10 Frequent Complaints Customers Make About Nespresso Machines

If you're the type of person who needs coffee injected into their veins first thing in the morning, you're in good company. It's a must for millions. In fact, in 2020, research conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by The Original Donut Shop Coffee found that around half of Americans simply can't enjoy their morning without coffee. So it's no surprise that coffee machine brand Nespresso is so popular. In fact, per Market Research Future, the Nespresso market is on track to exceed $15.2 billion in 2035.

But before you give away your hard-earned cash to join the Nespresso club, it's important to be aware that this brand is not perfect — far from it. In fact, some believe that in 2026, a Nespresso machine just simply isn't worth the spend. We scanned social media and review platforms to pull together some of the most frequent complaints that people make about their Nespresso machines. From sleep-disrupting noise to persistent leaks, these gripes might just make you think twice before clicking "purchase."

There are a few things in life that need to be reliable for the day to go smoothly. The car? Yes. Wi-Fi? Sure. Coffee machines? Well, that's non-negotiable. But unfortunately, according to many customers, Nespresso machines aren't always trustworthy. In fact, many say that they have a tendency to break — a lot.

"Does [anyone] else's Nespresso machine break every 5 weeks or is that just me?" asked one Redditor in r/nespresso. The machine in question was the Nespresso Vertuo Next — a slim, simple Wi-Fi-enabled model with high-pressure extraction and seven cup sizes — and according to several others, it's known for malfunctioning on a regular basis. In fact, it was even listed last in our ranking of every Nespresso machine for that very reason. "The Next is notorious for terrible quality," replied another Redditor. Another chimed in, "It seems that just about any Vertuo other than the Next is fine, but these are a bunch of lemons."

Indeed, the Next seems to have a pretty bad reputation, but it's not the only Nespresso machine that customers have reported issues with. Others claim that the Vertuo Pop and Pop+ are just as unreliable, while some have complained about defective Zenius models, too. "It seems as if the Nespresso Zenius is made to break," reads one Reddit post in r/nespresso.

Not everyone has problems with their machines fully breaking down. For others, the issue is water-specific. Like, water coming out of places it shouldn't be. And unfortunately, it's not just a problem with the Vertuo Next. In fact, customers have reported leaks with many different models, including the Creatista Pro, the Vertuo Pop, and the Vertuo Plus.

Some report that leaks can be fixed by a quick descale, a deep clean, or ensuring the valve is shut properly, but some customers say that nothing seems to help. In fact, some people have noticed that wooden surfaces underneath the machine have started to warp due to the constant leaking. If in doubt, send your machine back to Nespresso for a repair and cross your fingers. 

But again, if you've got a Vertuo Next, maybe don't hold your breath. "Honestly, I love the coffee but this machine is constant problems," said one Redditor in r/nespresso.

Things break sometimes; it's just a fact of life. But at the very least, you expect someone to help you put things right — especially when you've just dropped over $100 on a coffee machine. But you guessed it: Poor customer service is another frequent complaint from Nespresso customers. "Terrible customer service, terrible website, not a premium experience to go with an average cup of coffee," reads one review on Trustpilot. 

People say the automated online system is ineffective at resolving problems, and when they do get to speak to people on the phone or via online chat, their concerns are often dismissed. In fact, for some, the poor customer service is enough to put them off buying from the brand completely. After growing tired of waiting for a refund for a costly pod order, one disgruntled Redditor posted in r/nespresso: "Nespresso is trash and they don't give a cr*p about their customers. All they care about [is] money. They lost a long time customer today."

Nespresso machines are pretty easy to use. You don't need to mess about with grinders or portafilters; all you need to do is fill up the water tank, insert the pod, press the button, and you're good to go. But there is a catch: Some machines are only compatible with Nespresso-made pods. This wouldn't be an issue for some if not for the price. Yep, another common complaint from Nespresso customers is that the pods for the machines are simply too expensive, especially the Vertuo options. 

At the time of writing, just one Intenso Vertuo pod was priced at $1.40, while a Starbucks Single-Origin Sumatra pod was more than $1.60. "Nespresso is, in a nutshell, a 'luxury' brand for making coffee at home," explained one Redditor in r/nespresso. "Apart from getting your coffee at a coffee shop, almost all other options are more affordable in the long run."

Some customers have a hack to keep the prices down: Reuse the pods. That said, the second coffee out of a single pod will be a weaker brew, so keep that in mind. Another tip? Fill up the pods with a different, cheaper coffee. "I reuse the pods," said one Redditor in r/nespresso. "I take off the top after use, clean out, fill with coffee from a local place, and reseal with some seals we got from Amazon." Crafty.

Shrinkflation is everywhere. It's at McDonald's (have you noticed your Filet-O-Fish looking leaner recently? You're not alone); it's in grocery store aisles; and, apparently, it's in your Nespresso coffee machine, too.

Customers have been taking to social media to complain that the size of the pods is not quite what it used to be. But they're not just griping; some are coming with hard evidence. For example, one Facebook user posted a comparison of two boxes of Maple Pecan Nespresso pods. The newer box of pods had a net weight of 108 grams, while the previous box contained a net weight of 125 grams.

It's not just the potentially decreased value for money that has people annoyed (because, as we've covered, Nespresso pods aren't cheap), but also the quality of the coffee. "The gingerbread is a completely different flavor than past years," added another Facebook user. "I can barely taste it. It tastes watered down to me for sure."

Nespresso's Vertuo machines are supposed to make your coffee breaks easier, not give you more things to fix. But unfortunately, according to many customers, this isn't always the case. In fact, several say that they have spent a considerable amount of time battling with these machines when they fail to eject pods properly.

The pod container of a Vertuo Pop Coffee Machine, for example, is designed to hold five to eight pods before it has to be emptied. Ideally, the pods smoothly fall into the container when you open the head of the machine, where they will remain until it's clean-up time.

But many say this doesn't always actually happen, leaving the used pod stuck inside the machine. If this happens to your machine, there are a few things you can try, including giving the metal clamps inside the machine a good clean. And if that doesn't work, well, you can always try calling customer service. But, as we've established, you might have to brace yourself before you dial the number.

For most, a good cup of coffee is rich, aromatic, and full-bodied — not weak and watery. But unfortunately, for many Nespresso Vertuo customers, the latter is exactly what they're faced with every morning. "I bought my Nespresso Vertuo Pop about a year ago, and I've officially reached my breaking point," declared one Redditor in r/nespresso. They continued: "The coffee is consistently watery, and somehow every capsule tastes almost exactly the same, regardless of the [flavor] or intensity. Just this weird, burnt, bitter taste."

If you're thinking, why not just send the machine back to Nespresso? Well, unfortunately, many customers have tried doing exactly that, and it has failed to fix the problem. Many say that factory resetting their coffee machine and descaling it doesn't help either, which, let's be honest, doesn't leave many options. Asking for a replacement machine is one solution, but there's no guarantee you won't be faced with the same problem again. A French press is looking more appealing with every item on this list.

When you're easing yourself into the day, peace and quiet is much appreciated. It's nice to be able to hear the birds sing, the leaves rustling, and the rain pitter-pattering before the whirlwind of real life begins. One thing that will immediately ruin this bliss? The rattle and hum of a noisy coffee machine. 

According to customers, noise is one major drawback of Nespresso's machines, especially as they age. And no, we're not talking about a slightly elevated sound, but a rattle loud enough to wake up the whole house. "Is the [Nespresso Vertuo] next supposed to be [so] loud?," asked one Redditor in r/nespresso. "Mine is extremely loud," replied another user. "The only thing I dislike about it."

Some have advised checking the placement of the water tank, which might be rattling against the machine, or cleaning out the inside to ensure everything is running smoothly, but others say the noise seems to be simply part of the design for many models. "Mine sounds loud out of the box," added another Redditor in r/nespresso. "We've gotten used to it. A [little] less than a blender would sound."

Most of us drink coffee because of the caffeine. The natural stimulant helps to make us feel more alert, and might even boost our mood first thing in the morning. But we also want that morning caffeine hit to taste good. A good cup of coffee has a complex flavor, with the right balance of sweet, bitter, and acidic notes. This is where Nespresso disappoints its customers, as some claim that bitterness becoming the overriding flavor.

"Nespresso doesn't even taste like espresso," said one Redditor in r/espresso. "It's just a very bitter coffee flavored hot water." Another added: "Nespresso is thin and bitter but quick and easy." According to several customers, most Nespresso coffee also tastes the same, regardless of what pod you put into the machine.

Some have speculated that the bitter taste is the fault of Nespresso's design. "A pod is meant to be one shot, for those of us in the know, just how much can you expect from [5 grams] of grounds? Which is the average in a pod," explained one Redditor. "And what happens when you overextract continuously? Bitter rubbish."

Nespresso launched its first smart machine back in 2016. The Prodigio was a revelation for lazy coffee lovers everywhere, allowing them to control their machine through a Bluetooth connection on their phones. Now, it offers multiple smart machines with Wi-Fi integration as well as Bluetooth. If you're wondering why, exactly, a coffee machine would need to connect to the internet, it turns out it's pretty handy. It can connect to the app on your phone, and let you know how to deal with errors or when to descale.

Well, the Wi-Fi connection is pretty handy — in theory. Not everyone gets to make use of it, because, according to many customers, it often doesn't work. For some, the issue is getting the machine to connect in the first place, while others say they can't get it to stay connected. "Every once in a while it will disconnect and I have to unplug the machine for a minute to reset it to get it connected again," said one customer in r/nespresso. For some, it's not a deal-breaker; it's just inconvenient. Marking descaling reminders in your calendar? Vintage.