Nescafé Dolce Gusto Genio S Pod Coffee Machine

Summary

Is such a small pod machine worth it, or will it leave you short day to day? That’s the question we asked ourselves with the Nescafé Dolce Gusto Genio S, and after several weeks of use the short answer is yes, as long as you accept what a closed pod system involves.

Its strong point is its size. At 29.0 cm high, 27.0 cm deep and just 12.0 cm wide, and weighing 2.0 kg, it fits into gaps where other coffee machines simply won’t go. If you’re short of worktop or want a second machine for a home office or a small flat, this format is about as space-efficient as anything we’ve had our hands on.

Inside there’s a 15 bar pump, which is what gives the drinks their layer of crema, and it opens up a range of more than 40 varieties across Nescafé Dolce Gusto and Starbucks. It also makes both hot and cold drinks at the touch of a button, which makes it more versatile than a classic espresso machine if not everyone at home drinks coffee.

The clearest limitation is the 0.8 litre tank, which ran short in our testing as soon as we made several large cups in a row, so if there are a few coffee drinkers at home you’ll be refilling it often. You also depend on official pods, so the cost per cup will always be higher than with ground coffee.

We tested the taupe version (EDG226) in Spain. On Amazon.co.uk we link the white Genio S as a starter kit with 6 boxes of Starbucks pods, sold by Amazon. The listing gives the same 15 bar pump and 0.8 L tank.

All in all, we think it’s a smart buy if you’re after convenience, variety and a compact size, and less suitable if you prioritise pure espresso or make a lot of coffee every day.

Analysis and verdict

Design – Score: 8.9/10

Set on a standard worktop under a wall cupboard, the Genio S measures 29.0 cm high, 27.0 cm deep and 12.0 cm wide and weighs 2.0 kg. Only the Essenza Mini is narrower in our ranking, and the Genio S is the lightest of them all. It fits gaps others can’t, and you can move it with one hand without emptying it first. For reference, the Amazon.co.uk listing quotes 11.2 cm wide, 27.3 cm high and 28.8 cm deep.

It’s one of the simplest pod machines we’ve used, since everything comes down to the level wheel, the temperature button and the start button. The wheel also works as a countdown while it brews, giving you a visual cue of how long is left, and the eco mode switches the machine off after 5 minutes of inactivity, so you won’t waste energy by forgetting it.

The drip tray is height-adjustable and takes anything from an espresso cup to a tall glass of around 15 cm, and it lifts out completely if you need more room, so there’s no balancing act with the cup. What costs it a few tenths is the noise. While brewing, the pump is clearly audible and sends some vibration into the worktop, noticeable from the next room.

Cleaning – Score: 8.7/10

This is where the pod format clearly works in its favour, because the grounds stay inside each pod and come out dry on the outside, with no loose bits in the tray. There’s no portafilter or brew unit to brush, and the tank and tray come out and rinse under the tap in moments.

The catch comes when it’s brand new, and it’s the detail no spec sheet tells you. The water from the first hot rinses came out cloudy, and it took us around seven hot cycles and three cold ones until it ran as clear as tap water. It isn’t a serious flaw, but if your machine is new, don’t skip that step even though the manual doesn’t insist on repeating it.

Capacity – Score: 7.7/10

The 0.8 litre tank is in keeping with the machine’s size, but this is where you notice most that it’s designed for small households. In a round of four large cups in a row we had to refill it halfway, so if there are three or four coffee drinkers at home you’ll be filling it almost every day.

On the plus side, we found the tank very well thought out. It comes out and clicks back in cleanly, with no play or drips when you put it back, and the filling opening is wide enough to top it up from a jug without removing it. Compared with other multi-drink machines we’ve had, with narrow openings at the back, that detail saves a fair bit of hassle.

One practical warning we confirmed ourselves is that the maximum line sits very high, almost at the rim, so if you fill it right up, move it carefully to avoid spilling water on the way. We don’t give our own figure for the used-pod container. The machine has one, but we didn’t count how many pods it takes before it jams, so we leave that figure out.

Pressure, drink variety and cup temperature

A maximum pressure of 15 bar is a high figure for a pod machine this size, and it translates into a consistent crema on espressos and a decent texture in milky drinks. In our testing the cappuccino came out with pretty respectable foam for a pod drink, although it’s worth stirring because the milk and coffee tend to settle in layers.

Heat-up is quick. From cold, the light turns green almost straight away and the first cup comes out at a good temperature with no need to purge. In fact, hot drinks come out very hot, hotter than in other multi-drink machines we’ve tried, so take care if you drink it the moment it’s poured.

The more than 40 pod varieties cover everything from black coffee to hot chocolate, teas and cold drinks, so if your home has someone who wants a short espresso and someone who prefers a sweet cappuccino, one machine sorts both of you out. You set the amount with a level wheel and an XL function for large cups, and each box of pods shows the recommended level, although you can raise or lower it to taste. The hot or cold selector is direct and unambiguous, which you’ll appreciate in summer with the iced teas in the range.

Pros

• Very compact (12.0 cm wide and 2.0 kg), so it fits small gaps on the worktop and moves without effort.
• Hot and cold drinks at the touch of a button, handy if your home switches between coffees, hot chocolate and iced teas through the year.
• Crema from the 15 bar pump and a quick heat-up, so the first cup of the morning doesn’t keep you waiting.
• Minimal cleaning, because the grounds stay inside the pod and the tank and tray wash in moments.

Cons

• The 0.8 litre tank needs refilling often if you make several large cups in a row.
• The pump is clearly audible while brewing and sends vibration into the worktop, although a rubber mat almost entirely cures it.

Our test

Test 1: Design – worktop fit, finish and noise

We set it on a standard worktop with a wall cupboard above and measured it with the tank fitted: 29.0 cm high, 27.0 cm deep and 12.0 cm wide, with 2.0 kg on the scales. Even with the lid open it still fits under the cupboard, something we couldn’t take for granted with the bulkier multi-drink machines in the comparison. The tray adjusts without removing it, taking you from an espresso cup to a glass of around 15 cm.

After a month of use the plastic doesn’t creak when pressed and the finish copes well with fingerprints. During brewing we went by feel rather than figures. The pump can be heard from the living room next door with the door open, in line with other pod machines we’ve tested, neither among the quietest nor the loudest. The vibration reaching the worktop is moderate and practically disappears with a rubber mat underneath, an easy trick if you make coffee first thing with people asleep nearby.

Test 2: Cleaning – first rinses and removable parts

Before the first cup it’s worth spending a while on the water cycles, and here we found the detail no spec sheet tells you. The water from the first hot rinses came out cloudy, and it took us around seven hot cycles and three cold ones until it ran as clear as tap water.

After around twenty coffees and a couple of milky drinks, we took apart everything that comes apart. The tank, tray and pod holder come off without tools and wash by hand in a couple of minutes. We found no corner that needed a brush, and the reason is the same one behind the high score. The grounds never reach the machine; they stay inside the pod, which comes out dry on the outside.

Test 3: Capacity – the tank in a family round

We wanted to see how long the tank lasts with guests round, and in a run of four large cups we had to stop and refill before finishing. For one or two people that’s a perfectly manageable pace, as filling is quick and nothing needs taking apart, but with a group you’ll be watching the water level more than you’d like.

We also made espressos, cappuccinos and iced tea back to back over three days to see how it coped, and heat-up between pods was brisk, with no long waits between one person’s drink and the next. We also found that, with the rinsing insert left in, you can get just hot water for a herbal tea, which gives it an extra use we didn’t expect. What we don’t have is our own count of how many used pods the container takes before it jams, so we don’t give that figure.

If you’d like to know more about what to look for, have a look at our guide to the best pod coffee machines, where you’ll find the best models we’ve tested to help you choose the right one for you.