Nescafé Dolce Gusto Genio 2 Coffee Machine Review

Low-Cost Machine Serving High-Quality Coffee 

Finding the best coffee maker is quite a challenge these days, especially when it comes to a large number of different types, styles, sizes, shapes, and colors available. It can be really difficult for a first-timer but if a cup of coffee is a must for you to start your day and you like things to be easy and simple, then the Nescafé Dolce Gusto Genio 2 coffee machine might just be the right fit for you.

The Nescafé Dolce Gusto Genio 2 is a small, single-serving, and capsule-based machine that is fantastic for cappuccino and mocha-style drinks. Get ready for an everyday coffee-bar like experience from the comfort of your home.

You get to enjoy a wide range of coffee blends or styles with this machine. Actually, 15 different types of premium coffee to be precise with the most popular being the now traditional Espresso, Cappuccino, Latte, Tea, and Hot Chocolate. It is a perfect appliance for all members of the family, whatever their taste or coffee preferences.

One point that we were quite happy to learn about was the fact that Nespresso, and in specific this machine, is an eco-friendly machine. What this means is that when it comes to the end of life of the machine, the used capsules and machines can be collected for recycling. It won’t change the quality of the coffee itself or help in any way in terms of taste and aroma, but somehow it does feel good to know that when it comes to it, there is a way t dispose of it and recycle so you can reduce your environmental footprint.

Key Specifications

• Generates 15-bar automatic pressure
• Thermoblock heating system
• Removable water reservoir up to 1 liter
• Automatic shutdown after 5 minutes of inactivity
• Exclusive for Nescafé capsules only
• On/Off switch with LED
• Adjustable drip tray for different cup sizes
• No preheating required
• 11.7 x 10.8 x 6.5 inches dimensions
• 6.8 pounds of weight

Design

The Genio 2 measures 17 x 30 x 26 cm and has a compact and stylish design that easily blends in any kitchen. This small coffee machine has a round, curvy, and unique penguin-shaped that can be put in a corner in the kitchen and almost forget that it is there. Not only that, but it is also lightweight, making it super easy to lift and move around, especially when cleaning kitchen tops. Let’s face it, there isn’t much for the machine to get wrong. It is a simple, yet efficient coffee capsule machine, no bells, and whistles. It does one job right, and that is it. There are no fancy accessories to take care of, its design is simple, efficient, and good looking too.

Features

Thermoblock Technology

This is something that anyone who has had a Nespresso coffee machine has got used to, and that includes us. Unlike other coffee makers, the Genio 2 can make you a cup of either hot or cold drink that is full of flavor and aroma. It uses Thermoblock technology, which controls temperature, pressure, steam function, and water flow. The water is heated or cooled on the fly as it passes through the cooling element so you can have your hot cup of coffee in less than 30 seconds.

Eco-Friendly Mode 

You would never imagine that the Nescafé Dolce Gusto Genio 2 can draw 1,500W when heating or cooling the water. But don’t you worry about getting your electricity bills going through the roof because the Genio 2 coffee maker automatically turns off after 5 minutes on standby mode. Nespresso thought of this (so nice of them) and additionally, it helps to minimize the risk of damaging the machine when you forget (because you will, just as anyone else does) to turn it off.

Convenient User Interface

The 2nd edition of Genio offers a user-friendly interface with its patented toggle switch feature. You can control the amount of water that flows and also whether you want it hot or cold, all just simply by moving the dial in one direction or another. Very, very easy and simple. It also has a flow-stop system with an 8 level bar LED display indicator which indicates how strong your drink will taste.

Pressure-Based System

Nescafé Dolce Gusto Genio 2 is based on a 15-bar pressure system to give you the high-quality, aromatic, and full of flavor coffee that you expect. One could argue whether it is the right amount to make the best brewed coffee, but we assumed this is down to personal taste. Will you get a good coffee every time you use it? Definitely yes. The good thing about capsules/pods coffee machines is that there is nothing that can go wrong. You just press one button and the magic happens. You never get to see how much work and tech go inside the machine to make sure that things are kept that easy and simple. What could possibly go wrong?

Operation

Most capsule coffee machines work pretty much the same way. All you need to do is fill the water tank with water, put the coffee capsule and toggle the switch to set whether you want a hot or cold cup of coffee (yes, there are people out there that prefer cold coffee, believe it or not). Wait for just a couple of minutes and you can enjoy a freshly-brewed coffee as good as what you get from your favorite coffee shop.

Nescafé Dolce Gusto designed the drip tray to be adjustable to avoid splashing water that could damage the internals. You can fit any size of cup or glass and set the number of bars of coffee and milk-based on your preference. Once it is done, the machine will automatically stop and shut down after 5 minutes. This is all there is to it, no rocket science involved here, no groundbreaking way of making coffee. It is as simple and yet as efficient as it is going to get.

Maintenance

Cleaning this coffee machine couldn’t be any easier, just rinse the drip tray with water along with the capsule holder and water reservoir and you are good to go. If very dirty, you can put them in the dishwasher. It really is as simple as that, the machine is designed for minimum maintenance.

There is however one aspect that you need to be aware of, and it applies not just to the Nescafé Dolce Gusto Genio 2 but to all coffee machines in the market. You will need to descale it every 3 to 4 months, or after 400 uses, or when the power buttons turn orange. There is no way around this if you want to taste good coffee as limescale build-ups will affect taste and flavor. Additionally, it helps in keeping a fast water flow and pump pressure which in turn extends the life span of the machine.

Steps for Descaling

1. Press and hold the power button for at least 5 seconds. It will blink alternately displaying green and orange to show it is in descaling mode.
2. Fill the water reservoir with half a liter of a mixture of water and descaling liquid.
3. Press the hot button for about a minute to run hot water through. It will use half the water tank. Do the same with the cold water button to run cold water and use the other half of the tank. Allow the descaling liquid to do its business for about 2 minutes.
4. Refill the water reservoir with water ONLY and do the same process as before, this time with just water. It will get rid of any descaling residue.
5. Once it is all done, the power button will display a green light to let you know it is ready to be used again.

Conclusion

What you get with the Nescafé Dolce Gusto Genio 2 is coffee that is just as good as your local coffee shop. It is a simple machine to use, I mean, you just have to press one button, how much easier can it get? The important bit however is that the quality of the coffee is simply brilliant, and with such a growing range of coffee capsules in the market, you are not limited to Nespresso ones to find the right coffee mix that you like.

However, if you are up for experimenting with drinks, being a bit more creative, mix with milk, etc, well, this coffee machine is definitely not for you. You might want to choose the Nespreso Creatista Plus as it will give you more options. You could always go for full grinding coffee machines, which will definitely give you pro-like features. We believe the people who would love this machine the most would be anyone who loves to enjoy a good cup of espresso. All in all, it is a great coffee maker that comes at a very reasonable price.