Wake up bleary-eyed each morning and need a hot cup of Joe to function? The Nespresso Vertuo coffee machine is right up your alley because it doesn’t need to be programmed with a series of complicated buttons. The coffee pods have a special barcode printed on them that the machine reads to create the perfect blend of Java with zero guesswork, courtesy of a one-touch system. However, there is a downside to this technology — generic coffee capsules that don’t feature a barcode aren’t recognized by the machine. This means you can’t use unbranded pods to make your morning coffee with any of the appliances in the Vertuo line (such as the Creatista, Pop, Next, and Lattissima), which poses a couple of problems.
Firstly, as you’re limited to the barcoded coffee flavors and pods produced specifically for the Nespresso Vertuo, this means less overall choice. Unfortunately, you can’t exercise your curiosity and select a generic coffee pod with an interesting-sounding flavor because it won’t have that special barcode printed on the rim. Neither will it be the correct size and shape for the machine. Even the classic, pioneering Nespresso coffee capsules that can usually be interchanged between Nestle-branded machines won’t work on the Nespresso Vertuo because they aren’t created with the different brewing parameters of the Vertuo in mind. This means you can’t save money on using cheaper pods, while cheekily benefiting from the coffee maker’s unique centrifusion brewing technology that spins the capsule to create that cracking cup of Java.
Vertuo coffee pods are a patented technology
Secondly, the shape and style of the Nespresso Vertuo coffee pods has been patented, which means other coffee capsule producers can’t mimic their dimensions to produce new or cheaper coffee varieties that will fit the machine. These unique pods feature more of a dome shape than traditional coffee pods and have a wider base and circumference. Patents last for at least 20 years in the U.S., so there’s no chance of other companies creating like-for-like pods in the near future at least.
Having said all this, there are heaps of interesting Nespresso Vertuo coffee pod flavors available to try, including limited editions like Maple Pecan. There are also several full-bodied flavors in the Vertuo Starbucks partnership collection. You can also use the Nespresso Vertuo pods across the entire line, so if you decide to upgrade or move on to a different Vertuo machine you’ll still be able to use the same pods you’ve gotten used to instead of trying out new ones. Plus, all the coffee pods are recyclable because they’re made from aluminum. The grounds are used to improve soil and promote regenerative practices, while the pods are turned into new items, including pens and sneakers.
