Nespresso Vertuo vs Vertuo Plus

This is my comparison of the Nespresso Vertuo vs Vertuo Plus.

I own the VertuoPlus and spent half a day researching other customers’ experiences of the Vertuo to put together this review.

The Vertuo tends to be more expensive than the Vertuo Plus. I will therefore be paying particular attention to whether Vertuo can justify that additional cost over the Vertuo Plus.

Let’s get started.

Should I buy the Nespresso Vertuo or Vertuo Plus (Quick Verdict)?

You should buy the Nespresso Vertuo Plus over the Vertuo. Although the Vertuo is a marginally better machine than the Vertuo Plus, this difference is not large enough to justify the additional cost of the Vertuo over the Vertuo Plus.

The differences between the two machines are marginal, so I’d just recommend going for whichever one you can get the cheapest deal on.

At this point in time, the cheaper option is the Vertuo Plus, however, this might change in the future.

Overview of the Two Machines

The table below shows the specification of the Nespresso Vertuo and Vertuo Plus:

Both machines take the dome-shaped Nespresso Vertuo pods.

These pods have a barcode on their outer rim which is read by the machines.

The barcode “tells” the machines what serving size to produce, as well as what the brewing length and temperature should be for each coffee.

Since brewing settings are determined by the pod, rather than the machine, the quality of coffee produced by the Nespresso Vertuo and Vertuo Plus is very similar.

Advantages of Nespresso Vertuo Over the Vertuo Plus

The advantages that the Nespresso Vertuo over the Vertuo Plus are:

• The Vertuo has a larger used pod storage capacity than the Vertuo Plus

• The Vertuo stores its used pods on the side of the machine in a transparent container. The Vertuo Plus stores used pods in an opaque container on the back of the machine. This means that you can see how close the pod storage on the Vertuo is to being full

• The Vertuo heats up around five seconds faster than the Vertuo Plus

• The Verto has a longer power cord than the Vertuo Plus

Advantages of Nespresso Vertuo Plus Over the Vertuo

The advantages that the Vertuo Plus has over the Vertuo are: 

• The Vertuo Plus’s pod port lid opens and closes automatically. Vertuo’s lid needs to be opened and closed manually.

• The Vertuo Plus allows you to adjust the position of its reservoir to be either on the left or the back of the machine.

Let’s now have a closer look at how the differences between these two machines affect their performance and usability.

Ease of Use

Vertuo’s larger, external, used pod holder makes the machine easier to use and clean than the Vertuo Plus.

Both machines are very easy to use.

Since the brewing settings for each type of coffee are printed in a barcode on the pod, all you need to do is put the pod in the machine and press brew.

One of the most “complex” parts of using a Nespresso machine is disposing of the used pods.

Both machines automatically deposit used pods in an attached container.

On the Vertuo, this container is on the outside of the machine. The container holds up to 13 pods and is transparent so you can see the pods in it.

On the Vertuo Plus, the container is opaque and on the back of the machine. Its container holds up to ten pods.

The Vertuo’s transparent pod holder means that you can see when it needs to be changed.

With the Vertuo Plus, it’s easy to lose track of how many pods are in its opaque pod holder. 

I therefore just empty the container after every coffee, meaning that having this pod storage is rather pointless.

The other difference in usability between the two machines is that the Vertuo Plus has an automatically opening and closing pod port, whereas the Vertuo’s port needs to be opened and closed manually.

This does not make a huge difference to the overall usability of the two machines, however.

The Vertuo’s pod port is very easy to open and close, so adding this automation does not noticeably improve the usability of the Vertuo Plus over the Vertuo.

The automatic opening and closing port might be useful if you have limited mobility in your hands, and in that case, I would recommend purchasing the Vertuo Plus over the Vertuo.

Ease of Use Winner: Nespresso Vertuo

Size and Aesthetics

The Vertuo Plus’s adjustable reservoir position means that it is better for crowded countertops than the Vertuo.

The Nespresso Vertuo Plus allows you to adjust the position of its reservoir, you can have it either to the left or back of the machine.

This adjustable reservoir means you can change the Verto Plus’s footprint depending on whether you have limited width or depth on your counter.

The Vertuo lacks this feature, instead of having its reservoir fixed to the left of the machine.

Although the Vertuo’s footprint is slightly smaller than the Vertuo Plus, I would take this added flexibility over a slightly smaller footprint if I had limited countertop space.

The Vertuo’s symmetry does make it a slightly more aesthetically pleasing machine than the Vertuo Plus.

Size and Aesthetics Winner: Nespresso Vertuo Plus

Performance and Quality of Coffee

The two machines brew identical coffee, however, the Vertuo can go from being off to brewing coffee faster than the Vertuo Plus.

With Nespresso VertuoLine machines (which encompasses the Vertuo, Vertuo Plus, Vertuo Plus Deluxe and Vertuo Next) the brewing pressure, temperature and time are determined by the pod rather than the machine.

Therefore all Nespresso VertuoLine machines brew coffee in the exact same way. 

Coffee quality is therefore uniform across all these machines.

The Vertuo does turn on and heats up about five seconds faster than the Vertuo Plus due to its additional 50 Watts of power.

This means that if you regularly make coffee in a hurry, the Vertuo offers you a bit more convenience than the Vertuo Plus.

Performance and Quality of Coffee Winner: Nespresso Vertuo

Alternatives to the Nespresso Vertuo and Vertuo Plus

If you want a Nespresso VertuoLine machine, there are two other alternatives to choose from: the Nespresso Vertuo Plus Deluxe and the Nespresso Vertuo Next.

Nespresso Vertuo Plus Deluxe

The Nespresso Vertuo Plus Deluxe is essentially the Vertuo Plus but with a larger reservoir (60 oz) and a better external build quality including chrome finish and metal drip tray.

The Vertuo Plus Deluxe is slightly more expensive than the Vertuo Plus, however, it is generally cheaper than the Vertuo.

Nespresso Vertuo Next

The Nespresso Vertuo Next is the newest of Nespresso’s VertuoLine machines.

Its defining feature is that it has Bluetooth capability, meaning that its internal software updates every time a new type of VertuoLine pod is released.

The Vertuo Next will therefore always be compatible with all VertuoLine pods meaning that it will never become obsolete.

For more information on the Nespresso Vertuo Next, please see my comparison of the Nespresso Vertuo Plus vs Vertuo Next.

Final Verdict

The Nespresso Vertuo is a marginally better coffee machine than the Vertuo Plus.

However, the difference between the machines is so small that I would recommend going for whichever one you can find the cheapest price for.

If you would like to find out more about Nespresso VertuoLine machines, please see my comparison of the Nespresso Vertuo vs Original.