Gift Edit 2023

I’m a Former Barista, and This Is the One Coffee Maker You Should Buy This Holiday Season (It’s on Sale!)

published Dec 5, 2023
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Espresso shot with beautiful crema.
Credit: Getty Images/Guido Mieth

This feature is part of The Kitchn’s Gift Edit, our editor-curated collection of gift ideas. Need more inspiration? Check out all our guides here.

I’ll be the first to admit it: I’m a total coffee nerd. Whether it’s pulling espresso shots, using a moka pot, or standing over a cup of pour-over while meticulously pouring concentric circles of water from a gooseneck kettle, I can never get enough sweet coffee gear and bags of delicious beans. (It’s probably a holdover from when I was working behind the counter making coffee after college.) However, I’ve been looking for something a little bit less time consuming to streamline my morning routine — and though I do love regular ol’ drip coffee, I’m in the market for something that’s both practical and palate-pleasing, and most cheap drip coffee makers lack the latter. I’m also not looking to break the bank, and with holiday sales in full swing, I’ve stumbled upon the one coffee maker that you should snag while it’s marked down: the Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Machine.

The Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Machine is exactly what I’m looking for this winter, and while I might not spring for something like this at almost $200, with the serious markdown it’s currently sitting at at Williams Sonoma, I’d practically be losing money if I didn’t jump on this deal ASAP. It doesn’t just look slick, either — this one-touch brewing system makes both regular coffee and espresso, with blend-specific brewing that ensures each cup tastes like something you’d get at a cafe. Plus, the machine makes two different sizes of espresso and three different sizes of drip — all the way up to 14 ounces — and uses fully recyclable capsules with the option of using the convenient and free!) Nespresso recycling program

But here’s the coolest part: the Nespresso VertuoPlus leans on the knowledge of the coffee experts that helped design it: They created an all-new brewing system using Centrifusion Technology, a patented extraction technology developed by Nespresso. Thanks to its built-in barcode system, the coffee maker optimizes brew time and temperature for different capsules without you having to adjust any settings. Just pop a capsule in and close the lever to enjoy seriously delicious coffee in seconds.

And, I’m not the only one who’s drooling over this bad boy, either, since it has a 4.7-star average rating on Williams Sonoma from over 3,000 reviewers. The Kitchn contributor Dana also loves her Nespresso. “We get to thoroughly enjoy every cup of coffee we make,” she writes. “I thought the little burst of joy every morning would wear off, but it hasn’t. There’s just something so satisfying about pressing the button and watching my favorite mug fill with a creamy cup of coffee. In the summer I use the made-for-iced-coffee blends and, oh boy, are those a treat.” 

So, if you’re looking to upgrade your current coffee setup but don’t want to break the bank, now’s the time to snag a Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Machine while it’s on sale. It makes for an excellent gift for any coffee lover (yourself included)!