Can we take a minute to appreciate how incredibly thorough James is. Seriously, he broke down that Nespresso's functions one by one and replicated them. What a champ.

I love the mad scientist energy behind 'I should get a BLENDER...' **BLENDS** 'Oh yeah, look at my crema'

I love how seriously he takes this, but also realises just how mental it is to take it this seriously, but still commits fully.

I can’t tell if this man is impressed by the nespresso or criticizing it. 😂

Anyone: "How's your coffee?" James: "Hang on. I'm calibrating my refractometer."

James saying “byeeee” to the capsule as it slid off into the darkness was just delightful.

James hits it spot on - it’s about keeping a captive audience. I bought a Vertuo machine because I wanted the convenience of the pods and the recyclability system. I had a standard Nespresso for a few years and was feeling guilty about all the plastic (I bought the cheap pods) I was wasting. I was happy with the Vertuo (when it was working - got two warranty replacement machines in the first year), but when my two teenage sons starting drinking coffee regularly, my Nespresso coffee ransom increased exponentially. The coffee itself was fine; not much variation in actual taste between the different pods, but fine. The last straw for me was when in two successive orders they cancelled the first because one of the 12 coffee pack I ordered was out of stock, then on the second order they lost it in shipping (not their fault but I need my coffee and that was the only way to get it)! So after living with my emergency French press for a while, I bought a new Phillips 3200 automatic espresso maker that grinds the beans and everything (I’m lazy about my coffee). Now I can buy whatever coffee I want and it actually tastes like a different coffee. And it is much cheaper and much better. Don’t let the $800+/- price tag stop you - the payback between that and the coffee is about a year for me over a Vertuo, and I am free of corporate subservience to Nespresso (and reducing waste).

I went to one of the boutiques, and the very sweet cashier taught me to stir the coffee before drinking it. It made the difference I wanted and I now love it.

I work at a Nespresso Boutique as a Sr. Coffee Specialist, and of course a lot of my job is describing these machines to potential customers. After doing this for a couple years, I'll admit it's kinda rinse and repeat at this point but- your genuine confusion and curiosity has breathed life and laughter into me! You went so deep into detail and instead of dismissing this system for its strangeness and popularity, I'm delighted that you went in depth to find out what makes it tick. I'm surprised about what I learned, and I sell these things for a living. I died when you put the coffee in a blender 😂 Love your channel!

He is one of those very rare people who is so knowledgeable and passionate about their subject they are just plain interesting. Doesn’t matter what the subject is they bring it to life in technicolour.

I just upgraded from this machine, I got it for Christmas and I'd say it's a good introduction to espresso. Double capsules did the job for quick morning lattes. Did not like the larger coffee capsules (very watered down coffee taste). I now have a bambino and it's a big step up but also costs a lot more (double when you get a grinder) and requires more work in the morning. Pods averaged to $1 or so per coffee and the grounds I get from our local shop is maybe 0.70 per cup, so a little price savings and you get the freedom to choose what grounds you want. All in all of you want quick espresso for lattes in the morning without learning what a portafilter is - Nespresso isn't a bad choice

I have one, it’s simple and easy to use at the beginning of your day. It may not be the most phenomenally tasted coffee from a expensive machine but it’s very pleasant for the amount of effort you have to put in

"Its mostly worse, but a little bit better". What a British thing to say.

"No way am I going to watch 20 minutes of James talking about Nespresso." And...it's over. Damnit, James. You've done it again.

we have one of these machines at home. perfect for when i get out of bed at 4am to make my coffee. im no expert on coffee but i quite like the velvetly feel you get with the 'Crema'

My office uses Nespresso vertuo and the appeal is that everyone can make their own unique cup of coffee. We also had a fancy standard coffee machine that uses coffee grounds and filters but it just wasn't as popular as the Nespresso machine. With Nespresso, you can drink something totally different from your coworkers and not have to stomach a pot of coffee that a coworker made that you might not like.

“Not so special now, nespresso”. The mad scientist energy was really here with this one, love that, you’re such a gem

That small 'bye' to the capsule got me.

As others have said here, it’s convenience - in the time it takes you to make a mug of instant, you get something close to a decent filter coffee. Personally, I loved the whirry robot like action and the dumping of the spent capsules! What has led to it sitting unused on my kitchen worktop is the faff of only being to get coffee delivered from Nespresso, and worse still, having to bag up the used capsules and send them back if I wanted to recycle.

It has been a number of years, way back when Nespresso first introduced the Vertro into the North American market. The early machines did not heat the water sufficiently resulting in lukewarm coffee. Couple that with the bulky packaging of the pods compared to the classic pods. The machine was returned to the store. At least with the Nespreso original pod format, the patent has ended allowing third party coffee pods to the market. My impression was that Nespresso needed a new format in order to retain a monopoly during its patent.

That "filter" coffee looks like a pint of Guinness

James, while drinking coffee from a pipe: "Why would you spin coffee! Why would you do this!"

I love the coffee dispensed by the Vurtuo! If you have the milk frother, it mixes with that coffee foam to create something delicious!

I work at Nespresso and you’re right about the crema in the coffee. It serves like a lid on a pot, so all the coffee aroma’s and flavours stay inside your cup of coffee to give you a full experience/ coffee moment :) * sorry English isn’t my fist language*

This feels like a kind of higher grade of Hoffmann video. Every whim is researched and engaged in a tireless quest for knowledge; his tone hits key terms and science while still feeling like a playful stream of consciousness, and there’s even a mad little aside suggesting his engrossment with the subject just through a tiny turn in gaze away from the camera. Bravo!

Things I did not expect to bring me insurmountable joy today: James softly saying 'byee' to a coffee capsule

This video has been incredibly enlightening in helping me grasp the inner workings of the brewing process in these machines. I've always been intrigued by what goes on inside the brew unit, especially considering how the coffee grounds appear so dense, almost like instant coffee. It's also surprising how a small quantity of grounds can yield such a flavorful result. I used to believe that air played a role in creating the crema, but this video has shown me the true "blending" process, and it's absolutely fascinating. I genuinely feel like I've learned something new today, thanks to this video. It's amazing how much there is to discover about these machines and the craftsmanship behind them. I've even attempted a few repairs on similar machines myself, and more often than not, it's the entire brew assembly that causes issues. It can be quite disheartening when sourcing specific parts becomes a challenge, and sometimes the only option available is purchasing an expensive complete brew assembly. It's evident that the manufacturers don't make it easy for us to repair these machines. Nevertheless, I admire the determination of those of us who refuse to give up and continue to find alternative solutions. It's a testament to our passion for keeping these machines running and reducing unnecessary waste. Though the path to repair may be filled with obstacles, it's the commitment and resourcefulness of individuals like us that drive us forward. I sincerely appreciate the effort put into creating this enlightening video. It has not only expanded my understanding but also inspired me to keep exploring and tinkering with these machines. Your insights and expertise are truly invaluable. Here's to all the repair enthusiasts out there who, with humility and dedication, strive to extend the life of these machines. Thank you!

I'm Australian and I've had several Vertuo machines since 2017 - one at home, one at work, one spare I got while one was being fixed under warranty. I love a big mug of hot strong coffee with milk. My daughter's 'Original' capsule Nespresso machine produces a much weaker, milkier brew. Not my style. I've settled on my four favourite Vertuo mug flavours - I start the day with Intenso, mid morning it's time for an Odacio... early afternoon Melozio and after dinner a Melozio Decaffinato. I pour milk into my mug first and microwave for 45 seconds. Then brew onto the milk. Love the 3 tiers in a glass mug... it looks amazing. Always stir before drinking. Never bothered with a milk frother, that is just something else to wash and break down (the reviews aren't great). Warming the milk first means the coffee is the right temperature... and the machine crema is already 'fluffy' enough. Yeah I'm locked in to one brand of pods - and I'm ok with that. The machine is relatively cheap, quick and easy to use. Easy to clean since there is no milk in the system. I'm happy!

'and we know the speed of light through coffee' words I never thought we would need in the same sentence ever in my life.

Hearing James say "Bye!" to the Vertuo pod as it cascaded down into the bin was tremendously endearing and it has made my day!

17:32 made me laugh so loud. "Not special now Nespresso!!!" lol. I should blend my coffee..

I would LOVE for James Hoffman and Alton Brown to do videos, or a program, together. They are both extremely nerdy and very very very funny.

*Stabs pod with knife James: “Show me your secrets.”

James is one of people who keep me from making a coffee business just because of fear being debunked for straight 20 minutes

I have an original Nespresso pod system. I love it. Super easy, super consistent and it tastes great. I tried the virtuo system in the store...and I'm not a fan of the big coffee...and didn't see the point in upgrading for regular espresso shots. So there we are.

I like the coffee and I love the convenience of throwing a pod in and having a really nice cup of coffee in under 5 minutes in the morning. I appreciate this video, though...I had no idea my Vertuo was doing all that!

"The centrifugal stuff seems a bit extra" - the guy that made donut infused coffee in a centrifuge

First we had the IKEA Chonky Boi, and now the Nespresso Spinny Spinny, and I would buy t shirts for both

My wife gave me a Vertuo about six months ago. I love it! I love the way the coffee looks with a layer of crema, it always comes out hot and the coffee tastes terrific. A cup every morning and one or two decafs during the day/evening. I have tried nearly all of their coffee blends and the one I like best (I like strong coffee) is the Melozio, both regular and decaf. Great technology and great coffee!!

The key thing to remember is that the Vertuo did it all itself rather then needing a very niche machine, a blender and patience

"I should get a blender" That "ahah" moment with that look was priceless. And that quick cut was so great. 😆

James is like the lock picking lawyer but for coffee machines.

its no secret that nespresso machines aerate the coffee, in fact it was one of the machine's MAIN characteristic. The inventor, Favre was mimicking a process or a technique from a famous coffee shop in Rome, called Caffe Sant Eustachio in which the barista would pull the lever several times to add air. not quite the same as putting coffee in the blender. great channel. more power. happy new year.

Wife recently bought a Vertuo for our Airbnb. After years of me brewing a pourover with my EKG and Acaia Pearl through a Kalita wave, I tried the vertuo… initially repulsed by the quality of bean but fascinated by the “crema”. The texture really makes you keep sipping. Had two cups first day for that reason…okay maybe it was really fun to push the button too. Next day came back for more to feel that fluffy texture… fast forward three weeks and an Amazon order of refills later and I haven’t made one pourover. Vertuo is mine indefinitely. With three little kids it’s so damn convenient I find myself 100% willing to pass on the usual quality in my pourovers. Have just been adding a splash of heavy cream to the coffee and I’m good. Never thought I’d say any of this. I feel like this was my confession in an AA meeting that I’ve cheated on my pourovers.

I was terrified when I saw the "includes sponsored content" pop up, that James had lost his mind and accepted a sponsorship from Nespresso.

I worked at a company where they had a Nespresso Vertuo, and it felt gloriously convenient (when the company was paying for it) to make a decent, repeatable, consistent cup of coffee. Much better than instant, although that is like saying that eating a chocolate cake is better than eating an onion. Then, though, I started going out and visiting our clients. One in particular, based in Amsterdam, had a commercial espresso machine, burr grinder, filtered water, and a member of staff who was willing to take a few minutes to show me how to use it. They became my favourite customer to visit, and the Nespresso was no longer quite so special.

Hilarious episode. Seeing James be in the hunt sniffing out and tasting the coffee he's like a bloodhound. I could see him in a crime show with a quick episode of "Murder by Coffee". 😂

James, I believe the "crema" on top of Nespresso capsules or Vertuo is created by adding a small amount of tapioca maltodextrin to the ground coffee inside these pods. Tapioca maltodextrin was used extensively during the craze Molecular Gastronomy period to turn any oil or oily product into a powder. Chefs were turning olive oil or peanut butter into powder and create the Wow effect they were looking to impress their customer. Believe we sold tons of it during this period to chefs and home cooks as well. Manufacturers will add this ingredient to any oily product in order to prevent the oil or fat of damaging the container in which they pack it. The addition of this ingredient is well known in the Nestle instant coffee. If you go to Greece and ask for a Frappe or Iced Coffee they will mix the instant coffee with water, possibly adding some milk, and then use an immersion blender to stir it. This will create an enormous amount of "cream" or foam on top. I believe the fast spinning in the Vertuo is basically achieving the same thing.

Next experiment: James spins in a huge centrifuge while making an Aeropress ...

I never thought that I would want to learn this much about how a coffee was made, but the technical and chemical breakdown in this video was outstanding. Bravo.

I recently got a vertuo machine. I have only made a double espresso in it so far-my husband said, “not bad,” in a pleasant, upbeat tone. I however didn’t think it was too far off from my initial trials with my Moka pot. As a French presser almost every day, I got this for the convenience. This way my husband can have something when he goes to work and, if I am tired enough and lazy enough in the morning to not wake up for my French press, I can push a button for some caffeine.

My daughters gave me a Nespresso machine for Christmas, I love it. It’s been over a year and a half and I look forward to my morning coffee every day. Love the texture, the smell and the flavor. I can be in Costa Rica one morning, Mexico the next and then in the Congo on the third.

Never thought I'd see the day when someone would create a Nespresso flow profile on the Decent

James Hoffman has made me completely comfortable with being a pretentious coffee nerd.

Love to hear you talking, is a pleasure the research and time you put on it. Thank you for respecting our time by creating such a good piece of knowledge for us!

I don't want to brew coffee and then take additional steps to aerate it. The Nespresso does it all for us, and we love it. Love your videos.

Seen you on Tom Scott's channel and now you are being recommended to me, and I gotta say - this is not good for my coffee addiction. Love your channel mate! New sub

Hearing "...read the patent" I knew I'll love this video. And I was not disappointed. It's also a good thing that James has sponsors, because this allows him to make objective assessments about coffee machines.

Hi I have enjoyed your video. My husband just bought me a Nespresso for Mother’s Day and I love it. I didn’t jump on the keurig wagon when it was here, I didn’t notice any difference in taste to my drip, but after tasting the Nespresso I found it really had a full coffee flavour. I love it. Even or should I say especially the decaf I can’t taste the difference from regular coffee.

I think this is one of the best videos period. How thoroughly he put his knowledge, tech, and ingenuity at the service of the curious mind who doesnt have the tools and just speculated that was a foamy filter coffee. Well we have proof now. Chapeau

That "I should get a blender" had me crackin. 🤣😂

My sister has a Vertuo. Every time I stop by her house I tell her that I am tired and need a cup of coffee. I wouldn't buy one for myself, but I do enjoy the texture and enjoy having a cup every now and then.

Yes the coffee is great but the water doesn't get hot enough.

this is more for guys like me who do not want to bother too much in the morning with a sciency way to have a nice brew, capsule in, push ,coffee out ..simple ,and I am a chef , love your channel btw

Jim: Puts coffee in centrifuge Also Jim: "why would you do this?"

The childlike delight on his face as he pours the blender coffee...

Love my vertuo. Thanks for the specialist observation.

Excellent breakdown! I have a vertuo and for me it was mainly due to convenience: I wanted a large cup of coffee and the option for an espresso but rarely drink more than 1-2 cups/day. That ruled out a regular coffee brewer, since I don’t like throwing out half a pot of coffee if I don’t drink all of it/don’t want to keep it in a thermos. I have a chemex that I sometimes use when we have company, but it’s too much hassle to handbrew for myself once per day. I’d rather have one pod and a button. That being said, I dislike the foam on the larger cups but I’ve gotten used to it. Mainly I don’t like that it stays too long and starts to look “dry” after a few seconds.

this video is a journey, watching james sinking into madness honestly

I have a Nespresso Vertuo machine. It makes a decent coffee. They mention in the instructions that you can mix the foam into the drink with a spoon for a smoother taste and it does make a big difference in the taste. For a quick cup that is worlds better than a Keurig or anything like that, it wins hands down. Mine doesn't have a motorized lid like that though. I have to close and lock the lid manually on my model. And as long as I have had it, it's still fun to watch it eat the used pods.

The hotel I’m staying at has this machine, even for the continental breakfast area. I just wanted to learn how to use the machine but James! I had no idea just how technical the world of coffee can be. A good way to start my day! Thank you!! Greetings from California ❤

I have a nespresso and it’s fantastic to me. I don’t go into the detail James does but the crema with foamed milk has a good and pleasant taste.

Blending coffee is the biggest brain thing I've ever seen.

Holy shit, he kept the coffee cycler.

17:20 Dr. Evil: I'll get my own crema! 🤣🤣🤣

I got one of these for Xmas (the Vertuo Next system actually) and I just wanted to understand it better, as well as look into potential options for reusing pods to avoid the whole "lock-in" gimmick they have going on. I've never really watched coffee related KZfaq content, but damn, what a fantastically informative and professional video, just brilliant. You're the coffee man. Next step, ordering some silicone lids and seeing how well reusing the pods works out. I won't do all of the calculations you have, but I'll do a side by side taste test to see how well the reusable lids work. This system becomes a nice proposition for an average press coffee guy like myself if I can fill my own pods. It's no pro espresso, but it does okay for a poor man's espresso system that is idiot proof.

I'm glad James does what he does in videos like these: "It's about cornering you into spending your money on _their_ products and no one else's." YES. That's what it's *_always_* been about.

James prying open that pod while casually saying, "show me your secrets." Will haunt my dreams. James the 'Vertuo Psycho' Hoffmann

Thanks you! This was the exact level of in-depth info I was looking for on this machine.

The nice thing is that you get espresso and 'regular' coffee out of the same machine. I refill the capsules using a silicone top. It works just fine.

I have had no interest in Nespresso, but I found this video incredibly interesting. Thank you

In before everyone starts rebranding milk frothers as crema generators.

I got one of these machines last week- I’ve become obsessed! I love it and use it 2-3 times everyday. I definitely recommend spending the money on it. Delicious coffee/lattes.

Hey James, first time hearing of this machine but do have some physics experience (bachelor’s). I just want to help you understand pressure and how this thing works. Pressure is force per unit area. So the centripetal force absolutely would create a pressure. You’re right that confining a force creates an increased pressure. The way to think of it here is to imagine a regular espresso machine. Now make the bottom of the filter basket rounded out like the pod and force water in from the center of the top. This would still brew (maybe a little differently but that’s not important). Then, instead of forcing the water in, just let it come in through a tube to the bottom at just enough pressure to make it back up through the coffee to the top. Get the basket spinning fast enough that the calculated pressure is equal to 9 bar. Replace the filter basket with a plastic pod. This is the idea behind pressure in the spinning pod.

“We have the technology” and “The spiny spiny has given us a bump of extraction” - James Hoffman.

As a lay person who loves the original nespresso-system, the "why" of vertuo seems obvious. Nespresso must hate how other brands steals their customers by making cheaper capsules for the original, so that people buy those instead of the actual nespresso capsules. With vertuo, there are no competitors, and I am guessing because of some patent on the bar-reading on these capsules or something. This theory is strenghtened by the fact that nespresso gives away vertuo-machines from time to time, if you buy 300 vertuo-capsules. They want you in their vertuo system so that you are stuck buying expensive original capsules. That said, the product might very well be good. It might even fit som people better. But as for the "why", those are my thoughts.

You are such a delightful drop in the rain of coffee and all that comes with it. Thank you for being and wanting to be an expert. I love that all your interests in a Vid like this, about coffee, and the way of making it, regardless of machine, which, of course makes it most important in a balanced way, but I hope you get my meaning. You are my idol but not like, I 'd like to be a barista and a good one, but being passionate about my own stuffs and profession too (that's not coffee), and learn the way how to look at things like you do, in your own field and activity. I just cannot really describe it. This video shows it in a perfect way. Thank you James! (BTW, I am a passionate coffee drinker, hard for me to go under a certain quality when my coffee is concerned and you teach more about coffee and induce thought flow about it in your videos better than reading a book, for someone being outside of the barista world)

Certainly I feel pretty naïve, but I am learning and always intrigued how "complicated" coffee can be and mostly how it challenges people to perfect it. Enjoyable and informative video

"Destroying the resistance." [Darth Vader liked that]

My non-coffee friends have these and it's "good enough". Ordinarily they wouldn't make enough coffee to do a consistent brew but honestly, nobody dislikes the Vertuo coffee in my experience. So for somebody who doesn't drink coffee daily or only pulls it out when guests are over, it's fantastic.

I have owned a 2 different Vertuo machines. Got the first one in 2018. I do love the coffee. We have tried 18 of the different pods. Favorites are Intenso, Congo, Stormio, Odasio. - we mainly like the more bold grinds. Two things I do not like about it - only being able to get the coffee from Nespresso OR Starbucks versions at Target or Walmart and the fact that their flavored coffees are pretty mildly flavored. So the Peppermint Pinwheel is very mildly minty, not as minty as Starbucks. Their chocolate pods are not very chocolate-y. Otherwise I love it.

Nice to see your view. I have a few friends that wouldn't do without that machine. Personally, I think it provides a decent cup of coffee when I visit those friends and a big step up from a Keurig machine or a cheap coffee maker. I would never buy that machine for myself because I prefer my own home brew from fresh ground beans at a fraction of the cost and I prefer a little real cream over foam. I drink so much coffee that the pods would cost a fortune.

so glad you finally touched on this. as someone who appreciates great coffee while using my chemex, I also love my Nespresso just as much. I more so do it for the convenience (especially when company comes over) and the overall experience. But yes, at the end of the day, it’s nothing mind blowing.

"Not so special now Nespresso!" This made me crack up

There's one of these machines at work and my immediate thought was that the texture was nice, but it wasn't crema! Now I have the proof! Thank you. :)

“Look at my crema” with heavy eye contact is not what I expected today.

This is the most unhinged you've ever been in a video, James. I love it.

nespresso could make SO many friends and so much money by starting a "podding" service, allow manufacturers to send them roasted beans and grind settings, and put them in pods for a fee

I nearly bought one of these when they first came out. I didn’t have a Nespresso machine, and this was the newer model so it seemed like a no-brainer. But when I read through the page with the product description I realized that the thick foam on top HAD to come from the spinning action, and honestly it swayed me into purchasing the original machine instead. I like a wide variety of coffees, and so I preferred not to be locked down to their proprietary pods just for the sake of some spinny foam. So far I’ve had no regrets. It wasn’t for me, but all their machines make a nice brew, such as it is. As long as you know what you’re buying, you can’t really go too wrong.

I have one and honestly I just love the convenience of it. True, the drink it makes is not technically espresso, but I never drink a straight espresso. I’m either making a cappuccino or an iced latte 99% of the time, and whatever this thing does, it makes an enjoyable beverage. I use it every day and I’ll never give it up. Ever. You can’t make me.