Most coffee machines are designed as if everyone has a long run of empty worktop. If yours is a strip of counter between the kettle and the hob, width is the number that matters, and the Nespresso Vertuo Pop is one of the narrowest proper pod machines you can buy in the UK at 13.6cm across. That’s slimmer than a lot of toasters. The catch is that it’s surprisingly deep, and there are a few design quirks that real owners keep bringing up. Here’s what the listing actually says, what people who’ve lived with it report, and whether it earns its spot in a small kitchen.
At a glance
- Best for: one or two coffee drinkers in a flat or a galley kitchen who want a proper mug of coffee at the press of a button
- Top feature: the 13.6cm width, which lets it slot into gaps most machines can’t
- Watch out for: the 42.6cm depth, a small 560ml water tank, and reports of the used-capsule bin leaking
- Skip if: you want to buy coffee in the supermarket, since Vertuo capsules are a closed system and hard to find on the high street
What it actually is
The Vertuo Pop is the smallest machine in Nespresso’s Vertuo range, made by Krups (model XN920140). It only takes Vertuo capsules, the dome-shaped ones, not the older Original-style pods. Each capsule has a barcode printed around the rim, and the machine reads it to set the brew size and method automatically. You don’t choose between espresso and a mug: the capsule decides.
It brews four sizes: a 40ml espresso, 80ml double espresso, 150ml gran lungo and a 230ml mug. Heat-up is quoted at around 30 seconds, there’s one button, and the spent capsule is ejected into a bin inside the machine. It also connects to Nespresso’s app over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, mainly for descaling reminders and updates. You can ignore that entirely and it works fine.
The size question, properly
This is the reason most people look at the Pop, so it’s worth being precise. The listed dimensions are 13.6cm wide, 25cm tall and 42.6cm deep. The width is genuinely excellent. The height is low enough to sit under most wall cupboards, although the top lifts up to load a capsule, so leave yourself a bit of clearance above it.
The depth is the bit nobody mentions in the product photos. The water tank sits at the back, which is what keeps it so narrow, but it means the machine runs a long way back towards the wall. On a standard UK worktop that’s not a problem. On a shallow shelf, a narrow breakfast bar or a windowsill, measure first.
Owners who bought it specifically for a small space mostly seem happy. One UK reviewer who’d just moved into a flat with very little counter space called it ideal, and several others describe it as the right size for a small kitchen without it looking like a toy.
Pros
- Very narrow footprint, ideal for tight gaps between other appliances
- Quick to heat up, so it’s realistic for a rushed weekday morning
- One-button operation, with the capsule barcode doing the thinking
- Rated A+ for energy use, and it switches itself off after 2 minutes, which matters if you’re watching your electricity bill
- Owners regularly praise the taste, and the rich, foamy crema on top comes up more than once
- A wide range of capsules, including decaf, flavoured and iced options
Cons
The Pop sits at 4 out of 5 on Amazon UK from a few hundred ratings, but around one in eight of those ratings are 1-star, and the complaints repeat often enough to take seriously.
- The capsule bin can leak. Leftover coffee collects in the used-capsule container, and a few owners say it spills when you pull it out unless you empty it every two or three cups
- Capsules don’t always land in the bin. One reviewer found used pods regularly dropped into the drip tray instead
- The drip tray is awkward. On the UK Krups version it doesn’t adjust, and one owner found that with the tray in place most mugs won’t fit under the spout, so it’s really only useful for small cups
- The water tank is small. 560ml is fine for one person but you’ll be refilling it often if two of you drink mugs every morning
- Capsules are a commitment. One owner knocked off stars purely because Vertuo pods work out dearer than standard-size pods, and others point out that supermarkets rarely stock them, so you’ll mostly be ordering from Nespresso or online
- A small number of owners report the lever feeling stiff, inconsistent cup volumes from the same capsule, or the machine failing early
Who it’s for
If you drink one or two mugs a day, live alone or with one other person, and counter width is your main constraint, the Pop makes a lot of sense. It’s a much better fit than a bulky filter machine with a carafe you’ll never fill.
It’s less convincing if you want cheap coffee in the long run, like trying different roasts from the supermarket, or regularly make drinks for guests. In those cases a manual brewer or a standard pod machine will serve you better. We’ve rounded up a few of those in our guide to the best single-serve coffee makers for one person in the UK.
How to use it
Fill the tank, press the button to switch it on, lift the top and drop a capsule in dome side down. Close it, press the button again, and it reads the barcode and brews the right amount. For a mug-sized coffee, take the drip tray out first if your mug is tall, since that seems to be the workaround most owners settle on. There’s no steam wand, so for lattes and flat whites you’ll need a separate frother such as Nespresso’s Aeroccino.
Cleaning and safety
Empty the capsule bin and drip tray often. Given the leaking reports, daily is sensible if you’re making more than a couple of drinks. Rinse the tank rather than leaving water sitting in it for days, and descale when the machine or the app prompts you, especially in hard-water areas, which covers much of the south and east of England. Always let it cool before cleaning around the brew head, and keep the power cable clear of the hob if it’s squeezed into a narrow gap.
FAQ
Can the Vertuo Pop use Nespresso Original capsules?
No. It only works with Vertuo capsules, which are a different shape and have a barcode on the rim. Original-line pods won’t fit.
Will a normal mug fit under the spout?
With the drip tray in place, many standard mugs won’t. Owners get around it by removing the tray for larger mugs, or using a shorter cup.
Does it make milky drinks?
Not on its own. There’s no milk frother built in, so you’ll need a separate one for cappuccinos or lattes.
Do I need to use the app?
No. The app is optional and mainly handles descaling alerts and updates. The machine works with the single button either way.
Is it good for two people?
It works, but the 560ml tank means refilling it most mornings if you both drink mug-sized coffees. For households drinking more than that, a machine with a bigger tank is less faff.
The verdict
The Nespresso Vertuo Pop is one of the few pod machines that genuinely fits a narrow gap, and the coffee is good enough that most owners are happy with it. Go in knowing it’s deeper than it looks, the capsules lock you into Nespresso’s range, and the capsule bin needs emptying more often than it should. If width is your problem and you’re a one-or-two-mug household, it’s a sensible pick for a small UK kitchen.
