Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET
There was a time I refused to drink coffee at home because no matter how strong a coffee pod I bought for my Keurig, the coffee always tasted watered down. I started wondering whether I'd ever achieve the same hand-crafted coffee shop taste at home -- until I was gifted the Nespresso VertuoPlus Coffee and Espresso Machine by De'Longhi.
With this Nespresso machine, I can make a regular cup of coffee or an espresso shot, which can then be used to create a latte, cappuccino, and more -- all at the touch of a button while keeping the flavor of the real thing a barista would make. It's so good I even repurchased it twice as a gift (and they both use it every day too).
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This has been one of the best additions to my kitchen, and I am pretty confident anyone investing in it or receiving it as a gift would feel the same way. The best part is that the machine is $80 off on Amazon, even ahead of Black Friday. This brings the cost down to $120 compared to its usual $199 price tag.
The machine is the gift that keeps on giving, as you'll save a ton of money. Instead of spending up to $7 a drink every morning at a coffee shop, you can have your beverage of choice on command whenever you want -- for the cost of a pod, which starts at around $1.
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This specific model is also convenient because it has a swiveling water tank, making it easier to find a place for the gadget in your kitchen. Therefore, it is also much less bulky than most coffee machines. The tank holds 60 ounces of water, enabling you to make around 12 cups of coffee at 5 ounces each or 7 cups at 7.7 ounces each before refilling the tank.
After reading this post, ZDNET's David Gewirtz got the machine himself. Since then, he has become an avid fan, using the machine regularly to brew some mid-day pick-me-up cups or treat himself to a quality cup of coffee.
David Gewirtz/ZDNET
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