Nescafé Dolce Gusto Jovia by De’Longhi Coffee Machine EDG250B

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Nescafe are one of the world’s largest producers of coffee in the world. They are most known for their instant coffee over many decades.

Following the rapid rise in popularity of home-based coffee machines and the desire for consumers to have a convenient method to make coffee without the hassle.  the first Dolce Gusto POD machines were introduced in 2006

With many years now under their belt, with the power of the Nescafe brand they have gone on to sell millions of units worldwide.

This particular machine is manufactured by Delonghi who sell more coffee machines than any other brand and have become the recognised leaders in coffee machines worldwide.

If you are looking for a low-cost initial outlay and would like to try something other than instant coffee then this is the kind of machine you should be considering

Does it make a better coffee than instant coffee?

Even though the cost is not high compared to other coffee machines is the Nescafé Dolce Gusto Jovia by De’Longhi Coffee Machine EDG250B worth it?

Let’s find out.

Overall Score 7.4/10

Design 6/10

At this end of the coffee machine market do not expect anything that is going to be highly designed or even particularly pleasing to the eye.

This is a basic machine which is essentially an upgrade from instant coffee out of a jar.

Also available in white or red, we have selected the black version for this review.

It does not score highly on design because it is black plastic all over and has the look and feel more of a kettle than a coffee machine.

However, it is important to remember that this coffee machine has not been produced for its looks, it has been produced to be a practical device that makes coffee.

If you are looking for something that does what it says on the tin without all the razzmatazz then this may well be exactly what you are looking for.

This is a pretty compact machine measuring in at 17cm deep, 33cm wide and 23cm tall so it will happily sit on most kitchen worktops.

 If you want something that is POD based but looks good and has a higher design element to it then you may wish to consider a Nespresso Machine

Functionality 8/10

One of the key benefits of any POD coffee machine is convenience. If you are time poor and not really interested in the faff of fresh coffee preparation and clearing up afterwards then this is the route you should be going down.

No bean grinding, no adding coffee to a portafilter like on a pump espresso machine, just grab a pod a pull a lever

If you are looking for a freshly ground cup of coffee consider a  bean to cup coffee machine

Once you turn the Jovia on you will need to wait around 40 seconds for it to heat up the correct temperature before you can start to make a coffee.

The water container on the back pops out easy enough and will hold up to 0.8 litres of water, plenty for multiple cups of coffee.

They have added a nice little feature with the drip tray making it fully removable for if you have a really tall glass and it can be simply slotted in at two other higher levels for smaller glasses.

Pop a pod in and once the light on the front of the machine turns from red to green you are good to go.

No buttons to press or anything like that on this machine just a lever. Pull the lever to the right as you are looking at the machine and the water will start to push through the pod.

VERY IMPORTANT: This is not automatic delivery of water.

You need to monitor the amount of coffee in the glass and push the lever back to the middle when you are happy with what you see.

The benefit of this is that over time you can tailor the coffee to pretty much the exact strength that you like.

The downside is that coffee tastes best when extracted just right. Too much water and the taste will be off. With Nespresso for example, you press a button according to the drink type and it will deliver the correct amount of water and stop automatically.

Ease of use 10/10

One of the key features of a POD or capsule coffee machine is ease of use and convenience.

Nescafé Dolce Gusto Jovia does not disappoint. Once the POD is in you just move the lever to one side and back again when you are done.

It’s about the most simple to use coffee machine we have ever seen.

Quality of coffee 6/10

The good news is that the POD’s are widely available from all supermarkets so you don’t have to order online or go to any speciality shop. Just grab a packet of pods from the coffee aisle.

But in terms of quality of coffee there are a couple of important points to note.

Firstly if you are making a milk-based drink such as Cappuccino or Latte then you will need two pods for each drink. One milk POD and one coffee POD. The milk POD contains powdered milk. Powdered milk with water pushed through it is not going to taste as good as fresh milk.

Secondly, as you need to control when to stop the coffee yourself by flicking the lever yourself the coffee could easily be under or over-extracted which will affect the flavour.

It’s certainly not a bad coffee but you won’t get something that tastes like what you get at one of the well-known coffee shops on the high street

Value For Money 7/10

This has to be judged on what you are trying to achieve with this coffee machine. As long as you understand that this is an entry-level coffee machine which is a step up from instant coffee then it will work well for you.

Bear in mind though that the cost of capsules are significantly more expensive than instant coffee granules.

If this your first foray into coffee machines this is not a bad place to start.

Here’s a short video

Last update on 2024-12-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API