The Possible Reason Your Nespresso Vertuo Machine Is Leaking

Despite its pricier pods, the Nespresso Vertuo has been a darling in many homes thanks to the quality and variety of coffee it can brew. But this machine isn't without its problems. Sometimes, a user places their favorite mug under the spout and presses the coffee button, only to be greeted by a slow, unstable flow. Eventually, coffee overflows the drip tray and begins spreading out from under the machine — the kind of scene that can ruin one's morning.

A common culprit is a blockage somewhere in the machine's head, either at the brewing head or the outlet nozzle. This obstruction could be caused by a poorly perforated pod that leaked coffee grounds. It could also be the result of limescale or residue buildup if you haven't cleaned and descaled the machine for a long time. Regardless, coffee that can't pass through gets redirected to the two metal drain spouts on the sides of the machine, which connect to two little holes down in the drip tray. When the blockage is particularly bad, you will see the drip tray overflowing and coffee spreading to the sides.

If you ever find yourself in this unfortunate situation, don't rush to throw away your coffee maker just yet. It's easily fixable most of the time without disassembling the machine. All you need is a humble turkey baster!

Before you do anything, unplug your Nespresso Vertuo machine and remove your cup. Take out the drip tray, discard the coffee, and give it a good clean. Then, remove the water tanks. Grab the turkey baster and fill it up with water. Tilt the machine over the sink, and using the turkey baster, force water upward through the coffee outlet nozzle and the center of the brewing head. Repeat this a few times to make sure any sneaky debris causing the blockage is flushed out. Once you're done, put the water tanks and drip tray back in place, and give the machine a quick wipe down. Run the Lungo function without a pod to flush things out once more time, and your coffee maker should be back in action, ready to brew the perfect cup of coffee again. 

Water is certainly better at removing coffee residue, but if you don't have a turkey baster in hand, using a straw to blow the air through the two ports may also work. Some people have successfully cleaned the coffee spout with a Q-tip as well. That said, these methods are just quick fixes. It's best to prevent leakage in the first place by regularly cleaning and descaling your machine.