt too much (seriously - I'm not joking). 

I fell in love with Nespresso after trying out the Vertuo Plus machine only a few months ago. Everything about the brand, from the different machines to the huge variety of capsules available, is nothing short of incredible. It really is no surprise that it holds multiple top spaces in our best pod coffee machine guide. 

Last year, Nespresso released the Vertuo Pop. It's the last machine we had left to review in our best Nespresso coffee machine guide, which only meant one thing. Apart from its size, the other main difference from the other Nespresso machines is that it's available in six wonderful colours. This allows users to pick a model that will help compliment their kitchen, especially those looking to bring a bit of extra life to a neutral cooking space. Over the past few weeks, I've been reviewing the Pop to see how it compares to the other machines, and I was very impressed. Keep reading to find out my exact thoughts and how well it appeased my unfailing coffee addiction.

However, before you do, don't forget to look at this month's best Nespresso coffee machine deals. You may find a bargain! 

Nespresso Vertuo Pop Review: Price and availability 

The Nespresso Vertuo Pop is available to buy from most appliance retailers as well as the Nespresso store. It's not available in the US, but coffee lovers over there can buy the Nespresso Vertuo Pop+. It looks very similar but has a larger water tank and can make an 12oz coffee in addition to the four sizes offered by the UK's Vertuo Pop.

With an RRP of £99, it comes in six different colours: Liquorice Black, Spicy Red, Coconut White, Aqua Mint, Mango Yellow and Pacific Blue. 

Nespresso Vertuo Pop Review: Unboxing and set-up

The Nespresso Vertuo Pop is pretty straight-forward when it comes to the unboxing experience. The machine comes in one part, meaning all I had to do was lift it out of the box and plug it in. It doesn't get much easier than that! It also came with an informative instruction booklet that explained the machine's functions and how to begin using it.

The booklet explains that the Pop and the Next are the two Vertuo machines that can connect to your phone via Bluetooth. This will give you updates on when to descale your machine and will let you know if there are any detected errors. What's nice is that this is completely optional, leaving it up to you to decide whether it's necessary or not. 

The booklet also recommended rinsing the water tank and flushing out the machine itself before using. To do this, all I had to do was fill the tank with water and find a container that was also around 600ml. I then just turned the machine on and it flushed the system out, taking around five minutes all in all. Once this was done, I was ready to go. 

The Vertuo Pop is a lot smaller than the other Nespresso machines, measuring 5.3 x 16.7 x 9.8 inches and weighting only 3.5kg. If you're looking for a machine that doesn't take up too much counter space, then it's a wonderful option. I was able to find a nice corner for mine, fitting it perfectly under my shelf. 

Nespresso Vertuo Pop Review: Design and features 

As mentioned, Nespresso Vertuo machines work by scanning the barcode of each capsule. This means it makes the coffee exactly how it should be, varying between different sizes, intensity and flavour each time. The Vertuo Pop can make four different cup sizes: espresso (40ml), double espresso (80ml), gran lungo (150ml) and mug (230ml). This brings a huge amount of variety, despite each coffee coming from the same machine. 

The Vertuo Pop comes with just the one button for operation, located on the top of the machine. Underneath is a lever that enables you to open up the machine to place a capsule inside. With the capsule in place, the lid can then be shut and locked into position. It's as simple as that!

The capsule bin is also to the side of the machine, meaning it's nice and accessible. The bin is at the back of the Vertuo Plus which makes it hard to reach when full, so it's nice to have it so close instead. On the smaller side, the bin can only hold up to 12 capsules, which rather annoyingly can't be recycled via your home recycling. However, Nespresso has been prioritising this recently, so recycling the capsules is now an extremely easy process since the brand partnered up with Royal Mail. Anyone can book a Royal Mail doorstep collection for their used capsules, or there is the option of dropping them off at any of Royal Mail’s 14,000+ drop-of locations across the UK. 

One of the machine's downsides is unfortunately the size of its tank. It's 600ml which  only holds enough water for making two mugs of coffee. If you live alone or with your partner, then this shouldn't be a problem. However, if you have a large family who all like a coffee in the mornings, you may need to aim for something a little bigger. 

Nespresso Vertuo Pop Review: performance 

I was extremely impressed with the performance of the Nespresso Vertuo Pop, especially with how quick it takes to get a barista quality coffee. After pushing the button, it takes less than 30 seconds to pour the shot (or mug depending on the pod you've chosen) which is pretty ideal. Each coffee I made came out with a wonderful crema on top, and the flavours were never compromised. I'm a huge fan of Nespresso Vertuo capsules and really enjoyed trying out the new Coffee+ range on the Vertuo Pop. If you didn't know, they're pods that are designed for coffee lovers wanting more from their cups - would highly recommend. 

In terms of maintenance, you just have to descale the machine every three months or 300 capsules (which ever comes first). The app explains how to care for your machine a little more, and descaling kits are available from the Nespresso website. You're also advised to clean the machine every six to 12 months, which involves just flushing it out with clean water and odourless detergent, just like the set-up process. 

Nespresso Vertuo Pop Review: Verdict

If you're looking for a compact but affordable coffee machine that will compliment your kitchen, then the Nespresso Vertuo Pop is a wonderful choice. For under £100, it's extremely easy to use but still manages to offer a huge variety of different kinds of coffee, meaning there's a choice for everyone. Its water tank and capsule bin makes the machine unsuitable for a larger family, but if you live alone or with your partner, then it would be perfect. It's a great option for those looking to up their coffee game from the comfort of their own home!

Nespresso Vertuo Pop Review: Alternatives to consider 

If you like the Nespresso Vertuo pods and the variety that the Vertuo Pop machine brings, then I'd still recommend the Vertuo Plus and Vertuo Next. Whilst they both come in a higher price point, you're able to get the same great coffee choices but from a much larger tank. They're both particularly great if you're looking for a bigger machine to fit a bigger family, especially if you're worried the Vertuo Pop would be too small.  

Another great pod coffee machine option is the Smeg Lavazza A Modo Mio. It has an ample 0.9-litre water reservoir and a large capsule bin so you should be able to make about ten espressos without heading for the sink or the recycling bin. Just like the Vertuo Pop, you just lift the chrome hatch, pop in a Lavazza pod and tap either short or long shot. It takes only a minute to warm up but the extraction is completed in about 30 seconds.