Nespresso U D50 Espresso Maker, Pure Black

I'd been shopping around and price comparing Nespresso machines for about 7 months before I finally bought this U. The price is as low as you'll find anywhere- I briefly considered Bed, Bath, and Beyond even though I have Prime because I had two decent coupons and it was the only other place that I found offering these for the same money. But, BB&B was out of stock around where I live, makes you pay $20 for shipping, and wouldn't let me use either of the coupons for an online purchase.So, $178 dollars is a little expensive, but I AM SO GLAD THAT I BOUGHT THIS MACHINE. Truly, the pictures and the description do not do the product justice. First, the quality is outstanding. The exterior is sleek and feels/looks expensive, and I really like that you can have the water tank to the left, to the right, or directly behind the brewer. There is also a spot underneath the machine for storage of any cord excess that has three separate exits that rotate to correspond to the water tank's placement. As well, both the water tank and the "stage"/stand in the front where you place your demi cup are held in place by magnets, so there is none of that awkward shoving anything shut. Oh, and even the *instructions* are flawless- very clear with meaningful pictures and on a sturdy, glossy booklet that will probably be a little harder to lose.Second, it comes with a free, 16-capsule variety pack to get you started! They should really emphasize this- I was unsure whether it would or not because I just bought the machine and not the drawer or carousel, too.Third, the machine is EASY to use and seems to heat up immediately- it's less than a minute from the time I decide that I'd like an espresso to the time I've got one ready for me :).Finally, I have been very impressed with Nespresso's presence online. You don't have to register to access the ton of recipes that they have (you can search by your mood (!), your machine, what other ingredients you have, etc.), but registering is not obnoxious and is the only way that I know of to get the cheapest price on their capsules. You do have to buy in quantities of 50, but the price/capsule ranges from 60-70 cents (and winds up being an un-scary $32.50-$35.00 at checkout) as opposed to $1.40/capsule if you wanted to just buy 10 from anywhere else for $13.99. They also have a welcome offer that includes a carousel and is worth checking out if you liked the initial variety pack.

I almost started with this machine but the decaf offerings all mentioned some additional notes other than just plain arabica beans so I went looking elsewhere. The Cuisinart SS-700 (makes lots of different flavors of everything hot from tea to regular coffee and cocoa) was my 1st try & it doesn't make espresso at all! The next was the Tassimo which seemed like a great idea as the coffee (they used Gevalia Decaf so expectations were high but unfulfilled) and milk were included in pods but it didn't taste like coffee with milk at all. It was more like hot mocha. It did froth, in its defense but it wasn't espresso or cappuccino in my opinion. Then the CBTL Kaldi came along and I swear I must've gotten the same machine the people who wrote the 1 star reviews. I ordered the silver version (if you buy one try another color just in case) and it never got past the priming stage! It went straight back and I never even got to taste the coffee so that I can't comment on that but my experience was such that I decided I had to move on without taking the chance that I, like one person, would get another machine that didn't work either. In final desperation and after many reviews about the Vertuoline versus the regular Nespresso machine (not to mention all of the reviews I read to get to the very 1st machine) - I bought the machine that was Prime eligible (the $85 version was loads cheaper) since with my luck I couldn't risk getting another dud and having to pay to return it to a recalcitrant seller who may not be as understanding as Amazon is. So $48 extra later, I actually got a winner. The flavor of the coffee beans, regardless of the various notes that didn't sound overly appetizing to my palate, turned out to be the best espresso I've had in years! Sorry Nespresso, I never should have doubted you. I just finished a double shot of the Decaf Intenso which was the only version I need to make me happy every day. Many complain about the limited array of choices but just 1 real winner is enough for me. I do hope this machine lives a long and healthy life since I plan on at least 1-2 double decaf's a day! Thanks Amazon for facilitating my search and thanks Nespresso for making a great machine that really does produce a quality crema in addition to espresso with the flavor and body you get at Starbucks if not better. I especially love the part where I can make 2 shots in less than 3 minutes without leaving the house. With gas prices being what they are, I think this will be even more economical in the future. I can order replacement pods online and now I just have to find a cheap seller of some really tasty milk that's powdered since real milk doesn't last long enough for me.

The espresso is passable - if, and when, the machine works. The first one quit working after a few days. They sent me a replacement while they supposedly repaired the original. The returned machine failed after a week; just wouldn't work. This time they replaced it with a new machine. This THIRD machine failed after about 2 months. Now they've offered to send ANOTHER - this will be the FOURTH machine! I don't know whether to laugh or cry. At this point, I have spent countless wasted hours on the telephone and packing and shipping boxes. They refuse to refund my money. Admitedly, customer service has been responsive and polite, but have failed miserably at solving anything. They (the customer reps) are attempting to service an inherently defective product design, maufactured by a a company (Nestle) that won't admit it and return my money. IF, and that's probably a big "if", I can get the fourth machine to actually produce espresso, I'll give it to an unsuspecting in-law. There are plenty of systems out there to choose from, please don't encourage these clowns by buying one of these.

Only had this for a week but for now everything is working great. Ran a few cleaning modes before making first cup. Every sampler cup I have made has been excellent with tons of crema. Will be hard to decide which ones I would order. The machine is the perfect size for my countertop and very easy to use. After returning a Keurig that did not seem to work right (every cup tasted like water) I started reading every review on every Nespresso model and decided this was the one8/22/2015 Lasted a little over 1 1/2 years. Started making coffee in the used pod tray. It's in the trash. Was good while it lasted.

Compact, easy to use and perfect espresso every time.

this is my second nespresso machine- my first machine was a manual model and so this one is an amazing upgrade. It is so easy to set up and use. I have had no problems with leaking as is mentioned in other reviews on amazon.com. It does not take up much counter space and I like the ability to move the water resevoir to the side or back as you like it. My only complaint is not with the machine but the lack of availability of the coffee capsules. There are so few retail places to purchase these things and once you start using this machine, you will put away your other coffee makers.

Good machineUsed to have the pixie but broked it.That one was cheap, and it's a little bit too automated for my taste.But the taste is the same.