There is little question that the NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto Melody 3 Coffee Machine, is the most popular choice of all the Dolce models, that are available on the UK market.
That also happens to make it, one of the best selling pod style coffee machines, currently available on the UK marketplace. All of these pod style coffee machines are easy to use, fast and very efficient at making great tasting coffee.
You can see what this particular Melody 3 model looks like just below.
As you can see, this one has a very unique and cool style. It is this style that most people in the UK seem to favour. Like all the pod style machines, this Melody model is easy to use and very easy to keep clean.
At Amazon UK, and on other online websites, the Nescafe Dolce Melody is the best selling individual coffee machine, that uses pods. This one along with the Bosch Tassimo dominate the UK markets. As you can see from the image above, this one does look really trendy.
What Buyers Say About the Nescafe Dolce Melody
Below we have summarised what real life buyers make of this machine. Overall they rate this Nescafe Meoldy model as a 4.6 out of 5 star machine. This is based on a 5 star rating system, with 1 being the lowest rating, and 5 stars being the highest.
I have shown the buyer ratings by a percentage split, which I think you may find useful, to see the ratings at a glance.
It is pretty easy to see from these ratings, that 7.6 out of 10 people gave this one the full 5 star rating. Over 90% rated it a 4 star product or higher. Around 2-3% were clearly not happy with their purchase. Generally speaking though, the majority of buyers were pleased with their purchase.
What Buyers Didn't Like Abut the Melody
If the percentage of 1 star reviews is small, I tend to ignore that, as the complaints are normally pretty small. So as you can see that around 2-3% there are not really a great deal of complaints. Nevertheless, I think these are always worth a quick look, and summary.
There were three trends to the complaints that did exist. A few people received a faulty product, or it went faulty after three months. Those were remedied by either a refund or a replacement. The second trend was that people didn't like the taste of the coffee. Finally the third trend was that, they didn't like the fact that it was compatible with other types of pods.
Faulty machines I understand can be frustrating and give reason for low ratings. The taste of the coffee is always down to personal taste, and like all of these styles of machines, they are sold to suit the proper type of capsules.
Overall though with over 90% being very satisfied with their purchase, we will now look at this coffee machine in much more detail.
Video of the Nescafé Dolce Gusto Melody 3
Before diving off into a detailed review, it is worthwhile finding out what this coffee maker can actually do. The actual coffee maker, that carries the Nescafe brand name, is in fact made by the high quality Italian brand De'Longhi.
These two big brands teamed up to deliver this particular coffee maker. Underneath, you will find a video review of this coffee maker being unboxed. The voice review does come in at around 2 minutes, where you see the machine being used.
So now you know what it does, let's take a closer look at some of the details.
Nescafé Dolce Molody 3 Coffee Machine by De'Longhi Specification & Key Features
- Coffee shop quality thanks to a 15 bar pressure system for good strength and a great crema head
- Can make a whole variety of great coffee drinks including hot and cold (25+)
- The capsules are readily available in many UK supermarkets so always a good choice available
- It is truly easy to use and super simple
- It is also very easy to clean
- Comes with a 2-year guarantee
- Measures 31.5 x 20 x 30.4 cm and weighs around 2.7 Kg
- Works off the main's supply and has a 1,500 watt heater
- It can hold 1.3 litres of water to make the coffee
Can You Use Different Pods in this Nescafe Machine?
Quite a number of people ask if you can use Bosch Tassimo pods in this machine and the answer is no that is not possible, as the Tassimo pods are much bigger. You also can not use K-Cups either. Normally you find that you have to buy the correct pod for each type of machine.
Who Would Buy the Nescafe Melody 3?
These types of machines are convenience coffee makers. You fill them up with water, insert a pod of your choice, and then push the lever. Your coffee comes out the spout and it is ready to drink.
That is how simple these are to use and how simple they are to keep clean. They do need descaled after 900+ drinks, but again pretty simple to achieve.
The one thing that I don't really like about this particular model is that you have to watch it when it is making the coffee. You then have to gauge when to stop the flow of coffee (it doesn't do it automatically like many other machines such as the Bosch Tassimo.).
Many people use these just to make a quick brew as and when they fancy a coffee. They are also used by some people in their small office for the same reason. Many people also use these in holiday homes and in caravans.
It is also a good choice for anyone who likes to try different types of coffee drinks. With this machine you can get 25 different types, and that is an impressive range. They range from a basic espresso, Americano, Latte, Chai tea latte and even hot chocolate.
Key Things to Know
This product does come with a plug that is suitable for a UK main's socket. You can only fill one cup at a time as this has only got a single spout. It is fair to say that the majority of buyers really love the look of this machine. It does for sure look pretty smart and would suit any type of kitchen.
Another main reason that people buy this machine is the variety of pods that you can buy. That allows you to make different coffee types, without having to know a lot of coffee information. Rather than know how to make one, you simply put in the right type of pod, and push the lever.
That allows you the end user, to try a multitude of coffee flavours. It is also a lot cheaper than going to Starbucks or Costa.
These machines are very simple in their working method. Coffee pods are sealed for freshness. When you place it inside the machine, the pod gets pierced. Hot water is then forced over the granules to make your coffee, and also make the cream head (crema)
If you have never used one of these before, the noise may initially scare you. When I first used one, I thought I had broke it. They are simply noisier than you may first imagine.
How Much are the Nescafe Dolce Gusto Coffee Pods?
It will vary depending on where you buy them. I have included average prices here for one reason. If you are going to buy this machine, then the pods will be your main running cost. I think it is therefore important to understand the average prices for these.
This is a good rule of thumb - 16 pods cost around £4.80 so that is about 30 pence a capsule or 30 pence per drink. If you buy in bulk they will be cheaper. The price also varies depending on which coffee drink you want to try. These price variations are small though, and it is always a good idea to shop around.
My Summary & Verdict on the Nescafe Dolce Melody 3 Coffee Machine
I own and prefer the Bosch Tassimo. This one works perfectly well and I have used it at my friend's house many times. Nescafe also make the Dolce Gusto Vivo , which is also a good machine, but in a much different style. There is a decent choice of pods available, and I actually do like the style of it.
The majority of people seem very happy with the results. Many people are a tad surprised when they first use this, as it is quite noisy.
These smaller machines are all like that though, in that they generate a lot more noise than you may first expect to hear.
If this is not the pod machine for you, then check out our top 10 list of coffee pod makers by clicking here.
This product has an RRP of around £49-50. if you can find it cheaper that that, then you have found yourself a bargain.
