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Bottom line: Thick crema, dead-simple operation, and beautiful design. If you can handle paying ₩700-950 per capsule, this is one of the best home coffee investments you'll make.

When I first moved to Seoul three years ago, I made the mistake of buying an ₩18,000 drip machine from Daiso. The coffee tasted like sadness in a mug.

After a year of daily pilgrimages to the café across from my office (₩5,500 per Americano × 365 days = a painful mental calculation), I finally caved and bought a proper coffee machine. After extensive research and several espresso-fueled nights comparing options, I went with the Nespresso Vertuo Pop Plus.

Vertuo vs Original: Which Should You Get?

This was my biggest decision. Here's the quick breakdown:

Nespresso Original is espresso-focused. You get two cup sizes (40ml espresso, 110ml lungo). Third-party capsules are widely available, making it cheaper to run. Great if you only drink espresso.

Nespresso Vertuo reads a barcode on each capsule and automatically adjusts the extraction settings. You get five cup sizes from 40ml espresso to 535ml Alto (essentially a large Americano). The catch: only official Nespresso Vertuo capsules work — no cheap third-party options.

If you drink both espresso AND Americano (like most Koreans and most expats I know), Vertuo makes more sense. If you're purely an espresso person, Original + third-party capsules is cheaper.

The Setup Is Genuinely Painless

I've had coffee machines that required reading a 40-page manual before the first brew. The Vertuo Pop is not that machine.

Unbox, fill water tank, plug in, run a rinse cycle (takes 2 minutes), and you're making coffee. The whole process from opening the box to first cup: under 10 minutes.

The 25-second heat-up time is real. Flip it on while brushing your teeth, and it's ready when you get back. Insert capsule, close lid, press button. That's literally it.

Check Nespresso Vertuo Pop price on Coupang →

The Crema Is the Selling Point

Nespresso uses "Centrifusion" technology in their Vertuo machines — essentially spinning the capsule at high speed to create a centrifugal extraction. The result is a noticeably thick crema layer on espresso shots.

For a home machine at ₩109,000, the crema quality is genuinely impressive. Not a specialty coffee shop pulling 9-bar shots, but consistently good and visually satisfying.

For Americano sizes (Alto, 535ml), the crema thins out significantly but still adds some texture. The sweet spot flavor-wise is the Gran Lungo at 150ml — strong enough to taste the coffee's character but large enough to be satisfying.

Capsule Costs Add Up

Let's be honest: this machine runs on Nespresso capsules at ₩700-950 each. If you drink two coffees per day, that's ₩42,000-57,000 per month in capsules — roughly equal to having a café coffee every other day.

The savings over a café coffee (₩5,000-6,500) are real, but it's not the cheapest home coffee. Capsules are available at Nespresso stores (Gangnam, Hongdae, etc.), online through Coupang, or direct from Nespresso's website.

One tip for expats: stock up on capsules from duty-free on international trips. They're considerably cheaper.

Minor Complaints

The water tank (1.1L) requires refilling fairly often if you drink multiple cups daily. The drip tray fills up with water residue and needs emptying regularly. These are minor inconveniences.

The machine is also louder than I expected during Vertuo extraction — the spinning mechanism creates a distinctive sound. Not offensive, but noticeable in a quiet apartment at 7 AM.

Should You Buy It?

Yes, if you value: good coffee with minimal effort, versatile cup sizes, and don't mind the ongoing capsule costs.

For the design alone, it's one of the most attractive countertop appliances I own. The compact footprint works well in Korean apartments with limited kitchen space.

Buy Nespresso Vertuo Pop on Coupang →

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