Instructions: Capsule coffee machine DeLonghi Nespresso Pixie EN124.S

To enjoy the impeccable taste of your coffee cup after cup, we recommend that you descale your coffee machine regularly.

• Descaling set suitable for all models of Nespresso coffee machines
• Contains two 100 ml sachets of cleanser
• Use one sachet to clean the coffee machine
• The kit contains instructions for safe use

A detailed description of the descaling process can be found in the operating instructions for your coffee machine.

• Net weight of the set: 200 ml
• Set shelf life: 2 years
• Country of origin: Switzerland

To enjoy the impeccable taste of your coffee cup after cup, we recommend that you descale your coffee machine regularly.

• Descaling set suitable for all models of Nespresso coffee machines
• Contains two 100 ml sachets of cleanser
• Use one sachet to clean the coffee machine
• The kit contains instructions for safe use

A detailed description of the descaling process can be found in the operating instructions for your coffee machine.

• Net weight of the set: 200 ml
• Set shelf life: 2 years
• Country of origin: Switzerland

Hard water is an everyday reality in our homes. Therefore, it is enough to neglect cleaning the Nespresso for a short time in order to then deal with a thick layer of scale on its parts. After all, some minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, affect the formation of scale when exposed to temperatures above 550C.

Calcified deposits not only affect the taste of the coffee, but also significantly reduce the performance of the machine. However, there are many home remedies that will magically help remove plaque.

To ensure that your equipment always works properly, it is useful to know how to descale your Nespresso coffee machine at home.

Why deal with sediment?

Nespresso maintenance is a necessary step that every coffee machine owner should remember. To ensure excellent coffee quality, the equipment parts should be descaled from time to time.

If you use water filters, the cleaning procedure can be carried out less frequently.

Limescale on the coffee machine:

• significantly increases operating costs;
• may lead to premature failures;
• reduces heat transfer and causes problems related to drink temperature;
• causes aesthetic problems in coffee (the appearance of white flakes);
• activates valve leakage;
• reduces interaction with ingredients, negatively affecting their taste.

By constantly cleaning your Nespresso, you can

• save energy consumption;
• anticipate disruptions to work;
• maintain the appearance of drinks;
• ensure consistent quality of brewed coffee.

How often should you wash your car?

Nespresso should be cleaned at least once every three months. If you do not brew coffee often, then you can focus on the number of servings made - the norm is 300 pieces, after which the machine is washed.

It is recommended to test the water for the presence of salts. The following may be present in dissolved form in tap liquid:

• Iron salts. The color of the deposits will have a reddish tint.

• Magnesium and calcium salts.

• Ions of other metals, such as aluminum.

• Gases.

When heated, they form hard, porous deposits that interfere with the normal operation of the device.

Distilled water contains no impurities, making it an ideal liquid for coffee machines. If you have a built-in reverse osmosis filter at home, it is recommended to use such water to fill the coffee maker container.

If you use tap liquid, cleaning will have to be done more often. How often can be determined by the scale in the kettle. If a thick layer accumulates on the inner walls within a month, then the coffee maker needs to be cleaned twice a month.

If you calculate the costs of bottled water and compare them with the purchase of professional descalers, then it will be cheaper to buy water in a store.

Which acid to choose

The ideal solution in the fight against calcified formations on the walls of the coffee machine is vinegar. It contains acetic acid, which is a weak organic acid.

The substance can treat internal surfaces even with a minimum volume. Appropriate amounts of vinegar should be applied depending on the degree of contamination of the stone.

Vinegar is a natural and toxic waste-free product. Its acidic properties help get rid of scale, mineral deposits and even the coffee oil left behind from the beans. Citric acid also helps in the fight against scale.

In other cases, special chemicals that are sold in stores and supplied in liquid or crystalline form will help. They most often contain organic sulfamic acid, which is an excellent product for a coffee machine and much safer for various types of metals.

Many acids that are used to combat plaque can sometimes have negative effects on the skin if you are not careful. Therefore, rubber gloves should be used when cleaning the coffee machine.

Most Nespresso models have programmed cleaning processes to remove scale. In this case, you should simply use cleaning products and select the appropriate button on the machine, which will start the process. If there is no such program, descaling the Nespresso coffee machine is carried out using available means.

The procedure consists of the following steps: filling the reservoir with water with the addition of a certain cleaning agent. Then you should turn on the coffee machine to brew coffee so that the liquid passes through all the working elements of the equipment, cleaning them from deposits.

Details on how to descale a Nespresso Citiz capsule coffee machine (video):

Nespresso Vertuo Plus capsule coffee machine review

Some time ago we published a review of the DeLonghi capsule coffee machine that runs on Nespresso capsules.

The operating principle of such coffee machines has not been a novelty for a long time: thanks to the capsule system, the user is spared the need to “bother” not only with roasting and grinding coffee, but even, by and large, with the issue of choosing the type of coffee beans. All that is required is to choose one or several of the most attractive flavors (blends) from the presented assortment of capsules and do not forget to replenish supplies on time.

The hero of our today's review is another capsule coffee machine - Nespresso Vertuo Plus. Its key difference lies in the different form factor of the capsules. Our coffee machine does not work with standard capsules (they are called the “Original System”), which are replaced by larger (and, naturally, incompatible with the original) capsules, called the “Vertuo System”.

Let's figure out what is different about the new system and what benefits it can bring to a coffee lover.

Characteristics

Equipment

The coffee machine is packed in a cardboard box with a lid with rounded corners. It is designed using full-color printing and contains a fairly large amount of information about the device (in Russian and a number of other languages). After examining the box, you can get acquainted with the appearance of the device, as well as obtain information about its key features. The information presented, in our opinion, turned out to be very informative. Especially for those who are encountering such a coffee machine for the first time.

It also opens in an unusual way: not only does the top lid of the box open, but the front wall also reclines almost completely. The contents of the box were protected from shock using foam inserts, and a plastic handle was provided for ease of transportation.

Along with the coffee machine, we received a set of twelve capsules of different sizes (Welcome set), which allowed us to prepare twelve different coffee drinks.

The capsules were packed in a cardboard box, most reminiscent of a box of candy.

Having opened the box with the coffee machine, we found inside:

• the coffee machine itself
• removable water tank
• cup stand
• instructions

Apparently, we may not need any additional accessories, so immediately after unpacking we moved on to studying the device.

At first sight

Visually, the coffee machine gives the impression of a well-thought-out and well-made device in the “above average” price category. However, this is not surprising: taking into account the retail prices for capsules, it is clear that this solution is not for those who want to save money. And therefore, the device should look accordingly.

We would describe the design with the words “modern” or even “futuristic”. Curved shapes, a combination of matte plastic and metal elements allow the coffee machine to look serious and impressive even despite its small dimensions. Such a device will look appropriate both in the kitchen and in the office or meeting room.

On the Nespresso website you can see all the color solutions (there are five in total). We got a model made in a gray “titanium” case with black plastic inserts.

Visual examination of the coffee machine did not take too long. At the bottom we found rubber inserts that prevent the device from sliding on the table surface, and a place to store excess cables that are already not too long (80 cm).

On the back there is an adjustable stand for the water tank. The container itself is made of transparent plastic. At the bottom center of the tank you can see the water supply valve. On top is the most common removable plastic cover.

For user convenience, the container has a Min mark, which should indicate that it is time to add water. But we didn’t find the Max tag, which is quite logical: it’s not needed here. The maximum volume of water (to the brim) was 1.7 liters, comfortable (so as not to be afraid of spilling when carrying) - 1.5 liters.

The reservoir stand can be freely rotated and placed on the rear left or right side of the coffee machine at any angle relative to the body. Thanks to this, you don’t have to worry that access to the tank will be difficult (for example, if the coffee machine is installed in a corner).

On the back wall of the case we saw a removable container for used capsules (according to the instructions, it can hold up to 10 pieces). The container is made of black plastic. Thanks to the ribbed surface and the presence of two holes, it turned out to be very convenient to remove and put back in its place.

Docking with the body is carried out using the most common magnet. At the bottom of the container you can see several holes, the purpose of which is obviously to more effectively evaporate residual moisture.

At the top of the coffee machine there is a single control element - a mechanical button for dispensing a drink with an image of a coffee cup. There is an LED indicator around the button, thanks to which you can understand what the machine is doing at the moment.

In front there is a device for dispensing the finished drink. Directly above it is a lever that opens and closes the capsule container, and below the coffee dispenser you can see four pairs of holes for setting the cup stand at a suitable height.

The lower holes are located slightly above the table level (at a height of 3.5 cm), the rest allow you to install the cup at a height of 7, 9.5 or 12 cm from the table level. The minimum distance from the stand to the coffee dispenser is therefore 7.5 cm, and the maximum is 16 cm.

The stand for cups (also known as a stand for collecting drips) is a metal tray with a plastic grid insert. It is attached to the body of the coffee machine using a pair of “ears”.

Finally, let's say a few words about capsules. They are significantly larger than the well-known “original” Nespresso capsules, although their structure looks very similar: the body of the capsule is made of foil (the manufacturer calls it special aluminum), on the flat side you can read the name of the blend, the convex part will be painted in the corresponding color (each blend has its own).

It is extremely convenient that the volume of the drink being prepared is indicated directly on the capsule.

You can also see a special barcode based on the diameter of the capsule dome. It is noteworthy that, unlike classic ones, Vertuo capsules can be of three different sizes, which allows you to prepare drinks in five volumes of coffee. Moreover, all capsules have the same diameter, which allows them to be used in one coffee machine.

Instructions

The instructions for the coffee machine are a rather heavy black and white brochure with a color cover with three-color printing inside. The paper of the brochure is glossy and pleasant to the touch.

The Russian language (half with Dutch) has 22 pages, by studying which you can learn everything you need to know when operating the coffee machine.

The instructions seemed to us detailed, understandable and more than user-friendly. All actions are accompanied by clear illustrations and/or pictograms.

We strongly recommend reading the instructions at least once. Especially for those who have not previously encountered such coffee machines. The brochure contains a lot of useful information (including those regarding the rules for reprogramming the coffee volume).

Control

The device is controlled using a single button and an LED indicator, which is capable of transmitting a fairly large amount of information.

Signals may be as follows.

Green signal:

• Constantly on - the machine is ready for work
• Flashes once per second - the coffee machine is heating up
• Slow rotation - Capsule barcode reading
• Quick rotation - coffee preparation
• The indicator flashes three times - reprogramming is complete

Red signal:

• Constantly on - device error (you need to check the instructions)
• Smoothly goes out and lights up - cooling after overheating
• Flashes once per second - device error (you need to check the instructions)
• Flashes twice and then solid green—water tank is empty or a capsule is missing
• Flashes twice and then lights up orange - settings error

Orange signal:

• Constantly lit—entering the additional menu
• Flashes once per second - special settings mode is activated
• Flashes once every two seconds - descaling
• Flashes twice every two seconds - system emptying
• Flashes three times every two seconds - reset to factory settings
• Flashes three times for three seconds and then solid green—factory reset complete

It is clear that in everyday use the user will see only a small part of these signals directly related to the process of making coffee.

Looking ahead a little, we will inform you that the coffee machine independently determines the required volume of water, temperature and suitable preparation mode by reading the barcode from the capsule, so in most cases, working with the coffee machine will consist of installing the capsule and pressing the control button once. It couldn't be simpler!

According to the manufacturer, Nespresso Vertuo is a completely new way of making coffee. The capsule spins in a coffee machine at speeds of up to 7000 rpm. This new technology is called Centrifusion. Since the new system is designed for a large cup of coffee, there is more ground coffee in the capsules than in classic Nespresso capsules.

Exploitation

Before first use (as well as after a long period of inactivity), the developer recommends rinsing the coffee machine by pressing the control button three times for 2 seconds. After this, the machine will wash its insides on its own: pump water, carry out internal cleaning and rinse the outlet.

During cleaning, our coffee maker spilled about 750 ml of water, heating it to 77 °C.

Once this process is complete, you can proceed directly to making coffee. To do this, you need to fill the reservoir with clean drinking water, turn on the coffee machine, wait about 40 seconds until it warms up, then open the coffee machine by pressing the lever up, insert the capsule with the dome down, close the machine (by pressing the lever down) and finally press again button to start the drink preparation process.

As an option, you can press the button while the machine is heating up. In this case, the cooking process will begin immediately after heating is completed. It is also allowed to stop the preparation process prematurely, or increase the volume of the drink. All these operations are also performed using a single control button.

The capsule is dumped into the container automatically when the coffee machine is opened.

The coffee machine can be turned off by long pressing the button, or simply wait nine minutes, after which it will turn off automatically.

What caught our attention when using this device? Firstly, it is a system for automatically opening and closing the coffee machine: the lid opens and closes using a special lever that does not require any effort. Therefore, in particular, it will not be possible to open or close a machine that is disconnected from the electrical network (excessive efforts in this case can cause the mechanism to break down).

In practice, all that is required from the user is to monitor the water level and also empty the container with used capsules in a timely manner. The cooking process is accompanied by a sound of medium volume (buzzing), which does not exceed the level of standard kitchen noise.

Impressions from use are extremely positive. Almost immediately after getting acquainted with the coffee machine and preparing the first cup of coffee, you get the impression that you have always used this device, which is a sign of a thoughtful user interface and design of the device as a whole.

Care

Caring for the device involves performing several simple steps. The body of the device must be wiped from time to time with a damp cloth (napkin). The water tank can be washed with a mild detergent.

The insides of the coffee machine are washed using a special cleaning mode. To clean the system from scale, you can use a special product (it must be added to the water before starting the cleaning mode).

Before storing the coffee machine for long-term storage, you must drain all the water from the device using the appropriate function.

Our measurements

Since nothing at all depends directly on the user in the process of preparing drinks, there were not many parameters available for measurements: we measured the actual volume of the drink that is obtained in various modes, its preparation time, and also the temperature.

As for power consumption, it turned out to be low: 0.1 W in standby mode and 1240 W maximum (in warm-up mode). It takes approximately 0.01 kWh to prepare one serving of coffee, which should be considered insignificant (if you remember the not-so-low price of the capsule).

Depending on the size of the capsule, the coffee machine at standard settings will prepare a drink with a volume of 40, 80, 150, 230 or 414 ml, which corresponds to espresso, double espresso, gran lungo, Mug and Alto drinks, respectively.

The coffee machine spends 37-40 seconds to preheat (from the switched off state).

This is what happened during our measurements.

Our conclusions: the coffee machine slightly underfills water, but this error can hardly be called significant. As for the temperature of the finished drink, we saw 72-76 °C in all modes. The only exception was the espresso mode: 40 g of water was clearly not enough to retain heat during the spill and after entering the cup at room temperature. As a result, we received a drink with a temperature of 63 °C, which seems to hint at the need to preheat the cup.

Testing

The “testing” section in this case, for obvious reasons, will contain only subjective assessments of the quality of the finished drink. We don’t know exactly what magic works inside the Vertuo system (according to the company’s marketers, the capsule rotates at a speed of up to 7000 rpm, which ensures the best extraction), but the fact remains that all test participants, without exception, noted the high quality of the finished drinks, regardless depending on the type of capsule chosen.

Even such questionable modes as preparing coffee with milk (in this case, a small portion of milk needs to be poured into a cup in advance) and preparing a large portion of coffee (we were afraid that we would get a tasteless coffee drink) did not let us down.

We also note the formation of a nice foam - just like traditional coffee machines.

conclusions

The Nespresso Vertuo Plus coffee machine turned out to be a more than adequate solution for those who want to get decent quality coffee with a minimum of effort. Unlike the already well-known Nespresso Original capsule system, Vertuo allows you to prepare coffee in large volumes, which, as we know, is in demand on the Russian market. Surely everyone can find among their friends lovers of large coffee cups.

Espresso lovers are not left unattended either. However, we strongly recommend that they warm up the cup before starting cooking to achieve a more comfortable temperature.

With the exception of this nuance, we did not have any complaints about the coffee machine. We deliberately leave the issue of the price of coffee capsules outside the scope of discussion, since even before we started getting acquainted with the coffee maker, it was clear that this solution would be far from the most budget-friendly and not designed for “serious” coffee lovers experimenting with grinding and the nuances of forming the “correct” coffee tablet .

In this case, the consumer pays primarily for the stable quality of the drink and ease of use.

Pros:

• Ease of Management
• Elegant design
• Decent drink quality

Minuses:

• The temperature of the finished drink when preparing espresso is not too high

How to descale Nespresso

The process of cleaning calcified deposits from a coffee machine is divided into two stages:

• Cleaning removable parts from dirt - wash all parts of the machine with warm water or wipe with a damp sponge.
• Descaling – Use active reagents to remove deposits from the water tank.

Such simple steps will not only help to wash away plaque, but will also cover parts of the coffee machine with a protective layer, which will prevent the formation of oils and coffee residues, as well as deposits of calcium salts for a long time, which will significantly increase the service life of kitchen equipment.

Remove scale with vinegar

What you will need:

• coffee machine;
• water;
• table vinegar;
• hot water;
• sponge;
• dry towel.

Nespresso descaling instructions:

1. Drain the reservoir, rinse it and clean out any coffee grounds that remain in the filter.
2. Make a solution of water and vinegar - fill the chamber to full volume with equal parts of water and acetic acid.
3. Run half of the brew cycle. Turn off the coffee machine and leave it for an hour.
4. Finish the brewing cycle - after an hour, turn on the equipment and finish the cycle.
5. Discard the vinegar liquid and run a new cycle with clean water. Repeat twice to get rid of any remaining vinegar.
6. Wipe down the appliance and wash tanks and other removable containers in hot soapy water.
7. Put the car back together and make yourself a big cup of coffee!

Cleaning a delonghi coffee machine involves approximately the same steps.

Cleaning plaque with citric acid

The process of cleaning a coffee machine with citric acid is the same as when using vinegar. We take the amount of the ingredient in the ratio of 2 teaspoons of powder per 1 liter of water.

Selecting cleaning products

There are several ways to clean a Nespresso capsule or carob coffee machine. For this purpose, you can purchase the original Delonghi Ecodecalk liquid of 500 ml. The quantity is enough for 4 – 5 uses, since the solution is concentrated. The composition includes several acids:

• lemon;

• maleic – a derivative of malic acid, a safe substance for health;

• phosphonic - prevents the rapid appearance of new sediment on the walls of parts.

All components are selected and designed in such a way that after the final rinsing, no harmful substances are detected in the coffee, and the walls of the tubes and main parts are not damaged by chemicals.

If you use improvised means, it will cost less. True, the complete cleaning cycle will have to be repeated 3–4 times to completely remove scale. Use citric acid or vinegar in diluted form.

If there is no specialized product for decalcifying a Nespresso coffee machine in the store, according to the instructions, you can use other products, for example, intended for other brands of machines.

Useful additions

When choosing a coffee machine, it is recommended to pay attention to the presence of a self-cleaning function. It will make caring for the equipment much easier for the owner. Less scale will form and it will be easier to remove. Nespresso manufacturers try to equip all their models with self-cleaning, which is very pleasing.

The removable brewing unit is also a useful feature that helps keep the device clean. Regular rinsing of this container will reduce the risk of scale formation, which will extend the life of the equipment.

It doesn’t matter which coffee machine you choose, the main thing is to take good care of it - regularly clean it of scale and remaining coffee powder. Then you can prevent device failure and enjoy aromatic freshly brewed coffee throughout the day.

Cleaning kit from the manufacturer

The manufacturer has specially developed chemicals for cleaning Nespresso krups coffee machines and other types of capsule or carob units. For built-in cappuccino makers, additional liquids or tablets are available to remove residual milk fat from the walls of the container and the conductive tubes.

There is a separate liquid from the oily residue that forms in the cooking group, but most often two ingredients are combined in one product, simultaneously cleaning all contaminants.

Important! You need to start cleaning when the descaling nespresso sign lights up. If you delay the procedure, the machine may not turn on and decalcification will only be possible at a service center, which will cost much more and take longer

Step-by-step instructions for nespresso descaling

Instructions for cleaning Nespresso Delonghi capsule and regular:

• Remove grounds from the waste container or used capsules and clean the drip tray.

• Prepare a solution of descaling agent as written in the manual.

• Pour it into the water container and start the cleaning mode. Place a cup under the spout that can hold the entire amount of liquid from the reservoir.

• After the first cleaning cycle, some manufacturers recommend pouring the cleaning solution back into the reservoir and starting the process again.

• Pour the used liquid into the toilet.

• Pour clean water into the container and rinse the system once. When using original cleaning solutions, once is enough.

Next, you should rinse the pan and water tank under the tap and install them in place. If there is a remote milk jug, it is washed under the tap; if there is a built-in cappuccino maker, it is washed along with the entire device with chemicals and then with clean liquid.

Operating rules

There are several types of household appliances for brewing coffee. Some can grind whole beans, others require you to add them already ground, and still others require special capsules containing ground coffee. If the first two methods can be included in one coffee machine, then the last option is a separate device called capsule. Nespresso and Delonghi produce all types of devices.

Coffee with croissant

Typically, coffee machines for home use can brew 1-2 cups at a time. Although professional equipment for cafes and restaurants has expanded capabilities.

The main rule, which affects the duration of operation and the quality of the drink, is to use only clean soft water, preferably bottled from a store. But even this does not always protect the device from scale formation. It must be removed regularly, as well as coffee residues from the internal walls of the equipment and its parts, to avoid breakdowns. To clean the coffee machine, you will need to prepare special products and learn simple rules for caring for equipment.