Why Is My Nespresso Vertuo Blinking Orange?

Home coffee brewing systems have come a long way from the days of the drip coffee pot onto a hot plate. There are home baristas, pour over devices, cold brewers, and even individual pods designed to create a perfect cafe experience each time. The Nespresso Vertuo is one machine that uses these pods to churn out a variety of high-end coffee and tea beverages. If you have a Vertuo, you might have a moment of panic if you go to make your coffee and notice that instead of brewing your favorite blend nothing comes out and the Nespresso Vertuo is blinking orange.

If your Nespresso Vertuo is blinking orange it is probably dirty and clogged, meaning it should be cleaned and descaled. You can run hot water through the machine for a quick fix, but the Vertuo should be descaled using a specific solution to keep it clean and running smoothly. The orange blinking light could also result from an empty water reservoir or if the empty pod container is full.

When you notice an orange blinking light on your Nespresso Vertuo, don’t panic. There are only so many potential issues that can cause that orange warning light. If you notice this orange light you just need to know what areas to check. There are several potential issues that we will highlight in this article. Once you check each location you are bound to find the underlying issue sooner or later. Even better, you should have no issue solving the problem quickly on your own.

One reason your Nespresso Vertuo is blinking orange is that it has run out of water. This warning often shows itself by blinking orange two 1.5 seconds and then off for .5 seconds. Your machine has a sensor that can tell when there is no more water. Rather than continuing to pull air from an empty vessel (which would damage the machine), it gives off this orange warning light. This is perhaps the easiest potential problem to check.

Simply look at the back of your machine. If the reservoir has no more water, then this is likely the issue. To confirm, turn off the machine, and fill the reservoir with water. Put the container back in place, and turn the machine back on. Try to make a cup of coffee. If the orange light is gone, then your problem has been resolved.

Another place you should check if you notice the orange light blinking on your Nespresso Vertuo is the used capsule container. Once you make each pod of coffee, the pod is discarded into a container within the machine that holds these pods. After several uses, the pods fill the container. This makes it impossible to discard any more pods.

Similar to an empty water reservoir, your machine senses an issue, and instead of causing damage, it puts up an orange warning light. In order to see if this is the source of your problem, remove the used pod container. First, unplug the machine. Then empty whatever pods are inside (even if it doesn’t seem overly full to you) and then place the container back in position. Plug the machine back in and then attempt to make a cup of coffee. If everything is back to normal then you have found the reason for the orange light.

One of the most common reasons your Nespresso Vertuo is blinking orange is because it is dirty from overuse and not enough cleaning. While the machine is fairly self-sufficient, over time, coffee residue builds up in several areas of the machine. This is especially true in and around the mechanism that spins the pod and extracts the coffee. If the machine is not cleaned periodically, bits of. Coffee will build up and compress. This can cause the Nespresso machine to clog up and jam. This jam will trigger the orange blinking light.

If you suspect a dirty coffee machine is the root of your problem, or if you have already tried everything else and nothing is working, then it is time to clean and descale your machine.

When it comes to unclogging and cleaning out your Nespresso Vertuo, you can choose two different paths. One path is a quick cleaning of your machine. This process involves filling your reservoir with water and allowing the machine to filter hot water throughout the machine and out of it. This can help clear out a lot of the coffee buildup, as it is a large flow of hot water, with the absence of a coffee pod. It is also a quicker option, taking about 7 minutes and not requiring any cleaning solution.

Descaling is a more involved cleaning cycle for your Nespresso Vertuo. One major difference between descaling and a simple rinse is that descaling involves using a solution in addition to water. This solution works its way through the machine to help clean it to remove and clog issues.

It also goes through a more advanced cleaning and filtering process. Instead of just running water through it, there is actually a separate mode for descaling the machine. It even involves two cycles. The first cycle runs the water and cleaning solution through, and the second cycle uses water to filter any remaining solution out. Descaling is a much more involved process and is recommended if your machine is dirty and backed up. Keep in mind this process takes longer, upwards of 30 minutes from start to finish.

Test the machine with a coffee pod after you refill the reservoir. This is a good process to get in the habit of doing weekly. This will greatly reduce the likelihood that your machine will get so dirty that the orange light starts blinking.

Cleaning Tip: To loosen up the existing clog, you might need to try and spin the device above where you install each pod. This is the mechanism that spins and extracts the coffee, and can get clogged up and freeze due to buildup. Simply unplug the machine and give the mechanism a few spins to loosen it up before the cleaning.

If your Nespresso Vertuo is not making coffee, but instead is blinking orange, there are several potential causes. The most likely problem is that the machine is clogged up and needs to be cleaned. If this is the case you can try to opt for a quicker cleaning, which involves flushing the system with hot water.

Or, if time allows, you should do a more advanced cleaning by descaling it. This involves a cleaning solution and a specific descaling mode. The orange blinking light could also be caused by a lack of water in the reservoir or an over-filled empty pod container.