The machine has mechanical design deficiencies and Nespresso needs to address this rather than blaming the customer.
Positive Product Points
The machine looks great on the kitchen counter which was a important consideration in the purchasing decision. I enjoy the quality of the espresso the machine produces.
Negative Product Points
The unit I purchased leaked constantly (internally, and seeping out of the unit's access plate underneath the unit) after only a couple of months of limited use leaving the counter top wet with puddles of water. This is a total pain as well as a safety concern due to being an electrical appliance.
Detailed Commentary
After the past three months of frustration with this mechanical defect the retailer agreed to return my money this week. They have done this solely to retain my business for other products they sell and will deal with Nespresso without my involvement. Nespresso would not agree to a machine exchange or refund to me but due to the volume of machines this major retailer sells they won't have any choice now. Even though Nespresso agreed to allow it to be sent in for warranty repair twice they failed to correct the defect both times and have not agreed to an exchange of the machine claiming that it works fine. The repair depot is 2,500 miles from where I live meaning my unit travelled about 10,000 miles during this battle. It would have been cheaper for them and they would have retained a customer if they had just exchanged the machine from the get go.
The Nespresso customer service call centre is insufficiently staffed to handle the volume of calls. It is typical to be on hold waiting for a person to speak with for 20-30 minutes. Even though the customer service staff are polite and a few very nice and personable I did not appreciate some of the questions presented by several during the approximately two dozen phone calls I had to make. For instance: "Are you sure you've installed the water container correctly?"
Buying Experience
The initial purchase of the machine was fine. The customer service staff are good if you have the patience to wait for one. The service repair department really let me down and now that I've been able to dispose of the machine I will consider an alternate brand and spend my money elsewhere which is unfortunate as I really liked the machine and the coffee.
