We were hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year when I offered my guests some coffee. Of course, several people said they’d like one, so I plugged in my trusty Nespresso Vertuo machine to whip up some delicious peppermint mochas (perfect for the holidays).
But, instead of rewarding my efforts with rich, delicious espresso shots, my Nespresso started making a weird clicking nose. Nothing came out.
I unplugged it, plugged it back in. Nothing. I refilled the water (which was half full). Nothing. Emptied the container of pods. Nothing. Pushed the button. Held the button. Looked up ways to fix it. Nothing.
After 7 wonderful years together, my Nespresso Vertuo seemed to be dead. Not one to give up on a loved one without a fight, I started looking up ways to fix my precious Nespresso machine.
When we figured out how to unclog our Nespresso Vertuo to get it back up and running, we were thrilled. So, if your Nespresso isn’t working or is making some strange clicking nose, keep reading. You won’t believe how easy it is to unclog it and get it working again.
How To Fix Your Clogged Nespresso Vertuo:
Step 1: Unplug the Machine
This may sound obvious, but it’s important. Your Nespresso needs to be completely unplugged and keep the chord out of water. If it does get wet, dry it thoroughly and lay it out to dry. I’ve made the painful mistake of plugging in an appliance without letting the chord fully dry. Be smarter than me.
Step 2: Remove Side Tanks
Depending on the model you have, you may have one or two side tanks. Mine has two: a water reservoir and a pod container. So, remove these. I took this opportunity to them both a nice scrub and get them shining. Set those aside.
Step 3: Check Pod Holder for Clogs
Flip over your machine or lay it on the side and check the part of the machine that punctures the pods. This part should spin freely. If it doesn’t, you’ve got a clogged pod holder and it needs to be unclogged. Thats where your problem is. Once this is declogged, you’ll be back in business.
Step 4: Clean Pod Holder
To get it unclogged, start by running it under hot water. This will allow the clog to start loosening. Then, using a paper towel to cover your hand – start to gently spin it a little at a time. THIS WILL HURT YOUR HAND IF YOU DON’T COVER IT. So, start slow and then keep working on it, until the clog is released.
Keep doing this until it spins freely. This could take up to 10-15 minutes. That’s how long it took for us to clear it. You’ll start to feel it unclog and spin a little bit more and more. Once its all clear and it spins freely, you’re done.
Step 5: Let It Dry
Dry off the machine and set it out on a towel to let it fully dry over night. Don’t rush this part of the process.
The next day, check for any remaining water. If dry, plug it in, let it come to life, pop in a new pod and get ready for some sweet, sweet espresso.
Final Thoughts:
This is what worked for us and we tried several things we found online. One method we found involved a very detailed, timed process of pressing the button, holding the button, waiting, pressing it again. This did not work for us, because the pod holder was clogged. If your machine spins freely, then you may just need to reset the machine through one of these steps. I can post another post with how to do this.
If none of this works, you may need to contact Nespresso and see about getting them to fix the machine. Or, I do hear that after a certain amount of time, the machine is just dead. My hand mixer recently just died on me, so there really is just a certain amount of time before these machines give out on you. I’m lucky that mine has made it this long, because it seems like the average time is around 5 years.
All in all, these are great little machines that do a fabulous job. If you’re in the market for a new Nespresso, check out this post with the 9 best ones.
If you’re still on the hunt for the best vertuo pods, check out this post with my favorite 16 pods.
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I love sharing my favorite Nespresso recipes and tips. Check out the blog for a lot more Nespresso and coffee content.
Get roasted,
A
