Upon receipt of my Nescafe Dolce Gusto coffee machine, I was surprised by the size of it. I was not sure if it would hold a good sized cup but it actually does.
I followed the instructions for set-up but couldn’t find any English literature, only picture diagrams. I feel these could be better explained with written instructions as well as pictures.
I purchased my coffee pods and proceeded to make my drink following the instructions on the side of the pod box. At first the Dulce Gusto seemed rather loud, as you get used to it, it’s not that bad.
From filling the water carrier to the back of the machine which is very easy to remove and replace, the water was ready and piping hot within a short space of time. Each pod requires different amounts of water and you need two pods per cup – one for coffee and the other for milk.
I found measuring each said amount rather difficult as they range from 100ml upwards. The pods are easy to load, however, I feel some form of indication as to where the pods go in the machine, would be helpful.
Even though the pictures show in the manual, you still feel sceptical about pulling things apart in case you break it – one example is the lever at the front of the machine that requires some force in order to pull it up to get the pod in.
Once you get accustomed to the coffee machine, it is very easy to use. When you have used the pods, you have to remove them from the machine. They are easy to put in and take out of the pod holder but upon removal the used pods are full of scalding water – I feel that this could be designed better and more safely.
The overall shape and size of the Dolce Gusto is quite appealing and sits well on my worktop with all of the other electrical items. However, I am not a fan of the red lead it comes with – maybe a black one would look better?
Cleaning the machine is very easy but the shape, size and ease of use leave little room for mess. The pods, I feel, could be a little cheaper and more readily available. You do get eight in a box but as one cup requires two pods, regular coffee drinkers will find this expensive.
The machine has hot and cold functions, unfortunately I have not been able to try the iced coffee as after looking in several stores and online, I could not find anyone who stocks the iced coffee pods. In light of this, I cannot offer an informed opinion.
My overall opinion would be that this is a great little machine that seems good value compared to similar machines; however there are still some flaws in the design and functionality.
Added to this, the pods will work out to be costly and I am concerned about the impact of the used pods on the environment.