2 Coffee Packs New Nespresso Vertuo Owners Should Try

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So, you've finally done it — you've taken the plunge and ordered that fancy new Nespresso Vertuo machine you've been eyeing since first seeing it in a random Instagram ad. Sure, it's set you back a couple hundred bucks, but you figure the convenience of push-button coffee is well worth the moderate expense (spoiler alert: It definitely is). Your shiny new piece of equipment already has a sleek counter nook waiting for it, so only one question remains: Which coffee should you try first?

Fortunately for every type of coffee drinker out there, Nespresso's range of offerings is even more expansive than your local Starbucks menu. Nespresso's pods run the gamut of flavored coffees to single-origin pods, pods made to be brewed over ice, and pods that pull different shot lengths. We love having options, but to new Nespresso owners, the wide variety of pods carried for its Vertuo machines can be a bit intimidating. Fortunately, the company anticipated this dilemma, catering to the indecisive consumer with a few well-built coffee sampler packs. Having consumed the vast majority of Nespresso's pod offerings myself, I scoured the pack options to look for those with the best variety. Two in particular stand out to me as very viable options for first-time consumers: the Coffee Discovery Pack and the Double Espresso Discovery Pack.

Particularly impressive and well-curated is Nespresso's Coffee Discovery pack, complete with six sleeves of some of the company's popular Vertuo pod offerings. You'll find a variety of roasts and tasting notes within this collection, though all will pull coffee-sized cups (at 7.77 fluid ounces), so it may not be quite what the espresso aficionado is looking for.

I appreciate that Nespresso offers both its Melozio and Melozio Decaffeinato in this pack, even if just to give consumers the idea of some flavor differences often present in decaf coffee. I don't particularly love this decaf pod, but tasting it next to its caffeinated version can be quite the educational experience (and it's still definitely not Nespresso's worst decaf pod). Melozio, Odacio, and Stormio also make for quite the triplet. Melozio is the most moderate, entry-level pod of the three while Stormio is by far the darkest and most intense. Odacio is also a bold offering, but I find it to be smoother and more palatable black than Stormio. You might find that you appreciate the different pods prepared in different ways — personally, I like to drink Melozio black and Stormio with some frothed milk.

Colombia and Mexico are two great single-origin choices to include in the pack. If you're new to single-origin in general, each offers a window into what the country's coffee can taste like; moreover, each is from one of the more ubiquitous origin countries in the coffee world. Colombia is fairly bright, while Mexico offers darker, spiced notes. Each is a good representation of its origin country, and they're a good contrast to each other. 

On the other hand, espresso lovers should absolutely go for Nespresso's Double Espresso Discovery pack. Though it doesn't boast quite as many different pods as the previous one — four as opposed to six — it still gives a fitting range of options for consumers to explore, including an iced coffee option and an espresso that's designed to be brewed with milk. Each of these offerings brews a double-espresso-sized cup of 2.7 fluid ounces.

I'm a particular fan of Nespresso's Ice Leggero pod, intended to be brewed directly over ice. The company crafted this pod strong enough that pulling it hot over ice doesn't water it down, and it offers a light, slightly sweet, and toasty flavor that I find delicious when enjoyed black. It certainly wouldn't get lost with some creamer, though — however, I'd recommend freezing creamer into ice cubes and pulling the coffee over those. 

Its three other double espresso pods offer a light, medium, and dark roast, in case you don't already know which you prefer. I find Scuro to be heavy and rich, a potentially polarizing choice (though those with a taste for it will probably love it). Bianco Doppio is a particularly good inclusion, as the medium roast offers up balanced notes that are enhanced by a touch of milk. Try this one black and then add milk and try it again; you'll be surprised at how much the flavor changes.